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(A/N): Harry Potter and the Second War

Chapter 1

Home

The train ride from Hogwarts to King's Cross was the worst Harry had ever experienced. Though he was sharing it with his three best friend, one of whom had been his girlfriend for an ever so brief time, the realization of what lay ahead and the recent death of Dumbledore overrode all else. The images of the man's death played over and over in his head, as did the knowledge that he still had the most difficult quest of his life ahead of him. For some reason he felt as though he should feel worse about the Headmaster's death. At a second glance, he realized the string of death and destruction he had been experiencing ever since starting at Hogwarts was slowly desensitizing him to it.

Immediately he tried to force himself to feel the pain of loss more fully. If he stayed on the way he was going, he could become as cold inside as Voldemort. Tom Riddle had become icy inside, unfeeling and uncaring for anything other than himself. Harry knew that he couldn't defeat the darkest wizard of the age by turning to darkness himself, no matter how tempting the power that lay there might become. Again the prophecy ran through his head, as did Dumbledore's words about the one advantage Harry had. He had to become a murderer and be able to love? It would almost be easier if he had never been born.

No. He quickly corrected that line of thinking. If he had never been born, Voldemort would have gone unopposed. The world would have fallen to darkness and the three people he shared the cabin with would be dead. In the end, was one person's suffering so much compared to the world? Harry knew it was selfishness telling him it was. He could almost feel the weight of his task bearing down on his shoulders. Part of him knew the prophecy and new he needed a plan, an idea, some course of action. He had to face Voldemort in the end and he should be trying to figure out what he was going to do both before then and when the destine moment finally came.

His mind however couldn't focus on that while his heart was controlling his thoughts. Dumbledore was dead. He'd never see that welcoming smile or hear a strange bit of riddled wisdom from the man again. Pain tore through him nearly as great as at the death of his Godfather. Experience told him it would get better, but he still felt raw right now. Snape had finally shown his true colors and murdered Harry's last guardian. Rage boiled up and he knew that if Snape appeared right then he could have made the Cruciatus curse work. He smashed down on that feeling hard. Correct use of that curse was a line he desperately hoped never to cross.

Another powerful emotion bubbled through the pain and sorrow. It overrode the others and was currently dominating his feelings. It was a bizarre sensation that he wasn't quite able to articulate even to himself. It felt like loss, hope, fear, doubt and a dozen other things all rolled into one. It was a dull ache that beat in counter time to his heart and pulsed a little harder whenever his eyes drifted to the incredibly beautiful redhead sitting solemnly across the cabin. He couldn't decide if it was a mistake to have her here. Though he wanted to spend what time was left with her it was slowly killing him to be so close yet so far.

Her eyes met his for a second. During that too short breath of time he could see the same fire in them he had seen by the lake. He wanted to dive across the cabin, collect her in his arms and beg her to forgive him for breaking up. Another part of him smashed that desire down by showing him images of her corpse, one of which was a memory of the boggart Mrs. Weasley had found at Order HQ. If another had appeared in front of him now he was fairly sure he knew what it would become.

All of this bore down, nearly crushing him with the weight. Desperately fighting he managed to bring his raging emotions under control if only for a moment. He couldn't cut them off, but he did his best to cram them into one little package he could handle. Doing his best to set it aside, he tried to reengage in what the others were saying. There had been a half hearted conversation going on in the cabin since they left Hogsmeade, but he had been too absorbed in himself to pay much attention. Ginny's was the first comment he heard as he focused. For several moments he merely listened to the conversation between his friends.

"But, they have to keep the school open, don't they?"

"I don't know. A lot of parents aren't going to want to send their children when they hear the details about the attack."

"But that's crazy! Hogwarts is going to be the safest place to be."

"No Ron, Hogwarts was the safest because people believed it was untouchable with Dumbledore there. Now that he's gone…" Hermione trailed off, unable to continue. Into the following silence, Harry finally spoke.

"It might be better if they close the school. For a year anyway." All three of them looked at him, stunned.

"But Harry, how can you say that?"

"If it stays open, it makes a single target for Voldemort. If the students and teachers stay home, they may be easier individual targets, but he can't get them all at once." Silence descended once again as they considered this. Harry knew even that strategy was, at best, a stalling tactic and could easily backfire, but until he could find and destroy all the Horcrux, it wouldn't matter where Tom attacked. "Either way, I won't be going back." Hermione knew it wouldn't change his mind, but she asked anyway.

