A/N: The end of book six…and some friendships

PARTING WAYS AND WORDS

The funeral was too perfect. The sky was crystal blue and the weather warm though everyone gathering outside in the crowds of chairs like a black wave were anything but cheerful. Not with the stone white coffin that sat at the front and center that held Dumbledore inside it. Everyone was there, sitting near the front. The Order of the Phoenix; Kingsley, Mad Eye Moody, Lupin holding hands with Tonks, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill supported by Fleur and Fred and George. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny filed into seats at the end of the row besides the lake where Luis, dressed in black dress pants and a dark blue dress shirt saved them a seat with Luna next to him and Oliver on her other side with three empty seats.

He kept glancing around looking for the other two but didn't see them anywhere though he knew they wouldn't miss this.

"They're not here yet," Luis said without looking over at Oliver.

He rolled his eyes. "Thank you captain obvious."

"Who's not here yet?" Ron asked down the row. "Everyone from the entire community is here, including the bar owner of Hog's Head."

"He means Chelly, Stark, and Ebony," sighed Hermione at his naiveness.

Harry took an audible breath at the mention of Ebony's name. The two hadn't spoken since the events of last night. The group wondered if they would at all, but it had been made clear last night where the line was drawn and neither was going to budge. Ebony was firmly rooted on her father's side and Harry was strict in his hatred towards him. The others had to choose where they stood.

"They'll be here," nodded Oliver and turned back around in his seat.

From where they stood, Ebony, Chelly, and Stark could see their friends talking amongst each other and the empty three seats Oliver had saved for them. They stood at the far back of the crowd as to not be seen by the others. Chelly pulled at the sleeve of her black sweater that was fastened around her and decided to play with the large buttons in the front of it instead in her nervousness. She glanced at Ebony who was staring at the white tomb passively and Stark who she could tell even behind his dark sunglasses was glancing at Ebony. She twisted the ring on her finger, her mother's bracelet on her other wrist covering her Dark Royalty mark that was still visible, a faded version of what it had been. The only person not here was her father. The man who had caused all of this and who she still believed was innocent somehow. She knew her father too well to believe he would kill Dumbledore in cold blood. That was as believable as him killing Lily, he wouldn't harm anyone he cared for. He protected them just as he always protected her and that was part of the reason she knew there was more to this story…and she had to find where it lay.

Chelly touched her shoulder. "We should go sit down."

"You go ahead," she told her. "I think I'm going to sit back here for this one."

"I'll stay with you then."

"No," she shook her head and pointed at Oliver. "Your boyfriend's waiting for you."

"So is yours," Stark indicated to where George sat a couple rows in front of their friends twisting around in his seat to survey the crowds in his search. "You haven't talked to him."

"I'm not ready to yet," she said.

"You should go sit with him…that way you don't have to…" she didn't say it but she knew Chelly meant she wouldn't have to face Harry. They hadn't spoken since she decked him last night.

"No…I'm okay. Besides, I'll have to walk past all these people, Chell…and I'm not ready for anymore stares and whispers than I already get."

She nodded her head. "Okay…I'll be right over there then when this is done and we can go somewhere you won't get bugged."

Ebony watched her go and sit next to Oliver. He hugged her and whispered something to her and Chelly shook her head. Oliver sagged a little around his shoulders and she saw Harry shake his head in his own irritation which confirmed the conversation was on her, especially when she saw Chelly glare at Harry and say something to him only to cause Ron and Hermione to pip in to the point Oliver put his hands up to stop them from arguing. She snorted a little, at least she knew who was on her side of the line.

"You should go sit with them too, you've done nothing wrong," she said to Stark without looking at him.

"Neither have you and I'm fine where I stand."

She smiled. He knew where Stark stood in this mess and it was by her side despite what her father had done. She was sure he'd stay by her side if she had done it herself out of loyalty to her and her family. Which was why she and to let him go before he got thrown in this deeper. "Thank you, but I'd like to be alone…"

"I don't think you should be."

"That's your thought but I know I should be alone,"

Stark let out a deep breath and glanced away but his arm went around her and pulled her into a hug before she realized it. He put both arms around her so she couldn't get away if she wanted to…truth was she didn't want to. She let him hold her and felt tears fill her eyes but didn't cry. "You're not alone, never. Remember that." He let her go and walked down the rows to where Chelly saved a seat for him, not looking back at Ebony.

