Darkness crept over the Burrow and a thunderstorm loomed on the horizon. Harry sat in Ron's room upon his friend's bed, staring out the window in haunting silence. He was an adult now, according to the wizarding world at least. Seventeen years old and the Boy Who Lived would finally be able to fulfill his prophecy without fear of practicing magic and being sent to the Ministry.
He winced and his hand shot to the lightning bolt shaped scar as pain coursed through his head. The pain was increasing with each new day as Voldemort was quickly gaining more and more strength as the battle between good and evil approached; a battle that the Dark Lord still had no notion of. Harry's eyes closed and his teeth gritted against the unbearable pain. Ron was sitting on the windowsill with his head against the windowpanes as rain began to splatter upon the window.
"I think he knows, Ron… I think he knows that the final battle is at hand," Harry said through gritted teeth as the pain washed through his whole body. Yet it didn't make sense how he could have known. Perhaps he knew purely by instinct? Ron looked at him and nodded slowly. He was scared, more frightened of what was to come then ever before, but he would stand by Harry's side. He would fight with Harry until death took his last breath from his body. "You can still turn back, Ron. You can still go back to school, you know that."
Ron shook his head and replied. "No, Harry. We're in this together."
"Exactly," replied a form in the doorway. Harry and Ron looked towards the direction of the voice and their eyes fell upon a shadowed figure. The rather large shadow soon developed into the forms of Hermione and Ginny. "We're in this together, Harry. No matter what, we're here for you," the voice belonged to Hermione as Ginny stood beside her and nodded fervently.
Harry looked at Ginny, his heart aching. "Ginny…" he said softly, pleadingly. "Please. Stay here, go to school. You'll be safe there. I don't want you to get hurt." Thus, Harry brought up the age-old battle that he and Ginny had been waging upon each other. It always ended up the same way, too.
Ginny's eyes darkened in anger and she spoke in patient tones, "We've been over this many times before. I am not going back to Hogwarts. My place is by your side." Harry stared at her and then looked away. Again, he felt the ache in his heart. He loved her, and he wanted nothing to happen to her. He looked up at Ron pleadingly. Ron looked back down at Harry and shrugged.
"The Weasley women are very stubborn, Harry. You know that. That's why Hermione fits so perfectly within our family."
Harry sighed and Hermione glared at her boyfriend. "Look whose talking, Ron. You're just as stubborn as the rest of your family."
Harry snorted and shook his head, "No, you can convince Ron not to do something. Especially if it deals with spiders."
"Like I'd need convincing."
The gang chuckled softly; it was forced laughter, for each person within the room knew that his or her doom might come in the end. Harry was the first to stop laughing. The rain was pouring now in unsteady rhythms that one got used to. It sets the mood so perfectly, Harry thought as he watched the rain hit the glass as if it desired to smash the crystal. Ron looked at his best friend and frowned. Harry looked up and shook his head.
"And the worst thing about all of this is," he said softly, more to himself then anyone else. "Dumbledore and Sirius aren't here to help me."
Hermione sighed. "Harry, you've known that you are the only one who can possibly do this. Not even Dumbledore could win against Voldemort… You know this." Her voice was soft and understanding but it wasn't comforting for she knew she wouldn't be able to offer such a thing.
"And Snape…" Harry's voice turned to bitter ice. "The damn coward. I'll kill him!" Everyone stared at Harry in silence. They were used to his outbursts since the death of their beloved Headmaster. "I'll kill him, and I'll kill Voldemort!" Harry clenched his fists as tears of rage began to fall from the corners of his eyes. "Why must everyone I love have to die?"
"We're still here, aren't we?" inquired Hermione.
"But for how long until Voldemort kills you as well… I'm sorry to be so negative about this, but you have to take note of it, Hermione," replied Harry bitterly.
"He does have a point, you know," said Ron.
"Well-" Ginny began but was cut off by Mrs. Weasley's voice from downstairs in the kitchen.
"It's dinner time, kids!"
