Ron and the horcruxes:
Ron Weasley was lying in his bed in the dorm room, waiting. He needed everyone in Gryffindor tower to be in bed and asleep. He had Harry's map with him in bed and he continued to stare at it. While he was waiting, he was thinking about the meeting he had with Dumbledore two weeks before he died. He was still a bit shocked at what the man said and he was furious that Hermione agreed with him. When he returned to his dorm, he began trying to work out what to do. Nothing came to him. Every time he tried to say something or even write it, nothing happened. Then he remembered what Harry said, that he believed Dumbledore was dying. If that was true then all he had to do was wait until after Dumbledore's funeral before he could speak with Harry. The funeral was held earlier that day. Now the time had come but he had to wait until he knew they were completely alone.
It took hours, but Ron finally believed everyone had finally gone to sleep. He got up, put his slippers and dressing gown on, then walked as quietly as he could over to Harry's bed and shook his friends shoulders.
'Harry, Harry, wake up, it's urgent.'
Harry sprung up in his bed with his wand in his hand, 'Ron, what's going on?'
'We need to talk right now and where no one can hear us. It's important. No one can know we're talking either. Not the teachers or Hermione.'
'Um, okay, well, we can sneak up to the room of requirement.'
'I was hoping you would say that. I have the map, I needed to see when everyone went to sleep.'
'Okay, but you have me curious, not to mention, worried.'
Harry put his slippers and dressing gown on then he slipped his invisibility cloak over both of them.
The two young men had to take it slow so they didn't make any noise or allow their feet to show. Ron had his wand lit and kept the map open so he could make sure no teachers were around. Harry left Ron under the cloak while he walked quickly back and forth. The door appeared and they both hurried inside.
'I was looking for you earlier but ended up going to bed before you came back,' Harry said as they stepped into the room.
'Hermione seemed to want to keep me out of Gryffindor tower. I'm still not sure why or what she wanted. She did mention the meetings you had with Dumbledore.'
'He told me I could tell you and Hermione about...those items.'
'We know about them, he called us into his office two weeks ago. When I got there, Hermione was already in his office, then he told us about them. He said he wasn't sure if you would tell us. He did a magical oath first, to make sure we couldn't talk about it. I tried, a few times, but I couldn't get the words out. The moment he died, I could but Hermione wouldn't leave me alone. Anyway, when he explained about those things, I acted like okay, great, we'll help Harry but I kept thinking about the order. Why in the name of merlin is he making you or us do this when he has the order?'
'I thought the same so I asked him about that. He just said he was worried about spies, like with Pettigrew. He said he never suspected him at all. Since the prophecy means me, I had to know and he figured since you two were my friends, I could have you help. I think there's plenty in the order I wouldn't trust but there are some I do trust. I instantly thought of your brother Bill. I mean, he's a curse breaker, I'm sure he's heard of those and might know a way to find them.'
'I thought of Bill while I was waiting for everyone to go to sleep. I also thought of Remus, Mad-eye and Kingsley, also Tonks.'
'Yeah, I would trust them, along with Charlie and your dad. I like your mum Ron but sometimes…'
'You don't have to say, she speaks before thinking, or yells. Like me,' Ron shrugged, 'Anyway, there's more. He told you there were six, right?'
'Yeah, the diary that possessed Ginny, it's destroyed. The ring which Dumbledore destroyed. After that was the snake, a locket that belongs to Slytherin. A goblet that belongs to Hufflepuff and he thinks something that belongs to Ravenclaw, but it could be Gryffindor.'
'Right but he thinks the only things of Gryffindor are the hat and sword. The sword would not be one since you stabbed the basilisk.'
'It's not and it's what he used to stab the ring. The other item is the hat.'
'Which we know it's not since it's always put on someone's head. Even McGonagall has put it on her head before a sorting.'
'Dumbledore put the hat on when he figured all this out. He wanted to make sure it wasn't. So do you agree that we bring in others?'
