Disclaimer : All things Harry Potter belong to the wondrous mind of J.K.Rowling. I am simply borrowing them.

A/N: Hello all, I've decided to try this again. This is basically the same story, but with some altered content. However, I intend to finish this story this time, so I wont be leaving you hanging as I did before for which I sincerely apologize; sometimes real life has a way of making itself known and quite severely. This picks up where HBP left off. I hope you like.

Harry Potter and the Shards of Voldemort's Soul

Chapter 1: A New Hope

The young girl just shy of sixteen years of age stormed through the empty hallways of the usually busy Hogwarts School of Wizardry; her fiery strands of red hair were flying like wild brands of flame behind her head and her eyes of chocolate brown had narrowed to thin slits of cold steel, which was barely capable of containing her current state of rage. So angry was she that just one look would have been enough to quell even the most fearless, both boy and man. Her reputation for being a firebrand had always preceded her stemming from her mother and it was a well earned title for she was known throughout all of Hogwarts for her temper when crossed and right now, she was practically the center of her own tempest and once started it would not advisable to get in her way.

Her name was Ginevra Weasley, or Ginny as she preferred to be called and she was indeed very angry. If there had been anyone with her in the hallways, they would have had the good sense to move out of her way to avoid being trampled. She fumed as she stomped through sullen grey corridors in search for her boy… no her ex-boyfriend. Harry Potter, her boyfriend of only a few short months had just dumped her an hour ago. She knew that he would; had even been expecting it for some time now, but had tried to pretend that he would see past his noble need to protect her and want to stay together with her.

But, true to form, Harry had decided to push her away, for her own safety and well being he had said. She didn't care about her own safety; she only wanted to stay near him, the only place where she did feel safe. With him, she had been happy, complete and finally knew the meaning of true love. She would sacrifice everything to be with him again, but now that was over and she had a hole in her heart. An empty void left that was once filled with joy. She was too angry to let herself be overwhelmed by her pain. That boy…that stupid boy was going to leave on some stupid quest and end up getting himself killed. She knew that was what he had planned, she knew Harry too well for there to be any other reason. He would leave her here all alone to suffer without him. He had the audacity to think that she would be safe anywhere else, but within his arms. She harrumphed loudly and continued on her thus far, fruitless search.

She still couldn't believe all that had happened in the past few months. It sill seemed to her a dream; that Harry Potter, the famous Boy-Who-Lived, would choose to be with her after all these years of her hoping and praying that he would one day notice her. It had happened so many years ago that Ginny had first met Harry, at King's Cross station although at the time she had not known that it was him. Here he was, a lone boy with no family around to help him, looking lost and alone, asking her mother humbly how to get through to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Then when she finally had found out who Harry really was, she knew that she had been hooked. Harry Potter, the famous boy who had killed HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED had been her long-time crush and here he was now standing before her.

That year, Ginny had found out that her brother Ron had become good friends with Harry and when Ron returned from school, she had pestered him endlessly for details about Harry. However, when brought face to face with the boy whom she had worshiped, Ginny had stumbled when one morning he entered the kitchen prompting her to drop a bowl of porridge on to the floor while staying with the Weasley family over the summer. So positively nervous she was to be in the mere presence of the famous Harry Potter that she blushed in embarrassment at her remembrance of her own childishness. She was so taken with him that she had overlooked the fact that Harry was actually no more then he always appeared to be, a boy who tries so desperately to just have a normal life.

It was during Ginny's first year when Harry had so selflessly risked his own life to save hers from the memory of Tom Riddle in the Diary that had taken possession of her. Harry, a boy of a mere twelve years of age, had faced off against Tom Riddle, well the memory of him; who was Voldemort's younger self, along with Tom's pet, a giant Basilisk. It had taken great skill along with a good dose of luck to survive that and it was Harry who had succeeded thus earning Ginny's survival. Thereafter, during each consecutive year, something profound and dangerous had befallen Harry and he took each event in stride and prevailed. She always admired him for his courage and his ability to grow from these hardships.

