A/N: Well, here it is- the last and longest chapter (readers all start crying). You know what that means? Yep, the bonus for some of you shippers out there. Hopefully the readers whose ship it isn't won't be too mad at me. Thanks for all y'all's reviews, and I hope you enjoyed the previous 4 chapters as well as this one.

-PatronusPotter41192

IMPORTANT NOTE:

For those of you who didn't know (I changed it close to midnight on 12/31), the chapter in which Dumbledore is explaining how to destroy a Horcrux goes like this:

"I will explain." Dumbledore said with a smile. "Cast Lumos on the locket, and if it flickers red, it is most likely a Horcrux. If it does flicker red, cast the spell once more, then touch it. If it is warm, it is almost definitelya Horcrux. The third and final step is to cast a spell I have recently invented on a sneakoscope. I believe you own a sneakoscope, am I right?" Harry nodded. "The spell is 'Examino.' It will serve as a Horcrux-tester for no longer than seven seconds. In that time, you must tuch it to the object to believe to be a Horcrux. If it goes off in the same way as a normal sneakoscope, you have a Horcrux."

For those who did know, I'm sorry for having you read that for nothing. Now, read this!

Chapter 5- Together

Harry trudged down the spiral stairs, hoping to find his friends. He spotted a body lying on the ground- it was Neville. Harry was suddenly angry with himself: It's my fault, I told them to patrol the corridors, I-. Harry suddenly noticed something: Neville was breathing! "Rennervate!" Harry shouted, his wand pointed at Neville, who instantly came to.

"Where am I? What ha- Harry!" Neville said with a startled expression on his face. "You're alright, did it work?"

"Er, did what work?" Harry asked, confused.

"The crash."

"The crash? The cra- oh, that was you?" Neville nodded. "How'd you do it?" Harry sounded amazed; he was amazed.

"My Rememberall. One of those Death Eaters conjured a barrier to the stairs, so I threw it over it and above the door. Got hit with a Stunning Spell right after. Did it work?" Neville seemed to be getting anxious, a grin spreading across his face.

"Yeah, it did." answered Harry. Dumbledore probably could've taken the four of them anyway, but he didn't want to ruin Neville's mood. "Wait," Harry exclaimed, "didn't you lose your Rememberall ages ago?"

"Yeah," Neville replied, "but I found it when I was searching for my enchanted coin to communicate with Hermione."

"Oh," Harry said.

Just then, the pair of them heard a familiar voice calling them, "Harry, Neville, we're going to the hospital wing." It was Ginny.

"We're okay," said Harry.

"It's McGonagall's orders," said Ginny. "Everyone's up there, Ron and Hermione and Lupin and everyone-"

Fear stirred in Harry's chest again: He had forgotten the inert figures he had left behind.

"Ginny, who is dead?"

"Don't worry, none of us."

"But the Dark Mark- Malfoy stepped over a body-"

"He stepped over Bill, but it's alright, he's alive."

There was something in her voice, however, that Harry knew boded ill.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure... he's a- a bit of a mess, that's all. Greyback attacked him. Madam Pomfrey says he won't- won't look the same anymore..."

Ginny's voice trembled a little.

"We don't really know what the aftereffects will be- I mean, Greyback being a werewolf, but not transformed at the time."

"But the others... there were other bodies on the ground..."

"Professor Flitwick is hurt, but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right. And a Death Eater's dead, he got hit by a Killing Curse that huge blond was firing off everywhere- Harry, if we hadn't had your Felix potion, I think we'd all have been killed, but everything seemed to just miss us-"

They had reached the hospital wing. Pushing open the doors, he saw Ron, Hermione, Luna, Tonks, and Lupin were gathered around a bed near the far end of the ward. At the sound of the doors opening, they all looked up. Hermione ran to Harry and hugged him; Lupin moved forward too, looking anxious.

"Are you all right, Harry?"

"I'm fine... How's Bill?"

Nobody answered. Harry looked over Hermione's shoulder and saw an unrecognizable face lying on Bill's pillow, so badly slashed and ripped that he looked grotesque. Madam Pomfrey was dabbing at his wounds with some harsh-smelling green ointment. Harry remembered how Snape had mended Malfoy's Sectumsempra wounds so easily with his wand.

"Can't you fix them with a charm or something?" he asked the matron.

