(A/N I can't even begin to apologise for the long delay. Just know I am sorry, I promise it won't happen again. :D. This is the penultimate chapter of this story. Can't believe I've almost made it. I will be starting a new story with the aftermath and how the new future looks called Changing Time. Enjoy this chapter.)

Chapter 27: Godric's Hollow and Malfoy Manor

"For the next few weeks Harry and I kept apparating around the country trying to come up with new ideas about where the Horcruxes could be hidden. We kept using the portrait of Phineas Nigellus to get news of what was going on at Hogwarts. As far as we could tell Neville, Luna and Ginny were keeping Dumbledore's Army going as best they could and rebelling where possible."

"Brave kids." James smiled.

"But they have Death Eaters teaching." McGonagall pointed out.

"There would only be so much we could do to protect them." Flitwick agreed.

"As it approached Christmas, Harry voiced the idea about going back to Godric's Hollow." Hermione continued.

James and Lily smiled sadly. "It would be a trap of course. Voldemort would expect that." James sighed.

"But still, he has never been." Sirius pointed out.

"I wish he didn't have to." Remus muttered. Everyone nodded their agreement.

"We decided to go. It was Christmas eve when we arrived. Harry was disguised using Polyjuice potion, I had borrowed some of Moody's stock, and we were under the cloak."

"Should you not have been disguised as well?" Lily asked in concern.

"Yeah, everyone will know you almost as well as Harry by now." Sirius added, looking worried.

"We had the cloak. I didn't think I needed it." Hermione told them. "We went to the graveyard and saw the grave of Kendra and Ariana Dumbledore." Dumbledore looked down, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. McGonagall put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. They all looked down silently for a minute.

"Please continue Miss Granger." Dumbledore said thickly.

"We also saw a grave of Ignotus Peverell. There was a mark on his tomb that I had seen in the copy of Tales of Beedle the Bard that the Professor left me. Xenophilius Lovegood had also worn it as a necklace at the wedding."

"What mark is that?" Sirius asked.

"The symbol of the Deathly Hallows." James said.

"How do you know that?" Remus asked in astonishment.

"I grew up in that village. I saw that tomb plenty of times and grew up with the stories." James informed him with a smug grin.

"Then we found James and Lily's grave." Hermione said softly and the mood dropped again. James gripped Harry tighter to himself. "I made a wreath that we could lay there and Harry stood for a few minutes."

"Thanks 'Mione." James gave her a weak smile though he looked ready to cry.

"As we left the graveyard we saw the Potter's old cottage." Hermione glanced around the room, shivering slightly as she remembered seeing it destroyed and neglected. Sirius squeezed her hand. "At the gate there was a plaque dedicated to Lily and James and around the message there was loads of messages wishing Harry luck and supportive things like that."

"That's really sweet." Lily said with a watery smile.

"He's going to need all the luck he can get." Flitwick muttered.

"Too true." McGonagall replied quietly.

"As we turned around we saw Bathilda Bagshot looking straight at us. She led us back to her house."

"She didn't say anything?" Dumbledore asked. Hermione shook her head.

"What? But she was our neighbour and good friend. She must have recognised Harry." James frowned in confusion. Hermione shuddered slightly.

"Well, we followed her. When we got to her house she wanted Harry to go upstairs."

"Split up? Not a good idea." Lily exclaimed.

"You're telling me." Hermione muttered under her breath. Remus heard her and his head snapped up. "She took him upstairs and cornered him. Turns out she was actually Voldemort's snake, Nagini, hidden in Bathilda's body.

"Gross!" James cried.

"Poor Bathilda." Lily whimpered.

"Get out of there!" Cried Sirius.

"The snake summoned Voldemort. I came running upstairs. The snake was writhing everywhere trying to capture Harry. I cast confringo and everything was so confused. Harry was yelling that Voldemort was on his way. He grabbed me and we jumped out the window and disapparated just in time."

"Thank god for that." Remus breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Stupid trap. Knew it would be a trap." Lily was muttering frantically.

"No one got splinched this time did they?" James asked worriedly.

"No. Both of us were fine." Hermione assured him.

"Well that could have been a lot worse." Sirius sighed. Hermione winced, remembering what had happened.

"Harry went into some sort of trance. He saw the night you two were killed from Voldemort's point of view."

Lily gasped and James was deathly pale.

