HARRY POTTER AND THE FINAL WAR

Summary: Harry Potter has returned from Hogwarts and has wasted no time in his search for Voldemort's Horcruxes. Against the wishes of his friends, he goes off alone. Will Harry win the fight against Voldemort?

Rated: M for violence, language, and sex

Disclaimer: Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
I don't own Harry Potter,
And neither do you.

Chapter 8: Portraits, Pensieves, Plots! ((OH MY?))

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Harry yelped in shock as the owl landed on his shoulder. He turned over and the bird clawed its way over to his stomach, sticking its leg out. As Harry took the letter tied to it, the bird fluttered out the window and into the night. Harry read the letter.

Dear Mr. Potter,
We have become aware that you Apparated
tonight without a Ministry-approved license.
This is against the law, and you are now required
to attend a hearing on July the twenty-second.
Please attend promptly at 9:00 am at the Ministry
Of Magic.

Harry flung the letter over to the other side of the room, boredly. He had Apparated earlier, well aware of the fact that he did not have a license. Harry, however, didn't care. He wasn't going to get his license until after all the mess with Voldemort stopped. He glanced over at Ginny, who had obviously read the note over his shoulder.

"Harry, what're you going to do?" she asked.

"Ignore it, of course. Why the hell would I care if I had a hearing? This is just another attempt by the Ministry to stop me from being a wizard… Like they did two years ago." Harry layed back into the bed and covered himself with the blanket. "The only thing is," Harry continued sadly, "Dumbledore won't be here to stick up for me this time…"

Ginny stared down at Harry. She hated to see him like this. He looked so helpless, so sad. Ginny rolled over on top of Harry and put her right hand on his cheek. "Harry, I seriously think you need to take your mind away from al this. You're letting this take over your life, and not having any… fun," Ginny said with a grin.

Harry looked up at Ginny as she spoke. He smiled dimly as she told him that he needed to lighten up and have some fun. Taking her advice, Harry craned him neck upwards and slowly kissed Ginny, closing his eyes. It was pure heaven as she kissed him back, wrapping her hands around the back of his neck as they kissed. Ginny parted her lips, allowing Harry's tongue full access to her mouth. Ginny pulled herself closer to Harry, leaning into the kiss as far as possible. Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny's waist, pulling her even closer to him.

As they kissed on, the passion increased. Breaking only when necessary for breath, Harry and Ginny went at it for a while, not resting at all. Ginny began to feel Harry's enjoyment, as a growing sensation built itself up between Harry's legs. Ginny smiled into the kiss, giggling slightly. Harry broke the kiss panting, and rolled over, taking Ginny with him.

Now on top, Harry began trailing kisses down Ginny's collarbone. Ginny inhaled sharply as cold chills shot down her spine. As Harry continued around Ginny's collarbone, he unbuttoned her shirt and threw it over by the note. Ginny arched her back as Harry trailed kisses down her chest. His warm lips felt so nice against the coolness of her skin.

Ginny reached up and tore off Harry's shirt, throwing it randomly across the room. She didn't care one bit when it hit the lamp, causing it to fall and break. She reached up and placed her palms against Harry's stomach. Though he didn't have a muscular body, he was certainly toned.

Harry rubbed his hands over Ginny's sides. Her soft, smooth skin felt good under his coarse hands. Harry adjusted his legs into a more comfortable position; the hardness between his legs was getting to be quite an annoyance. As he moved, Ginny smirked at him.

"Having trouble?" she teased. Harry raised an eyebrow at Ginny.

"Why yes, I am. Would you care to do something about it?" he teased back. Ginny grinned at Harry and flipped him over. She trailed an index finger across his chest, and then down his stomach before reaching his pants. She undid his belt and slid Harry's pants off, revealing his fully erect member. Ginny grasped it as Harry moaned, and stroked it heatedly.

---

Harry blinked as the world around him came slightly into focus. As he reached over to the bed-side table and found his glasses, he put them on. All the blurriness subsided. The hotel room was bright. A steady beam of sunlight streamed through the open window and fell on Ginny's slumbering face. Harry smiled as he brushed a bit of hair out of her face and sighed. She was beautiful when she slept.

Ginny opened her eyes and blinked as she noticed Harry smiling at her. She laughed slightly and sighed. "Hullo, love. Sleep well?" she asked. Harry nodded.

