Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Harry Potter universe except for my own OC that I made for this story.
Harry Potter: To The End
Chapter 4 – One down
Harry Potter was pacing up and down the Hospital Wing. Always pacing, what was he turning into? Do to his new found powers and abilities he now realized he hardly needed to sleep. An hour or two a night would suffice and even then sometimes it was too much. He just kept thinking things over and over in his head.
Suddenly an idea struck Harry and he smiled. Bolting from the Hospital Wing he ran towards the Library and found Hermione with her head in a book.
"Hermione," Harry started, panting from the run.
"Hold on…, okay there, yes?" Hermione said, marking a page in her book.
"I think I know where a Horcrux is." Harry whispered.
"Really, where?" Hermione said, clearly excited at the thought of finding one of the Horcruxes.
"Chamber of Secrets. Voldemort came back to Dumbledore, looking for a teaching job. He knew he wouldn't get it but he still came and took the time to see Dumbledore. By this time he had already made a certain number of Horcruxes and had a group of Death Eaters behind him. Dumbledore never knew where the Chamber of Secrets was until we found it in second year. So while Voldemort came to the school, he could have gone down into the chamber to hide a Horcrux." Harry said speaking very fast, and very quiet.
"It makes perfect sense," Hermione said, looking as if a light bulb just shone over her head.
"When can we do it," She asked.
"When can I do it, and that's as soon as I get down there," Harry replied.
"Harry James Potter, if you think your going down their alone then forget about it. We're coming with you." Hermione replied looking only slightly mad.
Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, and Lilliana Emmerson were all walking down towards the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets.
Once at the door Harry turned around and surveyed the group.
"I just want you guys to know that you have the chance to turn back right now. If you don't want to go, I rather you stay up here and wait for us. There could be something I over looked the last time I was down there and I don't want to put any of you in danger." Harry said.
They all nodded and responded as one, "We're going!"
Harry stood beyond the tap and hissed, "Open", in Parseltongue.
The entrance to the chamber opens and Harry peaked down.
"Hmm, Close" Harry repeats in Parseltongue. "I've got a better idea"
"Fawkes!" Harry said.
In a flash of flame Fawkes appeared and stood gazing at him expectantly.
"Fawkes can you flash us all down into the chamber?" Harry asked his phoenix.
Fawkes trilled an affirmative. "Okay you lot, gather around me, everyone holding hands? Okay good, Fawkes, take me to the antechamber. Not the actual place. Understand? Good, 3… 2… 1…" As Harry said one Fawkes flew overhead and Harry grabbed his tail feathers, in a fiery flash they were in a dark cold place that Harry associated with the Chamber.
"Open" Harry hissed in Parseltounge.
The passageway opened and Harry taking the lead with Fawkes on his shoulder strolled in, his friends bringing up the rear, looking on with great attention.
Harry knew something was wrong the second he took a step past a certain point.
"EVERYBODY! Get back and close your eyes." Harry shouted.
When no one moved he shouted, "GET ON WITH IT!"
Harry's friends scrambled back and shut their eyes tightly. Harry started talking in low hushed whispers to Fawkes and in a flash Fawkes disappeared.
There was a great rumbling causing dust and debris to fall down, then slowly through a pipe no one saw a giant Basilisk, twice as big as the one Harry faced in second year slithered out. Harry seeing the serpent closed his eyes instantly.
"BLIND HIM!" Harry screamed to Fawkes.
Harry waited patiently, suddenly hearing a roar and an affirmative trill Harry opened his eyes to find the Basilisk trashing around while blood poured from its eyes.
"Everyone can open there eyes, but stand back and don't you dare come near. Go to the door." Harry said without looking back.
Lilliana shrieked when she saw the Basilisk, and as soon as she did, the Basilisk turned its head in her direction.
"Bloody hell," Harry said.
Not knowing if it would work but trying anyways, Harry held out his palm and tried to feel what he felt when he held Godric's sword when he first put on the ring.
