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reading all your storys has made me decide to write one do not expect anything great coz i aint a good writer (my english teacher kindly reminds me of this every lesson) so here it goes...

Im waiting *taps foot impatiently*

It was one of the mistiest days yet and it was getting worse as the day came to a close,
it was the end of July and a tall, skinny, bespectacled boy was sitting in his room thinking
about his friends, and his so called family, The Dursleys, but Harry Potter was not bothered
about the dursleys anymore in a couple of days he would be leaving them forever, he couldn't
wait, everything was arranged he would be going to the Burrow where even demontors,
death eaters and voldemort could not make him unhappy, the burrow in Harry's opinion was
the second best place in the world, his real home, Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry
was until last year the best and safest place to be.

Even thinking about happened at hogwarts 2 months ago brought a lump to Harry's throat
the greatest wizard to ever live was killed by a death eater, who was a teacher at the school
, Harry's least favorite teacher in fact, Severus Snape, no one except Dumbledore himself
knew why he trusted snape for all those years.

Harry started flicking through some pictures of his last six years at hogwarts, they had
been great, four of those years Harry had ended up facing Lord Voldemort, the most feared
dark sorcerer of all time he had also flown a magical car into a massive tree, had his bones
in his right arm grown back in one painful night, entered the triwizard tournement, a dangerous
tournement to test a wizards ability and found out he had a murderous raving loony as a
godfather,although he turned out innocent.

Harry heard a tapping on his bedroom window, he looked up and saw Hedwig, Harry let him in
and took what he was carrying, three birthday cards from Ron, Hermione and Hagrid, Harry set
them up on his bedside cabinet, it was only then that harry realised that it wasn't his birthday yet,
laughing at his own stupidity, Harry lay down on his bed fully clothed and fell asleep

It was seven a.m when the daily prophet owl woke Harry up, he paid the fee when he realised
how quiet the house, Dudley wasn't snoring and you couldn't hear Aunt Petunia setting up the
breakfast table, Harry crept downstairs there was no one to be seen, Harry noticed a letter he
opened it and read...

A cliffhanger, A CLIFFHANGER ahhhhh,

just playing post more ASAP and BTW Hedwig is a girl not a boy.

oh yeah sorry bout dat

It's alright I guess,......

But hurry you left it in a good place and I want to know what the letter said.

right im really really bad at writing letters so be nice when you review lol

Dear Harry,
We have gone on holiday to Spain, Vernon wanted to be as far away as possible
from you when became of age in case any thing 'Dodgy' happens.There is something i wish to
tell you Harry, I have never hated you or your mother, in fact before your mother left to go to
hogwarts we were the best of friends inseparable.I felt her being a witch would ruin our
friendship and when she died i cried for days because we never made up, i blamed you
for her death because you survived.So now you know the real reason that I have been
mean to you for the past seventeen years you will hopefully forgive me.

I would like to tell you that I am proud of you, even more of than my own son who will sit
around watching television and eating all day, but i am sure that you will do something with
your life, your mother and father were both i think they are called aurors anyway they fought
dark witches and wizards you are so alike your parents so you should consider this route.
I will probably never see you again Harry so have a lovely life and do be careful.
love
Aunt Petunia

P.S Kill the b*****d for me!

Was it that bad???

It's good but I think you should write like this

Dear Harry,
We have gone on holiday to Spain, Vernon wanted to be as far away as possible from you when became of age in case any thing 'Dodgy' happens.There is something i wish to tell you Harry, I have never hated you or your mother, in fact before your mother left to go to hogwarts we were the best of friends inseparable.

I felt her being a witch would ruin our friendship and when she died i cried for days because we never made up, i blamed you
for her death because you survived.So now you know the real reason that I have been mean to you for the past seventeen years you will hopefully forgive me.

I would like to tell you that I am proud of you, even more of than my own son who will sit around watching television and eating all day, but i am sure that you will do something with your life, your mother and father were both i think they are called aurors anyway they fought dark witches and wizards you are so alike your parents so you should consider this route.

I will probably never see you again Harry so have a lovely life and do be careful.
love,
Aunt Petunia

see how it looks better you shoud write like that thru your story you know? I'm not saying you cant write cause I liked it but you should remember to space after a period. And you should make a new paragraph when someone speaks ok.

REMEMBER I'M NOT SAYING YOU CAN'T WRITE, I'm saying you can make those ejustments and it would look a lot better ok.

Don't forget to updated I wan to see where this goes and If you need help PM me I will be most glad to help a friend ok??

OK thanks for the advice.i doubt i will be able to update again tonight but maybe tomorrow

Ok Remember if you need help Pm me and Illtry to help

Harry laughed at the last line of the letter, he folded the letter up and shoved it into his
pocket.Harry ran upstairs to have a look at the daily prophet to see if their was any good
or bad news...

Mysterious Muggle Attacks in the Middle of the Night
At exactly midnight on 31 July, two muggles were found dead with the Dark Mark sent over
their house, writes Miranda Hixby, Special Correspondent. At this time we are unable to
disclose their names, but further reports will be posted as soon as possible.
Authorities are questioning the Death Eaters motives for these deaths because it's unusual for Death Eaters
to pick a specific time of day like midnight. And this writer believes that the specific time of this
particular day might have something to do with `the Chosen One', Harry Potter,
like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is sending his calling card. With the death of Albus
Dumbledore, one wonders what kind of people are still out there for the Boy Who Lived.

hows that??

i really cant get the hang of that space after a period thing

cool story. i like it. keep posting!

ya its pretty good keep it up!

its good keep going

Harry thought deeply about this article, the death had occurred dead on midnight on Harry's
birthday, harry wondered whether this was just a coincidence or was it his fault that some poor
soul has lost their family.Harry spent the rest of that day with the article in the back of his mind
, while he lazed about doing unneeded magic to get some food or the television remote, it was
so much easier now he was able to do magic.

Harry heard more tapping on his window this time it was pig, Ron's owl.Pig wasn't as small as
he used to be but he was definitely still as mad, it took harry at least five minutes just to get the
letter off of him, when he finally did mange to get the letter he read...

Harry,
Pick you up at seven
see you then
Ron

It was already ten past six so harry thought it was pointless to send back a reply so he threw
the letter in the bin and ran upstairs to pack.

At dead on seven o'clock there was a knock on the door, Harry opened it to find, Ron and his dad
both smiling at him.Ron had got at least 5 inches taller than the last time harry had seen him but his
freckles and red hair was still the same.
"Come on Harry we don't want to be standing on a doorway at these times" whispered Mr.Weasley
Harry grabbed his trunk and and followed Ron and his dad.
"where are we going"asked Harry
"Mrs.Figgs back garden where we can apparate" replied Ron.



