With a speed born out of desperation, Wormtail turned from them and began to run blindly through the forest.

Harry's head and injured shoulder were aching terribly but he got shakily to his feet and shouted, "Spread out! He's headed in the direction of the cliffs, so he can't get too far. We shoot only to stun him."

Harry looked pointedly at Lina who reluctantly nodded her agreement.

Ginny said, "He has my wand."

"Stay with me, then," Harry said and they took off after Wormtail.

It was hard to determine whether the objects they saw moving were due to Wormtail running ahead of them or only the trees and shrubs whipping around in the wind.

Ginny continued to follow behind Harry as they dodged around trees and shrubs; he felt her grab his arm and she pointed off to their right. Harry saw the form of a man running behind a tree not far ahead of them. Harry took off after him but had to dive behind a tree when Wormtail fired a hex that narrowly missed him.

Ginny screamed his name and ran over to him.

They crouched behind the tree as another hex flew by.

As he attempted to catch his breath, Harry said, "Maybe you should go back."

Ginny said insistently, "I am not leaving you! Besides, I'm still wearing the pendant you gave me— you're safer if you stay with me!"

Harry chanced a look around the tree and he got a glimpse of Wormtail starting to run again. Harry swore in frustration and he took off after him.

Harry saw several flashes of light ahead of him and to his left; Ron was starting to close in on Wormtail, too.

Wormtail ducked behind another tree but continued firing hexes toward both Harry and Ron so they had to jump for cover again. Harry felt a presence behind him and he spun around quickly to see Ginny. He pulled her down beside him as another hex flew by.

Hermione and Lina dashed behind a tree to their right. Wormtail was now going to find it difficult to move from behind his cover without the possibility of one of the four of them hitting him.

Harry shouted, "We've got you, Pettigrew! Throw down the wand and step out from behind the tree!"

He was answered by another hex that struck to the right of the tree that he and Ginny were hiding behind. Hermione, Lina and Ron each returned fire, but the large tree protecting Wormtail blocked their hexes and curses.

Wormtail attempted to return fire again in the girls' direction; Harry, Ron, Hermione and Lina then shot off simultaneous hexes of their own. All four struck the tree in front of Wormtail with a loud explosion that shattered its trunk and sent shards of bark in all directions.

Harry heard a second resounding crack just before the tree started to sway dangerously in the wind. It began to fall and Wormtail cried out in alarm. The five of them watched as the tree landed with a crash so loud that it was deafening above the howling wind.

Harry stared at the scene for a moment as he attempted to make out where Wormtail had gone. Cautiously, they all walked toward the fallen tree with their wands ready.

Harry eased closer and he found Wormtail lying on the ground with the bottom half of his body caught beneath the trunk of the tree. The man was not moving and Harry quickly ran to his side. He removed Ginny's wand from Wormtail's limp hand and handed it to her.

Blood was trickling from Wormtail's mouth and Harry was certain he was dead until his eyes fluttered open and his gaze landed on Harry. It took a moment for Wormtail to focus on Harry's face and when he did, his eyes registered surprise. Wormtail opened his mouth to speak but Harry could not hear him above the wind.

Harry bent closer and he heard Wormtail say, "J-James? H-how…? I thought…"

Harry stared at him in surprise and watched Wormtail's expression change to regret, "Oh, James… I-I've done terrible things…"

Harry still felt hatred for the man before him but some of his anger had left him when he realized how injured Wormtail was.

Harry said, "Hold on. We'll get this off you."

He stood up, pointed his wand at the tree and shouted, "Wingardim Leviosa."

Ginny, Ron and Hermione followed suit and together they easily lifted the tree off Wormtail. When they looked back at him, they could tell his shattered legs were quite likely the least of his injuries.

Hermione said, "We need to get him somewhere for medical attention."

Wormtail had not taken his eyes off Harry's face and he gestured for Harry to come closer to him.

Harry bent back down and Wormtail grabbed his arm. "James…"

Wormtail coughed, causing more blood to ooze from his mouth but he continued laboriously, "Y-your son would not let them kill me… you'd have b-been so proud of him but I have to tell him… I must help him…I should have done it before now… James, I'm so sorry…"

Harry looked at the others and said, "He's delirious. He thinks I'm my dad."

