Obligatory Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any character, story element or plot item originally published in the Harry Potter books or movies that I may refer to in this story. I'm merely playing in the sandbox.

Chapter 22

They made their way down to the entrance of the Hall of Mysteries. Harry started to knock, but a door opened. "Please. Enter."

"You know, with Dumbledore doing it when I was a student, you'd think I would be used to that now."

Harry didn't respond to Sirius's quip; he was too unnerved at the obvious observation the corridor was under. As they entered an antechamber of sorts, the man offered them each a rope and blindfolds. "You may hold the rope and follow me. I will guide you."

Harry looked at Sirius, who nodded, tying his own on. Harry fumbled with the knot and Luna reached up to help him. He couldn't see her but had this odd feeling she was doing it with her own already in place.

After a long moment, he felt the rope in his hand and clutched it tightly. Some instinct was pushing him to let go, rip the fold off and begin cursing, but he felt a small hand on his back. "They mean no harm."

"Okay," Harry took a deep breath.

They walked for what felt like forever. Harry had been counting steps and turns and he was certain that he'd felt them turn around a few times. Beyond that, they could have been anywhere in London by that point.

"You may remove your blindfolds."

Harry felt the cloth slip as the words were said. "Sticking charm?"

"Accidents happen. I didn't want to have to obliviate you," the nondescript figure spoke, then gestured. "We have a task for you."

Harry fought back a grimace at the words. "I'm not a fan of those. The last three were against my will."

"This one is easy. We want you to throw a basket through the Arch there." He could hear the capitalization on the word, then looked. It was a stone arch with a wispy cloth blowing lightly in a wind that seemed only in the arch itself.

"Mum?" Luna's hands were over her ears. "Mum, no…."

Harry stopped beside her and put a hand on her shoulder then his arm around her as she started to sink to the floor. "Luna?"

"I'm sorry, Mum, I couldn't…I was too little…I…" The words were lost as sobs shook her, her voice lost in the sounds of her crying out at something only she could see or hear.

The Unspeakable moved swiftly to a door, leaving Sirius looking around in confusion and Harry dropping to sit beside her, wrapping his arms around her. She rocked slowly, struggling to breathe through her choking sobs. He focused on his Occlumency, trying to deaden all of his emotions. He wasn't sure, but wondered if an island of stillness might help.

In a moment, a gray gloved hand was in front of him, a delicate silver chain with a teardrop pendant hanging from it clutched in its fist. "Put this on her."

He took it and fumbled for a second with the clasp, then freed the chain to put on her. As the clasp closed again, he felt a tingle of magic. She gasped. "Thank you."

"You should have said you were an empath. You should not be near this without protection."

"What is it?"

"The Arch of Death." The magical in front of him spoke softly. "I may tell you that we don't fully understand it, but nothing more."

"I could hear her. She called out to me, asked why…" Luna shivered and hugged Harry for a moment.

"I've heard of this. If you are touched…by death." Sirius stopped.

In the silence, Harry realized he could hear faint whispering. "I hear whispering, but I can't tell what."

"Most likely, your parents…or someone else that has passed that was involved with you." The magical stepped back. "Let us give her a moment. Do you need a Calming Draught?"

"I've had one in the courtroom. This place overwhelmed that, but with this…."

"That is a Department issued protection, but I can advise you on where you may obtain one."

Luna nodded and Harry glanced at Sirius, who also nodded. The money would come from the Black/Potter fortunes, regardless of who won that particular fight. "I can stand now…thank you for trying with your Occlumency. You were almost silent. That is very impressive."

Harry stood, then offered her a hand to help her up. "You mentioned a basket?"

"Yes. We can locate the other anchors now but want to neutralize them. The homunculus is the primary soul fragment, the others splinters of himself acting as anchors to hold him to this plane. If you throw it through the Veil, only his protections on the items will remain."

"I never liked the idea of having to kill, but this is much better than what I've been accused of." He started towards the basket, now visible at the edge of the circular room. "I assume that I cannot tell anyone, but Dumbledore should know."

The Unspeakable seemed to consider this, then nodded. "I will approach my superior. He has some contact with him through his Wizengamot duties. I cannot promise anything but will leave that decision to him."

"Thank you." Harry lifted the basket, nearly weightless considering the burden it carried. He stepped forward and thought about what this would mean. It was the end of it. He really was free. All the lives you took and damaged…and no one will know you were close to returning. You will die forgotten. It's perfect.