In a flash of metal the sword of Godric Gryffindor appeared in Harry's hand.
Twirling it around in his hand he jumped in front of its way and slashed hard across its mouth.
A number of sharp teeth were sliced right through and fell to the floor while the Basilisk thrashed around again.
Momentarily forgetting about it's other prey, the Basilisk focused its attack onto Harry which was what Harry wanted.
Harry swayed back and forth, dodging the Basilisk huge bites. Slashing his sword every once and a while cutting the Basilisk. He wasn't causing too much damage to it but every little hit count.
Harry was waiting for the moment the Basilisk made a mistake to plunge the sword into its mouth as he did before.
Harry jumped to the left as the Basilisk took a bite to the right. The Basilisk reared its head up high and Harry made sure to hit the stone floor hard so the Basilisk knew where he was.
In an instant the Basilisk struck, its head snapping down, mouth wide open. All his friends screamed at the same time thinking the Basilisk had finally gotten his prey.
Harry was literally inside the Basilisk's mouth, pushing his sword all the way to the hilt into the roof of the Basilisk's mouth.
Blood poured all over him but he didn't care, he still pushed on, using some of his raw magic to push harder.
Then with a great shudder the beast toppled over with Harry still in it.
Harry's friends rushed over to him and pulled him out, while Harry was still clutching at the sword.
Harry waved his wand over his clothes getting rid of all the blood that was on him and finally grinned at his friends.
Ginny went up to Harry and leaned in close.
Then she slapped him straight across the face making him stumble back and almost fall on his arse.
"What are you doing!" Harry said.
"Giving you what you deserve for scaring us all too bloody death!" Ginny said glaring at him, then running into him hugging him for all he was worth.
Everyone else soon joined in hugging him. Harry then said, "Okay lets look around, there's got to be something we overlooked. If you see anything, DO NOT TOUCH IT. Come get me." Harry told them all.
Hermione and Ron started looking all around, waving their wand at certain points. Lilliana and Ginny came up to him and asked, "Look for what?"
"Oh I forgot you guys didn't know, well I'll put it this way, if you see something that looks out of place down here, or a secret door then come get me. Do not touch it, it could be cursed." Harry told them and then he started looking around.
He gently ran his fingers over the tall statue of Salazar. He felt magic here but he could tell it was too weak to be anything.
Harry continued to run his fingers over the statue.
Suddenly Harry felt a strong sense of magic. It made him shiver because it was so cold. It was dark magic.
He turned and called out to his friends to come join him. He told them what he thought about the wall and then started to stare at it.
Only a second later he decided just to try what Dumbledore did, he turned to his friends, "Does anyone have a small knife?" He asked.
Ron pulled a very small blade out of his pocket and handed it to Harry, "What are you going to do with it?" Hermione asked.
Harry looked her in the eyes and his never left hers, suddenly with a swish of light the knife cut through his skin, and without wincing, peppering the wall with blood.
He waved his wand over his cut and then over the knife as the wall started to glow in a white arch. His friends, after flinching at his cut arm, looked transfixed as the wall glowed in an arch and opened up. Inside was just a small looking podium. On top, gleaming in all its glory was the cup of Helga Hufflepuff.
"Get back everyone, it could be another trap. Voldemort wouldn't let someone get this far without letting them go easily." Harry said staring at the cup.
Harry took off his robe and then his sweater he was wearing underneath. He threw his sweater over the cup and picked it up.
Putting his robe back on he gave the cup wrapped in the sweater to Ron for safe keeping, because Harry knew something was going to come up, but what he didn't know.
As they walked out, Harry didn't need to wait to long to find out what it was. Suddenly hundreds upon hundreds of snakes of all various sizes were coming around them, all staring Harry down hissing menacingly.
Harry quietly told everyone to be very still and quiet.