"No charm will work on these," said Madam Pomfrey. "I've tried everything I know, but there is no cure for werewolf bites."

"But he wasn't bitten at the full moon," said Ron, who was gazing down into his brothers face as though he could somehow force him to mend by just staring. "Greyback hadn't transformed, so surely Bill won't be a- a real-?"

He looked uncertainly at Lupin.

"No, I don't think that Bill will be a true werewolf," said Lupin, "but that does not mean that there won't be some contamination. Those are cursed wounds. They are unlikely ever to heal full, and - and Bill might have some wolfish characteristics from now on."

"Dumbledore might know something that'd work, though," Ron said. "Where is he? Bill fought those maniacs on Dumbledore's orders, Dumbledore owes him, he can't leave him in this state-"

"I am sure Dumbledore is off doing some task he feels important, and he would feel sorry for Bill, but, as Madam Pomfrey says, there is no cure for werewolf bites."

The hospital door opened again and Professor McGonagall entered the ward. Like all the rest, she bore marks of the recent battle: There were grazes on her face and her robes were ripped.

"Molly and Arthur are on their way," she said. Everyone roused themselves as though coming out of trances, turning again to look at Bill, or else to rub their own eyes, shake their heads. "Harry, what happened? According to Hagrid you were with Professor Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore and I landed in the Astronomy Tower." Harry began, sounding bored. "Dumbledore immobilized me, and Malfoy burst through the door and tried to disarm Dumbledore. Dumbledore blocked it back and disarmed him. He then lifted his spell on me while Malfoy wasn't looking. Dumbledore had Malfoy explain how he brought Death Eaters into the castle and-"

"Draco let the Death Eaters in?" Professor McGonagall asked, horrified. Harry nodded. "How?"

"You know that Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement?" the professor nodded. "Well, there's another one in Borgin and Burkes, they form a passageway between them, and Malfoy used it to get the Death Eaters in." Professor McGonagall still looked shocked, but motioned for him to continue.

"Dumbledore was telling Malfoy that he could hide him and his mum from Voldemort if Malfoy came over to our side. Then, four Death Eaters came marching into the room. Neville threw his Rememberall above the doorway from down in the Entrance Hall." everyone shifted their glances to Neville, then back to Harry, who continued: "It broke, and all the Death Eaters turned around to see what had happened. I came out from under my Invisibility Cloak and used the Full Body Bind on one of the Death Eaters, while Dumbledore immobilized the other three and tied them up. Snape came in and got into a fake duel with Dumbledore to trick Malfoy and the Death Eaters." Harry paused here; for once in a long time, he believed Snape to be innocent. "Dumbledore stupified him, but Malfoy used 'Rennervate' on him, then they ran out the door and out the castle." Harry finished, his voice the same as it had been when he had begun.

Everyone was staring at him, not saying a word. Finally, Ron spoke up.

"I messed up, Harry," said Ron bleakly. "We did like you told us: We checked the Marauder's Map and we couldn't see Malfoy on it, so we thought he must be in the Room of Requirement, so me, Ginny, and Neville went to keep watch on it... but Malfoy got past us."

"He came out of the room about half an hour after we started keeping watch," said Ginny. "He was on his own, clutching that awful shriveled arm-"

"His Hand of Glory," said Ron. "Gives light only to the holder, remember?"

"Anyway," Ginny went on, "he must have been checking whether the coast was clear to let the Death Eaters out, because the moment he saw us he threw something into the air and it all went pitch-black-"

"-Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder," said Ron bitterly. "Fred and George's. I'm going to be having a word with them about who they let buy their products."

"We tried everything, Lumos, Incendio," said Ginny. "Nothing would penetrate the darkness; all we could do was grope our way out of the corridor again, and meanwhile we could hear people rushing past us. Obviously Malfoy could see because of that hand thing and was guiding them, but we didn't dare use any curses or anything in case we hit each other, and by the time we'd reached a corridor that was light, they'd gone."

"Luckily," said Lupin hoarsely, "Ron, Ginny, and Neville ran into us almost immediately and told us what had happened. We found the Death Eaters minutes later, heading in the direction of the Astronomy Tower. Malfoy obviously hadn't expected more people to be on the watch; he seemed to have exhausted his supply of Darkness Powder at any rate. A fight broke out, they scattered and we gave chase. One of them, Gibbon broke away and headed up the tower stairs-"

"To set off the Mark?" asked Harry.