Her eyes stayed on the row that held…her friends to say the least. Ron, whose eating habits matched Chelly's in a fun and amusing fight. Hermione, who had helped her uncover the Unbreakable Vow. Luna, who, as Chelly's cousin, explained a lot about her. Luis, one of her few good friends who had made strides in his own courage with memories she wouldn't soon forget especially when he had hid under the cloak in the middle of her room thinking it was her invisibility one. Oliver, she'd known him as long as long as he'd been dating Chelly which practically made him a brother-in-law. Stark, who had been her neighbor and friend for years despite their age difference and was always loyal to her even now, she doubted there was anything he wouldn't do for her. There was George, her boyfriend, the uncanny boy she fell in love with but would never admit to. And lastly, there was Harry, her family, someone she loved and cared for as much as her father. The boy who lived, the boy she could still clearly remember meeting for the first time when he was merely eleven and who was now a man and more mature at his age than he should have been. He was one of the few other people who had seen and been dragged through a life no one should be and that was where she connected with him…and it was where it broke their bond. Two different sides of the coin that no matter how much it was flipped would only land on one side even if both their goals were to destroy Voldermort in different methods for different reasons.

And they were the reason she had to venture out on her own. She couldn't risk them getting hurt. She couldn't go with Harry for arguments sake and she couldn't bring anyone with her for their own sake since she was able to venture into Voldermort's world as one of them. She had to find her father, she had to find the truth. She had to make all of this right again because without her father it was meaningless. The void she felt wouldn't go away until he was back where he belonged in her life and only then would everyone be safe, only then would life be able to continue unobstructed.

With one last look at her friends, Ebony turned solemnly and headed back into the castle, unseen as the funeral was about to come to an end. She planned on being gone before anyone even noticed she was missing. She planned on being long gone by then on her journey to find the truth and to restore her father's name alone like she had been from the start.

CH 19 WHEN ITS OVER

Ebony was almost done packing. She had already changed her clothes, out of her funeral dress and into a pair of jeans and a dark shirt with her black jacket. She had just finished packing her shoulder bag using the infinity spell on it to fit most of her things in it. She had four days worth of clothes in case she had to leave home, her cloak, her wand, the essentials then she put her photos in. Just a few. She picked up the one of her and Harry, her best friend and brother and felt her heart sink. He didn't believe her. He believed instead that her father was a cold blooded killer. That he killed Dumbledore for no reason and she refused to believe it. There was more to it than that and she knew it in her gut. She would find the truth. No matter how long it took or how far she had to go she would find out what really happened, what her father and Dumbledore didn't tell her. She packed it in her pack regardless of the feud.

She grabbed the picture of her and her father from the Yule Ball…back when everything was perfect. Before this had all snow balled out of control. She had already lost Sirius, she wouldn't lose Severus too. One dad was enough, but not Snape, not the man who raised her and loved her all her life. She wouldn't let that happen. She was going to get her family back. She was going to get her father back. Even if it meant she had to kill Voldermort herself to do it. She put the picture in her purse and flicked her wand at her Pensive. It shrank into a small glowing ball and she put it into a box, shutting it and locking it for safety before slipping it in as well. She paused as she stared at her jewelry box. She was already wearing her ring and bracelet, not to mention the earrings Chelly had bought her…but there was something else she needed. She opened the bottom drawer of the box and pulled out the Death Eater's necklace. Its snake tongue glinted in the light of her room, winking at her and she dropped it into the bag then snapped it shut and hoisted it on her shoulder finding it surprisingly light.

With everything packed Ebony looked around her room, wondering if she'd ever get to come back and claim it all again. She fed Winston one last time and left a pile of food near him, hoping someone would take care of him with her gone. She shut the door behind her and let out a deep breath. This was not going to be easy. But she wouldn't quit. She just wished she could help Harry…but when the line was drawn and she had to choose, she picked her father. Harry would be okay, she knew he would. He had Ron and Hermione. She couldn't entrust anyone better with him.

"Ebony, why are you packed?"

She looked up startled to see George staring at her with a frown. She had hoped to sneak out before anyone noticed, to get out of here without having to say good-bye to anyone. She hadn't counted on George looking for her. Hadn't thought he would.

"I'm leaving."

"Leaving?" he repeated. "Why? Because Dumbledore died."

"Yes and no," she said walking away from her door.

