Chapter One

Final Goodbyes

"Ginny, you can't come with me. He'll kill you!" Harry screamed.

"I'm not leaving you!" Cried Ginny.

"Go! Now! Help the others, this is my destiny, not yours," Harry pleaded.

At that very moment Voldemort came bursting through a nearby door.

"Ginny, run!" Harry screamed. Ginny started running out of the room

"Avada Kedavra," Voldemort hissed. Ginny died before she hit the floor.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Harry yelled.

"You bloody bastard! I'll kill you for that. I'll kill you!" Harry screamed.

"Boy! Shut up! What the ruddy hell is going on," Voldemort said. It wasn't his voice though; it was the voice of his Uncle Vernon.

Harry woke up and found himself sitting in his chair with a letter that had been sent by Professor McGonnagal sitting in front of him.

"Sorry, uncle, bad dream," Harry said.

"Well next time try not to yell," Vernon said quietly and left the room. Harry could hear his uncle grumbling on his way back to bed. Then there were loud snoring noises.

Harry was surprised his uncle had taken it that well. Usual he would have yelled at Harry for at least another half an hour until the neighbors complained.

This was to be his last summer at number four, Privet Drive, or rather his last part of summer. He was very eager to leave and get away from the Dursleys. So long had he waited for this moment. All the years he had been cooped up with the Dursleys who treated him like a plunger. Then there was that fateful summer, where Hagrid had come to fetch him and told Harry that he was a wizard. That was the happiest moment of Harry's life. Knowing that finally, he would be getting rid of the Dursleys. Only to find out he would be spending summers at dreadful number four.

A loud belch came from the boy, for he had just been eating the birthday cakes that Ron, Hermione, and Hagrid had sent before he had fell asleep. He still hadn't gotten around to Hagrid's cake. He wasn't quite sure whether he wanted to try out Hagrid's cooking tonight. He had had experience with it before. Sometimes he could eat it. Other times when he bit into them his teeth ached for days after having bit into "food" that was as solid as rock. He didn't dare attempt at this tonight, so he put it aside and sat down on his bed.

Harry had been thinking over the horrible night, the night that Dumbledore had been murdered by the single person he loathed the most. He hated Snape more than anything right now. What he wouldn't do to have a piece of him. He couldn't believe that Dumbledore had frozen him. Why did Dumbledore not want Harry to help him? Harry and Dumbledore surely could have taken on Malfoy with no problem. Something was fishy, very fishy. He couldn't put his mind on it so he decided to trouble his mind with other things.

Hedwig was sleeping soundly in her cage. Every now and then he glanced at her. Hedwig was a very pretty owl and sight. Hedwig was his only friend at number four, so he gave her a lot of attention and tried not to be mean to her. Of course, with all the happiness built up at the prospect of leaving the Dursleys for good, there was no reason to take out any of his anger on her. He stuck his finger in the cage and stroked her once. Her feathers were very soft and clean. Harry was about to stroke his beloved pet owl again, but he didn't want to wake her up. He did not want to disturb his highflying friend so he took out some recent Daily Prophets desperately searching for clues about Voldemort. He didn't expect any results, but it was worth trying.

He remembered the letter that he had sent Professor McGonnagal. He had just recently sent her a letter stating that he wouldn't be coming back to Hogwarts. He remembered the words in his head.

Professor McGonnagal, I will not be returning to Hogwarts this year for my seventh year of teaching. I have to find the remaining horcruxes that belong to Voldemort so I can kill him. I hope you understand.

Harry Potter

The letter was short and Harry thought it quite lame. He hadn't put much thought to it. He had been in a rush because he didn't want to spend days working on a letter when he would be leaving soon. If he didn't write now he didn't know when he would get the chance ever again. In fact, the return letter had come just this night.

Harry, I understand that you will not be returning to Hogwarts. Please stop by, though before setting out any further. There are some things Dumbledore has left behind that he would want you to know.

Minerva McGonnagal

Finally he got bored enough so that he took out his old Care of Magical Creatures book. Every time the book opened its mouth, Harry would stick his finger in the opening and rip it out just before the book took his finger. He found this quite amusing. After nearly losing an entire hand to the book, he used a cruddy quill for bait.

Why didn't I think of this before? Harry thought to himself. He couldn't believe he had actually attempted risking his finger for entertainment. He laughed out loud. It didn't take much to make Harry laugh these days. He'd do anything for entertainment over all these killings that were going around these days with Voldemort back.

