The Golden Quartet - Year Seven

by September And Summer

Amara Matthews is skipping out on her seventh year at Hogwarts to help defeat the Darkest Wizard. Along with Harry, Ron and Hermione, they're off to hunt Voldemort's Horcruxes and destroy them in any way they can. But she's leaving behind her family, her boyfriend and her friends, with the risk of not returning at a very high percentage. A rough ride is in store for them all. 7/7.

1. The Beginning of the End

A/N Hey guys. To all who are returning to see Amara's seventh year: thank you so much for sticking by me through these, what, three years? And to those just joining: thank you for even coming along to see what it's all about! I haven't got much of a buffer at all with this book. I am just going to enter (tomorrow) my second year of college (in the UK - so it's A Level year) and it means that I will want to focus on my studies so I get into University. So bare with, because it will probably be slow going, but I am determined to get Amara's stories finished, because I feel she deserves it. I have got the second chapter ready, but will probably try and get a chapter out every one/two weeks. Though this will, most likely, change quite a lot, mainly because I'm trying to focus on my own stories. But FF has been so good for me, I'm going to stick with it. Anyway, please enjoy the first chapter of the last book: The Beginning of the End. - September and Summer xxx

Chapter One

The Beginning of the End

Amara Matthews stared glumly out of the window of her attic-converted bedroom. It had been a week and a half since Albus Dumbledore's funeral on the Hogwarts grounds and Amara was reading an article in the Daily Prophet by a man named Elphias Doge, which had just come out that day:

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE REMEMBERED

BY ELPHIAS DOGE

She had been reading the newspaper for a while, mainly to get rid of the growing fear inside her but also to see what was being said by the greatest wizard she had ever known.

'…When Albus and I left Hogwarts, we intended to take the then traditional tour of the world together, visiting and observing foreign wizards, before pursuing our separate careers. However, tragedy intervened. On the very eve of our trip, Albus's mother Kendra died, leaving Albus the head, and sole breadwinner, of the family. I postponed my departure long enough to pay my respects at Kendra's funeral, then left for what was now to be a solitary journey. With a younger brother and sister to care for, and little gold left to them, there could no longer be any question of Albus accompanying me. That was the period of our lives when we had least contact. I wrote to Albus, describing, perhaps insensitively, the wonders of my journey from narrow escapes from chimaeras in Greece to the experiments of the Egyptian alchemists. His letters told me little of his day-to-day life, which I guessed to be frustratingly dull for such a brilliant wizard. Immersed in my own experiences, it was with horror that I heard, towards the end of my year's travels, that yet another tragedy had struck the Dumbledores: the death of his sister, Ariana.

Though Ariana had been in poor health for a long time, the blow, coming so soon after the loss of their mother, had a profound effect on both of her brothers. All those closest to Albus - and I count myself one of that lucky number - agree that Ariana's death and Albus's feeling of personal responsibility for it (though, of course, he was guiltless) left their mark upon him forever more.

I returned home to find a young man who had experienced a much older person's suffering. Albus was more reserved than before, and much less light-hearted. To add to his misery, the loss of Ariana had led, not to a renewed closeness between Albus and Aberforth, but to an estrangement. (In time this would lift-in later years they re-established, if not a close relationship, then certainly a cordial one.) However, he rarely spoke of his parents or of Ariana from then on, and his friends learned no to mention them.

Other quills will describe the triumphs of the following years. Dumbledore's innumerable contributions to the store of wizarding knowledge, including his discovery of the twelve uses of dragon blood, will benefit generations to come, as will the wisdom he displayed in the many judgements he made while Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. They say, still, that no wizard duel ever matched that between Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald in 1945. Those who witnessed it have written of the terror and the awe they felt as they watched these two extraordinary wizards do battle. Dumbledore's triumph, and its consequences for the wizarding world, are considered a turning point in magical history to match the introduction of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy or the downfall of You-Know-Who.

Albus Dumbledore was never proud or vain; he could find something to value in anyone, however apparently insignificant or wretched, and I believe that his early losses endowed him with great humanity and sympathy. I shall miss his friendship more than I can say, but my loss is as nothing compared to the wizarding world's. That he was the most inspiring and the best loved of all Hogwarts headmasters cannot be in question. He died as he lived: working always for the greater good and, to his last hour, as willing to stretch out a hand to a small boy with dragon pox as he was on the day that I met him.'

Amara sniffed a little at the end of the article. She had never known that Dumbledore had had a sister – she had heard him mention his brother, Aberforth, before, a long time ago, but other than that she had known little of his life except his achievements.