"But Harry, isn't Hogwarts the best place to learn what you might need to defeat…Voldemort?" Harry had thought long and heard about it, but without Dumbledore there, he couldn't come up with a solid reason. He shook his head a little in response.

"No. Dumbledore taught me all he could. More hexes, counter curses and spells aren't going to help. Now it's down to me to do the leg work and finish the job he…and I…started. I will have a little unwitting help though." Ron looked at him, puzzled.

"From who?"

"From the Half Blood Prince."

"You kept the book?"

"Yes. Snape may have been a traitor, but his notes are still valid. Most of them anyway." The book was currently concealed in his trunk.

"So mate…what exactly do you plan to do?" Harry had been contemplating this question himself for the last several hours. He had had a rough idea and even now he was figuring out the particulars.

"Well…first I have to go to my uncle's house…for one day at least. Then I believe I have an appointment at the Burrow I can't miss." He smiled at Ron who returned it with a nod. "Then…I go after Voldemort. One piece at a time." Hermione caught the inflection on the word piece.

"You mean, the Horcrux?"

"Yes. They're out there, somewhere, and I have to find them."

"Not by yourself. I'm coming with you."

"So am I," Ron chimed in.

"What are Horcrux?" The others turned and realized Ginny hadn't been told about them yet. Glancing back and forth uneasily they turned to Harry and waited for him to decide if he wanted her to know. Nodding to himself he answered.

"Pieces of Voldemort's soul. Somehow he managed to implant parts of himself in other objects in a desperate attempt to gain immortality. I have to figure out what they are, find them and destroy them. Then I can destroy Voldemort for good." A look of shock crossed Ginny's face.

"Oh…" For a moment he was worried she would demand to come with him. He had considered the possibility many times and always rejected it for the same reason he had broken up with her. Though the additional support, and skill he admitted, would be a welcome help, the added risk was something he couldn't live with. After a few seconds of silence though, she blessedly changed topics and spared him the problem. "So, when are you coming to the Burrow?"

"Well…if it's okay with your mum…I thought I'd go a couple weeks before the wedding. I want to be out of my uncle's before my birthday, just in case." Dumbledore had never told him exactly when the protection would wear off and in this case it was definitely better safe than sorry. "After that is my birthday so I'll have to find somewhere to go. The Burrow is fine to sleep in, but I need somewhere with the books and things to plan out what I'm going to do. I was thinking the Order's HQ. I can do research and gather supplies before heading out." Hermione looked a little skeptical, but Ron seemed to fully support his ideas.

"Sounds like a decent plan mate. Don't think mum'll mind you staying at the Burrow for a while. What about you Hermione?" She seemed surprise that the question had come and took a moment to consider the answer. Of the three of them, she was the only one who's parents lived in the muggle world and the only one to whom coming to the Burrow meant not seeing them until next summer. Or ever again Harry silently reminded himself.

"I…I thought I'd be there in a couple days. My parents won't mind I'm…sure." Harry just thought he saw a small grin on Ron's face, but it was gone so fast he was probably imagining it. Whatever was going on there was starting to bug him. But he had other things to think about. Like where to find pieces of Tom's soul.

The train began to slow to a halt and the students could see King's Cross sliding into view. It was something of a challenge for the four to rise and collect their luggage. Harry felt it most acutely. If everything went as he planned, this was likely the last time he would be on this train. From his first ride nearly six years ago to all the ones he had taken since, the train had been a physical manifestation of the promise Hogwarts offered him. A place where he and his friends would be accepted as an equal, judged not on his relationship to his relatives or by comparison to a cousin, but by his skills and what he could do. The Express was also the link between those two halves of his life, the ferry between the banks of two shores, further separated than the Atlantic coasts. Taking one last look around and locking the image into his memories, an image of easier, better times, he followed the others onto the platform.

The attendants were moving double time this year and in only minutes he had his trunk and cage on the small trolley. Hedwig was sleeping softly and he did his best not to wake her as he headed for the barrier. It seemed everywhere he looked new concerns rose in his mind regarding the plan he had put together. Hedwig was a very visible and easy to pick out owl even amongst the myriad of bird in the owlery. He wasn't sure he should or could take her with him, but without he may have to rely on Pig, which wasn't much better.