The gang didn't move as quickly as Ron did, but then he was always hungry and willing to get his mind off the task that was so near at hand. "Well, as I was going to say," said Ginny as everyone started walking out of Ron's room. "Was that we-"
"We?" Harry cut in and Ginny groaned.
"Yes, Harry, we. As I was saying, we should kill Voldemort first and then worry about Snape." Everyone fell silent as an air of melancholy shrouded the group.
"Better yet," said Hermione softly. "Ginny and Ron can hunt Snape, Harry and I will fight Voldemort."
Both Harry and Ron stopped walking and exchanged looks with each other. "I've said it once and I'll say it again. She's gone mental!"
"I beg your pardon," said Hermione nonchalantly.
"Have you gone mental? You've bloody lost your mind!" exclaimed Ron once more.
"Why? Because I shall be the one to help Harry fight Voldemort?" Ron cringed slightly at the name and nodded.
"Yes. Why put yourself in more danger then necessary?"
Hermione just smiled and shook her head. She spoke in tones that were all too patient to Ron, "Ronald, what makes you think that Snape is not dangerous? In some ways he is probably more dangerous then the Dark Lord himself."
This very thought was enough to make Ron go silent and stare at Hermione. "Snape? Come even close to V… You-Know-Who's power? Are you insane," he asked incredulously.
"Apparently you seem to think so. Look, all I'm saying is that Snape is not a weak wizard. If there is any man who can come close to matching Voldemort's, stop that Ron," she said as he cringed again. "You really must get over it. You're going to be fighting the man soon, best get used to his name. As I was saying, Snape is the only wizard who could possibly come close to matching Voldemort's powers, minus Harry of course."
Ron let out a heavy sigh and just shook his head. "You should no better by now," Harry muttered into Ron's ear. Ron nodded slowly. He should have learned. They approached the dining room table, thus ending their conversation. As far as they knew, Mrs. Weasley didn't know about their plans. If she had, she would have kept Ginny at close quarters. The four friends sat down at the table and Molly served them gracious helpings.
"You have mail, dears. The owls came just an hour ago. I didn't want to disturb you all," she said cheerily.
The children all exchanged looks and it was Hermione who spoke first. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. We appreciate it."
Ron was staring at his mother and it took Hermione to jab him in the ribs to respond. "Uh… Yeah, thanks mum." Mrs. Weasley smiled and then left the kids to greet her husband who had just walked into the room.
"Good evening, Weasley's and friends," said Arthur gravely. Being at the Ministry, he knew of the impending war and his eyes locked with Harry's. "You sure you are going through with this, son?"
Harry nodded slowly but deliberately and replied, "Yes, sir. I am." Arthur Weasley sighed and rubbed his temples. He knew of Harry's desires to go after the Dark Lord, it was bound to happen eventually. Mr. Weasley was the only man who knew of Harry's plans, but he didn't know that his son and daughter would be part of it as well. Harry had made sure Mr. Weasley didn't know, though he probably suspected it.
"Do what, Arthur? What is he doing?"
"Nothing, Molly, dear. Nothing…"
Mrs. Weasley was still skeptical but she sat down and began eating nonetheless. "I expect we should make a trip to Diagon Alley within the next week." The four children nodded. No use making it known that they would not be going to school.
That night after everyone had eaten and retired to their rooms, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny met in Ron's room.
"We can't keep lying to her," said Hermione dangerously. "She needs to know."
"She's on a need to know basis, and she doesn't need to know," responded Ron flatly. "If mum finds out about this she'll tie us to the Burrow with magical leashes that can't be broken unless she does the breaking!"
"Quiet you git, you're too loud," said Ginny in a harsh whisper.
"Then how do you propose we do this, Ron? If your mother doesn't know about this, she'll go 'completely mental' as you would say. She'll be worried sick if she doesn't know what we're doing and finds us gone the next day," replied Hermione.