'Yeah but that's not what this is about mate. There's another horcrux that he didn't tell you about. He originally planned to tell Snape who would then tell you, at the right time.'
'There's no way I would listen to anything that death eater said.
'Hermione told him that. He said since you found out Snape was the one that told you-know-who about the prophecy, you would never trust him, then he goes and kills Dumbledore.'
'I would never trust that death eater and haven't since our first year. It doesn't matter what anyone said, I knew he was dark. I do want him dead and I'd love to be the one to do it. I never said that to Dumbledore because he would just tell me I'm being childish. Three people caused the death of my parents and I want the three of them dead. But there's another, why not just tell me when he told me about the others?'
'Um, we'll think of something, I promise but you can't trust Hermione.'
'Ron, just tell me. What is going on. I know she's been a bitch about that book but why would you say not to trust Hermione?'
'Okay,' Ron sighed, 'Hermione agreed with him, I pretended to but I don't and you shouldn't either. Remus, dad, Bill and Charlie would agree with me. He said he told you about the snake and how it's not advisable to make one out of a living thing.'
'Yeah, he said because they can think for themselves and there is a chance that it could make the snake or whatever go a bit insane, having two souls sharing the same body.'
'Right, we know that didn't happen.'
'Ron, just explain because I don't get what this is all about.'
'Um, sorry mate, we'll figure this out. But the other one is you or it's behind your scar. Don't you see mate, it's why you saw dad get attacked by the snake, you connected with the other bit of soul. But Harry, he expects you to destroy them then you are supposed to allow yourself to die, so that can be destroyed. I instantly thought I would kidnap you and hide you somewhere.'
Harry sighed as he conjured a seat and sat down, 'I was suspicious when he first explained but when he didn't mention my scar when he told me about the others, I figured I was wrong. It all makes sense now and I think he worked this out long before the diary.'
Ron conjured a seat, 'What do you mean?'
'Okay, think of this. He knew the prophecy from not long before I was born. The moment my parents were murdered, it would make sense to keep me here and train me ready to face him, once I was old enough. He left me with people who wouldn't want me or like me. He told me he knew he was sentencing me to ten dark and difficult years. I get here and I have Snape always causing trouble. The heir of Slytherin, I had almost the entire population of Hogwarts against me. Then again during the triwizard, then when Umbridge was here. My whole life has been terrible. I actually went to kill myself after Sirius died. But it was thanks to Luna that helped me through that. She witnessed her mother's death when she was nine. Don't you see Ron, he made sure my life wasn't worth living so I would give it up. He forgot one thing though. When children are abused, they usually do one of two things. They will kill themselves or they will fight with everything they have to get a proper life. I've been doing that for years. I've even thought of just running away from here, from everyone just so I could have some type of life without danger or harassment. I'm a fighter, I don't give up and I also think secrets can be dangerous. This is another reason that this should be told to others. He doesn't know me if he thinks I will just roll over and die. I mean Voldemort might kill me, but I always give everything I can when I've faced him in the hope I will survive.'
'You're right, your life has been anything but good. Mum always tried to get Dumbledore to let you stay with us for the full holidays. Before he returned, you could have you could have stayed at the Burrow since it was still fairly safe. It's strange though mate. Since we've been at Hogwarts, we've faced trolls, Fluffy, then Lockhart, dementors. You more than most. Then it's the times you faced Quirrell with...him on the back of his head. Then again in the forbidden forest, which should not have been allowed. The twins was telling me that apart from some fights, there was never any danger, then Ginny ends up taken and unicorns were being killed. They said nothing like that had happened before. Charlie overheard us and said Hogwarts was always safe and the only trouble was fights usually with the Slytherin's.'
'So from the moment I arrived, things changed. This is why I believe he knew before. If he did, why has he only found one and why is he leaving it to us when he has his order? We've had some shitty teachers for defence against the dark arts, most of them were actually terrible and couldn't teach a flubber worm. So did he tell you and Hermione how I'm supposed to die or is it just that I'm bound to get into a fight with Voldy again?'
