Meanwhile back at school, Aaliyah was looking for Harry.

"Do you know where Harry is?" Aaliyah asked Ron. It was later that Saturday and Ron and Lavender were taking a walk around the castle when Aaliyah caught up with them.

It was on the tip of Ron's tongue to say a snarky remark and walk away, but Harry asked that they be nice to the young Slytherin. "He and Hermione went out. Alone," Ron said. "They said they wanted some time to themselves."

Aaliyah deflated a bit and turned away. "Thanks," she said quietly.

Ron smirked at Aaliyah's back. Just because he had to be polite didn't mean he couldn't plant some seeds of doubt into her mind. He laughed inwardly. He was acting like a Slytherin. He cringed then. Yeah…that wasn't a good thing.

Harry and Hermione looked through practically every book in the study before finally sighing in frustration. "Where's the damned book, Hermione?" Harry shouted.

Hermione looked at him and didn't seem fazed at all. "I don't know," she answered quietly. "It was here this summer but perhaps-. My room, I'll be right back."

Harry rolled his eyes and sat down. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. It wasn't working. Somehow the little voice in his head saying, "you're sixteen and going to be a murderer," wouldn't shut the hell up.

"Found it," Hermione gasped as she ran back into the room. "It was back in the room I shared with Ginny."

Hermione opened the book on a table and Harry sat next to her to look at the book.

"So what are we looking for specifically?" he asked.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know. Something to make him go away forever that requires minimal magic and can incorporate the powers that the founders lent to you."

Harry stared at her. "In English, if you don't mind."

Hermione let a breath out in frustration. "Why don't you go practice your powers? I'll let you know if I've found something."

Harry nodded and left the room leaving Hermione to her biddings. Hermione flipped through the pages quickly. "How to turn your opponent inside out," she mumbled the title of one chapter she found. "How to make your opponent see death, no," she muttered. "Ooh, How to punish your opponent with worse than death, that looks interesting…"

Hermione read the chapter multiple times to make sure she knew the risks and procedures. At one point she took out a parchment and quill and began to take notes. She continued to look through the book.

Hours later Harry joined Hermione. He grinned when he saw how frazzled she looked. "We need to be heading back to the castle."

Hermione nodded. She stood and stretched. "I'll take the book with me. I should research some things in the library before we decide how to attack Voldemort."

He grinned when he heard he say "we". He was glad that she was in with him until the end. "Ready?"

Hermione put her coat on and stepped into Harry's arms. Like wind, they disappeared. An hour later they arrived at the castle. Harry was still holding Hermione when Aaliyah stumbled upon them. She eyed them coldly and continued on her way.

"Bloody hell," Harry said running his hand through his hair.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Go after her. I have to see Professor Lupin about the essay he assigned. I'll see you at dinner." She kissed his cheek and walked to the defense classroom.

"Aaliyah!" Harry shouted after her as he ripped through the hallways.

"What?" she snapped whirling around to face him.

He frowned. "What's wrong? Why do you always give me looks like that when I choose to talk to you?"

"When you choose to talk to me?" Aaliyah cried. "No, you only choose to speak to me after I see you and Granger being closer than normal friends!"

Harry nearly groaned. "Are you serious? Hermione and I are friends! I really don't see what your problem is. We're not even dating!"

She recoiled as if slapped before sobering. Aaliyah sneered at him coldly. "You don't need to know my problem. You should be on your way. You don't want to keep Precious Granger waiting, do you?"

"You know what?" Harry bellowed. "I'm done! You're driving my completely mad, and I'm done with it. I'm done with you."

Aaliyah merely sneered. "I've been done for a while now."

Harry shook his head and walked away. He contemplated going to his father and "uncles" for advice, but thought of the last time and quickly vetoed that idea. He could talk to Ron, but he was sure that Ron would just tell him that it was for the best. Hermione would be the most logical choice, but he just couldn't go to her again, especially since she seemed to be fighting his battle for him.

"Mum," he whispered softly. He could go talk to his mother. He only needed to figure out how to get to her.

Harry turned around and ran toward the defense classroom. He barged in wildly and his father looked up, shocked.

"Is something wrong?" James asked worriedly.

"Where's Mum?" Harry asked frantically.