It was during her fifth year that Ginny became a bit closer to Harry when she and a small group of their friends joined together to break in to the Ministry of Magic's Department of Mysteries in search of Harry's Godfather Sirius whom Harry had believed had been captured by Voldemort. She had rather bullied her way in to helping him, but she just couldn't sit back anymore when Harry was putting himself forward so much. She felt that she owed him that much considering that he had risked his life for her. As it turned out, Sirius was not actually at the Ministry as Harry was led to believe. He had been tricked, lured out by Voldemort, but in the end Sirius had died just the same. She knew Harry's heart had broke that night and Ginny had seen vulnerable humanity in Harry that she had never seen before and she realized then that she had still cared deeply for Harry despite the fact that she had tried to move on with her life by going out with other boys.

When they had gotten together this past year, it seemed to Ginny that her life was now complete. At least it had been until Harry's stubborn nobility that she had admired so much had propelled him in to breaking up with her in order for her to avoid being a target. Harry could be thick-headed sometimes not realizing that Ginny was already a target for being a traitor to the pure-bloods and by just being his friend. Besides, she could protect herself as much as Harry would like to think differently, but there was no talking to him once he had something in his head. She just had to try to convince him otherwise.

She entered the library thinking that Harry might be here with Hermione doing some research, but found the room conspicuously empty. Usually, she would expect to find a the place filled to the brim with students huddled in various corners of the room, pouring over dusty tomes and spell books, frantically scribbling down notes or writing lengthy papers. Madam Pince would be walking through the book stacks, glaring down her nose at any sound that dared to disturb the normal sanctimonious quiet of the place. Ginny had spent much time here during this past year, studying for her OWLS; the Ministry's examinations that all students at Hogwarts must take in order to proceed with higher levels of learning.

Normally, she would have been taking her OWLS at this very moment, but due to the recent tragedy of the Headmaster's death, all examinations had been cancelled until further notice. She wondered if the school would even re-open next year with the impending war with Voldemort looming on the horizon. Parents would want to keep their children at home; Merlin knew her mother would be keeping them under lock and key as soon as they got back to the Burrow, but her mother knew that Hogwarts really was the safest place for any of them in times such as these. Deep down, she had to doubt that perception and couldn't really blame the parents for wanting to pull their children from school. Was Hogwarts really safe anymore? After all, one of its own Professors had willfully murdered its Headmaster. Tears welled up in her already too swollen eyes, threatening to break her resolve. She furiously wiped them away. She was not going to break down again. She had to be strong, for Harry if not for herself. She wanted to find him, tell him that she wanted to help him with his fight and try to find a way for them to be together one more.

Sighing in disappointment at not finding Harry, she left the library and headed back to the Gryffindor Common Room. As she made her way back through the meandering corridors filled with the familiar moving portraits that permeated throughout Hogwarts, she saw that many of the pictures had occupants that were weeping, all dressed in black attire or were not present altogether leaving their portraits empty. As she walked, she began to contemplate their situation. She knew that throughout the year, Harry had been taking private lessons with Dumbledore, but she didn't know any of the details. She wasn't supposed to know that either, but she had suspicions after some of Harry's poorly explained disappearances throughout the year. She knew Harry very well and he was a terrible liar. What had Dumbledore been teaching him; fighting strategies, defensive spells or perhaps some ancient magic that might even be able to destroy Voldemort himself. No, she thought sadly, if there was some ancient magic that could do the job the Headmaster would already have used it. But something still didn't sound right. Why was Harry training in the first place, why him over every other potential victim? Why was Harry special?

It was true that Voldemort had targeted him since he was a just a baby and had been targeting him ever since he was restored to body and power. The answer had to be within the prophecy that they had lost two years ago; the fabled prophecy about Harry and Voldemort that they had fought for against his elite Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries. Many things had happened that night; Ginny's eyes had been opened wide to the possibilities of death and loss. She, among others had been injured that night; Sirius himself had lost his life that night trying to rescue Harry. She then knew that any of her friends could have been killed, but by some gift of luck, they had somehow survived no worse for wear.

