Chapter Six: Sword of Gryffindor
Harry sighed as he looked toward where the sun would be appearing in a matter of minutes. He hadn't bothered with sleeping because to much was on his mind. One being that he was debating on ways to convince his friends, and Ginny, that they could only be with him to a certain point. Also because he knew that this would take a long time, just for the final horcruxes to be found. And he didn't want them with him when he fought Voldemort, for reasons that he was sure they would understand.
Looking at the remains of the camp fire Harry became even more lost in his thoughts. One thing was clear, no matter how the others argued, he wouldn't let them follow him after the horcruxes were found. One being that he was still unsure of one thing that in some ways worried him slightly, and would worry him even more if his friends, and Ginny, were to be with him. The mere fact that Harry wasn't completely sure that he could defeat Voldemort when the time came. But that didn't matter now...
"You should get some sleep." someone said from behind him. Turning around he saw that it was Ginny.
As Ginny walked toward Harry, he turned back toward the remains of the fire. "I know I should." Harry muttered as Ginny settled down beside him. "But I can't seem to find sleep anymore." Harry said as he got a distant look on his face. Though Ginny could make out a few emotions in his eyes. Doubt...fear...and pain.
She could understand why he felt those emotions. For the last time he had been to Grimmauld Place had been Christmas of his fifth year. It was that time that he had last seen his godfather before he had died. Yet going back there, and not seeing Sirius would possibly open old wounds.
"Ginny," Harry muttered bringing Ginny out of her own thoughts. "When we get done at Grimmauld Place, I'm going to go to Hogwarts to retrieve something. But I want you, Ron and Hermione to wait for me at Grimmauld Place." Harry looked at Ginny in a way that said that going to Hogwarts was something he had to do alone.
Ginny nodded before saying, "You can go alone, so long as you swear that you will come back."
"Alright. I swear that I will always come back to you." Harry lowered his voice so Ginny could barely hear the next part. "No matter what!"
A few house later Ron and Hermione woke up and were told what Ginny had been told earlier. Once both agreed, Hermione, Ron, apparated away, while Harry apparated with Ginny. They made their way to Grimmauld Place in almost no time at all.
Harry paused att the door, almost as though he was having second thoughts about this. Taking a deep breath he opened the door and lead his friends in. The tiptoed down to the kitchen where they discussed what to do next. When they settled on a way to get the horcrux, Harry called Kreacher.
After a bit of arguing Kreacher reluctantly retrieved the horcrux. When Kreacher handed it to Harry, after being threatened with a few severe hexes, Harry recognized it instantly as the horcrux that should have been where the fake had been placed.
"Where did you get this, Kreacher?" Harry asked as he continued to examine the horcrux.
"Master Regulus." Kreacher said reluctantly. "Mere days before he died."
"How do you know he isn't giving you false information?" Ron asked, to double check that Harry did trust what Kreacher was telling him.
"Because Sirius left him, and this place to me." Harry said in a dead voice. "So Kreacher can't lie to me anymore." Harry finished examining the horcrux and said that the piece of Voldemort's soul that had been in there had already been destroyed. After a moment Harry pocketed it and dismissed Kreacher and told his friends to wait for him while he went to Hogwarts.
As Harry walked out of Grimmauld Place he kissed Ginny lightly before, once again telling her that he would be back as soon as he could. As quickly as he could, he made his way toward and an empty ally way and apparated to Hogwarts.
When Harry appeared before the Hogwarts gates he remembered what he had said when he had been here before. That he wouldn't come back, even if the school did reopen after what had happened. Yet, here he was. Standing before the place that had been his 'home' since shortly after his eleventh birthday. But now, it was a place with haunted memories.
Taking a deep breath, Harry opened the gate and entered. The grounds were still as he remembered. 'I guess Hagrid is still here,' Harry thought as he looked toward Hagrid's hut and saw that his friend still resided there. Shaking his head, Harry began to walk toward the school. As he walked he glanced toward the Quidditch Pitch. The one place that held many great memories.