"He must have done, yes, they must have arranged that before they left the Room of Requirement," said Lupin. "But I don't think Gibbon liked the idea of waiting up there alone for Dumbledore, because he came running back down the stairs to rejoin the fight and was hit by a Killing Curse that just missed me."

"We were in trouble, we were losing," said Tonks in a low voice. "Gibbon was down, but the rest of the Death Eaters seemed ready to fight to the death. Neville had been hurt, Bill had been savaged by Greyback... It was all dark... curses flying everywhere... The Malfoy boy had vanished, he must have slipped past, up the stairs... then more of them ran after him, but one of them blocked the stairs with some kind of curse."

"None of us could break through," said Ron, "and that massive Death Eater was still firing off jinxes all over the place, they were bouncing off the walls and barely missing us..."

"And then Snape was there," said Tonks, "and then he wasn't-"

"I saw him running toward us, but that huge Death Eater's jinx juste missed me right afterward and I ducked and lost track of things," said Ginny.

"I saw him run straight through the cursed barrier as though it wasn't there," said Lupin. "I tried to follow him, but was thrown back."

"He must have known a spell we didn't," whispered McGonagall. "After all- he was the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher... I just assumed that he was in a hurry to chase after the Death Eaters who'd escaped up to the tower..."

"He was," said Harry savagely, "and I'll bet you had to have a Dark Mark to get through that barrier- so what happened when he came back down?"

"Well, the big Death Eater had just fired off a hex that caused half the ceiling to fall in, and also broke the curse blocking the stairs," said Lupin. "We all ran forward- those of us who were still standing anyway- and then Snape and the boy emerged out of the dust, and the rest of the Death Eaters followed them out of the castle." Lupin finished, apparently tired.

The doors of the hospital wing burst open, making them all jump: Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were striding up the ward, Fleur just behind them, her beautiful face terrified.

"Molly- Arthur-" said Professor McGonagall, jumping up and hurrying to greet them. "I am so sorry-"

"Bill," whispered Mrs. Weasley, darting past Professor McGonagall as she caught sight of Bill's mingled face. "Oh, Bill!"

Lupin and Tonks had got up hastily and retreated so that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley could get nearer to the bed. Mrs. Weasley bent over her son and pressed her lips to his bloody forehead.

"You said Greyback attacked him?" Mr. Weasley asked Professor McGonagall distractedly. "But he hadn't transformed? So what does that mean? What will happen to Bill?"

"We don't yet know," said Professor McGonagall, looking helplessly at Lupin.

"There will probably be some contamination, Arthur," said Lupin. "It is an odd case, possibly unique... We don't know what his behavior might be like when he awakens..."

Mrs. Weasley took the nasty-smelling ointment from Madam Pomfrey and began dabbing at Bill's wounds. She began to sob, tears falling onto Bill's mutilated face.

"Of course, it doesn't matter how he looks... It's not r-really important... but he was a very handsome little b-boy... always very handsome... and he was going to be married!"

"And what do you mean by zat?" said Fleur suddenly and loudly. "What do you mean, ''e was going to be married?'"

Mrs. Weasley raised her tear-stained face, looking startled. "Well- only that-"

"You theenk Bill will not wish to marry me anymore?" demanded Fleur. "You theenk, because of these bites, he will not love me?"

"No, that's not what I-"

"Because 'e will!" said Fleur, drawing herself up to her full height and throwing back her long mane of silver hair. "It would take more zan a werewolf to stop Bill loving me!"

"Well, yes, I'm sure," said Mrs. Weasley, "but I thought perhaps- given how- how he-"

"You thought I would not weesh to marry him? Or per'aps, you hoped?" said Fleur, her nostrils flaring. "What do I care how he looks? I am good-looking enough for the both of us, I theenk! All these scars show is zat my husband is brave! And I shall do zat!" she added, fiercely, pushing Mrs. Weasley aside and snatching the ointment from her.

Mrs. Weasley fell back against her husband and watched Fleur mopping up Bill's wounds with a most curious expression upon her face. Nobody said anything; Harry did not dare move. Like everybody else, he was waiting for the explosion.

"Our Great-Auntie Muriel," said Mrs. Weasley after a long pause, "has a very beautiful tiara- goblin-made- which I am sure I could persuade her to lend you for the wedding. She is very fond of Bill, you know, and it would look lovely with your hair."