"He shouldn't have to see that. He remembers too much already." Sirius whispered, a single tear trickling down his cheek at the thought of what his cub would have to go through.

"I couldn't wake him no matter what I did. The horcrux was stuck to him and it was all I could do to even get him into bed."

"It's not your fault Hermione." Remus assured her.

"Of course not." Sirius said sharply.

"When he finally woke up I had to tell him that his wand had broken." Hermione whispered, so quietly they could barely hear her."

"What?" James gasped. "That's his protection against Voldemort!"

No. Remember Mouldy shorts got a new one because of the connection." Sirius reminded him.

"I don't care. No other wand will work as well and Harry needs all the help he can get." Lily said frantically. Hermione was looking at the floor miserably.

"It was my fault. I cast the blasting curse." She muttered.

"You were trying to get both of you out alive. As much as it sucks, I would rather you lost the wand and not your lives." James reassured her.

"Yeah 'Mione. Better that than either of you." Remus said.

Hermione sniffed and then carried on. "Well while Harry was upstairs I noticed a copy of Rita's book the Life and LIes of Albus Dumbledore in the house which I took. The morning after Harry woke up, we started to read it. We read the chapter about Grindelwald coming to Godric's Hollow and his association with Dumbledore." Dumbledore covered his eyes. This was not his best moments and definitely not something he wished to revisit.

"Professor?" Sirius looked over at the headmaster questioningly. Everyone seemed stunned that he knew such a dark wizard.

"It wasn't a particularly nice read but it covered the death of the Professor's mother and sister as well as his friendship with Grindelwald. Neither of us read any further."

"No details?" James asked, eyebrow raised.

"No. That is up to the Professor to divulge any further details." Hermione said firmly. Dumbledore looked at her with gratitude in his eyes. Everyone nodded respectfully keeping silent despite their curiosity.

"I shall tell all of you the story one day, but for now let us press on with dear Harry's tale." Dumbledore said quietly.

Well, I apparated us to the Forest of Dean and we set up camp. One night just after Christmas, Harry was keeping watch when he saw a silver doe in the woods. It was a patronus but I don't think he realised at the time."

"A doe? Isn't that your patronus Lils?" James asked. Lily nodded, eyes wide.

Well obviously it isn't mine. Who else would send a patronus to Harry?" She asked. Everyone just shrugged.

"Harry followed it,"

"Of course he did. Why not follow a strange patronus into the forest, away from protection when you don't even know who cast it." Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, he followed it to a clearing with a pool. At the bottom of the pool he saw the sword of Gryffindor."

"What?" James exclaimed.

"The very thing Dumbledore left him to destroy horcruxes happens to be lying in the bottom of a pool in the very forest you apparate to?" Remus questioned suspiciously.

"And a patronus led you to it. But if they are friendly, why use a patronus and not show themselves?" Lily asked.

"Maybe they couldn't risk moving from wherever they were so they had to use a patronus." James suggested.

"But they had to have put the sword in the pool. Why not just give it straight to Harry?" Remus rolled his eyes.

"Someone who loves theatrics?" Sirius grinned.

"But you ain't there Siri." James chuckled.

"Oi! I didn't mean me." Sirius pouted.

"But you love theatrics more than anyone." Remus pointed out. Sirius grumbled under his breath.

"So anyway," Hermione interrupted their bickering. "Harry decided that he would go into the pool to get the sword. After he tried summoning it."

"He went into a freezing cold lake, in December?" Lily asked in horror. James and Sirius shuddered just thinking about it. All the teachers pulled disgusted faces.

"Yep. He forgot to take the locket off and it almost strangled him until Ron jumped in and saved him."

"Ron's back?" Lily asked.

"Where did he come from?" Sirius asked.

"How on earth did he find you?" Remus questioned at the same time.

"Least he did something useful this time." James grumbled, still not quite ready to forgive Ron for ditching his best friends in their time of need.

"Ron and Harry made up and then Harry wanted Ron to stab the locket and destroy it as he was the one who fetched the sword in the end. Harry couldn't reach it due to the locket. Harry opened it with parseltongue and a smoke figure came out. It played on Ron's insecurities. He almost couldn't do it, but in the end he stabbed it and the locket broke."

"Well done Ron!" They all cheered.

