Disclaimer: I own nothing… though my worthless DVD collection is pretty cool

A/N: I should have mentioned I'm from NZ in the common wealth so my spelling will be British English not American, sorry. Although I have no idea how to use ' with 's' :D

Despite his efforts to track down the-boy-who-lived, he continued to elude him. After his spies had informed him that the boy had been to the British Ministry to sit NEWT exams he'd had some unknown followers on constant alert near the ministry exam rooms. Of course the boy hadn't shown, not that he was expected to, Voldemort was sure even Dumbledore hadn't really expected the brat to show up at the British Ministry again after his NEWT result had become public knowledge via the Daily Profit thanks to an anonymous tip. Instead of coming to the British Ministry, the boy had toyed with the pair of them. A month after his Potions exam at the British Ministry the boy had reported to the French ministry to sit a Herbology exam. So of course while Voldemort and Dumbledore had their forces stretched thin watching the French and British Ministries, the-pain-in his-side had been to the Irish Ministry and sat the Arithmacy and Care of Magical Creatures NEWT exams in the same day. Many of his Death Eaters had been tortured extensively the day he got that news, seven killed.

Despite having been in his mind many times, even Voldemort had greatly underestimated the boys' intelligence. Eight Outstanding NEWTs from a boy with only one Outstanding OWL and over a year early. Not to mention the only knowledge of his whereabouts for the past year was his attendance to NEWT exams, which of course they only heard about after the event. The one positive Voldemort could find in the fact that the boy's whereabouts were still unknown, was that his spy in Dumbledore's midst tells him that he was just as clueless. Of course Voldemort wasn't stupid. He knew that if anyone was going to find the boy, or if the boy was to need anyone to turn to, it would be Dumbledore. That was the only reason Albus Dumbledore was still alive. He had several Hogwarts students as marked followers by now. He could have had the old fool kind at any moment, he only need give the word.

Potter was training, that much he was sure of. Why else run off from the wizarding world yet return to sit his NEWT exams. His results of course, spoke for their self. However, marks on paper didn't mean a thing to Voldemort. Just because he could remember some facts and preform a few spells under safe, controlled, exam conditions, did not make him a threat. If anything Potters results gave Voldemort confidence in facing the boy. He was still a teenager after all and if his memory served his correct, which it of course did, teenagers think they're bullet proof. Match that with perfect exam results and the boy must be walking on air, taking him out would be like swatting a fly. Swatting a pesky, consistent fly which he'd have to find first.

Guard duty had begun on the ministry exam rooms nearly eight months ago. As an employee of the ministry, Kingsley was automatically put on rotation, along with all other Ministry employeed Order members. In made sense of course, as ministry employees they were less likely to be questioned on their presence near the rooms, they could guard them without anyone else knowing. But it was tedious work. Eight hour shifts standing in a hallway looking at a bare wall, for eight months. Not that he'd thought everyday would be action packed when joining the order, but this was getting ridiculous. Eight months without a sighting of the Potter boy, man, Kingsley reminded himself, he was seventeen today, that made him a man now by wizard law. Of course there was a chance that the boy, man, would be in today to sit his apparition license, but coming in the day of would be too obvious.

Kingsley looked down at his watch. Fifteen more minutes and Auror Tonks would be here to relieve him. After eight hours on Auror duty and a further eight hours on wall staring duty, he was ready to go home, he was dead on his feet. So dead, he almost missed the black haired boy, head down, walking past with a ministry official towards an exam room. Now on alert in did not miss the gasp from apparent thin air slightly down the hall. Sending several stunners in the direction Kingsley was satisfied to hear a body fall to the floor. Approaching the apparently bodiless foot, Kingsley crouched down to pull off an invisibility cloak to find an unknown man. Pulling back the left sleeve Kingsley found the mark he'd been expecting and bound the man.

