Harry got up in the morning and cooked breakfast for Ginny and Sirius. To his surprise, Remus and Tonks came by early morning. Remus sat with Harry and Sirius, filling them in on all that had gone on with the Order while they were away. Tonks took Ginny to their training room to practice the defensive drills she'd been training Ginny in.
Harry wandered away from the men to watch. He had to admit Ginny was pretty good. Her mind was fast and she was a powerful witch. Tonks had taught her how to use her size to her advantage. He watched the two witches duel, and was impressed. He was also impressed with her Muggle work out clothes. A sports bra top and athletic shorts showed just how much her body had changed with the training. She was toned and fit. Of course he already knew that. Their night time reunion last night had left him in no doubt that Ginny had also matured during their summer apart. They hadn't gone all the way last night, but Harry had gone to her room to sleep the night through with her.
They worked out for an hour, then called it quits. Harry conjured a couple of towels and took them to the girls, along with a couple of bottles of water.
"Thanks Harry," sighed Ginny, as she drank greedily.
"Ditto," said Tonks, nodding at him.
"You're welcome, Mrs Lupin," he said to her.
Tonks grinned. "I'm definitely getting used to that. It's the third time I've been called it. Where is my husband, anyway?"
"Still in the kitchen," said Harry, rubbing Ginny's shoulders. She moaned appreciatively, and they all went to find Sirius and Remus. The men looked up as they came in.
"I was just telling Remus about the Horcruxes," said Sirius. "I know Albus didn't want us telling everybody, but there's no-one I trust more than Remus. Hell, I still don't trust Albus one hundred per cent."
They quickly brought Tonks up to speed on Tom Riddle's attempts at immortality. Tonks was shocked.
"So there are three more items out there that we need to find and destroy, then old Tommy can be killed off," said Tonks.
"Albus seemed to think there might be a total of seven, but we haven't got a clue about the seventh," said Sirius.
"Is he sure there isn't one at Hogwarts? If we are talking relics of the founders, what about the Sword of Gryffindor?" asked Remus.
"We checked it out, it's clean. In fact, it's one way to actually destroy a Horcrux," said Harry.
"So you're focusing on the cup and the diadem? Merlin, they could be hidden anywhere," sighed Tonks.
"Do you think he knows when a Horcrux gets destroyed?" asked Ginny. "Does he get weaker?"
"That, we don't know," sighed Sirius. "We just need to think like Riddle. All the items he's hidden have been placed somewhere for a reason. The ring was hidden in his old family home. The diary was given to the Malfoys until he wanted it returned to Hogwarts. The locket was actually placed in a cave near the orphanage where he grew up, so these aren't just random places. Plus we think the snake is one, and he's keeping it close."
"On another topic, when are you kids going to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies? I'm happy to take you," said Tonks. "Safety in numbers, right?"
Sirius nodded. "Maybe tomorrow?" He looked to Harry and Ginny, who nodded.
"Can I ask Nev too? He started training with me when I got back from Paris, but then his Gran needed him. He's been holding back getting his, hoping we could all go together," said Ginny.
"Have my results even arrived? I don't even know what subjects I'm taking next year. I was supposed to go back and talk to Mcgonagall about my career options but that was before the Department of Mysteries," said Harry.
Ginny nodded. "I put it in your bedside drawer. Sorry, what with the wedding and all, I forgot to mention it last night."
Harry grinned and apparated upstairs to his room and straight back down, clutching the familiar envelope. He opened it and read. "Hmm, mostly E's, I got an O in Defense Against the Dark Arts, a D in History of Magic, oh, an E in Potions."
"That's pretty good, Harry, said Sirius, clapping him on the back.
"I was hoping for an O in Potions, so I could take it this year. Well, looks like Snape and I part ways. He'll be happy," said Harry.
"I'd like to go and visit Aunt Muriel. She hasn't been well, and I'd like to see her before I return to Hogwarts," said Ginny.
"I'll go with you," said Harry. Despite her crusty nature, which Harry was sure stemmed from loneliness, he actually liked the old woman. He could never thank her enough for the card she'd given him from his parents.
"Why don't we meet back here for tea?" asked Sirius. "I have someone, I mean, somewhere to go this afternoon."
Ginny and Tonks raised their eyebrows to each other at Sirius' slip of the tongue. Remus and Harry barely noticed.