"Once they had done that, they came back to the tent and woke me up. I was quite pissed at Ron and may have hit him quite a bit."

"Good for you." James muttered under his breath so Lily wouldn't hear.

"He told us his story about getting caught by some Snatchers. They were groups of people, not Death Eaters but evil enough anyway, who were trying to round up undesirables for money. He managed to get away and even got a spare wand which Harry started using."

"Not perfect, but better than him borrowing yours." James sighed. "Harry didn't win it so it won't work as well for him as it would even for Ron."

"It was the best we could do." Hermione sighed. "But anyway, Ron then told us that he had wanted to come back for a while. One day he heard my voice coming out of the deluminator. He clicked it and a ball of light appeared, it flew into him and he apparated right to the hillside where we had been camping. Due to our spells he couldn't find us. He did that a few times until he saw the doe which led him to Harry."

"That is so cool. Didn't you make that yourself sir?" James asked eagerly, looking over at Dumbledore.

"I did indeed Mr Potter. A very useful device it is too." Dumbledore smiled.

"How does it do something like that?" Lily asked.

"Some very ingenious magic, if I do say so myself." Dumbledore replied, eyes twinkling. "It took many months to complete."

"They told me how Ron stabbed the locket and destroyed the horcrux. Ron became very enthusiastic again. He and Harry filled each other in with what happened while he was gone. Apparently there was a radio station supporting Harry up and running where they talked in code. They put a taboo on Voldemort's name so whenever it was said they could track the person who said it."

"Makes sense I suppose. Only those in the Order really say his name. Not even all of them do." James said grudgingly.

"Do they put that taboo in place during this war?" Lily asked anxiously.

"I'm not sure." Hermione confessed. "Just refer to him as Riddle. That is actually his name." She suggested.

"Or just Tom. He seems so much less scary when you know his real name is something as common as Tom. Not just that, but it's especially common among muggles." Sirius sniggered.

"Anyway, we spent a while discussing where others could be and who could have sent the patronus, but we didn't get any ideas. Harry was convinced one was hidden at Hogwarts, but Ron and I dismissed it."

"Why the hell would you do that?" Asked James angrily.

"We didn't think Riddle would ever have had time to place a horcrux at Hogwarts." Hermione defended.

"He made the ring in his sixth year didn't he? He was still at Hogwarts then." Remus pointed out reasonably. Hermione blushed.

"Besides, you dismissed Harry about Malfoy being a Death Eater all last year, and look what happened? And did you forget Harry has had Riddle in his head for the past few years, he probably has the best insight of all of you as to where a horcrux would be hidden." James ranted. He knew that Harry's friends were just doing what they thought was right, but he was so sick of everyone doubting his son when Harry had been nothing but right.

"You are right James, but what's done is done." Lily interjected soothingly. She also thought that it was stupid of Hermione and Ron to so readily dismiss Harry's suggestions, but clearly shouting at Hermione now would do no good. Meanwhile. Hermione was looking down at her hands in her lap, her cheeks crimson.

"Anyway, while reading the tales of Beedle the Bard that Professor Dumbledore left me, I spotted a strange symbol. I remembered that Xenophilius Lovegood had been wearing the symbol at Bill and Fleur's wedding so I wanted to go and talk to him about it."

"Does it have anything to do with the Horcruxes?" Sirius asked.

"We didn't know. But as Professor Dumbledore left me the book I thought it was worth investigating." Hermione defended.

"I'm sure I left to you for some reason." Dumbledore smiled kindly.

"Shame you couldn't leave something more useful." James grumbled.

"He did try to leave the sword." McGonagall pointed out. "He must have known the Ministry wouldn't give it to Harry, but at least it was a clue." James nodded his grudging acknowledgement.

"The mark was also in the book on Dumbledore's life by Rita Skeeter. And although most of that is rubbish," She added, noting people's sceptical looks. "The symbol kept appearing and Xenophilius was the only person I could think of to ask. Ron backed me up though Harry didn't want to bother."

"Outvoted again." Sirius sighed.

"Ron's just scared of upsetting you again." Remus smirked.

"When we got to his house he seemed really nervous but invited us in. When we questioned him he told us of the Deathly Hallows. He got me to read out the whole story."

"It's just that. A story, isn't it?" Sirius asked.