"Thank you," said Fleur stiffly. "I am sure zat will be lovely."

And then, Harry did not quite see how it happened, both women were crying and hugging each other. Completely bewildered, wondering whether the world had gone mad, he turned around: Ron looked as stunned as he felt and Ginny and Hermione were exchanging startled looks.

"You see!" said a strained voice. Tonks was glaring at Lupin. "She still wants to marry him, even though he's been bitten! She doesn't care!"

"It's different," said Lupin, barely moving his lips and looking suddenly tense. "Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are completely-"

"But I don't care either, I don't care!" said Tonks, seizing the front of Lupin's robes and shaking them. "I've told you a million times..."

And the meaning of Tonks's Patronus and her mouse-colored hair, and the reason she had come running to find Dumbledore when she had heard a rumor someone had been attacked by Greyback, all suddenly became clear to Harry; it had not been Sirius that Tonks had fallen in love with after all.

"And I've told you a million times," said Lupin, refusing to meet her eyes, staring at the floor, "that I'm too old for you, too poor... too dangerous..."

"I've said all along you're taking a ridiculous line on this, Remus," said Mrs. Weasley over Fleur's shoulder as she patted her on the back.

"I am not being ridiculous," said Lupin steadily. "Tonks deserves somebody young and whole."

"But she wants you," said Mr. Weasley, with a small smile. "And after all, Remus, young and whole men do not necessarily remain so."

He gestured sadly at his son, lying between them.

"This is... not the moment to discuss it," said Lupin.

The hospital door sprung open once more to reveal Dumbledore coming into the room. "What has happened to Mr. Weasley?" he asked at once.

"Greyback attacked him." replied Lupin.

Dumbledore looked sad, but apparently realized there was nothing to be done, so he said, "I have come to inform you that Hogwarts will be closing for the year in two days. We will have our annual end-of-year feast tomorrow night, and the Hogwarts Express will leave Wednesday morning. All exams have been canceled. All of this information is on each of these four flyers." Dumbledore showed them for pieces of paper in his good hand. "Miss Granger, Miss Lovegood, would you be so kind as to post these in your common rooms? Thank you." Hermione and Luna moved forward to take the paper from Dumbledore.

"I ask all of you students to please go back to your common rooms while I stay here with the elders."

Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna all obeyed and exited the room. The five Gryffindors told Luna good-bye and parted with her.

Harry noticed that Ron and Hermione were holding hands, and, for the first time Harry had seen, they seemed conscious of it. A smile was playing across his face as he asked, "So, are you two finally together?"

The pair of them blushed furiously and Hermione said, "Yes, since right after you left to go see Dumbledore in his office." the new couple smiled at Harry, then at each other, and Ron stole a peck on Hermione's cheek.

Harry felt Ginny's hand grab his. It made him feel uncomfortable: Sure, he was crazy about Ginny, but he felt he couldn't be with her or Voldemort would use her to get to Harry, as he had Sirius. Harry needed to end things with Ginny, but not tonight.

When they got back into the common room they found everyone else to be up in their dormitories. Neville bid them good-night before heading up to his dormitory. Hermione pinned the flyer Dumbledore had given her to the notice board. Then both girls said good-night, kissed their boyfriends- Hermione took a bit longer- and headed up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

"So, Ron," Harry started, grinning mischievously, "How'd it happen?"

"How'd what happen?"

"You and Hermione." Harry stated.

Ron blushed slightly. "I dunno. After you left, I talked to her and said that if something happened to her tonight, I'd never forgive myself for not telling her everything about how I felt. I never liked Lavender, she never liked Krum or McLaggen. Turns out she's liked me as well all these years." Ron finished with a grin.

"Who knew?" Harry said, happy that his two best friends were finally together.

"I know," Ron responded, obviously not catching the sarcasm in Harry's voice. "Then we just- we just-" he had suddenly turned scarlet.

"Kissed?" asked Harry, now extremely amused. Ron merely nodded shyly.

There was a silence, which was broken when Harry said, "Well, I'm happy for you two, but I'm going up to bed now. You'll forgive me if I don't give you a good-night kiss, won' t you?" Ron hit him playfully on the arm before the two walked up the stairs, got in bed, and fell asleep immediately.

