True Loyalties

"Potter! Granger!" A voice trailed behind Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione as the four made their way to Hagrid's hut for a quick hello before going to the castle for revision.

It was Malfoy running from the Quidditch pitch in their direction. He stopped abruptly and panted heavily.

"What is it, Malfoy?" Hermione asked coolly, though her eyes were narrowed.

"Yeah, hurry up." Harry said indifferently.

"I-I need… A favor… From you… Please!" Malfoy panted.

"A favor? From a 'filthy little Mudblood' like me?" Hermione raised her eyelids.

"Hermione! Don't call yourself that!" Ron and Ginny admonished her. Harry said, "Just spit it out, Malfoy, so we can disappoint you quicker and get back to our work!"

For a moment, it looked as though Malfoy would like nothing better than retorting or punching them. But he regained his composure.

"Granger, firstly, I want to know if betrothal contracts can be canceled at my age. Please, PLEASE help me with that!" Malfoy pleaded. Before Hermione could respond, Malfoy turned to Harry, "Potter, secondly, I really have to meet Sirius Black! Please, PLEASE, don't say no! Help me meet Mr. Black."

He sounded so desperate that Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron stood frozen in shock. Malfoy took their lack of response for disbelief and an I-don't-care attitude and said, "Please help me out! I know I've been a dick to all of you. I swear I'm trying to change my old ways! But I really need these two favors! Potter, Granger, surely you would help someone in need. Not just because I'm a Malfoy!"

Harry was the first to recover. "M-Meet Sirius? May I ask why, Malfoy?"

Once again, Malfoy looked furious but swallowed hard and said, "I need to discuss a few things with him. Part of it is largely relevant to the favor I asked of Granger."

"Well, then, that's a disappointment since you aren't clear, isn't it?" retorted Ginny.

Ron made to speak, but Harry stopped him, "Malfoy, I need to ask Sirius Black. Maybe, just maybe, he will agree to meet you. But, what should I tell him you want to talk about? Whatever you asked Hermione?"

"Tell him I want to follow Regulus Black!" Malfoy said.

Harry stared, and so did Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Follow Regulus Black? What did Malfoy mean?

By then, Malfoy went back to a girl Harry knew by sight. But she and Malfoy seemed to be laughing and chatting happily as they walked up the stairs.

Ron and Ginny were reluctant, and Hermione was skeptical, but Harry was all for helping Malfoy out. Harry would never not help someone. That just wasn't in his character. He would at least try to help. Sirius replied by nightfall to his delight that he was coming to Hogwarts on Sunday morning.

And sure enough, Harry hugged Sirius Black happily the following day, "Sirus!" Ginny, Hermione, and Ron were delighted to see Sirius as well. The four teenagers exploded with questions about their families and friends living in Potter Manor and outside Potter Manor and Hogwarts.

"Dudley and Aimee are extremely occupied now. Well, you can guess, their exams are in two months, while for the others, it's in four months." Sirius said.

He met Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Sprout and happily chatted with them. He even met his nemesis, Professor Snape.

"Ah, Black! To what do I owe this pleasure of seeing you at Hogwarts on a fine Sunday?" Snape sneered.

"You see, Snape, I needed to talk to my kids and my colleagues." Sirius replied coolly.

"Kids? That's Lily's son, and I'm already looking out for him."

Well, he is James' son, and I'm his Godfather, so I'm obviously there for him."

"More like Dogfather, really." Snape sneered. Sirius looked furious for a moment. Then, to Harry's great surprise, both the men burst into laughter.

"I have to give this one to you, Snape!" Sirius roared with laughter. Snape nodded happily and went back to his usual sneer a split second later. Soon, Sirius sat in one of the offices.

The pale-faced Malfoy boy sat in front of him, as Sirius noted, fumbling with his fingers.

"You want to run away from home?"

"Like you, Lord Black."

"Call me Sirius, Malfoy."

"Sirius, you can call me Draco. My role model is Regulus Black. A Slytherin, a Death Eater, but who went on to change for the better and worked against the wicked Dark Lord."

"You're well aware, pardon me, but Harry has told me you're a Death Eater, that Voldemort or his Death Eaters can hunt you down and kill you?"

"Yes, and I intend to move away as far as possible and start a new life. I-I like a girl."

