"H-How could you ever think of something like that, Harry?! The Harry Potter I know is a strong and brave man and would never entertain such thoughts! Ron, Hermione, and I love you no matter what, and we thought you knew! We would never think of deserting you or treating you the way those muggles treat you. We will never let you surrender to… To Voldemort!!" She cried loudly. She had said the name for the first time. She covered her face with her hands and began to sob.

Hearing the commotion, Ron and Hermione came down the spiral staircase into the common room. They froze as they saw Ginny crying and Harry standing frozen too.

"Harry?" Ron said aloud. "What is going on?"

Hermione looked appalled. She went straight to Ginny and asked her what was wrong. Harry stood rooted to the spot, feeling as though he had lost his voice, as Ginny explained everything between sobs. Now, Hermione and Ron had tears in their eyes too.

"Is this all for our friendship, Harry? Y-You, don't… You don't t-trust us?" Ron said as though each syllable was causing him great pain.

Hermione turned away and led Ginny to the corner without saying a word. Harry knew he had messed up big time. He had hurt the feelings of the people who mattered the most to him.

He could hear Hermione sobbing and Ron telling her, "Mione, I love you! Nothing can ever change that!"

Hermione said, "Ronald, my love! Nothing could change my love for you too! Unlike…" Her voice trailed off painfully.

Ginny sat like a cat at the armchair nearest the fire

Harry walked up to them. Looking down, he said, "I am terribly sorry for hurting your feelings. Ron, and Hermione, my two best friends! Ginny, my love! I was afraid of losing you three. I still am! I can't fathom how it would be like to lose you all. Please forgive me for thinking like that."

Ron snarled, "Never ever think such things even as a joke!"

Hermione gave him a weak smile and said, "We trust you, Harry. We expect nothing but trust from you. Now, go and comfort Ginny."

As Ron put an arm around Hermione and turned to tell Harry that they were going to be in the Great Hall, they saw Ginny cuddled in Harry's arms, hissing, "Don't you dare think those of us who love you will ever turn our backs on you!" Harry stroked her vivid red hair grunting happily. Ginny cried with her face buried in Harry's chest for some more time, before looking up.

Harry held her face in his cupped hands. He wiped her tears with his thumbs. Harry and Ginny stared at each other. Then, he leaned forward. Ron and Hermione cheered from the entrance to the Common Room.

The following month saw Ginny and Harry sitting in Dumbledore's office staring at a destroyed ring. "Marvolo Gaunt's ring is also one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. So far, the Diary and the Ring have been destroyed. But I believe we still have Slytherin's locket, an object belonging to Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff's cup.

"Professor, what about an object from Gryffindor?" Ginny questioned.

"Fair point. The Sword of Godric Gryffindor is currently in my possession, and I haven't let Voldemort get his hands on this. Besides, the sword has been impregnated with Basilisk venom when Harry killed the Basilisk and saved Ginny from the Chamber of secrets. Harry had destroyed the diary Horcrux with a Basilisk fang." Dumbledore said.

Harry squeezed Ginny's hand below the table, and she smiled at him.

"So, Harry. We are going to the Cave to get the Locket Horcrux in the next ten minutes. Ginny will keep Ron and Hermione updated about everything. You go and get anything you need, and hurry." Dumbledore said.

Ginny waited with Ron and Hermione. It shouldn't be taking so long! It has been three hours! Just then, the castle shook! Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were joined by Neville and Luna in the Entrance Hall at the same time, as they had come to investigate the chaos. Students were all running helter skelter while the staff was yelling safety instructions.

Luna and Neville pointed at some masked people. Death Eaters! This was horrific! Neville was now taking on a Death Eater, and Luna had also started dueling. Ron and Hermione worked as a team as they dueled another Death Eater. Ginny wouldn't give up. She started dueling fiercely with a Death Eater. Ginny was in tears, not knowing where Harry was. She feared for his life and Ron's, Hermione's, Neville's, and Luna's. Then, she saw the members of the Order of The Phoenix, such as Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody, and Bill Weasley, were there already.

Harry, meanwhile was back with Dumbledore. Dumbledore asked him to fetch Snape, but almost immediately felt the Freezing Charm put on him. He was now under the Invisibility Cloak as he watched Draco Malfoy, some other death Eaters, and finally Severus Snape.

"Severus! Please!" Dumbeldore's voice sent a chill down Harry's spine.

"Avada Kedavra!" Harry's heart sank as he watched the most powerful wizard in the world fall like a ragdoll.

Being free from the Freezing Charm, Harry went after Snape and Malfoy. As Harry shot jinx after jinx after Death Eaters, he saw Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and several Order members all fighting Death Eaters.

Harry took Rubeus Hagrid with him to Dumbledore's body. He shook with emotion, and retrieved the locket. Though he didn't process it at the moment and would do it later, the note at the locket said,

To the Dark Lord

I know I will be dead long before you read this, but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can.

I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more.

—R.A.B.

Harry was distraught. He could feel Ginny lifting him up and urging him to move. Try as he may, the immediate events would always be a blur to him whenever he tried to remember them. He suddenly found himself at Dumbledore's funeral. Hermione and Ginny were sobbing into Ron's and his shoulders respectively. But that is when he knew he had to take a decision. This was not the time to despair, he thought furiously. After all, he had a mission to complete.