A/N: I know, an apology is due, so to anyone that has missed the story…I'm sorry. Anyway, enjoy, thanks a ton to all that reviewed, and a smaller thank you to those who have read and enjoyed but haven't reviewed.

Chapter 9: The Feeling

Was he dead? It was certainly a peculiar feeling. He didn't know what to think. For three hours he had been alone to his thoughts. He couldn't use any of his five senses…that is what it boiled down to.

He thought if he was dead, it certainly wasboring to be dead, just thinking, not seeing or being at all really. No, he was sure he wasn't dead. There was more to life and death than that. He was alive, but that goblet had cursed him. He hoped he was still in the Chamber, so that Dumbledore would be by the next morning and set things right.

He had spent the better part of the three hours figuring it all out, putting theories out in his mind, each crazier than the last. He first thought Sirius had crept up behind him and cast a spell on him while he was so immersed in the goblet and the strange aura it was giving off, the almost painful aura.

Then, he realized it had been the goblet. The strange aura, of course, he was still feeling it. He could still feel around with his mind, just not his body. The goblet, Hufflepuff's goblet. It began to fall into place.

A Horcrux.

After all, Dumbledore had said, I believe them (pieces of his soul)to be in very important objects to him, or very valuable objects. Yes, from what Harry knew of Voldemort, Tom Riddle's only home had been Hogwarts. He was desperate to be able to stay there the year he framed Hagrid. It would make sense the most important objects to him had something to do with Hogwarts.

The Diary, his own personal diary, obviously it was important. Hufflepuff's cup was not initially something Harry thought Voldemort would want to place his soul into. It was Hufflepuff, come on. Then again, Harry would hold anything that reminded him of Hogwarts of great importance, and Riddle had said they were eerily similar.

Yes, it was a Horcrux. So, since that theory of what had happened rose above the others, he stopped theorizing. He tried to end the state he was in several ways. Sheer will to come back, he tried changing into his phoenix form, but nothing happened. So, he had hours to do nothing but think. So he thought about everything.

Spells, magic, the Weasley's, Ron and Hermione, Ginny, Dumbledore, the prophecy, Hogwarts, pranks, Sirius, his parents, death, life, Ginny, growing powers, phoenixes, magical feeling, love, hate, the graveyard, and Gi…

Then he felt a great power enter the room. Instantly he knew it was Dumbledore's aura he felt. He wondered if the wall had sealed shut again, but the answer came when he felt Dumbledore get closer. He saw in his mind a stretcher being conjured, and he felt his own magical body lift off the ground and onto it. Dumbledore came to a pause, only for a moment, and Harry knew he had spotted the goblet lying only a short distance from where his hand had just left.

Dumbledore didn't spend time on it though…after all, it wasn't going anywhere. He found himself in the floo, and then into a room he had never felt, but was sure he could identify it as Hogwarts' infirmary. He could feel a few things, like his usual bed, so clearly that he could almost see it.

Dumbledore's impression left the room, only to come back in and be followed by a smaller, calming power. Madam Pomfrey, no doubt. Yes, he would be fixed up in a tick. He felt her cast several charms, most he recognized as those to identify symptoms and learn of one's illness.

As minutes went on, he began to worry. What if they wouldn't find out what was wrong? They stopped, their auras standing still to Harry. He had practiced sensing for several hours straight, and he tried to concentrate even further to see if he could discern anything.

Their images became more clear to him, not at he would see them, but he could feel them in such intensity that he feel their features and movements. He decided with absolutely no distractions, absolutely none, he could feel anything he wanted. He felt the worry coming from Madam Pomfrey, and the determination radiating off of Dumbledore.

Harry knew they were discussing his condition with absolutely no idea what was wrong. Dumbledore turned and left through the fireplace, only to return with…Ginny?

Yes, it was Ginny, but what was she doing? Harry searched Dumbledore's feeling again, but found he was too distracted and confused by this new appearance to feel deeply. Ginny rushed over to his, he assumed, unmoving form.

Then he felt something.

Warmth flowed through his body impending from his hand. Ginny had grabbed his hand, and he felt something. However, that was it. He was not awake. He vaguely felt the adults leave the room.

Several images of what Ginny may be doing flew through his head. He didn't want her to see him weak. He was supposed to protect the world, but his girlfriend was seeing him completely defenseless. He saw her possibly crying over him, maybe she was ranting about how he could die, but that he couldn't die.

Then he realized with stupidity that if he focused, he could better guess what she was doing. He tried to pull all thoughts except her away from him. He began to get a clearer image in his head.