They had arrived at the burrow which still seemed to be warm and comfortable even though
it was another dark and misty night.
"Harry dear how have you been" asked Mrs.Weasley
"I've been fine"replied Harry, smiling
"Did you hear about those muggles being murdered Mr.Weasley" Harry asked
Everyones happy smiles faded.
"erm harry those muggles were,erm,well they were...."mumbled ron
" they were Hermione's parents" said Mr.Weasley.

omg! soooo good! please keep posting!!! and check out my new story: James and Lilly.

thanks for the reviews

awwwwwwwwwwww poor Hermione!!!plzz update!!!! and tell ur English teacher she is totally mental ur a very good writer!

thanks dark dan fan i mite be able to update tonite but i aint sure

Harry had been at the burrow for a week when Hermione came back, Hermione didn't talk
to anyone for two days .
It was nearly dinner when Harry walked into the kitchen where Ron and his mum where
having an argument whilst looking at the mourning hermione sitting on the stone steps of the
burrows garden.
"Why don't you go talk to Hermione?” asked Mrs.Weasley
“I wouldn't know what to say to her. I'll probably say something that she would classify as insensitive
or something.”
“Well, someone needs to talk to her. It's been almost a week since she's been back and she
hasn't spoken once.” Harry headed for the door.
“I'll go.” Harry stepped outside, and shivered slightly because of the unseasonably chilly breeze
that blew through the evening. Hermione didn't acknowledge his presence, but continued to stare
off into space. Harry sat beside her, and Hermione said bitterly,
“What, did you all have to draw straws to find out who was going to come out and talk to me?”
“No. I volunteered.”
“No offense, Harry, but what could you possibly say to make me feel better?”
“Well, honestly, not much, but I at least got you to say more than two words at a time. I actually
thought I would be the one you wouldn't want to talk to, not just everyone in general.”
“Whys that?” asked Hermione confused
“Well, all this happened because of me, right? It happened on midnight on my birthday…”
Hermione interrupted him saying,
“Don't you dare try blaming yourself for my parents getting killed, Harry. You had nothing to do with
it. There was nothing you could've done to stop it.”
Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Hermione beat him to it.
“Don't try and argue with me. No one could've stopped it.”
Harry didn't want to argue the point with her, but after a short silence, he said,
“Look at it this way, Hermione. At least you got seventeen years with your parents.
Some of us don't even get that much time.” Hermione's features softened. She sighed.
“You're right, Harry. At least I did get seventeen years with them.”
There was another silence, but this time it was broken by Hermione.
“I just keep going over in my head that I'll never be able to go home to see them. They'll never
be waiting for me when I get off the Hogwarts Express, they won't be there when I graduate.
They'll never be there to meet my husband, my dad won't be there to walk me down the aisle
at my wedding, and my kids'll never know their Grandpa and Grandma Granger. I guess you
could say I'm just feeling sorry for myself.”
“Well, everyone's entitled to it some time in their life.” said Harry
“You know the one thing I'll miss most though?” Hermione asked Harry
“What's that?” asked harry
“When I was little, at the holidays, the whole family was invited, and my Mum and I would make a huge dinner for everyone, with turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and all that other stuff. I'm going to miss it.”
“But you have those memories of it though. And that's better than nothing.” Hermione smiled.
“Yeah. You're right. Thanks, Harry. Thank you for making me feel better.” Harry smiled in return, and said,
“Well, I'm glad you're feeling a little better, and that you're talking again. See, when you aren't talking to anyone, then I only have Ron to talk to, and there's things that are just too complex for his brain.”
Hermione laughed.
“Well, I'll try to help spare his brain of any difficulty then.”
“Shall we go inside then?”
“Yeah.” Harry stood and offered his hand to Hermione to pull her to her feet. She took it, and stood up. Harry started to head for the door, but stopped when he felt Hermione grab his arm.
“Harry. Thanks again.”
“You're welcome.”

yay i got it up all thanks to my sis shes a whizz at typing

great post. i love your story!

very good!!!and I still think ur English teacher is completely mental!!! update as soon as possible!

if anyone is bothered then the wedding should be up 2nite

ok hurry up it's going along great for your first time and I can't wait to see how the story ends.

Three days later, people were arriving from all over to the Burrow for the Weasley-Delacour wedding. Everyone was bustling around with the last minute details, and the house was noisy with chatter and yelling. Vivid flashes of colors went by as the people wearing them rushed past. One girl of about eleven rushed through the crowds, clad in pale gold. She ran up the stairs and opened the door to the room where the bride and her bridesmaids were getting ready. She slammed the door and said,
“Ginny, your relatives, zay are crazy!” Gabrielle crossed the room and sat down in her chair she had previously vacated. Ginny smiled.
“Yeah, they are. But they are the ones that only come around for these big family events like this. We never see much of each other. So when we get together it's all, `Oh I haven't seen you since you were this big!' and stuff like that.” Gabrielle said,
“Well, good luck, Fleur, `ou `ave crazy relatives now.” Fleur and Ginny went on talking, and Ginny said to Hermione,
“Let's go see what Harry and Ron are up to.” Hermione nodded, and she and Ginny stood and left the room going down the hall to Ron's room, where he and Harry were getting ready for the wedding. Ginny knocked and called to the two on the other side of the door,
“Are you decent?” Harry said,
“Yeah, come on in.” Ginny opened the door and she and Hermione came in and shut the door. Ron was pacing, dressed already in black dress robes for he was best man for the wedding. Harry was sitting on his bed, reading, and dressed in his green dress robes. Ginny went and sat beside Harry on his bed, and Hermione conjured up a chair to sit down. Hermione looked up at Ron pacing back and forth and asked,
“What's the matter with you?” Ron shook his head and continued pacing. Harry rolled his eyes.
“He's nervous.”
“About what? It's not like it's your wedding.” Ron didn't answer, but Harry spoke for him.
“He's afraid he'll mess something up, like trip and fall and knock the witch he's escorting over, or that he'll walk too fast and it'll look bad, or he'll loose the ring, or whatever.” Hermione rolled her eyes too.
“Honestly Ron, you'll be fine. If you trip when you escort Gabrielle up, I'll tell her to let go of your arm and let you fall and keep walking. So you won't knock her over.” Ginny and Harry laughed, but Ron stopped pacing for a moment to glare at Hermione. She grinned, and he resumed his pacing.
“You'll do fine, Ron. I promise you, you won't make a fool of yourself.”
“I hope you're right, Hermione.”

A few hours later, the entire group of guests were congregated outside in the garden for the wedding. Everyone was anxiously waiting for the main event, conversing amongst themselves, glancing back towards the house every once in a while to look for the wedding party. Finally, the minister stood at the front of the garden, and the groom walked up the aisle between the chairs and stood facing the people, waiting for the rest of the party. Bill was smiling, of course, the kind of smile that he couldn't get rid of even if he had to. Despite the fact a werewolf attacked him earlier that year, he had healed, and he only had minimal scars. Aside from the scars, he still looked like the Bill Weasley everyone had always known. Mrs. Weasley started wiping away tears with her handkerchief, while her husband kept his arm around her for support. Mr. Weasley smiled at his son, and looked back as the bridesmaids and groomsmen started walking up. Hermione and Fred were first. Hermione nervously smiled, looking around at all the people staring at her, while her escort was grinning at the attention. Hermione let go of Fred's arm when they reached the front, and they both turned and faced the group, waiting for the next two to come up. Hermione caught Harry's eye and they both smiled. Ginny and George were the next ones to come up. Ginny's arm was linked with her brother's and like Hermione, Ginny had a nervous smile on her face, and George, like his brother, grinned at the attention. Ginny and George joined Bill, Fred, and Hermione at the front, and watched the last couple coming up the aisle. The best man and the maid of honor were the last couple to come up, Ron and Gabrielle. Gabrielle was smiling shyly, while Ron looked sort of green. All of the wedding party knew he was nervous, and so did a few of the congregation. They all smiled in encouragement trying to make Ron feel better, but it never worked. Charlie was originally supposed to be Bill's best man, but something came up that he couldn't make it back for the wedding, so Ron stood in Charlie's place. The two reached the front without any incident, and soon after the bride and her father came up. Bill beamed with pride as he watched his bride come up the aisle, arm linked with her father's. Fleur smiled back blushing slightly. Fleur's father gave her away, the vows were spoken, rings exchanged, and the newlyweds were presented to the congregation