James frowned. "At the Lion's Den. Why?"

"I need to talk to her," Harry begged. "Please?"

James nodded slowly. "Just take the floo in here. You'll get there."

Harry nodded and flooed to his family's ancestral seat. His mother was sitting on a couch curled up with a book. She looked up when Harry dusted himself off and didn't seem surprised to see him.

She patted the seat next to her and Harry crossed the room automatically. Lily gathered her son in her arms and nearly cried when she noticed how stiff he was in her arms. "Relax, I won't bite," she tried to joke.

Harry laughed forcibly. "Yeah, I guess I'm just not used to-."

"For my sake, please don't finish that sentence," Lily interrupted. She took a deep breath. "Now, tell me what's wrong."

Harry explained to his mother all about Aaliyah, and the Founders and everything that happened that year, including his short relationship with Hermione and his father's, Sirius', and Remus' crazy advice. Lily listened attentively and stopped only once to bring them some tea. When he finished Lily looked at her son with tears in her eyes.

"I'd hope that your father and I being back would make things easier on you," she began. "Why didn't you come to me before?"

Harry looked away guiltily. "I just didn't think to-. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Lily reassured him. "I just-. It doesn't matter. Look, about this girl-,"

"Aaliyah," Harry supplied.

"Yes, her. To tell you the truth, this girl is completely crazy for you. I don't know how, since it seems all you did was snog or yell at each other, but somehow both of you fell hard for each other. She's insecure. She's watched Hermione be your best friend and closest confidant every since she started Hogwarts. Everyone can see that special relationship you and Hermione have. If you guys weren't such good friends, you'd probably be in love. Actually, I wouldn't rule that out yet, because we both know you're attracted to her," Lily corrected. Harry grimaced.

"Anyway, I just say that after this is all resolved, that you guys talk and work out exactly. You need to let her know exactly where you and Hermione are so this doesn't happen again.

"As for the Founders: wow! That is such an honor! You've learned to master your powers, which is wonderful. Now, as for something to defeat Voldemort: use love. I'm sure Snape taught you some occlumency, no matter how twisted the son of a-, yeah. Use the fact that he loves to get into your head against him. If you encounter him, keep slipping out pieces of the prophecy. Garble it up a bit, of course, so he can't understand it, and finally when you finally see him face to face, reveal the prophesy in its entirety, then blast him with feelings of love.

"Think of all the wonderful times you've has with Ron and Hermione. Even the arguments, because it shows that even though you argue you still overcome it and remain mates. Think about Aaliyah; think about Sirius; Remus, Dumbledore, the Weasley's-Ginny? Think about us: me and James," Lily concluded quietly. "We all love you."

Harry stared at his mother in awe. He'd been wondering for months how to defeat Voldemort, and Lily just gave him his answer. Plus, it completely made sense, because Dumbledore was always telling him that love was Voldemort's weakness.

There was just one problem. "But…that won't kill him," Harry stated.

Lily smiled sadly. "No, it won't, but it will weaken him. I know you don't want to be a murderer. You don't have to cast the spell. There's a potion for everything these days."

Lily winked and glanced at the clock. "You've got to get back to school." Lily walked Harry to the fireplace and hugged him then kissed his cheek softly. "I love you."

Harry smiled slightly before a confusion marred his features. "Ginny?"

Lily smirked. "You'll find out."

Later that evening in the common room, Ron, Hermione, and Harry sat around the fire in their favorite chairs.

"I'm sorry Harry. I couldn't find a thing at all. The only thing remotely capable of helping is that one spell on showing your opponent a fate worse than death, but…it won't kill him." Hermione shrugged sadly.

Harry nodded. "It's okay. I talked to my-Lily today. She gave me an idea." He then proceeded to tell them what Lily told him about defeating Voldemort.

"That's not a half bad idea," Ron said grinning. "We need someone who's good at potioning. I don't mean you, Hermione, I mean like a Potions Master type."

The three thought for awhile before brightening up at the exact same time. "The twins!"

"So let me get this straight-," Fred started.

"-you want us to concoct a potion-," George picked up.

"-to kill You-Know-Who?" Fred finished.

