The Golden Snitch was zooming around the Room of Requirement, making people laugh as it flew past them and narrowly dodged their reaching hands. Harry had forgotten that he still had the tiny ball in his pockets and he had decided to let the poor thing stretch its wings. There was even a small friendly competition of who could capture the Snitch better than Harry; Gryffindor's star Seeker won every time.
Harry was lying in a hammock, fiddling with the Sorting Hat. As he had explained to his friends, the Sorting Hat would provide the sword of Gryffindor to any true Gryffindor. Harry had wanted to pass the Sorting Hat around to every Gryffindor student but they were absolutely convinced that he was the one who could bring the sword to them. Harry wasn't so sure about that.
Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students were also among the Gryffindors in the Room of Requirement. The room was filled with rebellious students and it seemed to expand every time more joined. Hammocks were substitutes for beds and the house banners (all except for Slytherin) were hanging off the walls. Since the Room of Requirements could not supply food, the house-elves secretly delivered everyone's meals three times a day. None of the students left their sanctuary except for class and for assemblies Snape organized whenever he had a new rule. It was during those times when Harry had the Room to himself.
"Hey, Harry."
Harry, being settled into one of the higher hammocks, looked down and grinned. Ginny, in all her beauty, was standing on the floor below him. She motioned him to come down and he climbed down a ladder, passing by other hammocks. Harry jumped the last steps and took Ginny in his arms.
"You called?" he said happily, inhaling the scent of her hair.
"Mm," Ginny replied as Harry kissed her neck. "I felt like hanging out with my boyfriend. That's not a problem, I hope?"
"It never is."
"That's good to hear."
Harry bent down and pressed his lips against Ginny's. She kissed him back fiercely and she began to push against him, forcing him to take a few steps backwards. Harry felt something hit him on the back of his legs and his knees buckled. He fell on a cushioned bench, bringing Ginny down with him. Harry then let out a small gasp as Ginny's hand found its way under his shirt.
"Ginny … there are people here," Harry moaned, arching his back slightly as Ginny found a small ticklish area on his lower back.
She pulled away and her brown eyes met with his green ones. "Please," Ginny replied breathlessly, "this is nothing compared to the display Seamus and Lavender had put up last week. Consider yourself fortunate that you've missed it."
"She's not wrong," Colin Creevey yelled from the other end of the room, causing a few people to snigger. Harry blushed as Ginny kissed his jaw line, suddenly very aware of those watching them.
"G-Ginny," he pleaded, shyness winning over desire. Ginny settled herself next to him and took his hand.
"Sorry, I got carried away," she whispered. "I couldn't help it; I've missed you so much. Plus, it's quite an attractive sight to see you in normal clothing."
Harry looked down at himself. He was wearing a pair of jeans, a pair of sneakers and a sweatshirt with a t-shirt underneath that had been provided by Dumbledore's brother Aberforth. Where the elder man had gotten his hands on Muggle clothing was anyone's guess but Harry was glad to be finally out of those ridiculous robes Snape had forced him to wear. Once he had taken his few possessions out – his wand, his Invisibility Cloak, the Marauder's Map and the Golden Snitch – Harry had thrown the robes into the Room of Requirement's fireplace and everyone had cheered as they burned.
"Thanks," Harry replied timidly, flushing a bit more. When he noticed that there were still people nearby watching them, he straightened up and said in a steady voice, "Go on, show's over. Nothing to see here so move out!"
The crowd dispersed, giggling. Harry leaned against the wall and Ginny curled up to him.
"Strange," Harry said as he stroked her flaming hair. "I felt normal there for a minute."
"How so?" Ginny asked.
"Telling people to mind their own business seems like such an ordinary problem," Harry replied. "And, of course, kissing you feels like there are no problems in this world at all," he added.
"Well, when this war's over you'll be able to live your life as normally as you want to."
"If You-Know-Who doesn't kill me first."
"Don't say that. He won't kill you; we won't let him."
"Thank you."
"So, what were you looking for in Dumbledore's office? You said that he's left you stuff to find," Ginny wanted to know.
"He was pretty cryptic about it, to be honest. At first I was looking for a way to get the sword of Gryffindor," Harry said thoughtfully.
"You've got one now. Not the easiest route to it but it's better than nothing," Ginny said, tracing lines on Harry's chest with her fingers. He closed his eyes and continued.
"But I'm also looking for something that will help destroy You-Know-Who. There's more than one object and they're easily concealed so they can be anywhere in that damn office," Harry said, opening his eyes after speaking.
"Do you know what those objects are?"
"Yes, but I can't tell you. Dumbledore made me swear not to tell anyone except for Ron and Hermione."
Ginny nodded to show that she understood.
"This time, however, you won't be going back to Dumbledore's office alone. We'll come with you and don't bother telling us no because we won't listen. Snape will try to capture you again and you'll need assistance when that happens," she said in a final sort of way.
