DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, only this story, and this computer.

-Chapter Twenty-Six-

The Meeting With a Portrait

"So the Golden trio outwitted you again?" Commented Fred, as he bit into a juicy sausage. The twins had paid a surprise breakfast-visit to the Headquarterts and had been informed of the trio's escapade by an indignant Ginny.

"It's okay they don't want to tell us where they are going, but can't they at least tell us they are going out or when they'll return?" Ginny muttered furiously, as she stabbed her potato with a fork. "The last time too they disappeared without telling us anything and then Harry came back with a dead arm."

"It wasn't dead. It was only injured." Luna put in helpfully.

Ginny gave a particularly vicious stab on her plate, but didn't reply.

Neville and Draco were not participating in this conversation. The latter was busy with a letter he had received that morning which seemed to worry him a lot, although he refused to say who it was from.Neville was occupied with a belated Christmas gift from a cousin working in Japan- three shining seeds of junsei, a magical herb and an accompanying guidebook with illustrated instructions on growing it.

"But tell me, Ginny," asked George, "how would your knowing when they would return prevent Harry's injury?"

Luckily for George, Ginny limited her reply to a quelling glare only.

There was a rapping noise at the window and Neville went to get the newspaper. After he had paid the owl, he scanned through the pages.

"What's this tour operator phenomena that is suddenly happening all over the country?" He asked in a curious tone. "The ads seem to have invaded even the front page."

"Hermione once told me there are tour operators among muggles. They basically organise vacation trips for tourists- lile arranging for transport, accommodation, getting permits and so on."

"Ok, but why do wizards all of a sudden need them?" Neville argued, "I mean, you don't need a tour operator to apparate or get on the knight bus, do you?"

"People want to get out of the country." announced Luna, "You-Know-Who will turn Europe into a desert. There will be rains of fire and rocks, the lakes will be filled with poison, everyone will die..." Her voice trailed off dramatically.

"Well, many people are anxious to get away from the war," said George, breaking the silence that had followed Luna's little speech, "and these tour operators are offering homes across the Atlantic for one year, two years, five years, even ten years, depending on how much you are willing to pay."

"But will it be any use?" asked Neville.

"For the time being it may." said Fred, "But if You-Know-Who wins this war, no part of the world will be safe. He will take over everywhere. But meanwhile the tour operators are making money. Pity people are spending so much on futile efforts. Prices start from five hundred galleons and go up to even thousands."

"Can I take a look at the paper?" said Draco suddenly.

He read the advertisements, his face flushed, and he muttered, "I hope Potter hurry ups." And then he left.

The others looked at each other.

"Now what was that about?" asked George.

Nobody replied.

The old circular room looked the same as ever. McGonagall had left all the silver instruments belonging to Dumbledore in their places.

"Good morning. It's good to see you young people." said the familiar old voice.

Harry jumped, and instinctively turned towards the old chair behind the desk, to splutter out a hasty apology for noticing the person before, the chair was empty. Of course, this was McGonagall's office now, and Hagrid had said she was not there. And then he noticed once again the differences. Empty chair, no Fawkes, ...and the portrait.Half willingly, half unwillingly, Harry looked up at the wall where he knew the portrait was. There was Dumbledore with his twinkling blue eyes.

"Hello, sir." said Harry awkwardly. He had been used to talk to him on a level, across a desk, or face to face. he wasn't used to this, looking up to a portrait that hung on the wall.

"Hello, Harry, and Ron and Hermione too. I was wondering if you would come to see me."

"I am sorry, sir, we didn't come earlier."

"Not at all, Harry. I take it you have been really busy, and successful. "

"We found the locket, sir, " said Ron, "and Ravenclaw's coat of mail, and we destroyed them too."

"Well done, well done, very well done indeed."

"We found Hufflepuff's goblet too, sir." Hermione spoke. "We got it this morning from Mr. Ollivander."

"Ah, I am glad to know my guess was correct."

"Sir," said Harry, "we were wondering if you could help us destroy this. We are running out of time. Wormtail knows Draco is working for us, and he is blackmailing him.If you could tell us how to go about it..."

"My dear boy, I am no more the living wizard I once was." said Dumbledore sadly. "I can not do things for you."

"But you could give us some ideas, some hints...where to look, how to look, what to look for..." Harry said desperately.

"Well, Harry, the goblet was made by a witch who valued truth, sincerity, love, honesty, integrity and purity above all things. She loved people, and plants and trees, and animals. She stood for life. It is unlikely that an object that had her touch would endure evil, or anything that goes against life for long. The evil that Lord Voldemort has put in there cannot be permanent. That is all I can tell you."

They turned to leave.

"Harry-"

Harry turned back. "Yes, sir?"

"I am a memory of myself, but I remain here. Remember this, Harry."

"I'll remember, sir." he replied, "And you will not be ever truly gone from here. Never."

They apparated into the Kitchen at Twelve, Grimmauld Place a little before lunchtime and found Neville sitting there alone, fiddling with a little handbook and a few silver goblets.

"So you are back?" He said, looking up, "Well, I have news for you. Luna has turned seer, Ginny is very angry with you, Draco thinks Pettigrew's trying to go on vacation with his money, and I have got three seeds of a new healing plant which I think will make people more cheerful around here if I can get to grow them. This is a curse-breaking plant. So where have you been?

Author's note: I wrote this chapter painstakingly, took me three whole hours. And then all of it was gone. So I had to do it again. Don't blame me if it's aweful:( And junsei means pure in Japanese.