Ginny walked up behind Harry and placed a hand on his unhurt shoulder. Wormtail's gaze shifted to her and he let out a gurgling gasp.

"Lily…?" Wormtail smiled, "All these years I thought…but you are alive, too…"

Taken aback, Harry and Ginny exchanged glances and Wormtail looked back at Harry, "I have to tell him… Harry has to…"

Wormtail's voice trailed off and Harry said in an unsteady voice, "What about Harry, Wormtail?"

Wormtail said with difficulty, "James… he wants Harry… the Dark Lord needs him…"

Harry said wearily, "I know. Stop talking. We need to figure out how to get you out of here and get you some help."

Harry started to stand up but Wormtail held his arm tighter with what little energy he had left. A peaceful look came over Wormtail's face.

He said, "James… I need to tell Harry… he's close…"

Harry frowned, "What?"

"Harry... has nearly done it! The Dark Lord does not realize I know… only one more… then he can be destroyed!"

It was obvious Wormtail was aware of Voldemort's use of Horcruxes but he was not telling Harry anything he did not already know.

"Harry knows about the last Horcrux, Wormtail." Harry replied and then a thought struck him. "But I bet you know where it is! Where is Voldemort keeping the snake?"

Wormtail coughed again and Harry said, "Tell me where Voldemort is keeping Nagini so Harry can find her and destroy it. Where is she?"

A look of urgency showed on Wormtail's face and he said, "No! That's what he wants Harry to think! But it is no longer in the snake! My master still keeps her near, in case… he can possess her and escape if the worst happens… but if Harry kills the snake, he will think he was successful… but he will be wrong and he will fail! My master does not know I saw… he does not think much of me…"

Wormtail's eyes closed and Harry grabbed his arm, "He changed the Horcrux? What is it now?"

Wormtail's voice was getting weaker and Harry had to lean close to him when he continued, "I will pay my debt before it's too late…I must help Harry—"

Wormtail opened his eyes, but he did not seem to be able to focus them.

Harry shouted, "Peter! Tell me so I can let Harry know- you will be helping him. Your wizard debt to him will be paid. What has Voldemort changed it to? Don't you die before telling me!"

Wormtail coughed again and he clung desperately to Harry's arm, "The jewel… in the…"

Wormtail's hand that had been gripping Harry's arm fell away and his eyes stared vacantly.

Harry shook Wormtail's body and yelled, "What jewel! Where is it?"

He heard Hermione say from behind him, "Harry, he's dead. He can't tell you any more."

Frustrated, Harry stood up and looked at the others, "What was that about?"

Ron said, "I don't know, mate; but we can think about that later. The storm's getting worse and we should get back to camp. You guys better go. I'll take care of the body."

Harry did not seem to want to move.

Ron urged, "Harry?"

When Harry finally looked at him, Ron continued, "I'll take care of burying him. Go back and let Hermione fix up your shoulder."

He saw that Lina had started crying again.

Harry said to Ginny and Hermione, "Go ahead and take Lina back to camp and I'll stay to help Ron. We won't be long."

Hermione placed a comforting arm around Lina and led her in the direction of their camp.

Ginny took Harry's hand and gave him a look as if asking him how he was doing.

He said, "I'm fine."

Ginny replied, "No you're not," but she gave his hand a squeeze and continued, "Just get back to camp as soon as you can."

She turned to follow Hermione and Lina.

Harry and Ron set about magically digging a grave but neither spoke. Ron instinctively understood that his best friend was not ready to talk about what had just transpired.

Many thoughts seemed to be vying for center stage in Harry's mind. On the one hand, he felt a certain amount of satisfaction and relief that the man who betrayed and threatened to harm many of the loved ones in his life was now dead. On the other, he could not help but feel a certain amount of guilt that this satisfaction and relief was the direct result of another's death— even if, like with Belletrix Lestrange, he had often dreamed of the day he could take out his revenge on Wormtail.

Then Harry mentally shook off the feeling of guilt when he realized that the depth of Wormtail's betrayal had only been possible because of the initial genuine friendship he had shared with Sirius, Remus, and his father. Harry could not fathom any set of circumstances that would cause such a friendship to one-day end in the ultimate betrayal. Harry thought of Ron and Hermione; he knew that he would always trust them with his life, just as they could trust him. Then he smiled to himself when he thought, with gratitude, that he now included Ginny that circle of trust.