Shaking his head to clear those thoughts from his mind, Harry continued toward the school. Looking around again, he saw the Whomping Willow. Laughing to himself, Harry remembered how he and Ron had crashed into that tree after missing the train. Then there was when he had met Sirius for the first time.
Harry kept walking, and, tried, but failed, to look toward the lake. Where Dumbledore had been laid to rest. When he saw that white tomb, his breath caught in his throat. For Dumbledore had died because getting the fake horcrux had weakened him greatly. And he had paid the ultimate price for it.
Looking away swiftly, Harry quickened his pace until he stood before the great oak doors. Taking a deep breath, Harry pushed one of the doors open and entered. The once bright Entrance Hall, was now dominated by shadows. From the way things looked, the house elves had all been dismissed, because there was a layer of dust on everything.
Harry went to the Great Hall and found it in the same condition. The candles, once bright, now were like dark shadows across the enchanted ceiling. Harry walked up to the head table and muttered the names of the professors as he passed before where they had sat.
Turning toward the four house tables, Harry spotted where he, Ron and Hermione had always sat. Walking over to that spot, he noticed that a layer of dust covered the plates, just as it did everything else, so that they no longer reflected the sun light from the enchanted ceiling.
Turning to he left the Great Hall and returned to the Entrance Hall. After looking around once more time, Harry ascended the stairs and began the journey to Dumbledore's office.
As he walked he drew his cloak closer about himself. For the corridors had an chill to them that chilled one to the bone, for no torches were lit along the darker corridors. This forced Harry to find his way around by memory.
After what seemed like countless hours, Harry reached the stone gargoyle. When he realized that he didn't know the password he groaned in frustration. But the gargoyle lept aside without the password!
Harry rushed forward, and up the stairs to Dumbledore's office. As he stood before the door, he felt a rush of emotions. Mainly because of the fact that the last time he had been here, had been right after Dumbledore had died. Taking a deep breath, Harry opened the door and stepped in and closed the door quietly.
As he looked around the circular office, he heard someone say his name.
"I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to come, Harry."
Looking toward the sound of the voice, Harry saw that it was none other than Dumbledore's portrait.
"I didn't know you were expecting me, sir." Harry said as he walked toward the portrait.
"Well, I've been waiting ever since school let out. But I figured you would come sooner or later." Dumbledore's portrait said. "For there are some things you need to know."
Harry sat down in one of the chairs before the desk and waited.
"You remember when your studies discussed the founders of Hogwarts?" Dumbledore asked and Harry nodded. "Good. Well, you know how Slytherin and Gryffindor were everything short of mortal enemies. Mainly because they had different views on almost every single issue concerning this school. Well, it was said that any descendent of them would be mortal enemies and would have the same view as the one they are decent from. Voldemort, as we both know, is the only remaining decedent of Slytherin."
"I'm sorry, sir, but what has this got to do with anything? This is stuff I already know about Voldemort." Harry asked in confusion.
"Everything!" Dumbledore said in a firm strong voice as the sparkle faded from his eyes. "I has everything to do with why Voldemort chose you as his equal instead of Mr. Longbottom. He went for the only decedents of Gryffindor. That line is from your fathers side of your family. And it was proven when you were able to pull the sword of Gryffindor out of the sorting hat in your second year. Though you have many qualities of the other houses as well.
"You can be cunning, that is of Slytherin. Only thing that makes you different, is the mere fact that you think of others instead of just yourself. You have a great amount of intelligence when you put your mind to it, and you are willing to pass your knowledge onto others, Ravenclaw. You are a modest young man, never letting your fame go to your head, and you have never looked down at people for any reason, Hufflepuff.
"However, your strongest qualities lie with that of Gryffindor. True bravery no matter what you are faced with. A fierce loyalty that nothing can ever break." Dumbledore paused before continuing.
"So you see, it was only natural that you were marked by Voldemort as his equal." there was another pause before Dumbledore pointed to where the sword was. "I do believe that the sword should be returned to you now, the rightful owner."