"Yes, after that night we had, you have to be an insomniac to get no sleep," Harry said grinning. He recalled all the events of last night, since it was the most romantic night he and Ginny had ever had. Losing their virginity to one another had been the most sensational connection the two had experienced together. Harry was still invigorated from it all but he did have an annoying, persistent little nagging in the back of his mind. I hope it was Ginny's first. I better have been Ginny's first... he thought.

Harry winked at Ginny after a moment and leaned forward, kissing her on the lips gently. "How about," Harry whispered into Ginny's ear, "we go to breakfast?" Ginny nodded and, as if on cue, her stomach growled noisily. After laughing with Ginny, Harry stood up from the bed. He noticed that he was naked and began blushing furiously until he realized the events that had transpired the night before. He smiled to himself stupidly and walked over to his trunk, pulling out a pair of boxers, faded jeans, and a tee shirt. He dressed silently.

After he was finished, Harry turned around. Ginny was standing by her trunk in jeans, but nothing else. Harry snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Ginny sighed and leaned back into Harry's arms after the initial shock had died down.

When Harry and Ginny had finally dressed completely, which took longer than usual, they made their way down to the Leaky Cauldron's Dining Hall. Hermione and Ron were already sitting down at a table, eating some eggs. Before they sat, Harry noted to Ginny secretly that Ron and Hermione looked as if they had gotten no sleep at all. Ron had dark bags under his eyes, and Hermione seemed to start dozing off every few seconds. Ginny giggled as she sat.

"Did you two sleep well?" Ginny asked, not letting on that they looked like a mess. Hermione's eyes shot up at Ginny's in response to her question. Ron looked angrily at Ginny.

"Oh shut up," he stated plainly as he ate some more eggs.

Harry looked down at his plate. Just as he began thinking that French Toast might be nice, a large pile of it appeared on his plate. It was coated with powdered sugar and drizzled with maple syrup. The scent coming off the plate was amazing. Harry sighed and saw Ginny staring at him out of the corner of his eye.

"How did you do that?" she questioned. Harry grinned at her.

"Just think about food, I guess…" He turned back to his own plate and began eating. 2 plates of French Toast later, Harry was leaning back in his chair. His pants seemed tighter than earlier that morning. Harry watched as Ron and Hermione bickered over their breakfasts.

"Ron, you'd better not eat that waffle anywhere near me."

"And why not? You're eating one too!"

"Yes, Ronald," Hermione sneered, "but mine isn't covered in chocolate chips."

"So?"

"So? SO? That's a mouthful of cavities waiting to happen!"

"Hermione, just because your parents are dentists doesn't m-"

"DOESN'T MEAN WHAT? You'd better not go insulting my parents!"

Harry snorted in amusement as he and Ginny watched the argument. After a few minutes, Hermione moved her seat across from Harry's. She ate in silence for a moment, then stared up at Harry with a look of such seriousness that Harry knew what was coming.

"Harry," Hermione began in a whisper. "We need to talk about… the Horcruxes." Harry looked down at the table.

"What about them?"

"Well, where do we go from here? We still have the locket, Voldemort's snake, the one we don't know, and Voldemort himself to track down. Where do we go from here? What are we pursuing?"

Harry looked back up at Hermione, then at Ron and Ginny. All three of them were staring at him intently. Harry sighed.

"I… have no clue. I came to a dead end with the locket." Harry felt his cheeks twinge with heat.

"Well… I think we should start with the one we don't know," Ginny said confidently.

"Ginny's right," Hermione stated. "Voldemort and his snake should be left for last. And maybe the next Horcrux will help us in some way with the locket." At this, Ron nodded. Harry followed suit, at a loss for words.

Harry thought things over in his mind. The way he saw it, there was no where else to go. Dumbledore couldn't help them anymore, and no one else knew his secrets. Not even Harry knew them. He sighed. His memories of Dumbledore were racking through his brain. As Harry thought, he had a sudden idea.

"WAIT! At Hogwarts, every former Headmaster has their portrait hung up in Dumble… er… McGonagall's office, right?" At this suggestion, Hermione's head shot up. Ron's jaw dropped a little, and Ginny turned her head. "Well, what if we could talk to Dumbledore? Or his portrait, rather…"

Hermione beamed at Harry. "Harry, that's brilliant!" Harry smiled proudly at his idea. Hermione stood up and the remaining food on her plate vanished immediately. "Well, let's go, then!" Ginny laughed.

