Chapter One: Never To Darken the Doorstep Again
Harry stared out of his bedroom window and sighed heavily. Horrible memories of his life at Number 4 Privet Drive flooded back to him. He was relieved that he would never come back to Surrey again.
And then, his thoughts turned to Draco Malfoy, and how he had almost come over to the right side, how he had even lowered his wand. Was Draco Malfoy still completely loyal to the Dark Lord? Had he completely forgotten Dumbledore's offer? 'Dumbledore just didn't realize…' he thought, but even as the words echoed through his mind, a white hot wave of hatred flooded through his body.
"Harry? What's wrong?" Hermione's voice penetrated Harry's thoughts.
He shook his head and stood up. "Nothing…just…just thinking," Harry replied.
"Don't worry, mate! We'll kill that greasy-haired slime ball in the end. Show him what he gets for killing-" Ron said bitterly.
"Dumbledore," Hermione finished his sentence sadly, turning towards the window as her eyes watered with grief.
"Huh? What?" Harry confusedly asked.
"Snape, of course! And Hermione always said I was slow…" Ron murmured loudly.
"I was just…well, thinking about Malfoy," Harry said slowly, wondering where Malfoy and Snape were now.
"You pity him, don't you?" Hermione asked smugly.
"Well, as much as I hate him…yeah, I guess I do pity him…the tiniest bit…the least you could ever pity someone…but the murder was completely his fault," Harry said quickly, tossing his invisibility cloak into his jam-packed trunk and picking up his Firebolt.
"Well said, Harry," Ron said darkly, as he opened the door to Hedwig's empty cage.
"Ugh, Harry, when was the last time you cleaned this cage? Scourgify," Hermione pointed her wand at the filthy cage, and the droppings and leftovers from Hedwig's last visit vanished.
"That's better," she sighed and closed the cage door, just as Harry slammed his trunk shut. Ron hurried over and helped him close it.
"Ready?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione, who nodded quickly, and fastened their black traveling cloaks.
"Put your hoods up, we don't want to be seen," Harry instructed as he pulled the hood of his black velvet cloak over his head.
"Wands out. Alright then…let's go," Ron said as Harry stood his trunk up on its wheels.
"I'll get Hedwig's cage," Hermione said hastily, and she strode back across the room.
"Meet you by the front door, Hermione!" Harry called to her as he and Ron made their way down the stairs. When they reached the landing, however, they were startled to find themselves face to face with very merry-looking Vernon Dursley, Petunia and Dudley Dursley in his wake.
"So boy, you're never coming back? Never darkening my doorstep again?" Harry's Uncle Vernon asked impatiently.
"No, not if I can help it," Harry growled bitterly, eyes narrowed in pure hatred.
"Excellent!" Uncle Vernon grunted happily, and he grinned broadly. Petunia and Dudley stood uneasy and unsmiling behind Vernon, avoiding Harry's gaze altogether as he prepared to leave. No one spoke, and Ron coughed forcibly to bring an end to the awkard silence.
"Alright, out with you! Goodbye!" he yelled, whipping the door open and shoving Harry and Ron outside.
"THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!!!" Vernon's voice rang through the neighborhood.
The door slammed shut, but then opened again moments later, as Hermione was pushed out onto the doorstep, Hedwig's cage clutched to her side. "How rude!" she exclaimed. Harry and Ron laughed heartily, and then turned to face the cool summer night.
"So how are we getting there?" Ron whispered as they walked along Wisteria Walk.
"Erm…not quite sure yet…got any ideas?" Harry answered unsurely.
"Well…er…we could fly…" Ron suggested doubtfully.
"Oh, please! You two are so naive! Have you seriously forgotten already?" Hermione said in disbelief, laughing loudly.
"Ron and I, unlike you, Hermione, can't remember every single thing we're told," Harry said in amusement.
"What?" Ron asked Hermione, ignoring Harry's bout of sarcasm.
"Apparation! We've got our licenses, remember?" she said eagerly, sweeping the bushy hair out of her eyes.
"Oh!" Harry said as it dawned on him. He burst out laughing and clutched his side as Ron did a hilarious imitation of Hermione behind her back.