Harry groaned. He had been afraid of this but he knew that once Ginny had made her mind up there was no possible way of changing it. Harry would have to work three times as hard to keep his friends safe.
"I wonder where Neville's at. It usually doesn't take him this long to bring snacks back from Ab," Dean suddenly said, sitting in a corner with Pavarti Patil.
"I'm sure he won't be long and besides, he hasn't gone for snacks; you made that request. He went because Arianna summoned him," Parvati replied, turning a page from the book she was reading.
"Well, might as well ask for a bit of food while he's there," Dean said in his defense. "The house-elves can only come here during mealtime so they don't cause suspicion."
"An accomplishment that still surprises me," Cho Chang, who had returned to Hogwarts along with a few other graduates to support the rebellion, said as she played Wizard's Chess with Michael Corner.
"Where do you graduates go when class is in session?" Harry asked curiously. "You never stay in the Room."
"We blend in with the other students," Angelina Johnson replied, entwined with Fred Weasley as his brother George gave out some of their Weasley Wizard Wheezes products in case they needed a quick getaway from the Death Eaters.
"Aren't you afraid that someone will recognize you?" Harry inquired.
"Oh, the teachers recognize us all right. But the Carrows don't know us and since Snape's too busy looking for 'unruly' students the obvious slips right pass him. So it's all good," Fred answered.
"And the Muggle-borns?" Harry pressed on. "They were all expelled."
"We just avoid the Darks Arts class," Dennis Creevey piped up. "It's not easy but manageable."
"You guys really ought to stay in the Room of Requirement," Harry said sternly. "It's safer."
"Hey, what the Death Eaters don't know can't hurt them," Dean said, shrugging.
"You mean what the Death Eaters don't know can't hurt you –"
"Blimey, Neville's back!" Seamus exclaimed, jumping to his feet.
Everyone quickly gathered underneath the portrait that hung over the fireplace, eager to know why Neville had been summoned. Harry then noticed that Neville was with two other people. He wasn't the only one who saw this and there was an excited murmur that swept across the crowd. The portrait swung open and Neville appeared but he was blocking from view whoever he was with.
"Hey, guys. I have a surprise for you guys," Neville said brightly.
"There better not be any more of Aberforth's cooking in that bag, Neville," Seamus said, eyeing the plastic bag Neville was carrying with a wary expression. "We can't take much more of it."
"Amen to that!" Dean exclaimed in agreement, causing everyone to chortle.
"Don't worry," Neville assured them as the laughter died down. "I've brought normal food. The surprise I was talking about was this."
He stepped aside and Ron and Hermione moved forward. Harry's mouth fell open in shock as the entire room cheered at the sight of his best friends the same way they had a few days ago when he had first entered the Room of Requirement. He watched Hermione's inquisitive eyes scan the room and they soon landed on him.
"Harry!" she cried out in joy and relief. Ron quickly turned at the sound of Harry's name and he grinned broadly when he saw his best friend. The Chosen One fought through the crowd as Ron, Hermione, and Neville climbed down a ladder that was leaning against the fireplace mantel.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed once again as she threw her arms around him. Harry embraced her tightly and she surprised him by planting a kiss on his cheek. Harry chanced a glance at Ron and was relieved to see him surrounded by Fred, George, and Ginny; Harry doubted that Ron would have taken that kiss lightly.
Ron broke away from his siblings and joined his best friends. He gave Harry a quick hug as tears of happiness spilled out of Hermione's eyes.
"Glad to see you're still in one piece, mate," Ron said, thumping Harry on the back.
"The way you're talking you'd think it was in Snape's plans to mutilate me," Harry replied, rolling his eyes with a smile.
"We're so glad that you're okay, Harry," Hermione said happily, wiping her eyes. "But how did you escape your prison?"
Harry pointed at Ginny, Neville, and Seamus in turn.
"They had come in to steal the sword of Gryffindor but ended up leaving with me," Harry explained. "Well, me and the Sorting Hat."
"The Sorting Hat?" Hermione blinked.
Harry pointed his wand at his hammock and said, "Accio, Sorting Hat!"
The magical object flew toward him and he caught it. He gave it to Hermione, who took it uncertainly.
"Uh, why would you take the Sorting Hat?" Ron asked, perplexed.
"The sword of Gryffindor appears to any true Gryffindor through it, remember?" Harry replied.
"Of course. How could I have forgotten?" Hermione said. "I'm clearly not it. Here, Ron." She forced the hat into Ron's hand.
He shook his head. "Nope," Ron said. He lowered his voice. "Can the sword destroy Horcruxes?" he added.
Harry nodded. "It contains basilisk venom," he explained softly.
"I've read about that. Basilisk venom is an incredibly destructive substance: one drop in your system and you're finished," Hermione said in a hurried whisper. "There's only one antidote and it's extremely rare."