Harry stared at Dumbledore for a second before he glanced over at where the sword was and rose to his feet. Slowly he made his way over to where the sword was and lifted it, and a sheath appeared at his waist, hanging from his belt. Turning back to Dumbledore Harry asked, "Why didn't you tell me before this, that I'm a decedent of Gryffindor?"
Dumbledore sighed before saying, "I had planned to tell you on your seventeenth birthday and to give you the sword. As well as give you something else." Dumbledore waved his hand and an envelope appeared on the desk.
Looking closely at it, Harry saw that it resembled the annual Hogwarts letters. Picking it up Harry saw it was addressed to him, just as specific as the letters from Hogwarts had been while he had been in school.
Mr. H. Potter
Headmaster's Office
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Looking back at Dumbledore, Harry got the okay to read the letter. Opening the letter Harry saw that it had been written about the time that Hagrid had said that Snape and Dumbledore had argued.
Harry,
Enclosed is a letter explaining why Severus was forced to do what he did. Along with a letter from him, telling his side of what happened.
Albus Dumbledore
Staring at the first piece of parchment in disbelief, Harry fought back a shocked yell, or an angered outburst and went to the second piece of parchment.
Harry,
What follows is a brief of why some things happened.
It started after Severus found out what Draco was planning to do. He felt torn slightly between his vow, and his loyalty as a spy. For he had sworn an unbreakable vow and had to keep Draco from doing certain things. At one point Severus considered blowing his cover if worst came to worse.
More than likely Hagrid told you and your friends about this part.
Harry stared at the parchment in confusion. For Dumbledore had known that Hagrid had told him, Ron and Hermione about that argument. Taking a deep breath Harry continued reading.
I argued with him, but he still saw it as he would rather blow his cover than kill me if the need be. It was then that I made Severus give me the same vow I made you give me.
Looking up at the portrait Harry met the stern gaze of Dumbledore. Looking away Harry went to the final piece of parchment, Snape's letter.
Mr. Potter
You know now, without a doubt, the facts behind why I did what I did.
The headmaster made me give him my word that I wouldn't blow my cover, no matter what. Yet, I'm sure no one would believe that.
I now hate myself for what I did, and will never live it down.
Harry dropped the letter on the desk and stared at thin air. After a few moments he recover enough to take his eyes away from the letter and look up at Dumbledore. When he found his voice, it was shaky as he asked, "He was under the same promise as I was?"
"Yes." Dumbledore said as he gave Harry a bit of a worried look. "I know that this may be hard to believe, but it is the truth.
Harry recovered enough to let out a harsh laugh as he said, "You have no idea how hard this is to believe. I had to watch him murder, and what did he do, he ran! He ran like the damn coward that he is! And he will pay for what he did, if I ever see him again!"
Harry turned on his heel and stormed out of the office before Dumbledore could say another word, leaving the letters on the desk in plain view, revealing something he had missed. Though Harry's mind was going a hundred miles a minute as he rushed out of the school. When he was where he could see the tomb he swore that he would avenge Dumbledore, by finding Snape and punishing him for what he had done.
Picking up his pace, Harry reached the gates within a couple of minutes. Once through the gate, he looked back up at Hogwarts, and felt a mixture of sadness and anger rise up in him. This place, once his home, was now a phantom of his past. All because of the events of one night. Pushing those thoughts from his mind, Harry turned away, and left Hogwarts, for what he believed to be the last time.
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AN: I am really sorry that it took so long to get this chapter up, but as I said in my bio, I was having a bit of a rough time getting a few parts of this chapter to work out right. I know that the letter from Snape may seem a little out of character, but I couldn't get it work any other way, so sorry about that being a little off.Things are a little hectic, so it may take a while for me to get the next chapter up, but I'll try to get it up soon. And yes I have started to work on it already. I hope this chapter was worth the wait, because it was six pages long! The longest yet! Once again, I am sorry that it took so long to update this, and I also want to apologize to any that were following my other stories, but they have been put on hold slightly, due to writers block with them. Anyway, THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE REVIEWED THIS STORY!