"Honestly, Ron, get a grip," Hermione rolled her eyes and muttered "Boys…" as they reached the end of the street.
"Alright, so you two know exactly where we're going, I expect?" Ron asked quickly.
Harry and Hermione nodded impatiently.
"Just to let you know, Mum'll probably try to persuade us to go back to school…so be prepared, and think of good comebacks," he told them, as the night grew even darker.
"Let's go then," he said, and Harry imagined the place as well as he could. The familiar sensation of apparation swept over him, and before he knew it, he was standing in the grassy, front lawn of the Burrow. They ran up to the towering house and knocked three times on the door.
"Who's there? Who are you? Speak! Speak, or I'll curse you!" Remus Lupin's voice came from inside the house.
"It's me, professor! Harry! Ron and Hermione, too!" Harry whispered.
The door flew open, and several people stood positively beaming at the trio waiting expectantly outside in the chilly night.
"Wotcher, Harry," Tonks called out from somewhere in the rather large group of people.
"Ron! Harry! Hermione! Oh, we've been waiting up for you for ages! We thought perhaps something dreadful had happened…" Mrs. Weasley raved, giving them each a long hug.
"No, we're fine, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said quickly.
"But we've got to get inside quick…don't want to be seen," he muttered darkly, quickly scanning the lawn and the trees.
"Yes, of course, dears, come in, we're just about to sit down to supper," Mrs. Weasley beckoned them inside.
"So we've heard you're not going back to Hogwarts, Harry…why not?" Mr. Weasley asked once everyone was eating dinner.
"I…have some unfinished business to attend to," Harry invent quickly, stuffing more potatoes in his mouth to avoid telling the truth.
"What sort of business?" Lupin pressed, inclining his head toward Harry, who was thinking fast. He absolutely wouldn't dare tell them about the Horcruxes.
"Voldemort," Harry said firmly.
Mrs. Weasley's glass shattered, and Fleur gasped.
"'Arry, you cannot go! Vat eef you are killed?" Fleur asked worriedly.
"And what will Ron and Hermione do without you?" Mr. Weasley asked, taking a swig of butterbeer.
"Ron and I are…are going with him," Hermione said quietly, catching Harry's eye.
No one spoke. Everyone was staring at the three of them, and uncomfortable glances were exchanged subtly across the table.
"It's too dangerous! You three can't go, I forbid you!" Mrs. Weasley squealed, breaking the horrible silence.
"Molly, you can forbid Ron, but Hermione and Harry aren't you children…as for Harry, he's got to kill Voldemort, and I say, the sooner, the better!" Lupin advised her, setting down his glass and flashing an understanding look at Harry.
"Mum, me and Hermione faced at least dozen Death Eaters with Harry at the Ministry, and then we fought even more last term! We've got experience!" Ron protested loudly.
"Sometimes experience isn't the most important thing…sometimes bravery is more beneficial," Hermione piped up over the chatter that had started up again.
"Hermione's right, Mum. And Harry can't go alone! Ron's of age, he deserves the right to decide for himself," George Weasley said in a persuasive voice.
"Just as long as you lot drop in and see us regularly," Fred added, grinning broadly, and winking at the three of them.
"No! Absolutely not! I will not let you three take such risks!!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked.
"Well, we'd better get to bed! Don't want to fall asleep at the wedding tomorrow," Mr. Weasley cut in quickly, yawning widely.
"He's right! Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, to bed with you!" Mrs. Weasley instructed, pointing to the stairs. "And I'll have no more talk of this leaving business!"
"Oh c'mon, Mum!" Ginny groaned.
"To bed! Now!" Mrs. Weasley commanded, gently nudging Ginny towards the stairs.
Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George trooped up the stairs, but Ginny and Harry went slower, lagging behind.
"Coming Harry, Ginny?" Ron called down the stairs.
"Give us a minute-" Harry shouted back.
"-Or two," Ginny added. Ron sniggered and pulled Hermione up the remaining stairs, closing the bedroom door softly behind them.
"How've you been?" he asked, taking her hand in his.
"Fine," she said stiffly.
"I missed you," Harry said truthfully. She laughed sadly.