Glancing around he found a number of fellow students drifting slowly toward the barrier, each seemingly wanting to linger, as if they too felt this might be the last time they would see the train. The few eyes he caught returned his small nod before floating back to the gleaming red Express. Satisfying himself with one last look he forcibly turned away and instead focused on another red, the mane of hair on Ginny's head as he followed her out and into King's Cross proper.

The Weasley parents were already there and collected their children as soon as they stepped from the wall. Mrs. Weasley greeted each of her offspring with tight hugs and moist eyes. She was mumbling something about coming into find them, but Harry's eyes trailed off for a moment, not really able to watch. They landed on Mr. and Mrs. Granger, standing a dozen yards away and patiently waiting for their daughter. Of all the parents waiting, they seemed the least anxious. Harry had no idea how much Hermione had told them about what was going on, but either they were two of the steadiest people he had ever seen, or they were blissfully ignorant of just how dangerous the world had become for her an themselves.

Before reaching them, Hermione was caught in a crushing hug by Molly as well who mumbled a few words to her, probably agreeing she could come whenever she wished. A moment later she was caught in a lighter hug by Ron and Harry swore he almost saw them kiss. By the time he had blinked to check his vision though, they had pulled quickly apart, each blushing a little. With sudden speed after the embrace, Hermione set off across the platform to her parents, Ron's eyes studiously following her as she went with a focus Harry hadn't seen since the last Quiddich match of the season. Watching her go as well, Harry was caught in a firm yet somber hug from the matriarch of the red headed family.

"Hello Harry dear." He could see her looking over him as she pulled back, most likely looking for the lost expression and empty eyes he had worn after a loosing Sirius. She seemed a little surprised not to find it there and it took her a moment to recover. Harry couldn't really blame her, he had surprised himself that he was able to control his emotions enough not scream at everyone this time. Perhaps those Occulemency lessons had been useful after all.

"Hi Mrs. Weasley." She recovered a moment later though and a different concern rose in her eyes and voice. Harry knew before she spoke what it was about from a quick glance to Ron.

"Ron says you'll be coming to us a couple weeks before the wedding. Are you sure you don't want to come sooner?" He could almost hear the half hearted attempt at a guilt trip in her voice, but having spent so much time with Ron, it could just as well be paranoia inherited from his friend.

"No ma'am. I just need a little time alone to clear my head and figure out what I need to do. Besides, my uncle's house will be protected until I leave." She looked for a moment like she was going to argue but Harry noticed Arthur's hand placed lightly on her shoulder seemed to stop her. She glanced up into his face again before nodding reluctantly.

"Okay Harry. Just remember, if you need anything…anything at all, just owl." He smiled a little as how emphatic he statement had been. He knew that she would try to get anything he asked for. Ron had said a few times she treated him better than her own children and was often only half joking. They had done so much for him over the years though, that he couldn't bring himself to ask for anything…except…

"I will. Actually…could I get a lift back? I sort of forgot to let them know I'd be returning early." It was her turn to smile a little at being able to help her nearly adopted son.

"Of course dear. Arthur thought you might have other things on your mind so he brought along an extra car along. He'll ride over with you." She jerked her head in the general direction of her husband, who nodded with a small grin on his face.

"Thank you."

"Any time. Remember…just owl." She turned to collect her children and began bustling them out to the curb. Saying good-bye to Ron and a silent farewell to Ginny he followed the elder Mr. Weasley to the street a few long paces from the car carrying the others that was already speeding away and slid into the backseat of the car beside his guard. Hedwig sat between them, amazingly still asleep, and he set the trunk on the floor to the side. He watched the car in front of them speed of into traffic and wondered idly where they got the drivers for ministry cars. That could be an interesting juxtaposition. Be part of the wizarding world and drive cars all day? Then again…Ernie did make his living driving the Knight Bus. Harry tried to pull his attention firmly away from the occupants of the other car as it disappeared into surrounding rush and focus instead on the scenery as his own ride pulled away from the curb.

