With their OWL's just a month away, the Professors had cracked the whip. They barely found the time to eat as they spent every waking hour buried under feet of never ending notes.

So the last Hogsmeade weekend was a breath of fresh air for everyone. Even Theo had agreed to tag along.

"Why was Draco looking so smug at breakfast?" Daphne asked Tracey as the carriage took them to the village.

Susan, Hannah and Padma burst into fits of giggles.

"You'll see." Tracey replied, trying to stop her own laughter.

"I have a feeling that I'll be murdering all of you in your sleep." She threatened getting even more giggles in response.

They reached the village and got off the carriages. Draco immediately made a big show of discussing the day's plans.

"…of course, Harry here will be taking Daphne on a very special afternoon at Madam Pudifoots. The rest of us can meet at the Three Broomsticks in an hour…"

"What's Madam Pudifoots?" Henry asked not understanding why everyone found it so funny.

"We've been visiting Hogsmeade for three years now. Honestly Henry, at times I feel like you walk around with blinkers." Padma exclaimed in shock.

Harry ruffled his hair fondly. "It's a quaint little pink cafe kiddo. With confetti, glitter and cupids."

Everyone gaped at Harry.

"You said you didn't know!" Draco exclaimed accusingly.

Daphne rolled her eyes. Trust their friends to prank them like this. "We don't have to go." She said to Harry who furrowed his brow.

"I heard that girls really like the cafe."

Daphne felt the heat rising in her cheeks. "Yeah, but guys don't." She mumbled looking at her shoes, she was going to murder everyone.

She felt the warmth of his hand as he wrapped it around hers. Looking up she saw that his eyes were sparkling with mirth and he had that easy going smile that made her heart skip a beat. Maybe she should see Madam Pomfrey for the palpitations she'd started experiencing she vaguely wondered.

"I'd enjoy spending time with you anywhere, besides I've made a special reservation at her spa for you. You've looked very stressed lately, I like to see you smile."

"She has a spa?" Tracey asked.

"Yes, on the first floor." He replied and looked back at Daphne. Her colour infused cheeks dimpled with a blossoming smile and her eyes shone in a way that only deep happiness could bring.

"What'll you do while I'm at the spa?" She asked as she started leading him away from the group.

"I'll drop you there and catch up with Sirius, he's been dying to tease me ever since Remus told him about us. Thought I'd let him get it all out of his system before he has a nervous breakdown."

"I can't believe him!" Draco exclaimed as they watched the pair walk away hand in hand.

Susan whacked the back of his head. "I for one am glad your stupid prank backfired. Besides he's Harry, of course he noticed the cafe he notices everything!"

Tracey, however, was standing with her hands on her hips, glaring daggers at Blaise. "You could learn a thing or two!"

"Trace! T… babe!" He called after her as she linked arms with Susan and walked away in a huff. Padma and Hannah glared at the boys and followed suit.

"We didn't do anything." Neville tried to say pointing at himself and Henry.

"Are all your outings this entertaining?" Theo asked.

"Come on." Blaise said looking glum "I need to find the perfect apology."

An hour later Daphne was positively relaxed. She hopped off the massage table and quickly got dressed.

Harry was seated on a table in the center of the cafe. "You're glowing." He said as he stood up and pulled out her chair.

A dwarf with wings appeared and started singing a romantic song while playing the violin. That was followed by a shower of rose petals and a lovers milkshake. It was a mint strawberry shake in one glass with two straws.

"That was Draco's surprise." Harry explained once it was all done. "We can order something else if you'd like."

"I don't mind this if you don't."

They sat in comfortable silence as they sipped on the milkshake.

"I enjoy walking with you."

Daphne smiled. "And I enjoy walking with you too."

Harry chuckled. "No, I mean that I enjoy your company. You'd asked me what I enjoyed doing for myself, I enjoy spending time with you."

"You're a layered cake."

He tilted his head confused at her comment.

She giggled, reaching for his hand across the table. Turning it palm up she started drawing figures with her index finger.