"We've only been apart for a month…but I missed you too," Ginny said, the smile fading from her face.
"You're really going to do it then? You're going to track Voldemort down?" she said seriously, and he could feel her eyes on him. Harry looked up at her, startled. He had never heard Ginny say Voldemort's name before.
"I'm not scared of him. I want to go with you, Harry, I want to fight him," Ginny continued, resting her head on his shoulder.
"You have to finish school, Ginny, you have to go back to Hogwarts," Harry said firmly.
"I know…but I'll wait for you," she whispered quietly.
"I'll come back," Harry replied, when he could think of nothing else to say.
"Really? You'll come back for me, Harry?" Ginny asked, moving a little closer to him. He merely nodded, for he was at a loss for words. Was it just Harry, or was the room getting hotter by the second?
She leaned forward, kissed him, and then turned to walk up the stairs.
"Ginny!" Harry called after her.
"Yes, Harry?" Ginny whirled around, her red sheet of hair waving.
"I do love you," Harry spoke quietly, offering her a small smile.
"I love you too," she said softly, tiptoeing back to him as he held out his arms to embrace her.
"Where've you been? A minute or two? Mate, that was like twenty minutes!" Ron said slyly, grinning broadly at Harry, who had just closed the bedroom door behind him.
"Well?" Ron asked enthusiastically.
"It was…" Harry began dazedly. "Hey, wait a moment! What's Hermione doing in here?" Harry demanded.
"She…erm…well…You see, I-" Ron stammered, blushing as Harry grinned smugly.
"No! It's not what you think! We were just…talking!" Ron protested.
Hermione burst out laughing, which made Harry laugh so hard that his eyes began to water.
"Oh, c'mon Harry! You're the one snogging my sister!" Ron said between fits of laughter.
"You're the one snogging your best friend!" Harry said in amusement.
"But-" Ron said quickly. Harry stopped laughing long enough to raise his eyebrows skeptically.
"Nothing happened here mate, but believe whatever you want I suppose-" Ron snorted as he snatched up his pajamas and headed to the bathroom. Harry sat down on Ron's bed.
"Honestly, Hermione, were you and Ron snogging?" Harry asked curiously.
"No, just talking…" Hermione answered uncomfortably, sitting down beside him.
"Oh c'mon, 'Mione, fess up!" Harry joked lightly. Hermione answered him in a defiant silence.
"So, how are we going to persuade Ron's Mum to let us leave?" she asked anxiously, walking over to the window, and sighing.
"Not sure yet. Ron could always sneak out anyway though…" Harry replied, burying his face in his hands.
"Yes, I suppose he could sneak out…but then everyone would get frantic and come searching for him," Hermione pondered.
"More importantly, how are we going to find the Horcruxes?" Harry asked her, glancing at the door.
"Someone's coming! Shh!" Hermione whispered, as she turned away from the window. Harry lifted his head just as the door opened.
"Oh, it's just you," Harry breathed a sigh of relief as Ron stepped into the room.
"They're talking about you, Harry, downstairs in the kitchen," Ron informed Harry and Hermione briefly.
"Extendable Ears?" Hermione suggested.
"No, I'll just go under the Invisibility Cloak," Harry replied, opening his trunk and pulling out the silvery cloak. "Be back in a bit," Harry muttered as he pulled the cloak on over his head.
He crept down the stairs and stopped once he was in the kitchen, relieved to find that Mad-Eye Moody was not present. Then he realized that Mrs. Weasley was speaking.
"Yes, but why is Harry so bound and determined to drop out of school? I mean, all he'd have to do would be to go back to Hogwarts and wait for You-Know-Who to track him down," Mrs. Weasley muttered in a low voice.
"It has something to do with where Harry and Albus were the night of the murder, I just know it," Lupin muttered to the group, who began nodding in agreement.
"Have you tried asking Harry about it?" Mr. Weasley asked once the chatter had died down again.
"Minerva's tried, but she said Harry wouldn't tell her why they left the school, much less where they went," Harry recognized Charlie Weasley's voice from somewhere in the group.