"Hmm?" Sirius urged him to continue.

"Her name is Caitrin Morris, and she is a muggle-born Gryffindor. 'Morris' is her adoptive family's name and she doesn't have relatives or anyone and was raised by an old witch. We like each other and plan to marry. The betrothal contract with Pansy that I have should be nullified. I want that contract destroyed and start a new life with Caitrin. I'm sick of this pureblood mania."

"What do your parents say about this, Draco? What do they do anyway?"

"Mother sells Health Potions to Death Eaters. She believes in this Pureblood mania but isn't an active Death Eater like Father. She isn't branded with the Dark Mark. Father, on the other hand, is a Death Eater in the Dark Lord's inner circle. Both of them disapprove of my relationship with any girl other than Pansy. They'll disinherit me if I tell them about Caitrin, but I don't care. I don't need money that has the blood of innocents!" Draco Malfoy declared.

"Does Caitrin know about all this?"

"Yes, and she has my word that I truly want to change. I've told her that I am a Death Eater, but I regret my decision to become one. Even the mission the Dark Lord has given me makes me take a step back and reflect on what I'm doing. It's murder! I can't let Death Eaters into the school and murder people!" He declared. "And I'm not afraid of admitting that that was the mission the Dark Lord gave me, which I definitely do not want to do!"

"Good. You'll have to excuse me for asking, Draco, but how can we trust you? I don't know if you're aware, but the Potters were betrayed by Peter Pettigrew. We trusted him. So, you'll understand if Harry, Remus, and I have trouble believing you."

Draco looked down. "I've seen Peter Pettigrew. Father treats him like vermin, and Professor Snape treats him worse than Father ever treated Dobby! But, you can trust me, sir. I know it will take a while but I'm being honest with you. I understand it isn't easy to trust me after what I've done all these years."

Then, Sirius continued, "Good, Draco, are you sure of this? If so, is there any place you have in mind? For hiding, once you come out and declare you no longer wish to serve Voldemort?"

Malfoy shook his head.

"Oh, I thought so!" Sirius said. "First of all, canceling the contract is very easy. I can get it done with your consent and willingness in this matter. However, you need to be sixteen."

"I will, in June!" Draco Malfoy said.

"Secondly, once you deflect from your parents, we'll have to hide you. To protect you. At least for some time."

"Merlin!" breathed Draco.

"Listen, nothing to panic. I was in the exact same situation as a teenager. I ran away from home at 16 and lived with my best friend at his house. I can't reveal its name or location to you yet. Besides, that house belongs to Harry Potter now. But, there's this house that's is mine until my death. It will go to Harry Potter after I die. While I live, you can stay there. It has full protection. Is that fine by you?"

"Yes, Sirius. I want to get away from the Dark Side. I don't like all those..." He shuddered. ".. that they do!".

"Is whatever it is frequent among the Death Eaters?"

"Of course it is frequent! The very thought of it makes me gag! Often the victim is cornered in a deserted alleyway or at an unusual time period. Following which they're violated, decapitated, tortured, and/or murdered!"

"Expecto Patronum! Note that down, Moony!" Sirius sent a Patronus to Remus, telling him that special self-defense classes need to begin along with the other classes they were teaching.

"S-Sirius, you'll help me, right?" Draco asked.

"Course I will! That is, as long as you don't run over to the Dark Side."

"There's something I found out during some research. Before contacting you, I researched by myself on these things. I heard a conversation between Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape. Professor Snape is on our side, working as a triple agent to bring down the Dark Lord! He wants this to be secret, but I'm sure even Harry Potter knows this."

Sirius sat stunned as Draco wished him a good day, thanked him, and left. Snivellus… Snape… Severus… The Death Eater… An Order of The Phoenix Member… Triple agent… To bring down Voldemort… Suddenly Snape and Regulus Black didn't seem too different for Sirius. Regulus and Snape went to the Dark Side, regretted it, and dedicated their lives fighting for the Light Side. And now, Draco Malfoy was going the same route. The very same route he, Sirius, had taken years ago. The very same route Andromeda Black took when she married Ted Tonks years back. Sirius returned to Grimmauld Place with a satisfied smile.