This year had been no better. Hogwarts had been breached; she along with her friends and members of the staff and of the Order had fought, side by side against the invading Death Eaters. She had maimed and injured her enemies and she had watched her family and friends get hurt. Her brother Bill had been scarred and bitten by the werewolf Fenrir Greyback. It was still unknown if he was infected as Greyback wasn't transformed when he had bitten Bill. Some of her fellow students had been killed and of course, there was still Dumbledore. The ancient wizard that had made this place her second home; a sanctuary of learning, a place of nurtured friendships and budding romances; this ancient wizard was now dead at the hands of Severus Snape, Hogwarts own Potions professor. Now, Hogwarts seemed grey and sterile environment filled with sadness and emptiness. The light had gone out in Hogwarts and she doubted that it would ever be lit again, at least not until after Voldemort's fall. While the Dark Wizard still lived, there could be no happy future for any of them.

With sharp clarity that hit her like a slap in the face, she finally understood the enormity of Harry's task. The reason why Voldemort kept trying to kill Harry was so clear now. It was never Dumbledore who had the duty of battling Voldemort, it was Harry. This past year, the Headmaster had been training Harry, preparing him for his eventual fight against the evil wizard. Harry had now taken up the mantle of Dumbledore and was resigned to his destiny. The prophecy must have foretold that which is why he wanted the prophecy so badly, so he could learn its secrets and try to use it to his own advantage. That was why Harry was pushing her away. In Harry's battle against Voldemort, he would need no outside distractions. That was why he said he had things that he would need to do alone. She would cloud his focus because he would be constantly worried about her safety. Voldemort could also use her to distract him, use her to try and lure Harry into a trap. He had done it before in her first year, down in the Chamber of Secrets, where Harry had almost died and again in the Department of Mysteries where Harry was lured out by Voldemort.

The awful realization was like a rush of cold water. Harry thought that in the course of the final battle that he was going to die. That's why he wanted her out of the way, he wanted her safe. He couldn't bear the thought of loosing her. If she died, then Harry himself would have nothing left to live for, nothing left to fight for. She finally understood and she grieved. Suddenly, the void that she had been feeling with the loss of her love was filled again. Harry loved her; she knew that now with all of her being, she knew that Harry had loved her and that she loved him. But, for now, that love was not enough. She had to let him know that she understood; that she would wait for him. She still wanted to help, but he would be out there on the front line. She would stay safe, for him, to give him something to come back to, to give him something to live for. She finally arrived at the Gryffindor Common Room and wordlessly, the Fat Lady still garbed in black and sobbing loudly, swung open permitting her entry without a word.

Looking around, she saw that the Common Room was surprisingly sparse as well. Here there was usually raucous laughter and loud conversation from friends hanging out by the comfortable couches, studying or the usual pastimes, playing Exploding Snap or Gobstones. Now, there were only a few huddles of students, tears and whispered conversations. Most of the students had already been picked up by their parents. Ginny was one of the last few stragglers who had not left yet. She spied Ron and Hermione huddled together in their usual spot near the fireplace which was burning low as it was mid-day. They were just simply sitting there, staring into the flames silently, their togetherness a calming effect on their troubled souls. Ginny sat down on the plush sofa, disturbing their quiet.

"Where have you been?" Ron asked her questioningly as he looked up at her. She didn't really want to tell them what happened between her and Harry, but she knew that it would have to come out eventually anyway. Hermione would have it figured out just from the look on Ginny's face.

"Harry and I broke up," she said softly. Ron, true to form, turned a furious red and leapt to his feet. Hermione, shaking her head in annoyance wordless grabbed his arm and pulled him back down before he could run after Harry with the intent of pummeling him senseless. Ginny stared at her brother exasperated. All of her life, Ron had been an over-protective, over-bearing oaf, who needed to lighten up and let her be her own person.

"Ron, sit down you git and let me explain," Ginny yelled.