'He believes eventually you-know-who will kill you or one of his death eaters. For all we know he already told Snape to kill you. But he told us that if it goes on too long, he expects us to do it since we'll always be with you from the time you leave the Dursley's.'
'I'm not returning to them this year, no matter what he wanted. From the age of sixteen we can live alone. I thought of getting a wizard tent and putting it up somewhere. Okay, so what did Hermione say?'
'She said she will do it because one life is better than hundreds. She wouldn't agree if it was her life. We have to talk to others that we know we can trust. We have to keep you safe.'
'There's always a chance that the ones we trust might change their mind if people they care about begin to die. We're mates Ron but if your mum, dad or even Ginny were killed wouldn't you think about killing me so you wouldn't lose the rest of your family.'
'You're part of that family now Harry. We're like brothers. We even fight like them. Even though you and Ginny spoke and realised you wouldn't make a couple, we all still think of you as family. He was spirit before, maybe we can make him like that again.'
'Well, yeah, if we can get a shot at him. Also, we would need to make sure he couldn't be resurrected again.'
'So the bones will have to be removed. He might want to use your blood again but he won't have something like the triwizard to help him out.'
'Well, we could sneak out and do that. Both of us can apparate even if we haven't got a license. We could work on a way to meet up with Bill, Remus and the others and do it while we're not in the castle.'
'Why not send a letter to them from here?' Ron's brow furrowed in confusion because Harry said not in the castle.
'Dumbledore used to read my mail, for all we know, he had Snape read it as well. He might have McGonagall read it now he's dead. When I first got suspicious about someone reading my mail, I asked Sirius. He told me how I could check to see if my mail had been tampered with and it was. He has the support of the staff, especially Snape and McGonagall. Snape might be on the run but McGonagall is still here. So you see, if we want to contact them, it will need to be done away from Hogwarts.'
'Okay, makes sense. Are the tunnel's still accessible?'
'Yes, no one apart from us, Hermione and the twins know. None of the staff know about them. But there is a chance that Hermione has told McGonagall. We'll try using one and see how we go. The easiest is the one behind the one eyed witch but there is always a chance at getting caught by someone like McGonagall or Filch. The shrieking shack is the safest to use we just have to get outside the castle.'
'How about we plan this for Friday night. I would say tomorrow night but I'm bound to be exhausted since I've been awake most of the night.'
'Alright, Friday night, once everyone is asleep. The other boys in the dorm are used to me reading on my bed, late. You usually sleep so if you do fall asleep, I can wake you. Okay, we need to make some basic plans while we're alone because we will have Hermione near us during the day and evening.'
'She plans to head home for a few weeks and work on making her parents leave the country. She planned to come to the Burrow a week before the wedding. We only have to put up with her for a few more days. We leave on Saturday. I would have suggested waiting until we got to the Burrow to talk to Bill and the others, but we don't know if others we wouldn't trust would be there.'
Harry and Ron began to talk over what they needed to do and who they were going to contact. Before they went to bed, Harry did call Dobby and asked if he could sneak them four pepper up potions. They were going to need them in the morning. They would also need two more for Saturday morning.
Harry and Ron had to act normally the following day when they were around Hermione. But since Hermione knew Harry was angry with her because of the things she said to him about the half-blood prince's book, Harry could basically ignore her. Ron kept pretending to be reading his quidditch magazine so he could ignore her.
Ron did end up falling asleep on Friday night, Harry woke him up at two in the morning. They dressed then made their way quietly out of the castle and to the whomping willow. Ron was able to levitate the stick to touch the knot while Harry kept watch. When the branches stilled they hurried into the tunnel and into the shrieking shake.
They had decided to send a letter off straight away. Hedwig flew in right after they got inside. Harry always knew his owl was smart but sometimes she did surprise him. Harry told her to take the letter to Bill Weasley and only to him. Once the owl flew off, they both apparated to the cemetery where Voldemort's father was buried.