Harry stepped up to the top step of the dais but was cautioned. "That is close enough, Mr. Potter. Just throw it through."

Harry nodded, looked at the basket one more time, then swung his arm. The basket passed through and was gone. Nothing came through the other side. He stared for a long time at the Arch and considered. His parents were there, probably. Maybe grandparents he knew nothing about. He could know them.

A hand grasped his and he turned. "Harry, let's go to lunch." Luna looked into his eyes, her silver orbs still shining with the tears that she had been shedding in his arms earlier. For a moment, he had the image of her wearing black, mourning him. He didn't want that.

"Sounds good." He looked at the Unspeakable as he turned his back to the Arch, walking away with Luna clutching his hand. "Do we need to do anything else?"

"There is a prophecy orb. We need to check it and file it, to see if it is complete. We think it will be."

The blindfolds were tied on again, Harry this time able to do his own, then they walked more. When they were released this time, he was in a massive warehouse, rows upon rows of shelves with glass orbs that glowed in a strange white light. "They look like Patroni."

"Interesting observation. There is a theory that prophecy is a similar magic, as both work around concepts of memory." The Unspeakable gestured to one shelf. "I cannot tell you if it is accurate, but there are books that discuss it."

Harry looked to the shelf the figure pointed to and found his eye drawn to one, not shining like the rest. It was a dull gray, like a roiling storm cloud. "Please pick it up and hand it to me."

Harry lifted it, noticing the initials on the label. "Trelawney made this, and it must have been to Dumbledore. He knew."

"Prophecy is a difficult thing. I do not know the contents but can tell you that he may have been trying to figure it out. Even we could not have answered in specifics." The Unspeakable gave a shiver. "They are very tricky, even to the experts." He raised the orb, eyeing it carefully. "I will file this appropriately. I can tell you that it was not dull before this afternoon, so it may have been the trial, it may have been your act at the Arch."

Harry shrugged. "It's done. I don't want to know."

"Wise, don't dwell on the past, especially things that may not have answers."

The last statement reminded him of something, but he couldn't think of what it was. Searching for the memory consumed him until he was sitting with them at lunch, Moony joining them from whatever errand he had been on.

"Are you going to respond to him, Harry?" Luna asked, leaning forward.

"What?" He looked around and blinked at the table. "I…"

"I asked what you wanted for lunch. I was going to put in an order."

Harry shrugged. "Whatever's on the special. I was just thinking."

"You are confused."

"What he said, he almost brought back a memory."

Luna nodded. "That is bothersome. Don't get lost in the past, though." She sniffed a little. "It's not worth it."

Harry looked back at her, and she wiped her eyes lightly. "Are you okay?"

"I will be. I will likely have nightmares tonight."

"I'm surprised they knew about your abilities. Even had a ready-made solution."

"My mother worked with them. I read it in her notes. She didn't say what she did, but there were hints. I think she worked on a project in one of their specialty chambers. She hinted that her emotional awareness would assist them."

"I don't think she would have blamed you."

"Thank you. I think something about that place acted on my fears."

Sirius nodded. "Fear of death is a common one. I think that's part of our survival mechanism."

"That makes sense."

Harry was just grateful to see Moony get back with a tray of drinks. "To Sirius's exoneration."

"We may need to take a pass at the Alley for a few weeks. It'll take a bit for the news to get out."

Sirius shrugged. "Nothing I want there, anyway. A few people I'd like to look up, but that's a short list." He took a sip of his drink. "I was out of commission for over a decade. I doubt I even know them anymore."

The food came and they ate, chatting as well as they could in the muggle area. Harry wasn't even sure where they were. The portkey ride had been missed, but he was sure it was colder. "We're in Edinburgh." Luna said. "You seemed confused."

"I was lost in thought more than I realized."

She nodded, eating quietly after that. Soon, they were returning to her home and Sirius suggested a trip to the island for a few weeks. "Let's get a bit of relaxation in, let the news percolate through the masses, then take a trip to ole Parii."

Harry decided that sounded like a good idea.

A/N: I hinted at this a few times in this chapter, but the specific memory was the line about no dwelling on the past that Dumbledore had used in the series. Remembering the bast is not a bad thing, becoming consumed, though, is not a way to live. I have those moments; I drag myself out of them with the reminders that nothing in that time can change.

So, next chapter is the last, hope the conclusion is a good one for most. I do know you can't please everyone, as the phrase goes. Regardless, thank you for joining me.