“See Ron, you did fine, you didn't forget the ring, or trip and fall. You were just over worried,” Hermione said to him later at the reception.
“That's the last wedding I want to be best man in for a while, it's too much stress on a person.” Hermione rolled her eyes.
“But what if I want you to be best man at my wedding?” Harry said.
“You won't be getting married right away anyways, right?”
“Right. There's too much else to deal with right now anyway. And I'm not in that place with anyone.”
“Good. Ginny's too young at the moment.”
“I know that, Ron. Like I said, there's too much to deal with right now. And if we were still together, we wouldn't even be in that place yet.”
“Good.” Hermione laughed.
“Ron, it's a wonder Ginny ever meets any guys. If it were up to you, she'd never date.”
“Nothing wrong with that.”
“No, there's not, but there is if her brother scares away potential boyfriends.”
“Ginny's only sixteen, Hermione, she's got her whole life to date.”
“Well, anyways, I'm just glad I don't have an older brother like you to keep me from dating.”
“You don't date much anyway.”
“So? I still date.”
“I think you need an older brother sometimes to fix the problem with your choice in men…” Ron trailed off, instantly regretting what he said when he saw the look on her Hermione's face.
“I didn't mean that, Hermione.” Hermione stood up, and walked away.
“Is this like a daily routine for you two, that you two have to fight all the time?”
“Well, if she didn't take everything so personal, we wouldn't fight so much.”
“No, Ron, I really don't think that's why.”
“But whatever. She'll be back.” Harry stood up.
“Where are you going?”
“To go find her.”
“She's fine.”
“Don't you remember that no one is supposed to go out alone?”
“Ok, I'll go with you.”

that the first time ive ever written a wedding so dont be too harsh lol

ok it's a good story and post but this quote up here it was way to long to be a paragraph, a paragraph should have at least 4 to 5 sentences ok.

And I'm not saying you suck cause your really good

and post asap

oh i dont like it when you say update or post soon coz it make me feel guilty if i dont post in ten minutes lol.Thanks for the advice and everyone please keep reviewing

ok I said ASAP which mean as soon as possible not you betta post in ten minutes.lol
If it makes you fell betta Ill say continue on instead of post soon

lol i might be able to get another post up tonight if my sister will type it for me!!

They found Hermione sitting on the porch swing in the backyard, looking out over the fog-covered landscape. Evenings were foggy every day now; the dementors were the cause for that. It settled the earth with a hazy gloom, but it seemed to go unnoticed by the guests at the party. Hermione was brought out of her reverie when a voice said,
“Hey.” She turned towards the direction of Harry's voice and saw him and Ron standing next to the swing. Harry elbowed Ron to apologize.
“Hermione, I'm sorry for what I said, I didn't mean it.” Hermione smiled and shook her head.
“Don't worry about it. I've got better things to do than stay mad at you, Ron.” Ron smiled.
“Mind if we join you?” Harry asked.
“Go for it.” Harry sat next to Hermione on the swing, while Ron slid up onto the railing that went around the back porch. They all stared out across the countryside. After a long silence, Ron decided to voice the opinions of himself and also the two sitting with him.
“The weather sucks nowadays.” Harry and Hermione smiled and nodded.
“Even with the dreary fog, it is peaceful around here,” Hermione said.
“Yeah, when we leave, I might never be able to come here again,” Ron said.
“Whys that? You'll be back after you finish the term this year,” Harry said.
“Not necessarily, I'm not going back to Hogwarts, and who knows if this place'll still be standing when I eventually get the chance to come back. If I'm still alive.”
“Why aren't you going back to school?”
“Same reason you aren't, mate. I'm going Horcrux hunting with you. We both are.” Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Hermione spoke first.
“Harry, there's nothing you can say that's going to stop us helping you. Do you really think we'd let you go out alone and find these by yourself?”
“Yeah, we might be of help to you, Harry.” Harry opened his mouth again to say something, but found that Hermione was right, there wasn't a thing he could think to say that would keep them from coming with him. He sighed.
“What did your Mum say when you told her that you weren't going back for your seventh year?”
“Well…she doesn't…really know yet.”
“Good luck with that one, mate. Have your told your parents what you're planning on doing?”
“Yes. They were disappointed, but then I pointed out that if we don't help, and something happens that you should fail, God forbid, there won't be a Hogwarts to stay at, and if there still is, it won't be very safe anymore.” There was silence again; save for the squeaking of the swing as Harry's foot absently moved the swing back and forth. Hermione picked her feet up from moving back and forth with the swing and stretched her legs over Harry's lap, and leaned her head against the back of the swing, while the squeaking continued. Ron said out of nowhere,
“Do you really think my Mum is going to overreact when I tell her?” Harry and Hermione laughed.
“Do you not know your mum?” Hermione said.
“Yeah, I guess your right. Well, I guess I should get it over with soon, you know, rip the Band-Aid off. Quick and painless.” Again Harry and Hermione laughed.
“Oh, I don't even have the heart to crush your small glimmer of hope, Ron,” Hermione said. (A/n: Ok, now, I don't have my 6th book on me, it's at school, so I can't remember all this stuff of the top of my head, so if something's not quite right, I apologize. Please kindly correct me, and thank you in advance for your forgiveness.)
“Anyways, any ideas on where and what these Horcruxes might be?” Harry shrugged.
“The only thing I know is one of them is a locket that belonged to Slytherin, a cup that belonged to Hufflepuff, and something that belonged to Gryffindor, and his snake, Nagini. There's also the diary and that ring Dumbledore had, but I have no idea where to find the remaining ones, or even what they are for sure.”
“What did the note in the basin in that cave say again?”
“That this R.A.B. person has taken it and plans to destroy it to bring Voldemort closer to his downfall.” Ron flinched at the mention of Voldemort's name.
“Oh come on, Ron, if you're going to help Harry, you've got to learn to say Voldemort's name,” Hermione snapped. “Come on, say it. Let me hear you say it.” Ron hesitated.
“Come on.”
“V…V…Vold…” He took a deep breath and rushed out, “Voldemort.”
“There. Now, no more flinching when you hear his name.”
“Alright, Hermione.”
“Anyways, R.A.B. And we still don't know who he or she is?”
“No.”
“I asked Lupin about it earlier this summer, and he said he's never heard of an R.A.B., and neither has McGonagall or anyone else. It's probably a Death Eater, who backed out or something. Too bad Sirius isn't…you know. He might have heard of him while he was in Azkaban.” When Ron finished his last sentence, Hermione got that look on her face when she just figured out the answer to a difficult problem. The two noticed it and Ron said,
“What?”
“I think I just realized who R.A.B. is.”
“Who?”
“What if the R. stands for Regulus, and the B. for Black?” Realization dawned over Harry and Ron.
“Sirius's brother.”
“Yes, what if his middle name began with an A?”
“And Ron could be right, he was a Death Eater that backed out, and Voldemort killed him.”
“What if that was the reason why Regulus died? Because Voldemort found out that he stole the Horcrux.” Ron sat up, wearing almost the same look that Hermione was wearing before.
“I know where it is.”
“Where?”
“Remember when we were cleaning Grimmauld Place summer before last?” Harry and Hermione nodded.
“Remember when we found a locket that…”
“No one could open.”
“Right.”
“Well, that was an easy find then, we'll go to Grimmauld Place tomorrow,” Ron said.
“But how do you know it's still there?”
“Why wouldn't it?”
“Remember that Mundungus as been through the house looking for things to sell, what if he took that too?”
“I thought Dumbledore made him bring everything back?”
“Ron, do you honestly think that Mundungus is going to bring everything back?”
“Oh. Right.”
“He might-Harry, what's the matter?” Harry was staring off into space, like he purposely tuned out the conversation. He shook his head.
“Nothing.”
“Liar, ” Ron and Hermione said at the same time.
“It's just…I don't want to go back to Grimmauld Place all that bad. The whole place is just depressing.
“We don't have to go right away if you're not ready, Harry. It's understandable that it's painful to go back.”
“But anyways, I think we all should go back inside, people will be looking for us soon,” Ron said, as he slid off the railing and headed inside, Harry and Hermione right behind him.