Harry couldn't use magic as he wasn't seventeen yet, so he was mainly the look out. Ron was of age so he did the work of removing all the bones. Harry suggested they do the other Riddles, Voldemort's grandparents as well.
Harry and Ron were both exhausted and Ron was dirty and sweaty. Harry was sweaty mainly from stress. The moment they got back inside the wards of Hogwarts, they cast cleaning charms on their clothes along with their bodies. Now they just had to get through tomorrow, where Ron would keep Hermione occupied when the train arrived at Kings Cross which should allow Harry to sneak away. He was going straight to Diagon alley to buy himself a good tent, one that had everything he would need for a long stay. He had already asked Dobby to get him plenty off food and Harry would call him when he got the tent put up. Since Harry planned to stay in a muggle camp ground, Dobby had to be told to appear inside the tent. Harry was also going to empty his vault, change most into muggle money and open a muggle bank account. He was going to create a fake id in the name of Orion James Evans. He wanted to stay connected to his parents and his godfather.
Everything went perfectly, Harry was able to get away and when he finally settled in his tent, he had Dobby drop a letter off to Ron so Ron would know he made it. He had to wait to hear from Ron, which would be when he heard from bill.
Bill arrived at the Burrow with Fleur. They acted like they were there to discuss wedding plans. While Fleur was writing stuff down and speaking with her future mother-in-law, Bill went upstairs to see his brother.
'How in the name of merlin do you know that word Ron?'
'Shhhh,' Ron shut the door, 'Can you cast some charms so no one hears us?'
Bill did before he turned back to his brother, 'Now what is going on?'
'Okay, Harry was told about them because Voldy made six of them. Two are destroyed. Dumbledore destroyed one, that's how his hand was cursed. Harry destroyed one to save Ginny's life in the chamber of secrets. We need to know we can trust you as it could mean Harry's life and also work out who else we can trust. I would stand in front of Harry if I had to so it could mean my death as well.'
'You're going to have to start from the beginning because I'm not following. First though, I know about these and I know how to remove them from an item.'
Ron stared at his brother, 'Can you remove it from something alive without hurting it?'
'Well, it will be painful but the creature will be fine after…' Bill stopped, 'Harry, that's how he saw dad get attacked.'
'Yeah and we have a big problem. First, Dumbledore originally was going to have Snape tell Harry so he would know he had to die, by Voldy's hand. Hermione told him Harry would never trust anything Snape had to say. Dumbledore said if Voldy or one of the death eaters didn't kill Harry, he asked if could we do it.'
'No, I can remove it, Harry will be fine.'
'Which is brilliant but Hermione said she would do it. Even if you remove it, she trusts Dumbledore over anyone else. She probably won't believe you could do it since Dumbledore couldn't.'
'I'll obliviate that information from her. How long ago did he tell you this?'
'It was two weeks before he died. I couldn't tell Harry until that night because he made us take a secrecy oath.'
'That's only just over two weeks but to be safe, I might take six months. If she's willing to kill Harry, for all we know she may have been told sooner than you.'
'Come to think of it, she didn't look that surprised when he explained about Harry. Um, okay, I'll get in contact with Harry, his hiding in the muggle world right now, using a tent. Can you do it here?'
'Yes but we don't want anyone from the ministry picking up this type of magic. I believe Grimmauld place would be best since it's under the fidelius charm.'
'But Dumbledore was the secret keeper.'
'It doesn't matter. Harry is the owner, he can recast it making him or someone else the secret keeper. The owner is always the best person to be the secret keeper. I've just become the secret keeper for the house me and Fleur plan to live in. Dad is going to be the one for here. He had to wait until the holidays so he has time to do it and for all of you to be home.'
'When can we deal with Hermione? I don't trust her, not with Harry's life.'