It was July. Amara had not told her parents her plan for them, nor had she told them she was going away and may never see them again. She had not told Fred, her boyfriend, or Tally, her cousin, or Jesse, Tally's brother, and from what she had heard from two of her best friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, they had not told them either.

She knew she was going to be leaving for the Burrow in four days' time. Fred was picking her up and her family had to be out by then. She had contacted her Uncle Louis, in France, and he had agreed with her plan.

She was going to send her mother, her father, her fifteen-year-old brother, Ethan and her thirteen-year-old sister, Tessie, to France, to live with her mother's sister, who was a muggle, and her husband, a wizard. Tally was also going back, but not until Beauxbatons started in September. Until then she was staying at the Burrow with her boyfriend, Ron. Hermione had not told Amara her plans for her parents, but she knew that she was arriving at the Burrow the day after her.

Amara did not like the idea of forcing her parents away to France, to stop them doing their jobs and to stop Tessie and Ethan from going back to Hogwarts. But she knew it was too dangerous. They knew too much about her final best friend, Harry Potter, and could be found by Death Eaters. And being Muggleborn witches and wizards did not help. But Amara knew they would be safe with Louis and Elisabeth, and hopefully Tessie and Ethan would be able to study once out there.

Amara herself was going on a hunt for Horcruxes with her friends Harry, Ron and Hermione, to defeat Lord Voldemort. It was a dangerous task and Amara couldn't say she was looking forwards too it. It had only been a week since Dumbledore's death after all.

She had had a letter from Ron the day before explaining some very surprising events:

Amara –

Tonks and Lupin got married today. It was quick and not many people were allowed to attend. Wish you, Harry and Hermione could have been there, but we couldn't exactly send out invites. Don't tell anyone else, though, especially Harry, as his owls might be intercepted.

Ron

Amara had been surprised by the sudden rush, but was happy for Tonks and Lupin. They deserved to be happy and be together, eventhough they were in the midst of a war.

Amara placed the Daily Prophet on her nightstand and hopped off her bed. She heard her mother calling for her, and, wondering what she wanted, she went down the stairs. She met Ethan on the landing. He was now a head and shoulders taller than her and liked to revel in the fact. He also was looking rather charred around the edges.

"My potion exploded," he said sheepishly.

"Were you experimenting again?" asked Amara.

"Yeah," said Ethan. "But it's progress!" he added defensively. "At least it didn't singe my eyebrows off this time!"

Ever since he had returned from Hogwarts, Ethan had been in his room much more than usual fiddling with his potions. Amara thought it was to take his mind off what was happening.

Amara's mother was standing at the foot of the stairs waiting for her.

"Adrien's here to see you," she said.

Adrien Page was Jesse Reynold's best friend. He was also a good friend of Amara, who saw him as a brotherly figure, and her family, and he had lived in England for two years, ever since he left Beauxbatons.

"Did you do the security questions?"

"Of course," said Mrs Matthews crossly, and walked off into the kitchen. She too had been more irritable lately, as she knew something was going on, but Amara wasn't telling.

Adrien was in the lounge, sitting in one of the chairs, looking unusually stern. When Amara walked in, he jumped to his feet and walked across the room.

"Jesse would have come but he's with Hermione sorting out things," said Adrien immediately. Two years after arriving, his French accent had disappeared. "Have you told them?"

"No," said Amara.

Adrien groaned. "Amara, you have to tell them you're leaving and that they need to hide!"

"I know," said Amara.

"Are you going to tell us what you're doing?"

"Definitely not," said Amara.

Adrien scowled at her whilst sitting back down on the armchair and poked the armchair rather viciously.

"You're insufferable sometimes, you know that, right?"

Amara grinned at him.

Adrien sighed and sunk lower into the armchair he was sitting on.

"Adeline wrote to me the other day," he said.

"Really?" said Amara, sitting down on the chair opposite. She had only met Adeline Page once, when she was in her second-year, and only knew she was in the same year as Noah Reynolds and currently working in a robe designer. After two years away from his sister, Adrien did not seem to miss her that much, and considering she was rather annoying, Amara didn't blame him.

"She got a promotion," said Adrien, sighing. "And Noah went over to visit her as well."

"I haven't seen Noah in years," said Amara. "He's always away studying animals – like Charlie, I suppose."

"Him and Jesse met up a few times, and Tally obviously sees him in France quite a bit. He seems to like America though, but apparently he wrote to Charlie asking about Romania – oh and he's coming to the Wedding too."

"That's good," said Amara. "I'd like to see him again."

There was a break of conversation as Amara stared at the floor, knowing that Adrien was staring at her, trying to make her tell her family.