A week later, Hermione and Ron brought Harry back to Privet Drive where he would spend his very last week in that hellhole. They apparated to Mrs. Figg's, and then they parted ways, Hermione and Ron going back to the Burrow, Harry going down the street. When he got back, he was greeted with an empty house. It looked as though the Dursley's moved out while he was gone. Harry climbed the stairs up to his room, where the padlocks had been placed on the door, to try and keep him from getting in. Harry laughed to himself, Uncle Vernon didn't know that now Harry was of age he could use magic, so Harry could easily get into his room again. Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at all the locks.
“Alohamora (sp?).” The locks all undid themselves, and Harry opened the door. For the most part it looked the same as it did when he left, except for an envelope on his desk. The letter had his name and underneath his name were the words, `Do not open until July 31st.It was now halfway through August so Harry opened the letter and read.....

Gosh!!!I h8 cliff-hangers!!!I thought it was pretty good but i thought u could have added mur 2 the wedding like the wedding reception with dancing or what ever but still it was very good!

yeh but as i said i ant never written a wedding before so soz if it werent very good

yea great story and cliffhanger but one thing you should say who is speaking after someone says sumthing. It was kind of hard to follow don'y do unless its really obvious but in a converstain tell who's say what

is anyone reading this anymore or shall i give up

dont give up!!!

ok then its just i dint think anyone was reading it

“Alohamora (sp?).” The locks all undid themselves, and Harry opened the door. For the most part it looked the same as it did when he left, except for an envelope on his desk. The letter had his name and underneath his name were the words, `Do not open until July 31st.It was now halfway through August so Harry opened the letter and read.....

Dear Mr. Potter,
With your coming of age, the opportunity has come up that you may take your apparition test. Should you choose to do so, contact the Ministry with an available time for you.
Sincerely,
Louisa Marshal
Head of Department of Wizard Travel


Harry folded up the letter and took out a piece of parchment, wrote down a time and sent it to the Ministry. He was nervous, the last time he apparated, he needed assistance, and wasn't all together sure he could do it by himself. As soon as that thought crossed his mind, another one pushed itself in the previous one's place. He was talking to Lupin at Bill and Fleur's wedding, and the topic was apparition. Even then, Harry wasn't sure he could do it, and it was at that point where Lupin smiled and said,
“Harry, you're James and Lily's son. I don't really think there is any magical capability that you don't possess.”

A few hours later, Harry had gone trough the visitors' entrance of the Ministry and presented his wand to be checked. The security guard found it ok, and sent him to the apparition floor. A surly wizard marked one spot with his wand and told Harry to stand on it. Then he marked a spot twenty feet away and told him to apparate from one spot to another. Remembering the brief training he had last year, Harry concentrated on the spot and kept willing himself to appear on it, and he shocked himself to find that he had. The wizard marked three more spaces; each time was farther and farther apart. Finally, the examiner decided Harry had passed, and twenty minutes later, Harry apparated out of the Ministry and to Mrs. Figg's backyard with his license in hand. When Harry got back to his room to finish his packing, he found a second letter that Petunia had left him that also said do not to open until July 31st. He opened it and read...

Dear Harry,
When you were left in our care, a few things came with you from your parents' house. Lily had written on a piece of paper that if anything should happen to her that these things should be given to you on your seventeenth birthday. They are at the bottom drawer of my dresser in the hall closet, underneath a blue quilt. There are three books in there, all three of them belong to you.
Petunia
Harry set the letter down and went to the hall closet. He found the blue quilt underneath a green one, thinking that Petunia didn't do all that good of a job hiding the books, but then remembered that he had only opened this door once or twice, and it was to hide from Dudley. Harry found his books, a small baby blue, a crimson square one, and a small emerald green one. The green one had the word, “Journal” written on it, and on the inside cover was his mother's signature. The crimson square one was a scrapbook Lily had made of her years in school, her wedding, the birth of her son, etc. Harry opened it and saw his mother and the Marauder's smiling and waving at him. The third book, the baby blue one, was Harry's baby book. The first page was titled, “Arrival” and had all the birth information on Harry.

Name: Harry James Potter
Date of Birth: July 31st, 1980
Time: 12:00 A.M.
Weight: 7 lbs. 4 oz.
Mother: Lily Elizabeth Evans-Potter
Father: James Michael Potter
Maternal Grandparents: David and Rose Evans (both deceased)
Paternal Grandparents: Michael and Cecilia Potter (both deceased)
Godfather: Sirius Black
Godmother: Alice Haysing-Longbottom
Aunts/Uncles (mother's side): Petunia Evans-Dursley, Vernon Dursley
Aunts/Uncles (father's side): none

Harry looked at the page with curiosity. He never knew his grandparents' names, on either side of his family, but wasn't surprised to find that all four of them were dead. He found it interesting that his godmother was Alice Longbottom, thought sadly that both his godfather and his godmother were either dead or insane because of being tortured. Harry closed his baby book and pulled out the scrapbook. Apparently, taking pictures was one of Lily's favorite things to do. Almost every event had a dozen or more pictures for it. There were quite a few pages dedicated to James and Lily, and a few for the Marauders. Harry kept looking at the pictures in the scrapbook, and lost track of time. Faintly, downstairs he heard someone knocking on the door. He looked at his alarm clock and noticed it read 7:10. Harry jumped out of his chair and ran downstairs. He was supposed to meet Hermione and Ron ten minutes ago. He opened the door and saw them both standing on the step.