"Stand down," Harry hissed to the snakes. "It is I, Lord Voldemort." Harry hissed, knowing that he and Voldemort are the only wizard's who could speak parseltongue possibly in the magical world.
"Liarrr…" Hissed one of the snakes, the biggest and most scary looking one.
Harry whipped his wand at the snake and it disappeared in a puff of smoke, "I am merely possessing this boy, do any of you care to try and block your master's path?" Harry hissed, pushing his magic into his voice to make it more menacing then it already was.
The snakes merely surveyed him for a couple of seconds, then the second largest one looked up to Harry and hissed, "We is sorry Master, we felt the presence of another and came to protect as you set us to."
Harry thought a second then replied, "There is no longer need to protect down here, I am taking what needs protecting with me, you may all return to the forest. You have all served well."
All the snakes suddenly slithered away leaving Harry and his friends just standing there.
"Harry what the-" Ron was about to say before Harry cut him off.
"In a second Ron, I want to get the bloody hell out of here first." Harry replied.
"Fawkes!" Harry yelled.
Fawkes landed on Harry's shoulder; everyone then held hands while Harry told Fawkes, "Okay go ahead, Hospital Wing."
In a flash of fire they were suddenly in the middle of the Hospital Wing, and Harry sat down hard into a chair.
After Harry explained what he told the snakes, Hermione replied, "That was brilliant Harry! What made you think to do that?"
"Well, Voldemort thinks that he and he alone knows about his, er, things. So the only person who he truly thought would be down there is himself when he set the traps. Since I knew he could take possession of people even with a body I decided to test my luck. I wasn't really worried, because I know Fawkes could get us all out of there, but I didn't want them to come up through the pipes and start slithering all over Hogwarts looking for us. So I told them they weren't needed and told them to return to the forest." Harry replied.
"Well that was good thinking mate, when I saw all those snakes I had no idea what to do." Ron said.
"That reminds me, let me see the cup." Harry said.
Ron took the sweater and put it down on the floor in front of Harry taking the sweater off of it. Harry waved his wand over the cup and it glowed bright blue for a few seconds. Then suddenly a ghostly figure of a young Tom Riddle glowed over it glaring at them all. Muttering a silencing charm around them while waving his wand Harry turned to his friends.
"Ah, thought so. Good then." Harry said, then turning to Ginny and Lilliana. He then explained Horcruxes, what they were, what Voldemort did, how many he had, and anything he could think about the subject to them both so they understood.
"So I was carrying a part of Voldemort's soul around for a whole bloody year?" Ginny asked incredulously.
"I'm sorry to say but yes you were, that's how it possessed you, a simple memory cannot do that." Harry told her.
"Now since your both in on this, I need your word. Both of you, that you will not utter a word of this to anybody. I mean anybody, if Voldemort learns about this, then he can just make another one and we'll never know what it is. Do I have your word?" Harry asked Ginny and Lilliana, staring them down.
"Don't even have to ask." Ginny said staring into Harry's emerald eyes.
"Of course!" Lilliana yelled jumping into him and squeezing him hard. She was terrified about all she learned and about everything that's happened, but to be here and feel like one of them, when she really is just a complete stranger to them, well, it made her feel incredible.
"This is great news for the light side. We have a piece of Voldemort's soul. As of right now I'm not sure how where going to destroy it. Dumbledore tried a complicated spell but from what I understand from his memories, Voldemort protected his Horcruxes from this spell, cursing the person who uses it. I guess that's how his hand got damaged." Harry said, thinking out loud.
"For us to start this search and all the studying we are going to have to do, we need a base of operations, one that the Order isn't using because I don't want any spies looking at the stuff we left out. So I guess I'm going to have to buy a house." Harry said to the group.
"Harry, I was told that the location to the Order of the Phoenix has relocated since Dumbledore's death. Now they're going to be meeting at the school. So we can use the Order's old Headquarters, since it is your house already. Plus it has so many magical enchantments and charms over it; it's pretty much like a fortress. The only problem is it's not under the Fidelius charm anymore since Dumbledore died, so we're going to have to find someone to put it under it." Hermione told Harry.