"I'm not leaving until you tell them," said Adrien sternly.

"Fine," said Amara, glaring at the French boy. "They're not going to like it."

"Neither do you, and nor do I," said Adrien, smiling sadly. "But it's safe."

Amara took a deep breath and sighed.

"Come on then," she said, getting to her feet. "I think everyone's in the kitchen anyway."

Sure enough, the whole Matthews family were sitting at the table together, and Amara very nearly backed out again, seeing them so happy, but Adrien was behind her and he pushed her forwards.

The two of them sat down at the table.

"Erm," said Amara and everyone seemed to stop talking and look at her. Ethan and Tessie seemed to have a knowing look in their eyes.

"What's wrong?" asked Mrs Matthews. Amara supposed her face had gone rather white at the prospect of making her family leave.

"I have to tell you something," said Amara slowly.

Adrien kicked her ankle to make her hurry up.

"I – well, you all know about Harry, and about You-Know-Who," said Amara. "But the thing is, now that Dumbledore's dead …" Amara winced. "It's going to get worse. I've stopped giving you the Daily Prophet for a reason – it's getting worse and the dark side are getting stronger. And … it means you – all four of you – are in danger. They don't like muggleborns, and they don't like muggles. They know who I am and can track you down very, very easily. It's only a matter of time before they do – and before they try and take over completely. Which is why I contacted Uncle Louis." Amara took a breath, staring hard at a point on the table. "You have to move to France for the time being, so that you're all out of harm's way and can't – won't be … Uncle Louis can protect you, considering you can't do magic, Mum and Dad, and you two are not of age. He's agreed to it, and their house is big enough, and Tally will go back to France too once the summer's over, and maybe Jesse will go for a little while. It's the only thing I could think of without putting you into hiding. I know that Jesse and Adrien put protective spells around the house but they're not going to be strong enough. You have to leave."

Amara risked looking up and saw her parents and sibling's white faces. Her mother's eyes were filling with tears as her lip trembled.

"What about you?" asked Mr Matthews shakily. "You're in danger too."

"I know," Amara said heavily. "But – there's something Harry's got to do, and I'm going with him – and Ron and Hermione. I can't tell you what it is but it'll hopefully save everyone. I'm sorry, I have to do this."

"We understand," said Mr Matthews quietly. "But – are you sure you can't come?"

Amara struggled with herself, trying not to cry. She had to be strong for her family, to show she was doing the right thing.

"Yeah – I promised and I have to, I'll be alright with Harry, Ron and Hermione," said Amara. "It's you guys I'm worried about."

"Louis will look after us," said Tessie confidently. "And the Death Eaters wouldn't go over to France, would they?"

"I wouldn't think so," said Amara.

"So you're not going back to Hogwarts?" said Mrs Matthews. She too had blinked back her tears.

"It's too dangerous now," said Amara seriously. "especially now Dumbledore's gone …"

"Too dangerous for Tessie and Ethan?"

"Definitely," said Amara, nodding. "We're muggleborn."

"When are you leaving?" asked Mrs Matthews. "I guess you didn't tell us before because – well, it was too hard?"

"Yeah," said Amara. "And … I'm leaving for the Burrow in four days. And you, you guys have to be out by then."

Mr and Mrs Matthews blinked.

"We have four days to leave?"

Amara nodded. "I've booked the plane tickets and told your work that you're going on an extended holiday."

"So you did everything but tell us until three days beforehand?"

"She found it hard," butted in Adrien and Mr and Mrs Matthews turned to look at him. "I forced her to tell you now."

Mr and Mrs Matthews sighed.

"Well we better get going then."

-OOOOO-

On the fourth day of packing up the house, Amara found herself standing in her bedroom with a rucksack in one hand and her wand in the other. The rucksack, with some research by Amara, had an undetectable extension charm on it, had everything she needed for the Burrow. This meant clothes for all weathers (jumpers, scarves, jeans, tops and jackets) various books that Amara thought would be useful, her clothes for the wedding, a supply of tricks and joke objects that could come in handy on the run and other magical items. For old time's sake, she had packed her Gryffindor scarf and gloves too. She'd put a sleeping bag in it as well, along with a few mugs, teabags, coffee and other things that wouldn't go bad too quickly like tinned food that her mother had shoved on her before she left. She'd let Archimedes out of his cage and sent him to France and had given Alfred, her pygmy puff, to Tessie to keep safe. She'd charmed him to look like a doll so that he could be taken on the aeroplane.