"Hermione, school doesn't start for another month and a half…"

"So?" Hermione retorted. "I know Professor McGonagall will be there… And I know the office will be accessible to Harry, it always has been." She looked around the table. "Well what are you all waiting for?"

"Hermione," Ron began, "maybe we should wait another week or so. I mean… we only just left the place." Ron pushed his mouth over to one side of his face, attempting to show a face of indecision. Hermione sat down, a bit flustered.

"Fine. We'll wait a few weeks, and then go. Is that alright with you all?" she snapped. Obviously she had been very keen on going at that second.

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3 weeks passed before the subject of returning to Hogwarts was brought up again. Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron had spent their days in Diagon Alley, and occasionally Hogsmeade, though they never went up to the castle. Harry and Ginny had several more encounters like they had their first night at the Leaky Cauldron, though none quite as passionate. Their first time had been fueled by the urge and want for it over a longer period of time. They were sitting in the Leaky Cauldron when Hermione brought the subject of Horcruxes up again.

"So… Have you all had enough time to relax before we go to Hogwarts?" she asked abruptly and randomly. Harry concluded this must have been on her mind the entire 3 weeks.

"Well… I think I'm ready," said Ron. He and Hermione were back on good terms, though Harry wondered how long it'd be until they had another of their random fights. Ginny nodded in agreement. Harry did so as well. Hermione stood and smiled at them.

"Good! I'm going to go pack." She gave Ron a look that had no expression whatsoever. Harry didn't understand it, but Ron apparently had, because he got up and followed Hermione up the stairs to their room. Harry looked at Ginny.

"So, do you think that they're doing shit together, or that she's got him whipped?" Harry asked jokingly.

"Whipped. Definitely. Hermione doesn't usually sneak off to go and get some action; she's probably got Ron packing her tampons." Ginny roared with laughter and Harry followed suit. The thought of a red-faced Ron holding a box of tampons for Hermione was extremely funny.

After Harry and Ginny had finished packing, they joined Ron and Hermione in the entrance hall with their trunks. Hermione smiled.

"So will we be taking the bus, Harry?" she asked.

"Um… no, we can Apparate to Hogsmeade." At this suggestion, Hermione raised her eyes.

"But Harry, you're already in danger. The Ministry has begun looking for you, since you didn't show up at your hearing."

"I don't care. They won't look at Hogwarts. We aren't supposed to be there during the summer."

"Oh," Hermione said skeptically. "Alright then." After securing their things, everyone turned on their heel and Disapparated, Ginny holding onto Harry again. They Apparated into the Three Broomsticks and sighed, being relieved of the feeling of Apparating, which none of them really liked. They exited the pub and began their trek up to Hogwarts' castle. Harry had had the idea of shrinking their trunks down to a miniature size that would fit into their pocket, so all four of them had done this.

After the walk, which dragged on for what Harry thought was an entire day, though it was merely an hour, Harry and the rest of his friends walked up to the castle's front doors. Harry reached forward to pull them open, but they were locked.

"Of course," said Hermione. "Why would Hogwarts have their doors unlocked if school's not even in session?"

"Well then what do we do?" Harry asked.

"Knock?" Ginny suggested. Harry looked skeptical, but turned to the door and knocked regardless. A hollow, loud knocking noise sounded. They waited a moment until speaking again.

"Now how is McGonagall going to hear a knock as quiet as-" Harry said, but was cut off. The doors had begun clicking, as if multiple locks were all being unlocked at the same time. After the clicking stopped, the doors swung in. Professor McGonagall stood in the door frame and was smiling.

"Potter, I'm glad you've come to me. I see my letter persuaded you?"

Harry looked at her uneasily, as if he didn't want to tell her the truth about why he really came. "Actually, Professor, I wanted to… to talk to Professor Dumbledore." At this statement, McGonagall's eyebrows shot up in shock.

"Potter, you of all people should know that-"

"No, I know he's dead. It's just that I thought his portrait in his old office might be able to help me." Harry watched as the ends of Professor's McGonagall's mouth twitched.

