CW: flying sports, heights, difficult conversations, grief

:FIFTY-FIVE:

The last game of the season was absolutely fantastic, even with the new revelation looming over Harry's head. Remus was honestly surprised by how resilient Harry was, flying with grace and enthusiasm. Up in the air, it was as if reality just stopped existing for Harry. Sirius, as usual, nearly lost his voice yelling and cheering from the stands.

Gryffindor won, making it the second year in a row. The entire team looked absolutely ecstatic, carrying their captain on their shoulders and cheering as he held up the quidditch cup. It was Oliver Wood's last year at Hogwarts, so this win had been very important to him. He'd already been signed with Puddlemere United, but finishing out his time with one last win made everything perfect.

"Don't take too long with your parents, alright Harry?" George smirked. "Wood's going to want the whole team in the common room to celebrate."

"Yeah," Fred laughed. "He might just kiss you for that catch today - it was really brilliant, Harry."

"We promise to bring him back in one piece." Sirius said hoarsely. "Though I can't say the same for my voice."

"That was really very good work out there today, both of you." Remus smiled, clapping Fred and George on the shoulders.

They grinned, leaving Harry with Remus and Sirius on the pitch as they followed the rest of the team back up to the castle.

"Right," Remus said casually. "I want to meet this Luna before we go to Hogsmeade. Is she around?"

"I'm here." Luna said brightly from right behind him.

Remus whirled around to see, not Luna, but a rather large lion head. Looking down slightly, he realized that Luna was in fact wearing a magical hat charmed to look and act like a lion. All of Harry's descriptions in the letters home suddenly made much more sense.

"Hullo," She held her hand out. "It's nice to meet you, though I'm not sure what to call you. Harry only ever calls you Papa really."

"Remus," He smiled, shaking Luna's hand. "I'm so glad to finally meet you, Luna."

"So this is Luna?" Sirius turned to beam at her. "Harry writes about you all the time!"

"Not all the time." Harry mumbled, looking embarrassed. "Thanks for coming to the game, Luna."

"Of course." Luna smiled. "I'll talk to you later - I can tell you have something you want to talk about without me."

And she skipped away without saying anything else.

"Well," Sirius said, throwing an arm around Harry. "I like her."

"I do too." Harry muttered, smiling slightly.

Remus smirked, which made Harry shake his head and glare at him.

"Let's go." He said firmly. "You both promised to explain everything after the game."

"Right," Remus smirked. "We did promise. How does the Three Broomsticks should for supper? We're staying there tonight."

Harry nodded, following him as Remus led the way out of the quidditch pitch and off into Hogsmeade. The streets were quiet, though The Three Broomsticks was busy as always. The three of them made their way towards the bar counter, ordering food and butterbeer to take up to their room. They didn't want their conversation to gain unwanted attention.

So in the meantime, Remus listened to Harry talk about his review for the final exams while Sirius flirted with the barmaid Rosmerta. She'd been around during their school days and was always a pleasure to talk to - it's what made her so good at her job. Once their food was finished, they thanked Rosmerta and made their way up to the room.

Once they were all settled at the table in Remus and Sirius' room upstairs, Harry looked at them expectantly.

"Always so stubborn." Sirius smiled, ruffling Harry's hair affectionately.

Remus nodded. "I suppose the easiest way to do this now that we've told you the majority of it is to answer your questions."

"Well," Harry replied, clearly having been thinking about it since they'd left the forest. "Why did the diary and now the diadem react the way they do to me?"

Remus pondered that for a moment. "I'm not entirely sure, Harry."

"But," He continued, playing with the food on his plate. "If I were to guess why, it would be because of two things. You contain a horcrux currently, and so naturally they recognize another soul piece. The second reason I think they react the way they do is because they do not see you as a threat."

"When we destroyed the others," Sirius added quietly. "They emanated magic darker than anything I'd ever felt before. I agree with Remus - the reason they haven't tried to hurt you is because they know you don't have the tools to hurt them."

"And destroying them…" Harry muttered, not looking at either of them. "That's the only option?"

"Harry…" Remus replied, understanding how Harry would feel conflicted. "Destroying them isn't just the only way to make sure Voldemort can't return and hurt others. It is also a mercy."

"What that man did to his soul." Sirius shook his head. "It's...unnatural, cruel, to split one's soul even once. And Voldemort's soul is in seven pieces - unable to connect to itself in this world."

Harry nodded slowly, his eyes too bright.

"There is a chance," Remus said softly, resting his hand on Harry's shoulder. "A small chance, that Voldemort's soul may reconnect in death. There is no research on it obviously, but they have more of a chance in death than they do in life."

Harry brushed at his eyes, taking a drink of butterbeer to avoid eye contact.

"That's what happened in the Chamber, isn't it?" He said once he'd set the cup back down. "After you took me out, Sirius, Kreacher, and Professor Dumbledore destroyed the diary."

"And a locket." Sirius added. "We've also destroyed a cup."

"Why such random objects?" Harry asked. "They're all so different."

"He chose them because of the things they held in common." Remus answered. "Besides the diary, all of his horcruxes have been tied to the Hogwarts founders - Slytherin's locket, Hufflepuff's cup, and now Ravenclaw's diadem."

"And a Gryffindor's head." Harry added bitterly.

"Not for long, kiddo." Sirius said fiercely.

"So, Voldemort," Harry asked. "Will he be gone after we get rid of all the horcruxes?"

Remus nodded. "Yes. The Voldemort you met in first year was only able to exist because of the horcruxes. If we destroy them all, he will have to follow them wherever it is that souls go."

"And he hasn't made any more?"

"He can't." Sirius said. "We've read all there is to know about Horcruxes, kiddo. You have to have a body and you have to kill someone to even begin the process. Right now Voldemort has neither."

Harry nodded. "Do you want me to bring you the diadem now, then?"

"If you want to, Harry." Remus said. "It can wait until summer if you need space from all this."

But Harry shook his head. "I don't want it near me anymore."

So they went back up to the castle, where Harry went into the portrait hole, retrieved the diadem, and then came back out to give it to Remus and Sirius. He looked so sad that Remus immediately hugged him, leaving Sirius to hold the jewelry box.

"It's just…" Harry said shakily, clearly trying not to cry.

"I know," Remus murmured, kissing the top of Harry's head. "I know, Harry. But we cannot save Voldemort from what he did to himself."

He pulled away to make sure Harry was getting the message. "We are doing the right thing for everyone, Harry. Even Voldemort, though I don't think he'd see it that way right now."

Harry nodded, brushing at his eyes. "I'll see you both soon, okay?"

"Of course, kiddo." Sirius said. "We'll be waiting for you just like always."

"Okay." Harry took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders. "I've got a party to get back to now."

"Enjoy it, Harry!" Remus smiled at him. "You deserve it after all this. We'll see you in the morning before we have to go home."

And they left Harry to his party, taking a quiet night at the inn over going out. It had been a very long and emotional day. They had to take care of the diadem, but that would just have to wait until they got home. For now, there was nothing else to do but sleep.

Notes:

Hullo! I hope this chapter clears up any horcrux-related questions for everyone as it did for our Harry.

Happy Reading!