Chapter 21

One o'clock in the morning found five exhausted people sitting on the floor of the garden shed at Grimmauld Place surrounded by what would be called, if one were being kind, junk.

"What did you save all this stuff for?" Remus asked, eyeing a ceramic clock with no hands.

"Hey, this was not my idea," Sirius said defensively. "Molly went on a cleaning frenzy and had us haul all this junk out here. She planned to go through it to see if there were any dark objects that should be turned in to the ministry before we threw it away or sold it."

"That was a year ago," Remus said. "When were you planning on going through it?"

"It's not like I don't have an excuse, Remus. I have been dead, you know."

"You were only dead for a week, Sirius. You can't continue to use that as an excuse. People are getting a little tired of hearing, 'Oh, sorry I didn't get around to that. I've been dead, you know.'"

"Found it," Harry said.

"It's not every day that somebody comes back from the dead, Remus."

"Hey, I think I found—"

"You're just using it to get attention, Sirius. If—"

"HEY!" Harry shouted. "If you two will stop arguing for a minute!"

That got everyone's attention. "What is it, Harry?" Charles asked.

Harry raised his hand. He was holding a gold chain with a locket dangling from the center. "I think I found it."

Dumbledore leaned toward Harry, took the locket from his hand, and examined it. "This is it," he said. "This is Slytherin's locket."

Charles took out his wand and scanned it. "It's a horcrux," he said. "Let's take it in the house."

Inside, they took the horcrux into the attic, and then transported back to the trunk. "It's better not to be in the room when we destroy a horcrux," Charles said, seating himself at the control panel. "The soul piece will have a few seconds in which it can possess another person. We don't want to give it that chance."

After the soul piece was driven from the locket, Charles levitated it into Sirius's old bedroom and placed it in the drawer of his bedside table. "There you go, Sirius. You are now the proud owner of Slytherin's locket."

"Thanks, Uncle Charley. If I should ever date a former Slytherin, I'll know what to give her for Christmas."

"Only two more to go," Albus said standing. "Gentlemen, it was a good night, but I must leave you now. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night, Albus," they said as he left the trunk

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Remus had just changed into his pajamas and settled in bed for the night when he heard a faint knock at his bedroom door. "Come in," he said.

The door opened and Harry came into the room, closing the door behind him. He walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Of course," Remus said. "You can talk to me any time you want to."

Harry smiled. "I just want to say . . . well, I don't want things to change."

Remus frowned, confused. "What things, Harry?"

"You know, your being my guardian. I know Sirius is back and I have a grandfather now, but I don't want you to back away from me, Remus. I don't want you to leave me. I want things to stay as they are."

"Why do you think I would leave you?"

"Because . . ." Harry looked uncomfortable. "Sometimes, it seems as if you think that Sirius deserves to be here more than you." He shook his head. "That's not exactly what I'm trying to say." He paused. "When Sirius is around, you back away as if you think you're interfering. Remus, I love Sirius, but I love you, too. I think a kid needs two parents, don't you?" He looked at Remus hopefully.

Remus smiled and pulled Harry to him. "I love you, too, Harry. And yes, I do think a child needs two parents, and I want to be that for you. You're right, though. I do back away sometimes. It's more difficult for me to show affection than it is for Sirius. I will try to change that, though."

Harry nodded and sat back where he could look into Remus's eyes. "So you won't leave me? You'll stay and be my guardian?"

Remus shook his head. "I won't leave you, Harry. That's a promise."

Harry hugged him, and then stood up. "All right, then. I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight, Remus."

"Good night, Harry." He watched Harry walk out of the room and close the door behind him.

"We have a fine boy there, Moony," James said from the portrait hanging on the wall near the foot of his bed.

"Yes, we do, Prongs," Remus said smiling. "We certainly do."

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Charles sat in his bedroom reading a piece of parchment. He had read the same words over and over, and no matter how he looked at them, they meant the same thing.

Either must die at the hands of the other for neither can live while the other survives.

He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. No matter how he looked at it, it meant the same thing. He was going to have to prepare his grandson to kill Voldemort.

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After spending the morning with Harry in the Room of Requirement, Charles went to the Safe Haven to see if there were any problems. Leaving the Marauder's tent, he found Moody lurking outside. "Hello, Alaster. Were you wanting to see me?"

"Now that you mention it, I would like to talk with you."

"Come in, then. I'll make us some tea."

"No need," Moody said, taking out his flask. "I brought my own."

Charles grinned at him. "Then I'll make some for me."

They entered the tent, and Moody sat down on the chair that faced the opening of the tent. Charles came back from the kitchen a moment later with a cup of tea. "So, what can I do for you, Alaster?"

