I do not own any part of the Harry Potter or Eragon universes.

Thank you for 500 reviews! It really means a lot to me. I have also posted a new Harry/Daphne One-shot, if you want to check it out. A well-known witch that we know from Alagaësia appears in it. You should recognize her, even if she has a different name or you have read To Sleep in a Sea of Stars.

Here is the second part and I think much better than the last chapter. I hope that I included everything that seems important and all makes sense.

Thank you again Bearsona09 for your help!

"I never thought McGonagall would let you take the Pensieve with you," Sirius said with a pale face. He was obviously still in shock from Dumbledore's death.

Harry shrugged. "I can be very persuasive."

"But what are you going to do now that Dumbledore is gone?" Thiora asked. "After all, he was the one who always stood between you and Voldemort."

"Not that Dumbledore achieved much politically while Voldemort didn't have a body," Arya said grumpily. "With even the ICW distancing itself from Dumbledore, I don't think you can expect help from the other countries."

Harry gave a weak smile. "No, we won't get any help. The Order was pretty much on its own, and it was only a matter of time before Voldemort came to power. The question was not if, but when."

"Who led the Order after Dumbledore passed into the Void?" Oromis asked curiously.

"Mad-Eye," Harry replied briefly.

Sirius shook his head. "This is all happening too fast for me. I thought we'd have years before Voldemort was defeated. You are going to defeat him, right?"

Harry nodded slowly. "But it's still a long journey. All of his Horcruxes still need to be destroyed, and only then can Voldemort himself be destroyed."

"It sounds like you're going to challenge Voldemort by the end of the year," Sirius said with a smirk. "But that should take years!"

Harry furrowed his brow. "Why years?"

"Because-"

Thiora put a hand on Sirius's shoulder. "Maybe now is not the right time to talk about this, Sirius."

"That's true," Eragon said, pointing to the memory. "If I'm seeing this correctly, I see seven Harrys standing in front of me."

Arya nodded with a smile. "And one is more than enough for us."

"Haha," Harry laughed sarcastically.

Thiora furrowed her brow. "But why are there seven?"

"Polyjuice Potion," Sirius replied briefly. "But more importantly - Remus got married! I knew eventually someone would get through his thick fur, but that it was Tonks, that's brilliant!" Sirius laughed.

"That's amazing, congratulations-"

"Alright, alright, we'll have time to talk about all this later!" Mad-Eye growled.

"Mad-Eye, it's the little things in life that make it worth living," Sirius grumbled. "Not everything needs to be bad-mouthed."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "I'd say getting married is more than a little thing, Sirius."

"I still don't understand why there are seven Harrys... Who are changing clothes right now," Thiora said, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Oh," Arya murmured.

"How about we all close our eyes?" Harry asked irritably.

"And miss this?" Sirius grinned.

"We can't wait for the trail to disappear because the moment you turn seventeen, you lose the protective charm your mother gave you," Mad-Eye said.

"So, I can't Apparate or use the Floo Network."

Oromis' eyes lit up. "Ah, I see what your plan is."

"So, we only have one choice: we use brooms, Thestrals, and Hagrid's motorcycle. And for that, we'll need to break the protection charm your mother placed."

"And how do we do that?" Harry asked.

"The charm breaks under two conditions. When you come of age or when you can no longer call this place your home. Your family and you will part ways that night - you will leave, intending not to return, and the charm will break the moment you, Harry, are out of its range."

"But if the charm is related to Harry seeing this place as his home... why hasn't it ever broken before?" Eragon asked cautiously.

"The Dursleys hated me... And I hated them, but I still grew up there, Eragon. That's why I had to return every summer," Harry explained.

Oromis nodded. "Harry had to maintain the intention of returning to the Dursleys, even if it was only for a short time. Because how else could he interpret the place in his subconscious other than as a home for him?"

"No, I won't allow it!" Harry said loudly.

"I told them you'd react this way," Hermione said.

"None of you have any idea what it means to be me! This is way too dangerous, and I won't let six people risk their lives-"

"Dangerous!" Mad-Eye barked. "Of course, it's dangerous, and everyone here volunteered, Potter! Something is at stake, damn it!"

"Harry, you really are the most reckless person I know," Eragon murmured.

"You're coming with me, Harry, is that alright?" Hagrid said with a slightly worried expression. "We'll take the motorcycle."

"That's brilliant," Harry said, who had always wanted to ride Sirius's old motorcycle.

Harry rushed to the hallway to grab his backpack, Firebolt, and Hedwig's cage and climbed into the sidecar of Sirius's old motorcycle.

"I never thought I'd see that old thing again," Sirius said wistfully. "Woe to the motorcycle if anything happens to it, Hagrid!"

"The motorcycle will be fine," Harry croaked. Arya glanced at Harry worriedly, whose eyes were red.

"Harry, is everything alright-"

"Good luck, everyone!" Mad-Eye yelled.

The motorcycle roared loudly and shot up into the air, when suddenly-

"Death Eaters!" Sirius shouted, upset. "They knew they were going to take you away that night!"

"A trap," Oromis muttered. "But how did they know?"

Thiora stared in horror as she saw the green flashes of light flash across the sky. "This can't end well-"

"HEDWIG - NO!" A green flash of light and the owl screamed and fell onto the bottom of the cage.

Arya stared in disbelief at the memory, and the desperate cries of Harry from the memory hit her like blows to her stomach. She felt miserable, watching Harry lose Hedwig. Because she could guess how he must have felt - Hedwig had been the one who had always been by his side - whether in Hogwarts or with the Dursleys, and now she was gone. Gone into the Void.

"Harry, I-" began Arya.

"I didn't think it would still hurt this much," Harry murmured, rubbing his eyes with one hand.

"It's alright to feel this pain, Harry," Oromis said gently. "It just shows what an extraordinary bond you had with Hedwig. She spent a wonderful life with you, one that you can look back on with love and pride."

"It's still not easy," Harry murmured, grateful when Arya wrapped her arm around his waist and pulled him close.

"It's never easy," Sirius said, and Harry looked him in the eye. Between the grey storm clouds, he saw the deep pain that, even after all these years, had faded but would always be a part of him.

Arya breathed a sigh of relief as Harry arrived safely at the Burrow. The protective charms around the Burrow would give Harry safety for now, and that was the most important thing to her. But this safety came with a heavy sacrifice: Mad-Eye Moody had been personally killed by Voldemort.

Dumbledore and Mad-Eye were dead. In her eyes, both had been the backbone of the Order and now they were left without any leadership to hold them steady in these dark times.

Arya's thoughts wandered. She had lost her father when she was very young, and now she could understand what it meant to stand without a leader.

She could now understand her mother a little more because, in her heart, her mother had never been a leader.

"No," Harry said, snapping Arya out of her thoughts.

"I mean... if someone made a mistake and something slipped out, I know it wasn't on purpose. It's not his fault," Harry said again. "We need to trust each other. I trust all of you, I don't believe anyone in this room would ever betray me to Voldemort."

A faint smile crept onto her lips. If anyone could carry this heavy burden, it was Harry, she thought. They could trust him to lead them all forward.

Days passed, and preparations for the wedding increased. Arya couldn't believe they were wasting their days with this since they obviously had a much more important task to complete: Hunting and destroying the Horcruxes.

And yet, it was so random watching Harry help with the preparations, being tasked by Mrs Weasley to throw the gnomes out of the garden... Surely, someone could use a simple protective spell to stop the gnomes from returning?

But Arya realized Mrs Weasley had other intentions. She probably wanted to prevent Harry, Hermione, and Ron from being alone together, so they wouldn't have any foolish ideas. And Mrs Weasley wasn't the only one who thought the three of them were up to something. Because on the eve of the wedding, the Minister himself came by to pay Harry a visit.

No, Arya corrected herself, not just Harry. Scrimgeour had come for Harry, Hermione, and Ron. And all just to give them three items that they had inherited from Dumbledore.

A Golden Snitch, a children's book, and a Deluminator that was invented by Dumbledore himself.

And once again, it became clear that the Ministry couldn't be relied upon. They were more concerned with figuring out why Dumbledore had left them these items than coming up with a strategy against Voldemort.

Now, the Ministry stood without a plan against Voldemort, who was already infiltrating the Ministry, while they were busy telling Harry he couldn't inherit the Sword of Gryffindor because Dumbledore hadn't been in a condition to pass it on. Nonsense.

There was simply no one in the Ministry who was willing to take responsibility.

It was frustrating to watch, and it showed her again how important it was that they had Brom on their side, someone who was willing to lead the uprising against the Empire and found the Varden.

The wedding went much as she had experienced at the few high-ranking weddings of the Varden and Surda. She had never witnessed a dwarf wedding. Dwarves rarely married outside of their clans, and so it remained customary to celebrate the wedding within the clan, without outsiders.

And elves didn't marry. Elves preferred to choose a partner with whom they would stay together for as long as they desired.

Arya was surprised when the priest held his wand over Bill and Fleur and a shower of silver stars cascaded over them. She was curious if that happened for every couple.

The celebration was in full swing, and Arya caught herself tapping her foot to the music when something large and silver appeared on the dance floor.

It seemed as though a huge shadow was being cast over everything.

It was a Patronus, and Kingsley's deep voice emerged from the lynx, overpowering everything.

"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They're coming."

"Honestly, I'm surprised that Scrimgeour survived as long as he did," Sirius said. "I would have thought Voldemort would have gone after him sooner. Especially after Dumbledore was no longer there to stand between him and the Ministry."

"But it was a quiet transition," Harry said. "After Scrimgeour's death, a lot changed in the Ministry, and those of us who hadn't turned a blind eye to the events could piece together what had happened."

"What happened then?" Oromis asked.

Harry's eyes darkened. "We took refuge at Grimmauld Place. There, we learned from Remus that Pius Thicknesse had been elected the new Minister."

Arya snorted. "Probably just a puppet of Voldemort, so he can stay hidden."

"Exactly," Harry nodded. "The worst part was that the Death Eaters now had the full power of the Ministry on their side."

Eragon laughed. "The Ministry hasn't managed to do anything so far. What can they do now?"

Harry gave a weak smile. "You forget that the Death Eaters had only hidden behind masks up until now. There were new laws making it legal to go after Muggleborns, Eragon. The law was now on their side, and they could do whatever they wanted without fearing any consequences."

"Wait – they went after Muggleborns?" Thiora asked. "On what grounds?"

"According to the new views of the Ministry, Muggleborns couldn't possess magic, so they must have stolen their magic from other wizards or witches," Harry said quietly.

"But that's nonsense!" Sirius burst out in anger. "Everyone knows it's random who has magic and who doesn't! The probability of a child having magic if the parents are wizards is higher, but that doesn't mean every child is capable of it! How do they explain Squibs then?!"

"There's no explanation, and since Squibs weren't a threat, they didn't care," Harry said.

"Harry – what happened to the Muggleborns?" Arya asked.

Harry rubbed his eyes. "At first, they were summoned, where they had to prove they were related to a wizard or witch, and if not, they had to register so they could figure out how they stole their magic."

Sirius snorted. "So just propaganda to get their information."

"And if they didn't do it?" Eragon asked cautiously.

"Then they committed a crime in the eyes of the Ministry. And that meant Azkaban," Harry said quietly. "Only a few of them survived. There were also some who weren't sent to Azkaban, but they received the Dementor's Kiss instead."

Sirius turned pale as he remembered the horrors.

"Who was responsible for that?" Oromis asked. "The ideologies of people don't disappear overnight. Perhaps there were still wizards in certain positions who could help Muggleborns escape this fate."

Harry just sighed. "The person who led the Muggleborn Registration Commission was none other than Dolores Umbridge."

Arya hissed, sounding like a cat. "I thought we were done with her, but I guess it was too quick to celebrate."

Harry gave a weak smile. "Well, anyway, we were trapped in Grimmauld Place for the time being, but luck was on our side."

"What did you find out?" Thiora asked.

Harry looked over at Sirius and stared at his godfather's face. "We found out who R.A.B. was."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Why are you looking at me so weird, Harry? I have no clue who that is."

"But I have one question for you, Sirius," Thiora said, staring at the many posters in Sirius' old room. "Do you also want to hang up pictures of other women in our home? You seem to have liked it."

"That's a trap, Sirius," Harry whispered frantically until Arya silenced him with a glare.

Sirius just raised an eyebrow and stared challengingly at Thiora. "I don't need pictures of other women when I feel your presence every day."

Thiora pulled Sirius towards her and kissed him on the cheek. "A good answer... For now."

Sirius exchanged a smug grin with Harry.

"Shall we go downstairs to the kitchen?" Hermione asked.

Harry nodded, holding his mother's letter tightly in his hands. He went down the stairs and passed by another door where he noticed a sign.

No Entry

Without the explicit permission of

Regulus Arcturus Black

Sirius growled. "My brother was always an arrogant fool. He was no different at school-"

"R.A.B.!" Arya suddenly shouted with her eyes wide open.

"What? Where?" Sirius asked, looking around wildly. Arya rolled her eyes and pointed at the sign.

"R.A.B. is your brother's initials, Sirius. He's the one who took the Horcrux from the cave," Arya said.

"But that can't be," Sirius murmured. "He was a Death Eater! Regulus worshipped Voldemort and would never have betrayed him."

Thiora gently rubbed his hand. "Only the stars know who we really are, love. Can you completely rule out that Regulus had a change of heart?"

Sirius let his shoulders slump. "I don't know. It's easier to believe he was dead and a Death Eater, than that he died to bring down Voldemort."

Oromis spoke up, respecting Thiora's warning look with a brief nod. "But now you know the truth about what happened to Regulus. Perhaps, instead of hatred, relief will fill you. To know that your brother was on your side in the end."

Sirius pulled Thiora close and buried his face in her hair.

Arya looked at Harry. "So, the Horcrux had been at Grimmauld Place all along?"

Harry rubbed the bridge of his nose as if adjusting his glasses. "Well, if you all remember, we cleaned up Grimmauld Place two years ago and threw away some things."

"But I caught Kreacher several times sneaking all the junk back in," Sirius said quietly, leaning his head on Thiora's shoulder.

Harry smiled. "Exactly, and that's why we're going to hear Kreacher's story now."

Sirius put his hands to his face and just groaned.

"Master," Kreacher croaked. "Back in my mistress's old house, with the blood traitor Weasley and the Mudblood-"

"I forbid you to call anyone that," Harry snarled.

"At least Kreacher stays true to himself," Sirius joked.

"Two years ago, there was a big golden locket in the parlour. We threw it away. Did you take it back?"

Kreacher slowly straightened up and looked Harry directly in the eye. "Yes."

Triumph swelled in Harry. "Where is it now?"

The elf trembled. "Gone."

"What does that mean, gone?" Eragon asked. "Did Kreacher destroy it?"

"No," Oromis guessed. "Look at him. Kreacher looks miserable, and that's saying something. Maybe he just lost it?"

Sirius shook his head. "No, Kreacher may be a fool, but he would never lose anything belonging to the Blacks. He's too obsessed with this miserable family."

"Mundungus Fletcher stole everything," Kreacher croaked. "Miss Bella and Miss Zissy's pictures, my mistress's gloves, the cups with the family crest, and, and-" Kreacher gasped for air, his lips trembling up and down. Thick tears gathered in his eyes.

"- and the locket, Lord Regulus' locket, Kreacher has done wrong, Kreacher did not follow his orders!"

"Why does he believe it was Regulus' locket?" Thiora asked, as they saw Harry holding him back and silently ordering him to stop because Kreacher was lunging toward the poker.

"Master Sirius ran away from home, and it wasn't a crime, for he was a bad boy and broke my Mistress' heart," Kreacher said.

"There was nothing to break," Sirius growled.

"But Master Regulus was different! When he was sixteen, Master Regulus joined the Dark Lord. So proud, so proud, so happy to serve... And one day, Master Regulus came down to the kitchen to see Kreacher. Master Regulus always liked Kreacher. And Master Regulus said... He said that the Dark Lord was asking for an elf."

"Voldemort needed an elf?" Arya asked. "I was under the impression that Voldemort didn't need anyone's help."

"In this case, yes," Harry said.

