Chapter Thirty-Two: The Beginning of the End.

The journey back to Kings Cross was very subdued; Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny didn't talk much, all to afraid they'd start crying. Ginny nursed Izzy a lot, staring out the window, Hermione read a book, Ron sorted through his chocolate frog cards and Harry sat there like a lump staring in to space. He'd finished school but Voldemort was still out there somewhere wreaking havoc and terror on innocent people, he had to be destroyed soon Harry thought.

Several people came in to the carriage to say goodbye to them, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood staying for over an hour and promising they'd stay in contact, other's, like the Creevy brothers staying only for nine or ten minuets. All the same Harry couldn't stop thinking that his final test, the one that would decide the fate of the whole world was not far away. He had a feeling that something big was going to happen soon, it would all be over by the end of the summer.

When the train stopped at Kings Cross station it was dark, Mr and Mrs Weasley greeted them as they stepped on to platform nine and three quarters. Mrs Weasley pulled her granddaughter in to her arms within a minute. Harry found it strange and somewhat unnerving that he no longer had the safety and solace of the school that had been his home for seven unpredictable but wonderful years, more memories flooded in to Harry's head and he reminded himself to use the pensive when he got to the Burrow, home he thought, the Burrow was his home now, he felt more secure at the thought and smiled to himself, Hedwig sensed it too and rustled her feathers reassuringly.

There was some commotion at the Burrow over the next week as everyone settled in to a routine. Hermione and Ron found it a little difficult to get Isabella re-settled, she'd been pulled out of familiar surroundings and this meant that neither of them had very much sleep for eight days. After everyone was finally settled life at the Burrow became somewhat enjoyable though Harry still had the final battle on his mind.

Now that he had nothing but free time on his hands Harry started sifting through the memories more thoroughly trying to find Voldemort or even a little hint to where he might be, so far, in the week and a bit that he'd called the Burrow home Harry had found nothing. Until he got the letter…

Dear Harry,

I hope this letter finds you well. Sorry I wasn't able to come to Kings Cross to meet you last week, I was working but I feel sure that we'll see each other soon. You won't have heard yet but there have been mass killings in the town closest to Godric's Hollow, I think Voldemort is planning something big so be on your guard! I must go for now, Remus sends his regards; he and Tonks will see you when I next see you.

Best wishes,

Sirius.

Harry immediately ran to tell Ron, Hermione and Ginny about the letter, they read it with worry lines all over their face.

'We have to train up Harry' Ron stated.

'No, you three aren't coming with me this time, this is my thing, I have to do it alone' Harry replied.

'We're coming to help you Harry, do you really think that Voldemort won't have all his death eaters protecting him? We can take them while you go after him' Hermione said.

'What?' Harry said looking at Ron.

'She's right Harry, we're all coming' Ron replied.

'What about Isabella?' Harry asked.

'She'll be fine with Molly' Hermione replied, Mrs Weasley had told Harry and Hermione to call her mum or Molly, Hermione had a lot less trouble adjusting to this than Harry.

'All the same, you are not coming! I'm not putting any one I care about in danger ever again. I don't want to be responsible for any more deaths except for one… Voldemort!' He said vehemently.

'Listen to me Harry, we are coming with you whether you agree or not!' Ron said.

'Fine! But Ginny can't train she's underage' Harry replied.

'Harry you know that I'll be seventeen next week and I can't be expelled because I've already completed Hogwarts' Ginny spoke up.

So they trained all that they could. On the morning of Ginny's birthday Harry rolled over to give her a cuddle expecting to feel her silky pyjamas underneath his arm, however a feeling of uneasiness overcame him when all that he felt was the sheet and the mattress. Ginny wasn't there, his unease subsided slightly when he thought that she'd probably gone downstairs already, so wanting to wish her a very happy birthday and give her the present he'd so carefully selected for her, he went downstairs.

She wasn't in the kitchen, he checked all the rooms, worry mounting as he found each one empty of his fiancé, all the way upstairs no one had seen her, he was in full on panic mode when he opened the attic door and found only dense and perturbing emptiness. Something wasn't right and Harry knew it, he raced back in to the bedroom, she still wasn't there but the window, which Harry knew he'd shut the night before, was wide open, the curtains were flapping in the breeze. He did one last frantic search of the house, garden and orchard, asking every person once again if they'd seen her, when he still couldn't find her Harry yelled.

'GINNY'S GONE!'

Every single person occupying the house came racing out of various rooms. The whole Weasley family, including Percy who had recently apologised for his actions and joined the order, was staying at the Burrow to celebrate Ginny's coming of age. The lightning bolt shaped scar on Harry's head burned painfully at the same time as he felt a pain in his heart that he knew had nothing to do with Voldemort, it was the pain of realising his true love was in great danger 'NO' He shouted, dropping to the kitchen floor where everyone stood around him.

'What Harry?' Ron said sounding panicked.

Tears leaked out of Harry's bright green eyes 'Voldemort has her, she's alive but he's using her as bait. I should have known that no matter how careful we were he'd know. I'M SO STUPID!' He yelled out the last part.

'It's ok Harry, we'll find her' Hermione said sitting on the floor with her friend.

'What's going on?' Lupin said as he, Sirius and Tonks walked in, he looked worried.

'Get the order together, go to Grimmauld place. I'll join you all there in half an hour. Remus you're secret keeper let everyone in' Harry said realising that this was it… The final battle was upon them.

'Harry…' Tonks started.

'JUST GO!' Harry yelled, they Disapparated.

'What do you want us to do Harry?' Ron asked.

'I need you and Hermione to go to Grimmauld place if you're sure you want to help, it's ok if you don't want to there is somewhere else that you can go' Harry replied getting up off the floor.

'We do want to help Harry… but Isabella…' Hermione said standing up and casting a look over to Molly who was holding the baby.

'She'll go to the other place with Molly ok' Harry replied.

Ron and Hermione nodded, kissed their daughter and Disapparated.

Harry turned to Mrs Weasley 'mum' he said surprising himself 'it is ok that you look after Izzy isn't it?' He asked.

'Of course dear' she replied, her eyes were shiny.

'Ok, can you please go and pack up a bag with everything you and she will need for today and possibly tonight, get her pram too and go to this address' Harry handed Molly a piece of parchment 'you've met Arabella Figg, she knows that she may have guests' He said.

Molly nodded and took Isabella with her upstairs to pack.

The rest of the Weasley's stepped forward 'I want Fleur to go with mum' Bill said, Fleur didn't argue.

Harry nodded 'Go up and catch her then' Harry said to Fleur, she kissed Bill and left the room.

Now only the Weasley men, bar Ron, were standing around him 'what can we do Harry?' Percy said he'd been trying hard to redeem himself since he'd apologised.

'Go to Grimmauld place, the other's will be there by now, I'll be there soon' Harry said.

They all Disapparated, Harry was quite alone now, he was sure that Molly, Fleur and Isabella had left. He took a minute to get his head together then walked in to his and Ginny's room again. He crossed to the chest of draws where his clothes and possessions now resided, on the top of them was the items that he'd found in Godric's Hollow, he looked at all of them for a minute before he picked up his father's wand. To make sure it'd work for him he shot a flock of canaries out of it, he then placed the wand in his left pocket as his own wand was in his right. He let himself look at the messy double bed he shared with Ginny and another pang shot through his heart. She wanted Harry to come to her, he felt it, and she was in pain. Harry Disapparated.