"Will you ask Andi and Ted to come too, Tonks? I can have my healing lesson with Andi tonight, if she doesn't mind, rather than tomorrow," said Ginny. "Andi's teaching me some healing spells, just basic stuff. It's really interesting how our body and magic can work together to heal," she told Harry.
Harry nodded. "That's a lot of what Albus taught me when it came to wandless magic. To reach inside of you, to feel the magic in our bodies then release it. It's why babies do accidental magic. They don't think about it. If they want something, or are unhappy about something, they just use their magic," agreed Harry.
"That makes sense," nodded Remus thoughtfully.
"Well, when you and Tonks have a baby, we'll find out, won't we?" quipped Ginny.
Tonks' hair turned pink as she blushed. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Gin."
"Look at the time, we must be going," said Remus hurriedly. He picked up Tonk's jacket and bag and shoved them at her.
"All right, all right," grumbled Tonks, as he grabbed her hand and pulled her away to the floo.
"Going to get a start on making those babies," called Sirius.
Harry and Ginny laughed, but there was no reply from Remus or Tonks.
"If they did have a baby, would it be affected by Remus' werewolf blood?" asked Ginny, thoughtfully.
"I don't know, do you?" Harry asked Sirius.
He shook his head. "No, I don't, and I don't know if it's a risk Remus would want to take."
"But they'd both make great parents," said Ginny.
"I know," said Sirius, smiling sadly at her. "He was bitten when he was quite young and I know he had a tough time of it. I just don't know what he'd do if a child of his was born with the same affliction. I reckon he'd feel very guilty."
Harry shook his head angrily. "There's so much in our world that needs to change. Prejudices like this, it all needs to change."
Ginny lay a hand on his arm, calming his down. "When this thing with Riddle is over, we'll make sure the right people are in place to lead us into the next phase of our lives."
Sirius smiled at their passion. "I think I'm looking at a couple of those people right now."
Harry and Ginny flooed to Aunt Muriel's. The house-elf greeted them. "Miss Ginny, Mr Harry, tis good to be seeing you again. Mistress Muriel is in the sunroom. Whinnie will go and announce you."
"Wait," called Ginny, before Whinnie apparated away. "How is she? I heard she hasn't been well."
"Mistress Muriel has good days and not so good days, Miss Ginny," said Whinnie sadly.
"I'm glad she has you here."
You'll let my mother know if she anything bad happens, won't you?" asked Ginny.
Whinnie nodded. "Misses Molly said the same. She comes to visit once a week. Sometimes her visits make Mistress Muriel happy, and sometimes they end in arguments."
"Yeah, I know what that's like," sighed Ginny. "Ok, go and announce us, we'll walk on through."
Harry took Ginny's hand. "You know, when Mum dumped me here when they went to Egypt all those years ago, I thought it was the worse possible thing that could have happened. Turned out it was the best thing," grinned Ginny.
Harry pulled her to a stop and into his arms. "For me too," he said, nuzzling her neck before kissing her.
"Well, where are they? They're taking their time," they heard Muriel say grumpily.
They broke apart and grinned. "We'll continue this later," whispered Ginny. Harry winked and nodded.
"Hello Aunt Muriel. How are you?" asked Ginny, as they entered the sunroom. She was saddened to see Aunt Muriel looked weaker and she had lost weight. She came over to kiss her great-great aunt on the cheek.
"There's no use complaining. No-one wants to hear an old lady gripe about her troubles," growled Muriel. "Now, let me have a look at you."
Ginny stood up and laughingly even twirled for her aunt. "Well, you've kept your figure, although Merlin knows you'll lose your waist when the children come. Looks like you got the Prewett height, more's the pity. Still Mr Potter here looks like he's grown quite well. Hopefully your children will inherit his height," she mused.
"Aunt Muriel!" gasped Ginny, her face red. "We're not...that's just...I'm only fifteen!"
Harry grinned. "As long as I get one little girl with Gin's red hair and brown eyes, I'll be happy, Aunt Muriel."
"Harry!" cried Ginny, slapping his arm.
Muriel sighed at their playfulness. "It's just a pity I won't be here for your wedding. Speaking of-Whinnie!" she called.
Whinnie popped into the sunroom. "Mistress called," she said.
"I left a box on my dresser. Please get it for me," she said. Whinnie bowed and apparated away.
"Please don't talk like that, Aunt Muriel. There's enough darkness around at the moment. I don't want to leave for Hogwarts knowing you're thinking about...that."
