I do not own Harry Potter or gain anything from writing this other than the opportunity of expanding on an already brilliant universe for my own entertainment, and hopefully yours.

CHAPTER 14 - SEVEN

The next day in potions class was absolutely unbearable. At least it was for a bespectacled Ravenclaw named Sue Li. Harry and Tracey were relentless in their teasing of the new girlfriend of one Terry Boot. The boy was sitting directly behind Sue, sniggering then grinning apologetically at his girlfriend at every few jokes.

'I hear she's not the only one who's been getting some action,' Tracey said with a knowing look to Harry once they'd bottled their potions and waited for the rest of class to finish.

'Don't know what you're talking about,' Harry said with a grin that said he knew exactly what she was talking about.

'OH please,' Sue said, having missed the grin entirely. 'Nearly the entire school saw you snogging Luna on the train.'

Harry was grateful that Sue was not one of the Ravenclaw's who ever called Luna, Loony. Not that anyone called her that anymore. It only took one fifth year Ravenclaw boy to end up in the hospital wing for the entire house to turn over a new leaf regarding Luna Lovegood. The two weeks of detention were well worth it for Harry.

'She does like a good snog, that one,' Harry said thoughtfully.

'Yes,' Tracey said dryly, 'she is the insatiable one.'

'Are we still meeting later today?' Sue asked.

'Yeah, that'll be good,' Harry said, running a hand through his hair. 'I hope you all don't mind, I invited a few other people along. I have an announcement of sorts.'

'You didn't knock up Lovegood did you?' Tracey asked in mock outrage.

Harry decided to roll with it. 'How did you know?!' he asked in shock and horror.

The two froze, gaping at him until Harry burst out laughing and received a few swats on the head.

'Didn't knock anyone up, no,' he said, still chuckling, and then turning abruptly serious. 'It's something important actually.'

The surprised looks returned at Harry's shift. Sue leaned in conspiratorially.

'I was going to ask Terry if he wanted to come,' Sue said in a whisper. 'Should I not?'

Harry sat back thoughtfully for a moment, mulling that over.

'I do trust Terry,' he said slowly, glancing at the boy behind Sue, 'but no, this is a bit too big and I don't know him well enough.'

Sue nodded in understanding then leaned in again.

'I know you and Tracey are close,' she said very quietly to ensure no one overheard her, 'are you sure you want me there?'

'I do,' Harry said immediately. 'If you think it might be too much for you then I understand completely if you don't want to come though.'

Sue nodded slowly once again but said nothing more on the subject.

Later on in the Room of Requirement, Harry was just finishing up his potions homework when a procession of his friends came into the room. Harry closed his eyes and concentrated, the tables that he, Daphne, Tracey and Sue were sitting at shifted. A large round table took its place as the people filed in.

'Harry,' Ron said hesitantly, eyeing the two Slytherin girls suspiciously, 'what are they doing here?'

'Well let's just say it wasn't a coincidence that I ran off to help Daphne the night of the Christmas party,' Harry said with a fond look at Daphne who smiled gratefully. 'Tracey and Daphne have been two of my best friends this year. So I expect you to be civil, yeah?'

Ron gave him a cock headed incredulous look.

'You think you know a guy,' he mumbled but raised no further protest.

'Thanks for coming, everyone,' Hermione began, standing against the far wall, a blackboard appearing behind her. 'Since this summer, Harry has been working on some very powerful magic.'

Harry pulled out the book on soul magic from the Black library and placed it on the table.

'What he has been preparing for is a very complex and dangerous ritual,' Hermione continued. 'The ritual has one purpose. To kill Voldemort.'

The gasps of surprise from around the table were unanimous from everyone who had no idea of the gravity of the situation. Only Luna, Susan and Hannah knew the full scope. Tracey and Daphne had only sussed out certain pieces by themselves.

Hermione tapped her wand on the blackboard and it filled with the seven names on Harry's chest. And off to the side, a drawing of his lightning bolt scar.

'Now,' she said calmly, 'if anyone doesn't want to be involved, you're free to leave.'

Hermione waited for a long time before letting out a sigh of relief.

'Good,' she said when no one moved, 'I really didn't feel up to Obliviating anyone.'

'Well shit,' Tonks said, setting her feet up on the table. 'This is far more interesting than I thought it was gonna be.'

Hermione continued the explanation with Harry's help. If they were shocked before it was nothing compared to what came next. By the time she was done the ones not in the know were absolutely dumbfounded.

'Let me get this straight,' Ginny said, holding her head in her hands. 'You've made this link to seven witches. With this you'll form a ritual that will kill V - Voldemort, the piece of soul in your head and a bunch of other pieces of his soul who knows where?'