AMAZING!I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO IT! YOU ARE THE MOST CREATIVE WRITER I HAVE EVER SEEN ON THIS FIC SITE! no offense to everyone else. BUT ITS JUST AMAZING I LOVE READING IT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE. J.K. SAID THAT SHE WAS GOING TO WRITE ABOUT HARRY'S GRANPARENTS AND YOU DID IT! IT'S JUST WONDERFUL. YOU'RE DOING GREAT

thanks iluvhpsomuch1_7 i dont think im the best on the site though!

The next morning everyone woke to find Hogwarts letters on the kitchen table. While Mrs. Weasley was making plans for them all to go to Diagon Ally that afternoon, Hermione, Ron, and Harry were talking about their letters that they hadn't even bothered to open. Hermione said,
“We have to write to McGonagall and tell her we're not coming back.” Harry pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. He dipped it in the ink and held it over the paper, prepared to write. Ron said,
“I'd hate to hear what McGonagall has to say when she finds out her best student isn't returning.” Harry said,
“I'd hate to hear what your mum'll say when she finds out her youngest son isn't returning for his last year.”
“Oh right.” Hermione said to Ron,
“She's the one I'd be more worried about, if I were you, Ron. Tell you what, we'll handle the letter to McGonagall, and you can tell your mother.”
“You mean you're sending me without witnesses? That's about as bad as putting a wizard in a room full of Death Eaters without his wand and telling him to win.” said Ron
“Take Ginny with you.” exclaimed Hermione
“Maybe you should tell her first.”
“Good idea, get some practice.” Ron stood and went upstairs, looking for his sister. Harry said,
“Ok, back to the letter. Here, you tell me what to write.”
“Ok.” Harry started the letter out writing, Dear Professor McGonagall. He looked at Hermione, who said,
“Due to reasons that can't be disclosed in this letter…we are writing to say that we will not be attending Hogwarts this year.” She paused, thinking about what to say. For no particular reason at all, she picked up her letter and opened it, perhaps thinking it might help her figure out what to say. Her eyes widened in surprise. Harry asked,
“What is it?”
“Oh my God.”
“What is it?” Harry repeated. Hermione pulled out a gold badge that had the letters, HG on it, and underneath, the words, Head Girl. Almost speechless, Hermione said breathlessly,
“I've been made Head Girl.”
“I don't know why you're surprised. Everyone always knew you were going to be someday.” Hermione didn't reply, but had that look on her face of deep thought. She muttered,
“I wonder…” She then grabbed Harry's letter from the table and slit it open. Her face broke into a smile, and she said,
“I knew it.” She handed the silver badge to Harry, which had the letters, HB, on it, and underneath, the words, Head Boy. Harry was speechless. Hermione grinned.
“I've been expecting that for a while.”
“But…I wasn't a prefect.”
“So? Neither was your dad, but he was Head Boy. Anyways, back to the letter.” Harry dipped the tip of the quill into the ink and held it above the parchment.
“We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause with the selections of Head Boy and Head Girl. There, it's short, and to the point. Just write, sincerely, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.” Five minutes later, Hedwig was flying off with the letter attached to her foot, and Harry and Hermione went to find Ron, to be with him when he told Mrs. Weasley that he wasn't going back to school. She was in the kitchen when the trio found her, and Ron said,
"Mum, we need to talk to you."
"What is it?"
"Maybe...you should sit down for this." Mrs. Weasley sat at the kitchen table, and Ron, Harry, and Hermione sat across from her.
"Well, what is it?"
"Mum, I'm seventeen, old enough to make my own decisions, right?"
"Some of your decisions, yes."
"Well, I've decided that I'm not going back to school this year." There was complete silence as the trio waited anxiously to see how Mrs. Weasley would take it. Finally she said,
"Why don't you want to go back to school this year?"
"Because I'm going with these two, and we won't have time for school."
"Neither one of you are going back?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I...can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"Because...it's a secret."
"Well, you better be telling me the secret if it's the reason why you're planning on not going back to Hogwarts this year! Where are you going?" Neither one of them answered her.
"Ronald Weasley, you'd better tell..." She never finished her sentence, because Hermione interrupted her saying,
"We're going to destroy Voldemort." Mrs. Weasley's attention turned to Hermione, and she said breathlessly, like she couldn't believe what she had just heard,
"What?"
"We're going to kill Voldemort."
"All three of you?"
"Yes."
"But...you're only seventeen!"
"So?"
"So how do you expect three seventeen year olds to take on the most powerful dark wizard the world has ever seen?"
"Well, we're not ordinary seventeen year olds."
"Ron, you're going back to school, and that's all there is to it!" Ron said, starting to lose his temper,
"Mum, I'm seventeen, I should be allowed to decide whether I go back or not!"
"Seventeen or not, Ron, I'm still your mother, and I'm saying that you're going back!" Mrs. Weasley stood up, and angrily left the kitchen. Ron glared at her as she left, and as soon as his mother was out of earshot, he said,
"I can't believe she's making me go back."
"She's just trying to protect you, Ron. You're her youngest son, and you're seventeen already. She's...just a little emotional."
"She's protecting me. From what? No one is safe anymore."
"But you're going and looking for trouble."
"Don't tell me you're thinking of backing out?" Harry, who had been silent through the whole conversation, looked at Hermione when Ron asked her about backing out. Without missing a beat, she said,
"Of course not." There was a short silence until Harry broke it, saying quietly, almost like he dreaded hearing the answer,
"What did Ginny say when you told her?"
"I never did."
"Why not?"
"Because she wasn't upstairs, and I didn't bother going to look for her. I'll tell her later, or you can tell her."
"Why do I have to?" Hermione rolled her eyes and said before Ron could answer Harry,
"Honestly, you two act like you're afraid of Ginny."
"We're not afraid of her."
"Then be men and talk to her." Both of them glared at her. Ron shrugged.
"Well, one of us should do it." He looked at Harry, and so did Hermione.
"Why am I the one who should talk to her?" Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Because she still thinks there's a chance for the two of you. You need to tell her the truth, stop leading her on. It's a cruel thing to do to a girl, Harry." He sighed.
"Where is she?"
"I think out in the garden." Harry stood and left the house, heading out to the garden, seeing Ginny's red hair right away. When he got to her, she smiled when she saw him, and he halfheartedly returned it. He said,
"Mind if I join you?"
"Go for it." Harry sat down, and Ginny said,
"So, what's up?"
"I need to talk to you."
"About what?" Harry didn't answer her right away, he was trying to think of the best way to put what he wanted to say. While he was thinking, he glanced up and saw an owl flying towards the Burrow, and soar into the kitchen window. Finally, he thought of something to say.
"You know when we...broke up last spring...how it...kind of left things up in the air? Like...maybe some day we could be together again?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, Ginny, I really don't things are going to work out at all. I don't know what made me feel this way over the summer, but you remember me telling you how I would feel every time I saw before we were together?" Ginny didn't answer him, the hurt look on her face and all the things running through her brain kept her from answer him. Harry went on, still trying to think of what to say without hurting her more.
"I guess, I just can't explain it, Ginny." It was a while before Ginny said anything. Harry patiently waited until she said,
"You're sure that it can't work out between us? I mean, we have next year at school still, are you sure that you're wanting to make up your mind already?"
"Yes, because I'm not going back to school this year."
"You're not?"
"No. Ron, Hermione and I are going off to kill Voldemort." Ginny flinched. The hurt look on her face turned to a sour one and she shook her head and muttered, "Hermione."
"What about her?"
"This is probably the highlight of her boring life, to set out with her two best friends out to save the world, keeping them all to herself." Harry didn't reply, he didn't know what to say. As if reality just hit her, Ginny shrugged and, losing her anger, said sadly,
"Oh well, I guess it's the way it's supposed to be. In the back of my mind I always figured that you two belonged together."
"Me and Hermione? Belong together? I don't think so, Ginny."
"You don't think so? Haven't you always wondered why the gossip mill has been revolving around you two for six years, Harry?" When he didn't answer her, she went on, "Because it seems to fit. To some people you seem like the perfect couple. She and Ron don't belong together, people with two different levels of brain activity don't belong together. Where would you be without her? Seriously."
"Probably dead."
"Exactly. You need her more than need me."
"Wait this isn't about me and Hermione, Ginny. It has nothing to do with her."
"Nevertheless...I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too, Ginny."
"Just make sure you do one thing, though."
"Kill the bastard."
"I plan to, I will." In the distance, from the house, Harry heard Ron calling for him. Ginny said,
"You'd better go, it's probably important."
"Yeah. Ginny, I..."
"Just go, there's nothing really left to say." With that, Harry slowly stood up and headed back to the house. He was deep in thought about what Ginny had said to him.