"I know how to do it! I'll go and do it right now, thanks Hermione!" Harry said, clearly excited at the thought of getting stuff off his to do list. Plus he was anxious to try out the charm.
"Ron, will you come with me and watch my back? From what I can tell I'll be momentarily weakened." Harry asked looking over to Ron.
"Sure thing, Mate. When?" Ron asked.
"Now, Fawkes!" Harry yelled, and a few moments later, Harry and Ron were outside of Number 12, Grimmauld place.
"Okay, watch my back." Harry said, getting his wand out and staring at the house.
Ron watched from the corner of his eye, looking up and down the street every once and a while, making sure no one would interrupt them.
Harry aimed his wand at the house and said, "Fidellium!"
A large pale blue looking net shot out from his wand going over not only Number 12, but also 11 and 13. Harry twisted his wand slightly, condensing the net so it covered right over Number 12.
Slashing his wand down the net completely covered the house and draped over it as if under the net now.
Harry then pointed the wand to his head and closed his eyes. Harry's head glowed blue for a moment, and then Harry fell onto one knee panting hard from all the magic he just used.
Ron saw his friend control the net over Number 12, then pointing the wand to his head. Suddenly Ron noticed with a gasp, that Number- wait what was the number? Anyways, that the house just disappeared.
Ron saw Harry fall to his knee so he rushed over to him. "You all right, mate? The charms working well, I can't see or remember anything. How are you feeling?" Ron asked in quick succession, or so it seemed to Harry.
Harry pulled some parchment out of his pocket and waved his wand over it. Handing it to Ron, Harry said, "Read that, and then think of it."
Ron took the paper and read to himself, "Harry Potter's home is located at Number 12, Grimmauld Place."
Ron kept chanting it in his mind as he looked up and with another gasp he saw Number 12 rising out of no where pushing 11 and 13 out of the way.
"Bloody hell." Ron whispered staring at the house in awe. Shaking himself out of it he helped Harry up and told him I all worked out.
"Okay then, let's get back to Hogwarts, no sense in worrying everyone." Harry said, taking the note from Ron and calling out to Fawkes. They were back an instant later.
Sitting down hard in a chair Harry told the girls about what happened.
"Congratulations Harry, that's one of the most complicated charms there is. And you get it right on your first try! That's incredible." Hermione was saying to no one in particular.
"I guess she's impressed," Harry thought to himself. Pride was shining in Ginny's eyes and Harry turned a very slight shade of red at the praise.
"Lilliana, will you go and give the Headmistress a message for me?" Harry asked Lilliana, hoping she would.
"Yeah, sure thing." Lilliana replied, and after Harry scribbled a note telling McGonagall that he recharmed Headquarters, she was on her way leaving the four friends alone.
"Okay while she's gone I wanted to talk about what's going to happen to her. She has no where to go and without thinking I promised her she could stay wherever she wants to. Now she wants to stay with me, but I'm not sure if it's such a good idea." Harry told his group in whispers.
"I think it's a brilliant idea mate," Ron said. Hermione nodded her head and added, "Yeah so do I, it's really sweet Harry, and I know we'll be in some danger but we can take care of her better then anyone else. The only thing is, how are we just going to take her? She underage, the Ministry will want to put her in an orphanage for the summer. What can we do?"
"I don't think it's a good idea to take her with us," Ginny said, not meeting Harry's eyes.
"Why not?" Harry asked her, actually curious.
"Well, like Hermione said, it really wouldn't be safe and the girl will be in danger, she's going to be a second year, she shouldn't be with us." Ginny said.
"Well I already promised her she could go anywhere, and anywhere is me. I'm not going to take my word back after all the girls been through." Harry replied calmly, rubbing his temples.
"Fine," Snapped Ginny.
Harry looked at her oddly and was about to question her when Lilliana walked back into the Hospital Wing.