"Kreacher went to the Dark Lord. He did not tell Kreacher what to do, but he took Kreacher to a cave by the sea, and after the cave, there was a rock hall, and there was a big black lake."

"He took Kreacher to hide the Horcrux," Eragon said. "But why-"

"The boat, Eragon. Remember, the boat could only carry one person. And since Voldemort didn't consider a house-elf like Kreacher as a person, Kreacher was able to cross the lake with him," Harry explained.

"And there he ordered Kreacher to drink the potion, didn't he?" Oromis asked quietly.

Harry nodded. "Kreacher drank the potion, and Voldemort left the Horcrux behind and refilled it with the same potion. Then he left Kreacher behind on the island."

"How did you get out?" Harry whispered.

"Master Regulus told Kreacher that he must come back," he said.

"The command of his master is the highest law for a house-elf," Sirius murmured. "Regulus saved Kreacher's life by doing that."

"What did Regulus say when you told him what had happened?" Harry asked.

"Master Regulus was very troubled, very troubled," Kreacher croaked. "He ordered Kreacher not to leave the house anymore, and then... After some time, Master Regulus came one night to Kreacher's cupboard. His mind was confused, but he demanded that Kreacher... He demanded that Kreacher lead him to the cave..."

"You idiot," Sirius murmured.

"Master Regulus took a locket from his pocket that looked like the Dark Lord's," said Kreacher, and tears ran down his face. "And he ordered the locket to be swapped once the basin was empty," Kreacher sobbed.

"And he ordered Kreacher to leave – without him. And he said Kreacher should go home and never tell my Mistress what he had done – but destroy the first locket. And Master Regulus drank the whole potion and Kreacher swapped the lockets – and watched as Master Regulus... was pulled under the water..."

"Merlin, he really tried to overthrow Voldemort," Sirius muttered, rubbing his face. "My brother, who worshipped the Death Eaters like rockstars, discovered Voldemort's secret to defeating him and gave his life for it! My brother!"

Harry put a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "You can be proud of Regulus, Sirius. He fought for the right cause at the end of his life. You weren't the only Black who fought for good."

Sirius only sighed. "Maybe. I just wish he had figured it out sooner. So many things could have been so different."

Harry was about to stand and follow Hermione and Ron to the kitchen when Kreacher tugged at his sleeve.

"What's wrong, Kreacher? Do you need something to track down Mundungus?" Harry asked.

Kreacher shook his head, his long bat-like ears fluttering.

"No, Kreacher wants to show Master Harry something."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "I don't want to say anything bad about Kreacher, but if he wants to show you something at Grimmauld Place, it probably won't be anything good. The house is the plague itself."

"I trust Kreacher," Harry said simply.

Sirius shook his head. "To me, he'll always be the little bastard who slobbered after my cursed mother. That's something we'll never agree on."

Harry followed Kreacher down the long hallway. The portraits of the old, deceased Blacks stared after them. Some insulted Harry, while others just looked at him bored. Kreacher stopped in front of a black, massive wooden door. Unlike the house, it was not decrepit and stood out clearly.

Harry held his hand just a few inches from the door.

"Kreacher... this door... I've never seen it before," Harry murmured suspiciously.

"The old master ordered Kreacher to show this room only to someone worthy of being a Black," Kreacher said, looking up at Harry. "And the master gave Kreacher Regulus' locket. Kreacher thinks Master Harry is worthy."

"Do you know what Kreacher is talking about, Sirius?" Thiora asked.

"No," Sirius admitted thoughtfully. "I don't know what's supposed to be in this room. I've never seen this door before."

"Maybe it was hidden with magic?" Arya speculated.

"The master must place his hand on the door," croaked Kreacher.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Kreacher, I can feel magic on the door. I'm not an idiot."

Kreacher shook his head. "Nothing will happen to the master. The young master must trust Kreacher."

"Harry, please don't tell me that you-" Sirius began, but he only let out a groan as Harry, in memory, touched the door with his palm.

Harry jerked his hand back and looked at his palm. A deep cut was on his hand, bleeding.

"So much for 'nothing will happen to me,'" Harry muttered. Kreacher grinned crookedly.

Kreacher snapped his fingers, and a white bandage wrapped around Harry's injured hand. Harry ignored the throbbing of his hand and opened the door.

It was pitch black. Only when Kreacher snapped his fingers again did two lamps flare up, revealing a small office.

Sirius frowned. "I think I vaguely remember this place. When I was little, my grandfather - Oh no," Sirius exclaimed.

"Well, it's about time you're ready, Sirius – Who the hell are you?"

The door closed behind Harry by itself. He stared at the portrait that hung opposite him on the wall.

"Harry Potter – Who are you?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"Arcturus Black! The former Lord of this disturbed family," Arcturus said.

"So, you found the portrait," Sirius said. "I wish you'd never found it, then we would've been spared him today."

"Don't say that Sirius. It's important for Lily to meet some of your family," Thiora replied.

"Former? Who's the Lord of the Blacks now?" Harry asked. "Not Malfoy, right?"

Arcturus rolled his eyes. "I would never allow a Malfoy to inherit my family. No, young Potter. You are the new Lord, or Kreacher wouldn't have brought you here."

Harry looked down at Kreacher, who eagerly nodded at him. "Me? Why?"

"You're the grandson of Dorea and Charlus, aren't you?" Arcturus asked.

"I think so – At least Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall told me that."

Arcturus only frowned. "Why - never mind, Potter. The important thing is that you put on the ring. It's in the second drawer from the left."

"Why is the ring important?" Harry asked as he searched for it. He opened the mentioned drawer and found the ring inside. Engraved on it were the words Toujours Pur.

"Just put it on, Potter. Only then will you be granted full access, like to Gringotts' Vault and our complete library," Arcturus said.

"There are more books?" Harry asked incredulously. "Hermione will be thrilled."

Arcturus' eyes narrowed. "You will share the books with no one! Only the Lord-"

Harry raised his arm and showed Arcturus the back of his hand. There, in the dim light, the silver ring gleamed on Harry's finger.

"I'm the Lord now, and I'll decide," Harry said with a grin. "That's probably what you were going to say, right?"

Arcturus looked at him with squinted eyes. "You've got guts, Potter, I like that. Your grandfather was the same, and I respect that but don't push it with me. You don't want me as your enemy!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "I've got enough trouble with Voldemort already."

"Is that wannabe Lord still around?" Arcturus asked. "I've been stuck here for years, and Kreacher hasn't kept me updated as ordered."

"Kreacher has arrived, Master," the house-elf replied.

"You've only appeared today!" Arcturus burst out.

"The old master never mentioned how often Kreacher should come," Kreacher responded.

"Looks like Kreacher has always been looking for loopholes," Oromis said.

"Bloody elf," Arcturus grumbled, glaring sharply at Harry. "Well, Potter. Tell me what I've missed all these years!"

"At least now you have some help with Arcturus on your side," Eragon said.

"Yes, but the most important thing was always finding the Horcrux," Harry said. "And Arcturus with his bad mood hasn't always helped."

"I can imagine," murmured Sirius. "My grandfather was never a warm person."

"At least now you have your first goal," Arya interjected. "And that's catching Mundungus and finding out what he did with the locket."

Harry smiled at Arya. "Exactly, luckily Kreacher was very eager to catch Dung, and it only took three days before he came back with the thief."

"And?" Thiora asked. "Did he still have the locket?"

She sighed when she saw Harry's dejected look. "Of course, he didn't. He sold it."

"It was more like it was taken from him," Harry said dryly. "A toad-like Witch from the Ministry took the locket from him."

Eragon groaned. "Of course, it had to be Umbridge! How do you have such bad luck, Harry?"

"You've hopefully used up all your bad luck," Arya murmured. But from the way she knew Harry, he would throw himself headfirst into the next danger at the first opportunity. She could only hope that Artemis and she could stop him.

Wait – why was she so protective when it came to Harry?

With a quick glance at Harry, a sober thought crossed her mind. Aside from Artemis, Harry was her only friend – because Glenwing and Fäolin had passed into the Void. And she couldn't let that happen again. Not again. She would prevent it at any cost.

Harry ran his hand through his hair as his eyes rested on Arya for a moment. "Are you okay?"

Arya loosened her clenched hand and met Harry's concerned gaze.

"Yes, I'm fine," she lied.

Seeing Harry planning to infiltrate the Ministry, one of the most dangerous places for Harry, greatly excited Arya. It didn't help that the arrogance was slowly fading, and the tension was growing larger.

Arcturus, in this regard, was particularly unhelpful. Of the three, he seemed to think the least of Ron. At every opportunity, Arcturus couldn't help but belittle Ron, pointing out that he had hardly contributed to Voldemort's downfall.

"You can't even follow the simplest instructions to brew a potion!" Arcturus grumbled at Ron. "How did you even get into the O.W.L.s?"

"It's not easy when an old guy like you gives me the wrong instructions!" Ron retorted.

"Be quiet, both of you," Harry growled, his face buried in an old book.

"But-" Ron began.

Harry looked up, his green eyes tired and weary. "Please, Ron. Just follow Arcturus's instructions, alright?"

And then came the day at the Ministry. Harry, Hermione, and Ron had drunk the Polyjuice Potion and taken the forms of two wizards and a witch who worked at the Ministry.

And of course, as things go, the moment they entered the Ministry, they were separated. Ron had to fight a curse that was surely beyond his abilities, and Hermione was dragged into a courtroom with Umbridge.

So, Harry was on his own, and soon he found himself facing Umbridge's office. Arya's eyes widened as she spotted an eye in the door. It had to be Mad-Eye's eye, there was no doubt about it.

Now Harry just needed to get into the office unnoticed. A difficult task, even though he was wearing the invisibility cloak. After all, there were still a dozen wizards and witches in the room, so he couldn't just open the door, as the slightest sound would draw everyone's attention.

After all, their boss was Umbridge. Every worker would be on edge.

Tense, Arya watched as Harry set off one of the Weasley twins' decoy detonator. The decoy detonator scuttled through the legs of the seated workers, releasing a loud bang, and a witch screamed. Harry seized the moment and slipped through the door.

Arya grimaced. The office looked identical to the one in Hogwarts. Completely pink. She had never heard of a pink dragon, and probably even nature knew that a pink dragon was a cruel crime.

She watched as Harry searched the desk for the locket, but only found various files, such as Mr. Weasley's. But one file caught his eye.

Arya could read the name: "Undesirable Number One."

Harry opened the file, and anger boiled within her as she saw the picture of Harry. It was the same paper she had once held when she first entered Harry's trunk.

A small pink note was attached, with the words, "Must be punished."

If Arya ever had the pleasure of facing Umbridge, she would unleash her full wrath on her.

The memory faded around her and took shape again in the courtroom. Arya listened as Umbridge interrogated Mrs. Cattermole. It was disgusting and vile to watch. Umbridge and Yaxley delighted in putting the woman down, and Hermione could do nothing but helplessly watch in the guise of Mafalda Hopkirk.

And Arya still couldn't believe that Umbridge was interrogating Muggleborns based on the idea that they might have stolen magic. It was impossible to steal someone else's magic. Only the energy of a living being could be transferred into other objects, such as gems, and stored that way.

And that made Arya even angrier. Magic was a talent possessed by few people. Her people had easier access to it, probably due to their special alliance with dragons, creatures who breathed magic like no other being.

"Stupefy!"

Arya was snapped out of her thoughts by Harry's voice. The stunning spell hit Umbridge square in her toad-like face, and she collapsed forward. Hermione took the Horcrux from around her neck while Harry summoned his Patronus. The stag protected them and drove the Dementors back, while Harry let the other Muggleborns hide.

How could Harry still be thinking of others in that situation? He was truly the most selfless person she had ever met. Harry really impressed her.

Soon after, Ron joined them, and they ran as if chased by a dragon, through the Ministry, closely followed by Yaxley, who was back on his feet. Arya inwardly hoped that the Dementors would take care of him and Umbridge once and for all.

They ducked under Yaxley's curse and jumped together through the still-open fireplace. Harry, Hermione, and Ron shot out of the toilet. Harry grabbed Hermione and Ron by the arms and apparated them to Grimmauld Place. Arya could already see the familiar door when suddenly she saw a flash of light, heard Hermione's scream, and everything went dark.

"That's all far too close for my liking," Sirius groaned. "Why can't something good happen to you for once?"

"Artemis hatched for me," Harry countered.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "That's different. You-"

"What happened to Ron?" Harry asked as he saw Ron lose the last bit of colour from his face.

"Shattered," Hermione said, her hands trembling as she worked at Ron's sleeve.

"Ouch," Sirius remarked. "I can count myself lucky that James and I never had that happen to us."

"Harry, there's a small bottle in my bag with the label 'Diptam'-"

But Harry shook his head. "No, we don't need that."

Hermione stared at him. "Harry, Ron needs help! He'll bleed out if we don't give him Diptam!"

Harry gave Hermione a hard look. "I learned from Madame Pomfrey, Hermione - not you. Besides, you're too upset to help Ron. Please step aside."

"Hermione really needs to learn to keep a clear head," Oromis said. "It helps in moments like these to recite a poem in your mind to maintain concentration. But it takes a lot of practice and discipline."

But Hermione didn't move, and it wasn't until Harry called her name that she snapped back to attention.

Harry pulled a bag of runestones from the pouch Hagrid had given him. He poured them out on the floor and began searching for a very specific rune.

"Those are runes, Harry. Do you even know how dangerous-?"

"Ah, there you are," Harry said, relieved. He pressed the rune with both hands against Ron's wound, and Ron groaned in pain.

"Harry!" Hermione cried, upset.

"Fehu!" Harry ignored her, feeling as though warmth was flowing from his arms to the rune. A warm, golden light flared beneath his hands, and Harry felt himself growing dizzy.

The light faded, and Harry collapsed sideways onto the floor, gasping for air. Hermione rushed to Ron and examined his wound.

Amazed, she moved her fingers across Ron's skin. "You really healed him! I never thought you'd be capable of that."

"She should trust you more," Thiora said with furrowed brows. "You've proven in so many situations that you're capable of wielding special magic."

"She's worried about Ron," Arya said.

"I think she realized what she feels for him," Oromis said. "She's scared."

"Don't we all feel that way?" Harry asked.

Ron groaned and opened his eyes. "How are you feeling?" Hermione whispered.

"Terrible," Ron said, slowly moving his arm.

"You should take it easy," Harry cautioned, sitting next to Ron on the floor.

"But it feels like I'm good as new," Ron said. "Where's the Horcrux?"

"Here," Hermione said, pulling the locket from her cloak's pocket.

"So that's it," Oromis said, intrigued. "Salazar Slytherin's locket and it contains a piece of Voldemort's soul. Extraordinary."

"Oromis, Voldemort killed someone to create this Horcrux. There's nothing extraordinary about it, only disgusting," Arya retorted.

Oromis raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Arya, you're misunderstanding me. I'm not intending to excuse Voldemort's actions, but this Horcrux... it fascinates me."

"I hope you don't want to make any of these Horcruxes, Ebrithil," Eragon snorted.

"No, absolutely not, Eragon. And I'm ignoring that insult just this once," Oromis replied, tired.

"We need to figure out how to destroy this Horcrux. Vold-"

"No! Don't say his name!" Ron interrupted Harry sharply.

"Sorry, but can't we just call him You-Know-Who?" Ron asked.

"That's sure to please Harry," Sirius said sarcastically.

"Dumbledore himself said that fear of a name itself-" Harry started.

"If you haven't noticed, man, Dumbledore calling You-Know-Who by his name didn't do him any good," Ron snapped. "Show some respect for You-Know-Who, okay?"

"I can't believe he said that-," Arya said angrily. "Especially to you, Harry!"

Harry placed a hand on her shoulder, and Arya felt her anger fade. "It wasn't Ron's fault, at least not entirely. The Horcrux tried to turn us against each other and manipulate us. And Ron... Of the three of us, he had the hardest time resisting it."

"That doesn't excuse his behaviour toward you, just because his mind is weaker than Hermione or yours," Arya replied.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "I never said that, Arya. I'm just trying to make you understand how dangerous a Horcrux is."