"Oh," she said, sounding a bit flustered. "So you won't be telling me what you and Professor Dumbledore were doing the night he was… murdered?" Harry thought it odd that he and McGonagall were still calling Dumbledore 'Professor', but didn't dwell on it much.

"No, sorry."

"Fine," McGonagall stated coldly. "Follow me." She led them up the stairs and through a familiar route to Dumbledore's office. Once they reached the gargoyle, McGonagall called out, "Canary Cream," and the gargoyle sprang to life and moved away. Harry looked inquisitively at McGonagall. Seeing Harry's look, she answered his obvious question.

"Professor Dumbledore had taken a liking to Fred and George's joke shop before he… died." She still had trouble saying that Dumbledore was dead. Harry noted to himself that this was one of the first weaknesses Harry had ever seen in his old teacher. McGonagall gestured at the stairs to Harry, allowing him to enter the staircase that led up to the office. After going up the staircase, Harry opened the familiar doors to Dumbledore's office. It still looked the same as when Harry had last seen it, when McGonagall talked to him after Dumbledore's death.

Harry walked over to Dumbledore's desk. While portraits surrounded the walls of the entire office, Dumbledore's portrait marked the end of the trail. His was the latest and last portrait on the walls, and was the closest to the desk. Harry walked over to the portrait. Dumbledore was napping. Harry tapped the portrait gently and Dumbledore awoke, startled. Why didn't I just do this when I was in here last? A lot of trouble could have been spared, Harry thought to himself. He stared down at his old headmaster.

"Um… Professor?" Harry began. Dumbledore swept his hands over his eyes and replied.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering if you… could help me with something." Harry saw the memorable twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes.

"I shall help as much as I can," he stated.

"Well… I was wondering if you had anything else to tell me about the Horcruxes." At the mention of Horcruxes, Dumbledore's eyes flashed curiously.

"Horcruxes? Excuse me? How do you know what Horcruxes are?"

"How do I know what…? Professor Dumbledore, you taught me what they were. You were the one to tell me all about how one was made and how Voldemort had used them." Dumbledore narrowed his eyes.

"You are very brave to speak his name. Why do you do it?" Harry was amazed. Dumbledore didn't understand anything he said. Maybe portraits were stupider versions of the actually people they reflected.

"Professor, don't you know who I am?" Harry asked.

"I've never seen you before in my life, though you do look familiar. You look very much like…" Professor Dumbledore gasped slightly. "You are Harry Potter!"

Harry turned exasperatedly to his friends, who had entered the room behind him. He looked at them with a significance that said 'What do I do now?' He turned back to Dumbledore's portrait.

"Yes, I am Harry Potter. Why don't you recognize me? You taught me personally!"

"Did I? I must have done that after this portrait was made…" Harry narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"What does the date the portrait was made have anything to do with your knowledge of me?"

"It's quite simple, actually. A man or woman in a portrait only has the knowledge that they had when they were painted. I know only what I knew before I was painted."

"Well when was this painted, then?"

"A short while after I accepted the job as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Dumbledore said proudly. Harry sighed loudly.

"Well did you or did you not have any knowledge of Voldemort's Horcruxes before this was painted?"

"I suspected, but have never been able to prove it."

"Well you did, but obviously after this was made. Professor, you proved Voldemort had Horcruxes – seven of them, in fact, counting himself. You destroyed one, I destroyed another, and I've just destroyed a third a few weeks ago. I don't know how to find any more, though." Harry stared at Dumbledore as he sighed thoughtfully.

"I only remember seeing Voldemort once after he had gained his followers, and before he had begun to hate me. He tried to apply for a job, though I knew not to give him one."

"Yes, I've seen that memory, Professor."

"Well then you saw that I turned him down. However, he didn't seem too disappointed that he didn't get the job. Sure, he was enraged at first, but it subsided. In fact, when I left him, he had no expression on his face whatsoever." Harry's jaw dropped.

"When you left him?"

"Yes, when I went to go to tell Mr. Filch that Voldemort was to be leaving." Harry stared at Dumbledore, dumbfounded.

"You actually left him alone in your office? What are you, mad?" Dumbledore chuckled to himself.

"Voldemort would never attempt something with me so close."

