Chapter 4

Last Goodbyes

The next morning Ron came downstairs earlier than everyone to get an early breakfast. "Oi, what's going on here you two? First you two come out of the bedroom doing whatever the bloody hell you were doing, and now I come downstairs and see my sister sleeping on you?" Harry and Ginny woke up from the yelling from Ron and they both started to laugh. "Don't worry Ron, Ginny had a nightmare after dozing off while reading the books, so I held her and we both just feel asleep." Harry could clearly tell that Ron was still thinking of something wrong and horrible going through his head.

Everyone started to come downstairs to eat breakfast before setting out for Kings Cross. Mrs. Weasley kept screaming at Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione to start getting ready or they will be late for the train to Hogwarts. When they were about to leave, they decided that it was time to tell Mrs. Weasley that they decided last year not to go back to school, but to continue on searching for the last of the Horcrux. Mrs. Weasley knew something was happening when they were looking at her with concerned faces, "mum…we have decided last year that we want to go with Harry on his search. Last year he said that he didn't want us to come with him but he also said one time that we had time to leave and we never have." Mrs. Weasley just looked at Ron and knew this was going to happen. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were of age and they were able to make up their own minds. "Fine but Ginny…." "Mum I'm going; I want to be there with Harry to the end." Ginny gave a nervous glance to Harry; she didn't want Harry to know this. Mrs. Weasley started laughing and after seeing the confused look on Ginny's face, "All I was going to say Ginny is make sure you stay close to everyone. I don't want to lose anyone." Ginny started giggling and looking at everyone, "Don't worry mom," Ginny was now looking at Harry and finished in a sad low voice, "I don't want to lose anyone neither."

Mrs. Weasley walked up to each of them and gave them a big hug, but gave the biggest to Harry. Mrs. Weasley was nearly in tears when she wished good luck to Harry. "Don't worry Mrs. Weasley, we'll be fine. We will see each other again, you and Mr. Weasley are like my parents and for that I thank you for everything you have done for me." Harry gave Mrs. Weasley a hug and took one last look around the Burrow before leaving. When they got outside, Ron and Harry got their brooms and mounted them just like they did when they left Harry's house.

"Where were going?" Ron yelled to Harry who was on the side of him as they flew over London. "Don't you remember, Harry said that he wanted to go to Godric Hollow last year." Hermione saw the confused look on Harry's face and she understood that he didn't hear the question, so she answered the question for Harry. As they kept flying they were hearing voices hurrying along, and trains whistling. They were flying over Kings Cross station. "Oh Harry I think we should stop and at least say goodbye to everyone." Ginny said to Harry as she was looking down to get a clear view of the station. Harry eyed Ron and Hermione and gestured his head down, and they followed Harry and Ginny down until they reached Kings Cross.

They landed outside Kings Cross and Harry and Ron put a shrinking charm on their brooms so the muggles won't look at them with suspicion. "Wow, this is going to be our last time going through the wall." Harry said this with a little snigger as they approached platform 9 3/4. As they walked through the barrier, the four of them just remembered all those times going on the train. For Harry, this had to be the best yet hardest time to see the Hogwarts Express.

As they looked at all the kids getting on the train, they noticed new kids and old friends. All the kids were happy to be going back to Hogwarts, but not knowing the future of Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry. They walked along the platform talking to their friends. Hermione saw Ron talking to Lavender Brown and instantly walked over. "Hello Lavender," Hermione said with a sarcastic voice while grabbing Ron's hand. "Well me and Ron were just talking about last year. Goodbye." And Lavender just walked away. As they walked back to the Barrier, they saw Ginny in Harry's arms crying. "Don't Ginny, were going back one last time so our last goodbyes."

As they boarded the Hogwarts Express for the last time, they remembered how they; Ron, Hermione and Harry first met.

"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.

"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new too." She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.

When Ron asked Harry to sit his compartment, a girl came in looking for a toad.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it then."

She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.

"Er—all right."

He cleared his throat.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,

Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've herd—I've learned all our course books by heart of course, I just hope it will be enough—I'm Hermione Granger, by the way.

As they pulled up to Hogwarts, the four of them especially Harry, remembered the first time they stepped off the train to see the huge, vast castle. "I've never really noticed how nice Hogwarts looked from here." Hermione said while holding Ron close to her. "Yeah…" Ron looked at Hermione and let out a little chuckle, "…you're right, it does look nice from here." Ron turned his head towards Hermione and gave her a deep, loving kiss. Harry looked at Ginny who was still looking at the castle, and started thinking of the best day he has ever had at Hogwarts, the day him and Ginny became a couple. Ginny turned her head sideways and saw Harry staring at her with a smile. "And may I ask what you're staring at?" Harry started laughing and hugged Ginny tightly and kissed her.