"We already saw that in your second year," Thiora said. "There are only a few elves who could have killed a basilisk, especially one that size. Soon your name will be sung in songs, like Laetri, the first elf to defeat and survive a shade."

Harry shook his head. "No way!"

Thiora furrowed her brow. "But Harry, others should hear about your deeds! You've earned that fame."

"I didn't do it to earn fame, I did it because it had to be done!" Harry retorted, and Arya stared at him in surprise. "For the same reason, I'm fighting against Galbatorix. He must be defeated, or the sun will never rise again, and a dark shadow will spread over the land until it consumes everything."

Silence fell, only broken by Sirius. "Gah, you're way too pessimistic!"

"I know what will happen if no one stops Galbatorix, Sirius. I'm speaking from experience."

Eragon interrupted. "So, what are you going to do now, Harry? You can't go back to Grimmauld Place because Yaxley is now a secret keeper."

Harry nodded, and a shadow seemed to fall over his face. "That's true. Hermione had a magical tent, and we stayed only a few days at each place. Always on the run, searching for a new Horcrux. While we had no way of destroying the one, we already had."

"That doesn't sound good," Sirius murmured.

"It wasn't. The time was awful. We had barely anything to eat, and the little we had couldn't make anything special," Harry said.

"That doesn't sound good for someone like Ron, who could eat enough to feed a whole family," Sirius remarked.

"No... Ron had a different idea of how the search for the Horcruxes would go," Harry murmured. "And it didn't get any better when we found out we still needed Gryffindor's sword."

"Why?" Eragon asked.

Sirius's eyes lit up. "Of course, goblin silver! The sword absorbs what strengthens it, and it absorbed basilisk venom!"

"And with a basilisk fang, Harry destroyed the diary," Arya said, nudging Harry with her shoulder.

"So, you finally knew how to get rid of the Horcruxes," Oromis said, nodding with satisfaction.

"Don't expect me to dance in circles just because we need to find another damn thing. Just add it to the list of things you don't know!"

"Things I don't know?" Harry repeated. "Things I don't know?"

"I'm not saying I had a great time here," Ron said. "Without food and in this freezing cold every night. I had hoped that after the few weeks we ran around, we would have achieved something, you know?"

"No, I don't get it," Arya said, a sharp tone in her voice. "Did he really think you'd find the Horcruxes after just a few weeks? The search could take years without success!"

"I know, and that's why Ron's words hurt so much," Harry said softly. "I feared Ron thought that way, but hearing it was worse than any cold we felt every night. Because once spoken, the words couldn't be taken back, and they broke something that couldn't be repaired."

"It led to a fight," Oromis said quietly.

"We thought you knew what you were doing! We thought you had a plan!" Ron screamed.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Harry said calmly. "But I've always told you everything Dumbledore told me."

"True," Eragon said. "Harry has never kept anything secret from them, so why would he start now?"

"Thanks, Eragon," Harry murmured. He didn't know it before, but he had longed to hear those words.

"For both of you, everything's fine! Since your parents are out of danger-"

Arya's face turned pale. "He didn't say that - he couldn't have said that."

"Arse," Sirius growled.

"My parents are dead!" Harry yelled.

"And mine could be soon!" Ron shouted.

"Then go!" Harry thundered. "Go to your parents! Maybe your mother can give you the food you're so desperate for!"

Ron made a sudden move. Harry reacted just as quickly and drew his wand, but before either of them could do anything, Hermione drew hers and shouted, "Protego!"

"Hopefully Hermione can calm them down," Thiora said.

Harry was thrown back by the shield charm and landed in the muddy dirt. He stared at Ron, who glared at him.

"Leave the Horcrux here," Harry said quietly.

Ron pulled the chain over his head and threw the locket, so it landed in front of Harry in the mud.

"He's really leaving," Sirius said in amazement. "I can't believe it. After everything you've been through, this is what tears you apart?"

"What about you?" Ron asked Hermione.

"W-What does that mean?"

"Are you staying, or what?"

A pained expression crossed Hermione's face. "I... yes, I'm staying. Ron, we said we'd go with Harry, we said we'd help."

She approached Ron and touched his arm. "Please, Ron! Harry didn't mean it like that!"

"Why Harry?" Eragon snarled. "It's Ron who's acting like an arse!"

"She loves him," Arya whispered softly.

With one last look at Harry, who now knelt and picked up the locket, Ron broke away from Hermione and stormed out of the protective charm.

"Ron! Please! Wait!" Hermione called, running after him. She touched his arm, and the last thing they saw was Ron's surprised face as he Disapparated with a pop.

"Hermione?" Harry's voice echoed through the forest as the rain pattered against the tent. Harry got no answer. He was alone.

"They'll come back, won't they?" Thiora asked tensely. "They know where you are. Hermione and Ron can Apparate back."

"And what's that going to do?" Sirius asked, upset. "They've abandoned Harry! Why would he even want them back?"

"Do you want Harry to be alone?!" Thiora asked. "Alone on the hunt for Horcruxes? Alone with the locket?"

Sirius took a step back. "I-"

"It doesn't matter," Harry finally said. "Because they didn't come back."

"Why not?" Arya asked, looking at Harry's cloudy face. His green eyes were dimmed with sadness and disappointment.

Harry sighed. "I found out later, but when Ron Disapparated them, they ended up right in the hands of Snatchers. They were captured and held for two days. Only then could they escape, but by then, I was gone."

"You had left," Arya said.

Harry nodded. "I waited… No, I hoped they would come back, but the next morning, they still weren't back. I decided to wait until evening, because I knew if I Disapparated then, they'd never find me again."

"Where did you go then?" Sirius asked.

Harry's eyes brightened slightly. "Where I was born - home. To Godric's Hollow."

"You had never been there, right?" Eragon asked, and Harry nodded. "I understand. I miss Carvahall so much. If I could, I'd fly there with Saphira immediately."

Harry gave Eragon a warm smile. "That's true. But I had another reason to go there."

Harry stood in the cemetery at Godric's Hollow in front of two gravestones.

"Your parents lie there," Arya whispered, glancing over at Harry, who gave her a faint smile. She reached out her hand, and he took it. Feeling her hand gave him the strength he needed at that moment.

James Potter

Born on March 27, 1960, died on October 31, 1981

Lily Potter

Born on January 30, 1960, died on October 31, 1981

"I only visited their graves once," Sirius said softly, wiping away a single tear that had rolled down his cheek.

"When was that?" Harry asked.

"Right after I surprised you at the Dursleys," Sirius grinned.

"The last enemy to be destroyed is death," Eragon murmured. "Does that mean death must be fought?"

"No," Harry said, looking at the Elves. "It means to live beyond death. Life after death."

"You've read the same texts I have, Finiarel, and there's no proof of an afterlife," Oromis said gently. "When we die, we go into the Void."

Harry just raised an eyebrow. He knew there was more than just nothing.

Harry suddenly froze. He felt watched.

"By whom? Death Eaters?" Eragon asked.

Someone was approaching him. It was an old woman. She raised her hand and waved.

"That was Bathilda Bagshot," Harry explained. "She knew Dumbledore."

"And she was a complete nutcase," Sirius added dryly. "And the years haven't done her any favours, with all that hissing she does."

"Do you think Dumbledore gave her the Sword of Gryffindor?" Eragon asked.

Harry shrugged. "I thought so too. Unfortunately, Bathilda had been dead long before I met her."

Thiora furrowed her brow. "But she's standing right in front of you, even if she's not exactly talking to you."

Harry's scar tingled painfully, and the Horcrux in his chest trembled excitedly. And where the old woman, Bagshot, had just been standing, her body collapsed, and a large snake oozed out from her body. It was Nagini.

"Oh shit!" Sirius shouted.

"You can say that twice!" Eragon shuddered.

Sirius and Eragon exchanged a glance, and both shouted at the same time, "Oh shit!"

"I've never seen anything like this," Arya said, her eyes wide.

Harry raised his wand, and a beam of light shot towards Nagini. The spell bounced off the snake, and a mighty strike from its tail into his stomach sent him stumbling backwards.

He leapt to the side as he dodged the snake's jaws and landed with his body on a glass table. The table shattered under his weight, and Harry felt the shards press into his skin.

"Ouch," Eragon muttered.

Harry screamed in pain and tried again to cast a spell on Nagini, but she lunged forward, wrapping herself around his body. He tried to push her away, but her body was too heavy for him.

"Do something, Harry!" Eragon shouted at him.

Harry shot him a hard look. "It's not that easy when your scar feels like a drum, and someone is beating on it!"

The snake bit into his left shoulder, and Harry felt the poison coursing through his arm. His arm went limp, and he was left with only one option. He grabbed his wand with his other hand and thrust it with full force into Nagini's nostril.

"You're really a one-trick pony, aren't you, Harry?" Sirius tried to laugh, but he was too nervous and worried for a real laugh to come out.

"As long as it works, I don't care how Harry does it," Arya said.

Nagini released him and struck out in pain. As Nagini writhed in agony, trying to get the wand out of her nose, Harry reached for a rune stone.

He held the stone with his healthy arm toward Nagini and shouted, "Thurisaz!"

Bright flashes of light spiralled along Harry's arm and gathered at the rune into a white bolt, which he hurled at Nagini. The bolt struck Nagini in the middle of her body, and a high-pitched scream echoed as though a human were dying. The snake coiled in on itself and exploded in a dark burst, sending Harry crashing into the wall.

Harry heard his wand clatter to the ground.

"Help," he murmured, and everything around him went dark.

"Is he finally awake?" a voice asked.

Harry felt someone tap his head, not very gently. He opened his eyes and saw Kreacher standing in front of him.

"Kreacher got you out of there?" Arya asked.

"Yes, I was knocked out by the battle with Nagini, and with the poison from Nagini, it would have been easy for Voldemort to capture me," Harry explained.

Harry opened his eyes and looked around. He was lying on a green meadow, surrounded by stone and rubble. He blinked as sunlight broke through a dark cloud. So, it was daytime.

"The master is awake," Kreacher croaked. Harry looked at the house-elf. He had cuts on his arms and a large bump on his head.

"What happened to you?" Harry asked.

"Servants of the Dark Lord appeared in the home of my kind mistress. Kreacher fought, but there were too many. He hid and hoped that the young master would call him, but he did not."

Harry frowned as his scar pulsed painfully. It was no excuse, but with everything that had been happening recently, he hadn't spared a thought for Kreacher.

"I wouldn't have spared a thought for him either," Sirius said.

"Are you back among the living, Potter?" Arcturus's voice asked. His portrait was propped up against a broken stone wall.

"Barely," Harry groaned, holding his arm. "Where are we?"

"What about the poison from Nagini? I vaguely remember Mr. Weasley having quite a problem closing the wound," Oromis said.

Harry grinned. "Think of the Phoenix tears, Ebrithil. Thanks to Fawkes, I still have a good immunity to poisons. I don't know how it would be with a basilisk bite, but I'm not planning on trying it. Once was enough."

"Does that apply to me as well?" Arya asked.

"Of course. Fawkes's tears protect you as well, Arya," Harry said, and Arya smiled contentedly.

Arcturus's hard face softened. "This is your home, or it would have been if the Death Eaters hadn't destroyed it."

"Death Eaters?" Harry asked.

"Did no one tell you how your grandparents died?" Arcturus asked.

Harry pushed himself up. "Yes, McGonagall mentioned it to me, but never with any details."

"Remind me to tell you about your grandparents once we're out of here," Sirius said.

"Your grandfather was one of the first wizards to recognize the danger Voldemort posed to us. Even I didn't see it."

"Why?" Harry asked.

Arcturus sighed. "I lost my wife, Melania, boy. Time heals many wounds, but not that one. I was a wreck, shut off from everything. Even from Dorea and Charlus."

"And so, I couldn't stand by my best friends when they were attacked by those idiots," Arcturus gestured toward the remnants of the destruction. "I abandoned them, but I won't make that mistake again. But I see you've experienced what it's like to be abandoned yourself, Potter."

Harry clenched his fists. His scar throbbed even stronger. "That's different."

Arcturus stared at Harry for a long time. "If you say so. And now you should finally tell me everything, Potter. Helping you infiltrate the Ministry is one thing, but I need to know what you're planning now and why!"

"You didn't tell him about the Horcruxes?" Eragon asked, surprised.

"No, Dumbledore told me to keep it to myself."

Thiora nodded slowly. "I can understand why not too many were allowed to know. The biggest risk was that Voldemort would find out that Harry knew about them. And, therefore, that Dumbledore knew."

"But doesn't he know now, now that Nagini is dead?" Eragon asked.

"Voldemort is arrogant. He'll be angry when he finds out about Nagini, but he's convinced no one knows his secret," Arya said.

"So, he really made Horcruxes," Arcturus murmured. "And if we can believe your explanations, then his snake was one too."

Harry frowned. "But I killed her with just ordinary magic! Horcruxes are almost indestructible."

Arcturus nodded but raised his hand. "You're forgetting something, Potter. Our family has some writings on Horcruxes, and each one only mentions a single object. You said yourself that Dumbledore found it unusual to make Nagini a Horcrux. I suspect that when she died, the Horcrux was destroyed as well."

And then he gave Harry a hard look. "And you should stop using the runes. Clearly, you don't have enough practice, and you'll end up killing yourself if you keep using them this way. I once knew a wizard who overextended himself in the war against Grindelwald and died."

"And he wasn't the only one," Sirius said thoughtfully. "There are few who can use runes, and from what I've heard, many have met a bad end. Especially because they were highly sought after and exploited."

Harry let go of Arya's hand and crossed his arms over his chest. "Thanks for the trust, Padfoot."

"Harry! I'm just worried, and rune magic is dangerous," Sirius said with a glance at Arya.

"Maybe we should focus on Harry from the memory, who is obviously still suffering from intense pain," Eragon said dryly.

Pain split Harry's head like the strike of a sword. He was standing in an abandoned house, and the remnants of the old Bagshot lay in front of him. He bent down and touched the spot on the ground where he felt the remaining magic. He jerked his hand back as a faint light flashed and touched his hand. Rage bubbled within him, and a scream of fury escaped him. His wand whipped through the air, destroying the house.

Could the boy know?

No, that was impossible. It was foolish of him to leave Nagini without further spells. Making Nagini a Horcrux had been a high risk, but he still had the others. The lake, the hut, Gringotts... Number 719... and Hogwarts.

Calmness cooled his anger. It had been pure coincidence that the boy had outwitted Nagini. The boy knew nothing... nothing...

"One is in Gringotts, and one is in Hogwarts!" Harry gasped as he opened his eyes.

"Boy, calm down! What are you talking about?!" Arcturus shouted.

"The Horcruxes," Harry said, his voice trembling. "He knows that Nagini is dead, and I saw in his mind where the others are!"

Arcturus turned pale. "What do you mean, you saw them in his mind?"

Harry stood up and waved Arcturus off. "That doesn't matter now! I need to-"

"You need to go nowhere, Potter!" Arcturus growled. "You're still injured and can barely stand on two legs, or do you think you're capable enough to rob Gringotts?!"

"I have no choice! Hermione and Ron would understand-"

"But they're not here, and I won't let Dorea's grandson rush to his death!" Arcturus yelled. Harry took a startled step back and fell to the ground, where he cut his hand on a sharp object. Harry fumbled through the rubble and saw that it was a very old portrait. It had a huge crack running across it, and Harry tried to smooth it out.

The man in the picture had brown, tousled hair and a chin similar to Harry's. Not much could be seen from the picture, except for a crooked grin. At the bottom of the frame was a plaque, but the name was unreadable, even when Harry wiped his sleeve over it.

"Who is-"

"That was Linfred of Stinchcombe, he was also called the Potterer," Arcturus explained. "He is the founder of your family, Potter. At least that's what Charlus told me."

"I didn't know that," Harry said quietly, picking up the portrait. His blood dripped onto the floor.

"Family is the most important thing," Arcturus said. "You must know your family. Only then will you know where you come from."

Harry stared at the portrait for a moment longer. "It's not like I ever had a family. It was taken from me, just like everything else here," Harry murmured, placing the portrait back. Then he noticed that his blood, dripping on the floor, was flowing away.