"You are focused and dedicated. You are funny and caring and yet you are fiercely protective. You look goofy and adorable one minute and the next you are deadly and smoking hot." Her eyes widened as she realized what she'd just said. "We should go, the others will be wondering where we are."

Harry inclined his head and paid the bill.

"Daphne." He said with an intensity that made her shiver as they stepped out of the cafe. She looked at him and was surprised to find doubt and fear in his eyes.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

She kissed his cheek softly, and moved to whisper in his ear. "I'd like that."

Her eyelash tickled his cheek as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. She felt his arms wrap around her and felt his heartbeat steadily slow as he breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Are you blushing?"

"No!"

"You don't need to hide it, I think you look really cute when you go all shy on me."

"You're impossible." She said, trying to pull away.

He kissed the top of her nose. "I'm not letting go, ever!"

She was positive that by this time she most probably looked like a clown, with bright red cheeks coloring her porcelain complexion. But Harry's eyes told another story, they were dancing with joy as they drank her in.

Neither one of them noticed an angry redhead who'd just dumped her boyfriend glaring at them.

Henry sighed in relief as he handed in his History of Magic answer sheet. He'd just stepped out of the exam hall when his vision blurred, he tried to balance himself against the wall but his legs gave way.

He was standing in front of the door at the end of the hallway again. He'd dreamt about the door all year around but he knew that he wasn't supposed to open it. Today, however, something had changed. His feelings weren't his anymore, today he opened the door and stepped into a circular room.

There were doors all around but a group of death eaters stood in the center of the room, two of them moved so he could see what they were standing around. Molly Weasley moaned as Bellatrix hit her with a Crucio, she barely made a sound as her body writhed in pure agony, blood trickled out of the side of her mouth as she lost consciousness.

"Come alone Henry and she'll live. If you so much as warn another soul her death will be on your head." Severus Snape said, stepping into the light. "The longer you take the more she'll suffer."

He awoke with a start.

"Shhh kiddo, Madam Pomfrey will just check you up." Harry said in a soothing voice.

A door opened. Henry realized that Harry was carrying him, he gently placed him on a bed.

"Another one?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she started casting diagnostic charms on him.

"I'm fine." Henry protested, still recovering from the shock of what he'd seen.

"You are actually right for a change." She said, sounding surprised.

"But he fainted." Harry protested.

"I can give him a dreamless sleep potion, mostly students psych themselves out before their exams and don't get proper sleep which coupled with anxiety can cause dizzy spells. Did you eat properly?"

"He did." Neville confirmed "but he has been tossing and turning a lot. I'm a light sleeper…"

Harry looked at him, eyes full of concern. Henry tore his eyes away, ashamed of the secret he was being forced to hide.

"Why didn't you tell me that you weren't sleeping kiddo?"

"Cause it wasn't important. Just silly nightmares okay!"

"Take this and get some sleep, you'll be good as new tomorrow morning." Madam Pomfrey said, handing him a potion.

"Can I sleep in my dorm? I hate staying at the hospital wing."

She pursed her lips. "Seeing how there is nothing wrong with you, except exhaustion I can't force you to stay. But you will take this and get some rest."

"I promise." Henry said, taking the vial.

"I'll stay here…" Harry tried to say but Henry was adamant to leave.

They all had to jog after him as he hurried at an impossible speed towards Gryffindor tower.

"Henry, wait! What's gotten into you?" Harry asked, stopping him in front of the portrait of the fat lady.

"Nothing!" He snapped, "I just want to get some rest okay!"

"Alright!" Harry said, putting his hands up. "Come on let's tuck you in!"

"Stop! Just stop! I'm not a baby. I don't need to be tucked in or watched over all the time. I'm tired of everyone treating me like a child, isn't it bad enough that everyone saw me faint? Now you want everyone talking about Harry Potter tucking his brother in bed!"

Henry climbed into the portrait hole and went up the stairs, leaving behind a dumbfounded group.

Draco squeezed Harry's shoulder "it was the stress talking. He'll come around once he's rested."