Slowly, very slowly in the rush hour traffic, the tall and imposing buildings of London proper melted away into the small suburbs of the great metropolis. Harry let his head fall to the side and press against the window, his disorderly bangs falling away from his forehead and faintly showing the scar reflected in the glass as streets and people blurred past behind it. Arthur was rather more somber during the journey than he usually was. The man had a habit of staring bizarre conversations about mundane muggle objects whenever Harry was around, but apparently even he had realized now was not the time. It was a good long while before he spoke beyond commenting on the weather. When he finally did it was with a patience and delicacy than Harry hadn't ever known of him.

"Say…uh…Harry?" It took a moment for Harry to realize he was being directly addressed as opposed to just being expected to offer a noncommittal observation on whether it looked like rain.

"Yes, sir?" Harry turned away from the window that he had been staring out of and yet seeing nothing though his unfocused eyes. His gaze slowly swung around to the elder Weasley and found his eyes flicking around this way and that, not meeting Harry's for more than a second.

"I…I heard…that is…Ron mentioned…in an owl you see…" Harry had never seen the man so inarticulate. Usually he could speak confidently, even if his concepts and names for things were wildly wrong. Had someone died to make him act like this? Harry mental smacked the part of his psyche that had thrown that idea up.

"Sir, what is it?" Harry's eyebrow half rose, his eyes trying to discern what the man was going on about in such a haphazard and ineffective way.

"He said you and…Ginny were…dating. Each other." Ah…that explained it. Harry was a little surprised he wasn't more annoyed at Ron divulging everything that happened between him and his sister to his parents, but he had always known his friend couldn't keep his mouth shut about anything. Which was one of the main reasons the Twins so often used him to spread rumors in his early, impressionable, years.

"Did he?" There was neither confirmation nor denial in his response, just a hint of curiosity that allowed Arthur to continue.

"Yes. I…I just was…what I mean to say is…I'm…well Molly and I…are both happy for you." The sentiment registered in him and a couple weeks ago it would have been something of a gift to have her parents blessing. Now…it just drove the knife of loss deeper into his chest.

'Oh…"

"But Molly wanted me to…and it's not that she doesn't trust you…but she wanted me to…talk to you…about Ginny. She's out only daughter after all and we both feel a little protective of her. Maybe too protective. She just wants to make sure you understand where we're coming from…" He trailed off again. The problem with doing something at Molly Weasley's direction was that she rarely gave instructions unless she didn't have time for you to figure it out on your own. Her husband was now clearly searching for how to continue.

"I see. Well sir, I wouldn't worry about it." Harry turned back to the window and let his eyes return to their previous thousand yard stare at the passing scenery, still not seeing. "We broke up." A moment of stunned silence passed between them as Arthur considered this new piece of information. He apparently hadn't been expecting this development.

"You…you did?" Harry wasn't sure if it was a hint of relief in his voice, or if his mind was working it into the surprise to justify his actions toward Ginny via her father.

"Yeah. I would never want to put her in danger. And around me, that's where she'll always be." Another moment passed. That reason was fine and perfectly logical his mind told him, his heart on the other hand wasn't on speaking terms with him. Arthur considered this for a minute before speaking, just a hint of heat in his voice.

"Well that's about the stupidest reason I can think of." Harry's head whipped back, surprised. "We're blood traitors in You-Know-Who's eyes and if I know you two were together then everyone at school must have known including Snape and Malfoy. You really think she'll be any safer without you?" Stunned by the outburst Harry was unable to muster a response. He couldn't recall seeing the man ever genuinely angry before, frightened yes at the World cup, but never angry. The change in his countenance was staggering. Harry could feel the power of his words rolling across the small cabin toward him.

Before he could say anything, Arthur again calmed down into his normal passive self. His voice also returned to normal as he spoke again. "But, I'll hardly be able to convince you either way. So, I'll just leave you with that thought." At that moment the car slowed to a halt in front of number four Privet Drive.

Stepping out Harry collected his trunk and Hedwig's cage from Mr. Weasley's waiting hands. "Whenever you're ready Harry, just write." Harry nodded slowly; still half shocked at the man's words. "Take care. See you later." Arthur pulled the car door closed and the car sped off into the waning day, speeding him off to join his family. Once again, as sixteen years ago, he had been dropped off on the stoop of his uncle's house for his own protection. Turning, he made his way up the walk to the house that had never really been his home.

(A/N): If you feel it is warranted feel free to review. I welcome any and all opinions.