Her school things, like her robes, her hat, cauldron, broomstick, books, telescope and potion supplies were in her trunk, which had been properly cleaned out, at the end of her bed. Her cupboards and wardrobe had been cleared out of clothes, and her small bathroom was now void of everything but the things built in.

Her room, minus a few personal touches remaining, was bleak and bare, and the neatest it had ever been.

With a sigh, Amara took one last look around her bedroom, shouldered her rucksack and left the room. Walking slowly down the stairs and onto the landing of the first floor, Amara noticed a flurry of movement coming from Ethan's bedroom. Ditching her rucksack on the floor, she walked over and entered her younger brother's bedroom.

It had turned into utter chaos. Gryffindor scarves, hats, flags, rosettes littered the floor along with his robes, shoes, shirts and trousers and a good too many books. His bed was occupied by his school trunk, which was what he was taking to France with him. Ethan had wanted to take everything, but Mr and Mrs Matthews had shouted him down as they only had a limited amount of stuff they could take.

"Having trouble?" Amara asked the tall boy, who was currently crouched over a stack of wizard magazines, obviously stolen from Edward McKenzie, his best friend at Hogwarts. Amara could make out the title Lawrence Ludwigs, a Potioneer Prodigy.

"Even your magazines are potion based," said Amara. It was true: Ethan excelled in Potions. It was his favourite subject, and he was forever altering different recipes to suit him and make the potion better, whereas Amara's favourite subjects were Transfiguration, Charms and Ancient Runes, and Tessie's favourites were Defence Against the Dark Arts and Astronomy, and if she had had the chance, Care of Magical Creatures. "Careful, you'll turn into Sn-" Amara managed to catch herself just in time.

Ethan had not noticed her slip up. Instead, he turned around and offered the magazines at her.

"What do you think? Shall I bring these?" he asked.

Amara shrugged. "It's your choice – what have you got so far?" she walked over to his trunk and peeked inside.

"Ethan! You haven't got any clothes in here!"

Ethan wandered over too. He looked into his trunk, which was filled with bottles labelled with different potions, different ingredients and his fancy cauldron he'd brought last year.

"How do you make all these?" Amara asked, picking up a bottle of Pepper-Up potion.

"Whilst you're saving the world, I do this," Ethan replied, taking to bottle off her and placing it back in his trunk. "Anyway, I have some to give to you."

Amara was rather touched, and was quite shocked when Ethan produced a box from under his bed. He opened it and inside were a good many bottles.

"There's just some Pepper-Up Potions, Blood-Replenishing Potions – some Skele-gro (I got that off Madam Pomfrey, to see what ingredients are needed) one that heals burns … reviving potion …and some, some poisons."

"Poisons?"

"Well, you never know," said Ethan hastily. "And considering you're off gallivanting in the wild to do goodness knows what, it may come in handy."

"But – you didn't brew them did you?" asked Amara tentatively.

"No," said Ethan.

"Then –"

"I stole them," said Ethan darkly. "From Snape's stores, after he'd gone. He shouldn't have had them in the first place."

"We got taught them in fourth year …" Amara said absent-mindedly.

"Still," said Ethan. "I don't know why he still had a store of stuff – it's not as though he was potions Professor anymore."

"Why didn't you go into Slughorn's supplies?"

"His?" scoffed Ethan. "There was nothing in that which would have been useful."

Amara eyed him. "You could have been a Slytherin, you know."

Ethan laughed slightly. "Scary, huh?"

"Definitely," said Amara. "But, thanks for the potions, they'll definitely help."

"I hope you don't have to use them," said Ethan seriously.

"Me either," said Amara. "Do you want some help packing?"

"I'm alright," said Ethan. "I'm just going to empty my draws of clothes now. I'll take some books too, I think."

"Good idea, I'm going to go help Tessie," said Amara.

She took the box of potions and put them in her rucksack before going into Tessie's room. Previously pink, it was now scarlet and very, very Gryffindor. Some posters, wizard and muggle, had been taken down from the walls and Tessie was seen rolling them up.

Her hair was as scruffy as ever, and she till wore her headscarf as a headband. Amara did think it suited her, however.

"Have you finished?"

"More or less," said Tessie, who hadn't even flinched when Amara had announced her unexpected presence. "Just adding the final bits."

Amara noticed Tessie's trunk was very full, and her room was rather bare, like her own.

"I couldn't leave anything," said Tessie. "I don't want to."

"I know," said Amara heavily. "I'm sorry for making you do this."

"S'not your fault," said Tessie. "But I really wish I was going back to Hogwarts. I was going to go to Hogsmeade this year."

"You'll have a chance," said Amara. "For sure."

Tessie nodded and resumed her rolling. Not wanting to disturb her, Amara left the room.