Everyone had the next day to do whatever they pleased. Ron beat Harry in a game of chess to start off the day. Harry wanted to talk to Ginny, but couldn't bring himself to ruin such a wonderful day. The trio, with the addition of Ginny, played Quidditch out on the field after lunch. Hermione used a Clean Sweep 5 they borrowed from Madam Hooch's closet. They rotated positions, having two chasers trying to score on a chaser and a keeper. Hermione was still the worst of the four, but she seemed to have improved since the last time they played.

They day had gone by so fast that it was now time for the end-of-year feast. Dumbledore rose for his speech and said, "Another year has gone by, and as you all undoubtably know, all exams have been cancelled due to recent events. You are probably all wondering who is responsible for bringing Death Eaters into this school. I tell you, it was none other than our sixth-year student, Draco Malfoy. I ask you, do not think less of Draco; if he had not done it, he would have been killed by Lord Voldemort. The means by which he brought them in has been destroyed. I would like to thank the staff, members of the Order, and even some students for helping defend our castle. Professor Snape is off on other business, and it is uncertain whether or not he will be returning to teach next year." At this statement, many Gryffindors turned and looked happily at their friends. "Quiet down, please quiet down. I am delighted to say that all of our other professors, including our new potions master, Professor Slughorn, will be returning next year. Now, tuck in!"

Food appeared instantly on the plates of all the tables. Ron was helping himself to pork ribs and chicken, while Harry took a large helping of steak-and-kidney pie. Everyone in the Great Hall was chatting animatedly while they ate. It was an excellent feast, possibly the best Hogwarts had ever had. However, it came to an end all to soon, and all students returned to their common rooms. Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Neville played 5 games of Exploding Snap before turning in.

The next morning, Harry met up with Dumbledore while everyone around him was saying good-byes before getting onto the Hogwarts Express.

"Here is your pensieve, Harry," Dumbledore said, handing Harry a black case "It contains all of my memories that will be of help to you. There is a collection of small bottles containing others' memories I thought might help."

"Thank you, Sir," Harry said, waving good-bye to Dumbledore and putting the case into his trunk.

"Good-bye Harry. Be sure to use all three ways to test the Horcrux that I told you of. Scruxio could destroy your wand if it is used on an item that is not a Horcrux.

Harry nodded and turned to leave. He had to talk to Ginny now. He didn't want to in front of everyone on the train. He didn't want to, but he had to. He couldn't let Voldemort put his Legilimency to work and use her as bait. He had to do it.

He spotted her dragging her trunk across the ground and walked up to her.

"Ginny, listen..." he said very quietly, "I can't be involved with you anymore. We've got to stop seeing each other. We can't be together."

She said, with an oddly twisted smile, "It's for some stupid, noble reason, isn't it?"

"It's been like... like something out of someone else's life, these last few weeks with you," said Harry. "But I can't... we can't... I've got things to do alone now."

She did not cry, she simply looked at him.

"Voldemort uses people his enemies are close to. He's already used you as bait once, and that was just because you're my best friend's sister. Think how much danger you'll be in if we keep this up. He'll know, he'll find out. He'll try and get to me through you."

"What if I don't care?" said Ginny fiercely.

"I care," said Harry. "How do you think I'd feel if you died... and it was my fault..."

"It wouldn't be your fault," Ginny retorted. "Harry, tell me something: Do you love me?"

"I, er- yes I love you! That's why we-" but Ginny cut him off.

"Then he'll know either way. He could use me as bait whether we're together or not. I don't know about you, but if that's the case I'd rather us be together."

Harry nodded. She was right. He hadn't even thought about that.

"And Harry," she added, "I love you too."

He kissed her. All his worries were swept away, and all he could think about was how perfect she was: she was funny, kind, loving, caring, and she was the most beautiful girl Harry knew. When they broke apart, he said, "For once, I'm glad you're so stubborn."

She smiled up at him- he loved her smile- and said, "I never really gave up on you, and I won't now."

Harry helped her get her trunk on the train, then put his on. The pair of them met up with Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Luna. Harry got on the Hogwarts Express with the five of them, hand-in-hand with Ginny and looking forward to, hopefully, the best summer of his life.

A/N: Please review and tell me how you liked the story(and this chapter). Hope you thought it ROCKED!

-PatronusPotter41192