'emalden dessaluzduul'

Dobby and Cedric had been hit by Narcissa's spell mid-Apparating and both had half-died from it. Harry, torn between four, collapsed people, began shouting and was surprised when Ronald and Luna followed by Dean and Hermione arrived. He was by Theodore without even thinking, the boy fully returned to his true form.

"Theo." He begged, cupping the other's face in his hands. "Theo! Please...please...please..."

"H-harry..." Theo mumbled, reaching up a weak hand to stroke at Harry's face. Harry grabbed this hand and held it as he stared down at the slack and pale face of his boyfriend.

"It's going to be all right." Harry promised in a whimper. "I swear, it's going to be all right."

Cedric and Dobby had been taken away immediately to Ron's Aunt Muriel's house where they could receive better care. Mr. Ollivander, still a little too weak to be moved, and Griphook, still growing his bones back, had stayed behind, but partially by Harry's bequest. Theodore had already been mended, but his eyes proved to Harry more than anything that the long torment under Bellatrix would not heal so quickly. Though he didn't want to put Theodore through more strain, he knew he needed his friend with him when he confronted the goblin and Mr. Ollivander.

Harry had already figured out that there was a Horcrux in the Lestrange's vault and only needed Griphook to help him break into it. The goblin had, of course, not told him yes or no and Harry had agreed to wait for an answer. With Ollivander, Harry felt guilt as he revealed he knew what information had been exchanged between the wandmaker and Voldemort, but all Harry wanted to know was about the Elder Wand and if the wand Harry had acquired (Draco's) would work for him, which it apparently would. After much discussion about Wandlore, Harry finally left Mr. Ollivander to his peace.

Theodore wasn't pleased when Harry revealed that Voldemort had already taken the wand from Dumbledore's grave and was clearly angry that Harry hadn't gone after the wand and claimed it for himself instead of interrogating goblins and wandmakers.

"I'm not supposed to..." Harry told him as they walked together on the beach. "I'm supposed to get the Horcruxes..."

"But then why leave you clues about the Hallows if you weren't supposed to get them?" Theo asked in annoyance.

"Because I needed to understand what I was about to get myself into." Harry answered. "You-Know-Who has the wand now and that's what I'm going to be up against. I have an advantage though."

"Have no advantage." Theodore hissed.

"You haven't been paying attention." Harry whispered back.

"Is that what you think?" Theo grumbled.

"Yes." Harry didn't feel even a shred of guilt for voicing this. "I think you don't want me to destroy the Horcruxes."

Theodore didn't contradict Harry; instead, he'd fallen very quiet.

Harry continued, "I'm not going to try to figure out why you suddenly don't want me destroying Horcruxes. I know you'll fight me the entire way, but this is something I have to do."

"Don't have to do it." Theodore told him. "Don't have to do any of this."

He cut in front of Harry and forced the other Slytherin to stop. They stood there facing each other and Harry realized how hard Theodore was breathing, how strained his face looked, how exhausted and worried his eyes were...

"Come on, Harry." Theo's voice had dropped low. "Don't have to do this. Could run. Could leave the country. Could hide and find peace and..."

"While You-Know-Who destroys the world?" Harry glared at him. "If we don't do this, there won't be any places left to hide. The whole world will be on fire."

"Would be ways to hide." Theodore's worry was slipping out. His Occlumency was failing. "Harry, we could hide ourselves. Could do a Fidelius Charm. You could be Secret-Keeper and..."

"Did Bellatrix scare you that much?" Harry interrupted and he watched the worry disappear and boredom set over Theo's features.

"No." Theo said, straightening in an almost dignified way. "Have never been scared of that woman. Nothing she did changed that."

"Then when did you become such a coward?"

"Only when it comes to you."

Harry stared at his friend for a long silent moment before speaking again, "I am going to destroy the Horcruxes no matter what you say, Theo."

"Figured." Theo murmured.

"Are you still with me?"

"Naturally."

Sighing, Harry turned, but reached back to take Theodore's hand. Quietly, they walked the beach together.

Griphook agreed to help them, but only if he could have the Gryffindor Sword in return.

"We need to use it on something in the vault." Harry said without hesitation. "Afterwards, it is yours if you want it."

Griphook eyed him suspiciously, but Harry reassured him.

"If you'd like we can make an Unbreakable Vow that returns the sword to you." Harry said. "But I do warn you...I don't think the sword will stay with you. It's very powerful, imbued with a lot of magic. It may return to Hogwarts if it feels a need to."