"So, I guess you two are together then huh?" Hermione and Ron were looking at Harry and Ginny with a mix look. "Actually Ron, we been together since a week before the wedding." Ron just looked at Ginny seeing his little sister for the first time as a young woman able to make up her mind. "Shall we go inside then?" Harry insisted. Ron nodded and the four of them walked inside together.

As they made there way to the Great Hall to be seated, they noticed the seat where the headmaster usually sits was now empty. "Everyone, please take your seats. The sorting is about to start." McGonagall yelled out to everyone while taking a seat in the headmaster chair. Whispers were herd everywhere, even from the Slytherin table: McGonagall is the new Headmistress Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. To everyone's surprise, Hagrid had come with the stool and the sorting hat, and a long roll of parchment filled with first year names. Nobody was paying attention to the sorting, for some reason to everyone; it was the fastest sorting yet.

After the fest was done, Headmistress McGonagall stood up and started the after fest speech. "Welcome to a new year. To all the first years, the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds, and all students above first year should know this by now. Our care taker, Argus Filtch has a list of over a thousand items listed on his door that are banned from this school. I would like to take this opportunity to name our new teachers. Firstly Professor Charles Weasley will be our new Care of Magical Creatures teacher and Hagrid will certainly accompany him with the teaching, second, Professor Nymphadora Tonks has taken the Defense against the Dark arts post. Third, I would like to introduce Professor Black. who would be the new Transfiguration teacher." Harry noticed something very familiar of Professor Black but couldn't really understand why. "I would also like to include that Professor Slughorn has been named Slytherin Head of House, Hagrid also named as the Hufflepuff Head of House, and Professor Black. named Gryffindor Head of House." After the speech Professor McGonagall wished everyone a good night sleep.

"Well, no better time then now I guess." Harry said to Ron. As all the kids were going up to their dorms, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione had made there way up to the staff table. When they got up to the table, "Professor McGonagall, Can we talk to you?" McGonagall looked at Harry as if she knew what they had to talk about. "Yes Potter, I'm just glad you four came here before leaving without saying goodbye. Shall we go up to my office?" Hermione noticed Hagrid had a confused look on his face. Hermione went up to Hagrid and told him to come to the office, since this will be last time they might see Hagrid.

They made there way up the seventh corridor and proceeded to the headmistress office. As they reached the gargoyles, Professor McGonagall gave the password, Veitaserum, and Harry looked at McGonagall with a curious look on his face, why did the password change to that? The gargoyles jumped to side to reveal golden steps ascending up the tower. "After you Mr. Potter," McGonagall held her hand in front of her to gesture Harry and his friends forward. As they reached the door, they were hearing noises coming from inside the office and hesitated to go inside and find out who the voices belonged too.

"Well are we going inside, or do you prefer we talk out here and the stairs?" Harry mumbled sorry to Professor McGonagall and made his way up to the doorknob. Before Harry could open the door, the door burst opened to reveal Mad Eye Moody on the other side, and Professor Black standing right behind him. "Hello Professor Moody, How have you been?" Harry asked mad eye shaking his hand. "Well Mr. Potter, I'll be a lot better if you called me Alastor instead of Mad-Eye, but other then that I'm doing just fine." Harry couldn't help but give a little laugh at Alastor. "Ahem, can we please go inside!" McGonagall said a little more furiously then how she meant to say it.

As they walked into the headmistress room, they noticed it hadn't changed as all from when Dumbledore was alive and headmaster. "Hello Harry." The familiar voice made Harry jump in fright and started looking around as if someone was wearing an invisibility cloak. "Hope you're not in trouble already Harry." Harry finally found the source of the voice. It was coming from the portrait of Dumbledore. "Pr…Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked holding his tears back. "I hope you have remembered everything I have taught you last year and not have mentioned anything to anyone." Dumbledore told Harry as he looked at McGonagall and Black.

"Well now, since were settled in, before we talk—Regulus can you stop humming—let me conjure up chairs." And with a flick of her wand, McGonagall conjured four chairs. "Well Mr. Potter, what did you have to talk about?" she asked Harry and looked at the four of them with a questioning look. "Well Professor," Harry started and before can continue, Hermione cut in, "The three of us…" She pointed to herself, Ron, and Ginny, "…decided to leave school and help Harry defeat V…V…Voldemort." Hermione finished and noticed that Ron didn't stutter. "V…V…V… Voldemort has to be stopped." Ron blurted out. Regulus looked at the four of them with a questioning look, Could they know about the Horcrux?

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well here's chapter 4 im so glad its done i had lots of fun writing it... it took me longer to write then expect it to cuz i had bronchities for a few weeks... next week im starting on chapter 5