The journalist is an OC, it was very late when Voldemort arrived at Stonehenge in the last chapter and a quick reminder: Harry is not a horcrux in this story.

Chapter Thirty Seven

Harry woke up covered in a cold sweat shivering violently as he gazed up at the ceiling; the nightmare continued to cling to his consciousness worrying him immensely. It wasn't a normal nightmare; it was one that involved the deaths of everyone he had come to care about, even Severus. It wasn't a vision from Voldemort, of that Harry was positive since his scar didn't hurt, but it was scary.

Harry shook his head telling himself to stop acting like a baby over a nightmare even if it did make him worried. He was only thankful that there was only one horcrux left and then they could finally stand a chance at defeat Voldemort once and for all.

Looking at the clock, he noticed it was only seven in the morning and he sighed. He knew he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep so he decided to see if Snape was up yet, which he probably was.

Changing, Harry made his way downstairs and into the dining room to find his guardian sitting at the table sipping at a mug of steaming coffee and the Daily Prophet in the other hand; his obsidian eyes flared and Harry wondered what was printed in the Prophet that upset his guardian so much.

"Good morning, Harry. You're up early," Snape said lifting his head to look at Harry as he sat down at the table.

Niran popped into the kitchen. "Good morning, Master Harry. What would yous like for breakfast?" she asked.

"Uh pancakes," Harry said.

"Right away, Master Harry," Niran said and popped away.

Harry turned his attention back to Snape as Niran popped back and placed of pancakes with a bottle of syrup next to the plate. Harry poured some syrup on the pancakes still looking at Snape. "What are you reading?" he asked.

Snape gave him a look that clearly said 'what does it look like?' before saying, "Something happened in Surrey."

Harry frowned. "Is everyone okay?"

Snape simply handed over the Prophet. Harry, fearing the worse, took the Prophet and, when he started reading, he was shocked.

Massacre in Surrey

By Emily Matthews

Though there are some who are unsure as to the exact time of the attack, an area of Surrey known as Little Whinging was attacked by Death Eaters. The attack was so sudden that Aurors were not alerted until it was too late. Though the final count is still undetermined, there is an estimate of over a hundred deaths but the destruction caused by the attack has left many buildings in ruins.

Aurors have been working since they arrived in Little Whinging after they drove the Death Eaters away to find everyone but it would seem that the number of causalities is getting higher and higher the longer they remain. This is the biggest attack led by the followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named since His return at the end of the Tri-Wizard Tournament with the highest number of causalities.

Little is known as to why the Death Eaters chose to attack Little Whinging aside from the fact that it was the former home of the Boy-Who-Lived Harry James Potter. As far as the Aurors could tell, there were no magical people living in Little Whinging now that Mr. Potter left; the only person in Little Whinging with any connection to the Wizarding world was squib Arabella Figg who, unfortunately, was one of the causalities.

Harry dropped the Prophet at that; Figg was always so nice to him and often babysat him while he was growing up even if she had too many cats. To hear that she was dead was a shock.

"Harry, are you all right?" Snape asked looking at him.

"Yeah, just…surprised," Harry said finally. "Why would Voldemort send his Death Eaters to attack Little Whinging? There wasn't anyone there except Ms. Figg."

"It's possible it's because of that town's connection with you," Snape said.

Harry shook his head. "It's horrible. It says that this was the biggest attack since Voldemort's return," he said.

"From what I know, this is the biggest attack since the First War," Snape said. He paused before adding, "Where's Draco?"

"Probably still asleep," Harry said.

"Which begs the question, why are you up so early?"

Harry hesitated; while he didn't want to talk about his nightmare, he felt it would be better if he did even if it didn't have anything to do with Voldemort. "I had a nightmare," he said.

"Did you Occlude before you went to sleep?" Snape asked.

"Yeah I did but it wasn't that kind of nightmare," Harry said before he shook his head. "Never mind."

Snape sighed but stood up and walked over to stand in front of Harry. "Harry, as your guardian, you know that I will listen to you and talking about it might help."

Harry closed his eyes feeling tears leak out from beneath closed eyelids. "I…I saw everyone I love die," he said finally. "It happened so fast but I could make out some details. I saw Nagini attack you, Sev, and Draco was hit with a killing curse and Hermione and Luna were being tortured and…" He broke off.

Snape placed his hands on Harry's shoulders. "If it really wasn't Voldemort, Harry, then it's just your fears. It won't happen," he said softly.

"How do you know?" Harry asked lifting tear-filled eyes to look at Snape. "How do you know it won't happen?"

"Harry, I won't let anything happen to you or your friends," Snape assured him. "And neither will your mangy godfather and Lupin."

"But what about you three?" Harry protested standing and hugging Snape before resting his head against Snape's chest. He felt Snape hesitantly—he obviously still wasn't quite that comfortable with this—wrapped his arms around him.

"We know how to take care of ourselves, Harry," Snape said.