The goblin gave a snort. "You seem to know a lot about goblin-made weapons."

"I've only ever overheard things and I'm very familiar with this sword." Harry motioned towards the weapon in the goblin's hands. "If you take it, you run the risk of it abandoning you and I want to clear up right now that that isn't my fault."

Griphook stared at him for a incredibly long time before he finally agreed. "So if the sword chooses to stay with me, it is mine?"

"But you may only take it after we've used it in the vault." Harry told him. "This is very important. We have a single thing we need to destroy and the properties inside this sword are the only thing that we have that can do the job. After that, it is yours if it chooses to stay with you. You have my word. If you do not believe my word, I am more than willing to make an Unbreakable Vow."

The goblin waved this idea away. "I trust you, all right, Mr. Potter. I trust you."

After this meeting they spent the following weeks devising a plan, to which Theodore was most helpful as he was the only one in the group who had a chance of getting into the vault. Mr. Ollivander was moved to Aunt Muriel's along with Hermione and Ronald. Dean and Luna, who seemed to be bonding, stayed behind. It was clear Dean was both puzzled and fascinated with Luna.

Then there came a message that Cedric had passed away. He had fought for days against the affects of the spell, but he couldn't do it any longer. It had happened close to midnight. He'd died peacefully in his sleep. No one wanted to say it, but everyone knew it was better this way. A werewolf and one half-blasted to hell would never have had a comfortable life. Dobby was still hanging on, though barely, and they anxiously awaited more news on his recovery.

Then Sirius and Lupin arrived in celebration. Well, that was surely their plan until Sirius laid eyes on Harry and his wand had flown up within a moment.

"Where have you been?" He snarled.

"Around." Harry shrugged, trying to pretend that the tension was building. "You?"

"What ave you been doing?" Sirius ignored Harry's question.

"This and that."

"Don't get smart with me, boy!" Sirius growled as Lupin tried to calm him. "What are you doing here?"

Harry could feel his anger beginning to well up within him. He was done with Sirius. "You came here to celebrate. I'll leave you to it."

He started for the door, Theodore close behind him, but Lupin stopped them.

"Please, Sirius. Let them at least hear this great news."

"Fine." Sirius spat as he gave Fleur and Bill quick embraces.

"Tonks and Sirius have had a baby." Lupin seemed positively giddy with excitement. "They've named him William Antares Black, Liam for short. William is after Dora's father Ted William Tonks. I don't know if you heard..."

"I heard." Harry nodded. "If you see her, will you tell her I feel for her?"

"Certainly." Lupin continued hastily. "Oh, and I've been named godfather!"

"That's wonderful." Harry grinned at Lupin. "That really is. It's great."

Lupin seemed to think so too and he turned to smile at everyone else in the room while Harry and Theodore slipped outside onto the beach. They listened to the mirth carry on for a few hours, but ignored it as they enjoyed each other's company, hand-in-hand upon the beach. They would be leaving soon. They would soon be taking a greater risk than any they had taken in all their adventures thus far. It was a daunting task, but it needed to be done and Harry would complete it, if it was the last thing he did.

Gringott's was murder. Theodore (being Theodore and having special privileges even for being such a young Death Eater) was able to get them past the goblins at the front, despite having Travers hanging around, but then the Thief's Downfall tossed them because of Harry's Invisibility Cloak. They got into the Vault and Theo destroyed the Horcrux as Griphook had permitted them to use the sword one final time, but then he had taken the sword as if he had never trusted them. Gringott's associates were there, cursing spells at them and Griphook had traded sides in moments. Harry and Theodore had done the only thing they could do: they jumped on the dragon and escaped Gringott's on it.

The worst part of the entire fiasco was that Theodore's cover was now blown.

"Two Horcruxes left." Harry told Theodore as they lay on the beach opposite the dragon. "The snake and...it has to be...Ravenclaw's Lost Diadem...and it's somewhere at Hogwarts."

A sudden flash of insight into the Dark Lord's mind confirmed this.

"We have to go to Hogwarts." Harry insisted as he stood. "Come on. We don't have any time to waste."

"Also don't have anything to destroy the Horcruxes with." Theo snapped. "As you foolishly bargained with a goblin."

"I am positive the sword is at Hogwarts." Harry told him. "I'm sure it went to the Sorting Hat."

"Harry..."

"I am sure of it." Harry forced his friend to stand. "Come on. We're Apparating to Hogsmead."

"Don't think that's..."

"I don't care."

And they Disapparated.

Translation: 'Book Crazy.' :P