Harry nodded.

"Neville open the portrait hole!" Daphne demanded. She looked at Harry "somethings not right, I can feel it in my bones."

Neville said the password, Daphne zoomed past him not caring about the protests of his housemates who were chilling in the common room.

Neville was the last to enter as everyone followed Daphne's lead. He shrugged at the shocked lions and went up to his dorm.

"He's not here!" She said stepping into the dorm.

"Let's check the other rooms, just in case." Blaise suggested.

It took them five minutes to check the other rooms.

"How could he just disappear like that?" Padma asked, looking worried.

"His Firebolt's gone." Neville said, making Harry smack his own forehead for not having thought about it before.

The window was open but he'd presumed that they'd left it open because the weather was pleasant. There was no sign of Henry on the grounds.

Harry immediately sent Sirius, Remus and Arcturus a patronus message.

"What's going on?"

"We heard that the den was under attack!"

"Not now!" Harry snapped at the Weasley twins as three brooms zoomed up to him. "Draco, Blaise, I need you to split up, go east and west and see if you spot him. I'll go north."

"We can help as well."

"If you tell us what's going on."

"Henry's gone and we don't know where or why!" Padma snapped on the verge of tears.

They both got their brooms along with two reinforcements, Angelina and Katie and they flew out the window that the other three boys had used moments before.

Remus and Sirius strode into the dorm fifteen minutes later, just as Draco and Blaise returned. Ten minutes later The Weasley twins, Angelina had Katie came back as well, Harry didn't return for another twenty minutes.

"No sign of him!" He said looking utterly lost.

"We'll find him pup. Arcturus is waiting in Dumbledore's office."

"Come on." Remus said to the rest of them "I'll keep you all posted." He added when Tracey opened her mouth to protest.

Henry, who'd been standing in the corner hidden under his invisibility cloak with the marauders map, watched everyone leave. He'd wanted to jump out and apologize to Harry, he'd never seen his brother looking so lost and broken. But he couldn't risk Mrs. Weasley's life, she had taken him in and had cared for him. He couldn't repay her kindness by getting her killed, he just prayed that his brother would forgive him.

Using the map he sneaked into the passage that led to Honeydukes. Snape's malicious grin kept on flashing in his mind making him even more determined.

Exiting Honeydukes he sneaked into the post office which had a fireplace and no prying eyes. Except the hundreds of owls perched inside the building.

Entering the building he removed his cloak and quickly changed out of his uniform, shoving everything into his backpack. He took some floo powder and stepped into the fireplace, "Leaky Cauldron Diagon Alley" he enunciated hoping that no one would recognize him there.

Fortunately it was early evening and the pub was full, no one paid any heed to the boy exiting the fireplace.

He knew where the ministry was located but he didn't have any Muggle money on him. Swiping a city map from a kiosk he entered an alley and tried to figure out a route. He then took out his broom and enlarged it, placing the invisibility cloak over himself once again and making sure that everything was covered he started flying in the general direction of the ministry.

By the time he reached the phone booth that led to the ministry, it was dark.

Getting in he picked up the broken receiver.

"Ministry of Magic, please state your name and purpose of visit." A voice said.

"Err, Henry Potter here on a rescue mission."

The phone whirred and a badge fell out. 'Henry Potter. Rescue mission.' It read.

Henry pinned it on as the phone booth started sinking and stopped at the entrance. The guard who weighed wands wasn't there and the ministry was eerily quiet at this time of night.

He made his way in slowly with his wand at the ready. Nobody jumped out of the shadows. Soon he was standing in the corridor that had haunted his dreams every night, he inched his way towards the door at the end of the corridor straining his ears for any sound.

He opened the door and found Snape sitting on a chair "throw your wand or she dies."

Bellatrix was standing with her wand aimed at Molly who was sprawled on the floor drooling.

"Does baby Potter love his surrogate mommy?" Bellatrix mocked him in a baby voice. Her eyes wild.