"Yes he would! He's done it before and he'd have done it then!" Harry stood up and rushed over to where Dumbledore kept his Pensieve. He pulled it out and hauled it over to the desk, not realizing just how heavy it was.

Harry leaned over into it and felt a rushing against him. He blinked at was standing exactly where he had been before in Dumbledore's office, though Dumbledore was now sitting behind his desk. As Harry turned around, he saw his friends materialize one-by-one in front of him with a small flash of light. He assumed they had followed him into the Pensieve.

As Ron, Hermione, and Ginny moved out of the way, Harry saw Voldemort sitting in a chair. He looked very angry. As Harry continued to stare at Voldemort he felt a large amount of hatred brewing inside of him. Voldemort, however, was losing the angry expression from his face. After a short amount of time, he seemed calm and collected – an odd sort of look to have, Harry thought, for one who just got turned down. Finally Dumbledore stood.

"I shall go and arrange for your return home," said Dumbledore in his familiar voice. Having said all he needed to, Dumbledore walked past Harry and continued out the door. When Voldemort heard the click of the door shutting, he immediately stood up. He hurried over to what Harry recognized as Gryffindor's sword. Harry swore under his breath. Dumbledore always tried to see more good in people than they actually had. He'd been so naïve. Voldemort DID turn the sword into a Horcrux!

As Voldemort lifted the sword up, Harry looked over at his friends. They all had open mouths and were staring fixedly at Voldemort, and were giving Harry an occasional glance. Harry looked back at Voldemort. He now had the sword grasped firmly in his left hand. In his right hand, he held his wand.

"Murphy!" called Voldemort's cold, shrill voice. Shortly after he spoke, a black flame erupted next to him. From out of the flame came a man Harry had never seen before, though he assumed his name was Murphy. Murphy had a bald spot on the top of his blonde head. He wore rags and looked as if he hadn't shaven for days. Once the flames had died away, Murphy bent over into a kneeling bow. Voldemort pointed his wand at the ceiling of the room, and said, "Mufliato." A beam of misty light shot up and covered the ceiling. Voldemort shot it all over the room before ending the spell. Harry realized that Voldemort had just made sure no one could hear any noise coming from the room.

"My lord. I am ready," the man said simply. At this, Voldemort nodded and began an elaborate wand-waving, while still holding the sword. Harry moved behind Voldemort to get a better view of Murphy. He was watching Voldemort do his waving from his kneeling position. His eyes were wide with shock, and Harry thought they had a bit of fear in them as well.

Voldemort finally finished his elaborate gesture and held the wand pointed at Murphy.

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort called out loudly. Harry watched in horror as a flash of green light engulfed the room and Murphy's cries echoed off the walls. Harry then heard Voldemort once more. "CRUXIA!" he shouted even louder. Harry continued to watch as the green light came back to the tip of his wand and formed a small bead of glowing, green light. Voldemort began wincing in pain as the bead grew larger, and eventually shot out at Murphy. Murphy screamed louder until he finally fell into a motionless mass on the floor. From out of Murphy's mouth, came a gloomy and dark mist of smoke. It rose up into the air and hovered. Voldemort, who now seemed to be sweating, held the sword's blade out under the smoke. Black drops of liquid, dripped from the smoke onto the sword. A small hissing noise was heard, and then the liquid was gone.

The smoke vanished from the air as Voldemort sighed heavily and hurried over to where the Sorting Hat sat on its shelf. He waved his wand tiredly. In reaction, the sword zoomed from his hand and into the hat, continuing in until it was gone. Voldemort placed the hat back up on the shelf and removed the silencing spell from the room. He then walked out of the office. Harry felt a rushing once more as he was sucked out of the Pensieve. He had seen all he needed to. Voldemort had made the sword a Horcrux, even though Dumbledore thought it had been protected the whole time.

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Authors' Note: Nora and Sean, here. We just wanted to apologize for the wait for this chapter. Nora went on vacation, and Sean decided not to post this chapter until Nora had read it. Sean would also like to add that he loves typing in the third person. XD

Sean would also like to address a question that came up in the comments:

Harry didn't check the tapestry to look at Regulus' name because he already had seen it a year or so before then. He knew that it merely said Regulus Black. (We checked, don't scream atus…)

Another chapter should be up soon! Review and bookmark us!