Betrayal by of any of his friends was unthinkable; but Harry frowned when another thought came to him. Could Wormtail finally have understood this in the end? Even after everything he had done, Wormtail's sense of loyalty to Harry's parents seemed to motivate him as much as his wizard debt to pass along what information he could about the last Horcrux. If Harry was able to decipher and act on Wormtail's cryptic message it would mean that some sense of loyalty to his parents actually resulted in Wormtail's betrayal of Voldemort in the end.

They placed Wormtail's body in a shroud that Ron conjured and then carefully lowered the body into the grave. Then they magically refilled in the dirt, levitated rocks and logs over the fresh earth and headed back to camp.

As they walked, Ron finally asked, "Do you suppose he was telling the truth about You-Know-Who changing the last Horcrux? Is it even possible to move a piece of your soul from one object to another?"

Harry answered, "I have no idea; but Wormtail seemed pretty insistent that he was letting me know about it in order to pay his wizard debt."

Ron queried, "If he was telling the truth, what do you suppose is the jewel he referred to? Did you come across anything about it in Dumbledore's journal?"

Harry shook his head and said, "Not that I remember, but I plan to read through it again. Maybe I missed something. It sounds like Voldemort did use the snake as a Horcrux for a while. Dumbledore may not have considered that he could move it."

Back at the tent, the girls had changed into dry clothes and found something warm and dry for Lina to wear. Hermione was sitting next to Lina on one of the couches still attempting to comfort her.

Ginny gently pressed a cup of tea into Lina's hands and said, "Drink this. I added some herbs that may help to relax you a bit."

Lina took the cup and said reluctantly, "Thank you."

Ginny also handed Hermione a cup and said, "For your cold."

Hermione had hardly taken a sip when Ron and Harry entered the tent. She immediately jumped up and said to Harry, "Go put on some dry clothes and then come right back out here so I can take a look at that shoulder."

Ginny went to him and saw that his shoulder was still bleeding and she asked, "Do you need any help?"

He gave her a small, tired but reassuring smile and said, "No, I'll be back in a minute," and he continued toward the bedroom.

Ron had crossed the room to go into the other bedroom but Hermione followed him and placed a restraining hand on his arm.

At his questioning look, Hermione remained silent until the door to Harry's bedroom closed completely.

Then she looked up at Ron and asked in a low voice, "How is he?"

Somewhat confused by her action and question Ron answered, "Once you patch up his shoulder he'll be fine."

Hermione whispered so Lina could not hear, "No, I mean… well, aren't you a bit worried about him after…"

Ginny, who was standing near them, looked at Hermione and whispered back sharply, "After what?"

Hermione looked back and forth between Ginny and Ron and said, "He used an Unforgivable Curse… and it looked like he was enjoying what he was doing to Pettigrew."

To Hermione's surprise, Ron answered, "I agree with Harry; the rat deserved far worse. Actually, I think Harry restrained himself rather well."

"Ron!" Hermione said in shock, "He used an Unforgivable Curse! No matter how angry—"

Ron cut her off, "Can you honestly blame him, Hermione? Wormtail helped bring about his parent's deaths; he helped You-Know-Who use Harry to get his body back. His betrayal sent Harry's godfather to prison for twelve years for no reason. Today he was partially responsible for Mohamier's death and then he tried to go after Ginny. Put yourself in Harry's shoes; don't you think you'd be tempted to take out a little revenge, too?"

Ginny said firmly, "Ron's right, Hermione. Harry has lost so much because of that man. I don't blame him for what he did and neither should you."

Hermione looked as if she was going to say something else but Ron beat her to it, "Harry was really angry, but he got himself under control. I say we drop it."

Without giving her a chance to say another word, Ron brushed past her to continue on to their bedroom. Ginny was still watching her, almost daring her to continue arguing, but Hermione finally nodded her assent and both girls went back to sit with Lina.

Hermione had already retrieved her healing supplies and had them lying out on the hearth when Harry came out of the bedroom wearing a pair of sweat pants and a warm robe. He sat down on the couch and winced as Hermione gently pulled the robe away from his shoulder to examine the claw marks. Hermione began to clean the wound while Ginny handed her clean rags and the healing ointments as she needed them.

Lina watched as they tended Harry and she said quietly, "I did not mean to hurt him. Vill his shoulder be alright?"