She told them how Harry had explained about his future tasks and how he needed her to be safe. She also explained her theory to them. Both were silent when she finished and Ginny waited for their response. Ron looked downcast and Hermione was thoughtful, thinking of what to say.

"Ginny, I'm afraid your right. Harry does have things that he needs to do, important things that he needs to finish," Hermione explained carefully guarding her words. Ginny looked at her friend of many years and knew that she was hiding something. Hermione could never lie to her and she saw her friend's face was etched with worry, a worry that could only come from knowing what Harry was about to face.

"You know what he has to do, don't you?" she accused. Ron turned his face away guiltily from Ginny's glare and Hermione bit her lower lip. Ginny fumed. For so long, she had tried to be a part of this group in a capacity that was more then just Ron's little sister. But, still Harry had confided in them, his best friends what he couldn't even tell his girlfriend. Ex-girlfriend she reminded herself. Hadn't she proved herself to them yet? Hadn't she proved trustworthy?

"Ginny, try to understand, Harry wasn't allowed to talk about it to anyone else," Ron said, trying to pacify his sister before her real temper flared.

"But, the both of you know. Why would he tell….," her voice trailed off. She then knew the answer; they were going to go with him.

"You're going with him, aren't you?" she stated more then asked. Wordlessly, they both nodded their heads. She stood up defiantly and stared down at them. "Fine, I'm going too," she stated. Ron stood up angrily facing down his sister.

"YOU ARE NOT," he yelled. Hermione tried to pull him back down, but to no avail.

"WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN NOT DO?" Ginny screamed. Now, the other students in the room were staring at them.

"Ginny, Ron, please stop," Hermione pleaded. But they were both too stubborn to listen.

"YOU ARE TOO YOUNG, YOU WILL GET HURT".

"I CAN OUT DUEL YOU, RON"

"WHAT!"

"SILENCIO!" shouted a new voice.

Both of them gasped but no sound escaped their throats. They both turned to face the castor. Hermione stood before them with wand outstretched and breathing heavily, staring them down.

"Now, you two children are going to sit down and shut up.", Hermione commanded sternly. Both opened their mouths to object, but still no sound came out. Smiling smugly, Hermione smoothed out her skirt sat back down, waiting for them to join her. Sheepishly, Ron and Ginny both sat down quietly and waited for Hermione to continue.

"Now that I have your attention, we are going to discuss this like the grown adults we should be instead of raving lunatics. If I hear one loud peep from either one of you, then I will silence you again and leave you like that for the rest of the day. Do you understand?" Both Ginny and Ron nodded glumly. Hermione waved her wand at them and soundlessly released them from her enchantment.

"Now then, Ginny you said yourself that you understood why Harry wants be apart from you. Did that reason change at all, now that you know that Ron and I are going with him? Does it change the fact that he still wants you away from danger?"

"No," Ginny said with a sigh realizing that Hermione is right.

"Exactly; Harry loves you very deeply. If you got hurt by coming with us, he would not be able to function anymore. He wouldn't be able to go on with the fight. You know that right? He needs you safe so that he can return to you" Hermione continued. Ginny nodded silently and silently wiped away a tear that had escaped her eye. Hermione looked at her friend sadly before turning to Ron. "Ron, you have to understand that Ginny and Harry are in a relationship. You can't come between them and if you continue to try, you are the one who is going to get hurt". Ron snorted indignantly.

"Harry wouldn't hurt me," Ron said smugly.

Hermione smiled slyly and replied," I wasn't talking about Harry." She looked pointedly at Ginny who grinned sadistically. Ron gulped. "Yes, Ginny would hex you to oblivion, but not only that; you would irreparably damage your friendship with Harry. Ron, Ginny is not a little kid anymore and is a part of this war just as everybody else is. Harry is not going to hurt Ginny willingly and they both know that being separated right now will probably save both their lives. Ron, you just can't go around beating everybody up who looks at Ginny the wrong way, we have bigger things to worry about now, understand?" Ron nodded glumly knowing that Hermione was right. He turned to Ginny.

"I'm sorry Gin. You know I'm just trying to protect you. I just get carried away sometimes," Ron said sincerely, his head lowered sheepishly.