This caused everyone else to go silent and Harry looked up from his position on the bed, Ron at the windowsill, Ginny on the floor, and Hermione leaning on the wall opposite the windowsill. "We go to school," he said softly. Everyone stared at him. "That's right. We go to Hogwarts and we wait for the first Hogsmeade, or," he said and smiled slightly. "We escape the castle grounds in the middle of the night and go to Hogsmeade. Once there we can apparate ourselves to our destinations. We still need to find and locate the remainder of the horcruxes or else we cannot kill Voldemort."
"We don't even know if the school will be opened, Harry," said Hermione softly.
"I would think it is, why else would we be getting our letters," asked Harry logically.
Hermione gave it some brief thought and then shrugged. "I suppose you're right, Harry. But still… You can't know for sure. It may just be a 'just in case' situation. You know, 'just in case' school will open, we'll have our books."
Harry nodded and then looked at Ron who had been trying to say something for the past few minutes.
"I say we just apparate now and leave mum a note," said Ron stubbornly.
Hermione wheeled on Ron with fury burning in her eyes. "And where do you propose we tell her where we're going, Ron?"
"We can tell her we're going to… Er… to…" Ron stumbled trying to think of a place to go to.
"Exactly!" Hermione said triumphantly.
"We can go to #12 Grimmauld Place," said Harry softly. Not believing that he hadn't thought of this sooner. "We could have gone there at the start of the summer! It's my house, I own it and Kreacher is mine to command."
"Actually, Harry, you couldn't have. You were at the Dursleys at the start of the summer," said Hermione patiently. "You couldn't have gone before you turned seventeen."
Ron and Ginny both stared at him silently, then Ginny smiled and said at the same time as Ron, "That's brilliant!" They looked at each other, Ron cocked an eyebrow.
Hermione sighed. "Alright, fine. I give up. We'll go to Grimmauld. After we get our books though. We don't want to seem too suspicious you know."
"Actually, we can tell mum that we'll get our books once we settle into Grimmauld, she'll understand," said Ron enthusiastically.
"Yes, but you're forgetting one thing," Ginny said in annoyance. "Mum won't let me go with you."
Harry's eyes brightened immediately at this prospect; if Mrs. Weasley didn't let her go then she was not in danger. Ginny glared at him and said, "Oh no, Harry, you can't get rid of me that easily."
"Of course he can't, you're worse then a bloody chizpurfle," said Ron casually.
"A what?" Harry asked and looked at Ron.
"A chizpurfle," he replied.
"And what exactly is a chizpurfle," inquired Harry.
"It's a parasite," said Ron casually.
Ginny glared and threw her shoe at him. Ron flicked his wand and turned it into a feather. He looked at her and smirked. "I see you've been practicing spells without speech. Humph," she said indignantly.
"Of course I have. It'll come in handy when we fight Voldemort and his cronies," Ron tried to joke about it but his ashen face was clear against the dark night.
"It's settled then… Tomorrow we leave the Burrow and set out on our journey," said Harry softly. Everyone nodded in unison. It was going to be a hectic day, and Ginny had to think of a way to convince her mother to let her go with them to #12 Grimmauld Place.
Mrs. Weasley woke them all up for a 'spot of breakfast'. The gang thanked her and it was Ron who spoke of their desires first. "Mum, would it be alright if we; Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and I, went to #12 Grimmauld Place? After all, Harry owns it."
Mrs. Weasley sighed and nodded. "Of course, you can. But you have to get your supplies first."
"Actually," Hermione cut in smoothly. "We were going to get our things while we were at #12 Grimmauld Place. That way it's less to lug around."
Mrs. Weasley gave this a moment's thought and then nodded. "Of course, that seems logical. But I'll have to give your parents a call though."
Hermione frowned and nodded. Harry snorted and looked at the woman who had been his mother figure since he first met her. "Don't bother calling the Dursleys, Mrs. Weasley. They won't care; in fact they'd probably wish me dead." The kindly woman frowned at Harry and then nodded. She knew well of the Dursleys' treatment of Harry.
"Well, after breakfast I'll contact your parents, Hermione," she said thoughtfully.
"That would be nice, Mrs. Weasley, thank you."
