A/N: Okay some comments to make this week! First of all sorry this chapter is still partially unbetaed, my lovely beta-reader is a little delayed but there will be no major changes, maybe some sentences switched around so I went ahead and posted so I am not too delayed. I will update the chapter if there are changes.

I mentioned OWLs a few times for Ginny but of course I meant NEWTs, thank you for pointing that out! I went back and fixed it.

I was also honestly convinced Draco becoming a Healer was canon and I did not even think to check... but when two people expressed their shock I did and realised it wasn't! It is still fitting for the story so it will remain that way but I genuinely did not realise this is a popular headcanon and not actually canon.

This being chapter 30, there are just 5 chapters left! How exciting!

Gawain Robards returned with good news eventually. Harry had been granted special permission to go see Tom Riddle's body. It appeared it had indeed been kept in the Department of Mysteries all this time. He was allowed out of the hospital for the day under the guise of 'auror-related business'. Neville picked him up; he had been to the Department of Mysteries a few times because they had indoor greenhouses and grew peculiar plants. How Neville became well-acquainted with the Unspeakables was anybody's guess, but they appeared to like him.

In the Ministry, Harry wore his cloak to avoid detection. If it was heard he was out of the hospital to visit the Department of Mysteries, it would spark a whole new array of rumours. Only when they were standing in front of the door, did Harry slip off his cloak. It felt weird being back there. When Harry had tucked away his cloak, Neville knocked on the door. A middle-aged man opened the door and let them inside. Immediately the doors started turning around them.

"I am Michael Astrea, nice to meet you," he said as he shook Harry's hand. Michael seemed to be unbothered by the turning doors. When they stopped, he simply walked to one of the doors and opened it.

"Through here," he said as he kept the door open for Harry and Neville. Silently they followed through.

"Gawain came to see me. I would have said no otherwise but you have already been here anyway and if anyone deserves to see him, it is you. Neville explained your situation and I am happy to help. Just don't wreak any more havoc on our department, please," he ended on a lighter note. Harry nodded. They walked through another door into a room that didn't seem to have any doors, but when Michael put out his hand, a door appeared.

They went through one other room that seemed to be like a regular file room with a few desks. There was another door that read 'morgue'. Harry knew this was it. Silently they both followed Michael into the room. It was almost empty except for the stone table in the middle of the room. A sheet covered the body. Michael went to stand at the head of the table. Neville and Harry neared it too, hesitant.

When Harry nodded, Michael waved his wand. The sheet lifted and folded over, revealing Tom Riddle's head and chest. Harry took in a deep breath as he processed the sight. It was unmistakably him. The pale skin, the snake-like face that hadn't looked human. They remained like that for a while as they took in the sight. It must have been a few minutes at least.

"Are you okay?" Neville asked with a worried look. Harry nodded.

"Yeah, I think so."

"I can tell you that after we have conducted research, we will be destroying this body. This can never get into the wrong hands," Michael explained. Harry could only agree.

"May I ask what kind of research you are conducting?" Harry tried. Michael shrugged.

"Can't tell you the details of course, but he was after immortality and made more horcruxes than was theorised was possible. It is an intriguing case study, to say the least. So would you, but you are still very much alive," Michael signed at him.

"How unfortunate," Harry let out dryly. Michael seemed a bit startled by that and scrambled to explain.

"No, of course not! And you don't have to be dead to research, but you are under enough scrutiny as it is," he told him hastily. Harry assured him it was fine.

"Well, you do a great deal of research around memories, how do I get back mine? If you help me, maybe I can return the favour."

Michael thought about it for a second. All the while talking over Tom Riddle's body as if he wasn't there or it didn't matter.

"What is your driving force?" Michael asked him and it appeared he already knew the answer but just wanted to hear Harry say it.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked to clarify.

"What has protected you? Helped you protect others?" Michael replied. Harry sighed.

"This is the part where you tell me it is love, right?" he said. Michael nodded with a smile.

"That is not entirely helpful, love has many forms," Harry told him.

"With insights like that I may just try to steal you from the auror department," he said and then added, "But if I turn out to be right, do you agree to let us run a few tests on you, just for research sake?"

Harry agreed with a smile, "Alright, agreed."

Michael waved his wand and the sheet fell back over Tom Riddle. On the way out he chatted with Neville about the greenhouses and Michael wished them goodbye at the entrance of the department.

"Thank you, again, this has really helped me," Harry told Michael again.

"Happy to help, don't hesitate to come by with Neville, he knows the way!"

When he came back to his hospital room, he took out some of the food Mrs Weasley had kindly prepared for him. It was kept warm with a heating charm. He was about to start on it when he heard a knock on the door. He was surprised to see Cho enter.

"Hi," she greeted softly as she stepped in.

"Cho, you've become a healer," Harry noted as he spotted her uniform. She nodded and came to stand at the foot of his bed.

"Yes. I told you a few months ago but I suppose you don't remember," she smiled softly. Harry nodded in confirmation.

"I'm really sorry for what happened to you, you don't deserve it after all the hardships you've had," she said when Harry did not talk. "I hesitated to come. That's why I didn't come earlier, but then it also felt weird not to come, you know?"

"How have you been?" Harry asked her when he realised he had been silent.

"I've been well, got into healer training. I believe my friend Maggy came by before. You met her already but she didn't want to say anything since you didn't remember," Cho explained.

"Yes, I believe I have seen her once or twice, she seems nice," Harry commented.

"So you're at training with Draco?" Harry asked, to which Cho nodded. Draco hadn't come by but Ginny had mentioned him.

"He seems to try to do better and I think he will," she told him honestly.

"Yeah, maybe," Harry replied, his former classmate had always seemed somewhat conflicted with his life choices.

"Is there anything I can do? I know I probably can't help you get back your memory but still…" she trailed off.

"Thanks, but I think I am all set. Thank you for coming by, it does get boring," Harry said with a smile.

"Then I will take my leave, I've got some patients to see still. Take care, Harry," Cho said goodbye and left the room. Harry did not miss that Cho had seemed to pick a moment when Ginny was not here but he wasn't sure if she had ulterior motives or just wanted to avoid an awkward situation. Harry decided not to break his head over it and focused back on the meal in front of him.

Ginny was still spending a lot of time at the hospital but she had gone back to training too. Harry didn't blame her, the hospital was getting increasingly boring and the healers had still not talked to him about a potential release date. They would run tests and try some charms but nothing was really happening. At least he could look forward to Teddy's birthday party. Ginny had already brought in some garlands and party hats and told Harry to make sure the room looked nice the day of the party. He hoped Teddy would enjoy it; he was certainly happy about the change of pace.