Hermione replied, "Two of the claw marks are pretty deep, but they should heal completely in a week or so."

She said to Harry warningly, "But you shouldn't move it much for several days."

Hermione made a sling for Harry's arm and he winced as she helped him to put it on.

Lina said, "Normally I am in much better control ven transformed… but after vhat happened… Grandfather and I argued often but I loved him so much… I am sorry, Harry." Tears began to form in her eyes again.

Harry replied reassuringly, "Mohamier loved you, too, very much; and don't worry about my shoulder; Hermione has gotten pretty good at patching us up."

Lina nodded through her tears and shakily took a sip of tea.

The stew that Harry had made earlier was now ready and Ron and Ginny ladled portions into bowls and passed them around.

"I am not hungry," Lina said when Ron handed her a bowl.

Hermione urged, "You should still try to eat something, Lina. We'll be continuing our hike back to the village in the morning so you'll need your strength."

Lina said, "I am not going back to the village."

Ron asked, "Then where are you going to go?"

Lina replied, "I vill continue on to vhere Grandfather and I vere heading."

Harry said, "Voldemort has gotten what he wants so you should no longer be in danger from him or Death Eaters. You don't have to go away any longer."

"It vas vhat Grandfather vanted me to do so I must," Lina said. Then she looked at Harry sadly and added, "There is nothing in the village for me now, anyvay."

Harry looked away from her uncomfortably, but Ginny said gently, "You shouldn't be alone. Why don't you come back with us and then decide what you want to do later?"

Lina's gaze shifted to Ginny and registered mild surprise. "You vould have me come back vith you?"

Ginny replied, "We are all very sorry about your grandfather and want what is best for you. Besides, I owe you my thanks."

At Lina's quizzical look, Ginny continued, "You stopped Wormtail from sneaking up on me."

Hermione said before Lina could protest further, "It's all settled then; you're coming back with us."

Lina replied, "I vill consider it."

"Good!" Hermione replied.

After they finished eating, Hermione turned to Harry. "You need to get some rest so you can give your shoulder a chance to heal properly."

Harry placed his empty bowl on the hearth and replied, "I'm not tired yet and I want to go through Dumbledore's journal tonight."

Ginny stood up with her hands on her hips and in very Mrs. Weasley-like voice said, "You heard Healer Granger. Off to bed!"

"But—"

Hermione glared at him and Ginny gave him a warning look.

"You'd think you guys were my mother the way you baby me," Harry mumbled in annoyance. However, he got up and headed toward the bedroom.

Ginny followed him and Hermione said to Lina, "You need some rest, too, Lina. Come on."

Ginny closed the bedroom door and flicked her wand to conjure a fire in the fireplace. The sling was making it difficult for Harry to take off his robe so she quickly went to help him. Then she insisted on tucking him into bed after which she started to change into her pajamas.

Harry was watching her and he said with a mischievous grin, "You really don't need to put those on, you know."

Ginny blushed but she replied cheekily, "You, mister, have been hurt and are supposed to be getting some rest, which will not happen if we start fooling around. Maybe I'd better sleep on the couch if you don't think you will be able to behave yourself."

She headed for the door and Harry replied quickly, "No! I'd prefer it if you stay. I'll be good; promise."

Ginny eyed him suspiciously but she turned back and got into bed on the side of his unhurt shoulder. She snuggled against him and he wrapped his arm around her.

After a few moments, Harry said, "That was nice of you. What you said to Lina, I mean. You didn't have to ask her to come with us but I'm glad you did."

Ginny replied, "It sounds like her grandfather was all she had left and she should be with friends right now. The only reason she and I don't see eye to eye is that we are both in love with you."

"Hmm," came Harry's reply and then he turned so he could look her in the eyes. "But you are the only one I'm in love with."

Harry pulled Ginny to him to kiss her and she wrapped her arms around him, careful not to touch his injured shoulder. He moved to pull her on top of him but she placed her hand on his chest and broke their kiss.

She said, "Harry, your shoulder."

"What about it?" Harry asked and pulled her down to capture her mouth with his again.

Ginny mumbled through the kiss, "You promised."

Harry looked at her and grinned, "I promised I'd be good."

She attempted to protest, but Harry stopped her objections with another kiss. He soon felt her relax against him and she began to return his kiss with a passion that matched his.