thanks for reading plzz review

oooooooooooooooooo i just read all of your posts then and now its come to an end. Wow this story is sooooooo good and ur english teacher is crazy.
Wow keeps posting I love reading it. Ur stories are keeping me entertained until book seven.

thanks ticket inspecto ill update 2moz probably

It's a great story. Don't give up on it, it's good.

One tip, though. Try to clarify who's speaking, sometimes i get confused who's talking.

But otherwise, great story.

well it was kind of confusing. Put whos talking after the person talks not before unless you you start a new paragraph. Do it every time unless its really really obvious

Ive sorted out the who's talking situation so plz read and review thanks!!!


Harry reached the house and came back into the kitchen, where Hermione and Ron were sitting opposite each other, a letter between them. Harry said,
"What is it?"
"McGonagall sent a reply." Replied Ron
"Already?" Hermione nodded and handed the letter to Harry. It read,
Harry, Hermione, and Ron -
I wish for you three to meet with me tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 to talk about your letter.
Sincerely,
Professor McGonagall
"Well, I guess we probably should go." said Harry
"Yeah, we should." replied Hermione
"She'd better not try and convince us to go back, because like I told Mum, I'm not doing it!" Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Easy there, Ron. No one's making you go back. You're so defensive."
"I am not!" Hermione gave him a look that said, 'see?', and Ron fell silent. Forgetting Ron's defensiveness, Hermione said,
"I wonder what she wants to see us about." asked Harry.


The next day, at twenty-five after three, Harry, Hermione, and Ron stood outside the Hogwarts castle, staring up at the building that had been their home for six years. But it just didn't seem to have the same warmth and inviting feeling as it used to. The reason for that, Harry figured was the white tomb by the lake, which held Dumbledore's body. Harry took a deep breath and sighed. Hermione looked at him, smiled, and reached for his hand, and held it in hers comfortingly, then she took Ron's hand in her other one and held it. She also took a deep breath and sighed and said,
"Well, let's get it over with." Ron opened the doors to the entrance hall, and the trio set foot in the castle. It seemed so dark and gloomy, like the lights weren't functioning properly, not giving off their proper amount of light. They made their way to the Headmistress's office, stopped at the stone gargoyle, unsure of what the password was. Harry thought for a second then said tentatively,
"Lemon Drop?" The stone gargoyle leapt aside and the stairs to the office materialized. The trio climbed the steps and when they reached the top, Ron knocked on the door.
"Come in," came McGonagall's reply from the other side of the door. Ron opened it, and they came into the office. It looked almost exactly the same as it did when Dumbledore was Headmaster, with only a few changes. The portraits of the former headmasters and headmistresses quietly snoozed in their frames or tried to see who entered the office. The portrait of Dumbledore still slept peacefully, looking the same as it did at the end of last year. From the time the three had come into the castle and went to McGonagall's office, Ron had dropped Hermione's hand, but Harry still held her hand, finding it somewhat calming. Professor McGonagall sat at her desk, writing, and didn't acknowledge the presence of her former Gryffindors right away. She finished the sentence she was on, and laid her quill down and looked up. She smiled and said,

pretty koo!