'How about you and I go tonight. Since her home is a muggle home, we can appear inside or on the front steps, which is what we will do. We'll wake her, actually, you wake her to make it seem like you needed to talk to her about these items and about Harry being one. I'll get Mad-eye's spare invisibility cloak. The moment you mention the word horcrux, they will end up at the forefront of her mind which will make it easier for me to remove that information. Send Harry a letter and tell him to meet us at Grimmauld place tonight. Once he is clear of that disgusting thing, we can deal with Hermione. But Ron, didn't I hear that you fancied her?'
Ron blushed, 'I did, but the moment she said she would kill Harry if she had to, those feelings turned to disgust. Harry said to me many times, you can't have any type of relationship or even friendship without trust. I will never trust her, I couldn't, not anymore. But I saw a side of Hermione at Hogwarts that I never saw before. She became a real bitch to Harry just because he used different instructions in potions and ended up making better potions than Hermione. She always hated that Harry beat her in defence.'
'If she was a bitch about potions then I would say it might be because he beat her but it could be because of when she found out he had to die.'
'But that began right after we returned to Hogwarts to start our sixth year.'
'Then we'll have to obliviate the whole year from her mind. We'll do from the moment she got onto the Hogwarts express.'
'Okay, but one problem, she won't know what's going on and her parents will will worried. She does plan to send them away and using a memory charm on them.'
'Right, muggles, they can't know why we're doing this. She plans to come here, doesn't she?'
'Yes, a week before the wedding.'
'We'll do it before she arrives. She would have done her parents by then so they won't be looking for her or know she doesn't remember. Actually, we'll change the whole thing. I can make Hermione and her parents leave, I mean leave the country. If she was willing to kill Harry then obliviate her parents, she is not someone we want around where we talk about...things. Would you be okay with removing the hole year then making her leave?'
'Yes, because I know we can't trust her. It would be risky to have her around where she could hear something.'
'Alright, then we'll still do that later tonight, after we remove that from Harry.'
Bill and Ron spoke for a bit longer before Bill helped Ron write his letter to Harry. Bill was able to to charm the letter so only Harry could read the real words. If anyone else read it, the words would be gibberish. Once Pig flew off with the letter, they both headed down stairs to join the rest of the family.
Harry was surprised when Pig actually landed on his shoulder. Normally the small excited owl just kept flying around. Harry took the letter, then set Pig on the stand he had bought for Hedwig. He was lucky that Hedwig was out hunting, otherwise she might be upset seeing another owl on her perch.
Harry read through the letter twice before he smiled, 'At least we can keep the information about me from everyone. Ron already said he would kidnap me to protect me and now Bill is helping,' Harry couldn't help feeling relieved. He was especially glad when he read that Bill was going to remove a whole year of Hermione's memory so she would not have any idea that about horcruxes, especially Harry. He also liked the fact they were going to make her leave with her parents. With the way she had been acting, Harry would never trust her again. It was best if she wasn't around anymore.
Harry got to the steps of Grimmauld place. He had stayed under his invisibility cloak while he apparated. He didn't want to take the chance that Snape or some other death eater was watching the place. He was only standing there for ten minutes before he saw Bill and Ron arrive. He took his cloak off and opened the door.
'It's an easy spell to do, you just need to put a lot of power behind it. First you have to remove the first charm then you can cast it making someone else the secret keeper,' Bill said.
'Bill is his own secret keeper, so is dad,' Ron said.
'Well, I suppose I could be my own secret keeper. I'll just need to get a note ready for those that might need a place to hide. The trouble is the park across the street. Snape could go there any time even if he can't remember the house.'
'He won't know if anyone is inside and I can ward a section of a room that will allow apparition to only that spot. He will never see anyone coming or going. Also, I'll disconnect the floo, Voldy likes to use those if he can get people inside that department.'
'That's sounds great, thanks Bill.'
