Disclaimer: What if JK Rowling had a fanfiction account? Would she have to write a disclaimer for her fanfics?
A/N - Well, this'll probably be the last chapter before I leave for two weeks. I'll try to write a few chapters over the break and then post then as soon as I have my laptop back again. Don't worry, I didn't leave you a cliff hanger, although I was sorely tempted.
~~~ Chapter Thirty Nine ~~~
Harry was very aware that what he was about to do was very dangerous, and that if he was caught, he would be killed, but he was prepared to take the risk. He slid out the window, made his way to the edge of the wards, and then disapparated to a secluded place, where his plan would take place.
It was a large field with nothing in sight except an old shack, which was falling apart. Sirius and Harry had spent a night here when they had been travelling after escaping Azkaban.
Harry placed Hufflepuff's cup on the dirt ground of the shack and covered it with some boards, which had come from one of the fallen walls.
Harry made his way out of the shack and stood back far enough so that he was safe enough. With a grim expression, he cast a spell that he had never performed, but that he had been taught by Voldemort himself. The Fiendfyre spell.
Knowing that he had probably just ruined this farmer's crops, Harry apparated away.
~~~TB~~~
Dumbledore returned to the room with a sword. Ginny recognised it instantly as the Sword of Gryffindor, which Harry had defeated the Basilisk with.
"A sword won't work, Albus," Remus said, watching the professor.
"This one will. Harry killed the basilisk in his second year with it, and since it is goblin made, the basilisk venom was impregnated into the sword," Dumbledore explained.
Sirius warily took out the three horcruxes they had and placed them on a table in the centre of the room.
Dumbledore studied the three objects for a few moments, his eyes lingering almost longingly on the ring. Finally, he rose the sword, held it up in the air for a moment, looking hesitant, then brought it down on the ring, cutting it in two. A scream came from the ring.
"I think it worked," Sirius said excitedly.
"Can I do the next one," Ginny asked, staring at the diadem.
Dumbledore silently handed Ginny the sword and she swung it up and then stabbed it into the diadem. Like the ring, the horcrux was destroyed.
"I want to do the locket," Sirius whispered.
Ginny handed Sirius the sword and Sirius weighed it in his hands. He focused on the unbroken locket, raised the sword, then shouted, "For Regulus!" and brought the sword down on the locket.
There was a silence in the room that was broken only when Ginny started scribbling away on the parchment to Harry, informing him that all the horcruxes that were in their possession were taken care of.
~~~TB~~~
Harry smiled contentedly as soon as he heard that all the horcruxes were destroyed. All that was left was Nagini and Voldemort himself.
As he got ready for bed, finally, he focused on the idea that soon he would be free from this act and he would be able to go back to Sirius, and to spend some quality time with Ginny, that was, of course, if they would take him back.
Harry desperately hoped that they would, he was, after all, a criminal in the sights of most of the world, and if they didn't take him in again, he didn't know what he would do.
~~~TB~~~
Sirius was feeling much better. Madam Pomfrey, with the reluctant help of Snape, had been able to figure out how to counteract the potion Sirius had taken, and the nurse had even allowed Sirius to leave the hospital wing, with the promise that he wouldn't drink any more questionable potions.
Sirius hadn't left, though. He sat in the chair next to his best friend's bed, watching the man sleep. He hadn't really believed it when he heard that Remus was dying. Sure, it was still over a year away, Madam Pomfrey predicted, but Sirius couldn't bear the thought that he would be alone.
Remus had been a constant since his very first year of Hogwarts, always there to stop his more crazy plans, and to help out with the ones that Sirius couldn't be talked out of. Even after Hogwarts, when things had mostly fallen apart and Sirius didn't really trust anyone, besides James and Lily, Remus was always there. After Azkaban, Remus had willingly forgiven him, and had taken him back. Their friendship had been strengthened by the separation.
Sirius felt wetness on his cheek and he rubbed it away with his hand, then stared at the glistening water on his hand. He was crying, he realised belatedly.
Sirius couldn't find it in himself to care. His best friend was dying, for Merlin's sake! Sirius buried his face in his hands. All he could hope for was that Harry's crazy plan worked, because if it didn't, well, let's just say that Sirius wasn't planning to live if there wasn't anything to live for.
A/N - Until I post again, you can occupy your time with this: Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated. Yes, it's true. I dare you to try it.