"Please have a seat you three." The trio sat, and McGonagall leaned back in her chair.
"I cannot deny my disappointment when I read your letter. So many have already decided not to come back this year, and it's disappointing to see you three on the list. Especially when you, Harry and Hermione, were chosen as Head Boy and Head Girl."
"You're not going to make us come back are you?" Ron said uneasily.
"No, Ron, I'm not. I have no control over the matter. If it is your choice to not return this year, then I must go along with it. I just would like to know why, though." Hermione, releasing Harry's hand, sat up a little straighter in her chair and said,
"It's not that we're afraid to come back, Professor, it's that we have things to deal with, that can't be done while at school."
"Because of the Horcruxes." The trio looked at their former transfiguration teacher in surprise. She smiled slightly and said,
"Before he died, Dumbledore left me a letter in case the worst should happen, and he explained it all in there. He explained that there are still four left if the locket proved to be a decoy.”
“It was, Professor. The locket wasn't a Horcrux, Dumbledore weakened himself that night for a fake Horcrux.” said Harry
“I know. But what we need to find out is where the locket could be.”
“Professor, I think we might know that. Harry said that in the locket was a note signed by an R.A.B. We did some thinking, and we think that R.A.B. could've been Sirius's brother Regulus, and that the fourth Horcrux could be at Grimmauld Place,” Hermione said, in that same tone of voice she used when answering a question in class. Professor McGonagall nodded.
“That is very possible. If I recall correctly…” She stopped in mid-sentence and got up and retrieved a thick book and flipped through a few pages before coming to a stop and placing her finger on a place. The trio stood to see what she was pointing at, and saw the book was a list of every student that had ever attended Hogwarts and what house they were in. She was pointing to Regulus A. Black.
“You were right, Regulus's initials are R.A.B. There's a very strong possibility that he took the Horcrux.” Ron picked the book up and turned it over in his hands.
“Can I borrow this for a moment? I just want to look through it.” McGonagall nodded and the trio sat back down in their chairs.
“So you're planning on going to Grimmauld Place then?”asked McGonagall
Harry and Hermione nodded, Ron was busy looking through the book.
“Then let me offer a suggestion. I already know you won't be returning to classes, but I think that it might be wise to let everyone think that you are. Because people will notice that you three are among the ones not coming back to school this year and could tell the right people to go looking for you somewhere other than Hogwarts. So, I think you should come back on the first day of school, as the Head Boy and Girl, and you can come and go as you like, though I would prefer that you let me know when you're leaving.” Hermione nodded.
“It might be a good idea. But if we're gone for weeks at a time, wouldn't people notice then?” asked Hermione
“I don't think they would as much as if you didn't come that first day. At least this would buy you some time.” Hermione and McGonagall went on forming the plan, but Harry's attention was brought to the book his other best friend had. Ron had elbowed Harry and when he got his attention, pointed to a few names on the list of students that came to Hogwarts twenty-seven years ago. He pointed to Evans, Lily E. and Potter, James M., then to Black, Sirius O., and to Lupin, Remus J. Harry smiled, but Ron held up a finger to say `hold on a moment'. He flipped back a few pages to a list written twenty-five years prior to the one with his parents. He pointed to a name, Potter, Michael W. Harry's grandfather apparently. Ron held his finger up again and flipped forward in the book. He got to a list twenty years after his parents' year. Ron said,
“Who're these thickheads?” He pointed to Granger, Hermione J., Potter, Harry J., and Weasley, Ronald B.
Harry smiled and shook his head. “Dunno, never heard of them.” Ron grinned and turned back through the book looking for other people they knew.
Harry turned back to McGonagall and Hermione's conversation. “Professor, how do you destroy a Horcrux?” Both women turned their attention to him and McGonagall said,
“I don't know, Harry. I know very little about them.”
“I know how I destroyed the diary, but I know there's other ways of destroying them.”
“I know. But like I said, I know very little about them, and even less about how to destroy them.” stated McGonagall
Hermione grabbed Harry's arm as a realization came to her. “Harry, maybe Slughorn knows. He knew about the Horcruxes in the first place, remember, he told Riddle in that memory. Maybe since he knew what they were, he might know how to destroy them.”
“Is he here?” Harry asked
“Yes, he should be in his office" replied McGonagall Harry and Hermione stood up, and Ron asked,
“Where are we going?”
“We'll be right back, Ron, we need to talk to Professor Slughorn.” replied Harry
“We'd take you along, but…” mumbled Hermione
“It'd be easier for you two to persuade him to give up information than it would be if I was along right?” said Ron
Harry and Hermione looked uneasily at each other, but Ron shrugged. “I guess you're right. I'll be right here, still reading. I'll admit, it is interesting to see what kind of people went to school here.” They smiled, and Harry and Hermione left the office to find Slughorn. They found him in his office, writing out lesson plans for the upcoming year. Hermione cleared her throat, announcing their presence

is anyone reading this coz otherwise im stopping it?

dude, yea this is really really good, keep it up!

Slughorn looked up and he smiled a huge smile and said jollily, “Harry, m'boy! And Miss Granger! How good to see you!”
“Sorry to bother you sir, are you busy?” asked Harry
“I'd never be too busy to visit with two of the best potion students in this school! To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? Would you like a cup of tea? Or perhaps something stronger?”Replied Slughorn
“Sorry, Professor, but we didn't exactly come for a social call. In fact, we have something we need to ask you.”said Hermione
“S'alright, sit down, sit down.” They sat, and despite their protests, eventually ended up with cups of tea in front of them.
“So what can I do for you?” Hermione spoke; Harry was glad that she was doing the talking for the both of them; she was able to sweet talk people and make them see logic in things to get her way sometimes.
“Sir, we were wondering if you could tell us…how do you destroy a Horcrux?” The jovial smile fell from Slughorn's face, and he stood up quickly, almost knocking over his chair.
“Now why would you think I would know anything about that?” The nervousness was evident in his voice.
“It's just well, you gave Harry that memory of you telling Tom Riddle what Horcruxes were, and we figured that since you knew what they were, you might know how to destroy them.” asked Slughorn
“You know, I've just remembered, I have an appointment, terribly urgent, can't get out of it, so I'll just be going…” He made for the door, but Hermione and Harry stood in front of it.
Hermione said, the sweetness and hesitation in her voice gone, “If you tell us, Professor, it will take us a step closer to killing Lord Voldemort. We can rid the world of his power…if only we knew how to destroy the seven parts of his soul.” She added, “You…do want him dead…right Professor?” It was a cornering question. Bordering on the lines of blackmail. If he were to refuse to tell them, they could easily use it as an excuse to be helping out the Dark Arts. Slughorn sighed.
“Why don't you want to give up this information?” Harry asked.
“Harry, m'boy, do you realize that Horcruxes are among the list of extremely Dark magic. If the Ministry knew I knew about them, I'd be spending a lifetime in Azkaban for sure.”
“So you value your own life over hundreds of others whose lives could be spared if we knew how to destroy the Horcruxes?” Hermione asked incredulously. Slughorn didn't answer.
“If you tell us, we'll keep it to ourselves, we'll never tell anyone. Not even Ron,” Harry said, trying another tactic. Slughorn sighed again. He pulled out his wand and shut the door, and cast a silencing charm around the office.
“Horcruxes are extremely Dark Magic. Destroying one is just as bad. To make one, you have to kill someone or something of importance. To destroy it, you simply destroy the object. But, it's not that easy. You have to give it something in return; blood. If you don't, it will take something from you. Case in point, Dumbledore's hand. But it can't be just any person's blood. It has to be someone significant.” said Slughorn
“What happens to the part of the soul once the Horcrux is destroyed? Does it return to Voldemort?”asked Harry
Slughorn shook his head.
“It is destroyed too.” replied Slughorn
“Would Voldemort know if a part of his soul was destroyed?” Slughorn shook his head again.
“It is unlikely. Because if he did, he would've put more care into hiding his soul. But I believe that because his soul is split, he can no longer feel them because they are no longer part of his body. But, anyways, I really do have an engagement I must attend to now. It's getting late, and I must be going.” He lifted the silencing charm off the office, and unlocked the door for Harry and Hermione to exit.
“That makes sense what Slughorn said about destroying the Horcruxes. I'm guessing there was blood on the diary. You were bleeding from the basilisk wound; it was your blood on the book. I bet Dumbledore did a more thorough way of destroying the soul in the ring, but didn't give it his blood,” Hermione said.
Harry shrugged. “I think for the moment, we need to find these Horcruxes first, then think about destroying them. Take it one step at a time.” Hermione smiled.
“Good insight, Harry. You're right. We need to take one step at a time.” They reached McGonagall's office, arranged everything so it was possible for the trio to come and go as they pleased while at school. Soon, they were leaving the castle, and as soon as they were outside the grounds, Ron started asking about what Slughorn told them.
“How hard is it to destroy one?” Harry and Hermione stopped walking and so did Ron.
“Well, Slughorn doesn't want us to tell anyone how to destroy one so he can save his own butt, but…”
“Oh, so I see, so you're not going to tell me. You're going to leave me out, again. You're going to leave me out while you two go out and be the heroes. Well, I'll leave you to it then. I'm heading back home.” Ron apparated before Harry or Hermione could say anything. Harry sighed.
“Well, that could've gone better.” laughed Harry
“He wouldn't even let me finish what I was saying. He acts like we're trying to do this all on our own, that we don't want his help. He's turning himself into the victim, and frankly, I'm getting sick and tired of it. He's been doing this all summer, it sounds like something a ten-year-old would do, not an adult.” She sighed.
“Well, come on, let's go get him.” They both apparated back to the Burrow, thankful it was empty save for Ron up in his room. Hermione knocked on the door, and Ron didn't answer. She opened it and they found Ron sitting on his bed, reading about the Chudley Cannons.
“That was real mature, Ron,” Hermione said sarcastically. Ron looked up from his book and sighed.
“Well? What did you want me to do? You're excluding me, when I could be of help.”
“No one is excluding you from anything, Ron. If you would let Hermione finish what she was saying, you'd know that.” replied Harry
“Fine, what were you going to say?”
“I was going to say that we promised Slughorn that we wouldn't tell anyone, but we're going to tell you, so don't you dare tell anyone else.” said Hermione
“I promise. How do you destroy one?” asked Ron
“Simply destroy the object, but you have to give it a blood sacrifice.” replied Hermione
“Well, that sounds like something Voldemort would do.” joked Ron
“But we're going to go to Grimmauld Place and get that locket. Are you coming with us?” asked Harry
“Of course…” They were interrupted by Mrs. Weasley coming in the room and she started bustling around the room, picking up dirty clothes and tidying up a bit.
“Mum, what are you doing in here?” asked Ron
“We're going to Diagon Ally to pick all of your new school things.” replied Mrs.Weasley
“Mum, I already told you, I'm not going back this year!” yelled Ron Mrs. Weasley pretended like she didn't here what her son said, and continued to pick up dirty clothes.
“Come on, you three, let's get going. Ron, let me see how your robes look, I need to see if you need new ones this year. Come on, come downstairs and show me.” Ron sighed as his mother left the room.
“She's mental.”
“She's in denial. She doesn't want to admit that we're not going back.” said Hermione
“Well, she's going to have to deal with it soon. Go on, I'll do what she says, and I'll apparate before we leave. I'll meet up with you a little later.” Harry and Hermione nodded, and the three of them left the room, and Harry and Hermione apparated to just outside Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