Bill showed Harry how to remove the old fidelius charm. Harry only need to wait a few minutes before he could re-cast it making himself the new secret keeper of Grimmauld place. Once that was done, Bill did work on a spot, the corner of the drawing. He used that room as it was at the back of the house. Anyone that had been given permission from Harry to come to the house could apparate straight to that spot. That would only work on people who had seen inside the house. If Harry gave someone else permission, they would need to apparate to the top step. Inside the fidelius charm but still outside the house. Bill then disconnected the floo from the floo network.
'This is going to be painful Harry,' Bill said.
'I have a pepper up potion and a pain relieving potion for you,' Ron said.
'I don't care about the pain, I just want it gone. We're also one step closer to him being gone, one way or another.'
'I can use the one from you to call the others. I did some research after Ron filled me in. This is why many stopped using things like horcruxes to extend their life. If one was found, the rest were easy. He still will be hard to deal with. We also have one bit of good news that goes with this.'
'You've already given me great news,' Harry grinned, 'So what else is there?'
'This will weaken him, a lot. You see, when you make one horcrux, you actually take half of your soul. If you make another, you're taking half of what's left, so a quarter and so on. What he has now is only just keeping him alive and connected to his magic. As you know, our souls are connected to our magic, it allows us to use magic. He is still connected to those pieces at the moment but once I destroy all the other horcruxes, it will drain his magic by almost all he has left.'
'Damn, the old man should have spoken to you then this could have been over before he returned,' Harry said with a growl.
'I said the same thing when Bill told me. If he only had a bit of magic, he might not have survived to get resurrected.'
'I doubt he would have. I plan to tell his portrait that once it's over. Anyway, let's get this done, then we're close to ending him or at least making him someone that won't be able to do much. He will still have his death eaters though and they are dangerous.'
'True but if they see their master with hardly any magic, which means he can't protect them, they might not stay supporting him. Many support him due to his power, he won't have that.'
'Many might leave but some are just crazy, like Bellatrix,' Bill said.
It took nearly an hour for Bill to remove the horcrux from Harry and then call the others. Once that was done, he used the basement, after warding it, to destroy all of them.
'Do you plan to stay here now it's safe?' Ron asked.
'Yeah, I will. The tent is fine but when the weather changes, it won't be very warm,' Harry quickly wrote a note then showed Bill and Ron, 'Give that only to your parents, Ginny, Charlie, the twins and Fleur, for now. I want to talk to Remus and Mad-eye before I decide if I want them to have access.'
'You want to see if they might still support Albus?' Bill asked.
'Yeah but it's mainly about how they feel that I didn't follow Dumbledore's orders and go back to the Dursley's. If they argue with me about it, then I will know they will always support him even when he was wrong.
'I doubt Mad-eye would have any problem with you not going there. Albus told some of the order about when to get you before the wards fall. The way you snuck away was easier and safer, which Mad-eye likes.'
'Yeah, I think you're right. So even though I want to see how they react, it's not like we have to tell anyone about these items anymore, thanks to you Bill, they are gone. I just want to know how they act. You've only got to deal with Hermione and it's done, but I have to be sure.'
'Especially Remus?' Ron asked raising his eyebrows.
'Yeah,' Harry sighed, 'he supposedly good friends with my parents, yet I knew nothing about him until I was thirteen, then I never saw him or heard from him again until I was fifteen. To me, that is betraying my parents by deserting their son. I have a feeling that Dumbledore told Remus to stay away, so again, he betrayed them by supporting the old man. I just need to know. With Mad-eye, he's more for action and he won't always do what Dumbledore says if he thinks it's wrong. He was also pissed when Dumbledore didn't realise it wasn't him at Hogwarts, but Crouch. They are supposed to be friends and had been for more than thirty years. But he looks ahead at how things will go or what could happen so yeah, I think he'll be fine with how I got away. But there's more and it's what pisses me off about some of the original order though, about Sirius. They all worked beside him, yet they deserted Sirius as well. Not one of them wanted to see proof that he was guilty. Also, Dumbledore stood up for Snape, who was a death eater, yet he didn't bother to find out if Sirius was really guilty.'