The weather grew warmer as March approached. Harry gave Ron a red band for his sixteenth birthday. He had given Hermione a white band for her sixteenth birthday in September. "The red and white bands you and Hermione have are magical, Ron. They keep you united and in love. It's symbolic in that sense. Red and white go well together, you see. You both are so in love; I thought this set of bands is perfect for you." Harry told. Ron loved the present, just as Hermione had hers. "So, this is what you meant by "special band", and this is why you asked me to keep it safe!" Hermione said, grinning.

As March drew to a close, late one night, Harry was awakened by a frantic Hermes, Percy's owl. Wondering what had happened, Harry and Ron opened the window and took the note. Upon reading it, they immediately sent Hermes with a note to the girls' dormitories, "Hermione, get Ginny, we are leaving to Potter Manor now!"

As the panicked girls came down to the Common Room, the two boys led the way out of the Gryffindor Common Room straight to McGonagall's office. McGonagall was white in the face, "Potter! You will not like this! Smeltings Academy is under attack by Death Eaters!"

Harry's heart skipped a beat. An attack?

"Aurors have reached the school. Most of the staff and students are alive."

"Alive? Most of the students and staff?" Harry repeated frantically. "Who did this, Professor?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy, Peter Pettigrew and Alecto Carrow. Amycus Carrow was the one who gave the signal to shoot blasting spells at the school. But there are people with guns too! We're going straight to Potter Manor."

Unbeknownst to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, or McGonagall, a teenager had entered the office and went straight for the floo.

From Potter Manor, Harry (and the teenager, albeit unknown to Harry) accompanied several Order members straight to Smeltings, where Death Eaters were still fighting the Order members and the Aurors. He didn't care about anything at the moment, and he only thought about Dudley, Aimee, and the others trapped in there.

Harry rushed through the front doors and ran through the corridors. He heard gunshots everywhere accompanied by shrieks and loud sobs. He circumnavigated the ground floor (kitchens, canteen, dining area, courtyard, basketball court, and the open field). Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were at his side. Guessing that the Death Eaters would be on one of the upper floors, the four teenagers circumnavigated each floor. Occasionally, they came across a Death Eater or two, who they put down quite easily, or an Order member or two who they gave a thumbs up.

At a corridor, they heard Sirius dueling Bellatrix. They were equals in this. Both were shooting offensive and defensive spells and dodging curses. Bellatrix shot a feeble curse at Sirius and landed hard on her backside at one point. Sirius laughed, "Ha! Come on! You can do better than that!"

It happened in a split second, Bellatrix spun around screeching, "Avada Kedravra!" A jet of green light, mingled with Harry's yell, "Sirius, NO!" shook the entire corridor. But Sirius lay on the floor, a moment later.

"SIRIUS!" Harry yelled, "SIRIUS!"

He had reached the floor, his breath coming in searing gasps. Sirius' eyes stared without seeing. He did not believe it, he would not believe it! There was a movement going on around them, but none of that mattered to Harry. He stared into the cold black eyes of Bellatrix Lestrange and felt a hot wave of fury wash over him.

"H-Harry?"

"Harry, what are you doing?"

"Harry, wait, NO!"

"SHE KILLED SIRIUS!" bellowed Harry. "SHE KILLED HIM — I'LL KILL HER!" Harry bellowed. Bellatrix laughed and ran up to the second floor taunting him. Harry tore after her, leaving Hermione to duel Amycuss Carrow who had just attacked them from behind. Ron and Ginny made to follow Harry but got separated from Harry.

"Come on, little Harry!" she called in her mock-baby voice. "What did you come after me for, then? I thought you were here to avenge my dear cousin!"

"I am!" shouted Harry!

Harry was mad with fury. He raised his wand and bellowed, "Crucio!" Bellatrix screamed but laughed again, "That was a job badly done, Potter! Never used an Unforgivable Curse before, have you? How about a practical demonstration?"

But as she raised her wand, Harry bellowed, "Sectumsempra!" Bellatrix's face was slashed across as though by a sword. Blood spurted everywhere, and she lost her balance, falling down two floors and losing consciousness. Unfortunately, Voldemort was standing inside a classroom. "There you are, Potter! Avada Kedavra!" Harry was still recovering, when Voldemort had fired the Killing Curse at him.