"But I'm just so scared for Harry, You-Know-Who's practically invincible! What if Harry hasn't realized-" Mrs. Weasley whispered.
"I think he just wants to avenge Albus' and Sirius's deaths, Molly," Mr. Weasley murmured.
"You're probably right, Arthur, but the odds are against Harry, aren't they?" Lupin interrupted, drumming his fingers on the tabletop.
"Harry might think that since Albus is gone, he's got to finish something for him…I just don't know!" Mrs. Weasley whispered.
"I don't think he realizes just how much danger he's putting himself in." Lupin muttered quietly.
"Face it, Remus, if we let him go after You-Know-Who there's no way he'll last long...You-Know-Who always gets what he wants when it comes down to it, and if it's Harry's life he wants, then that's what he'll get." Charlie whispered, pressing his forehead into his hands.
"No! I wouldn't be able to bear it! I'll jump in front of him if I have to!" Mrs. Weasley cried, standing up.
This was too much for Harry. He threw off the cloak and stepped into the kitchen. Before anyone could explain themselves, he began to speak, his voice heated and angry.
"Enough people have died standing between me and Voldemort. Please, Mrs. Weasley, not you too. I don't want any of you to put yourselves at risk for my sake anymore."
"Harry, we-" Mrs. Weasley reached forward to hug him, but he shook his head.
"Just let me deal with what I have to deal with on my own. I'm not a little boy anymore."
He grabbed his cloak and rushed back upstairs, anger bubbling in his stomach. He burst into the bedroom to find Ron leaning up against the headboard of his bed, Hermione's head resting on his shoulder.
"How could they say such things? I mean, honestly, don't they realize everything you've been through?" Hermione hissed upon Harry's return to the upstairs bedroom.
Harry shrugged half-heartedly, the disappointment etched clearly upon his face.
"And they really have the nerve to believe you can't kill him-?!"
"What are we going to do? They're going to forbid all three of us from going!" Ron groaned from his spot on his bed.
"We're going anyway, of course! We'll leave a note explaining ourselves. We'll have to be extra careful, mind you," Harry told them gruffly.
"I knew you were going to say that. And you've got some crackpot plan of escape too, haven't you?" Ron replied skeptically.
"Well, what used to be 'crackpot plans' aren't so…well, crackpot anymore," Harry said irately.
"Are you angry with them?" Hermione asked him in a small, cautious voice.
"Well of course, Hermione! Why couldn't they just accept my decision? Hearing them talking about how they think I'm doomed isn't exactly encouraging!" Harry said loudly, kicking his trunk angrily.
"Calm down, Harry. You'll prove yourself soon," Hermione said soothingly. Harry turned around quickly to look at her and Ron.
"Do you think I can't do it?" he shot at them, raising his eyebrows.
"Mate, we trust you, there's just nothing more to it. You can kill him, and we know it." Ron said truthfully, and Hermione nodded in agreement.
"You mean that?" Harry said, touched, though he tried not to show it.
"Yes," Ron and Hermione said undoubtedly.
It seemed that as soon as Harry had managed to fall asleep, he was shaken awake by Mrs. Weasley.
"Get up, Harry, we haven't got much time!" she said loudly, opening the blinds to let the sun in.
"We're leaving this place tonight, when we get back from the wedding, so have you traveling clothes ready," Harry whispered to Ron and Hermione once Mrs. Weasley had left the room.
"Lucky Fred and George bought me new dress robes," Ron said, relieved when he finally found the deep blue robes the twins had bought him. Harry sniggered, remembering the Yule Ball, when Ron had worn century-old, frilly dress robes, once worn by his rather bad-smelling Auntie Muriel...good times.
Once Harry, Ron, and Hermione had put on their dress robes, they stood on the upstairs landing, and Harry bent closer to them.
"Don't say anything at all about Voldemort or us leaving, alright?" he muttered softly, eyes darting from Ron to Hermione, as each of them nodded eagerly.
"C'mon, you three!" Mr. Weasley called from the kitchen.
"Coming!" all three of them chorused, trooping down the stairs at once.
"Harry, could you just tell us why you and Professor Dumbledore left the school that night, or even where you went?" Remus Lupin asked Harry as they rode to the wedding.