"I'm here alone. Let her go!" He spat at Snape who stood up in one swift motion and backhanded him. Henry went flying back, hitting his head against the wall.

"I've been itching to do that ever since I was forced to endure your arrogance." He kicked his wand away and kicked his stomach for good measure.

Henry lay heaving and coughing on the floor as he tried to get rid of the spots in his vision.

"You can play with him later, we have a job to do first." Peter Pettigrew said, stepping out of the shadows, making Henry's blood boil.

He grabbed him and made him stand, Henry shoved him back. "Don't touch me you filthy rat!"

"My my! Baby Potty has such a bad temper!" Bellatrix cooed, licking her lips. "Maybe mama Weasel can teach him manners!"

"No! Don't! Please, I'll do anything just don't hurt her." He pleaded, staring at her still form.

"Let's get this over with!" Snape snarled in disgust as he grabbed Henry and shoved him towards a door.

Back in Hogwarts, everyone was sitting in Dumbledore's office. Each one of them had recounted their conversations with Henry over the last month but he hadn't said a word to anyone that seemed out of the ordinary.

Neville suddenly sat up, "I don't know if this counts and I was usually half asleep myself but sometimes Henry talks in his sleep."

"What did he say!" Harry asked, looking desperate.

"I-I don't know something about a door maybe."

Everyone jumped into action, Dumbledore sent one of his portraits somewhere. Sirius and Arcturus sent off Patronus messages and Harry's eyes grew brighter.

"I'm going to slaughter them all." He stepped into the fire and disappeared before anyone could stop him.

The portrait came back with news. "The door was shutting when I got there but there were people inside. I saw at least two Death Eaters, a boy and a woman."

"A woman?" Dumbledore asked.

"She looked bad, red hair, plump. She is in bad shape."

"Come on." Arcturus said with a sigh to Remus. Sirius was already gone as well.

"I will gather the Weasley children and inform Arthur." He said looking grave. "You all must keep this to yourself for now." He added to the group of children seated in his office. They all nodded. "I trust you know where the kitchens are… don't tell anyone but the elves keep a secret stash of butterbeer." He said with a kind smile, dismissing them.

Henry walked into a room full of cabinets. The shelves of said cabinets were filled with white orbs. Snape pushed him towards a cabinet where two more Death Eaters stood waiting.

"Pick it up." He snarled as they came to a stop.

"What is it?" Henry asked.

"That's none of your fucking business." Another Death Eater snarled. "Pick it up or she dies!"

Henry looked at the Death Eaters surrounding him and slowly reached for the white ball and hesitated.

"Why don't one of you pick it up?"

Someone kneed him in the back. "Because only the person the orb is addressed to can pick it up." The man growled.

It had his initials but the date of birth was wrong, he was born at one minute past midnight but everyone presumed that like Harry, he too celebrated his birthday on the 31st. He didn't know that Dumbledore had registered his birth at midnight when he'd found him in the house.

Somebody lost their patience and shoved him, he grabbed onto the shelf as he lost his footing. The cabinet swayed like crazy not knowing what else to do, he pulled the cabinet towards him and jumped back. Hundreds of orbs crashed on the floor, eerie white figures started simultaneously talking. He tried to make a run for it but Bellatrix hit him with her favorite spell.

He screamed and fell on the floor.

Bellatrix never saw it coming, she heard the crash but she'd barely turned around when her life ended.

Harry Potter kicked the door off its hinges and sliced her head off clean. A Black Death Eater started attacking him. Sirius entered and started dueling Snape, getting him away from Henry.

The Death Eater Harry was dueling turned out to be a decent opponent, he'd heard of mercenaries joining Voldemorts cause despite the warnings issued by him.

He ducked as the man conjured a chain with a spiked ball and launched it at him while casting blood boiling hexes.

Remus along with Dora, Moody, Kingsley and three more people entered the hall of prophecies and started dueling. Remus however spotted Henry crawling towards a wall. But a familiar face distracted him, Fenrier Greyback was going to pounce on Sirius, he let out a growl and charged towards the man who'd ruined his life.