He knew he had to move quick, due to the fast nature of the apparition exam, you only needed pop across the room, if you did it the first time you could be in and out in five minutes. First sending off his lynx patronus to Dumbledore, he run back down the hall in hopes of finding Tonks on her way in to begin her shift. Kingsley spied the Auror with her husband near the entrance to the hallway. Interrupting the newlyweds as they lent in to embraced, Kingsley explained the situation before attempting to lead them down the hall. Before he could go more than a couple of feet Lupin grabbed his arm to stop him. Kingsley thought he saw a wolf run behind him down the hallway.

"Shouldn't we wait for Dumbledore?" Tonks appeared to be just as confused by her husband's hesitation as Kingsley was.

"Remus what are you talking about? Don't you want to see Harry and get him back. He's going to get himself killed staying out on his own." Kingsley chuckled as Lupin raised his hands up in defence to the wife he towered above.

"Alright, no waiting for Dumbledore, but I'm just saying, the past year, the kids proved he's more powerful than anyone ever gave him credit for."

With that the three started down the hallway, only to stop short as Potter walked out of the room with the ministry worker, large grin on his face and official document in hand. Obviously he'd passed his exam. Potter stopped catching sight of the three and the ministry worker stopped with him. Returning to the examination room under Potters instruction, the ministry worker looked back at the three of them unsure before closing the door. The three edged closer to the boy as he spoke.

"Kingsley, Tonks, Moony." He finished the last name with a smile at the wolf. "Or perhaps, Tonks, I should start calling you Mooness? Congratulations by the way, I'm glad to see you finally got my moron of an Uncle to see sense. You deserve to finally be happy Remy."

"Thanks prongslet. You know you do too. Come with us, we can protect you, make sure you live to have your own wife."

"Thanks for the offer Moony, but I think I've proved that I can protect myself just fine on my own."

"Yeah kid, what about the Death Eater who was on guard down this hall when you walked through. If it wasn't for me tying him up this place would be full of Death Eaters to collect you, maybe even the man himself."

Potter raised a brow and smirked, pointing where the Death Eater was bound.

"You mean the one who left?"

The trio turned to where the Death Eater had been bound to see empty ropes. Taking the opportunity in their distraction they were blasted across the hall into a wall. At first Kingsley thought the Death Eater had returned with friends, but then Potter was running past them giving his apologies and with that, he was gone. Moments later Dumbledore arrived, he only had to glance at the three still picking themselves up off the floor to know Potter was gone.

"Did he leave of his own accord?"

Kingsley nodded as Lucius Malfoy and three other men, including the one from earlier, ran around the corner into the hallway. Seeing the situation they all paled and a smirk spread across Lupin's face which told Kingsley exactly how the otherwise shy man had been a Marauder.

"Sorry Lucy, a little too late. Now who gets the pleasure of informing old Moldy of your failures? Isn't that going to be fun!"

Lupin laughed as the men paled further and Malfoy scowled at him before the four fled the hallway.

Luna knew people thought she was strange, but she really didn't care. Her Mum had always told her when she was a little girl, if someone doesn't like you as you are, they're not worth your time. With Mums passing, she'd held onto this moto like a life line. She'd embraced her own brand of strange and not given a damn what anyone else thought. Of course this made it difficult to make friends. Which is why the friends she did make, the people who liked her despite her many quirks, she worked hard to keep, even if they didn't realise it. So when she received from her friend Harry Potter asking for her help, she gave it.

"Neville? Can I speak to you? In private."

Luna walked from the great hall, grabbing a piece of toast from the Gryffindor table as she went, confident Neville would follow. Sitting on a desk in an empty classroom, Luna nibbled on her toast as Neville came in with his own toast. Before he could say a word Luna handed the letter to him to read.

"He wants us to apply our magical signature to the parchment? How?"

"Try a simple charm. I turned the parchment green, it's the same colour as Harry's eyes when he's giving a happy smile, wouldn't you say?"

Neville looked at Luna with an unsure frown before growing a small daisy off the edge of the parchment. As the daisy grew so did the parchment, a longer message following. Neville sat on the desk next to Luna, allowing her to read over his shoulder. After a few minutes of reading Luna jumped up and head towards the door.

"Come on Neville, to the room of requirement, no time to waste."