"Sorry, but that's between me and…well, just me, since Dumbledore-" Harry stopped in mid-sentence, and stared out of the foggy window of the car the Ministry of Magic had rented to them.
Ginny, who was sitting beside him, subtly snaked her hand into his and squeezed it. Harry glanced down at her and gave a small smile of gratitude.
"Harry, this could be valuable information!" Lupin stressed in frustration.
"Oh it is valuable, but Dumbledore didn't want me to tell anyone about it!" Harry said angrily.
"But Harry, Dumbledore's-" Mr. Weasley cut in.
"Dead, I know! But that doesn't change the circumstances; I still can't tell you!!" Harry yelled furiously.
"But-" Mr. Weasley began again.
"Give it a rest! Just leave him alone, he won't tell you. Harry's an adult, let him do what he wants. He's earned that right, especially from us." Tonks piped up, grinning at Harry, who grinned back appreciatively.
As they pulled into the dusty drive of the tall, white church, Harry was relieved the care ride would finally be over. He did not know how many more questions he could take from Lupin and Mr. Weasley without yelling at them. He managed to keep his anger bottled up inside him only for the sake of Bill and Fleur.
Hermione and Ron realized how angry Harry was, and they flashed him looks full of warning every time he opened his mouth to speak. Finally, the car slowed to a halt, and Harry practically leapt out of it.
"We are gathered here today to join together these two in holy matrimony," the old priest with snow white hair mumbled happily, as he stood behind the altar. Harry had already tuned out the man; he was deep in thought of where to look for the Horcruxes.
Suddenly, an idea sprung into his mind, and he grinned at his own blindness. Why hadn't he thought of it before?? Harry jumped in his seat when the organ played the wedding march. He watched as Bill walked briskly back up the aisle, and through the church doors, Fleur in his arms. They were still kissing each other; it was a wonder Bill could tell where he was going.
"C'mon, hustle! We've got to get home!" Mrs. Weasley called to Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they headed for the car.
"Mum, can we apparate back? Harry doesn't look well, and…" Ron trailed off shooting a very convincing worried look towards Harry.
"No, he doesn't look well…Harry, dear, are you alright?? You look pale," Mrs. Weasley stopped in mid-step to feel his forehead.
"You don't feel like you've got a fever…well, yes, of course you three can go on and apparate," she said, shooing them off.
"Good acting, Ron," Harry complimented Ron, thumping him on the back.
"Thanks, but I wasn't joking, Harry. You do look a bit peaky-" Ron said in the same worried tone.
"I'm fine…but we've got to get back to the Burrow and then out of here, I think I know where one is!" Harry whispered eagerly, as Hermione shot him an anxious look.
"You mean-?" she asked in disbelief.
"The 'H' word, yeah," Harry nodded.
"C'mon," he murmured. All three thought 'The Burrow' as hard as they could, and seconds later they were standing in front of the door of Ron's house.
They ran full-speed up the stairs and grabbed their traveling cloaks and some food they had wrapped in small sacks.
"C'mon, let's go before-" Hermione began. There was a POP and Tonks was standing right in front of them.
"-you get caught?" Tonks finished Hermione's sentence.
"Please, Tonks, you must understand-" Harry begged her.
"Yeah, yeah, I understand. I'll cover long enough for you to get away. Clever, pulling the old 'I feel sick' one on Molly. She wasn't entirely convinced, though. Sent me to check up on you. Well, hurry up and get out of here, so I can think of a good cover story. Hey, wait a minute…Harry, you do look a bit peaky-" Tonks said, raising her eyebrows at the three of them.
"I'll be fine. Thanks a load, Tonks! We owe you," Harry said hurriedly, embracing Tonks stiffly, and then hurrying for the door, Ron and Hermione on his heels.
"Wotcher, Harry! You three take care!! And, stop here every few weeks, just to check in!" she yelled, as they rushed down the stairs.
"Okay, then, to Godric's Hollow," Harry said once they'd slammed the front door behind them, as a signal for Tonks.
"One…two…three," Hermione mumbled, and all three closed their eyes, knowing that anything could happen as their journey went on...and that they would get through it together.