"Thank you so much Lilliana, did she say anything?" Harry asked.
"She said that it was alright and that they weren't planning on going back there anyways." Lilliana said looking around at all the friends.
"Lilliana, we need to talk. You remember that I promised you could go anywhere you wanted to right?" Harry asked.
"Your not going to leave me all alone are you!" Lilliana said loudly, tears coming to her eyes.
"No, no I just wanted to talk to you about this. Lilliana, it's going to be dangerous, extremely dangerous. I trust your judgment and I want you to make the decision. If you want to stay with me you can, if not we can figure something else out. What do you think?" Harry asked softly, trying to soothe the suddenly agitated girl.
"I don't care about the danger, I want to stay with you." Lilliana said, starting to calm down.
"Well Lilliana, you're not of age, and since you don't have any relatives, the Ministry is going to want to put you into an orphanage. You just can't stay with me, but if I adopt you and become your guardian, then you won't have to go to an orphanage. You could stay with me for as long as you like." Harry said, getting strangely nervous at her response.
Lilliana was quiet for a couple of minutes thinking about what Harry just told her. She'd never known her own dad; he died when she was very young. She only had her Mommy since she could remember, but now she didn't. But Harry was willing to be the Daddy she never had and she didn't know what to say.
Harry was getting more and more nervous, but didn't know why. "It won't mean I'm trying to be your parent or anything, I don't want you to think I'm taking over your parents jobs. It's just the only way that you can stay with me legally. Nothing has to change; we would just need to make it official." Harry added quickly.
"I think it's a brilliant idea." Lilliana said softly, truly smiling for the first time in a while.
"I'd love for you to be my d-, my guardian," Lilliana said, coughing half way through.
"Brilliant!" Harry said, picking her up and swinging her around in his arms.
Lilliana was positively beaming! Harry Potter actually wanted to take care of her! He wasn't just going to dump her off at someone's house or some orphanage. He truly cared for her.
Harry was ecstatic! Lilliana was going to be his adopted daughter! She actually wanted to be and it made Harry feel incredible. He would protect this girl with everything he had and make sure she's loved. He knew how it felt. She's an orphan. But he wasn't going to let it hurt her. He vowed right there to show her the love he never had, the happiness that was always denied him, and to do anything for the girl.
Hermione looked on in amazement. Her friend was truly becoming greater then she ever thought was possible. Adopting is a huge step for someone. He was only one person and he adopted her without a second thought about it. Plus look at Lilliana! She's practically glowing. Hermione was Happy for her two friends. She looked over at Ginny to see what she thought but was genuinely surprise to see her slightly narrowing her eyes at Harry and Lilliana.
Ginny was furious. Harry just goes off and decides to adopt a girl he doesn't know very well, and let her go with him when just a week before he was going to leave me behind! Plus the way he just shrugged off her opinion with the matter. It was dangerous and the girl shouldn't go, but without even thinking about me he just decides to do what he wants. The nerve!
If Ginny was honest with herself, she wasn't truly mad. She was just jealous about the whole situation. Harry was ready to leave me behind but with Lilliana he decides he can take her in and let her go with them now. She knew it was childish but she wanted to be the one being spun in his arms. Ginny shook herself slightly and forced a smile on her face.
Harry put Lilliana down then pulled out the note about Headquarters. Telling everyone to come around he passed the note to them all besides Ron, then told them to think about what he said.
Lilliana looked at him funny thinking it was some sort of joke at first. But seeing his serious face she decided to ask what she was reading about.
"Harry, how come I had to read and think about it?" Lilliana ask looking up into his eyes.
"Ron and I went to our new home, and to make sure that nobody but the people I choose and trust can get into the house, I set a certain charm around it. Now nobody but the people who read that note, will be able to see the house. Which means just us five. It will be the safest place for us." Harry said, then decided to explain the charm itself.