An hour later the two were outside Dumbledore's office guessing passwords.

"Sherbert Lemon?"

"Nargles?"

"Lemon Drops?"

"Blibbering Humdinger?"

"As fascinated as I am as to just what a Blibbering Humdinger might be, Miss Lovegood, I dear say, your friend Mr Longbottom had the right idea in using sweets to guess my password."

"Oh I wasn't trying to guess your password professor, I had only hoped that had one of the creatures been attracted by the magic surrounding your office, that they'd reveal themselves if they heard me calling their true name, rightly identifying myself as a friend."

"Well then Mr Longbottom, may I ask why you have spent the past five minutes trying to guess the password to my office?"

"Um- I- We-"

"We wish to borrow the sword of Gryffindor professor."

Dumbledore returned his gaze to Luna. She could still see the smile on her lips but knew his eyes had now gone serious.

"And what do you have need of such a thing for?"

"We need it for our adventure sir."

"Luna-"

"It's alright Neville, you are a Gryffindor yourself. Therefore, you have just as much right as Professor Dumbledore to have access to the sword."

"Perhaps we should continue this conversation in my office. Blood Pop."

The Gargoyle moved out of the way to reveal the hidden stair case and by Dumbledore's insistence, the two students started up the stairs ahead of him. Entering the office, Luna was immediately drawn to the many instruments lining the shelves of the office while Neville and Dumbledore each sat either side of the desk.

"Now what need do you have for the sword of Gryffindor?"

"I already told you Professor, we need it for an adventure."

"And what, exactly, would that adventure consist of?"

"Destroying horcruxs."

Dumbledore paled and his face lost all sense of false calm he'd attempted to portray since Luna had first made her request for the sword of Gryffindor. He immediately jumped to his feet pointing his wand at the two. Neville panicked as a pair of spells shot his way but Luna remained calm as ever when the same was repeated in her direction. When the pair each glowed gold and then white Dumbledore seemed to relax some but still remained on alert.

"You are in fact who you appear to be and there is no trace of imperious. Yet these are times of war, please take no offence in my mistrust."

"Oh we aren't offended Professor. You shouldn't trust us. We may have fought for an army named after you, but our loyalty will always remain with Harry Potter. The wards to Myrtles horcrux would have killed us if we weren't, or at least in terrible pain." Neville jumped out of his seat and turned to face Luna incredulous.

"What? The letter never said anything about the ward killing us!"

"Oh do calm down Neville. Your loyalty to Harry was never in question so I saw no reason to warn you. Besides, I'd guess that when Harry put the ward in place he hadn't meant it as a test of our loyalty to him. But simply, that if something were to happen to the two of us before we could retrieve the horcrux, he could still have someone else come in and retrieve it for him, now that he'll be having the chamber blocked off and in turn his access to the school."

"The pair of you, you have a horcrux?"

"Two actually Professor."

"Very well, hand them over, I will dispose of them."

"I'm afraid we can't do that Sir."

Neville's quick burst of Gryffindor courage quickly faded as Dumbledore turned a deadly gaze upon him.

"Horcrux's are not something for children to play about with. This is all very serious business. Mr Potter never should have told either of you about their existence, I'm not even sure how he knows about them."

"With all due respect Professor-" Luna continued, seemingly unfazed by Dumbledore's glare. "The fact that this is all 'very serious business' is the very reason you cannot be allowed to handle the first before it is destroyed. According to Harry, you've already been tempted by the power of one horcrux, for which you will lose your hand." All eyes in the room moved to Dumbledore's blackened hand lying uselessly at his side. "It's a miracle you've lived this far. Harry says you're too important to the war effort, the side of light cannot afford for you to lose your head to."

Dumbledore sat back in his chair contemplative, studying the students before him.

"You may of course, destroy the second horcrux we have with us. Harry says you'll have no issue with temptation in that regard. But only after we have destroyed the first."

"Very well."

Dumbledore rose from his seat and took the sword of Gryffindor, holding it out to Luna who shook her head.

"I am not a Gryffindor sir, this honour goes to Neville."