"Exactly," Harry said.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione had snuck out to Diagon Alley that following Saturday to see the twins. They rode in a fierce storm that was happening from London to the high Scottish hills that Hogwarts castle stood upon.

"You're all completely barmy," Fred stated.

"No, we're not," Hermione insisted. "We have an entirely good reason for this. We don't need some sort of murdering potion or anything. We need something that will completely destroy Voldemort once he's weakened. It's just a "kick him while's he's down" type potion."

Fred and George exchanged a look. "You know, I've always liked you, Hermione," George said.

"You're wicked smart," Fred agreed.

"Even wickeder hot," George said.

Hermione flushed.

"But you're completely off your rocker," Fred concluded.

Harry sighed. "Forget it, guys," Harry said sadly. "Forget we asked."

"Thanks a lot, you guys," Ron growled at his brothers.

"Hey," George called after the trio before they left the shop.

The three turned around. Ron and Hermione, glaring; Harry just resigned.

"We'll look through our product and see if we can do something for you," Fred said.

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, it's the least we could do for our greatest donator!"

By March, everything was in place, should Voldemort attack. Harry had not spoken to Aaliyah since the last time they spoke back in December. He'd moved on. There was a brief stint with Padma Patil in January after Christmas holiday. Then there was that one horrible date with Susan Bones in February for Valentine's. His real valentines though, were Hermione and his mother, of course. He and Ginny seemed to be skirting around a relationship after she rescued him from the horrid date on Valentine's.

Fred and George had made up a potion. Harry tested it on a practice dummy in the Room of Requirement and the dummy burst into flames as the liquid touched it. Hopefully, it would work against Voldemort as well.

Everything was going just fine. Harry had even thought he did pretty well on his final exams. Then, the most clichéd thing happened. Voldemort breached Hogwarts gates. There had been some Voldemort-y activities for months. His attacks seemed completely random though. So when Voldemort showed up at Hogwarts with Giants, Dementors, and even Greyback the Werewolf, the utter chaos that ensued frightened even Harry; but that did not stop him from knowing what his duty was.

"You cannot go out there!" Hermione cried. Harry ignored her and placed another bottle of the Weasley potion into his pocket. "You will be slaughtered if you step foot outside this castle!"

"Hermione's right mate," Ron said gravely. "Even the order members aren't risking it."

"Exactly!" Harry shouted whirling around to face his friends. "They've decided to just protect the castle by placing more and more wards that Voldemort can break through in a second. What happens if one of them gets tired or run out of energy? We're gone, that's what! No, I've got to stop him now."

"You're not ready," Hermione pleaded. "Please, Harry, do not do this!"

"I'm going Hermione, and no one can stop me," Harry said harshly.

Hermione squared her shoulders. "Then Ron and I are going with you."

Ron nodded his agreement.

"No," Harry said simply.

"Let me just humour you for a minute," Hermione said. "What exactly do you expect Ron and I to do while you walk to your suicide?"

"Be safe," Harry said curtly.

"Harry-," Hermione ground out. She never got to finish her sentence though. Harry rode out a rush of wind.

Hermione blew her hair out of her mouth and tutted. "He's absolutely demented!"

Harry walked swiftly down the halls. He was just about to walk into the entrance hall when he ran into someone. Literally. He looked down and saw who he ran into and groaned. "We've got to stop doing this."

Aaliyah didn't reply with a smirk and snarky comment. Her eyes were filled with tears. "Don't go," she begged.

"I have to-."

"No!" she shouted. "You don't have to do anything except stay here. With me. Please stay, don't leave."

"Aaliyah-."

She kissed him. Hard. It was only right, Harry thought, as he kissed her back, for him to do so. It would be terribly rude for him not to kiss her back. "Don't leave," she whispered.

"I have to," he answered, his voice husky with determination.

She closed her eyes against the inevitability of his statement. "Come back to me," she demanded as she kissed him again. "Promise me you'll come back to me."

"I can't promise-," Harry said.

"You have to!" Aaliyah cried. "Promise me!"

Harry closed his eyes and enjoyed the brief closeness of the two of them before he pulled himself away. "I, I promise."

She kissed him one last time before letting him go. Harry squeezed her hand and walked out of the hall and out of the doors. What lay beyond that door, no one knew the entire force. But, we all know what happened next, though.