'Yes,' Harry said but was interrupted by Hermione before he could go on.

'What you need to understand is that a soul cannot technically be split. Pieces of it can move apart and can even die separately, but as long as they exist they are connected. Space between makes little difference, they are one piece of soul. We'll use that link to destroy them all.'

'I know you said it was dangerous,' Daphne said with a sour look on her face, 'but this sounds more -'

'Like suicide?' Tracey cut in angrily, glaring at Harry.

Harry tried to smile reassuringly at the girls but based on the continued glares he failed.

'It's not as bad as all that,' Harry explained. 'That's what the link is for, if you seven are there with me then it'll lessen the load. We are talking about a lot of energy transferring through a soul in my body though. So no, it's not guaranteed I'll live. Compared to the alternative, me duelling Voldemort one on one … I'll take the sure thing of his death. Even if my life isn't a sure thing.'

'That's what we were guarding, isn't it?' Tonks said in a quiet voice, her head in her hands. 'In the Department of Mysteries, that's what Dumbledore wouldn't tell us about. There is a damn prophecy.'

Harry said nothing. This was a truth he had to deal with himself, less than a year ago. He didn't know if it would be more difficult to hear this about someone you care about or yourself. He had a feeling which would be worse for him though.

'Anyone opposed to this?' Harry asked.

He could see from their faces that no one liked it, but the prophecy had them cornered. Harry was in danger of dying even if they said no, probably even more so.

He closed his eyes and the Room expanded on one side and he moved towards it. As he stepped into the middle of the Heptagram that appeared on the floor, it began to glow.

He pointed his wand at the seven points one by one as he spoke in a loud voice.

'Light, Earth, Fire, Water, Dark, Air and Nature,' the seven girls linked to Harry walked to their corresponding element, their auras becoming visible without need of a spell as they did.

'Wait,' Neville said nervously. 'We're not doing it now, are we?'

'No,' Hermione said, somewhat annoyed, 'weren't you listening? Mid May is when we'll do it. Harry has to do more to prepare.'

'I still have to strengthen Tracey and Susan's souls,' Harry pointed out. 'Which I could do today I suppose, and I need to spend a lot of time in this circle strengthening my own.'

'So what are we gonna be doing?' Ron asked from off to the side. 'We won't be in the circle, will we?'

'No,' Harry confirmed. 'Well, Hannah will be.'

'What?!' She asked in surprise.

'To be completely honest you're going to have the most difficult job,' Harry said seriously. 'Next to mine of course. I'll have to train you on some incantations and a bit of soul magic. That is, if you feel up to it?'

Hannah stared at him wide eyed at hearing the news that she'll be fulfilling such an important role.

'W - what will I be doing?' she asked nervously.

'Supporting me,' Harry said in a no nonsense voice. 'Like I said to you on the train, your Christmas present was more than just a pretty piece of jewellery. All of yours are to be honest,' he added looking at his seven linked witches, 'but yours is the centre, just as I am the centre. My life will be in your hands.'

The girl looked close to tears at that statement.

'Harry, I …' she said shakily. 'I - is there anyone else that can do it?'

Harry left the circle and walked towards her, grabbing her shoulders. The glow disappeared as soon as he walked out of the middle.

'Hannah … I wouldn't be asking this of you if I didn't think you could do it,' he said gently. 'You asked me before how you can help … this is how. I trust you with my life and it's not just on a whim. You're the most capable person for this.'

Harry felt her sag slightly but she nodded. He took a step back and looked at her seriously.

'It's not like you'll be going into it blind,' he continued. 'Like I said, I'll be training you one on one. If you still think you can't do it then there are two others who could, but I want it to be you.'

Harry's eyes flicked first to Ginny then to Sue. Their eyes found each other and gulped, then looked back to Hannah.

'I'll try, Harry,' she said finally in a mostly steady voice.

Harry nodded gratefully and left it at that.

'As for the rest of you,' Harry said, looking at Ron, 'I don't really know what kind of state I'll end up in, but after Hannah is through with me we'll both be incredibly weak. These seven will be pretty exhausted too,' he gestured to the witches still standing in the circle. 'Get us what we need,' he finished with a shrug.

Ron, Neville, Ginny and Sue nodded firmly.

'There's one thing I don't quite understand,' Sue said with a furrowed brow. 'How exactly do you form this link?'

Harry's face made a grimace as he heard seven witches snorting and giggling behind him

'What is it?' Ron asked suspiciously.

'Th - that's not important,' Harry deflected. 'Hey look, a Crumple Horned Snorckack!'

Despite no one turning around, Harry threw his Invisibility Cloak over himself and bolted from the Room. As the door was closing he heard Luna's serene voice say something, followed by Ron's angry voice.

'HE DID WHAT?!'