Wandless, Henry was desperately trying to figure something out as he avoided being hit by stray spells. Harry was now dueling two men, Sirius too was now dueling Severus and a woman. They were outnumbered, Henry realized as everyone he knew was simultaneously fighting two or three people.

He needed his wand but he didn't want to end up becoming a distraction. He started crawling towards a door, entering the room he gasped. Thousands of sticks lined the walls, they were incomplete wands he noticed as he took a closer look.

On mere instinct he stretched out his wand arm hoping that something would happen and it did. One of the incomplete wands zoomed right into his outstretched hand. He felt the familiar warmth travel up his arm, "Lumos" he said unsure of what would happen. It worked, the tip of the stick lit up.

Exiting the room armed with his wand he went back into the hall of prophecies. It was complete pandemonium, people were bumping into cabinets causing more orbs to fall. Remus and Moody lay on the floor motionless, Harry was now fighting Fenrier and four other Death Eaters. He was promptly joined by Sirius who'd left Snape in a bloody mess hanging upside down.

Someone grabbed his shoulder "get out of here!" Dora yelled, pushing him to the floor as a spell hit the wall behind him leaving a gaping hole.

He momentarily locked eyes with Harry, who'd been looking for him. Harry flinched as one of his opponents managed to slash his chest due to his momentary distraction.

Henry started casting spells haphazardly as he ran towards the door. He didn't wait to see if he'd managed to hit anyone with a bombarda or expelliarmus. He had to get out of there, he couldn't risk becoming a distraction for Harry.

He managed to get to the door that led to the circular room, Arcturus was standing in the room with blood dripping down his neck. The Carrow twins and another three Death Eaters lay at his feet, he swayed and fell to his knees.

"No!" Henry cried out and ran towards him.

"Go." Arcturus whispered.

"No, I can't leave you." Henry desperately tried to help him stand.

"It's a dark curse Henry, they blindsided me. It's alright, my Dori has waited a long time…"

"No, no. Please, this is all my fault." Tears were streaming down his cheeks as he looked around for help. None came and Arcturus took his last breath, passing away with a smile on his face.

Henry didn't notice the rat that had been hiding in the shadows. He felt a wand pressed into his back, "you are coming with me!" The hated voice said with glee.

"Make any rapid movements and I will make you scream, you don't want your brother getting himself killed because you were screaming now do you?"

"That's it, nice and slow." Pettigrew purred as Henry stood up "now give me what's in your pocket. Don't lie to me, I saw you catch it before it fell. James would have been proud of your seeker skills."

He saw red when he heard the rat say his fathers name, he rammed his elbow back into his face, breaking his nose and ran. Pettigrew cried out in pain as his nose started bleeding and took off after Henry.

Henry had just sprinted into the atrium when a blue spell zipped past him, hitting a column which disintegrated.

"Running like a coward! Such a disappointment to the famous Potter name."

Henry found cover behind a statue. "Bombarda!" He bellowed.

Pettigrew laughed as the spell hit an elevator. "Just give me the orb and Harry will be spared. Or do you want him to die as well? Just like Molly Weasley and Arcturus Black. Do you want that?"

Henry tried to disarm him, failing miserably. The statue he was hiding behind blew up, the impact pushed him back into the wall, he groaned as for a second time that night his head was smashed into a wall.

He strained his ears as everything went deathly quiet, the only sound echoing around the atrium was a whimper.

"Henry Potter" a terrifying silky voice called out. "Are you going to hide and beg like the pathetic rat?"

Henry stepped out from behind the rubble. Voldemort smiled.

"Now give me what is mine and I shall spare you."

"You mean this?" Henry asked, taking out the orb from his pocket and smashing it on the floor.

A white figure rose and started talking in a distant voice.

The sun and the moon align

The stars brightly will shine

Treaties of bliss will be signed

When fates of true love bind

"No!" Voldemort screamed, casting the killing curse at Henry.