"What the-" Harry said, following the trail. "Potter, take me with you!" Arcturus called. Harry sighed and went back to grab Arcturus's portrait. Together, they walked and followed Harry's blood, which sought its way through the destroyed estate until it suddenly stopped.

There was silence, and Harry jumped when he heard footsteps. But it was only Kreacher.

"What have you done?"

"Master," croaked Kreacher. "I found the bodies of two house-elves. Should Kreacher hang their heads?"

Harry turned pale. They must have been Potter house-elves.

"No! I... I'll bury them later," Harry said firmly. Even though it had been a long time, he would make sure every house-elf of his family was properly buried.

He turned back to the stones. "Wingardium Leviosa!" Harry muttered, and the stones, as big as Quaffles, floated to the side, revealing a trunk.

"Ah, Charlus," Arcturus murmured.

"What's that for?" Harry asked.

"That's a trunk," Arcturus said, ignoring Harry's eye roll. "It belonged to Charlus, your grandfather. Open it. If you're lucky, it still works."

"And it still works," Harry said, grinning. "That's where I found the griffins. With Kreacher's help, we then stored all the books from the Blacks' library and the ones still in Hermione's bag."

"How did the griffins survive for so long?" Arya asked. "There's a small stream here, but what about food?"

"The griffins were enchanted and were in a deep sleep. Only when I opened the trunk did they start to wake up slowly."

Eragon raised an eyebrow. "But why were they even in the trunk?"

"To protect them, I suppose," Sirius said. "Your grandfather was obsessed with the animals and took care of them every day. They were usually in the forest, where James and I weren't allowed to go without permission."

Arya raised an eyebrow. "Which of course didn't stop you."

Sirius laughed and rubbed his backside. "Your grandmother wasn't too happy about it; I can tell you that."

"Understandable. She just wanted to protect the griffins from you two," Thiora grumbled.

"Are you really planning to break into Gringotts?" Arya asked.

"Yep."

Arya closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "Merlin, help us."

"Are you ready, Potter?" Arcturus asked, looking at him with concern.

"Don't look at me like that, we've planned everything, right?" Harry said, grinning, though his whole body was tense.

"You've planned nothing, except how to get into Gringotts!" Arcturus growled. "And you don't even know whose vault it is!"

"I know the vault number, that's all I need to know," Harry replied, putting the Horcrux around his neck.

"I'm not saying anything because James and I made enough mistakes in our youth, but this is just madness, Harry," Sirius said, shaking his head.

"First make sure you can destroy the current one," Arcturus said, rubbing his forehead desperately. "You can't even open it."

"I have an idea," Harry grinned, and Arcturus groaned.

"You're worse than Charlus... Then at least go to Hogwarts first!"

Harry shook his head. "Hogwarts is huge, and I don't even know where he could have hidden it there. The only clue I have about where he hid the Horcrux is the time he offered Dumbledore a job. At Gringotts, I at least know exactly."

"And I still have my invisibility cloak," Harry said.

"That's supposed to be from the Peverells, huh," Arcturus stroked his beard. "I still don't know what to make of that, Potter. I know the rumours about those items all too well, especially during Grindelwald's time, they were quite popular. After all, it was his symbol."

"The Peverells and the Three Deathly Hallows," Arya murmured. "I remember you telling me that story."

Sirius nervously ran a hand through his hair. "You're telling me James's cloak is the Invisibility Cloak? You've got to be kidding! That's just a children's fairy tale, nothing more. Only eccentric fools believe in it."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Dumbledore believed in it. That's why he gave Hermione the fairy tale book. He wanted me to learn about them."

"Why?"

"Because Voldemort was searching for the Elder Wand. His wand wasn't able to defeat mine."

Oromis nodded. "Because of the shared cores – a feather from Fawkes in each wand."

"Exactly, and Lucius's wand was destroyed in battle by mine. So, he needed a new one, a more powerful one."

Sirius buried his hands in his face. "And according to the legend, there's only one wand, the strongest of them all – the Elder Wand."

Thiora furrowed her brow. "But what's the deal with the Elder Wand and these Hallows? Are they special magical items?"

"There are three Hallows, love. The Elder Wand, the most powerful of all, the Resurrection Stone, which brings the dead back, and the Invisibility Cloak, which hides you from death," Sirius said. "They were given to three wizards by Death himself in the fairy tale."

"And according to the legend, whoever unites them will be the Master of Death," Harry said with a smile.

Sirius shook his head. "Which, of course, is nonsense."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Is it? You know about the family that's most closely associated with the Hallows?"

Sirius frowned, and Harry sighed. "The Peverells. Ignotus was my ancestor, Sirius. I inherited the Invisibility Cloak from him."

Eragon's eyes widened. "So, you own one of the Hallows? The Invisibility Cloak?"

"Yep."

"That's so cool," Eragon said. "So, Death is real?"

Oromis frowned at Eragon's question. "Eragon, instead of believing this fairy tale, you should use your reason. How likely is it that Death appeared to them? Probably, they were just gifted wizards who created these items."

"Well, either it happened, or it didn't. To me, the probability is high," Eragon murmured.

Oromis rolled his eyes. "I guess we'll have to focus more on your math skills if you believe that."

"But who had the Elder Wand?" Thiora asked.

Harry raised an amused eyebrow. "Well, who else? Dumbledore."

Harry packed Arcturus's portrait into his trunk. He tapped it with his wand, and it shrank until it was small enough to fit in Hagrid's bag.

He put his Invisibility Cloak on and took Kreacher's hand.

"Ready, Master?" Kreacher croaked. Harry nodded, and together they disappeared from Godric's Hollow and appeared under the Invisibility Cloak in the middle of Knockturn Alley.

"You'd better go, Kreacher," Harry whispered, and Kreacher vanished with a snap of his fingers.

"I'd have preferred if he stayed with you," Sirius muttered.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Sirius shrugged. "At least you'd have someone to catch curses for you."

Harry rolled his eyes, and Thiora pinched Sirius on the arm. "Ouch, stop that!" Sirius complained.

"Then stop talking about poor Kreacher that way," Thiora huffed, her deep blue eyes glaring at Sirius warningly. And in that moment, Sirius knew it was better to stay silent than say something wrong.

"Alright," Sirius admitted.

Harry chuckled merrily, and Arya smiled amusedly.

Harry walked past the goblins guarding the entrance. They stood before the silver double doors with the warning for thieves written on them.

He slipped in unnoticed and saw dozens of wizards and witches standing before him.

"Death Eaters," Sirius growled.

"And not a few – look, some of them even have their sleeves rolled up! That's definitely the Dark Mark," Eragon said.

"They don't have to fear anything anymore," Arya said, her eyes scanning the hall. The goblins seemed indifferent to whether the wizards before them were Death Eaters or not. What mattered was probably how much gold they carried in their pockets.

"Bogrod, take me to my vault!"

An old goblin stopped sorting diamonds and looked up. "As you wish, Travers. I need the Clankers!"

He hopped off his stool and trudged over to one of the many doors leading out of the hall. Harry followed them. He knew he couldn't get into the vault alone. He needed a goblin.

"But no goblin will help you," Sirius said slowly. "They'd rather cut out their tongue than help a thief."

"Imperio!" Harry whispered.

Sirius blinked. "Well, that works too."

"What the-?" Travers shouted as the goblin suddenly froze and looked around with a vacant expression.

He reached for his wand, but Harry was faster and hit him with the Imperius Curse.

To the goblin, Harry said, "Take me to vault 719."

The goblin nodded with a stupid grin. "I'll take you to vault 719, the Lestrange vault. Follow me."

Sirius groaned. "Of course, it had to be Bella! The old drooling Witch is just so infatuated with him-who-has-no-nose, she can't pick anyone else for this."

The other Death Eater stood rooted to the spot. To avoid raising suspicion too early, he ordered the Death Eater to follow them.

Bogrod whistled, and a small cart came trotting over. Harry took off his Invisibility Cloak and tucked it into his jacket.

He was now deeper in Gringotts than he had ever been before. He glanced nervously behind him as he heard a loud creak. The cart turned a corner, and Harry's breath caught.

"That wasn't a creak, that was a growl! A dragon's growl!" Eragon snarled.

"Poor thing," Arya whispered.

The dragon lay on the ground, chained. Its scales were pale, and deep scars covered its cracked skin.

Oromis had turned pale but clenched his fists angrily. His grey eyes showed an emerging rage.

"Bogrod, tell me how we get past the dragon," Harry demanded.

"The dragon is half-blind, which makes it even angrier," the goblin said. "But we've taught it what to expect when the clinking comes."

"They tortured him," Thiora hissed. "Those goblins are lucky they'll never meet an elf. They would experience the full wrath of the elves!"

The goblin shook the Clankers, and the dragon recoiled with a hoarse hiss that made Harry's insides freeze. The dragon slowly pulled back, and they ran toward Vault 719.

"Oh, Saphira won't be happy when she finds out," Eragon said, flinching as he heard the dragon's renewed whimper. "He sounds like a wounded animal... Dragons are such proud creatures; they should never be chained. It's against their very nature."

"And yet, Eragon, burn this image into your mind," Oromis murmured. "Many years ago, we elves fought against the dragons ourselves, and we killed dragons in many ways. That's why the Agaetí Blödhren is so important for us dragons, elves, and riders: We must not forget."

"Open the vault, Bogrod," Harry said, and the goblin pressed his flat hand against the door, revealing a cavernous chamber.

"I'm looking for a cup with Hufflepuff's symbol on it, or something else from the founders of Hogwarts," Harry said. "Help me look!"

Travers and Bogrod rushed into the vault and began searching. After a moment, Travers called out, "There's the Sword of Gryffindor!"

"But why is it here?" Arya asked. "Shouldn't it be at Hogwarts?"

The sword lay tangled in chains. "Relashio!" The chains fell off, and Harry grabbed it. He immediately felt pain in his hand and saw blisters form where he held the sword.

From outside, Harry heard an alarm sound and screams.

"Looks like you're getting visitors, Harry," Sirius said nervously, biting his nails.

"Shit! Search faster!" Harry called out to the others, and the screams of pain from Travers and Bogrod echoed through the vault as they touched cups and gold.

Harry heard voices getting closer and lost all hope when he heard something clink. His gaze fell on a cup that had fallen from a shelf. It was the exact same cup from Hepzibah Smith's memory. With Gryffindor's sword in hand, Harry rushed toward the cup, which was surrounded by gold. As soon as he touched the galleons, blisters formed on his skin, and the galleons multiplied.

"Ouch, that's a nasty curse. First the Gemino, and now the Flagrante Curse," Sirius said sympathetically.

But Eragon had another idea. "Can you really multiply the gold? The Varden wouldn't have a money problem anymore."

Arya shook her head. "It doesn't work like that. If you use the Gemino curse on crowns, they will look identical at first, but after a while, they will tarnish more quickly or rust earlier. That would cause too much frustration among people."

Eragon groaned in disappointment. "It was just an idea."

Harry pushed himself out from the avalanche of gold and ran out of the vault. He placed the cup on the ground and threw himself forcefully with Gryffindor's sword onto Hufflepuff's cup.

"And one less Horcrux!" Thiora cried happily.

"Or not," Arya said, narrowing her eyes, and Thiora's smile faded quickly.

The sword broke when it hit the cup, and the cup remained undamaged.

Harry looked down at Gryffindor's sword and ran a hand along the broken blade. Could it be...? He cut his finger and waited. But nothing happened.

"A fake?" Oromis murmured. "Voldemort must have known the sword was found. Maybe someone swapped the swords before he could get it?"

"Thieves! Thieves!" the goblins shouted, brandishing daggers.

"Travers, pick up the cup!"

"Stupor!" Harry shouted, firing Stunning Spells into the crowd of goblins. Soon, wizard guards appeared behind the goblins and also attacked Harry.

But Harry's attention was caught by something else. Harry saw how Travers bent down in the open hall to pick up the cup, but then there was a loud, furious roar, and a red-yellow flame engulfed Travers and the cup. First, there was a scream of pain, which Harry attributed to Travers, when suddenly a black explosion rang out, expanding rapidly. Bogrod, the goblins, and wizard guards were knocked off their feet, while Harry managed to throw himself behind a pillar for cover.

"Did the dragon fire destroy the Horcrux?" Arya asked, grinning.

Harry nodded in relief. "And that's one less Horcrux."

"Thieves! Thieves!" Bogrod screamed. The force of the impact had likely broken the Imperius Curse on him. It stopped as a wall of fire came toward him.

Harry suddenly had a brilliant idea and looked over at the dragon, who was busy roasting the goblins.

"Oh-oh, we know that look," Eragon said, exchanging a glance with Arya.

"Relashio!" Harry shouted, and the dragon's chains fell to the ground with a crash. Harry pulled himself up onto the dragon's back at its rear knee.

"You wouldn't believe how jealous Artemis was when she found out," Harry laughed. "I think she didn't speak to me for an entire day. It wasn't until she was hungry that she swallowed her pride."

Oromis nodded wisely. "Understandable. Most dragons of riders only allow their closest friends or their partners' lovers to ride their backs, and even then, only very rarely."

Harry's ears grew very hot, and he dared not look at Arya.

The dragon destroyed the tunnel with another flame and fought its way forward, hoping for freedom. Harry helped the dragon as much as he could, and soon the dragon's head broke through the marble floor of Gringotts. Goblins and wizards screamed and scattered, but the dragon didn't care about them. It spread its wings, broke through the silver door, and soared high into the sky.

"I just can't believe my godson broke into Gringotts," Sirius laughed. "And he escaped on a dragon! I wouldn't believe anyone if I hadn't seen it myself."

Thiora snorted. "Says the one who escaped from Azkaban. You two are a perfect match."

Harry and Sirius exchanged an amused glance.

Arya cleared her throat. "But now Voldemort will know you're searching for the Horcruxes, won't he? That was a bit obvious."

"Yes, Voldemort found out, and he was far from pleased, let me tell you. He killed dozens of goblins in his rage before he went off to search for his other Horcruxes," Harry said.

"But you've destroyed another Horcrux," Oromis said. "And you can now go to Hogwarts without worry."

Harry's lips curled into a weak smile. "Yeah... without worry. I'll leave you all alone now."

Arya's eyebrows disappeared behind her hair. "What does that mean?"

Harry closed his eyes, and a green flash appeared before his inner eye. He sighed. "I don't plan on reliving the memories again. It's enough that I had to experience them once. I won't do it a second time."

Oromis and Thiora nodded in understanding, while Sirius furrowed his brow in confusion.

"How will we know when to leave?" Eragon asked.

Harry gestured to Sirius. "You'll know exactly when it happens, besides, Sirius knows how to get out of a Pensieve, right, Padfoot?"

"Yeah, but Harry-"

Arya silenced Eragon with a hard look. Eragon swallowed and shrank back in embarrassment while Arya turned her gaze to Harry.

"Will you be, okay?" Arya asked softly.

Harry shrugged. "I'm here, aren't I?"

Arya's green eyes narrowed at him. "You know what I mean."

Harry let out a heavy breath. "You'll see soon enough. I just have one request, Arya."

"Yes?"

"Please don't think badly of me. I stand by my decisions, but-" Harry fell silent as the words caught in his throat.

Arya nodded slowly. "I'll try."

Harry smiled gratefully. "That's all I can ask for." Then he waved his hand and disappeared from the Pensieve.

Ellesméra

"There you are, finally," said a voice Harry recognized. It was Angela, the herbalist. She was sitting at the round table in the hall, across from Lily, who had Solembum on her lap. How she had gotten the stubborn werecat to do that, Harry would probably never know.

"Uncle Harry!" Lily called enthusiastically. Moony was lying next to her on the floor and slowly lifted his head.

"I was never gone," Harry said amused. Angela raised an eyebrow and tilted her head toward the others, who were still gathered around the Pensieve.

"Physically maybe, but in spirit you were absent, Harry," Angela said.

"You were gone for a long time," Artemis grumbled. "Your emotions went up and down like a leaf swept away by a river. How are you, little one?"

Harry's eyes softened as he saw her lying nearby. He walked over to her and gently pressed his face to her cheek. Artemis hummed contentedly.

"I'm better," Harry grinned.

Artemis snorted happily and ruffled Harry's hair. "Good, that's all that matters."