"But…"

"Harry, everything will be all right."

Harry closed his eyes. "We're so close to beating him, Sev," he whispered.

"And we will beat him, Harry," Snape said.

"You don't look that great, Lucius," Bellatrix said as Lucius made his way into the kitchen of Malfoy Manor. He hasn't slept much since Cissy's death and the massacre they had just committed in Surrey had left him with little hours to sleep. There was also the fact that, since Lucius lost faith in the Dark Lord's cause, he was unsure of what to think about the massacre. It seemed like a waste of time.

"Don't tell me you're still mourning that traitorous wife of yours," Bellatrix sneered when Lucius didn't respond.

The blonde aristocrat refused to respond to Bellatrix's words although they were like a knife in his gut; he knew his wife had betrayed the Dark Lord but she was still his wife, she was the love of his life and she was gone, gone doing what he should have done from the very beginning: protecting their son.

"My pathetic sister shouldn't have sided with that mudblood, blood traitor loving brat," Bellatrix sneered.

"Just shut up, Bella," Lucius said tiredly making himself a cup of tea.

Bellatrix chuckled. "You really aren't over that traitor. Pathetic. It's a wonder the Dark Lord keeps you around," she said.

As if just talking about him called him up, Lucius's dark mark flared. Bellatrix, eyes glinting in glee, leapt to her feet and jogged out of the kitchen. Lucius, taking a few drinks of his tea, put it on the table before following Bellatrix at a more steady pace.

Voldemort, with Nagini coiled around his shoulders—Lucius was faintly surprised she was out of the magically-protected cage that she was normally kept in—gazed at the Death Eaters gathered around him coolly.

"I have waited long enough for the Potter brat's death and, with my horcruxes vanishing as rapidly as they have been, I want this to end now. I want the Potter brat and the traitor Snape along with Dumbledore. We must have the advantage and I know of a way we can get that advantage. Bellatrix, you and Lucius shall lead an attack; I want you to attack the Lovegoods; bring me the daughter. Bring her to me alive and make sure to tell her father to tell the Order that I will kill the Lovegood girl if Potter does not face me instead of hiding behind Dumbledore like the coward he is."

"Is that wise? I am sure the entire Order will respond if you do that, my lord," Lucius said softly.

"I want the entire Order to respond, Lucius," Voldemort snapped angrily. "We will set up an ambush. I have an idea that will decimate the numbers of the Order." His bloodless lips pulled back in a sinister grin that Lucius resisted the urge to shiver at.

Whatever Voldemort had planned, it did not bode well for anyone.

Luna hummed as she walked down the stairs of her home and headed toward the kitchen. She was happy that things were starting to wind down in the war against Voldemort though she suspected that things weren't going to just end easily for anyone. She knew they still had to kill Nagini and she was wondering how they would manage that.

From what Harry said, the Sword of Gryffindor was probably their best bet but she didn't know how they would manage to get it out of the Sorting Hat.

"Are you all right, Luna?" Xenophilius said looking at her curiously.

"Yes, I'm fine, father," Luna said with a small smile.

Xenophilius smiled at her before placing a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't you help me prepare dinner?" he suggested.

Luna nodded and the two of them began working together.

Dinner was quiet but what happened afterwards was not something either Luna or her father expected.

The attack came out of nowhere. One minute, Luna and her father were relaxing in the living room; Luna thinking about other ways to destroy the last of the horcruxes while her father was reading. And the next, Death Eaters had managed to crash through the wards surrounding the home and attack.

Xenophilius, wand in hand, shouted, "Luna, run!" before shouting out a curse that knocked one Death Eater into another.

Luna took off toward the second door before tossing a reducto over her shoulder that hit another Death Eater sending him flying. She then pointed her wand and, infusing it with her love for her father and the love she was beginning to feel for Draco, she shouted, "expecto patronum!"

A moment later, the silvery rabbit appeared in front of her hopping around.

"Get help!" Luna said and the silver rabbit vanished.

"Stupefy!" A shout sounded but Luna dodged.

"Impedimenta," she called before whirling around and blasting another Death Eater with the reducto curse.

She again began running toward the other door in her home when a shout of "incarcerous" sounded.

She dodged the binding spell before whirling around and shouting, "expelliarmus!" and the Death Eater was sent flying backwards.

"Crucio!" A familiar female voice screamed and Luna screamed in agony as the curse slammed into her before she could dodge. She fell to the ground, dropping her wand and writhing in agony as Bellatrix, eyes alit with satisfaction, came forward.

"Luna! Diffindo!" Xenophilius shouted but another Death Eater deflected the curse back at him.

Bellatrix looked at Xenophilius who struggled to get to his feet before he was sent flying backwards by a repelling charm. He crashed into the wall and fell to the ground only partially conscious.