"Phoenix tears," Harry stated. "Believe me, I would know. I got to see first-hand how fast that venom works."
"But how did the sword of Gryffindor get some in it?" Ron asked.
"It's goblin-made," Hermione explained matter-of-factly. "It only takes in what makes it stronger. When Harry stabbed the basilisk, the sword took some of its venom, making it our primary weapon against Horcruxes."
"Speaking of Horcruxes," Harry said, pulling the locket out of his pocket. His friends gasped at the sight of it.
"Where? How?" Hermione wanted to know as Ron gripped the Sorting Hat. Harry pried it out of his hands before he suffocated it, if it could even breathe.
"I found it in Dumbledore's office. Don't ask me how it got there but I doubt even Dumbledore knew about it. But Hufflepuff's cup and Ravenclaw's diadem on the other hand might be a different story."
"What do you mean?"
"I've been talking with Dumbledore's portrait and he's told me what two of the last three Horcruxes were but he's also hinted that they were in his office as well, albeit those hints were vague."
"Wait, let me get this straight: you have to go back there?" Ron concluded incredulously.
"We have no choice, Ron," Hermione answered in Harry's stead. "We need those Horcruxes and we must go to any lengths to get them even if it means walking straight into enemy territory."
"Glad to see you agree, Hermione," Harry said appreciatively, placing an arm around her shoulders and giving her a gentle squeeze. Hermione gave him a friendly smile but Harry could see that Ron was misinterpreting both gestures so he quickly released Hermione, sighing inwardly.
He should know by now, Harry thought in exasperation. He should know by now that I love Hermione as a sister and that she loves me like a brother. I thought I had made that clear when I fell in love with Ginny.
"We need to focus on the sword," Ron said flatly. He tried to tug the Sorting Hat out of Harry's hands but Harry slapped his hand away.
"Don't do that, you'll tear it!" Harry reprimanded. "It's not exactly new."
"It belonged to Godric Gryffindor, who lived over a thousand years ago," Hermione chimed in, frowning at Ron.
"Thank you, Hermione," Harry said. When Ron made a move to lunge for the hat again, Harry held it out of his reach.
"Neville!" Harry yelled forcefully. "Catch!"
He threw the Sorting Hat with all the strength he could muster. Neville turned around and caught the magical object that was hurling his way with an astonished look on his face. Harry then grabbed Ron by the front of his cloak and pulled him forward, ignoring Hermione's pleas of to not start a fight.
"Get a grip," Harry hissed angrily in Ron's ear. "If you love Hermione so much then tell her! I don't see her in the same light as you do and I guess dating you sister isn't enough to prove that."
Ron seemed stunned as comprehension was dawning over him and Hermione was watching them nervously. Before any of them could do anything else, a loud clanging sound bounced off the walls. They turned around and found everyone looking at Neville, who was staring with wide eyes at a long silver object on the floor: the sword of Gryffindor.
"Neville!" Katie Bell exclaimed. "How –?"
"I-I don't know," Neville replied, looking astounded. "All I did was realize that I was gripping the Sorting Hat too hard and when I loosened my hold that came out." He pointed at the sword.
"Well, that worked," Harry said softly. He released Ron and approached Neville. Harry bent down and picked up the sword. Surely enough, the hilt was ruby-encrusted and the blade had the name Godric Gryffyndor engraved on it. Harry grinned at Neville.
"If there's anyone who's a true Gryffindor in this room, it's Neville. He stood up to the Carrows, defended students in need, and defied Snape's regime over and over again. It's no question to why the sword came to you," Harry said proudly.
Everyone cheered and applauded as Neville turned pink and smile sheepishly. Harry handed him the sword but Neville pushed it back to him.
"Keep it," he muttered. "You need it, don't you?"
Harry nodded. Neville patted his shoulder and was soon steered away by Luna Lovegood. Harry smiled in satisfaction before returning to Ron and Hermione.
"We've got the sword!" Hermione said excitedly. "Now we can destroy that locket."
"Let's wait until the Room is empty," Harry told her quietly.
"When will that be?" Ron asked. "And who are the Carrows?"
"Tomorrow morning. They all go to class during the day and the Carrows are twin brother and sister Death Eaters who teach the Dark Arts and they're in charge of discipline. Nasty pair, those two."
"All of them go to class?" Hermione was gazing around the room, clearly noting the graduates and the Muggle-borns.
"I'll explain later. Now, how about we forget this war for the rest of the evening and have some fun?" Harry suggested, catching the Snitch as it flew by.
Ron and Hermione grinned in agreement. They went and joined the others, feeling as if they were finally having the upper hand in this war.
Now that they've got the sword, I think it's time to destroy some Horcruxes. Or at least the one they already have.
Thanks for the reviews!