"We all have to die, Ginevra. It is a part of life, my dear. Rattling around in this mauseleom isn't any kind of living, not really. Your family is all very involved in the coming war, oh yes, didn't think I knew about all that, did you? They have too much going on to worry about me. Your parents are good people, Ginevra, even though they have made mistakes," she said sternly.
"I know that, Auntie, I do. I just didn't like feeling like I was one of their mistakes, only because I was in Slytherin," said Ginny defiantly.
"Your mother," sighed Muriel, shaking her head, "she clings to the old ways. Not that there's anything wrong with that. She just didn't expect to get such a headstrong daughter. It was inevitable you'd clash."
POP Whinnie came back before Ginny could respond. She handed the box to Muriel. "This," she said, indicating the box, "will be yours when I pass. Your mother wore it when she married your father, and I'd like to think you will wear it on your wedding day." She took out her prized tiara.
"Oh Aunt Muriel, it's stunning," said Ginny, as Muriel held it aloft. "I've heard Mum talk about it, and I saw her wedding photos, but-oh, it's beautiful."
"I hope you'll have a daughter and pass it on to her. I'd like to think it will continue down the family line. You may, if you feel inclined, allow Bill's French witch to wear it, but it should always remain with a Prewett witch. That's all I ask, Ginevra." She sniffed at the thought of Fleur trying to claim her tiara.
"Thank you Auntie. I am truly honoured. No matter what you say, I do hope you are around to see me wear this on my wedding day," said Ginny, smiling at her aunt.
"Will you do me a small favour, Ginevra, and put it on. That way, I can imagine how you'll look," said Muriel. She sat up a little higher, eager to see how she'd look.
Ginny nodded. Harry held the box as Ginny took it out and placed it on her head. "Oh, I wish I was wearing a pretty dress right now. Jeans and a tiara just don't go together," she laughed.
"You look gorgeous no matter what you're wearing," said Harry. "It is an exquisite piece of jewellery, Aunt Muriel."
Muriel looked pleased. "Well, it's no Ravenclaw's diadem, but it is a beautiful piece. You look lovely, Ginevra. Harry, maybe one day that red haired, brown eyed daughter will wear it as you walk her down the aisle."
Harry flushed at the thought. Ginny took it off and carefully returned it to it's box. She handed it back to her aunt. "Shall I call Whinnie for some tea?" she asked her aunt, eager to get her off the topic of her and Harry's supposed children.
"Thank you, dear. I'm feeling rather tired," said Muriel, resting back on her chair. Ginny and Harry exchanged worried looks as they sat either side of her.
They didn't stay much longer after tea and cakes. Muriel usually rested in her room, and today would be no different.
"Thank you for coming to visit. I haven't seen any of your brothers since last Christmas," she sniffed.
Ginny hugged her. "I'll see you again, for the coming Christmas," she said.
She wasn't to know that she wouldn't see her great great Aunt Muriel alive again.
Neville flooed over about ten the next morning. "Hi, it's good to see you both again."
Ginny hugged him. "We've missed you. Have you heard from Luna?"
Neville nodded. "She's travelling with her dad. Sweden, I think. Searching for the Humpback Snorkel thingy." Ginny giggled.
"So what have you been up to?" asked Harry.
"Gran wanted me to go through the family vaults. She's actually pleased I've taken an interest in the whole Noble House of Longbottom, and all that," shrugged Neville.
"How have you found the goblins?" asked Ginny, amused. "Bill's told me lots of stories about them."
"Not too bad," admitted Neville. "I've actually enjoyed talking to Griphook, he's the one who's handled my family vaults for years. He's been telling me stories about my parents. It makes the time go quicker. I tell you, you can just about hide a body in those vaults and nobody would never know. There is so much stuff, going back to even my great, great grandparents."
"Yeah, those old wizarding vaults could tell a few secrets, I bet," chuckled Harry.
Ginny drew in a gasp. Her hand flew to cover her mouth. "I wonder if they still contain a few secrets. Like a Horcrux?"
Neville and Harry stared at her. "Shit, yeah," muttered Neville.
"Would Tom Riddle have a vault, though?" mused Ginny. "Or his family, the Gaunts?"
"No, they didn't have much at all," said Harry, remembering retrieving the Horcrux ring from the Gaunt's rundown house.
"Who didn't?" asked Sirius, coming in to the lounge. "Hey Nev."
"Tom Riddle. We're wondering if he might have hidden a Horcrux in a vault at Gringott's," said Harry, excitedly.