Harry turned away from Artemis. "What are you doing here, Angela? I didn't know you knew where Ellesméra is."

Angela's eyes sparkled amusedly. "Always with the boring questions, Harry! Ask something interesting for once."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

Angela tapped her long finger thoughtfully against her chin until she snapped her fingers. "Aha! Why do the stars move in orbits across the night sky?"

Harry groaned. "We covered that in Astronomy."

"That's not an answer, Uncle Harry," Lily said, stroking Solembum's fur.

"I forgot," Harry said, exchanging a grin with Lily.

Harry turned back to Angela. "But since you ignored my previous question, I have a new one: Why are you so interested in these questions?"

Angela's face grew serious. "Because time is limited, and while there are countless paths we can take, there's only one path that will save us all. The question I ask myself is whether we are on that path right now."

"So, you're searching for answers. You hope to find out whether we're on the right path," Artemis said.

Harry furrowed his brow. "You're talking about destiny."

Angela made a face as though she'd bitten into a lemon. "Bah! Destiny is boring. What's much more interesting are those who bend to those paths and those who stand against their destined paths, don't you think?" Angela murmured, staring at Harry for a long moment before her gaze shifted to the frozen Eragon.

Harry became uncomfortable. Was Angela talking about how Eragon and he were capable of defying destiny?

"Do you already know what awaits us at the end-"

Angela waved him off. "To get back to your original question, Harry. I've been to Ellesméra once or twice, so I know where the city lies behind the trees, and I came because I sensed that something interesting was going to happen."

She smiled at Harry, and her gaze briefly fixed on his scar. "And something interesting did happen, didn't it?"

Harry unconsciously rubbed his scar with his hand. Angela stood up, and Solembum jumped off Lily's lap and followed Angela outside.

"And how did you get here? You surely didn't walk all the way," Harry called after her.

Angela stopped and tilted her head. "Your questions are getting better, Shur'tugal. You're right that I didn't walk. That would have been far too tedious and a pure waste of time. No, I prefer to travel in my own way, which is much faster than walking."

Harry snorted amusedly. "Every time I talk to you; I get more questions than answers. My head is starting to hurt... What are you up to now?"

Angela's laughter rang through the hall. "This and that, Harry. Maybe I'll go look for mushrooms. Especially the black ones with orange and blue flashes."

Lily furrowed her brow. "Do you mean Fricai Andlát? I think I've seen them before."

Angela nodded happily. "Just stay away from them, young elf! Bye-bye, and remember my words, Harry! Decide who you want to be because there are only a few who can decide that for themselves. Now I really have to go – the mushrooms don't gather themselves, and bothering elves is always fun. Eat the path, Harry!"

And with that, Angela disappeared with Solembum from Harry's trunk.

"I should eat what?!"

"All this talk about food made me hungry," Artemis said.

"Then go find something to eat. I'm going to visit someone else," Harry said.

"Can I come with you?" asked Lily, who had gotten up. "I don't want to wait for Mom and Dad. It's boring."

Harry smiled. "Of course. What did Angela tell you while we were gone?"

Lily's face lit up. "A story about an Urgal warrior!"

"What was the story called?" Artemis asked, yawning.

"The Worm of Kulkaras – A giant black dragon with a big hunger!"

Harry made his way westward from Ellesméra, with Lily trailing behind him, while Moony trotted after them. On their way, they encountered several elves, who were diligently going about their tasks until they saw Harry. He didn't know what he expected when he looked into their faces, but he never expected to see such radiant smiles.

They called out "Shur'tugal" and raised their hands in greeting, waving at him. Harry waved back hesitantly. Strange.

Behind two slender trees, two young figures appeared. They stepped out from the shadow of the trees and approached them. It was Alanna and Dusan, two elf children.

They raised their fingers to their lips and greeted him. They were probably a few years older than Lily, as she only reached their shoulders.

"Argetlam! May we accompany you? We haven't seen Lily in so long," Alanna said shyly.

Harry tilted his head. "You're welcome to come along."

The elves beamed at him and joined Lily. Harry chuckled quietly to himself as he heard them bombard her with questions.

"Alanna, I don't know what this is for - what is this, Uncle?" Lily asked, holding the same bowl that Harry carried.

"A peace offering," Harry said.

"It smells delicious," Dusan murmured. Lily stared at the back of Harry's head for a moment, then peeked under the cloth.

"Can't we eat it?" Lily suddenly begged.

Harry looked back and grinned. "The bowl is for you. So, make sure nothing happens to it."

Lily, Alanna, and Dusan exchanged grins.

Soon, they stood before a large oak tree. A hut had been grown out of its trunk, and the door stood open.

Harry turned to the children. "Wait here."

He approached the door and knocked twice. "Just a moment!" Vanir growled.

Harry grinned and knocked again. Vanir appeared in the doorway with an annoyed look. His arm was still in a sling.

He furrowed his brow when he saw Harry. "Potter? What do you want?"

Harry held out the bowl to him. "It wasn't easy to find you, you know that? I thought you were at your family's house, but we were told you weren't there anymore. This is for you, as an apology for injuring your hand."

Vanir raised an eyebrow and took the bowl. "Rïsa."

The cloth flew into the air, folding itself. "What is this?" Vanir asked, holding his face over the dish.

"Treacle Tart – my favourite food. It tastes really good," Harry said, stowing the cloth in his pocket and rubbing his neck uncomfortably as he looked at Vanir's injury. Vanir tore off a small piece and tasted it. A small smile crept onto his mouth until his facial muscles realized what they were doing.

"It wasn't your fault, Potter," Vanir sighed, setting the Treacle Tart aside. "It was my arrogance that led to this injury. Nothing else, Potter."

Harry knew it was pointless to continue discussing it, so he didn't try. "What about your hand? Why haven't you healed it?"

Vanir looked down at his hand. "You're right, I could heal it, but I don't want to. I want it to heal naturally, and the pain should remind me of my arrogance."

"And if it doesn't heal completely?"

Vanir shrugged. "Then let the stars decide for me."

"It should be your decision," Harry said, peering past Vanir into the room. He saw an empty, lifeless space before Vanir stepped in front of him.

"Sometimes," Vanir began softly, as he closed the door behind him, "it's more important to let things take their course than to control everything. A lesson I learned too late." His tone wasn't harsh but calm, almost melancholic, and Harry could feel the shadow of regret in his words. "I was arrogant and risked the lives of two Dragon Riders and perhaps even our only-" He made a face. "Hope of defeating Galbatorix. I dishonoured my house."

His gaze fell behind Harry, lingering for a brief moment on Lily. "I've made many mistakes that I cannot undo."

"Maybe," Harry said finally. "But an old... friend once gave me a good piece of advice. It's not our abilities that show who we are, but our choices."

Harry turned his back on Vanir. "We don't have to be friends," Harry said. "We're too different for that, but we can respect each other, Vanir."

Harry heard footsteps behind him and a door closing and sighed.

"You don't look happy," Lily remarked as Harry approached them. The elves were sitting in a circle around Moony, watching Harry and Vanir from afar.

"Didn't he like the food?" Alanna asked curiously. "Vanir seemed very sad."

"He's messed up a lot. The Queen was really mad at him," Dusan muttered.

Harry smiled at the three of them. "I think Vanir just needs some time for himself. He's still very young and will be able to handle it. His head is just filled with Nargels."

Dusan stared at Harry with wide eyes. "Vanir isn't young? He's almost 100 years old!"

"Arya Svit-Kona is almost the same age and look at what she's done for us!" Alanna blurted out. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, and she looked at Harry with determined eyes. "She's way cooler than Vanir."

"Can you tell us a story about Arya's travels?"

Dusan shook his head. "Arya's cool, but I'd rather hear a story from Lily's uncle! A Dragon Rider is way cooler than an elf!"

Red spots appeared on Alanna's face. "Arya is still cooler! She's beautiful and the best warrior. I want to be just like her one day," gushed young Alanna.

Harry bent down to Lily and whispered in her ear. "I think the Nargels have taken hold of them."

Lily tilted her head to the side and furrowed her brow.

"What are Nargels?"

Harry grinned and ruffled Lily's hair. "Little creatures that fly through our heads and make our thoughts all messy. A good friend told me about them."

Lily frowned as she saw Harry's sad look again. It looked similar to how her father looked when he was sad. And she knew exactly where her father went when he felt like that. She had once accompanied him.

She caught Harry's hands with her own before he could pull them away. Her fingers closed firmly around his, not roughly but with a determined warmth. She raised her head slightly so that her eyes had to meet his.

"I know exactly the place that will cheer you up," Lily said with a grin. "My dad always goes there when he's sad!"

Harry raised an eyebrow and pulled Lily to her feet. "And where exactly is that?"

Lily grinned. "Come, I'll show you!"

She tugged Harry behind her, while Moony clacked his beak and hopped in big strides around them.

"Come with us!" Lily called. Alanna and Dusan exchanged a look and eagerly followed them.

The Pensieve

Arya was still staring at the spot where Harry had disappeared just seconds before.

"Arya?" Thiora called behind her. A gentle, warm hand rested on her shoulder, and Arya's eyelids closed as she leaned into the touch. "Do you want to go after him?"

Arya placed her hand on Thiora's. "No... After what Harry's been through, we have to see this last memory. We owe it to him, don't you think?" She gathered her hair and tied it into a loose ponytail.

"Yes," Thiora said, giving Arya's shoulder one last reassuring squeeze before letting go. "I'm just worried about what we'll see."

Sirius crossed his arms. "It can't get much worse, can it? After all, we know Harry won't be harmed."

Arya furrowed her brow. Sirius seemed more like he was trying to convince himself.

"Then let's find out, shall we?" Oromis asked, looking around the room.

"Damn, Harry - you've been through a lot, huh?" Neville said as he saw Harry.

"If only he knew," Eragon said.

"But I thought Hermione and Ron were with you."

"They're not here anymore," Harry said softly.

"They're dead?!" Neville whispered frantically. Harry shook his head quickly. "No, we had to part ways. But that's not the important thing right now, Neville. I need to find something that can defeat Voldemort."

"In Hogwarts?"

"In Hogwarts."

"I wonder where he could have hidden the Horcrux," Sirius said, swallowing hard. "Hogwarts is huge. We spent years exploring it and even then, we didn't discover everything. It could take weeks to find the Horcrux, especially since even Dumbledore searched Hogwarts multiple times."

Harry and Neville emerged from the door leading to the Hog's Head and stood in the Room of Requirement, surrounded by dozens of students.

"Harry's here!"

"Potter's back!"

"Is it true about the dragon?"

"Will we finally fight the Carrows? Will you help us, Harry?" one of the students called out to Harry.

Arya watched as they crowded around Harry, who was becoming more uneasy. Every passing minute was time he needed to find the Horcrux.

"QUIET!" Neville shouted, and everyone fell silent. Harry nodded in gratitude and turned to his old schoolmates.

"I'm not here to free Hogwarts from the Death Eaters," Harry said, and the happy faces of those around him faded. "I'm here for one reason only. I need to find something - something that belongs to Voldemort!"

"There's a taboo on his name, you idiot!" a Hufflepuff yelled. Harry looked over the crowd and immediately recognized Smith. "He'll be here now! We may have hidden from the Carrows, but-!"

"Shut up, Smith!" Neville shouted. There was a loud crack, and Smith fell silent.

"It doesn't matter whether we say Voldemort's name or not. He's coming anyway," Harry said, his patience beginning to wear thin. "But first, I need to find and destroy something that belongs to him."

Seamus, who stood next to Neville, made a face. "But what exactly are you looking for?"

"Probably something from Ravenclaw or Gryffindor," Harry said.

Neville furrowed his brow. "Gryffindor's sword is in Snape's office. We tried stealing it once, but it didn't work - we got these as a thank-you," Neville said, pointing to a healing wound on his cheek.

"If your parents could see you now, Neville," Sirius said. "They'd be so proud of you."

"Then it must be something from Ravenclaw," Harry said. "Does anyone know what it might be? Has anyone seen anything with an eagle on it?"

Harry looked expectantly at the Ravenclaws, but no one moved.

"They don't know," Arya said. "Or they're too scared. Come on!"

Cho raised her hand. "Well, there was her lost diadem - but no one's seen it for centuries."

"And I wouldn't be surprised if Voldemort found it," Oromis said.

"A diadem," Harry muttered.

"If you'd like, I can show it to you in our common room," Cho said.

"Where's Luna?" Harry asked, looking around.

Neville's face filled with sorrow. "She's not here anymore, Harry. They took her."

"No," whispered Thiora. "I liked Luna!"

A cold feeling spread through Harry, but he swallowed it down and turned to the others. "Listen, everyone. I want you to keep quiet while I search for this item. Don't make a scene! Only once I've destroyed it can we defeat Voldemort."

Neville furrowed his brow but nodded. "How do you plan to get to the common room without being seen? The Death Eaters are guarding the corridors."

Harry grinned. "I have an Invisibility Cloak and a map of Hogwarts."

Sirius theatrically wiped away a tear. "Who would have thought the Marauder's Map would one day be so important? I came up with the idea so we could play our pranks."

Thiora just raised an eyebrow. "Really, Sirius?"

"I'm always Sirius," he laughed.

"Right this way, Harry," Cho whispered. Under the Invisibility Cloak, they climbed a spiral staircase and stopped in front of a door that had no handle, only a knob in the shape of an eagle.

She knocked once, and the eagle's beak opened and said, "What came first, the phoenix or the flame?"

Harry furrowed his brow. "Isn't there just a password?"

Cho shook her head. "No, you always have to answer a question. It's kind of annoying if you don't know the answer. Then you have to wait for someone who does. It's the only way to learn something."

"A good exercise in logical thinking," Oromis remarked. "Maybe we should try it sometime," he said to Eragon.

"I think I have an idea," Cho said, clearing her throat. "The flame came first - without it, the phoenix couldn't have been born."

"Good try," said the eagle, but the door remained closed.

Harry blinked, and Cho's face turned red.

"Ravenclaws can't be trusted, even when your life depends on it," Sirius grumbled.

Cho turned to Harry. "Do you have an idea?"

Harry thought for a moment until he remembered a line from Madame Pomfrey's poetry books, which he had to read during the Triwizard Tournament. "The phoenix and the flame are the melody of an endless song – just without the first note."

"Well said," the knob said, and the door swung open.

"I had no idea Harry was so eloquent," Sirius said, astonished.

Oromis nodded proudly. "You should read his and Eragon's writings, Sirius. I've never taught students their age which could be so creative."

Eragon turned red. "It's probably just because we've been through so much. Wisdom comes with experiences, not age."

Oromis smiled. "Very wise words."

"They are from Harry."

Harry removed the Invisibility Cloak and looked at the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw. She wore the diadem, and tiny words were engraved on it.

"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure," Harry read aloud.

"Which makes you look pretty old, you witless fool," said a cackling voice. Harry spun around and saw only Alecto Carrow pressing her finger to the Dark Mark.

Arya's breath quickened. "Voldemort definitely knows Harry is here now!"

Harry's wand shot through the air, and Alecto was hit by a Stunning Spell. She fell headfirst and crashed violently against the glass doors, behind which the bookshelves stood. The noise apparently woke up the other Ravenclaws, who came rushing down the stairs.

"Cho - what are you doing here? You shouldn't be here!" hissed one of the Ravenclaws until his gaze fell on Carrow and then on Harry. "Potter? What are you doing here?"

"I told you Harry Potter would free us from the Carrows!" a first-year whispered energetically to his friends.

"Harry's really being hailed as a hero by the little ones," Eragon said.

"Well, they don't have anyone else. Who knows what the Death Eaters have done to these kids," Thiora said.

"May I ask what you're doing, Professor Carrow?" McGonagall's voice came from behind the door.

"I'm trying to get through this damn door, you old broom! Open it, now!"

"As you wish," McGonagall said coldly. "But I can guarantee you, Potter won't try to enter the Ravenclaw Tower. Potter belongs in my house!"

Amycus waved her off. "Doesn't matter. We can always blame it on the kids. What difference does it make?"

"Only the difference between truth and lies, courage and cowardice," McGonagall said. "And I won't allow it!"