'I thought about that mate,' Ron said, 'If he knew you had that behind your scar from when you got it, then he knew or he believed you had to die. Remember what we talked about in the room of requirement?'
Harry sighed, 'That he made sure my life wasn't worth living. He couldn't have me happy by living with Sirius.'
'Right, so he never bothered helping Sirius when he could have. He might have told everyone that Sirius was guilty. You know how most people will always believe what Albus Dumbledore says,' Ron said.
'I think Ron's right. If he knew, which would have been easy for him to find out. His belief is that you had to die, so making sure you had a terrible life with the muggles, then danger at Hogwarts, it would lead to many people taking their own lives or becoming reckless,' Bill said.
'Yeah. I...um, I went to, you know, after Sirius. Luna helped me. Anyway, you said he could have found out, how?'
'It's a simple spell to detect dark magic. If it shows up, then all he had to do was cast another spell to reveal what type of dark magic. Most people my age can do it and someone as old as Dumbledore would easily know all those types of spells. I would say he did it the moment he saw you.'
'I think you're right and I think he used a memory charm on Hagrid and McGonagall. You see, Hagrid explained about that night, how he had to get me from the house then take me to Dumbledore who would be at the Dursley's. Now Hagrid said that McGonagall had been watching the house all day. If that was true, then she was there before my parents died. I don't think she was, I think he changed her memories and Hagrid's. I would say he kept me hidden somewhere then made Hagrid believe he got me from the house.'
'She would have no reason to be there unless Albus told her to watch the house and that would be after your parents died. I think you're right Harry, their memories were modified, we just can't prove it was Dumbledore,' Bill said, 'But he would be the only person who would do it and had a reason to do it. Anyway, it's done now, he's weak and once we explain to the order that we destroyed his dark objects, we will have a fighting chance. Ron and I better go deal with Hermione, before she does the memory charm on her parents. I can make the three of them believe they want to leave after I remove the information about those items and you.'
'Okay, thanks again Bill, for everything,' Harry shook the man's hand then watched as he and Ron went to the corner in the drawing room. Bill turned on the spot and apparated away, Ron gave him a wave before he turned on the spot, apparating away.
'Dobby,' Harry called
'Master Harry called Dobby.'
'Yeah, I'll be staying here from now on Dobby. Can yo pack up the tent and bring everything here?'
'Dobby do master Harry.'
Harry walked into the kitchen to find Kreacher cleaning. He was just about to have a go at the elf but he noticed the elf seemed to be crying.
'Kreacher.'
'New master finished job that Master Regulus told Kreacher to do. Kreacher tried and tried but Kreacher could not destroy dark locket.'
Harry's eyes widened in shock. He realised that Slytherin's real locket had been taken by Sirius' brother. He had Kreacher get him some tea then tell him the whole story about the locket and how Regulus wanted it destroyed.
Dobby had returned but he stood beside his master listening to the old house elf.
'Bill, one of the red heads, he was able to destroy all of them Kreacher. Regulus did not know there was more than one. Now there's a chance that Voldemort can be killed.'
'Master Regulus will rest in peace now. Kreacher is tired master Harry, Kreacher is old but I had to stay to do what Master Regulus ordered Kreacher to do.'
Harry jumped up when Kreacher dropped to the floor. He raced over with Dobby beside him.
'He's gone Master Harry. Dobby could tell Kreacher elf was very old, too old to be alive.'
'He made sure to stay alive to finish his job from his old master.' Harry sighed, 'Alright, I plan to get rid of the house elf heads and bury them, I might bury Kreacher with them, out in the small garden out back.'
'Dobby do master Harry. Master should rest now nasty dark magic is gone.'
'Alright, thanks Dobby. From tomorrow, we can start working on cleaning and fixing this place up.'