-OOOOO-

Amara stood in the lounge facing her family, whilst Jesse and Adrien stood waiting in the hall. It was time to say goodbye, and Amara was not ready.

Mrs Matthews had already burst into tears, and Mr Matthews had his arm around her. Tessie looked on the verge of tears and Ethan couldn't keep his eyes still to stop himself from tearing up too. Amara, who wanted to show that she was strong enough to do this, was fiddling with her charm bracelet,

Mr Matthews said goodbye first. He gave her a Dad hug and held on for a good few minutes.

"You look after yourself out there," he said gruffly. "Be brave – show them what you're made of. And you can always come to France." He leant back and put some of her hair behind her ear. "We'll see each other again."

Amara tried not to blubber when Ethan and Tessie said goodbye next, both of them hugging her tight and telling her to stay alive and save the world. Then it was just her mother.

She had reduced her tears to sniffles as she flung her arms around her daughter. She had no words, instead she poured her emotions into the hug and Amara couldn't help but let some tears slip. But then the warmth of the hug was gone and Jesse and Adrien were leading them out the door and into the car.

Adrien paused in the doorway.

"Fred'll be here soon, stay safe and see you later," he said before leaving the doorway and getting in the car. Amara waved from her place by the door until the car drove away. She shut it carefully and locked it.

It was then when the tears came, and she sank down onto the wall and crouched on the floor. Her family was gone and she didn't know when she'd see them again, if ever. She was going on a trip but they didn't know where and Voldemort was getting even stronger.

Amara stayed in the position on the floor until a warm set of arms wrapped around her and she flinched back. Looking up, she saw the warm brown eyes of Fred Weasley staring back at her, concern etched in his usually smiling face.

Without bothering to do the security questions, Amara cried into the front of his shirt, and he hugged her tightly.

After five minutes Amara was cried out and she retracted herself from his arms and rubbed her face. Fred stayed on the floor with her.

"Let's get you home, huh?"

Amara nodded. "I'll just go to the bathroom," she sniffed. "My stuff's in the living room."

She went into the downstairs bathroom and saw her reflection in the mirror. Her face was red and blotchy and she scowled at it. She pressed a wet flannel onto her face before getting out her wand and fixing herself up again. She didn't want the rest of the occupants in the Burrow to see her like that.

She returned to the living room and found Fred next to her rucksack. He seemed confused.

"You're seriously only taking this?"

Amara nodded. "I put an extension charm on it," she said.

"Ah that explains it," said Fred, nodded as he shouldered the rucksack. "Right, we better get going, Mum'll go crazy if we're late."

"We never did the security questions," said Amara as she went and stood next to him.

Fred nodded and a light frown appeared. He then grinned and leant down to kiss her rather passionately, with his arms around her waist. Amara blinked when he pulled away.

"Well, I guess that answers it," she said, grinning slightly. "We'll have to apparate outside, won't we?"

"Jesse lifted the charm so I could get into the house," said Fred. "He'll put it back when he gets back."

Amara nodded then held Fred's hand. He turned on the spot and they disappeared – the last vision of Amara's house fading quite suddenly as she was pressed into the familiar suffocating feeling of Apparation.

They appeared just beyond the gate of the Burrow and Amara had barely got her surroundings back before Fred started pulling her through it.

"George and I took the day off," said Fred as they walked. "And tomorrow. Just when everyone's arriving."

"Won't it hurt the business?"

"Nah," said Fred. "Anyway, it's not getting any busier at the moment … not with …" he frowned before grinning again. "You're worth it anyway."

Amara grinned a dazzling smile in his direction as they got closer to the Burrow. Fred stopped before they got their and put his arms around her.

"I have to do this before we get inside – you know what Mum's like, and with the Wedding, well, it's crazy in there at the moment."

Amara giggled as Fred leant down and kissed her on the lips. Amara responded back with enthusiasm as she was able to forget that her parents were gone – she was merely visiting the Weasley's in summer …

"Dear Merlin get a room," came the sound of George as Fred and Amara continued what they were doing.

Amara and Fred broke apart and saw a smirking George looking at them with crossed arms, with Ron and Bill behind him. Bill was grinning but Ron looked faintly disgusted.

"Fred she's like my sister – don't do that when I'm around," he said. Amara laughed as Fred grinned.

"This was empty before you prats showed up," said Fred.

"We were hoping there was more to go around," said George and Ron groaned before punching him on the shoulder.

"Shut up George!"

Amara was laughing fully now, and with Fred's arm around her waist, they joined the boys and walked towards the house, not before she gave them all a hug. George was very disappointed.