Amycus stepped inches from McGonagall's face. "It's not about what you allow, Minerva McGonagall. Your time is over, and now we are in charge!"

And he spat in her face.

"That bastard! Minnie, please kick that idiot's arse," Sirius hissed as Amycus got closer to McGonagall.

"I hope she curses his face so badly his sister won't recognize him," Thiora added darkly.

"You shouldn't have done that," Harry said, ripping the Invisibility Cloak off. "Crucio!"

The Death Eater was thrown off his feet, and Harry looked at the unconscious Carrow with disdain. "I understand what Bellatrix meant," Harry said. "You really have to mean it!"

"Potter!" McGonagall cried, clutching her chest. "Potter, that was foolish!"

"He spat on you."

Arya grinned. That was so typical of Harry.

"That was very noble of Harry, even though he used an Unforgivable Curse," Oromis said.

"Potter, I - I must say that was very - very chivalrous of you - but don't you realize-?"

"Pretty much," Harry said. "Professor, Voldemort is on his way here. He knows I'm here."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "I hope you have a plan?"

"Like all of Harry's plans: filled with spontaneity," Eragon grinned.

Harry nodded, and the locket around his neck felt even heavier. "Yes, but I need time to find something of Voldemort's! As much time as you can give me."

"We'll secure the school against him, the one whose name must not be spoken, while you search for this - this item."

"Can you do that?"

McGonagall smiled. "You should know, Potter, but we teachers are pretty good at magic."

"I agree," Oromis laughed.

Harry followed McGonagall through the corridors when a person stepped in their way. It was Snape, emerging from behind a suit of armour.

"Snivellus!" Sirius growled.

"Potter! Dumbledore-"

But he didn't get further, as McGonagall attacked Snape with her wand. Snape parried the attack, but Harry heard voices behind him. It was Flitwick, Sprout, and Slughorn.

"Yes!" Sirius shouted, raising his fist. "Attack that bat! Hex his greasy black hair and his oversized nose!"

"Harry, my boy?" Slughorn called. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here on Dumbledore's orders to defeat Voldemort. He's already on his way, Professor!"

Slughorn's face turned pale, but then he was seized by a certain determination. "Stay here for a moment, my boy. I have a gift for you!" Slughorn cried and ran off.

"Coward! Coward!" McGonagall called after Snape, who had just jumped out of the window.

"What's going on, Sirius?" Arya asked. He had his eyes closed, and a look of deep satisfaction was visible on his face.

"I'm engraving this moment in my memory. It's just too delicious."

"I can act from here," Flitwick said, beginning to cast incantations with his wand.

"Professor, I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's important. Do you have any idea where Ravenclaw's diadem might be? Have you ever seen it?"

Flitwick stared at Harry in surprise. "Ravenclaw's diadem? No one has seen it for ages, boy! A bit of wisdom never hurts, but the dead won't help us here."

Harry leaned against the wall, shocked.

"Then it's hopeless, right?" Eragon asked the group. "No one alive has ever seen it!"

"No," Arya said, her gaze fixed on Harry. "Look into Harry's eyes. He hasn't given up, so neither should we."

"No one alive has ever seen it… Then we'll just ask the dead!" Harry suddenly shouted.

"Has Harry lost his mind?" Sirius asked. "How does he plan to question the dead?"

Eragon furrowed his brow. "Gryffindor has a house ghost - maybe Ravenclaw has someone too?"

Sirius slapped his forehead. "I'm so stupid! Of course, the Grey Lady!"

"What is it about the dead?" asked Slughorn, with two robes in his arms, but then he shook his head. "Never mind - here! Just as I promised!"

Harry took the robes, and his eyes widened as he felt the material.

"Professor - I don't know what to say."

"Impressive, what basilisk skin is capable of, right?" Slughorn chuckled. "I could only have one made, the other is not finished yet, so better put it on, my boy. It will adjust to you once you wear it."

Harry pulled the robe over him and watched it grow in size to his body. "Let's hope it helps you tonight," Slughorn murmured.

Harry stared at his professor in gratitude. "It will."

"That's the robe Harry wore during the battle in Farthen Dûr," Eragon said.

"Harry, what's going on here?" Lupin asked, and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix stood with the other students in the Great Hall. But his eyes were on Hermione and Ron, who stood with downcast eyes behind the others.

"Voldemort is on his way, and Snape has fled - but how did you find out?"

"We sent messages to the rest of Dumbledore's Army," Fred explained, winking at Harry.

"It's getting really serious now," Oromis said, as his eyes swept around. "The battle is about to begin, and it will mostly be led by children."

"Harry is no child," Thiora replied. "He hasn't been for a long time."

"Anyone of age can stay," McGonagall said.

"Where is Professor Snape?" someone from Slytherin called out. McGonagall's lips thinned, but her eyes sparkled. "He's, as they say, made a run for it."

"We've already placed protective charms around the castle, but-" She didn't get further, as another voice now echoed through the room. It was high and cold.

"I know you are preparing for battle," Voldemort said. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot defeat me. I do not want to kill you. I respect the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to shed magical blood."

"Give me Harry Potter," Voldemort said. "And no one shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I will leave the school unharmed. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded - you have until midnight."

"Liar," Eragon muttered. "But they won't give Harry up, will they?"

"But there he is! Potter is here! Someone grab him!" Pansy Parkinson shouted.

"Be quiet, you foolish girl!" Madame Pomfrey yelled, just as a massive movement occurred, and they all stood in front of Harry.

"They're protecting him," Arya whispered in awe. It was a powerful image, of how teachers, students, and members of the Order stood before Harry. It simply showed how important Harry was to them, both as a symbol and as a person.

Harry ran out of the hall when someone called him back. It was Hermione and Ron.

"Harry - mate, we're sorry. We didn't want to leave, really-" Ron started, but fell silent under a hard look from Hermione.

"What Ronald means is that once he Disapparated, we were led straight into a handful of Snatchers. By the time we freed ourselves - you were already gone," Hermione explained.

"Ah, so now it's Harry's fault that you abandoned him?" Sirius asked, annoyed.

Harry turned around to them. "It doesn't matter what happened. I don't have time for us to discuss who abandoned whom," Harry said, watching as Hermione and Ron visibly flinched.

"I still need to destroy the last two Horcruxes," Harry said.

Hermione's eyes widened. "The last two? You found them?"

Harry nodded as they ran. "Nagini and I had a personal confrontation in Godric's Hollow. I found Hufflepuff's cup in the Lestrange vault in Gringotts."

"Was the cup destroyed?" Hermione asked quickly.

"Yes - dragon fire."

Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance. "Merlin, Harry, is it true about the dragon and Gringotts? That you escaped on one?"

Harry just grinned in response.

"What about the locket?" Ron asked hesitantly.

Harry placed his hand over his chest, where he felt the locket under his shirt.

"We still have a little problem," Oromis said. "Even if they find the Horcrux, they still have to destroy it, and this time, there's no dragon nearby."

"I think I have an idea of how we can destroy them," Ron said.

Hermione turned to him. "Really?"

"Good, then take the map with you if you need to find me, and hurry," Harry called out to them, as he found the person he had been hoping to find. The Grey Lady.

"She looks very sad," Eragon noted.

"Do you think so?" Sirius asked. "To me, she just looks very pale."

Arya rolled her eyes. "She's a ghost, Sirius."

"Are you the Grey Lady? The ghost from Ravenclaw Tower?" Harry asked.

"That's right."

"She sounds very helpful," Eragon said sarcastically.

"Please, I need your help. I need to know everything you can tell me about the lost diadem."

A cool smile curled on her lips.

"I'm afraid I can't help you with that," she said, turning away.

"WAIT!" Harry screamed, losing his patience. "If that diadem is in Hogwarts, I have to find it!"

"You are by no means the first student who wanted to find the diadem-" she began, but Harry interrupted her.

"I don't care who wanted to find the diadem, and we both know who you told in the end!" Harry snapped, and the Grey Lady flinched.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I like it when Harry shows his determination," Eragon said with a grin.

"Yeah," Arya murmured quietly.

"Voldemort enchanted it-"

"I know that already."

"Then you know I have to destroy it! Or don't you want Voldemort to be defeated? For him to keep killing?" Harry asked, demanding.

The Grey Lady's eyes widened. "You want to destroy my mother's diadem?"

"My mother's?" Thiora repeated. "She was your daughter?"

"Well, great. Now we have family drama!" Sirius cried.

"Yes, I am Helena Ravenclaw, and I stole my mother's diadem," Helena said as the clock struck twelve. BOOM!

Harry fell to the ground as a massive explosion shook the castle. He ran to the window and saw how a single spell hit the protective charms of Hogwarts and shattered them.

"Voldemort," Harry whispered.

"What power," murmured Oromis. "He alone has achieved something that dozens of his followers couldn't."

Harry spun around and looked at Helena, who stared in horror at the distance, where the protective spell had broken.

"If I don't find and destroy your mother's diadem, Voldemort won't be stopped. Do you want that?"

The Grey Lady finally lost her composure. "Of course not. You two are alike in a way. He was charming-"

"Where is Harry charming?" Sirius asked.

"Harry is a handsome young man, Sirius," Thiora said, grinning as she saw a certain someone's furrowed brow.

"So, it's in Hogwarts," Harry murmured. "He probably hid it when he once asked Dumbledore for a position. But where?"

Helena Ravenclaw smiled. "I know where it is."

Harry looked up at her. "Where?"

Slowly, she began to move away. "If you have to ask, you will never find out. If you know, all you have to do is ask."

"What does that mean?" Eragon asked, but Oromis' eyes lit up. "It's a riddle, Eragon. Which room in Hogwarts do we know that only opens with a question?"

"The Room of Requirement," Arya said. "Helena Ravenclaw has inherited more from her mother than she probably ever realized."

Sirius suddenly stretched his arm wide. "Wait - do you remember Snivellus' book?"

Arya brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. "You mean when Harry had to hide it from Snape because Malfoy had attacked him?"

"Harry attacked him as well," Oromis said but fell silent when he saw Arya's face, her eyes fixed on him intensely.

Sirius waved them off. "Doesn't matter, but don't you remember the place where he hid it?"

Thiora's eyes widened as she stared at Sirius. "The bust!"

Harry was running down the corridor when he heard a pop beside him. The chaos of the battle had nearly drowned it out. It was Dobby.

"Harry Potter, sir! Dobby can help!"

"Dobby, not now. I need to find Hermione and Ron," Harry shouted, just as a Death Eater came flying through the window. Dobby snapped his fingers, freezing the Death Eater in place, and then launched him out the window like a cannonball.

"Harry should listen to Dobby," Sirius grumbled.

"You can say what you want, but Dobby's got style," Eragon grinned.

Harry stared at Dobby for a moment. "Alright, then come along, Dobby. But if it gets too dangerous, you leave!"

"Dobby swears it, Harry Potter!" the house-elf declared, though he crossed his fingers behind his back.

"Dobby, do you know where Kreacher is?" Harry asked.

"He's mobilizing the house-elves in the kitchens! The house-elves will fight too!"

"I don't have a good feeling about this," Thiora murmured.

Harry soon reached the Room of Requirement, hearing Hermione's voice behind him.

"Merlin, where have you been?" he asked when he saw the pouch in Ron's hands.

"In the Chamber of Secrets!" Hermione beamed. "Ron was amazing!"

"But how did they get in without a Parseltongue?" Oromis asked.

"You talk in your sleep," Ron muttered.

"He does," Arya added, her cheeks reddening as everyone looked at her. "I mean, I heard it when he was unconscious. Someone had to stay with him," she quickly clarified.

"Of course," Sirius said.

"Obviously," Eragon said.

Thiora rolled her eyes and gently smacked both on the shoulders. "Quiet, you two."

"Do you know where the last Horcrux is?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Harry said, pushing open the door to the Room of Requirement. Mountains of forgotten and hidden objects appeared before them.

"It's in here? This will take forever," Ron groaned.

Dobby puffed out his chest. "We house-elves have always stored the students' forgotten things here!"

Harry grinned for a moment as Dobby took it as a compliment.

"Let's split up. Look for a bust of an old man with a diadem on his head," Harry instructed. As they moved, they didn't notice the door opening behind them.

"Come on, Harry, turn around!" Arya murmured.

Harry ventured deeper into the labyrinth, searching for landmarks he remembered from when he hid the potions book. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a fat rat scurry between the shelves.

"There it is! Past the old cupboard!" Oromis called, even the old Dragon Rider sounding excited.

Harry grabbed the Horcrux and felt its dark energy pulsating when a voice shouted, "Stop, Potter!"

Harry spun around to see Malfoy with his wand raised. Beside him were Crabbe and Goyle.

"Why do these clowns always have to be a nuisance?" Sirius groaned.

"Why aren't you idiots with Voldemort?" Harry asked.

Crabbe sneered. "We'll get a reward for catching you, Potter. We'll be rich!"

"Good plan," Harry said.

Eragon frowned. "Why is that a good plan? Even Harry's plans are better thought out!"

Arya rolled her eyes. "Eragon, that was sarcasm."

"Oh."

"We heard you're looking for a dier-dem," Goyle blurted out. "What's a dier-dem?"

Oromis facepalmed. "They truly can't tell apples from pears."

Dobby appeared atop a pile of books, but one slipped and clattered to the ground.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Crucio!"

"Descendo!"

Harry's spell knocked Malfoy's wand flying, while Crabbe's curse sailed over Dobby's head. Harry had to dive aside as a mountain of junk collapsed, separating him from the others. The Horcrux tumbled from his hand and clattered to the ground. A rat darted by, grabbing the diadem.

"You bastard! How dare you show yourself, you filthy piece of scum!" Sirius shouted as Pettigrew appeared with the diadem in hand.

"You!" Harry yelled. An empty bucket rolled to a stop within his reach. Pettigrew sneered. "Time to give up, Harry. Soon, you'll join James and Sirius."

"That damn rat," Eragon growled.

"I have one word for you, Wormtail," Harry snarled.

Pettigrew raised an eyebrow. "And what's that?"

"Catch!" Harry shouted, hurling the bucket at him. Pettigrew's silver hand clamped around Harry's throat as Harry slammed him against an old cupboard.

"Oh no, oh no!" Thiora whispered in horror.

"Will you kill me?" Harry gasped. "I saved your life! You owe me, Wormtail!"

Pettigrew's eyes widened, something shifting in them. Suddenly, his silver fingers released Harry and gripped his own throat.

"H-Help me," Pettigrew rasped as Harry stared down at him. Pettigrew slid to the floor, clawing at the silver hand, but it didn't relent.

"Because of you, I lost my parents," Harry whispered, leaning close to Pettigrew. "There will be no help. Not for you."

Pettigrew's eyes rolled back in his head as he gave one final twitch and lay still. Harry stared blankly at his parents' betrayer.

"He's dead... He's really dead," Sirius murmured as Thiora took his hand.

"Sirius?"

He shook his head, leaning back with a weary laugh. "I... I think I'm alright. I just feel relieved."

"You've carried the burden of vengeance for so long," Thiora whispered. "You're free now - free of it. Pettigrew is no more."

Sirius laughed bitterly. "I know… I just wish Harry didn't have to do it. He-"

Arya stepped forward. "Harry isn't a murderer," she said firmly. "Don't say it, Sirius. Harry is in a war. Getting through it without killing is naive. And Harry isn't naive."

Sirius squeezed Thiora's hand and nodded. "You're right, Arya. Forgive me."

Arya nodded slowly. "You don't need forgiveness, Sirius. Harry is a good person. Never forget that," she said to everyone.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Harry turned his head and saw Crabbe standing before him. He had fought his way through the chaos, and Harry watched the green flash of light race toward him, illuminating everything in its path.

Arya's face turned pale, her knees threatening to give way, but then she heard Harry's desperate scream. It felt like someone had driven a dagger into her stomach.

"No!" Harry cried as he caught Dobby's small body. The elf's slender arms hung lifeless, and the determination that had filled his wide eyes just moments before was now replaced by emptiness. He was gone.

"Dobby," Arya whispered, horrified.

"Nothing lasts forever, least of all life," Oromis murmured. "Eventually, even the greatest flame burns out, and then it is time for us to pass into the Void. Galbatorix, too, will meet that end one day. It is the natural order of things."