Miles across the corridor, Ginny screamed, "Harry! Ron, the connection is broken! I can't sense Harry! It was the Killing Curse! The Avada Kedavra!" She sobbed. Ron was shocked. The siblings began running frantically, looking for Harry or Hermione.

The Killing Curse hadn't hit Harry. It had merely brushed against his head, right where his scar happened to be. That changed things and interrupted the connection Harry had with Ginny. Harry was quicker than Voldemort. He skid across, dived, jumped, and shot curses at Voldemort as Voldemort kept shooting the same curse over and over again, which uselessly bounced off against the walls. As Harry fought, he was losing energy. His scar burst open, and pain such as Harry had never ever known before shot through his forehead. Every cell in his body protested, every nerve screamed in pain, and he felt like his forehead was being cut open.

"FINE! KILL ME THEN! I WANT TO GO TO SIRIUS!" Harry wailed and bellowed.

"Not now, Pyrites!" He heard Voldemort. "My Lord, we have to..." A stout man appeared next to Voldemort. But Harry saw a blinding white flash and knew no more. He knew he was dying; surely, the Avada Kedavra would hit him anytime now. His godfather, Sirius Black, his only family, was gone! He had no one to take care of him, nobody to look up to. His parents were gone, and now, Sirius. And he was dying, he knew it. He thought about Ginny. The love of his life, with her flaming red hair, the smell of her hair, the feel of her in his arms, her sweet, musical voice, and her graciousness.

He was awoken by Ginny's, Ron's, and Hermione's loud screams and sobs. He lay on the floor, Ginny sobbing, and Ron and Hermione howling as they lay on the floor. Neither Voldemort nor Pyrites were there. He immediately sat up, "Guys, what happened? I'm fine, we should go on!"

"Harry!" Everyone was shocked.

Harry began sobbing. He buried his face in Ginny's chest and screamed in pain and hurt. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione were crying and consoling him at the same time. It took a while for the four of them to take off.

As they reached a corridor on the fourth floor, the air exploded, and a wall came crashing down. It sent them flying into the opposite pillar and onto the floor. As Harry clutched his bleeding forehead, he heard three heartbreaking screams. Three redheaded people and one bushy brown-haired girl were on the ground. All of them were bleeding, but one of them lay with her eyes half open and wand raised. Molly Weasley was no more. She had died in combat just like her brothers, Gideon and Fabian.

NO! Not now that Sirius was dead! Harry lost his father figure and mother figure, and almost died, all on the same bloody day! Could there be a worse day than this?

Molly was the mother Harry had never had. She was the one who had welcomed him with open arms, something which Petunia had struggled with. Harry remembered Molly's kindness, Arthur's kindness, and the Weasleys' good nature. Like Arthur, Molly, too, had left the world fighting. He sunk to his knees, senses going number and number, sounds of battle growing distant, and the loud wails piercing through his heart.

As Harry watched in shock and denial, a pair of shaking hands came forward and helped Hermione lift and move the body to safety. Harry went to help and saw who it was.

"DUDLEY!"

Hermione, Ginny, and Ron jumped a foot in the air. There stood Dudley with a cut lip, a thin trail of blood oozing out of his mouth, and an injury on his arm!

"I-I'm so sorry, Ron, Ginny, that your mother…." Dudley cried out. "My friend, Piers Polkiss, was butchered right in front of me and I took his body to the safety of that corridor." He pointed. Dudley's words shocked them. "What?"

"Oh, no!"

"Not another casualty!"

Sirius, Mrs. Weasley, Piers Polkiss, his own near-death experience. Harry cursed the day.

"There is no time for this. Let's get you out of here." Dudley said, but Harry cut in, "No, Dudley, let's get you out of here first."

"Malfoy!" roared Ron just then.

Harry turned around and saw Draco Malfoy approaching them.

"So you killed my mother! You...!" Ginny screamed.

"Ha! Thanks for showing that much expectation on my cowardly son! I myself wouldn't expect him to do that! He couldn't even kill your brother here!" A drawling voice spoke, pointing at Ron. It turned out to be Lucius Malfoy.

"Let me finish you next!" He raised his wand. Draco suddenly stepped in front of Ron. "No, Father!"

"Draco, move!" Lucius snarled.

"I said I won't!" Draco bellowed, "I will not let you harm my friends!"