Awareness dawned on Sirius' face. "It's worth checking out. Maybe you should owl your brother?" he asked Ginny.
Bill responded within half an hour. There was no vault registered under Riddle or Gaunt.
"No surprise, really. It would have been too easy, wouldn't it?" asked Sirius.
"What about if he left it in one of his Death-Eater vaults. He left the diary with the Malfoys. Do you think he might have left the cup or diadem with them too?" asked Harry.
"The goblins wouldn't give out any information about vault contents to anyone but the owners. They definitely wouldn't let anyone in who didn't have a key," said Sirius.
"He's right. They're pretty rigid and they run a tight ship. The only other ones who can get in there are the family house elves," said Neville.
Harry and Ginny looked at each other. "Dobby," they yelled in unison.
"POP. "Master Harry and Miss Wheezy! Dobby was just thinking about you when you called. How may Dobby be helping you?" he asked happily.
"Dobby, can you still get into the Malfoy vaults at Gringott's?" asked Harry.
Dobby looked fearful. "Yes, Dobby can, but Dobby does not want to. They are bad wizards. Dobby is happy away from them." He shivered.
Harry knelt down to Dobby's level. "We're not asking you to go back to them, Dobby. We'd like you to help us find something that may be in their vault. It will help us defeat Voldemort once and for all," said Harry gently.
Ginny knelt down too. "We understand how you feel, Dobby, and if you really don't want to, we would never force you."
Dobby looked from Ginny to Harry. "Dobby could just go in, look for the item, then return?" Harry nodded.
Dobby stood tall. " For Harry Potter, Dobby will do it. Shall I go now?"
"Yes, that would be great, thanks Dobby," smiled Harry. His smile faded.. "But Dobby, I don't want you to get in trouble, or get hurt. If you are in any danger, come straight back here."
"Dobby understands. Dobby won't let Harry Potter down. What is the item Dobby is looking for?" he asked.
"There may be two. One is a cup with a badger on it. It's Hufflepuff's Cup. The other is Ravenclaw's diadem," said Sirius. "Do you know what they look like?"
Dobby nodded. "The ghosts at Hogwarts talk of the founders often. The Grey Lady in particular talks of Ravenclaw's diadem. Dobby shall go, and return soon." With a POP he was gone.
"It's a long shot," said Sirius. "A good idea."
"What about where Tom used to work, Borgin and Burkes? There's a lot of dark artifacts in there, it would fit right in," suggested Ginny.
"Might be worth checking out," said Harry.
"So Nev, are we meeting anyone in Diagon Alley today?" asked Ginny, with a hint of mischief in her eyes.
"Actually, y-"
POP Dobby's return interrupted Neville. All eyes turned to the little elf. "Dobby did go to the Malfoy vaults, but found nothing."
Oh," said Ginny, disappointed. "Never mind. You were very brave, Dobby."
"Yeah, thanks Dobby," said Harry, patting the little elf on the shoulder.
"So Dobby went to the Lestrange vault. Because Mistress Narcissa and Missy Bellatrix are sisters, Dobby can go to their vault as well."
"So you can go to my vault as well?" asked Sirius. Dobby nodded.
"I'd hate to think of what the Lestrange's have in their vault," shuddered Ginny.
"Dobby did find this," said Dobby. He pulled out a cup from a bag. "Is this what you wanted, Harry Potter?"
Harry took it from him and held it up. "Its Hufflepuff's cup," he confirmed excitedly. Harry could sense the dark magic in it.
"Dobby, you did it," cried Ginny. "Well done."
"Harry Potter is pleased?" asked Dobby, seeking Harry's approval.
"You have no idea," said Harry. He knelt down to shake Dobby's hand. "You were brilliant, Dobby."
"This cup, this will help you to defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" asked Dobby, looking at the small cup.
Harry nodded. "I can't do it without this. Perhaps you could return to Hogwarts and let Professor Dumbledore know you found it? He will be most interested."
"Dobby shall go now," said Dobby. "Thank you, Harry Potter.
"No Dobby, thank you," said Harry.
With a POP, Dobby was gone.
"Another one," said Sirius, gleefully, taking the cup from Harry. "I'll get Albus to bring the sword here to destroy it. You don't mind going without me, do you? Tonks was meeting you at Diagon Alley, wasn't she?"
Ginny nodded. "Yeah, we should probably go. We should only be an hour or so."
"That's fine," said Sirius. "We'll talk more when you get home. Have fun."
Harry, Ginny and Neville flooed to Diagon Alley.