"Then why do we fight?" Eragon asked.

"Galbatorix's life won't wither on its own, Eragon. We fight to prevent the suffering his tyranny will bring to the peoples of Alagaёsia. He will be defeated someday, but we can choose when that day will come."

Time lost all meaning for Harry. Everything seemed dark and hopeless. He barely registered Hermione and Ron forcing Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle back, or Crabbe conjuring a weird fire.

Sirius's face went pale. "That idiot didn't-!"

"Harry!" Ron and Hermione ran toward him, and Ron grabbed him by the shoulders.

"There's nothing more you can do for him, Harry! He gave his life for a friend; he wouldn't want you to waste yours now!" Hermione shouted. "Please - Harry! Crabbe conjured Fiendfyre! We have to get out of here!"

"Not without Dobby!" Harry murmured, reflexively catching an old broomstick Ron tossed to him.

Harry shook himself, mounted the broom, and held Dobby's body and the Horcrux tightly.

"What is that fire?" Thiora whispered, staring at the monstrous shapes the flames formed, devouring everything in their path. "That can't be normal!"

"No," Sirius said grimly. "That's Fiendfyre - demon fire, straight from hell. It burns everything, and nothing can extinguish it. It's one of the darkest curses that exist, and someone as stupid as Crabbe should never have summoned it!"

"We have to get out of here, Harry!" Ron yelled, but then Harry heard Malfoy's terrified scream.

"Please, don't be an idiot, Harry," Arya muttered, closing her eyes as Harry turned around to rescue Malfoy.

Malfoy scrambled onto Harry's broom, which groaned under the added weight. They flew toward the exit. Dobby's body and the diadem slipped from Harry's sweaty hands, and as a flame exploded beneath them, the diadem tumbled into the sea of fire below.

"NO!" Harry shouted, ready to turn back, but Malfoy yanked the broom in the other direction.

"What are you doing, Potter? Do you want to kill us all?"

A loud, high-pitched scream suddenly rang out, and a dark cloud shattered the fire. The blast hurled them out of the room.

"Please, let it be over," Thiora whispered.

"We made it!" Malfoy gasped. Harry turned to him and punched him, knocking him unconscious.

"He deserved that, the idiot," Eragon muttered.

"Where's the diadem?" Hermione asked as she and Ron landed, the latter tossing an unconscious Goyle off his broom.

"I lost it in the fire," Harry said, devastated.

"That's good."

"Why is that good?" Ron demanded.

"I told you before! Besides basilisk venom, only Fiendfyre-"

"And dragon fire," Harry added, gently laying Dobby's body against the wall.

"-can destroy a Horcrux," Hermione explained.

Ron exhaled in relief. "So, the Horcrux is destroyed? That's one less to worry about?"

"That would explain the explosion," Harry said. "Which reminds me."

He pulled the locket from around his neck. It tightened against his throat, and he even needed Ron's help to remove it completely.

"What are you doing?" Ron asked.

"Open!" Harry hissed at the locket. It sprang open, revealing a single glaring eye.

"I have seen your heart," said Tom Riddle's voice.

"Shut up," Harry grunted, throwing it through the open doors into the Room of Requirement, where the fire still raged. Another piercing scream erupted, and the resulting explosion knocked them to the ground. The doors slammed shut with a loud bang, silencing the inferno.

"It's really gone," Arya said, relief evident in her voice, though her heart still pounded in her chest.

"We did it," Hermione gasped, looking at Harry, who clutched his scar, pain etched across his face.

After a moment, Harry looked up. "I know where Voldemort is. Let's finish this."

"With that, all the Horcruxes are destroyed," Oromis said, his face full of pride. "Voldemort is now mortal."

Arya still looked dissatisfied. "But he's still Voldemort," she reminded the others. "You've seen what he's capable of. He still needs to be defeated."

"That's true," Sirius said. "But now they have a real chance to defeat him."

"Harry always had a real chance. You just had to believe in him," she said simply.

With one last glance at Dobby, Harry turned away and ran down the stairs. The castle shook as an explosion sounded, and they stumbled down the steps. Harry managed to grab onto a window and saw it wasn't an explosion. It was two giants wrestling and crashing into the castle wall.

"There is, Potter!" called a familiar voice. Harry looked down and saw Theodore Nott, slowly raising his wand.

"Oh, fuck off, Nott!"

"This is it for you!" Nott shouted gleefully, but he didn't notice the person behind him. It was Fred, who knocked him out with a Stunning Spell. Fred kicked him for good measure.

"He deserved that, for the Unforgivable he used on a Ravenclaw," Fred said grimly. Light flashed past them, and they saw Percy duelling with the Minister.

"I hereby resign, Minister!" Percy hit the Minister with a spell, and tiny spikes sprouted from his back.

"You're actually making jokes, Perce! I don't think I've heard a joke from you since-"

Fred didn't get to finish. The air exploded, and Harry could do nothing but shield his face with his arms and hold on tightly to his wand.

His ears were still ringing from the blast, but what he saw made Harry shudder. Ron and Percy were crouched over Fred, who stared back at them blankly. His final smile was etched permanently onto his face.

Sirius stared at the young Weasley, his face pale. "I can't believe he's gone. He and George… they idolized us. You wouldn't believe how the twins pestered me during Harry's fifth year, asking about all our pranks," Sirius said quietly.

"He always knew how to make someone laugh… a true Marauder. The world will be a darker place without your jokes and laughter-"

Ron looked up at Harry, tears streaming down his face. "Fred is dead!" he shouted.

"Ron, come on. We can end all of this!" Hermione sobbed.

Ron's shoulders heaved as he wiped his tears with his sleeve and stared at Harry with darkened eyes. "All of this - you brought it here. It's because of you that Fred died!"

"That pompous fool!" Arya snarled angrily. "What does he think this is? There's a battle to fight - tears can be shed later!"

"You pompous fool!" Harry shouted. "We're fighting for our lives, and the best you can do is blame me?"

Sirius, Thiora, Oromis, and Eragon turned to Arya, who was glaring back at them with her brows furrowed. "What?" she demanded.

"Nothing," Thiora said with a smirk. "You and Harry - you're very alike."

Arya just crossed her arms.

"Fred knew what he was getting into when he chose to fight! He knew what was at stake - unlike some people who ran away when things got hard!"

"I-" Ron began.

"I don't want to hear it, Ron! Are you afraid something will happen to your family? Then go to them! I will not be the one stopping you!"

Harry stormed off, surprised when Hermione followed him. "Don't you want to-?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not abandoning you again."

"There we go," Eragon said approvingly.

Harry nodded gratefully but froze when he spotted a Death Eater chasing a group of students behind Hermione. His wand whipped through the air, sending a pillar crashing down and crushing the Death Eater.

"I killed someone again," Harry murmured, but Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him forward.

Ahead, Harry saw massive spiders, giants, and Death Eaters. He threw the Invisibility Cloak over himself and Hermione, and they plunged into the chaos together.

"Master, their resistance is crumbling."

Sirius groaned. "Why does it have to be that greasy bat?"

"And without your help. You are a very skilled wizard, Severus, but I do not believe you will be of much significance any longer," Voldemort whispered, his long fingers toying with the Elder Wand.

"So, he really got it," Arya said, frowning.

"I always thought it was just a myth," Sirius muttered.

Harry moved closer to the room where Voldemort and Snape were standing. He and Hermione peered through a gap in the door, and Harry barely dared to breathe.

"Why isn't Harry doing anything? Can't he just kill him?" Eragon asked, confused.

"It's never easy to kill, Eragon, and I hope that no matter how many battles you fight, you never grow accustomed to it," Oromis said sharply.

"I suspect Harry isn't attacking Voldemort because, well, it's still Voldemort. Even if he no longer has Horcruxes, one wrong move or the faintest noise could betray Harry, and everything would be lost," Arya said. "And he still has the Elder Wand."

"I have to agree with Arya. Voldemort is an evil bastard, but he's still superior to Harry in a duel," Sirius said grimly.

"I have a problem, Severus," Voldemort said.

"Master?" Snape asked.

"Look at him, grovelling," Sirius said, disgusted.

Voldemort raised the Elder Wand before his eyes. "Why does the Elder Wand not work for me?"

Snape looked at Voldemort in confusion. "I don't understand, M-Master. You've performed extraordinary magic with that wand."

"No," Voldemort replied simply. "It is the usual magic I perform… It is extraordinary, yes, because it is I who cast it. But the Elder Wand does not live up to the legends of its power. It aligns with the wand I received from Ollivander all those years ago."

Eragon looked hopefully at the others. "The Elder Wand doesn't seem to work for him! Maybe it really is just a myth."

"Maybe," Arya said, but her tone betrayed her doubt.

"Master – let me go to the boy-"

Arya frowned as she heard the pleading in Snape's voice. Why did he want so desperately to find Harry? Was he so eager to end the battle, or was there something else he was hoping for?

"All this long night, so close to my victory, I have sat here," Voldemort whispered. "And I kept asking myself the same question: Why does the Elder Wand refuse to submit to me? And I believe I now have the answer, Severus."

Snape remained silent.

"Perhaps you already know the answer. You are a clever man, Severus. You have been a good and faithful servant, and I regret what must happen."

Sirius furrowed his brow. "What exactly is he talking about?" he whispered.

"The Elder Wand cannot truly serve me, Severus, because I am not its true master. Ollivander himself told me - the Elder Wand has left a bloody trail throughout its history. You killed Albus Dumbledore, Severus. As long as you live, the Elder Wand cannot truly be mine."

"Master!" Snape protested, raising his wand.

"There is no other way," Voldemort said. "I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand, and then I will finally defeat Potter!"

Voldemort slashed the air with the wand, and there was a loud crack. Snape collapsed sideways, blood spurting from his neck.

There was silence.

"It's ironic, in a way," Sirius said finally.

"Why?" Thiora asked quietly, her face pale.

"I once played a prank on Snape - led him here while Remus was transformed as a werewolf. That prank could have cost him his life," Sirius said.

"And?" Arya prompted.

Sirius gave her a faint smile. "Harry's father, James, saved him at the last moment. And now, after all these years, he dies here anyway. The irony of fate."

Eragon looked closely at Snape. "He's not dead yet - look at what Harry is doing."

Harry knelt before Snape, pulling the Invisibility Cloak off himself. Snape's eyes widened as he saw Harry. Without knowing why, Harry pressed his wand to Snape's wound, preparing to cast a healing spell when Snape grabbed his arm.

"Take… it… Take… it."

Eragon grimaced. "Something's leaking from his wounds."

Arya looked more closely. A silvery substance was oozing out - it could only mean one thing.

"Those are memories," she said, glancing at the others. "But why?"

Harry collected Snape's memories into a vial as Snape's grip weakened.

"Look… at… me," Snape whispered. Harry's green eyes met Snape's black ones, and for a moment, he thought he saw something in them, but then they went blank and lifeless, and Snape's hand fell limp to the floor.

"So, Snape is really dead," Sirius said, rubbing his face with both hands. "I can't say I'll mourn him."

"Sirius-" Thiora began but was interrupted by a cold, high voice.

"You have fought," Voldemort's voice echoed across Hogwarts. "Fought heroically. Lord Voldemort honours bravery. But you have suffered great losses. If you continue to resist, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish for this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to withdraw immediately.

You have one hour. Remove your dead with dignity. Tend to your wounded.

Harry Potter, I now speak directly to you. You have let your friends die for you instead of facing me yourself. I will wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If you do not come to me, if you do not surrender, then the battle will resume. This time, I will join the fight myself, Harry Potter, and I will find you. And I will punish every single man, woman, and child who has tried to shield you from me. One hour."

"That's not much time to prepare for another attack," Oromis said. "And this time it will be even more dangerous, as Voldemort himself will be fighting."

"I think the only way to defeat Voldemort is to distract him now," Eragon said. "Maybe Harry can find a way to draw his attention and lead him into a trap."

Thiora nodded. "They have to at least catch him off guard - then they'll have a real chance. What do you think, Arya?"

Arya blinked. "What?"

Thiora frowned. "I asked if you had any ideas."

"Oh," Arya said softly, turning her gaze from Harry. Her hand trembled slightly. "At the moment… no."

Thiora studied Arya for a moment longer. She seemed lost in thought and troubled. Then she turned to Sirius, and her eyes widened when she saw him.

"Sirius? What's wrong?" she asked.

He pointed with trembling fingers toward the Great Hall. They followed his gaze, and Thiora gasped. The Great Hall was filled with survivors laying aside the dead.

"Tonks… Remus," Sirius sobbed, and Thiora wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Sirius clung to her clothes desperately, as if she were the only thing keeping him from collapsing under the weight of his grief.

"I… I knew Remus was dead but seeing him lying there-" He gasped sharply, burying his face in Thiora's shoulder.

"Remus gave his life for a noble cause, and in his final moments, he was with the person who meant the most to him," Thiora whispered to Sirius.

Sirius sniffled. "I know that, and I couldn't be prouder to have called Remus my friend… Goodbye, Moony."

He cast one last look at the Marauder before turning away.

Hermione silently left Harry and walked over to the Weasleys, who were bent over Fred. Harry's breath caught as he took in the many familiar faces around him.

"If I had surrendered earlier, maybe Fred wouldn't have died," he whispered to himself.

Arya felt the weight of his words like drumbeats. They were not unfamiliar to her; she had spoken those exact words after being captured in Gil'ead. Even now, they haunted her dreams.

Harry ran up the stairs. There was only one place he needed to be now: the headmaster's office. He pulled the mokeskin pouch from around his neck.

"Accio Pensieve."

He took the vial and poured Snape's memories into the Pensieve, then dove in.

"Merlin, I never thought I'd see Snape's memories, but now I'm curious," Sirius said.

Arya narrowed her eyes as they watched a young Snape sitting next to a young red-haired girl. "Is that Harry's mother?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, I'd recognize that red hair anywhere. Just like the ugly face of Petunia running around the corner."

Thiora gave Sirius a small shove. "She was jealous of her sister, Sirius. How would you have felt if Regulus had magic, and you didn't?"

Sirius shrugged. "My mother would probably have drowned me in a cauldron of potion before I even had the chance to feel jealous."

"But it explains why she treated Harry so badly later. Her jealousy grew into hatred for her sister, and then... for Harry."

Arya crossed her arms. "It still doesn't justify what she did to Harry."

"Of course not."

The scene shifted. They were now in the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, watching Snape walking down the corridor. He ignored the other boys in the compartment and sat across from Lily, who was by the window.

Sirius grimaced. "Merlin, I remember that day. We were such idiots back then."

"She looks like she's been crying. She probably fought with her sister," Eragon said thoughtfully. "Roran and I used to fight all the time."

"Which says more about you than it does about Lily," Arya remarked dryly. Then her gaze fell on the boys in the compartment, and her eyes widened.

"You should come to Slytherin," Snape said.

"Slytherin?" one of the boys asked.

"That's Harry's father!"

"Who'd want to go to Slytherin? I'd probably run away, wouldn't you?" James, the boy sitting across, said.

"Oh," Thiora beamed. "You were so cute back then, Sirius!"

"I would prefer handsome."

James raised an imaginary sword. "Gryffindor, where bravery and courage reign! Like my dad."

Snape scoffed. "Got a problem with that?" James asked.

"Only if you'd rather have brawn than brains-"

Sirius stood up. "Where do you want to go then, since you seem to have neither?"

They all stared at Sirius, who grimaced. "I told you we were idiots."

The image changed again.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't care."

"I never meant to call you a Mudblood! It just..."

"Slipped out?" Lily prompted.

"You can see where Harry gets his temper from," Thiora said with a smile.

"You should have seen him take down Nado," Arya muttered absently.

"I can imagine," Oromis said amusedly. "We also had quite a debate when it came to the Urgals, didn't we, Eragon?"

Eragon looked sheepish.

A white flash streaked through the air, and Snape's wand was wrenched from his hands. "Don't kill me!"

"I didn't intend to," Dumbledore said coolly.

"Would've saved us a lot of headaches," Sirius grumbled.

"I come with a warning - no, a plea-"

"What could a Death Eater possibly plead for?"