"Because…of your dad?"

She nodded eyes on the floor.

"Who cares what they all think, Eb?" he said, but the tone in his voice said he believed everything as much as the next person.

"What do you think?" she asked.

There was a moment of silence and she moved her eyes to look at him through the dark curtain of her hair. "What do you think? Do you believe what they all say? What Harry says? Do you think my dad is a cold blooded killer too?"

He opened his mouth and stopped to think. "He was there, Eb…I'm not sure what to think…but Harry's never lied before."

"Not everything is what it looks like," she said angrily, repeating the words Dumbledore had said to her. "After all these years here I was hoping that that was one thing Harry, of all people, could remember. But no. Everyone is so quick to believe there wasn't more behind it than the obvious. I'm not saying my Dad didn't do it. I'm saying there has to be a reason, George. I know he didn't do it."

"How do you know?"

"Because he's my father!" she took a breath to calm her nerves. "I need to find him. I need to know what happened."

"It's not safe."

"I don't care. He's my Dad. You'd do the same thing in my position."

George couldn't argue. He just ran a hand through his hair. "So you were just going to leave without saying anything to me?"

"I didn't want you to try and stop me," she said.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice that my girlfriend disappeared or you thought the funeral would distract me from you forever?"

"I was trying to avoid this."

"What?"

She gestured around. "This. All of this. I just wanted to leave so no one could stop me. So no one would know where I was going in case it ever came up. Not my Uncle Lupin or McGonagall or Harry. No one. Because they'd try to stop me. They'd say something about my Dad that I don't want to hear and they'd all look at me like I was a traitor…and I'm not. I'm just a daughter trying to find the truth to save her Dad to clear his name because the dead can't speak and do it for him. And I couldn't bear having to say good-bye to you."

"When…" he cleared his throat of the pain he was starting to feel as he leaned against the back of the couch. "When will you be back?"

Ebony shook her head. "I don't know…could take me weeks, months, hell this could take me years to do…but I have to do this."

"I know," he nodded. "I'd do the same if it were my dad…let me go with you."

"No, you can't. You need to stay here, with your family. Bill needs you, Ron needs you, Fred needs you, and God knows, your Mum needs you…just like my Dad needs me. The less I have with me the better it'll be."

"So I just stay here wondering if you're alive or dead?" he asked, meeting her eyes.

"I'll send you messages some way or another. But please don't sit around waiting for me. This is my life I'm choosing to live like this. Live yours the way you want."

He laughed dryly at the hint. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"You can't sit around forever, George. I don't know when I'll be back."

He shook his head. "You don't get it, Eb…you just don't get it."

"Get what?" she asked furiously as she stepped closer to him.

"How much I'll miss you, how much I care. You think you can break up with me and it'll be okay for me. That'll I'll just be like 'oh gee golly now I can date someone else' and never think of you again," he shook his head. "It's not how it works. Not for me. This isn't going how I planned it out either. Just as I'm sure things aren't going the way you planned them. I doubt you wrote in your diary that you wanted to hunt down your father to clear his name of murder. I didn't plan on you having to go do this either without me. But there's one thing I'm not letting you change and that's us. You can't end us. It took me too damn long to get us together and I'm not letting you end it now. Not because of this."

"George-."

"No," he shook his head and pushed off the couch to stand in front of her, brushing the hair back from her face. "I will wait for you no matter how long it takes because it's you I want. You're the way I want to live my life. And I want you to promise me you'll come back, when all this is over that you'll come back and marry me," he said and Ebony let out a small gasp as she searched his face. She felt a ring slip onto her finger and looked down. There on her ring finger was a diamond set on a white gold band. Simple and elegant. Her eyes met George's again, waiting for her to say something.

"George…" she said his name, her heart fluttering. She hadn't expected this. She hadn't expected him to ever do something like this. It just didn't seem like him. But he did. He just asked her to marry him.

"I hadn't really planned on asking you like this. I've been carrying the ring around for awhile actually, trying to find the moment but it was never right…and this is the last way I wanted to do it but it was now or never and this way I'll at least have hope that you'll be back. And that'll you'll marry me when this war with Voldermort is all over and we can have that happily ever after kind of thing. So will you marry me?"

She smiled at him and nodded, arms wrapping around his neck to hug him, enjoying the very smell of him, something she knew she would miss until she came back. "I'll marry you when this is done."

