Title: Harry Potter and his Trusted Followers

Summary and Disclaimer: In first chapter

As Harry continued sprinting towards the castle, he started to feel slightly dizzy from running so much. His legs were weakening, he lost speed, and the castle seemed a great deal further than before, but he kept it up all the same.

At last, Harry thought, he reached the front doors. Those magnificent doors that he had walked in and out of almost every day for the last six years. But then, it seemed they knew about the fighting and lost their greatness and importance, standing there like guards to a well protected fort. They opened even before he laid his hands on them. Although strangely, there was no one there when he walked. He ran through the entrance, up a few flights of stairs, around a corner, past a few deserted classrooms, and almost smashed into Ron and Hermione. They quickly explained that they had won, but didn't get the chance to celebrate. Harry motioned for them to follow, and again began winding around the school he knew so much, yet so little about.

He slid to a stop, looking into the face of the gargoyle. It didn't wait for a password as usual, just took one look at Harry and moved aside. Moved, Harry noticed, not leapt. He climbed the stairs slowly, finally realizing there was no hurry. Voldemort was gone, decided to count his losses (quite a few) and force some more people onto his side. Harry assumed he also needed time to mourn the only thing that was close to him.

The steps he took were so used to him that he was standing in Dumbledore's, no, McGonagall's office before too long. Surprisingly, it seemed that the Order had beaten him there and were all deep in conversation. Also familiar to Harry, they immediately stopped talking when he entered the building. This resulted in an uncomfortable silence where everyone seemingly failed to find Harry's eyes. Harry was very confused, seeing as he had just heard they won.

Were they ashamed of something? Did they just receive horrible news? Were Ron and Hermione hiding something from him? Or were they just trying not look into his green eyes, which were only second to Dumbledore's when it came to power? All these questions were joined by almost fifty more, none of which seemed to come with any answers.

"Harry?" Lupin asked softly with more than a hint of concern in his voice.

"Wha-," Harry answered stupidly, snapping out of his daze.

"Remus was just asking what went on back in Hogsmeade and why they weren't able to locate the scream, when I interrupted and informed him that there wasn't anyone screaming," Harry was surprised that this came from Dumbledore's…mouth?

"Oh, no one screamed. That was Voldemort trying to get you out of the way and to me faster."

"Then why did you tell us to go to the castle?" McGonagall asked this time, still not looking into his eyes, but more just at his face.

"I wasn't going to just let him get away without at least a fight," he mumbled to the ground, a little embarrassed. He then added in not much more than a whisper, "I'm glad I did."

"But-,"

"Also," Harry's volume rose to normal. "Hogwarts has more room to fight. You won didn't you?"

"Yes, but-," again Harry cut her off.

"Well, I'd count that as a good thing." He quickly made sure that the conversation was over by adding, "Now, if you all would just step outside, I'd like to speak with Professor Dumbledore alone."

After a short hesitation, everyone except Ron, Hermione, and McGonagall made to leave. When they had all left, Harry looked over at McGonagall.

"I've been here every other time, Potter. If you don't mind I'd like to stay at my desk and hear what you have to say."

"Fine. Professor," this time he was speaking to Dumbledore's portrait. "When I was down there I came across Nagini." Harry had to talk a little louder over the three gasps that were issued from behind him. "I killed her."

"Very good Harry." Dumbledore ignored the look of horror that passed over McGonagall's face. "You have destroyed a fourth horcrux. Only two more remain."

"Yes, I know. I was wondering if you knew what the last horcrux is."

"Besides the locket?" Harry nodded. "I'm sorry Harry, but I- wait a moment. What's that you're holding Mr. Weasley?"

"What?" Ron replied, looking down into his own hands. "Oh, it's Gryffindor's sword. I don't know why I have it. I just found it and kept it."

"But I thought that…" Dumbledore looked over to where the sword's case lay empty. "I think I know what happened. This is going to be a long story." To assure Dumbledore that he wasn't going anywhere, Harry toke a seat and waited patiently.

"Well, it all begins the day that Quirrell came across Voldemort. As you know, Voldemort was weakened and barely alive. We know that he used Quirrell to try and get the Sorceror's Stone, but what you don't know is that Voldemort needed to sacrifice one of his horcruxes to be able to possess Quirell." To answer Harry's unasked question, "He didn't need to do it with you because of the connection you two share."

"But, sir-,"

"Please, Harry, let me finish. As I was saying, Voldemort was still left with five horcruxes, enough to almost promise immortality. When I went to destroy the ring, I brought the sword in case I needed to use something other than my wand. It is possible that I dropped it, or even just left it there. Voldemort must have found the sword and thought that it would be perfect to use as a horcrux, being from Gryffindor himself.

"I don't know how you found it Mr. Weasley, but I believe that you are holding the fifth horcrux."

It took Ron a moment to realize that he was holding something that contained a portion of Voldemort's soul. When he finally figured it out, he quickly dropped it and took a few steps back.

"Don't worry, it won't hurt you," Dumbledore said smiling. "Now down to business…" Dumbledore said turning to face Harry.

He quickly told Harry a spell and hand movements that could prove that the sword was, in fact, a horcrux. It was. Dumbledore continued by explaining what to do and how to destroy Voldemort's soul, but not the only precise artifact that was still around and had belonged to Gryffindor.

The room shone green as Harry did what Dumbledore said to do. It didn't leave as fast as it came, but faded away after a few seconds. McGonagall took the sword out of Harry's hands and brought it over to its case. She took out her wand and placed it in a small hole on the right side of the case. When she turned it, the door opened like the wand was a key.

"I was really hoping to keep that," Ron complained.

"Sorry, Mr. Weasley, but it belongs here. Now, if I'm not mistaken, you have a few students waiting for you in the Room of Requirement," Professor McGonagall informed them.

Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione with a look of confusion on his face, but Hermione just took his hand and pulled him out of the door, Ron following closely behind them.