Prologue

Disclaimer: All the things you recognise don't belong to me.

Nagini lay dead at his feet and he felt a wave of exhaustion hit him. Hermione and Ron immediately rushed to his side. "Thank god that's finished" he said, more to himself and then the world went black.

When he awoke he was in the hospital wing of Hogwarts. Hermione rushed over to his side and started fussing. "Eeeugh how long…?"

"3 days. We figured Hogwarts would be safest." she said softly. "Ron's away in the library."

At this Harry laughed. "You really have influenced him"

"Yes well" she blushed "He's in the restricted section searching for curses. You'd be surprised at what wanting to live will make you do."

That was all he heard before fell asleep again.

He woke a few days later and joined Ron and Hermione in their search in the library. They all felt unsettled as they were the only ones in the castle. The staff that had remained after the school closed to protect the building's treasures had all left to help the order fight. However Harry was more unsettled as the full impact of what he had to do now hit him. Gradually the others noticed his mood and Ron actually came up with a good idea. "Why don't we talk to Dumbledore's portrait?" At the looks the others gave him he explained. "Well he defeated Grindelwald didn't he? You could ask him how he prepared and what sort of curses and jinxes he used. I mean he can't really not answer you if you ask him."

Harry and Hermione looked at him in surprise and he blushed, his ears the same colour as his hair.

The three of them immediately headed for the headmasters office. The door behind the griffin statue however would not open no matter what variety of sweet they used for a password. They tried several times over the next two days with no luck. It wasn't till Nearly Headless Nick came that they found out why.

"The headmistress changed the password before she left." he said.

"Can you tell us?" Nick looked thoughtful. "Please, we really need to talk to Dumbledore's portrait. Please, I need help to fight Voldemort!" Harry pleaded. Nick looked anguished. "All right. She changed it to 'eternal love'."

The three exchanged a surprised look at this. "Thanks Nick." they shouted as they charged up the moving stairway and into the office which was exactly the same as Harry had last seen it. To their disappointment Dumbledore was still snoring softly in is frame. Nothing roused him and eventually they sat down, downhearted at the futileness of the task. As they looked around, Hermione noticed that a door was open with light shining through it. Harry smiled when he realised that it was coming form a pensieve. "Maybe we can't talk to him but we can see his memories." They opened the cupboard and between them managed to carry the pensieve over to the desk. None of them, however, noticed the envelope addressed to Harry left behind in the cupboard.

They all stared at the pensieve as if unsure what to do. "Well why don't we all go in. The wards will protect us and I'm sure both of you will notice things I don't." They both nodded their agreement and as one, stuck their heads into the pensieve.

A/N: I have the next few chapters outlined but have no idea when I'll get around to writing them as I've got exams coming up. Also, this was unbetaed so feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks

Jenni