"That's a relief," he pulled away from her, again brushing the hair from her eyes. "Go find your father. That way he can walk you down the aisle and give me that speech about how if I ever hurt you in any way shape or form I won't live to regret it. I'd love to have him there, shaking his head at the fact you're marrying me."

"I wouldn't want to miss the look on his face either when he knows I'll be marrying you," she agreed and gave him one last kiss, wishing it would never end.

He leaned his forehead against hers. "At least go to Bill's wedding in the summer…"

She bit her lip and thought of how risky that may be since Harry would no doubt be there. "Okay I'll be there…"

"Then this isn't really good-bye…this is see you in the summer," he straightened up. "I can live with that…it's the no sex that's going to suck."

She stepped on his foot with a smile causing him to wince. "You've pretty much gone a year with no sex…and now that I think about it we should wait til we get married now."

His eyes widened in hopes she was kidding. "You're serious?"

"Yeah, I think it'd be a great idea," she nodded with a grin.

He grumbled. "You are such a Slytherin."

She gave him another kiss, "You better go. Don't tell anyone where I am or that I left."

"I'll distract them all, I'm good at that," he told her and headed for the door. He paused with his hand on the doorknob and moved back over to her, pulling her into another kiss that was more than a good-bye but a hope that they'd both make it through this. "Be careful, Eb. Please be careful."

"I will…but you stay out of trouble too," she told him and he smiled.

"No promises," he turned and left the room leaving her along once more.

She pulled her bag over her shoulder and took a deep breath, ready to go about this. She heard a door open behind her and heard Chelly's voice which caused her to spin around.

"All right, you seem ready," Chelly said and glanced her over as she hoisted her backpack on her shoulder. "Let's go."

Ebony blinked a few times in confusion. "Why are you packed and what are you doing?"

"I'm going with you."

"I didn't tell anyone I was going anywhere."

Chelly rolled her eyes. "And you think I don't know these things? I've been your friend for years. I know you aren't going to just sit around do nothing. Not after what happened. Not when he's your father."

"Everyone thinks he's a murderer, Chell. You don't have to go with me and do this. I look bad enough as it is and I don't want that image rubbing off on you."

"I know. But I want to go with you. I want to help. I know what everyone believes and I know what I saw in my vision. I saw your dad kill Dumbledore…but there was more to it…there was something I didn't quite see…and I want to know what it was. I'm not letting you do this on your own."

"Chelly-."

She cut her friend off. "That's final, Eb. I'm going with you. You can't do this by yourself. You can say you can all you want, but you can't. You need someone there and I'll be damned if it's not me because if our roles were reversed you'd be going with me whether I asked you to or not. So that's that. Luis will be here to watch over Luna, he's going to be an aid in Potions and Oliver will be here too along with Stark. So no worries there."

Ebony smiled a little. "You do know it's going to be dangerous. That we aren't going to be able to see our family and friends for awhile once this gets going, they can't know where we are or what we're doing. That Death Eaters will start looking for us, that we might have to act like one of them since they think we are one of them. That there may be a fight bigger than anything we ever imagined fighting in and people will die."

She saw Chelly gulp and nodded her head quickly, "Yeah, I know…but that's why you need me. With your Slytherin side and my Ravenclaw genius, we can come up with some pretty good and hard hitting, yet safe, tactics."

Ebony chuckled, "Where do we start?"

"How about by leaving here?" Chelly suggested and threw the Flo Powder into the fireplace.

"Where do we stay?"

"Well…since I know you still care for Harry and seeing as how you're engaged to George," she smiled and wiggled her eyebrows. "I figure we could spend the summer somewhere mildly safe and in range of Harry and can come up with a better plan."

"Where's that?"

She grinned, "My house."

Ebony didn't like the sound nor the smile on Chelly's face. But her friend stepped through the fireplace and had already disappeared into her home. Ebony looked around the room one more time, eyes stopping on her father's chair. "I'll find you, Dad…I'll find out what happened and I'll make all this right…it's my turn to protect you."

Dumbledore's words rang in her ears then, "There is always a veil of illusion in the way of reality and sometimes you must search to find it."

With one last sigh she stepped into the fireplace, watching as her home vanished out of view as she and Chelly searched to find the truth on what promised to be a very long journey.

NEXT…THE LAST BOOK…DEATHLY HALLOWS…