Ginny laughed. "I know you big lug, but you have to let me go sometime. I am not a little girl anymore who's afraid of her own shadow," Ginny said pulling Ron into a hug.

"I love you Gin, I don't want you to ever get hurt. Please tell me you'll stay behind."

"I promise that I will not go with you, Harry and Hermione. I don't want you guys to be worried about me when you all have important jobs to do. But I do want to help out," she said sternly.

"That's great Ginny; we will definitely need some help here. There is still a lot to do before we leave," Hermione added. "I can't tell you all of the details, but when Harry returns, I am going to advise that he explains the situation to you. You do have a right to know." Ginny smiled gratefully glad that Hermione was on her side this time.

"So when do you leave?" Ginny asked.

"Not until after the wedding," Ron replied. Ginny made a face. "Come on Gin, give Fleur a chance. Mum has made up with her and she really loves Bill, especially after his accident." That was what Ron had chosen to call the incident. Bill's accident, it helped him to get over the fact that his brother may now be a werewolf.

"I guess you're right. But Phlegm is still a little too much at times," Ginny replied. They all chuckled at the statement, knowing that it was the exact truth.

"So where is Harry, I have been looking all over the school for him." Both Ron and Hermione looked at each other sadly.

"He's gone to the Tomb. He said he needed some time to be alone," Hermione replied softly, sniffling back her tears and allowing herself to lean in on Ron's shoulder who had instinctively put his arm around her in comfort. Ginny lowered her head, her own tears streaming down her face. They sat there in silence grieving for their beloved Headmaster whom they would never see again.

Harry sat silently on the stone bench staring at the white tomb that was the final resting place of Albus Dumbledore. Its polished marble gloss shimmered in the bright sunlight that hung overhead. It seemed completely inappropriate for the sun to shine when his most favorite Professor was now dead and could no longer feel the sun upon his face. Harry sniffed again his ability to cry was now long gone. All he could feel now was this overwhelming sense of numbing loss and extreme guilt. So much had happened, so much that he had tried to prevent. If only the Professor had listened to him more earnestly. But his seeming trust in that horrid Professor Snape seemed unbreakable. For some unknown reason, Dumbledore had trusted Snape absolutely. He trusted him and Snape had murdered him in cold blood. Dumbledore had even pleaded with him at the end for his help and Snape simply sneered at him and cast the Avada Kedavra curse that ended his life.

Harry had been helpless to stop him and Dumbledore couldn't save himself his energy having been drained away from drinking that awful potion that contained the fake Horcrux. Harry had made him drink it, promised Dumbledore that he would force the liquid down his throat to make sure that he drunk it completely. It had been the hardest thing that he had ever had to do, forcing the great Albus Dumbledore to drink a liquid that seemingly turned him in to a helpless child full of fright. They had finally retrieved the necklace, but drinking the potion had made Dumbledore so weak that he had been unable to prevent even Malfoy from taking his wand. But it hadn't been Malfoy that made the final killing blow, no, Malfoy couldn't do it, didn't want to do it. Malfoy was only trying to protect his family from being killed. It was Snape who betrayed them in the end. One day, Harry would get his revenge on Snape, the self-styled Half-Blood Prince. He would make him pay for all of the pain that he had caused. Harry balled up his fist and slammed his hand down on the bench bringing stinging pain as the result. His hatred and rage so palpable within him and seemingly ready to burst from his chest like a bomb waiting to explode. With a heavy sigh, Harry finally slowed his breathing down in an effort to calm himself. He had to control his emotions, he told himself stubbornly. Slowly, the hatred poured out of him like a sieve and Harry felt in control once more.

Harry had been trying all day to keep himself under control. He had a long road ahead of him and a lot of work before he even took his first step down that dark path into the unknown. Harry had to find the rest of the Horcruxes, the broken shards of Voldemort's soul. Only then could the evil bastard be destroyed. He ran the mantra again in his head once more: 'the locket … the cup … the snake … something of Gryffindor's or Ravenclaw's. He repeated it like a chant to remind himself of everything that he still had yet to accomplish. Then there was the mysterious name RAB that had surfaced who had switched the real Horcux with a fake one. Harry had no idea of how to even begin to find out who this person could have been. Whoever it was, how did they know about the Horcruxes or even where the locket was located in the first place?