Henry ducked and jumped behind a pillar.

"You and your people are truly stupid." He taunted as he tried to figure out his next move. The column exploded and a green spell whizzed by his ear, there was no way out. He would have to fight.

He turned to face Voldemort and his eyes widened as a green jet of light headed straight for his torso. The statue of a centaur jumped in front of him absorbing the spell at the last second. Voldemort cried out in fury.

"Your temper is your biggest weakness Tom." Dumbledore said, stepping in front of the statue that was protecting Henry."

"Dumbledore." Voldemort snarled, sending another killing curse.

Dumbledore easily sidestepped it. A huge black snake made off a black watery substance tried to swallow him but he cast a fire whip that pierced the snake.

"There's still time Tom, don't force me to do this."

Voldemort laughed. Henry screamed, as pain worse than anything he'd ever felt before flooded through his body.

He opened his mouth "kill me, now!"

He watched Dumbledore through watery eyes, 'just kill me, get it over with.' He screamed in his head.

He saw a green hue from the corner of his eye as he opened his mouth again "Kill me and ARGH!"

"No!" Dumbledore yelled.

Henry rubbed his eyes dry just in time to see Harry slicing off Voldemort's head. The ministry atrium was destroyed, fireplaces started flaring up as ministry workers started spilling in.

"Is that You-Know-Who?"

"He's dead!"

Several people said as Harry walked up to Henry and took him away. They landed in a private ward at St Mungos.

"Harry." Henry mumbled.

"Shh, kiddo. Let's get you checked first."

A healer approached and was going to start fussing over Harry who had blood splattered everywhere and flowing out of several gashes.

"Him first." He said adamantly, making the healer huff but she told Henry to lie on an empty bed.

While she checked him he saw Remus on a bed next to his.

"He's injured his head but it will heal overnight. I'll give him something for the pain but all he needs is rest."

"Good now you can check him up while I wait my turn." Sirius told the healer approaching them.

"I'm fine, I'll just sit here." He replied, trying to sit on a chair next to Henry's bed.

"Fine, I suppose that I will then slowly bleed to death." Sirius countered pointing at his neck where a deep cut was making his robes stick to him.

"For Merlin's sake. Get them both in bed, this is a hospital not their silly playground." A healer that everyone recognized snapped as she manhandled Sirius into a bed and then grabbed Harry by the ear and took him to a bed as well.

"Madam Pomfrey!" Henry mumbled with a stupid smile as he fell off to sleep.

Henry awoke sixteen hours later, Harry was sitting by his bed.

"How are you feeling kiddo?"

Memories of what had happened at the ministry came rushing back. "Is everyone alright? I saw Arcturus…"

Harry reached out and squeezed his hand. "He's in a better place."

"It's all my fault."

He felt the side of his bed dip as Harry moved closer to hold him as he sobbed.

"It isn't your fault, Pettigrew confessed. I would have done the same thing if I was in your place."

"I'm sorry." Henry mumbled into Harry's chest, still sobbing.

"I know, kiddo."

"Will Mrs. Weasley be fine?"

Harry gave him a sad smile. "She'll have to stay at the Janus Thickey ward, she was exposed to the cruciatus for too long."

Once the healer cleared Henry, Harry took him home.

Sirius was sitting in the living room glaring at their visitor.

"What's going on?" Harry asked, walking in.

Dumbledore stood up "I'm afraid you've made a grave error." He saw Henry standing behind Harry and sighed. "Can we talk in private?"

"I trust Henry and Sirius with my life, you can say whatever you want to say in front of them."

Even though Harry was addressing him in a calm manner he could sense his magic filling the room. He had unconsciously taken a defensive stance in front of Henry.

Dumbledore sighed. "Very well, will you please take a seat?"

Henry sat next to Sirius while Harry sat on the single chair, his muscles were still tense. Sirius had picked up on his body language and had angled his body in a way that covered Henry from Dumbledore's line of sight.

"I'm afraid that Voldemort isn't dead. You merely destroyed his vessel…"

"He's dead." Harry cut in.

