CHAPTER TWELVE: WHEREVER YOU WILL GO

Seemingly in a daze, a tired-looking witch stood at the unfamiliar kitchen window, the tap running, though she paid it no notice. A light glow began to emanate beyond the horizon and Molly Weasley noted that the stars weren't as clearly visible as they had been a half hour's time before. Tearing her gaze away from what was beyond the open window, Molly sighed and stared at the water running over her hands, momentarily confused, wondering what she was supposed to have been doing at the moment.

She jumped as an arm reach past her and gently shut off the tap, efficiently cutting the flow of warm water over her hands. Turning, she laid pleading eyes on her youngest son, who stood resolutely before her.

So lately, been wondering
Who will be there to take my place
When I'm gone, you'll need love
To light the shadows on your face

Smiling sadly, she searched his face and felt a familiar tug at her heart whenever she was surveying any of her children. There was the same fiery red hair, though longer than she would have liked and allowed had he been younger. There was the same brown eyes, though when she looked deeper into them, she found that they were no longer the playful eyes of a happy, go-lucky boy, but the serious, sombre eyes of a man. She remembered a time not too long ago when his face had been full of sheepishness and mischief, and though he did not look upon her insolently, she saw that his mouth was set and his jaw locked. His head tilted slightly, he stared down at her now with the face of respectful determination. Her eyes watering, though no tears spilled over, she wished she could once again look upon the little boy who had stared up at her with a mixture of guilt and impishness when he had done something wrong.

"You know I wish you wouldn't leave," she whispered hoarsely, her voice thick with tears.

Ron looked down at his mum, wishing she wouldn't make things harder than it already was.

"But you know that there'd be no chance I'd ever let Harry go alone," he said quietly.

Molly marvelled at the change in her son. Only days before, wasn't he still her awkward and gangly Ron? Yet here he was so solemn and brave, willing to follow his best friend to the ends of the earth. Molly shuddered.

"I know Ron. And as a member of the Order, I understand why it is you have to leave. I would have gone myself if I had been in your shoes. But as a mother – your mother - " Molly angrily wiped a tear snaking its way down her cheek, "this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do,"

At a slight movement of shadow to Ron's right, her eyes shifted, her gaze colliding with her daughter's. Though more tears spilled over, she could not help but give a watery smile as only she understood the depths of stubbornness her head-strong Ginny possessed. Ginny looked on, her own eyes shining with unshed tears and she came forward to clasp her mother's hand.

If a great wave shall fall
And fall upon us all
Then between the stand and stone
Could you make it on your own

"We'll be okay, Mum," Ginny's voice cracked though she showed no sign of acknowledging it.

Pursing her lips tightly, Molly nodded quickly, pulling her children into her trembling arms. A moment later, a weary-looking Arthur Weasley stepped into the kitchen.

Harry and Hermione packed in silence, each filled with their own thoughts and worries of the plans ahead. Before them lay many items that had been purchased days before in secret from shops in Diagon Alley. Sneakoscopes and Dark Detectors lay silently, waiting to be packed away into their travel gear, wands snugly enclosed in new sheaths that attached to their bodies so that they would no longer have to carry it in their pockets, exposed to wandering hands. Assortments of small crystal bottles clinked quietly as Hermione gathered a few and placed them in her pack. Lastly, she carefully tucked in her new invisibility cloak before sealing her pack shut. Glancing up, she watched as Harry clipped his compass to the handle of his Firebolt before he stonily surveyed the rest of the supplies they needed to bring with them.

He started as he heard footsteps and glanced up to see Ron and Ginny enter to the room, their parents looking on from the kitchen doorway. Gathering the rest of their things, the four silently walked to the front door, Harry barely daring to cast his eyes around the familiar furniture all branded with the Black family crest.

Alastor Moody joined the solemn group beneath the towering portrait of Mrs. Black, though fortunately her drapes were shut so that her roving eyes would not encounter those who convened around her.

He surveyed the young wizards and witches, while his magical eye glowed white to their gaze. It seemed that the magical eye was seeing through the heavy wooden door to the streets outside number 12 Grimmauld Place. He seemed to be struggling to say something – or rather to withhold from saying something – but appeared to have decided against it and clamped his mouth shut.

There was nothing else that the Order could argue. Though they had all fought and debated about Harry and his friends going off to fulfill Dumbledore's mission of the destruction of the Horcruxes, Harry's extreme resolve would not waver, nor would those of his friends. They had decided that they would go, leaving the Order no choice but to make sure that they were thoroughly equipped to complete or - at least in their thoughts – to survive their mission.

Harry, with his head held high was regarding him respectfully.

And maybe, I'll find out
A way to make it back someday
To watch you, to guide you
Through the darkest of your days

"Constant vigilance, Potter," Moody growled through gritted teeth.