Harry was only at the Dursley's house because that was what Dumbledore had wanted. He wasn't going to let Dumbledore down now. He remembered what Dumbledore had said to him before leaving the Dursleys house the previous summer. When he became of age the enchantment would be lifted, but Harry had to stay here until that time. He had turned seventeen just an hour ago, the protective enchantment on number four had vanished, and he was planning to say goodbye to the Dursley's in the morning. He knew they wouldn't be sad, in fact, he knew they would just about throw a party after his departure. Harry, for some very strange reason, had felt it appropriate to say goodbye to the people who had once made his life a living hell. How he loathed the Dursleys.

He hated Dudley the most. This was because he had gotten meaner towards Harry. Although Dudley mouthed off occasionally to Harry, he never dared to touch him. He was afraid of Harry's wand and did not want another curly tail or enlarged tongue. His gang now comprised of fourteen members, and they were vandalizing everything they could get their grubby little hands on. Harry thought it would be fun to leave a couple of ton-tongue toffees behind for Dudley. Harry laughed out loud at this thought. Getting revenge on Dudley had been his dream. Harry had no reason for not leaving his super overweight cousin a couple of Fred and George's Joke Shop Candy.

A prickle on his scar told him that Voldemort was killing again. More and more lives were lost each day to Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Voldemort was winning this war. Few Aurors were still alive. Luckily Mad-Eye Moody was still working for the Order. They needed an asset like him. Lupin and Tonks had gotten engaged just a week ago. It was as though this war was making them rush their decisions. This sort of thing had happened when Voldemort had been in power before, it was happening again. The Ministry of Magic was falling apart. Voldemort had many followers inside of the Ministry. Now they were finally showing themselves as Death Eaters and annihilating

what was left of the Ministry. It troubled Harry to know that anyone could take down the Ministry of Magic; even Voldemort.

The Daily Prophet was still going around. It was no longer being held at the Ministry but had moved to another location so that the Wizarding community would have some wind about what was going on. Recent papers had shown that Voldemort was killing many people again. Dark Marks had sprouted up all over the place. It wasn't long now before the Muggles found out about the Wizarding World. When that happened, Wizards would not be safe. Muggles were horrible people. They would see Wizards as a threat and start hunting them down. No Wizard would be safe. What with Voldemort and Muggles killing Wizards, they wouldn't stand a chance. This was not good for Voldemort. Purebloods might be killed, and there were few of them left. He needed a plan. Harry's mind was going berserk with all this thinking.

Harry was wondering how he was going to find the remaining horcruxes. If the locket had been concealed so well, how was he going to find other things like that? The private lessons hit his mind immediately. Voldemort had hidden the horcruxes major places he had visited in his childhood. Places that he had killed people. The Chamber of Secrets wouldn't be a place to look, there had already been a horcrux at Hogwarts. He wouldn't keep more than one in a single place. That was stupid. Now he all he had to find out were the places he went to. He would need some help though. At that moment, somehow, Snape crossed his mind. He was immediately infuriated that Snape had killed Dumbledore when he needed him the most. Without Dumbledore Harry thought he was almost completely lost. Dumbledore could obtain important memories. Harry didn't think he could.

"I AM GOING TO KILL SNAPE!" Harry yelled allowed in fury that his headmaster was murdered by Snape, but muffled it midway so that the Dursleys wouldn't hear it. Fortunately all he heard was his Uncle Vernon give a very loud snore.

Harry realized that he had awakened Hedwig, who was now hooting loudly. He stuck his finger in the cage to calm her down. He didn't want his Uncle Vernon to barge into his room complaining about Hedwig. Many times had his uncle complained and he was lucky that his uncle hadn't personally thrown Hedwig's cage out of the window. Seconds later he ripped his finger out to find that it was bleeding. His eyes widened in pain. Finally he realized that Hedwig had bitten him.

"You stupid bird! What the bloody hell did you do that for?" whispered Harry, not wanting to wake up the sleeping Dursleys.

He pulled out his wand, pointed it at his slightly bleeding finger, and said, "Episkey," but he said it sloppily and his finger swelled to the size of an eggplant.

Harry quickly muttered a shrinking spell ("Reducio!") and his finger returned to normal size. Finger still bleeding, he muttered, "Episkey," (this time correctly) and his finger healed up at once. In Harry's mind, popped up a picture of Ron,

"You silly bloke! How'dya do that!"