"Listen good, loony Lovegood," Bellatrix shouted. "The Dark Lord has a message. Tell Potter that if he does not face the Dark Lord face to face, instead of hiding behind Dumbledore like a coward, then the Dark Lord will kill the half-blood." Then she shouted "stupefy" and Luna knew nothing but darkness.

Draco was in the living room playing Wizard's Chess with Harry while Snape read a book in an armchair nearby when the floor flared to life and Lupin poked his head through the flames. "Severus, may I step over?" he said sounding worried.

"What's going on?" Harry asked worriedly as Snape nodded.

Lupin's head disappeared and his whole body appeared a moment later. He looked very grave. "Something's happened," he said. "We received a patronus from Miss. Lovegood and went to the Lovegood house immediately. It was completely destroyed; it's a miracle Xenophilius survived at all."

"What about Luna?" Draco asked worriedly thinking about the blonde girl who had comforted him when his mother died and whom, though a little odd, was very pretty. Draco wouldn't be lying to himself if he said he was beginning to have feelings for her even if he couldn't work out what they were. At the moment, he only felt concern.

"She was taken," Lupin said. "Xenophilius said they took her and Bellatrix gave him a message to pass on."

"Then why are you here, Lupin? Shouldn't Albus and the Order know?" Snape asked.

"The message wasn't to the Order, Severus, it was to Harry."

Harry looked up sharply. "Me?" he said.

"Yes, Xenophilius said that Bellatrix said that You…Voldemort wants you to face him face to face without hiding behind Dumbledore or he will kill Luna," Lupin said gravelly.

Draco gasped eyes widening in fear.

"No, I'm not letting Harry anywhere near that monster," Snape snarled getting to his feet.

"But he'll kill Luna," Harry protested.

"Harry, he's likely going to kill Luna anyway. It won't matter if you face him or not. That's just the way he works," Snape said turning to gaze at Harry.

"So what are we supposed to do? Just sit here and let Luna die?! We have to do something," Draco exclaimed.

"This might be our chance to get Nagini, Severus," Harry added. "One of us can use the Sword of Gryffindor on Nagini and…"

"And how do you suppose anyone will even get close to Nagini, Harry?"

"I can distract…"

"No!" Lupin and Snape shouted at the same time.

"I've already lost your mother, I won't lose you too," Snape said. "We can take care of this, Harry. The Order can. We know that they are likely at Malfoy Manor."

"What of the wards?" Lupin said suddenly with a frown.

"Voldemort's expecting Harry, Lupin. I'm sure he'll drop the wards to allow him through."

"The wards will know if someone is not who they say they are," Draco said suddenly. "Voldemort won't drop them unless he knows Harry's the one that's attempting to go through them."

Snape looked worried and furious at the same time. He stepped over to Harry's side and drew him into a tight hug.

"He'll be expecting Harry to come to rescue Miss. Lovegood," Snape said still holding Harry. "But I would not be surprised if he was expecting the entire Order to come with Harry. He must be planning something, something to take care of the Order as well as Harry, Albus and myself."

"Then we need to come up with something that will take him by surprise," Lupin said.

"But what?" Draco asked with a frown.

"If they're going to ambush us then Voldemort must have something set up that will get rid of a sizeable number of the Order," Snape said. "I can only think of one plan that might stand a chance at working but it would involve us getting into Malfoy Manor undetected and that is impossible with the wards."

"Actually, I think I know of a way to do that," Harry said suddenly.

"How?" Lupin asked with a frown.

Harry grinned. "Dobby."

"Who's…?"

"Of course," Draco said. "Even though he was freed from our family, thanks a lot for that by the way Harry, he can still bypass the wards around Malfoy Manor. If anyone can get someone into Malfoy Manor undetected, it would be Dobby."

"Will he help us if it means going back to Malfoy Manor even if it's only temporary?" Snape asked.

"Dobby'll do anything for me since I freed him," Harry said. "But what's your plan, Sev?"

Snape pressed his lips together. "Let's travel to Grimmauld's Place. The entire Order should hear my plan and decide whether they agree with it or not. It's risky though."

"Are you sure you're not at least partially Gryffindor?" Harry said teasingly.

Snape shuddered. "Perish the thought, Harry. Now come. The sooner we figure out what we're going to do, the better of a chance Miss. Lovegood will have."

A/n what do you think?

Blaze: wow, I can't believe it took me almost two years to update this story

Darth: so how long will it take you to update this story next? Another two years?

Blaze: haha. No, I'm working on the last two chapters, and the epilogue, of this story now

Darth: there are only three chapters (epilogue included) left in this story?

Blaze: that's what I said, isn't it?

Harry: ARGH! STUPID CLIFFHANGER!

Draco: that idiot Voldymuffin better not kill Luna (pulls out flaming machete and glares at Voldymuffin)

Voldymuffin: you cannot defeat me!

Draco: wanna bet? (Slams flaming machete into Voldymuffin's head and stalks off)

Blaze: (chuckles) please review and I will post the next chapter soon and I promise you, it will not be almost two years this time.