She wasn't crying. She was similar to Dumbledore, determined, but also nervous. She was radiating another aura though, too. He couldn't tell what it was. It seemed so strong, and unbreakable. Just as he began to focus and it started to come a bit clearer, all of his five senses returned to him.

He sat up quickly, not realizing he did so, and opening his eyes, saw that he was indeed in Hogwarts, with Ginny at his side, holding his hand. She was blushing, more than he had seen in a year, but she was also smiling happily, and she quickly hugged him.

It took a moment for him to register everything, and then he hugged back. He gave her a small, but strong, kiss on the lips. Then he felt it. He was sure it was just the fact that he hadn't felt anything for hours. Yes, that was it. The amazing feeling he felt inside himself, and that seemed to explode around him was just the shock of everything.

He deepened the kiss a bit. It continued to feel incredible; surely the shock would be over now. Afraid of this remarkable feeling he had, he pulled back, yet reluctantly. Ginny looked up into his green eyes, and he into her warm, chocolate brown ones.

The feeling only intensified, he didn't understand. What was going on? He was desperate to leave it, to stop the strange, uncontrollable feeling, yet he wanted to keep feeling its power. He wanted to understand.

He laid back down, dropping the gaze he had been holding. Was she feeling it too, or were these after affects of the curse? No, they were too whole, and wonderful. He was breathing heavily, and the emotion slowly began to die down. He glanced at Ginny, to see that she too was looking away and breathing deeply.

Harry led out a "wow," in a whisper. She looked back at him and smiled, causing even more emotions to explode. He couldn't contain himself and leaned up again and kissed her sending wonderful jolts to shoot through their bodies.

After a few seconds, the door opened and Professor Dumbledore walked in. They didn't notice though, and for a few moments, they were just lost in each other. When they finally broke, and Harry glanced around, he found his headmaster at the window, staring out the window thoughtfully, as if he hadn't seen a thing. Harry cleared is throat, but found, miraculously, that he was not embarrassed. It just felt right. One look at Ginny told him she thought the same. "Professor?"

He turned around, his eyes sparkling like Harry had never seen. "Are you okay, Harry?" Harry almost laughed. Okay? He had never felt better. It was strange to think he thought himself to be dead not eight hours earlier…

Harry smiled and looked at Ginny, "Of course."

The twinkling, still at an all-time high, seemed to smile at the pair of teenagers. "You know Madam Pomfrey will want to check you out before you leave. Also, I need to have a discussion with you, about obvious things."

"Gin can stay?" It was more of a statement than a question, but he felt that if it was written down, it would deserve a question mark.

Dumbledore started to say no, but, as if something clicked, his eyes shot open and he nodded, "Certainly. Shall we talk now, or after our matron makes sure you are fine?"

Motioning Dumbledore over, Harry started. "I was in...Well you saw, in the training room, and I needed to get something out of the vault." He realized he had never shown Ginny or the others the massive gold stash, but he continued on. "When I entered, I immediately felt something strange…I mean, I sensed it, you know? I ignored it, but when I found what I was looking for, it was penetrating me so much that I had to find out what it was.

"I dug through some gold, and came to find a goblet, Hufflepuff's goblet. It was beautiful, but it was sending me awful signs. So I moronically reached out for it, and every sense I had, stopped.

"I could, however, still think, and reach out in my mind. I had several hours to mull over everything. I felt when you entered, and when we moved in here, and then when Gin came…" Harry stopped suddenly. Why had he come back? Did Ginny know a spell? He continued slowly, "And then the next thing I knew, I was up and feeling…amazing."

Ginny broke the short silence, "So you didn't hear anything?" Harry shook his head, and she sighed, half relieved, half shot down.

Dumbledore smiled, "I take it you have come to the same conclusion as I have on the goblet?"

Harry was pretty sure they were thinking along the same lines, so he nodded. He looked at Ginny's face. He could tell she wanted to know what was going on, but she completely trusted the two men. Harry knew Ginny would not press the issue until it was told to her. He loved her for that reason.

Surely not loved?

Dumbledore spoke again interrupting his confusion, "I will ask you two to come with me immediately then, and we will destroy a second piece of the evil's soul." Harry was shocked. So Ginny was coming. He would need to tell her that Voldemort made Horcruxes. How many? He could only guess. "I'll grab Madam Pomfrey quickly then, so she won't beat me with a stick." Dumbledore looked at Harry and nodded his head toward Ginny.