As far as he knew, only Dumbledore had been following the trail of Tom Riddle's life and only a chosen few even knew Voldemort's real identify. He had to find who this person was and retrieve the missing locket. He had already tasked Hermione on finding out RAB could be. If anyone could find this person, it was her. She was vastly more intelligent than Harry and Ron put together and her research abilities and love of the library had made her the natural choice. But there was still so much more to do. He had to find the other Horcruxes and destroy the soul shards they contained. Harry had slowly come to the realization that he could not do this task on his own. Even with Ron and Hermione, there was still a lot to accomplish and a lot they had to train for. Dumbledore had the Order of the Phoenix to back him up while he searched for the Horcruxes. Dumbledore was a trained wizard and could duel Voldemort effortlessly. Harry was only a sixteen year old kid with still a lot left to learn. He needed help.

Harry could not express the emotion he felt when Ron and Hermione stated that they would go with him on this last journey which may turn out to be the last journey he would ever take. His two best friends had stuck by him through thick and thin and he was eternally grateful to have friends like them. Then there was Ginny. He loved her more then life itself, but he could not run the risk of loosing her if she came with them. It was almost more then he could bear when he turned his back on her to let her go. Deep down, he knew that he had hurt her deeply and he hoped that fate would allow him the chance to heal that pain. He wanted to make her understand, but could not get the words out of his heart. He only hoped that she would forgive him if he survived in the end. But to survive, he would need a lot more help then his friends could give him. He needed to rely on the Order like Dumbledore did. He needed their help to train him to fight and defend himself. He needed their help to find the Horcruxes? Harry had been mentally creating a list of things that he would need to do in order to prepare for his final battle. Soon, he would need to call everyone together to discuss his plans, but he needed some time to refine his thoughts. He knew that he would have to sit down with Hermione later today to help organize his ideas. She would be able to help clarify his needs.

A familiar loud trill broke him from his thoughts. It couldn't be him; Fawkes had flown into the fires that had created Dumbledore's tomb. He looked up and was astonished to see a phoenix sitting on top of Dumbledore's marble tomb. It was definitely not Fawkes as the coloring was much different and this bird was slightly smaller than Fawkes. She raised its majestic head to Harry and trilled a sharp note. The phoenix was predominantly covered in the purist white feathers, but its head was crowned with flecks of gold and red. There were also patches of dark flame orange and scarlet red across its stomach, wings and tail feathers. But its eyes were what captured Harry's attention, they were gold and red, but held in there a profound wisdom and a sense of wonder as it watched Harry. The phoenix cried out again and began to sing its song filling Harry with calming warmth. Slowly, Harry stood and slowly approached the beautiful creature.

"Hello", Harry said soothingly. "Who might you be?" The phoenix trilled again and ruffled its feathers. Harry somehow knew what the bird was saying.

"You are here to be my companion, is that it?" Harry asked. The phoenix trilled again and appeared to nod its head before flying over to Harry's shoulder with a great flap of its wings. Harry smiled and stroked the bird's soft feathers. The bird crooned at Harry's ministrations and nuzzled its head into Harry's cheek. Harry felt an overwhelming sense of presence as he seemed to bond with the Phoenix. He had felt the bird's purity of heart and soul and it filled Harry with a renewed sense of hope that everything would turn out ok in the end.

"That's what I'll call you then, Hope," Harry told the bird. Hope trilled again happily and launched herself from Harry's shoulder, a streak of white and scarlet gold in the morning sky and began to sing her song of renewed hope. Harry smiled and made his way back to the castle, letting Hope's song fill him with a peace that washed his fears and pain away.

A/N: Well folks, that's the first chapter. Hope you like it. Let me know your thoughts.