"Friends? Aren't you ashamed of calling such Mudbloods and Blood Traitors your friends!" Lucius roared.

"We decide that by dueling! Me and you! Leave Potter and his friends alone!" Draco snarled.

Lucius suddenly shifted his wand and bellowed, "Avada Kedavra!" Draco jumped and pushed Dudley straight into a classroom, "In! Now! All of you!" He roared at Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione, "Go! Let me handle this!" Dudley had bumped his head into a desk.

As Lucius shot another jinx, Draco bellowed "Protego!" and the resulting blast pushed Draco and his father further away from each other.

"You're a Death Eater, Draco! Perhaps you're confused! You've to fight against those impudent fools, not on their side!" Lucius said as he got up from the floor.

"I am not!" roared Draco! "Potter and his friends will never be half as impudent as you are, Father! You are bigoted! You are a cruel man who tortures people for fun and kills people for pleasure! I've been asking you what you did to that girl but you never told me! I still found out, and I'm disgusted!" spat Draco.

"She was a filthy little Mudblood! Serves her right!" Lucius growled.

"She was minding her own business at Flourish and Blotts that day! You and your gang kidnapped her and brought her to Malfoy Manor! I had to see who I perceived as a hero do one of the most disgusting, outrageous, and shameful acts!" Draco cried. Lucius froze.

"Y-You saw?"

"Yes, I did! And you didn't stop there, did you? You still continued that disgusting act with others! You still went on to torture and murder innocents! Just now, you murdered my friend's mother! And, oh! I saw that aunt of mine kill Sirius Black!"

"D-Draco, I can explain." Lucius dropped his wand. "Please allow me to."

"Too late, Father! In case you haven't noticed, you can go and search my chambers at Malfoy Manor. You will find none of my belongings. I have left Malfoy Manor forever! Better leave alone than living with bigots like you!"

Just then, Lucius shot a spell, and Draco retaliated. Jets of red, green, and blue flew from each others' wands. Lucius was clearly shooting the Avada Kedavra curse at his son.

Harry made to join Draco, but Draco screamed, "Stay away, Potter! Take the rest of them and leave the school! I will handle this, well, either handle or die here."

But a random bullet made its way to Lucius' leg and Lucius stopped firing wands. He kneeled down, clutching his left shin and cursing. He got up and escaped. "You will bloody regret this, Draco!" He bellowed. "Wait until you come home after school!" He ran back downstairs. Then, the sounds of battle abruptly ceased. The Death Eaters were all either dead or arrested. Lucius was the only Death Eater that had escaped. Rodolphus, and Rabastan had died. The others, like the Carrows and Bellatrix, were arrested.

Molly and Sirius were martyred when in action.

As Draco sunk to the floor bleeding profusely, a shocked Harry, Dudley, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione approached him.

"Malfoy, how did you get here?"

"Malfoy, what are you doing here?"

Malfoy, what was that all about?"

"Malfoy, you don't seem fine!"

Draco Malfoy was injured. Nevertheless, he still stood. Shaking, he addressed Ron and Ginny, "I am so sorry about your mother. I should've arrived a minute earlier. I could have saved her then! As for Sirius, I'm s-so sorry for your loss, Harry! Your godfather was one of the kindest men I ever knew! I lived with him in Grimmauld Place over the last couple of days. Now, that house is Potters' so I guess I'll move out. A-Are you five okay?" He made a brave attempt to stand without support and crashed into the wall.

Remus was the first to come running to them. The sight shocked him. Harry and Hermione quickly explained what had transpired there, from Sirius' and Molly's deaths to the duel between Draco and Lucius Malfoy. Harry kept asking why Malfoy said Grimmauld Place belonged to him, Harry, now.

Remus stood, shell shocked. He lost his balance and almost crashed into the wall. It took the combined effort of Ron and Ginny to hold Remus, and Hermione rubbed his hands. Harry and Lupin stared into each others' eyes as the hurt, sadness, and fury erupted within them and they felt sorry for each other.

Remus let out an earth-shaking scream and broke down. But he hugged Harry and tried comforting him. Harry was grateful. He felt sorry for Remus. He would react the same way if, God forbid, Ron or Hermione died. Remus, on the other hand, sobbed as he felt sorry for the boy who had no parents and who had lost his godfather, the only family he ever had.