He looked back at her, the odd sensation filling him again as the wizened man left them. "Hey, Gin…there's something about Voldemort that you need to know. He, well, when one murders someone else," Harry went into a short explanation of what a Horcrux was.

"So, he has made several, at least, more than one for sure. I have already destroyed one…" He broke off, reaching what he feared most about telling her this.

"When? Where?"

"Just over two years ago, in the Chamber of Secrets." Silence echoed around the room. Ginny was having a battle inside herself, he knew.

"So let's go destroy that b…" She was cut off by an impatient, quite shocked, woman entering the room. She gave the boy in the bed a good look.

"Potter…if you feel fine…just…just go! You know what's going on and I haven't got a clue, so go!" She practically screamed at him. Harry almost laughed. She didn't deserve him.

He jumped off the bed, surprised by his lack of tiredness, although, he had been in a meditative state for many hours. They made their way to the fireplace. Harry was about to cast the silencing charm, so Ginny wouldn't hear, but Dumbledore stopped him.

"IT COST 7:56"

The three gathered around the goblet. "Last time you just stabbed it with an incredibly poisonous fang…see any basilisks around?" Harry laughed, then realized that a short distance away, there was a basilisk, rotting in a dank chamber.

Harry shook his head at Dumbledore, though he didn't need the warning not to divulge in the fact that there was indeed a basilisk fang near. Ginny had been through a lot emotionally already today, he was sure.

"No, Miss Wea…Ginev…Ginny. We need to find a spell to do this properly." Dumbledore drew his wand and cast several charms over the goblet, which made Harry start cursing himself under his breath for being so reckless before.

Dumbledore chuckled at Harry before casting the levitation charm and moving it over to the sitting area. Ginny whispered to Harry, "That room was…wow. I've never seen so much gold."

Harry smiled down at Harry. Ron was different; he was ashamed by the Weasley's poverty. Ginny accepted it, and realized it wasn't the end of the world to not have some of the things other wizards and witches did. She could openly talk about it without expecting pity or insults.

They gathered around the table with the pensieve on it. Dumbledore lowered the goblet down. "We can physically destroy it, as you did the diary, but I am worried there is another defense mechanism. There was nothing on the diary for obvious reasons of him wanting it to let someone in it. This however, was never meant to be found.

"So let's look at the obvious. Harry, Ginny, have any ideas?"

"We could pull the magic out, and it would diminish," Ginny suggested.

Harry thought aloud, "Well, it would be almost impossible, like ripping someone's soul from their body, something only death is supposed to do. Or if we were Dementors…I suppose we could take all the magic, excluding the piece of soul, out, then destroy the goblet?"

"That might work, Harry, Ginny, that is a great idea. I never thought of it…However, I have found an easier way, one that won't take hours of finding what curses are in the goblet, only to risk still missing one. It is love.

For some reason, Harry and Ginny immediately looked at each other without thinking, and then turned away to Dumbledore again. His twinkle was back. When they gave him questioning looks he explained, "The evil of murdering someone, not killing, murdering, for I have killed before, and I do not consider it murder…It was necessary, but I digress. The evil of murdering someone, then placing a piece of your soul into an inanimate object can be countered easily by love.

"Love, Harry, is your power. The power the Dark Lord knows not…It has given you great power thus far. Now, love will overcome his soul, or at least a portion of it. I doubt you will know what to do…just do what feels right." And on that note, the mentor left the room via floo.

"Any ideas, Gin?"

"None."

He looked into her eyes again, and that strange feeling came over him. He didn't understand. She seemed to be feeling the same thing according to her facial expression. He took her hand in his and they both shivered. A really good shiver, he decided.

"Hey Gin…I usually don't talk about this stuff, but do you…?" Harry trailed off, but Ginny knew he was going to ask about the atmosphere.

"Yea. It's weird, but really…" This time she trailed off. She was unable to put it to words.

"Exactly."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while. Harry's hand was still tingling slightly, and felt the urge to grab the goblet again. Why would you do that? he asked himself. However, Ginny's hand moved toward the goblet.

He didn't protest because he had that feeling again to grab the cursed cup. Together, they reached out with their hands that were not interlocked. They grabbed it at the same time, wordlessly.

Nothing happened. He didn't black out. More importantly, she didn't. He didn't what he would do if she were to get hurt.

As he thought about Ginny, the goblet issued a deep, blood red smoke out of its cup. As soon as it started, the smoke stopped coming, but the smoke turned into a shape. It was indiscernible at first, but it soon took shape. At first he thought it was a snake…That changed quickly when he saw the disfigured face of Voldemort. The smoke faded with a snarl and was gone.

Harry and Ginny were speechless. Had they done it? What had they done? What were they thinking, grabbing the goblet that put Harry out of commission for hours? It had worked, though. Apparently, it worked because of love."

They looked at each other and instantly went in for another kiss. It did not develop into a snog due to the pureness of the kiss. The jolt they both felt sent their heads spinning. They pulled away and dazedly looked at each other for a moment.

Ginny smiled, sending another shock down Harry's spine. She laughed while saying, "Only the wonderful Harry Potter could kiss his girlfriend like that after defeating a piece of his enemy's soul."

Harry smiled, and he noticed the shift of Ginny's body, like he had seconds before. "Only the beautiful Ginny Weasley would kiss her boyfriend like that after they defeated a piece of his enemy's soul."

As if on cue, Dumbledore came back. "Oh, good!" he said when he saw them holding the goblet still. He turned and left without a question.

"Harry, Ginny, dears, where have you been?" Mrs. Weasley asked them worriedly. Harry quietly told Ginny with his eyes not to say anything. They had left a short time after Dumbledore…maybe not a short time.

"We were just out for a bit, sorry to worry you Mrs. Weasley." Harry ran his hand through his hair distractedly, "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"Oh, they are outside looking for you two. Ron said something about not wanting to leave you two alone."

The two teenagers chuckled as they went outside. They found Ron and Hermione at the pond, looking both uncomfortable and at ease. Harry made to levitate Ron's hand onto Hermione's, but Ginny stopped and whispered to Harry, "Let them figure it out on their own…we did." Harry nodded and set Ron's hand back on the grass without him noticing.

Instead, Harry sneaked behind his best friend and yelled into his ear. The next few moments passed quickly and ended with Harry holding a confused Ron to ground after Ron had tried to tackle him. "Boys" was heard a few feet away from them.

"Where have you guys been?" Ron asked suspiciously. Harry had to laugh before telling them the story. "Why did Dumbledore get Ginny?" Ron said after the tale was over.

"Well, I…Yes, that is a question we'll have to ask him later. Obviously he knew what he was doing." Ginny was apparently confused about that herself. Harry saw her start to blush and felt again like he was going crazy. Luckily Ron interrupted him, and saved him from snogging Ginny right there in front of his best friends.

"Our Hogwarts' letters got here today…" He sounded a little uncomfortable.

Harry knew what it was about, "You two made prefect, then?" Ron looked shocked, Hermione hid her shock quickly, following it up by beaming.

"See, Ron, I told you he knew it." She turned to Harry, "He was worried you wo…" She was cut off by Ron's cough.

Then the two began bickering about what he was and wasn't worried about.

Ginny looked over at Harry with an exasperated look on her face. They burst into laughter causing Ron and Hermione to look at them questioningly. Harry opened his mouth to tell them, but Ginny gave him a warning look as if saying, "Give them time."

Harry tried to collect his thoughts that night. So, Ron and Hermione had been told the jest of the story. Harry and Ginny both failed to mention a certain overpowering feeling they had been feeling, and that their combined 'love' had destroyed a Horcrux.

Harry was scared. He didn't feel love, he never had. The first time since before he could remember was when Mrs. Weasley hugged him like a son after the graveyard experience. Now, according to Dumbledore, he had loads of it, and apparently with Ginny.

He was only fifteen years old; she was on her birthday's eve of turning fourteen. Surely they couldn't love each other. He went to sleep feeling both confused and happy thinking of Ginny.

The next morning, before Ginny woke, Harry went back to the chamber and finished what he had went there to originally do. He finished her necklace, it looked great by his standards, but then again, he knew nothing when it came to that stuff.

Right as he was leaving, Dumbledore walked into the room. "I thought I'd catch you here, Harry. I wanted to congratulate you, I checked the goblet, and I now have two, perfectly safe, founders of Hogwarts possessions with me."

"The sword and goblet. Halfway there, right? Professor, I was wondering something…I mean no disrespect of course, but why didn't you feel the Horcrux when we went into that room weeks ago?"

"It is not disrespectful, I have given it a lot of thought. I have come to the conclusion that it is your fault," he said with a smile. "You surprised me that day with the paintings, and it hadn't worn off until I got them into my office. I guess I let my surprise win over my concentration. Hopefully this old dog can learn new tricks."

"Well, I've got to get going. It's Ginny's birthday." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily. "Thanks, sir."

He went back to The Burrow. He was surprised to find Ginny wasn't up yet. No one was, but Ginny usually got up earlier than the others, so she could be with Harry before the brothers arrived. He crept silently up the stairs, and opened her door a crack.

Feelings overwhelmed him as he watched her peacefully sleeping. He floated over to the bed and knelt down beside her bed. He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. She groaned awake. Her eyes opened on Harry and suddenly she was very awake.

"Happy Birthday, Gin. I…I got your birthday present…I wanted to give it to you away from the others."

"You mean that wasn't the present?" she asked innocently.

"Here, I hope you like it." She sat up in bed, wearing only a tank top and shorts. Harry cleared his throat, before sitting next to her on her bed. She unwrapped the necklace and gasped. He watched her face entranced before she caught his eyes.

"Harry, it's beautiful. Where did you get it? This must have cost a ton!"

"Absolutely free…I made it using some of the stuff in the Chamber of S…er, gold…next to the training room." He hoped it would be a smooth enough cover for her not to question him on the Chamber. Apparently it was.

The day passed in a wonderful blur. The party was fun until Fred tried to test one of the twins' new products on Ron by putting it in the cake, then it was hilarious. Mrs. Weasley cleared the table with the cake half eaten, and apparently ate the rest in the kitchen, because she came back with her arms as penguin flippers, which she used to beat the twins upstairs.

Several of the better-known Order members were present. Tonks, whom Harry had met a couple weeks earlier, entertained them by changing her face to look like whatever Ginny wanted. Remus, who had started taking the potion from Harry, again, was talking with Sirius looking over at Harry and the birthday girl.

The Next-Generation Marauders, excluding Ginny, gave her a lot tested as well as testable products. Ron and Hermione had apparently got together to get her omnoculars, which she was happy about.

Looking over the scene before him, Harry decided that for the first time in his life, he didn't want to return to Hogwarts just yet.

The next day, Harry entered the training room to meet Dumbledore. Fawkes was waiting with the Supreme Mugwump as he stepped from the flames. "Hello, Harry, Fawkes would like to meet…" but he was cut off as Fawkes flew over to Harry.

The great bird gracefully landed on Harry shoulder. Harry turned and looked deep into his eyes, and he back into Harry's. After several moments, Fawkes let out a great trill, which Harry understood. It said, join me.

So Harry turned into his phoenix form, and followed Fawkes into the air. Fawkes sang out, "Harry Potter, I have always trusted you, and now I know why. You are pure of heart, and a true phoenix. My partner holds great faith in you, as do I. Now, what have you learned so far about being a phoenix?"

Harry answered as if he was speaking English, but music came out of his beak. "I have practiced flying, and I have successfully changed phases, both as a phoenix and as a human, but as a humanI send a wall of fire out around me."

"That is interesting," he answered. "I will be teaching you how to teleport by way of flame. Then, if you learn quickly, I can teach you how to make yourself cry."

So Fawkes began instructing Harry. He learned flame travel very quickly. It had its similarities to apparating, but differences as well. He needed to focus on his destination, but then he needed to combust himself as he leaned. However, it wasn't phase changing combustion, so it took a bit of work to understand how to flame away.

"The benefits of this, is that all you need is a detailed picture or memory in a pensieve and you would be able to flame there. Also, there is no limit to amount of teleports or distance one travels, like in apparation. It will not tire you nearly as much, and best of all, there are no flaming wards set up anywhere on this earth.

"Although, you can also carry many people in your teleportation, whereas apparation can take a maximum ok just two people." Harry had mastered flaming very quickly and they moved on to healing tears.

Fawkes explained that the tears had little to do with the phoenix, but the person it was healing. He taught Harry a rather complex, but short, song that had no translation. "It will bring tears if, and only if, something or someone is in need of healing, has a pure heart, and has reason to be healed. "An old man—who is ready to leave this world and has no further purpose—will not receive healing tears even if he is pure of heart and has need of healing. A young man will receive tears if he fills the other two requirements because he has reason to live."

Harry wondered how a phoenix could determine of someone still had a purpose in life or not. As if Fawkes had read his thoughts, he spoke soothingly, "we do not determine, Harry. It is the person who decides, and other things from other realms that even I cannot explain." Harry had no practice with the tears, but had mastered the song to bring the tears.

Fawkes told Harry that his training was over, but he could talk to him anytime if he needed. Harry transformed again, and Dumbledore, who had left earlier, entered again. "It was helpful, no doubt?"

"Yes, sir...Professor, I'm ready to show you what happened in the graveyard."