Hoisting his back-pack higher on his shoulders, making sure that his wand was safely tucked into its holster, Harry gripped his Firebolt tighter in his fist and looked around at the apprehensive crowd around him. In turn, he met the eyes of his friends; Ron met his gaze head-on, never wavering but silently sending him his unwavering loyalty. Harry knew Ron would stop at nothing to be by his side. He felt his chest swell proudly, he couldn't have asked for a better person to journey on this quest with. His eyes roamed slightly to Ron's left and below and there stood Hermione. Her intelligent eyes were full of fearful determination, but she lifted her arm and steadily held up the Firebolt the Order had provided her with. Bravely, she shot him a conspiratorial smile and he knew she was behind him, whatever his decision. She knew the stakes and she was going to trust Harry. Swallowing hard over the lump in his throat, he glanced down and looked upon Ginny. If it didn't already belong to his broomstick, Harry would have nicknamed her his Firebolt. There was nothing frail or delicate about Ginny, though she may have looked it, her eyes belied the fire and spirit that raged within her. She tilted her head and collided her gaze with his, her gaze telling him that this was the way it had to be. For a split second, Harry felt doubt and wondered what he was leading his friends into, but he pushed those thoughts away. This wasn't about him anymore. This was their battle as well as his and he was honoured to be at their side, just as they were at his.

Slowly, he turned to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. As he looked upon their tired and worried faces, he wondered if they ever regretted the day their son asked to share a compartment with the famous Harry Potter on the Hogwart's Express.

"We are so proud of you, Harry," Mrs. Weasley whispered, as if reading his thoughts. She placed a warm palm on his cheek and cradled his face close to her own. For today, it felt as if she were bidding farewell to not one son, but two, for Harry had come to mean just as much as her own. Mr. Weasley stepped forward and placed a strong hand on Harry's shoulder, squeezing it meaningfully as words had seemed to fail him. Harry nodded, to show he understood what words could not really express and he knew that the moment Ron had stepped into his compartment, it was he, Harry who had truly been blessed, for not only had he received a best friend in Ron, but an entire family in the Weasley's. He would not lose another family to Voldemort, he silently vowed to himself as he was gathered in a hug.

If a great wave shall fall
And fall upon us all
Then I hope there's someone out there
Who can bring me back to you

A tangible shift in the atmosphere billowed around the room and Harry at once sensed that the time for goodbyes had come and gone. He turned to Mr. Weasley who was holding out enchanted maps with moving arrows in a multitude of colours zigzagging across the surface.

"Okay Harry, the black arrows are neutral ground. For the most part, the map doesn't detect any dark magic there at the moment, however they will change as danger gets closer. Your first step is to head straight for Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall is already waiting and she'll allow you time in Dumbledore's office. I imagine you'll figure out what you need to do next from there." Mr. Weasley spoke low and urgently, his eyes darting side to side as though warily searching for spies, though they were still safely encompassed in the Black residence.

Mad-Eye Moody limped closer into the circle, regarding each of the travellers.

"Don't forget your spells, send a Patronus once a week for reports so we know what's happening, but don't send it any more times than that for you may need them as well. We will never send you owls, so don't be fooled if one happens to have a message for you. You know how we communicate. Constant vigilance, constant vigilance!" he hissed desperately, as if trying to etch into their minds with his own voice.

Nodding, Harry swiftly opened the door and stepped out, blinking as the sun was now fully into the sky, it's rays searing bright red and orange streaks into the sky.

Run away with my heart
Run away with my hope
Run away with my love

With one last look behind them, they veered left into an alleyway so to stay out of sight for earlier risers. Lightly their steps echoed in the dark lane, the ground littered with muggle and newspaper clippings alike, both screaming headlines of murder and disappearances. Though the muggle world clearly did not comprehend the meaning of the dark times they were now experiencing, it was obvious that they were not oblivious to it anymore.

Stopping beneath the shadows of an overhanging balcony, Harry turned towards the others.

"You know there's always a choice for you. I won't hold you back if you change your mind," he whispered urgently, giving their final chance to get away from him and his distant fate.

"It never even crossed my mind, mate," Ron looked upon Harry solemnly, his determined gaze telling Harry all that he needed to know. Hermione drew herself up to her full height, tilting her chin stubbornly, her keen eyes sparking with conviction.

"We'll be right beside you Harry, as far as we can all go," she said clearly, not a waver in her voice. At this, Ginny grabbed on to his arm tightly, her fingers squeezing him in reassurance, urging him on. Ron and Hermione, though unneeded, clasped their hands together, looks of utter concentration on their faces.

If I could, then I would
I'd go wherever you will go
Way up high, or down low
I'll go wherever you will go

Nearby, a black alley cat slinked from his nesting place in the rubble of an old abandoned car in search of food. Sensing something around him, his fur immediately stood on end and his back arched, claws emerging, he gave a loud howling hiss and sent a box of scrap metal tumbling to the ground. As the sound of clanging and banging echoed around the alley, a disgruntled truck driver was awakened from his sleep. Irritated, he leaned out his window, his mouth open, ready to snap at what was making all the noise. But as he looked around below and peered into the shadows of an overhanging balcony, his eyes only found a startled cat and a pile of scrap metal on the ground.

I know now, not quite how
My life and love might still go on
In your heart, in your mind
I'll stay with you for all of time

A/N: And that's that! I'd previously posted this story at a different site, but as I began transferring the story here, I can tell you that it went through a little make-over and I am not shy to say that I'm definitely proud of how it turned out. Hopefully you agree as well. So this is Part One of the summer section that I'm going to write. Part Two of what happens during the Summer before Seventh Year is proving to be a little bit more difficult to write – I'm still only in the middle of the first chapter, but I can tell you it's a long one. It's scarier to write because it will be more plot-based and less song-based, though there still will be the occasional song. Thanks for the reviews and for those of you who took the time to read it!