"See the charm works by trust. You trust a certain person to know where the house is, this person is called the Secret Keeper. You usually would need to trust this person with keeping the secret of your house and who can go in. Only the secret keep would then be able to allow people in. I made myself the secret keeper. And even thought I trust you all with my life-" (Harry could of sworn he heard Ginny snigger at this) "-I'm the only one who can keep a strong Occlumency shield up, and I wouldn't want anything to happen to you guys." Harry explained.
"Now onto our new Headquarters. Before you get mad Hermione, I want you to listen to me. Headquarters is huge, and even though we tried hard, we could hardly make it livable. We're going to need help, and the only person I trust for the job really would be Dobby. You know how I am Hermione-" Harry added quickly when he saw she was about to interrupt him. "-I'm not going to beat him or enslave him. I'll treat him fair and pay whatever he wants. He'll be free."
"Oh all right," Hermione said glumly. She could find nothing wrong with the plan but that still didn't mean she liked it.
"Dobby?" Harry said softly, trying to get Dobby to come to him.
With a small pop Harry was suddenly on his back with an excited House Elf squeezing the lunch out of his stomach.
"Dobby sir is so happy that Harry Potter sir is calling for Dobby!" Dobby squeaked quickly.
"What can Dobby do for Harry Potter and his friends. Dobby will do anything for Harry Potter because Harry Potter is the greatest wizard. Oh yes he is!" Dobby was saying, then suddenly started glaring at Harry's friends as if daring them to contradict him.
"Dobby, I have a house now and to put it bluntly it needs a lot of work. I was wondering if you would like to come and work for me as a free elf." Harry said, but before he could finish he found himself on the floor again with a sobbing house elf crying all over him.
"Oh Harry Potter sir is to kind, Harry Potter is been such a great wizard," Dobby wailed, making his friends giggle at Harry's predicament.
"Dobby, dobby I can't breathe. Calm down, does this mean you'll take me up on my offer?" Harry asked.
"Of course oh great Harry Potter. Dobby cannot wait until serving his new master!" Dobby said quickly.
"No one is your Master Dobby, I just want to be your friend. I'll pay you double what you made here, you will never punish yourself, you can wear whatever you want, I'll even by you some clothes if you want, and you can have three days off a week. How does that sound to you?" Harry asked Dobby, getting on one knee to be more on his level.
Dobby started crying again, "Oh Master is to kind to Dobby, that is all beings to much master Harry, Dobby doesn't need anything-" Dobby was saying before Harry cut him off.
"Listen Dobby I was serious, you're getting paid, not punishing yourself, getting time off, which ever room you want in the house and whatever clothes you want. I'm not your master so don't call me that, I'm your friend Dobby, and my friends call me Harry." Harry told the excited house elf.
Dobby gave Harry a hard hug happy beyond belief at finally having his dream come true.
"Whatever mast-, I mean whatever Dobby's friend Harry wants." Dobby said.
"But Harry Potter sir, me and Winky's been, well-" Dobby was saying growing more and more nervous that his huge bat like ears were starting to droop.
"Winky is welcome to come work for me with the same conditions as you," Harry said catching onto Dobby's nervousness quickly.
"Oh thank you Harry Potter sir! You wills not be disappointed!" Dobby said, and with that he disappeared.
"You did the right thing Harry," Hermione was saying, shocking everyone there.
"Being free isn't just about being free, it's about being happy and doing what you want and love, and you gave Dobby that chance. I think it's great." Hermione finished.
"Thanks Hermione, that means a lot." Harry said giving her a crooked grin.
"Well I don't know about all you lot, but I'm knackered. I'm going to go have a lie in." Harry said, yawning hugely when he finished speaking making everyone around him laugh.
Authors Note:
I see that over a hundred people have been reading this story, but for some reason no one will give me a darn review! I want to know what you guys think so please, when you read review, because if I get no reviews I'm going to think no ones liking it and just give up on it. Please review, it makes us writer's day!