As they broke apart, Remus said in a thick voice, "Sorry about Molly, Ron, Ginny. Oh, Molly!" and broke down again. "Harry, I'm so sorry Sirius Black died!" Dudley said, hugging Harry. "You still have me, please don't think you have nobody!" Harry could only manage, "T-Thanks, D-Dud!" As the team made its way downstairs, they saw Audrey and Aimee sobbing together. Aimee and Audrey looked up at them. The next instant, Audrey rushed not at them, but past them, into Percy's arms. Percy, too was crying, having just seen his mother dead. Aimee rushed into Dudley's arms. Aimee was, thankfully, not injured. Audrey sported a head injury.

Dudley, along with Aimee, was given medical attention at Potter Manor. Draco, Harry, Hermione, and all the Weasley siblings save Charlie received medical attention at Hogwarts. Tonks hadn't been at Smeltings, as hers was the day duty, and the fight had occurred during the night.

"I had been to see Caitrin last night and was returning when I saw the portrait open again, and you all come out. Curious, I followed you. The instant you went into McGonagall's office, I knew something was amiss." Draco explained in an undertone to Harry and Hermione.

"So, Draco really lived at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place?" Harry asked Remus who confirmed it. "Well, Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, and the entire Black vault, estate, and property is now yours, Harry! Sirius wrote everything he ever owned in your name."

Harry stood, shocked. Sirius had left everything to Harry. All Harry wanted was Sirius, his godfather. It hurt him that he lost his family and inherited material possessions that wouldn't bring back his dead parents and godfather.

It devastated and broke him completely. He wasn't the only one though. The Weasleys were distraught. Both their parents were now dead. The next day, Molly's and Sirius' funerals (Charlie let out a howl like a wounded dragon when he arrived and saw his dead mother) was filled with sniffs and sobs from everybody present. Molly was, after all, a kind lady, and she would happily help anybody and was fiercely protective. Just like at Arthur's funeral, there were speeches, and Harry barely listened. He was still in shock and denial. The same people who had attended Arthur's funeral attended Molly's funeral without fail. Sirius was a beloved, valuable, brave, and strong member of the Order of The Phoenix. But as an individual, he had been a pleasant, likable, helpful, and caring individual. Molly and Sirius, two people lost in one day.

To everybody's surprise, Draco Malfoy had shown up to the funerals, clutching onto a crutch. He paid his respects and sat behind Harry. He looked sad and upset. None of the Weasleys commented, nor did any of those present there. It was obvious that anybody who was present was there to pay their last respects to Sirius Black and Molly Prewett.

This time, Ginny had her head on Harry's shoulder, and Ron had his head on Hermione's shoulder. Percy was sobbing into Audrey's chest. Fred and George had an arm around each other and were crying silently. Bill had buried his face into Fleur's shoulder, shaking with emotion. Charlie sat in shock, fury, and denial, tears streaming down his face, hands balled into fists, and mouth drawn in a thin line. Harry, Hermione, Fleur, Audrey, Aimee, Dudley, Draco, and everyone else were weeping.

During the funeral, Dudley asked for a word with Hermione.

"H-Hermione, c-could you do me a favor?"

"O-Of course, Dudley. What is it?" Hermione questioned. Dudley gave her a photo of him and his parents, and a photo of him and Harry in a park as two-year-old boys which Harry recognized as the only photo the two of them ever took together. A few months back, Harry had given Dudley a copy of that image of Lily and James with Petunia and Vernon in the photo from the box titled 'Evans - Lily'.

Hermione agreed and took the photos Dudley gave. "This is not so hard. I'll get it done, Dudley."

"Thanks, Hermione."

Meanwhile, Lupin spoke to Harry.

Lupin told Harry that he'll never recover from Sirius' death as Sirius and James were his best friends. "James and Sirius made my childhood memorable!" Lupin also expressed his grief on Molly's death, "Just like her brothers! Just like Arthur! Left the world in combat!" He wiped his eyes.

He went on to reveal that he had confronted Peter Pettigrew, "I had managed to injure him grievously during the duel, but I'm sure he escaped. Wait till I get him! He laughed at James Potter and Lily Evans' sacrifice when we told him that despite his betrayal, Harry Potter was fine. He dared laugh at Lily Evans and James Potter!" Remus growled.