Taking the sword from Dumbledore awkwardly, Neville looked to the other two in the room nervously.

"Are we sure it'll work?"

"Blades impregnated with basilisk venom my boy. Venom which has been used to destroy the first two, it will destroy the next two just as well. Now, you have the horcrux."

"Before we bring it out Professor, I'd like you to lay down your wand and allow me to bind you to the chair."

"I hardly think that's a necessary measure Miss Lovegood."

"I hardly think you can pass judgement on such a measure without knowing what the horcrux is. It is, as you say, for the greater good."

With a resigned sigh Dumbledore handed his wand to Neville, who pocketed it, before returning to his seat. Luna cast several binding spells on the Professor, fully aware of his power and the possibility of him finding the energy to use wandless magic to free himself should he become determined. She knew it wouldn't hold him forever but it should give them enough time. Luna was tempted to cast a few more the way the Professor jumped the moment she pulled the diadem from her bag and placed it on the desk.

"It can't be, Ravenclaw's lost diadem. Please wait, you can't destroy it, the knowledge it must hold! How are you even certain it's truly a horcrux!"

"Now Neville!"

Neville swung the sword down upon the diadem, cutting clean through the metal. An earth shattering screech was released as a black smoke emerged is the shape of a face. It quickly dissipated as the members of the room stared at the broken diadem on the desk, all three shaking.

"Why must Tom always destroy such beautiful things?"

"Because that's what monsters do sir." With a sad smile Neville returned Dumbledore's wand to the Headmaster once Luna had released him from his bonds.

"Good call on the binding Miss Lovegood."

"That wasn't my call Professor, it was Harry's"

"And when exactly have you been talking to Mr Potter, may I ask?"

"We haven't. He just sent me a letter this morning."

"He put such sensitive details in a letter? I thought the boy had become more intelligent than that."

"He was always intelligent Professor, he just chose to hide it. I think it's because he didn't have a Mother around to tell him that true friends will accept him just the way he is, and that anyone who doesn't isn't worth his time. Besides, he hid the content of the letter very well, who'd monitor Loony Lovegoods mail for a start?"

"Luna don't call yourself that."

"Why not Neville? I know it's what people think of me, I've even heard Ron call me it when he didn't know I was near. But I love it because it's the reason that I know you, Harry and Ginny are all my true friends. Not one of you ever cared to be seen with me despite me being Loony Lovegood."

"What true friends you have." Dumbledore chuckled. "If I may see the letter?"

"Of course you may sir. But perhaps we should destroy the other horcrux first, it makes me feel funny, and that's saying something."

Luna pulled out the locket of Slytherin and laid it on the desk between the three.

"Of course. Mr. Potter was correct again, of course, there is not temptation in this piece. It does in fact, make me feel funny." Dumbledore looked at the piece in disgust, holding his hand out for the sword and taking it from Neville. Luna pulled a small green snake out of her bag confusing Dumbledore.

"Are you ready sir?"

At Dumbledore's nod Neville pulled a small white mouse from his own bag. The snake looked from the mouse to Luna and back again before looking to the locket and hissing. The locket flipped open and black smoke billowed out taking the form of a young, blonde, teenage girl. Dumbledore froze at the sight of her. As she begun to speak, accusing him, blaming him, his hands shook and dropped the sword. The snake up Luna sleeve and the mouse in Neville's hand struggled to escape. The air became suffocating as the back smoke filled the room.

With a flash Dumbledore's phoenix flashed into the room, landing on his shoulder. A trilling, comforting sound filled the room over the roaring distorted girl's voice. Dumbledore came back to himself, taking the sword from the floor, Dumbledore swung at the locket, cutting clean through and wedging into the desk. Panting, Dumbledore fell back into his seat, petting the phoenix which had moved to his lap.

Luna fetched the snake from her sleeve and placed it on the desk, far from the locket and sword. Petting the snake, Luna held out her hand to Neville for the mouse, feeding it to the snake.

"Good girl Jessie, you did so well!"

The snake looked to the door and back to Luna in askance. Dumbledore looked on questioning as he caught his breath.