By the time Harry crawled into bed, which was Sirius' old bed, Bill and Ron had finished with the Granger's. They felt instantly relieved when bill obliviated Hermione of all information on the horcruxes, especially about Harry. Now they would not have to worry about the girl at all. They left the Granger's, headed straight for the Burrow before Bill used the floo to his home, where his soon-to-be wife would be waiting.
Harry was sitting at the table eating breakfast while he spoke with Dobby, who had begun to clean the kitchen. When he heard the sound of apparition, he jumped up and ran to the drawing room, with his wand in his hand.
'Ron.'
'Harry, it's amazing. You have to come to the Burrow to hear the news.'
'News, what news?'
'it's over Harry, he died, when Bill did that last night.'
'He died?' Harry felt his legs go weak, 'How do you know?'
'Mad-eye has a spy inside his death eaters. He woke everyone up early this morning to tell us that he disintegrated and all the death eaters dropped dead. His spy didn't have a real dark mark so he was fine.' Ron said excitedly.
'Blimey, okay, hang on, I'll get my shoes on.'
Harry was back within a minutes, he waited until Ron disapparated before he went to the corner.
When they got the Burrow, they saw a large group of people, all talking, laughing, some were drinking.
'It's like a party,' Harry said staring around at everyone.
'When Mad-eye explained, we had to floo call Bill so he could tell everyone about what he did, destroying the horcruxes. He gave me a look, then told everyone there had been six of them.'
'Oh, I'll have to thank him for that. I get accused of being dark all the time, this would make it worse.'
'Yeah, which is why Bill said that. He's been filled in with everything that's happened so he knew what was said and written about you. Come on,' Ron grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him towards the large group. But Harry went straight to Bill and hugged him.
'I can't believe it's over.'
'It is Harry. He must have only had the tiniest bit left, not enough to keep him alive. If I knew that last night, I would have said it could be over. But when Mad-eye told us about all the death eaters dying, I worked out that he linked his life force to the dark mark, which is why they died., It's also why he was so powerful, he was using the mark to boost his power. I would say he was never that powerful so he found a way to gain more power. Dumbledore was at his peak when Voldemort first began to cause trouble so he knew he wouldn't be able to beat him. When he found information on the dark mark or he invented it, he worked it not only to link the death eaters to his life force, but to take a bit of magic from all of them so he would be powerful enough to go up against Dumbledore.'
'I think you're right. Seeing memories of when he was young, yeah, he was pretty powerful but nothing like what I saw at the ministry or the graveyard.'
'Hey, think of this mate, you won't be the boy-who-survived or some stupid saying someone will come up, you didn't do it.'
'No, I didn't, I'm glad it wasn't me, but what about the prophecy?'
'I would say it was fulfilled that night, the night you got your scar.'
'It did say vanquish, not kill. It said die at the hand of the other though, so that's me killing him or him killing me.'
'Okay, two things. First, he would have died properly that night if he didn't have his horcruxes. That could be the reason. He was trying to cheat death by making those. No one can cheat death. Second, I used the piece in you to call the others together, I was working with you so you were still part of it.'
'Even though I think it's all over can you answer this. If say for some reason, he didn't really die but ended up spirit again. Is there other ways he can get a body, like what he did in the graveyard?'
'No, it needs the bone of the parent, he used his father. He might not have been able to find where his mother was buried. It is the only way to return if you use a horcrux. But you don't have to worry Harry, Mad-eye's spy knew to watch for things like a bit of his soul escaping. Nothing did, he just exploded.'
'I think Bill's right, he cheated death that night so the prophecy would have been fulfilled. Now, how about we join in with this party that is going on around us,' Ron grinned.
Harry grinned as he nodded. After hearing Bill and Ron, he had begun to feel like he could finally celebrate and that Voldemort would never come after him again. He also realised he would never feel pain in his scar or see terrible visions.
Harry knew, thanks to Ron and Bill, he would finally get that normal life he had been after for so long.
The end:
