Dedicated to the one hundredth reviewer: mickey!

And thank you everyone else for the wonderful reviews! I was very happy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Chapter 14

Ron did a double take. Did Harry just

"Harry?" Ron asked…. There was a long pause, before Harry weakly responded.

"Yeah Mate?"

Ron could hardly believe it. Harry was talking to him. And moving! They did it.

"HERMINOE!" Ron bellowed. "COME HERE! QUICK!"

They heard a clatter of pans downstairs, and quick footsteps on the stairs, and through the door came a hassled looking Hermione.

"What Ron?" she said looking slightly irritated.

"It's Harry! He's- he's back!" Ron stuttered. He hoped it wasn't an illusion.

"Ron, quit kidding. Harry is acting the same as he has."

"No, seriously Hermione! Harry, please do something! Any sign of- uh…life?"

A minute passed before Hermione glared at Ron and said, "Ron, that was a cruel joke. You know"-

"Hermione," Harry croaked. Hermione stared wide-eyed, jaw dropped.

"Oh my- Harry! I can't believe it…But Harry, honestly, you had me accusing Ron of lying."

"Hard…t-to speak. And m-move." Harry replied in a weak stutter.

Hermione, who was standing a bit far away to hear, leaned in closer and asked, "What, Harry? Could you please repeat that?"

"Hermione!" Ron said a bit shrilly. "He said it was hard to speak and move."

"Well your sitting right next to him, I couldn't hear!" Hermione snapped.

"You could of asked me!" Ron replied, imitating Hermione's tone.

Hermione looked as though she was about to retort, when Harry spoke, "Guys, come on."

"Oh, right," Ron flushed.

"Oh Harry, has it just been horrible there?" Hermione asked, taking a seat besides Harry and patting him on the back.

Harry nodded his head an inch or so.

"I'm sorry! We got a letter from you. And we thought it was real, and we sent a rescue party… that failed." Hermione said.

"It's all right." Harry said.

"Well, Harry, we've got a bit of a surprise for you." Ron said grinning.

Hermione, looked perplexedly at Ron, and then an excited look came upon her face. "Yes, tell him Ronald!"

"Well, wow you were gone, we've destroyed three of the Horcruxes." Ron said, counting on his fingers. "Cup, locket, snake. And one left to go."

Harry did his best to muster up a smile, but everything he tried was rather hard, and pulled a lot of energy from him.

"T-thanks guys," he said, feeling a bit like professor Quirell who stuttered every word as well.

"Well, I expected that moment to go over a bit more- exciting maybe." Ron laughed.

"Harry? Do you have any idea what the last Horcrux is?" Hermione said, as though she was talking to a toddler.

Harry managed to give a mock glare, and replied, "No."

"Maybe Fred and George know," Ron said suggestively.

Harry gave a questioning look.

"Oh, and since we were underage, we acquired help from Fred and George. They know, and I really hope you don't mind." Hermione said, wincing as though she was about to be hit. "We had to get passed the barriers, and we had no magic and"-

"It's all r-right." Harry replied, smiling.

"Good, I was worried how you'd feel," she said, with relief.

"So…what do we do now?" Ron asked.

"Eat, rest, research," Hermione said, ignoring Ron's groan. "We have to get them destroyed as soon as possible. Now if we all go downstairs, I have something I can continue cooking."

"What about Harry, I mean, if anyone sees him…just imagine." Ron trailed away.

"Hmm. I guess I'll bring the meal upstairs. Give me about five minutes!" And she ran down the stairs again.

"Wonder what she's making." Ron said into the silence.

"Dunno," Harry replied.

"So what was it like there- I mean, what happened?" Ron asked in a quavering voice.

"Lots o-of stuff." Harry said, and then continued after getting a rather unsatisfied look from Ron. "Well, there w-was a d-dumb snake. Lied t-to me."

Harry proceeded to tell Ron some of the events that happened while he was captured.

Hermione came into the room, several minutes later, followed by Fred and George.

"So he's not still trying to kill us?" Fred asked.

"No," Hermione said, putting down a bowl of soup and crackers in front of Ron. "He is not trying to kill us."

"Right," George said, sitting closest to the door.

"Fred and George say they haven't got a clue where the last Horcrux is. I think it's almost safe to say it is something that once belonged to the four founders. Perhaps Ravenclaw." She pulled out a small lump in her pocket then added, "And I don't think the sword was a Horcrux."

"It w-wasn't. D-Dumbledore said." Harry choked out.

"Well, we have to return this soon," she said, slipping the shrunken sword through her fingers, "I suppose I'll do that." And Hermione began to make her way out of the room.

"What did Ravenclaw have?" Fred said to himself.

"Would it have to do something with intelligence?" Ron suggested.

"Who would make a book a Horcrux? That's just pure madness!" George laughed.

"I didn't say book." Ron grumbled.

"We d-don't k-know if Ravenclaw is a H-Horcrux." Harry said.

"Could be something else of Slytherin's, or even Gryffindor's. I doubt any more Horcruxes were made with Hufflepuff's items." Fred said.

"What if we never find it?" George asked. "What then?"

"Then someone just Avada Kedavra Voldemort and make sure he doesn't get another resurrection." Ron said agitatedly.

Harry turned slowly to Ron, wide-eyed, "Ron, t-that's, that's ex-excellent!"

"What?" Ron sat up straighter.

"He said that's excellent. Don't make him repeat it, Hermione explained his predicament." George said.

"I heard him," Ron snapped.

"Then why'd you"- George began.

"L-Let's d-do it." Harry stuttered.

"Harry, you can't just walk up and kill You-know- Voldemort."

Harry rose and eyebrow. Hello! Chosen one!

"Oh, right." Ron turned a bit red. "But do you think you can do it? I mean, haven't people been trying for years? He's been dodging them right and left."

"He s-still thinks I'm l-lifeless or w-whatever." Harry replied coldly. "Catch him o-off g-guard."

"Hermione won't let you; I know it." Ron said.

"I'll h-have t-to find some way a-around her then."

"We'll help you Harry, in whatever crazy stunt you'll try to pull." Harry heard the twins say together.

Harry gave a weak smile. "Ron?"

"Always with you mate." Ron replied, giving his confirmation he would help.

"I'm afraid you wont be able to carry out such plans." The four turned to see-

"M-Malfoy." Harry croaked. Fred made a move to pull his wand.

"No, I don't think so. Yes, put it away." Malfoy pointed his wand to Fred, who deposited his wand into his pocket. "So Potter, I see you're doing well. Come here, and I'll return you to the Dark Lord."

Ron stepped up in front of Harry, and said, "No Malfoy. Leave before we make

you."

"Is that some kind of threat? No, give me Potter. I guess you could call it a bit of revenge since, he had me banished to that grimy prison cell. And then, what's worse Potter is that when you tried to run away, I got punished for it. Seem fair? No. And so my mother helped me escape before I was killed. And now, to relieve myself of this death sentence, I need you. Hand him over." Malfoy finished with a cold sneer.

"Fine, I suppose I'll have to take you all out"-

"STUPEFY!" Malfoy fell to the ground. The four boys looked around. None of them had fired that spell. The twins pulled their wands and stood up.

"Who's there?" George called. They heard footsteps come up the stairs.

"Who"-

"Calm down, it's just me." Hermione laughed.

"And how do we know it's just you. Are their other Deatheaters? How do we know you're not under pollyjuice potion?" Fred asked suspiciously.

"Alright, ask me a question only Hermione Jane Granger would know. As for other Deatheaters, there are none. You know Malfoy, he'll want all the credit." Hermione said propping Malfoy's body against the wall.

"That's good enough for me," Fred said with looking at the others.

"How come you did underage magic?" George asked.

"Because of age wizards were around," Hermione replied matter-of-factly. "Now should we obliviate him, and send him on his way, or tie him up?"

"Wait, how did he get in anyway?" Ron asked.

"Well, I'm sure now with Dumbledore dead, there is no secret keeper. And with the relation Malfoy shares with the black family, he was able to gain access into the house. Which means it may not be safe for awhile." Then she added, "and if my theory is right, that stupid article was wrong." She sniffled.

"So, should we move out of the house?" Ron questioned.

"Y-yeah." Harry said.

"Where too?" Ron sighed.

"Where would we go?" came Hermione.

"T-the least expected p-place." Harry choked.

The three of them grinned at each other, and Hermione turned to Fred, "You take care of Malfoy. We'll tell you where we are later."

"Okay," the twins said in unison as they stared manically at the limp from of the arrogant boy.

"Harry, can you walk?" Ron asked Harry.

"May need a l-little help." Harry said, "And with a-apparating t-too."

"Right…here." Ron put Harry's arm around his shoulder, and hoisted him to his feet. "All right then, let's go."

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"Wow, this place is a dump," Ron said, looking around Riddle Manor, which had collapsing walls and dust everywhere.

"Well, remember the attack?" Hermione said, sitting Harry down in a chair.

"Yeah, I guess we'll have to fix this place up." Ron said, pushing plaster off of a wooden chair,

"Yeah, I'm sure Fred and George will help somehow." Harry said.

"Harry, you didn't stutter."

"Yeah, I think I'm getting a bit stronger, but defiantly not completely."

"Oh, well that's good." Hermione smiled.

"So, do you think there are some like hidden files or something here?" Ron suggested hopefully.

"Possibly, but if this is Voldemort's abandoned Headquarters, then I doubt he would leave information for the aurors or order to look at. Harry, do you know?"

"I don't they left anything. Maybe some books if we're l-lucky." He looked around. The place was as much a mess as he remembered.

"Well, I think everyone deserves a bit of rest." Hermione helped Harry up, and ushered him over to the stairs.

"Uh, I don't want to sleep in any room where a Deatheater might come back to retrieve his missing boot." Ron said jokingly.

"No Ron, you can sleep in the room where the Dark lord will come back for his missing boot." Hermione retorted, causing Harry to give a weak chuckle.

"What?" Ron choked.

"Kidding," Hermione said.

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Harry yawned, and pulled the blankets from him. He felt almost completely fine. He knew he wouldn't be completely well until he shot Voldemort with the killing curse. But, he felt almost normal again, which was good enough for him.

He staggered for the door, and down the stairs, which had a carrying smell of breakfast.

"Good morning Harry," Hermione said, as she pulled out his chair before putting a small breakfast in front of him.

"Morning," Harry replied, before picking up his fork, which felt ten times heavier. "This is great." He said after a bite.

"Thanks." She replied warmly.

Ron came down seconds later, and greedily divulged his food. "Excellent Hermione."

"Thank you," she said shortly, picking up each of their plates. She sat down between both of them, taking a sip of orange juice occasionally.

"Where did you get all of this stuff?" Ron asked.

"Went to the market just today."

"Ah, I see. I'm glad it's not anything the Deatheaters left." Ron took a sip of his drink. The three of them sat into the silence, before Harry spoke.

"Hermione, while you were gone yesterday, we were discussing something. What if we hit Voldemort with the killing curse, and prevent him from getting a resurrection. And then, while he is half dead, we destroy the last Horcrux."

"And how exactly do you plan on hitting him with this killing curse?" Hermione raised and eyebrow.

I'll find some way to do it." Harry said confidently. "But look, we've already been through all the possibilities and everything, so, are you in or not? Will you help?"

She seemed to be in thought, before saying without hesitance, Harry noticed, "Of course!"

"All we need really is a plan. Fred and George offered to help as well, and I'm sure they could be of some use." Harry said.

"Fred and George, oh dear, it's our shift at the shop. Let's go!" Hermione said worriedly. Pulling them both from their seats, she led them to apparation point, and they apparated to the joke shop for their shift.

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A/N: That was a frustrating chapter to write! But I'm glad I got it out. So, please review!

And for all the other reviewers, THANKYOU SO MUCH! YOU ROCK!

Max