"Aw I'm sorry sweetie but you know you can't see him now. I know he already told you you'd have to stay with us for a bit ok, but I promise you'll see Harry again eventually. I'm sure he's missing you too darling."

"Luna, you know she can't understand you right, she only understands Harry because he speaks parseltongue."

"She doesn't have to understand the words to know what I'm saying. It's comforting for her. Isn't the right sweetie?"

Dumbledore chuckled as the snake wound up its way up Luna's arm, seeming to seek comfort.

"May I now see the letter?"

"Of course sir"

Neville took the green and by now, daisy covered parchment from a bag as Luna sat down, still petting Jessie. Dumbledore took the letter and sat back to read. The two students watched as he applied his own magic after having read through the already revealed section of the letter. Reading the now purple spotted parchment, Dumbledore began to pale. By the time he'd finished reading Dumbledore looked far more shaken than he had by the illusion of his younger sister from the locket. Neville, Luna and Jessie left the room without a word, leaving the Headmaster to his thoughts.

Hermione bent further over her Arithmacy book as she tried to work out the problem she'd been stuck on for the past two days. Of course she was top of the class so there wasn't much chance of getting help from her classmates. At least she'd always thought she was top of her class. According to the daily prophet she'd always been a distant second, she just hadn't known it. She still found it hard to believe Harry could have been so far ahead in all of their classes, even the ones that he didn't take. She just didn't understand it. All through third year, when she was running around with a time turner just to keep up with her third year classes, he was already studying at a fifth year level all in normal time. All the times over the years when Harry would take off on his own, claiming to either wanting to go flying or for a walk alone, he'd been studying. She logically understood why he'd done it, his insecurities, she had plenty of her own to relate to. Yet she still couldn't help the feeling of betrayal.

What hurt most though, was that he was right, he likely would have lost her had he outshone her in every class, she'd been peeved enough that he constantly beat her in DADA. Back in fourth grade, her best friend Lisa, beat her in a spelling test. Hermione had been so upset that Lisa had known how to spell the words. She's accused Lisa of purposely distracting her with going to the park just so she could get the best mark, told her she'd cheated, Lisa never spoke to her again. She knew now how stupid she'd been, she laughed about it now, had laughed about it with Harry when she'd told him the story back in first year. It was no wonder he was so afraid of losing her to grades.

The letter Luna had given her and Ron yesterday evening had explained it all. The letter alone was proof of how much more advanced Harry was, the magic on it was incredible. A similar magic to the Marauders map yet more specific to require the readers' magical signature. There wasn't a chance the letter would be read by the wrong person before the intended reader had it.

Ron had of course, reacted badly. Harry had even said in the letter that he'd expected it. Their first reaction had been of hurt, Harry had chosen to write to Luna and Neville for help instead of them. Of course they'd been aware of the 24/7 Order guard on them, there was an Order member sitting the next table over reading a book right now. Hermione and Ron had even agreed to it. Never had they questioned it, the past year they'd allowed Dumbledore to have them followed. He'd insisted that as Harry's best friend's they'd be targets, that Voldemort would likely have them watched in case Harry tried making contact. They hadn't thought about the fact that Harry was also hiding from Dumbledore, not just Voldemort. They hadn't even considered that Dumbledore watching them was the very reason Harry hadn't made contact in a year and a half.

It all made sense now that she thought about it, she couldn't believe she hadn't seen it before. Despite all her jealousy she was also proud of Harry. Despite everything he'd been through in his life, despite the fact that Dumbledore had looked out for him so he could die at the right time, he was still fighting. He hadn't given up, hadn't crawl up into a ball in a corner. He was still that brave, just boy she'd met first year. The boy who they faced three headed dogs and trolls with. The one who had chosen friendship with the poor Wealsey over the power of the Malfoy name. Now he was just really smart.

Hermione had already forgiven Harry in her heart and knew it was only a matter of time before Ron did the same.

A/N: Looks like there's just one last chapter left now :D I know it seems fast past it'll be enough to tell the story I'm trying tell.