Forgot to translate the thing at the top of the last chapter: "It all ends." Implied: eventually :D

Just noticed this and found it interesting: Harry Morgan (an actor from many years ago and Morgan is not his birth name) played a character in M*A*S*H by the name of Colonel Sherman T. Potter. Interesting...or maybe it's just me :D

"You can't come with us." Harry told Cedric sternly. "It's not safe and..."

"It'd be a lot safer if I came along." Cedric cut in.

Theodore scoffed. "Take that much pride in yourself?"

They glared at each other and Harry let out an annoyed sigh.

"That's another reason."

"I have more experience!" Cedric argued. "Even the Goblet of Fire..."

"Theodore is frankly smarter." Harry told him pointblank. "And I trust him one hundred percent."

"And you don't me?" Cedric seemed baffled over this.

"I trust you..." Harry hesitated and then sighed. "But just not as much. You would turn on Theodore if given even a single excuse and..."

"And you don't have the Wolfsbane Potion." Theodore told the Hufflepuff in a snarl. "If I remember correctly, you weren't too good at Potions either."

Cedric ran a hand through his hair, clearly exasperated. "Come on. I can help. And I know both of you could brew up that potion in a jiffy."

Theo snorted. "Wouldn't want to help you have an excuse."

"Theo!" Harry snapped. "Look, I agree we need help...a lot of help, but I can't risk you..."

"I am an adult and am more than capable of making my own decisions!"

They all scowled at each other and Harry, frustrated, finally said he needed time to think this through. In the meantime, they needed to figure out a food situation as Kreacher was currently still too distressed.

"Am on it." Theodore grunted, storming down to the kitchen. Harry sighed and gave Cedric an unappreciative look.

It was the evening of the following day and Harry had already talked to Kreacher, the House elf, about the locket they had discovered, was told the story of Regulus' getting the Horcrux, returned Regulus' locket, and informed the elf that they had completed the task he'd been set to. He had been so grateful, he had hugged Harry before crawling onto a couch and crying himself to sleep. Harry had refused to inform Cedric about the mission because Dumbledore had told him not to tell anyone because he couldn't tell Cedric, he believed the other shouldn't come and this had led to the argument.

Irritated, Harry stormed off into the home to scavange for anything useful and to mull over the mission once more. They had no idea where to start and knew only that there was Hufflepuff cup, something of Ravenclaw's (as Theodore already knew that Gryffindor's sword was the only surviving relic of his and he was the other option), and Voldemort's snake Nagini. Of the three, the snake was the easiest to find as Theodore could easily get close to it, but destroying it was a whole different thing. How did one destroy a Horcrux?

Harry picked up a strange mirror and stared at then jumped back, dropping it, when he saw someone's face flash across it. "What the..."

"It is a two-way mirror." Kreacher croaked from the couch, startling Harry. "Master Sirius Black has its brother. He and his filthy friend would use them in their mischief-making."

Glancing at the mirror, Harry contemplated whether or not it would be useful to their mission and decided it would. In the worse case scenario, he could still get someone to help him...even if it was Sirius. He pocketed the mirror and continued through the house, deep in thought.

"You won't find much." This new voice sent him jumping in fear and he spun around to find Phineas Nigellus Black gazing at him from his portrait. "That wretched Mundungus Fletcher's already been through ransacking the place since my coward of a descendant, Sirius, made a run for it. It was all the House Elf could do to hang onto the few things he stole. Why Dumbeldore ever saw it..."

"Dumbledore is there, isn't he?" Harry asked quickly. "As a painting in the Headmaster's office?"

"It's rude to interrupt someone while they are talking." Phineas scolded. "Now, in answer to your question, of course he's in here."

"Can you bring him to this painting?" Harry questioned.

"Ignorant." Phineas scoffed. "The portraits of Hogwarts may commune with each other, but they cannot travel outside the castle except to visit a painting of themselves hanging elsewhere. Dumbledore cannot come here with me."

"Can you bring him a message?" Harry implored. "I need help."

"What kind of help?" Phineas looked for a moment worried.

"It's about the mission he gave me." Harry told him quickly. "I have no idea where to begin, sir."

Phineas stared at him for a long quiet moment and then gave a heavy sigh. "Is that your message then, Mr. Potter?"

"Yes." Harry nodded. "Please tell him I don't know where to begin and I need help."

Giving a frown, the ex-headmaster nodded and disappeared. Not wanting to have Phineas calling all over Grimmauld Place for him with the chance of running into either Theo or Cedric, Harry sat down right there to wait. He was surprised how short the waiting time was.

"Professor Dumbledore says, 'When in doubt, trust your instinct. Your heart will guide you.'" Phineas stated.

"That's it?" Harry stared at him perplexed and angry. "There's nothing more?"

Phineas gave an annoyed huff. "Well, I would think I would have told you if there was more, you foolish ungrateful boy."

"What does it mean, though?"

"The riddle isn't for me to solve." Phineas scowled. "It's for you!"

"But it doesn't make any sense!"

"Sure, it does!"

"Why speak in riddles?" Harry was close to shouting. "We need answers!"

"Why do you think he'd speak in a riddle?" Phineas snarled back.

"Why would he..." Harry's anger melted away. "There was someone in there."

"You do have a brain."

"Who was in there?"

"It is not my duty to inform you of the comings and goings of the headmaster's office." Phineas hissed. "Now, if you'll excuse me..."

And without further word, Phineas walked out of his portrait.

Even more annoyed then before, Harry stormed down to the kitchen to eat breakfast with his two companions.

"Need to come up with a plan soon." Theodore told Harry a few weeks later. "Are doing nothing right now."

"I know!" Harry hissed, glancing over at Cedric who was sitting on the other side of the kitchen and looking frustrated. "Look. I might have an idea where one of them is."

"Oh?" Theodore raised an eyebrow. "Where?"

"Hogwarts."

"Was never there long enough to hide one." Theodore stated. "Didn't he return to Hogwarts to hide one, but then wasn't given the option?"

"I think he may have created one before and left it there and then returned to hide it better than he did before." Harry had been thinking about this long and hard.

"Don't know for sure thought, do you?"

"No matter what we'll be going off of a hunch." Harry growled. "And it's the best hunch I've got. Besides Dumbledore told me to follow my instinct and that's what I'm doing."

"When did he tell you this?"

"Well, it was through Phineas. You know, he has a portrait he..."

Theodore had stood abruptly and rushed from the room, leaving Harry confused and baffled. Cedric peered over at Harry with pinched brows. A few minutes later, Theodore returned, stuffing the portrait into his bag.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked, perplexed.

"Didn't want you to find out." Theodore pulled a newspaper from his bag. "But I guess I don't have a choice..."

He tossed the paper in front of Harry who quickly read the headline and let out a yelp. "SNAPE IS THE NEW HEADMASTER?"

"Yes." Theo replied coldly. "The school is currently run by Death Eaters."

Cedric came over to read the article quietly to himself while Harry sat there, livid.

"We have to leave." Harry stated sternly. "Phineas knows we're here and he could tell Snape."

"Where are we going to go?" Cedric asked.

"We're going to go to Hogwarts." Harry stated. "The train leaves in a week. That gives us just enough time to figure out a plan to sneak on."

Theo's brows shot up. "Always thought you were a bit crazy, but Harry...that's a death wish."

"We can do it." Harry faked his confidence as best he could. "The three of us."

Sorry. Was supposed to update last night, but got stuck training at work. :( Ah, well. Got to update tonight instead :D