"The - the prophecy... The prediction... Trelawney..."

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore said. "How much did you relay to Voldemort?"

"Everything - everything I heard!" Snape said. "He believes it's about Lily Evans!"

"She's married, you fool," Sirius growled. "Her name is Lily Potter!"

Oromis tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Yes, but Lily Evans was likely his first and perhaps only love. The name reminds him of his friend. He loved her."

Sirius grimaced. "Can we talk about something else?"

"You disgust me," Dumbledore said.

"Thank you, Albus," Sirius sighed in relief.

"The death of the man and her son means nothing to you? They can die as long as you get what you want?"

"Then hide them all!" Snape croaked. "Keep them safe. Please."

"And what will you give me in return, Severus?" Dumbledore asked.

"Give you?" Snape stared at Dumbledore. "Anything."

"So, Snape really was on Dumbledore's side," Eragon said.

"Maybe," Arya replied. "Or maybe he was on his own side. At least they shared the goal of defeating Voldemort. But only because Voldemort chose to target Harry."

"Lily and James placed their trust in the wrong person," Dumbledore said. "Much like you did. Did you not hope Voldemort would spare you?"

Snape didn't respond.

"Their boy survived," Dumbledore said. "Your son lives. He has her eyes, precisely her eyes. Surely you remember the shape and colour of Lily Potter's eyes?"

"NO!" Snape roared. "Gone... Dead..."

"Is that remorse, Severus?"

"I wish... I was dead..."

"And what would that achieve?" Dumbledore asked.

"Dumbledore truly has no pity for Snape, does he?" Eragon asked.

"If you loved Lily, if you truly loved her, then your path forward is clear."

"What do you mean?"

"You know how and why she died. Ensure it was not in vain. Help me protect Lily's son."

"He doesn't need protection. The Dark Lord is gone-"

"Voldemort will return, and Harry Potter will be in grave danger when he does."

"Fine. Fine! But never tell - never, Dumbledore! It must stay between us! I can't bear it... especially Potter's son... You have my word!"

Sirius let out a bitter laugh that sounded more like a sigh. "I can't believe I finally know why Dumbledore trusted Snape," he sighed. "He always said he had his reasons, and now I finally understand. Snape wanted to save Lily. I can understand that, even if I wish I couldn't. He did it all for Lily."

"He protected Harry," Arya said, frowning. "But that still doesn't explain why he killed Dumbledore."

They were in Dumbledore's office.

"What a fortune that I have you, Severus."

"If only you had called me a bit sooner, I might have done more," said Snape. "As it stands, you might have a year. It's hard to predict."

Silence fell over the room. Finally, it was Eragon who spoke first.

"Dumbledore was sick?"

Sirius smacked his forehead with his own hand.

"Of course! The ring was a Horcrux and-"

"-and it cursed his hand. Snape must have trapped the curse in Dumbledore's hand," Thiora finished.

"So, Dumbledore was already dying?" Arya asked quietly.

"It seems so," Oromis said. "And Dumbledore knew of Voldemort's plan to have the young Malfoy kill him."

"Do you intend to let him kill you?"

"Certainly not. You must kill me."

They all stared at each other with open mouths.

"It was all planned," Sirius murmured. "Dumbledore orchestrated his own death so Snape could gain Voldemort's full trust. They planned his death!"

Dumbledore sat in his office, his face tired and weary. Snape stood before him.

"And? Did your excursion with the boy and the goblins yield anything?" Dumbledore sighed.

"No, it was unfortunately in vain. It was my last hope to grant Harry an alternative path."

Snape sat down.

"What exactly were you trying to do?"

Dumbledore smiled weakly.

"To seize a final chance. Unfortunately, the ritual failed. The magic in Harry's scar is simply too dark for it to have worked."

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"May I see the memory?"

Dumbledore smiled faintly.

"Of course, Severus. Perhaps with a slight adjustment."

"So that's how Harry learned about the ritual," Thiora said. "He used it to heal you, Oromis."

"Yes," said the old elf. "I just wonder what kind of magic resides in Harry's scar that connects him to Voldemort. It must truly be dark magic."

"Harry must not find out, not until the final moment, not until it's necessary - how else could he find the strength to do what must be done?"

"What is Dumbledore talking about?" Eragon asked. "What must Harry do?"

"-It will be essential to tell him."

"To tell him what?" Snape asked.

"Tell him that on the night Lord Voldemort tried to kill him, when Lily placed her life as a shield between them, the Killing Curse rebounded on Voldemort, and a fragment of Voldemort's soul was torn from the whole and latched onto the only living soul-"

"-Harry," Oromis whispered, his eyes wide.

"A part of Lord Voldemort lives inside Harry and is the connection to Voldemort's mind that Voldemort has never understood. And as long as this fragment of soul, unnoticed by Voldemort, is linked to Harry and protected by him, Voldemort cannot die."

Eragon's eyes widened.

"Wait, does that mean-?"

Arya shook her head furiously. "No, that can't be true. He would have told us. You must be mistaken."

"What are you all talking about?" Sirius demanded.

Thiora took Sirius's hand, her eyes clouded with concern.

"It's Harry, Sirius… If Voldemort can only die once the connection between him and Harry no longer exists…"

"So, the boy… the boy must die?" Snape asked quietly.

"And it must be Voldemort who does it. That is essential."

"That's a joke, right?" repeated Sirius, his laughter hollow, almost hysterical. He looked at the others as if searching their faces for contradiction, for confirmation that it was all a misunderstanding. But Thiora's grip on his hand tightened as if to keep him from losing his footing.

Eragon and Oromis stood as if petrified, their faces frozen in shock and incomprehension. No one spoke until Thiora finally whispered, "I'm sorry, Sirius."

Sirius shook his head as if trying to shake off her words, as if doing so would strip them of their meaning. "This can't be - I just don't believe it," he said, his voice trembling with suppressed anger and despair.

Arya, who had been silent until then, looked almost ghostly pale. Her hands trembled uncontrollably, and though she clasped them tightly, she couldn't stop the shaking. It was as if the shock reverberated through her entire body.

Before anyone could say anything, they suddenly felt the familiar pull that yanked them out of the Pensieve. The room blurred and dissolved until they found solid ground beneath their feet again. They now stood with Harry in the headmaster's office, a suffocating silence filling the space.

Harry, kneeling on the floor, slowly got to his feet. His face bore an expression of heavy determination as he looked at the others. "I have to die," he said firmly, though his eyes reflected the weight of this realization. "I have to end it."

"No!" Sirius shouted, stepping toward him. His hands trembled with suppressed rage. "You can't, Harry! There has to be another way!"

Arya stepped forward, her eyes sparkling despite the tears welling up in them. "This can't be true," she whispered.

Harry stood at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. In the distance, he could see Hagrid's hut, but his gaze was fixed on the darkness ahead of him.

"What is Harry doing?" Eragon croaked.

Thiora frowned. "The Snitch… but why?"

Oromis closed his eyes, repeating the words they had once heard. "I open at the close."

Harry pressed the cold metal of the Snitch to his lips and whispered, "I am about to die."

The shell broke apart, revealing a black stone. He turned the stone three times in his hand.

"This is impossible," Oromis whispered in awe.

"The - The Resurrection Stone," Arya said, her voice breaking. Before them stood Harry's parents.

"James," Sirius whispered, staring at his best friend. His hair was messy and untidy, his glasses slightly askew.

Then Lily stepped toward Harry. She beamed at him, brushing her long hair back, her green eyes shining like stars in the night sky.

"You're so brave," Lily said.

"You're almost there," James said. "So close. We're… so proud of you."

"Does it hurt?" Harry asked.

"Dying? Not at all," James said. "Quicker and easier than falling asleep."

"And you want it to be quick," Lily said. "To get it over with."

Harry lowered his gaze. "I didn't want you to die - any of you. Sirius-"

"He would be so proud of you," James said with a smile.

Sirius wiped tears from his face. "Harry, you're the best godson I could have ever asked for!"

A cool breeze ruffled Harry's hair. "You'll stay with me?"

"Until the end," James said.

"They won't be able to see you?" Harry asked.

"We're a part of you," Lily said, placing her hand over Harry's heart. "Invisible to everyone else."

Harry stowed his wand and Invisibility Cloak in his pouch around his neck. "Stay close to me."

Arya watched the scene, unable to move.

"No!" she suddenly screamed, her voice echoing through the memory. "Harry, you can't do this! Stop!"

But no one reacted. James, Lily, Harry - they continued as if she weren't there. Harry's resolute gaze remained fixed on the memory before him, his words directed at ghosts Arya could not reach.

Arya lunged forward, trying to grab Harry, to pull him back, but her hands passed through him as though he were made of mist, a shadow of himself.

"Please, Harry!" she begged, her voice breaking under the weight of her despair. "This isn't the right way! There must be another! Just listen to me!"

Harry didn't respond. His movements remained calm; his determination unwavering.

"Why can't you hear me?" Arya whispered, and she would have fallen to her knees if Oromis hadn't held her up. Tears streamed down her face as she watched the scene helplessly. "Why won't you let me help you?"

The memory played on relentlessly, and Arya could only watch as Harry's fate unfolded inexorably. Her cries and pleas echoed into nothingness, unanswered, as she felt herself being pulled into the deepest despair.

"This isn't fair," she finally whispered, her voice barely audible. "You can't just leave…"

But the memory showed no mercy, and Arya was left alone with her hopelessness as Harry moved steadily towards his inevitable destiny.

Harry walked with his parents through the shadows of the trees. He followed an instinct, and soon he saw a clearing where the assembled Death Eaters stood. At their centre was Voldemort.

"I thought he would come," Voldemort whispered, his red eyes glowing in the night. "It seems I was… mistaken."

Harry dropped the stone, watching as his parents vanished from the corners of his vision.

"You weren't," Harry said, stepping out of the shadows into the dim firelight.

"Harry! No! Harry, what're yeh doin'-" Hagrid's voice echoed through the forest, bound and helpless before him.

"Silence!" one of the Death Eaters shouted.

"Please run, Harry," Sirius begged.

"Harry Potter," Voldemort said softly. "The Boy Who Lived."

Harry met his gaze, and Voldemort slowly raised his wand. He saw the movement of his mouth, then a green flash and a white light filled the clearing, and it was all over.

He hit the hard ground. His eyes fluttered open to slits, and he saw green fields and trees. In the distance, a man approached, but everything faded to black.

They flew out of the memory and landed outside the Pensieve. Silence reigned, broken only by the shaky breaths of those present.

"That was Brom, wasn't it?" Eragon finally asked.

Oromis nodded. "Even after all these years, I would recognize him anywhere."

They fell silent again.

"Harry - I could never have done that," Eragon whispered.

Oromis nodded slowly. "Harry… he is a remarkable man. I've never met anyone so selfless. He is truly extraordinary."

"Where is he?" Sirius croaked.

Arya looked around and noticed they were the only ones there. Without another word, she turned and ran.

"Arya!" Thiora called after her, but Arya climbed out of the trunk in she was running, she did not hear Eragons question to Oromis. "Ebrithil, was that white light a Spirit?"

"I have to find him!" she yelled back.

She ran through Harry's house and out into the open. The evening sun blinded her momentarily, forcing her to squint. She listened to the wind rustling her hair and the songs of birds echoing from the forest.

Then, Arya took off again, sprinting over roots and stones until she came to a clearing leading up a hill. As she approached, she heard voices.

"She tried to kill you?!" exclaimed a familiar voice - Dusan, one of the elven children. Arya climbed the hill, and at the top, she found Harry sitting cross-legged, leaning against Artemis, who sat behind him. Lily, Alanna, and Dusan formed a semicircle in front of him.

"But why would Aunt Arya do that?" Lily asked, puzzled.

Harry rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, I suppose I should've explained myself better."

Alanna nodded. "What happened then? Did you and Arya defeat the shade?"

"Yes-" Harry began, but Dusan interrupted.

"I want to hear the story again, about how you saved Arya Svit-Kona!" he said eagerly. Alanna nodded in agreement, but Lily crossed her arms.

"We've already heard that one - tell us something new, Uncle Harry!"

"Well-" Harry tried again, but he recoiled slightly as someone hugged him tightly from behind. The scent of pine needles filled the air, and he relaxed.

"Aunt Arya!" Lily called out happily, but her grin faltered when she noticed the tears glistening in her aunt's eyes. She sat up and placed a hand on Arya's shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she frowned.

"Everything's fine, sweetheart," Thiora said softly, standing behind them with Sirius. "She'll be okay in a moment."

"You saw everything?" Harry whispered, feeling Arya nod slowly.

"Everything," she murmured. Slowly, she stood up, and Harry noticed her eyes glistening with tears. Gently, he wiped one away, and Arya leaned forward, resting her forehead against his.

"You walked into death," she whispered.

"I did."

"And yet you live."

"I live."

Arya leaned forward, pressing her ear to Harry's chest, needing to hear his heartbeat.

Thump. Thump.

She whispered so only Harry could hear, "Please, don't ever do that again, Harry. I don't know what I'd do without you-"

Harry pulled her close, stroking her hair. "I'm not going anywhere, Arya. You - Artemis, all of you - you're too important to me. I promise."

Sirius sat beside Harry, whose gaze remained forward. He placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, saying nothing, but Harry understood.

Thiora began to sing a melody so beautiful that even the birds above paused to listen.

Before them stood an oak tree, but it was no ordinary oak. Lilies in every shade grew along its trunk, and the leaves swayed in the sunlight to Thiora's song.

Engraved elegantly on the trunk were the words:

For Lily and James – The best friends anyone could wish for

"Thank you for this," Harry said, leaning against Arya, who now sat beside him. Artemis rested her head across their laps.

Sirius smiled. "I wanted to honour them in my own way… the way I remember them."

A soft breeze ruffled their hair. Harry pulled out his old knife - the one Sirius had given him.

"You still have that?" Sirius asked, surprised.

"Yes, it was the only thing of yours I still had left of you - would you like to add Remus and Regulus?" Harry asked gently.

Sirius swallowed hard and stood slowly. "If you're okay with it-"

"I am."

Sirius grinned broadly. "It's been so many years since I last saw the grave at Godric's Hollow with my own eyes. I wanted a place of my own to remember my best friends." He ruffled Lily's dark hair, who scrunched up her nose in annoyance.

Harry raised an eyebrow as Arya pulled him closer. "It hasn't been that long."

Sirius blinked. "Harry - it's been nearly two decades since I last saw you."

TBC

A/N: It's finally over. From the very "kind" messages I have been getting, there were people that did not like the memories, but I know that were also some that enjoyed them - In the end I thought it would be fun to write them and hope that it will make everything easier in the end of the story. I am not sure if the ending part for Arya fits.

Some things that I want to point, so everyone is on the same page:

- There was two times a white light. Once, when Voldemort tried to kill Harry in Godric's Hollow and the second time when he went into the forbidden Forest.

- Arya seems to like Fawkes quite a lot!

- Both Arya and Harry could listen to five different voices from inside the Veil - the others could not.

- Angela is looking for mushrooms! Especially the ones called Fricai Andlát - the one which Arya was poisoned with in Gil'ead. She also seems to think that both Harry and Eragon can move on other "paths" than the ones they are fated to walk on. And she also mentions a dragon with a great hunger.

- Vanir's eyes lingered on Lily for a mere moment

That should be all, I think. If I forgot something, let me know of it.

Next chapter we will see the Agaetí Blödhren and many other characters again that we haven't heard from in a while. I am not sure when I will be able to post the next chapter, because my internship ends finally in two weeks, but that also means I have to prepare for oral exams (Is that the correct translation? No, idea.).

Edit: I forgot to adress the time-thing. The time in Alagaësia flows roughly 8 times faster than on earth. There is a big reason for it and I dont have any other explanation for it for now. When the reason for why that is will be revealed, maybe someone else will have a better idea to why that is - until then, just try to ignore it.

If my math checks out, Sirius went into the Veil and Harry's 6th & 7th year happened. Two years on earth equals 16 years in Alagaësia, so with the 3-4 years that Harry lived in Alagaësia, Sirius should be around ~19 years in Alagaesia.

Honestly, just ignore the time-thing until it actually becomes relevant.

Until next time!