"It's not." James said. Everyone stared at him except Dumbledore and Hermione. "The three brothers in the story are the three Peverells. My dad told me we are descendants of Ignotus Peverell. My cloak is from him."

"Your cloak is one of the Deathly Hallows?" Remus breathed.

"Yes. In my time Professor Dumbledore suspected as much, which is why he borrowed James' cloak and was able to pass it on to Harry." Hermione explained. Everyone looked slightly awed. "Xenophilius went to make some soup and we discussed which Hallow we would want. Then Harry investigated Luna's room. We had been told Luna was fishing and would be back, but we realised Xenophilius had lied. The Death Eaters had taken Luna."

"That poor man." Lily gasped.

"He's about to sell out Harry." James growled angrily.

"He tried to stop us leaving. Two Death Eaters showed up. We managed to escape, but made sure they saw Harry so they knew Xenophilius hadn't been lying to them. Once we were safe, the boys became excited by the story and I tried to persuade them to drop it."

"Seriously?" Remus said, raising his eyebrow.

"You were the one convincing them to go and investigate. You can't blame them for getting caught up in a story like that, especially as Harry owns the cloak." James pointed out.

"One night, during an argument Harry said Voldemort's name and we were surrounded by Snatchers."

"Oh no." Lily whimpered.

"I managed to hit Harry with a stinging Jinx to make him mostly unrecognisable. He lied and said his name was Vernon Dudley."

"Eww. I don't care how desperate for a fake name you are, why on earth would you pick that?" Sirius asked in disgust. He couldn't forgive the Dursley's for mistreating his cub as badly as they had.

"I said I was Penelope Clearwater, who I knew was a half-blood. Ron couldn't get away with being anyone but a Weasley really. Not with his hair. They almost bought it but then recognised me and we got taken to Malfoy Manor. They tried to make Draco identify Harry but he said he wasn't sure."

"He lied for you?" James asked in astonishment.

"There is hope for the little brat." Sirius smirked. "I'm not so surprised though, Narcissa was never really into the whole Death Eater thing. It was always Lucius and Bellatrix." He spat the last name out like poison.

"They put the boys in the dungeon and kept me out to find out where we had gotten the Sword. Bellatrix was convinced it should be in her fault. She kept asking me what else we had taken from her vault."

"So something important is in there as well as the sword." James asked.

"Another horcrux!" Remus exclaimed. Everyone got a little excited, forgetting the predicament the trio were in.

"If it's in her vault then you would have to...break into Gringotts." Lily said suddenly. Everyone's eyes snapped up to Hermione, who smirked.

"You didn't?" Breathed Sirius in awe. Hermione said nothing.

"Down in the cellar, Harry saw Ollivander, Griphook and Luna. Harry was watching the piece of mirror from Sirius and thought he saw an eye. Someone came to take Griphook up to say if the sword was a fake or not. He lied and told them the one we had was the fake. Then Dobby appeared and apparated Luna and Ollivander out, agreeing to come back for Harry. Then Pettigrew came in."

"No!" Growled the three marauders.

"Harry and Ron attacked him, but his silver hand started strangling Harry."

"I'm going to kill him." James yelped furiously.

"Harry reminded him that he had saved Pettigrew's life and that he owed him. The hand acted of its own accord and strangled Pettigrew instead. His own hand killed him."

The three friends looked down. They were viciously glad that the traitor was dead and unable to hurt their little Prongslet ever again, but a small part of them mourned for their friend. No matter what he had done and become, he was once a friend and marauder.

"Harry and Ron managed to get hold of some wands and started duelling. Harry stunned Lucious. But then Bellatrix threatened to kill me if they didn't stand down. Before anyone could do anything the chandelier crashed to the floor. Dobby had come back. Ron pulled me out of the wreckage, Harry wrestled our wands from Draco and stunned Greyback."

"Greyback was there?" Remus growled.

"He was one of the snatchers that caught us. Bellatrix threw the knife as we all disapparated. As Dobby was the one doing it we got past any wards. We arrived at Bill and Fleur's cottage which was our designated meeting place with Luna and Ollivander. As we arrived, we saw that the knife had hit Dobby." Hermione's voice trailed off as a tear trickled down her cheek.

"That poor elf." Lily cried.

"We definitely have to find a way to free him from the Malfoys." Sirius said firmly. James nodded.

"Let's take a break then we can finally finish this." Hermione said. Everyone nodded.