"What?" Harry was outraged. "What happened then?"

"So anyway, he dueled us but was weakened. Apparently, he has to use his left hand because his right hand was replaced by that silver hand Voldemort gave him. But then he ran away!" Remus said, fury still in his eyes. He sighed heavily and left.

Harry found himself speaking to Bill Weasley after that, "Harry, we don't want to be of trouble or anything. We'll vacate Potter Manor."

"And? No, don't vacate Potter Manor. Right now, it's one of the safest places to be, Bill." Harry implored. He could tell that Bill and the Weasleys were sad and confused, that was why Bill was speaking like this. Bill said, "I'm thinking of Charlie. Dumbledore reckons Charlie should continue what Mum and Dad did for the Order, and Charlie has also left Romania for the time being."

"What?"

"Yes, his boss in Romania is kind and understands there is a war going on in the U.K. so he has given Charlie permission to work away from Romania for all long as the war goes on."

"And as for what Charlie will work as here, I just offered Charlie the job of teaching Care of Magical Creatures classes at Hogwarts! He has agreed to it, I'm happy to say!" Hagrid suddenly said. "I'll continue being the Gamekeeper. Charlie will help me plan my lessons since I'll be taking the lessons for fifth years and above."

"Then, Charlie will live at Hogwarts during the school year. That still doesn't explain why you all want to leave Potter Manor." Harry said, as Ginny stood beside him. He put his arm around her waist.

Bill looked sad. "With Mum and Dad gone, everybody is feeling hopeless."

"No!" Harry snapped. "Hopelessness should not make you want to leave everything. Please stay at Potter Manor. That's the least I can give back to the Weasley family for all the love, kindness, support, care, and closeness you've all given me!"

"Harry, don't talk like that!" Charlie spoke. "You don't have to repay us for anything."

"We did what we felt was right." Percy added. Harry could tell that Bill, Charlie, and Percy had together and discussed this.

"Then, the same goes for you as well. You don't have to repay me for anything. You don't have to vacate Potter Manor just for the sake of it." Harry said. "Ron is my best friend. Ginny, here," he smiled weakly at her and she gave a watery smile, "is my soulmate. You, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George are akin to my older brothers. We're family and families are never a burden."

Bill beamed and shook Harry's hands, "Thanks for clearing this up, Harry."

Albus Dumbledore spoke calmly to Harry after expressing his deepest condolences about Sirius' and Molly's fates.

"Harry, did you face Voldemort? What happened?" Professor Dumbledore asked. Harry explained all about the green jets of light, his scar exploding with pain, his near-death experience, and the blinding white light. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"Another Horcrux destroyed, Harry, and this time by that arrogant Tom Marvolo Riddle himself!"

"What?" Harry was bewildered.

"Let me elaborate what I suspect, Harry. My suspicions are true most of the time. The connection between you and Miss Weasley was interrupted because of the Killing Curse brushing too close to your scar and the Horcrux within you reacting. Miss Weasley assumed you were dead. Her love for you and her immeasurable grief about your 'death' made it painful for the already unstable Horcrux within you. As Voldemort delivered one final Killing Curse, it shot straight to the Horcrux within you. There was a flash of blinding white light, and your Horcrux died. That means you can no longer speak Parseltongue, and you no longer have a piece of Lord Voldemort in you!"

Harry stood mesmerized.

"You survived because of love again! The first time you survived because of a mother's love. This time, you survived because of the love your girlfriend, soul mate, or lover, whichever term you prefer, has for you. It is true that you were grieving Sirius' death and the pain was raw. The combined factors of grief, pain, sorrow, fury, guilt, and helplessness made it unbearable to Voldemort's Horcrux as Voldemort cannot feel love. Both times, it was the love of a female that saved your life, Harry. People wrongly assume females to be the weaker gender. No! Females are the stronger gender. They have powerful magic and enormous strength within. Think about it, Harry. They go through monthly cycles and nine months of pregnancy. They keep their families closely knit and are fiercely protective of their loved ones. This alone shows their strength and power."

Authors Note: Few scenes were taken from the book because they fit in here as well. Harry Potter belongs solely to J.K Rowling!