"I wanted to tell you how much I like your trunk. I have one myself, but it's not this elaborate."

Charles looked surprised. "How did you know?"

Moody pointed to his false eye. "This let's me see through charms," he said. "I think I'm the only one who knows, but Snape is a bit suspicious. He's trying to find out how you got here."

"Is he?"

"Yes. So, how did you get here?"

Charles laughed. "I'm afraid that's something I can't tell you, Alaster."

Moody nodded. "One of those Department of Mystery secrets, is it?"

"Something like that."

"I can't understand why you boys always kept what you learned in there such a secret. Aren't you doing it for the Wizarding world?"

"Well, yes, but . . . Alaster, I've discovered things that no human being should have access to."

"So, what are you doing with the information?"

"I've hidden it. It's best left undiscovered."

"You're not planning on using any of it?"

"Not personally, no, but there are some things I'm going to share with Harry so that he can defeat Voldemort. Then, I'm locking them away. If a dark wizard found out about them, the world would be a very dark place, my friend."

"So, are you going to give me a tour of this trunk of yours?"

Charles grinned. "I suppose I should, since you already know all about it." He stood up. "Follow me, Alaster."

Outside the Marauder's tent, Snape turned and walked back to his own. He had not been able to hear anything inside the tent. Potter must have put up a privacy spell.

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Moody was extremely impressed with the control room, especially after finding out that they were in Voldemort's throne room. He cackled. "You mean to tell me that you've got the whole Order and Dumbledore's Army hidden inside a trunk that's sitting in the middle of Voldemort's living room?"

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet," Charles said. "Come with me to the dungeon."

Moody walked down 4 aisles of cells, looking inside at the 74 Death Eaters that were housed there. "Does Voldemort have any Death Eaters left?" he asked.

"A few, but we're working on it. We only have a couple of more things to take care of before we capture the rest of them and finish him off."

Moody turned and looked at him. "Potter's almost ready to finish off Voldemort?"

"Almost. There are still a few preparations we need to make, but he's almost there."

"Well, I'll be damned," Moody said, laughing. "I hope it all works out like you've planned."

"So do I, Alaster. So do I."

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After spending the morning meditating and practicing occlumency, Harry practiced with the DA until lunch. Afterwards, he went back to his room, had a shower, then went back to the Safe Haven. Looking around, he saw Ginny on one of the swings at the playground, watching some of the children play.

He walked over and sat down in the swing next to hers. "Are you minding the children?" he asked.

"Oh, no. I'm just watching them play."

"You want to go on the carousel?"

"Sure," she said. "They walked over to the lake and got in one of the paddleboats. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were on the lake, racing.

"Hey, Potter!" Draco called. "Got a girlfriend?"

"Why do you want to know, Malfoy?" Harry called back. "Are you jealous?"

Draco smirked. "No. You can have her."

"Oh, you mean Ginny?" Harry asked. "I thought you were after me."

Ginny laughed, and to her surprise, so did Malfoy. "You wish!" he called back, and then continued his race with Crabbe and Goyle.

"What's that all about?" she asked. "Malfoy didn't try to hex you."

"I think we've reached a sort of truce. He doesn't try to kill me, and I don't try to kill him. It's working pretty well so far."

"That's good, I suppose," Ginny said warily.

"It's like this, Ginny. I'm trying to learn not to make enemies. Malfoy and I may never be friends because our beliefs are so different, but we don't have to hate each other."

When the boat reached the island, they got out and jumped on the moving platform. Ginny picked out a unicorn to ride, and Harry got on the griffin next to her.

"I love this," she said. "This is the best summer I've had in a long time."

"It has been for me, too. Remus is my guardian, my godfather's here, and I have my grandfather. I don't want this summer to end."

"I think that's the first time you've ever said that," she said, smiling at him. "Usually you can't wait for it to be over."

"Usually, I'm with the Dursleys."

"Will you ever have to go back there?"

He shook his head. "Not anymore. I have a real family now."

"I'm glad. If anyone deserves to be happy, you do."

Harry felt his face turn hot. "Everybody deserves to be happy," he said.

After spending much of the afternoon on the carousel, they decided to walk down to the beach. When they reached the ocean, Harry took her hand. Ginny didn't seem surprised. She acted as though that was something that happened every day.

"Hey, Ginny."

"Yes?"

"Are . . . are you still going out with Dean?"

Ginny giggled. "I never was going out with Dean, Harry. I just said that to make Ron mad."

Harry laughed. "It worked," he said. "So, are you going out with anybody?"

"No," she said. "Are you?"

"No."

They walked a little way in silence. "Ginny, do you think you might want to go out with me?"

She nodded. "Yes. I think I'd like that."

He grinned. "Good," he said, and they continued their walk in a comfortable silence.