CW: intense situations, anxiety, fighting, death, grief

:SIXTY:

Harry could feel his heart pounding in his chest as they landed in the clearing. The dark twilight did not lessen the fear and anxiety he felt about the situation. Even though he trusted Remus and Sirius unconditionally, he knew that what they were about to attempt had never been tried before. He reached up to touch his scar self-consciously, feeling it prickle beneath his fingertips.

"Harry?" Sirius rested his hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry nodded, looking into Sirius' face and attempting to smile.

"Over here, Harry." Remus called him over quietly.

He'd been casting spells all around the clearing to protect themselves and to set up a comfortable place for Harry to lie down. The space was slightly warmer than it was on the outside of that clearing, no doubt as a result of all the magic pulsing in the air.

"You won't feel anything, Harry." Remus assured him, seeming to also need to reassure himself. "Drink these two potions and then lie flat, alright?"

Harry nodded again, then sat down and drank both vials very quickly.

"I'll see you all in a moment." Harry said, his words slurring at the end as he fell asleep.

Remus took a deep breath, then went to work.

"Right," He said calmly. "Dumbledore, I need you to monitor the shields and the magic around us to ensure it doesn't fluctuate to a dangerous level. Sirius, I need you to help me hold Harry while I do the spellwork - he cannot be held magically while I do this."

Sirius nodded, while Dumbledore simply removed his wand and began walking the perimeter of the shield. Remus took another breath, then removed his wand. The spell was rather simple, but the risks were terribly great when he considered what was at stake.

He began chanting the spell slowly, making the required wand movements over Harry's forehead. At first, it was as if nothing was happening at all.

But then, very slowly, a trickle of purplish magic began floating from Remus' wand tip and down to Harry's scar. He felt Sirius holding his breath across the table Harry was laid on, but Remus couldn't afford to lose focus now. They both watched as the purple floated down...and then everything was in chaos.

Magic - pure, raw, and painful magic - pulsed from Harry's scar and into the clearing. It was Harry's magic but larger, someone more. It pulsed past Remus and Sirius, but brutally shoved Dumbledore out of reach. They could hear him casting spells, trying to break through, but the magic kept him out with a ferocity neither of them had ever seen.

And then, Dumbledore's casting stopped being directed towards the shield inside. Because while Remus and Sirius were protected by the magic within, Dumbledore was left to face the wraith Voldemort, which had been pulled out of the animal he'd been possessing as his final horcrux was being manipulated.

Sirius watched as Dumbledore fought back this dark force of energy, unable to do much but hold it off while Remus worked. He was only able to look away when he heard Harry's voice.

He jerked back to look at Harry, who should not be able to talk with the potions they'd given him. But Harry was still there, lying peacefully underneath Sirius. The voice was coming from above Harry, in a constantly-moving ball of grey matter. It spoke in Harry's voice, quickly and painfully, as though it was very difficult.

"I don't want to die." It said to them both. "But I love Harry. I am sorry. I didn't mean to hurt Harry - I'm so sorry."

Sirius stared in awe at the horcrux. None of the others had felt this way at all. This one wasn't fighting them - this one just seemed very scared and very sorry. It looked so small...

"It's going to be alright," Sirius said gently to the horcrux. "Harry will know what you did for him."

The horcrux shimmered slightly, as though pleased.

"I want to be remembered for this, for Harry." It said. "I love Harry. He loves you."

The horcrux swirled, showing images of little Harry drawing with Remus and Sirius, laughing together, when they took him to Hogwarts Express… and it was so clear that the horcrux had learned from Harry's experiences and loved him.

"He does love us." Sirius said, his eyes bright. "Maybe when your soul reconnects, you can teach the rest of it what love felt like."

"I...will try."

The horcrux floated away from Harry and Remus, and Sirius followed it.

"Give it to me." It said, sounding very scared. "I can be brave, for Harry."

Sirius slowly pulled out the basilisk fang, then gently held it in the air. And the horcrux bravely floated into it, consuming the fang whole. It shuddered violently, it's own magic screaming as the shield it had created broke, and then sent out one last incredible pulse of magic into the atmosphere as it died.

"NO!" The wraith screamed, evaporating into the air along with its soul piece.

Dumbledore collapsed onto the ground, having completely exhausted himself keeping the wraith out. Remus was still busy saying incantations over Harry, so Sirius was the one who crouched down beside Dumbledore on the forest floor.

"We've done it!" He said, slightly hysterical.

"We have, indeed." Dumbledore panted, patting Sirius on the arm. "We have seen unprecedented magic this night, Sirius. How is the boy?"

Sirius immediately stood back up, crossing over to where Remus and Harry were. Remus was chanting something different now, green strands pulling the scar on his head closed and making it much less noticeable.

"He should wake soon." Remus murmured once he'd finished.

He looked up at Sirius, his face drawn and pale. "I can't believe that actually worked."

"But it did work, love!" Sirius beamed. "We've done it - we're finally free!"

They looked at each other, smiling like fools. A weight they had been carrying for years was finally lifted. They had kept their promise to Lily and James - they had saved their son.

Harry woke up a few moments later, immediately being swallowed up by Remus and Sirius. He cried as Sirius explained to him what happened later in their flat, how the horcrux had changed because of Harry's influence. How it had chosen death bravely so that Harry could be free. Though Harry hadn't wanted the horcrux inside his head, he had felt terrible about the horcrux needing to be destroyed as well. Hearing that the horcrux had chosen to die made him feel much better about it.

Dumbledore stayed for a while after, Remus tending to the wounds he'd gained fighting the wraith. He did not speak much, seeming humbled by the whole experience. The old man had seen many things over the years, had manipulated others and been addicted to power, but the selfless acts he had just witnessed really shook him. Being around this family, seeing them together, made them real in Dumbledore's mind where previously he had seen them each as tools.

"If you both should need anything from me," He said quietly. "You need only ask."

Remus nodded, sensing the change in Dumbledore as well. "Thank you, Dumbledore."

After he'd left their flat, the trio found themselves curled up together on the couch. None of them could possibly sleep, so they just sat there watching the sun rise outside in the silence. There was joy in this moment, as they were all finally free to be wholly themselves, but there was also a sacrifice being acknowledged. A sacrifice by a soul which had learned how to love.

Notes:

What a wild ride...

But we made it! There will be no more Voldemort, and Dumbledore will no longer be attempting to manipulate them as the threat is gone. Instead, we're going to find new ways to be dramatic and also! We're going to get some justice for my girl Fleur.

Happy Reading!