Harry smiled at this thought. Ron was one of very few things he had left. He was grateful that Ron was his friend. They were best mates. Harry had been expecting Ron and Hermione to go out now for four years. Still they had not. He was sure that they would soon. All these split-ups and fights they had. Now they were friendlier than ever to each other. This meant something and Harry knew it. Thinking of love, his mind made a beeline to thought of Ginny. He missed her. Harry would always love Ginny. Harry wanted more than anything to be back with her, but he knew he couldn't. Voldemort would use Ginny to his own advantage, like the teenage Riddle had done in his second year at Hogwarts. He loved her enough to let her go. Harry did not want to endanger the ones he loved. He could stop Ginny, maybe, but he couldn't stop Ron and Hermione from coming. Harry knew they would stick with him until death.

He decided that in the morning he would apparate to the Hermione's house and then to the Burrow, where they would start their quest for the remaining horcruxes. He would pick them up. Harry had his mind decided on going to Godric's Hollow after obtaining his two best friends. From there he didn't know exactly what he would do, but he would find out on the way. Finally, after hours of debating things over in his mind, he turned on his side and fell into a light but peaceful sleep.

Morning came up in Little Whinging, Harry woke up happy that he would be leaving for good. He got up and put on his glasses. He picked up his Firebolt and headed out of his room. This was the moment, the final moment where he would be rid of the Dursleys for the rest of his life. No more would he listen to them, take their rude comments, or have to be underfed. He skipped down the stairs in joy and tripped three stairs down, falling on the landing with a crash. Harry swore and walked into the kitchen to find three

smiling Dursleys. He straightened out his glasses. The Dursleys knew it was his birthday and the enchantment had lifted, they knew he would be leaving. As stupid as they were they could not forget any details on Harry leaving. That piece of information could never leave their pathetic minds.

"I'm leaving today, so I came to say goodbye. I'm off to go save the world," Harry said to the three grinning Dursleys.

"Nobody's stopping you," his Aunt Petunia said through her horse like mouth.

Harry could have sworn he saw Dudley mutter the word, "finally," under his breath. Harry wanted to jinx Dudley just for being so stupid. He didn't though; he didn't want to start any trouble with them. It was bad enough that they could care less he was leaving. But finally he would be rid of them. He just wanted them to acknowledge that he was leaving.

"Well, I think you better be off now, go on," his Uncle Vernon said to Harry as though shooing off a stray cat walking through his yard.

"Alright then, I'm going for good. I'll never see you again," Harry said to the Dursleys dramatically.

Harry gave the Dursleys one last look, as though expecting them to say something that resembled a goodbye; when none of them said anything he turned around, and headed out the door. He was not disappointed with them. Harry knew that they really wouldn't be sad at all. At least they could have shown some respect by giving a proper farewell to him. He walked out the door thinking of how much he despised them and was very glad that he would never ever see them again.

Earlier, before leaving his room, he had let Hedwig out of her cage and told her told her to meet him at the Burrow. That would be the next place he would go. He had thought out his plan well. First he would go get Hermione, then Ron, then off to Godric's Hollow where he would visit his parent's tombstones for the first time and start his quest for Voldemort's remaining horcruxes.

He arrived at Hermione's front door step via apparition. There were no houses around, so there wouldn't be any muggles to spot his source of apparition. He walked up the short path to her front door. He arrived at the door and rung the doorbell. The typical ding-dong emanated from somewhere within the house, and the door opened to reveal a beaming Hermione.

"Harry! I'm so happy to see you!" Hermione said.

"I'm glad to see you too," Harry said to a very happy Hermione.

"Why don't you come inside, we can apparate from there" Hermione sad to Harry, she was just slightly grinning now.

She led Harry inside her house. There were many knick-knacks involving teeth and toothbrushes, as Hermione's parents were dentists. After walking through the kitchen and hallway, Hermione led Harry into what was the living room, where her parents were sitting, watching the television.

"Hey mom and dad," Hermione said to her parents, who turned in their seats to face their daughter.

"Hey Hermione," her dad said.

"I'm leaving with Harry today, we're going on a quest to save at least the Wizarding world," Hermione said to her parents.

"Yes, I thought you might," her mom said, starting to cry.

"Bye mom. Bye dad," Hermione said to her parents as she embraced them. Hermione and her parents were all crying.

"Take care of yourself," her mom said with a sniff, and Hermione embraced her harder than the first time. They were both sobbing violently.

"I have to go, mom," Hermione sobbed.

"I know, I know," her mother choked. It was a long, sad goodbye. Harry bid farewell to Hermione's parents. After saying their goodbyes, Harry and Hermione left the house. Hermione was still crying. Harry gave Hermione a hug to make her feel better, and Hermione cried on his shoulder.