After breakfast, Mrs. Weasley did what she said she would do. She contacted the Grangers… by fireplace and flu powder. Hermione sighed and shook her head, just imagining her parents' reactions to having a woman's face in their fire. Those very same thoughts caused Harry, Ron, and Ginny to smuggle their laughs behind a hand. After a few moments, Mrs. Weasley's head returned from the emerald flames. "Well, Hermione, dear, your parents say that it's alright." Hermione nodded.
"Thank you, ma'am."
With a sigh, Molly looked up at the four children and smiled. "Well, it was nice having you all for company. And after this year you three are full fledged wizards," tears began to well up in her eyes as she observed the two children she had known for seven years and her son. "Take care of yourselves, kids. And don't be stupid, Ron! Use protection."
This comment led Ron to look at his mother with a horrified expression while everyone laughed or giggled. Ron didn't reply but turned beet red, causing his friends and sister to laugh even harder.
"Well, it's no secret that you and Hermione are dating. I just don't want you to ruin her career. She's such a bright witch," replied Mrs. Weasley.
Once she recovered from her giggle fit Hermione spoke casually, "Don't worry, Mrs. Weasley. Ronald won't get very far. We've only just begun dating and I assure you that we haven't gone beyond kissing." What a lie. It was surprising that Hermione could bend the truth so well at times. This, of course, was indeed a lie. They had gone beyond kissing to the point of fooling around. Harry had mistakenly walked in on them at the beginning of the summer and immediately walked back out. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had gone shopping and so were not home. Of course, Harry knew that they didn't go beyond having their clothes on. And apparently, Ginny didn't believe Hermione either. No matter, Mrs. Weasley did though she probably wasn't a fool and knew what the two had been up to.
"Well, I expect we better be going now," said Ginny nonchalantly. Mrs. Weasley smiled and hugged her daughter, son, and their closest friends.
"Be careful, kids and I'll see you next year if you don't visit," she said.
Once out of the house Harry and Ginny burst out laughing. Hermione fixed them with a cold stare, "What's so funny, if I may ask?"
"Nothing," said Harry through fits of laughter. Ron and Hermione glared at him and received a smirk.
"Except that you and Ron haven't gone beyond snogging," replied Ginny helpfully, seeing as Harry wasn't going to say it.
"Well, you just better not have gone beyond hand-holding with Ginny or I'll have to kill you," Ron said smoothly.
"Oops… Then I guess it's not a good idea to tell you that me and Harry got farther then you two," responded Ginny innocently.
Ron stopped walking and whirled around to look at his sister and Harry. Harry stared at Ginny and then looked at Ron casually. "YOU WHAT!" shouted Ron.
Ginny was biting her lower lip to keep from laughing; unfortunately, it didn't work very well for the next minute she burst out laughing, Harry letting go of his laughter too. Ron was seething, and Hermione couldn't help but smile at the sight of his face turning beet red in anger. "Easy, Ron. They're just teasing you," she said with a hint of a laugh behind her voice.
Ron's breathing had increased greatly and he was glaring at his sister and best friend. "You best be joking," he said dangerously.
Ginny snorted and began walking. "We best apparate. I think we're far enough away."
Harry stood to walk beside her and looked at her. "I can't believe you told him, Ginny…" She smiled and cocked an eyebrow.
"He doesn't believe we've done anything beyond kissing. That's why it was so fun to tell him. I love getting a rise out of him."
"But… still. If he knew… If he even suspected… He'd beat me into the ground."
"You worry too much, Harry. He doesn't suspect a thing."
For mine and your sake he better not, he thought gloomily.
Some several hundred miles away, a figure cloaked in black had watched the whole ordeal and smiled ever so slightly. At last, the children had left. He had been watching them from a one-way mirror with clawed feet, scrying and looking for them anonymously. Things were going as planned and the figure smiled once more and said, "He will be pleased to hear this." With that, the figure made a jerking motion with his hand and the pictures the mirror had generated disappeared into a swirling mass of gray clouds that dissipated into darkness. The cloaked figure turned around, a smile plastered on his face, to relay the news to his master.