"You don't understand, he made certain objects that guarantee his immortality."

Harry scoffed.

"I didn't want him to find out so soon, but Henry is one of those objects. Till these objects are around, Voldemort is immortal."

Sirius spun around to look at Henry then back again at Dumbledore. "You were going to kill him!" He yelled jumping to his feet with his wand aimed at Dumbledore.

"I have come to care for the boy, I had hoped there was another way, but…"

Harry burst out laughing. Henry and Sirius looked at him utterly confused at his reaction.

"Oh Merlin, I needed a good laugh. Thanks for that. I was wondering why you hadn't destroyed his body when he was possessing Henry."

"Harry, you don't understand. He's made Horcruxes."

"Yeah, yeah. I know all about that nonsense. Now let me explain something to you." He drew his wand and cast five different spells in quick succession. One did nothing, another one left a hole in the wall, one set a quill on fire, one created a shield and one froze a fly in mid air.

"You know the spells I cast because you've seen what they do. But someone standing, say, on the street wouldn't know what spells I used. All they would see were jets of red light, granted a stunner has a slight orange tinge to it and an incendio is pinker. But unless you have crazy mad eyesight all you notice is red."

Harry released the fly. "Now I imagine you had a lookout in Godric's Hollow on the night that Voldemort attacked. They saw green and immediately informed you and you automatically presumed that he'd performed the killing curse. You were so blinded by your own theories that you didn't even question the scar left on Henry's forehead, leave alone a twin that had vanished into thin air."

"I knew something strange had happened. The killing curse doesn't leave a mark and yet Henry was evidence that something had happened. I presumed that like Voldemort you too had simply vanished." He admitted.

"Well now you know that I never really vanished. The spell that bounced off us was clearly not potent enough so it simply severed his soul. Today, however, when he was projecting himself inside Harry's mind, his soul anchor was still inside his body. When my killing curse hit him, it destroyed the anchor as well."

"But the other pieces…"

"The soul is pure energy, when I destroyed the anchor all the other little pieces went along with it. Why don't I show you."

He called an elf who brought a locket and placed it on the center table. "I imagine you recognize this." Harry said, casting the killing curse. Nothing happened.

Dumbledore sat staring at the locket. 'How could he have been so wrong?' He thought over and over again.

"Was the stone worth it?"

He tore his eyes away from the locket and looked at Harry. The boy was looking at the ring on his blackened hand.

"Maybe the problem never was power but greed." He added.

Dumbledore smiled, his eyes once again twinkling madly. "It was an honor knowing you, both of you. I think it is time for me to retire and enjoy the small things that life has to offer."

Another elf popped in and gave Harry a colorful bag. Harry handed it to Dumbledore who opened the packet and laughed. "Lemon drops, my favorite."

"There's a new lime flavor in there as well that I thought you'd enjoy."

Once Dumbledore left Sirius turned to Harry. "How did you know that your plan would work and why wasn't I informed about all this madness?"

"It was just a hunch, I wasn't sure if it'd actually work."

"But if it hadn't worked…"

Harry ruffled Henry's hair "then he'd be floating around as a wraith for another decade or two again. Win win either way. Also you are grounded for the next two weeks for pulling that stunt. No matter what, I want you to know that you can always come to me even fifty years down the line. I'll always be your older brother."

Henry grinned despite being grounded.

Sirius walked into his grandfather's study. It was Arcturus' funeral and he wanted to put Aunt Dorea's photo in the coffin. He removed the photo and was surprised to see that it was folded. Unfolding it he smiled sadly. Dorea was cradling him in her arms.

"You old bastard! I loved you too."

Daphne slipped her hand into Harry's as they lowered the coffin. "It's okay," she whispered.

Harry felt his emotions overpower him and let his tears flow freely. He walked over to the open grave and dropped a small lightning bolt shaped charm. Arcturus had found the charm embedded in Henry's head when he'd placed him in the crib; he presumed it had most probably fallen out of Lily's bracelet.