"I'm going to miss them," Hermione finally choked, still on Harry's shoulder. She let go with him, and with a final sniff wiped her eyes clear.

"Okay, now lets concentrate on the Burrow, we should be going soon," Hermione said to Harry trying hard not to cry, but she still gave a slight sob every few seconds. There was a loud pop, and they disapparated. Finally they arrived at the Burrow. Somehow, Harry wound up face flat on the ground; he must not have been concentrating on the Burrow hard enough. Hermione laughed at him. Harry shot her up a look, which made Hermione step back a second and she looked worried. Then, Harry relaxed his face and started laughing himself. She gave him a slight, playful punch in the arm for doing that. Harry straightened himself up, brushed the dirt off of his clothes, and together they walked up the path to the front door.

Before they could knock, Mrs. Weasley burst open the door and gave Harry and Hermione a simultaneous hug, when she let go of them, Hermione was rubbing the back of her neck and staring at the ground with an achy look on her face. Hermione was looked as though Mrs. Weasley had broken her neck.

"Come in! Come in! Ron has been waiting for you," Mrs. Weasley said to the pair.

They came in to find Ron pouring himself a bowl of corn pops. He was just adding the milk to his cereal.

"Ron, that's muggle food, where did you get that? You can't get that in Wizard shops," Harry asked Ron.

"I have my sources and whatnot," Ron said evasively.

Harry chuckled and Hermione rolled her eyes as she was snatching up the box. Her eyes had fixed upon something and she looked up at Ron worriedly. Harry had the impression that whatever Hermione had found on the cereal box it must be bad. She would never look like that unless something bad was about to happen.

"No don't eat that it's..." Hermione tried to stop him from eating the corn pops but it was too late, he had already taken a spoonful of the muggle cereal.

Ron dropped his spoon and it splashed a small amount of milk onto the table, which made Mrs. Weasley let out a little gasp. Ron's feet were growing and he stared at the three of them with a look of utmost horror. Hermione finally shouted a shrinking spell aimed at Ron's feet and they grew back to normal size.

"You got those from Fred and George didn't you?" Hermione asked Ron. She was scowling at him.

"So! I didn't know it was one of their joke things!" Ron yelled at Hermione defensively.

"Haven't you learned by now not to trust the things that they give you?" Hermione yelled back at Ron, " All of their life they have joked you into things and you are still as gullible."

"Well, I didn't know, I wasn't thinking at the…" Ron said.

"Damn right you weren't thinking! Really Ron, you need to start using that brain you got inside that thick skull of yours! Hermione interrupted Ron.

"Well I thought that they would stop picking on me now that I'm older," Ron said softly.

Harry tried hard to suppress a laugh. He thought that this argument was rather very funny. Hermione opened her mouth to argue further, but closed it now wanting to hurt Ron's feelings and turned away sighing.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione finally sat down for a real breakfast of French toast and bacon.

"So, Harry, what do we do now?" Ron asked Harry.

"We go to Godric's Hollow," Harry said to Ron.

"We'll set up a headquarters where my parents used to live. The place where my parents were killed."

"Why can't we set up headquarters here?" Ron asked.

"Because we just aren't. In fact, there might even be a horcrux there for all we know.

"I think we better go say goodbye to your mum and dad," Harry said.

"Alright," Ron replied. The three wizards trudged down the long stairway back into the kitchen.

They reached the kitchen to find Ginny sitting down and eating French toast. She didn't even look at Harry as she got up and put her empty plate in the sink. She marched over to the sitting room and began to read a book. Harry, however, had kept his eyes on her. He wanted to at least say hi to her, but obviously she didn't want anything to do with him.

"Hi mum," Ron said to Mrs. Weasley, getting her attention, "We're leaving now." Mrs. Weasley turned around to face the three of them. They noticed at once that she was crying. She separately gave each of them a long, hard embrace.

They all said goodbye to Mr. Weasley and then turned to say goodbye to Mrs. Weasley, who was still crying.

"Bye," Mrs. Weasley sobbed, hugging them each an extra time and kissing Ron on the cheek. "Bye," Harry said.

The three slowly and reluctantly trudged out the door and got ready to disapparate. At that very moment, though, Hedwig came swooping out of the distance and landed on Harry's outstretched arm.

"Meet me in Godric's Hollow, that's where I'll be. I won't have a cage for you there. You don't need one now anyway." Harry said. Hedwig nipped his ear affectionately and took off.

The three of them stood side-by-side, hand-in-hand, finally, they disappeared into thin air.

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