So sorry I havent been commenting lately but ive been very busy this week and I just read the whole story and I have 2 say ur story is 1 of the best ive read!

Originally posted by Denniz234

“Would Voldemort know if a part of his soul was destroyed?” Slughorn shook his head again.
“It is unlikely. Because if he did, he would've put more care into hiding his soul. But I believe that because his soul is split, he can no longer feel them because they are no longer part of his body.


This seems awfulllllly familiar

but anywho, it was really good, post more soon!!

what do you mean by it seems familiar

seems as joelsef isnt replying i am gonna put the next part up

Grimmauld Place was dark and dusty, as it hadn't been occupied in a year. Harry gazed at the hallway and was instantly reminded of Sirius. This was one of the last places Harry ever wanted to visit, because it was a reminder of the way Sirius spent the last year of his life; cooped up in a house that he'd hated since he was young. Nothing had changed. The old troll leg umbrella stand still stood by the steps; the violet curtains were still pulled over what Harry knew was Mrs. Black's portrait. The house elf heads were still on the wall, and all of the Black artifacts still stood or hung in their places. Hermione looked at the entrance hall with disgust.
“Well, do you have any idea where we should begin to look?” Hermione said quietly, just in case any loud noises would awaken Mrs. Black.
“No idea. Do you remember where that locket got thrown? I remember Sirius finding it, but I don't remember what happened to it?”
“Oh, I hope it didn't get thrown away, because there's no telling where it might be.”
“You know, remember when Kreacher was stealing things out of the bins we were throwing them into? What if he just happened to take the locket?”
“We should check his little den.” Harry nodded in agreement, and they headed for the kitchen, but Hermione's foot caught the troll leg umbrella holder and she almost fell over, but Harry caught her, and the stand fell over with a loud clunk. The violet curtains flew apart and Mrs. Black started screaming.
“WHO DARES ENTER MY HOUSE!!!” She spotted Harry and Hermione and her huge eyes widened.
“YOUUUUUUU!!! FILTHY MUDBLOODS AND BLOOD TRAITORS!!! HOW DARE YOU ENTER MY HOUSE!!!! HOW DARE YOU DEFILE THE HOUSE OF MY ANCESTORS…”
“SHUT UP!!!!” Harry and Hermione both shouted at the same time, but it wouldn't stop Mrs. Black's ranting and raving. At the same time in one fluid motion, Harry and Hermione whipped their wands out and shouted,
“SILENCIO!!” The combination of the two voices shouting the same spell made it twice as strong, and the jet of light hit the painting, and Mrs. Black was rendered silent. Hermione lowered her wand and pointed at the picture of the woman.
“Now, you will shut up, or I swear, I'll find a blasting charm sufficient enough to blast you off the wall, and mark my words, I will find one,” Hermione said in a deadly voice. Mrs. Black glared back at the young witch, just wishing to scream out at her. Hermione put her wand away, and Harry followed her down the stairs and into the kitchen. They made their way down to Kreacher's home by the boiler. Old ratty clothes and blankets littered the floor, and Hermione searched through them, hopefully finding Kreacher's stash. Harry looked by the boiler, and noticed a loose stone in the floor when he put his foot there. He shifted it a little, and carefully lifted it from its place in the floor. The hole the stone left was just big enough for Kreacher to shimmy down it and into the hole underneath. Harry pulled out his wand and muttered, “Lumos.” He stuck his wand down the hole for the light and his jaw dropped at what was down there.
“Hermione, come here.” Hermione stopped rummaging through the cloth and moved over to where Harry was kneeling. Harry pointed at the hole.
“Look.” Below, in a space about twenty feet long and six feet deep, everything that Kreacher had saved was in boxes stacked to the ceiling. There was just enough room left for two people to crawl in. Hermione's face lit up and she laughed.
“Well, now that we've found all of this, the next question is, how do we get down there?” Hermione pulled out her wand and transfigured the loose stone into something sharp that could cut stone. She cut a hole big enough for them to slide into, and lighting the tip of her wand, she did like Luna Lovegood always did and put it behind her ear, and swinging her feet down the hole, she grabbed the other side of the hole and slid into the hole. Harry heard her shoes softly hit the stone floor below, and he slid down beside her. He stood up straight and hit his head on the ceiling. His hand went to his head and he glared up at the ceiling.
“Ow! Son of a…”
“Careful Harry,” Hermione interrupted him before he could finish his sentence, “You're not as short as you used to be.” Harry rubbed the bump on his head and glared at Hermione, who laughed.
“So,” Hermione said, looking over the boxes and crates full of junk, “Where do we start?” Harry shrugged and grabbed a box.
“First of all, we can move everything out of this hole, so one, we can see it all better, and two…”
“So you don't have to worry about hitting your head, right?” She said, with another grin.
“Exactly.” Harry lifted a box up and slid it onto the floor above them, and Hermione handed him another one, and he slid that one onto the floor too, and they repeated the process until the last box was out of the hole. After all the boxes were out, Harry pulled himself out of the hole, and offered his hands to Hermione to help her out. Once they both were out, they stopped when they heard someone in the house. They looked at each other, fearful that someone had found them. It wasn't until they heard Ron's voice say, “Harry? Hermione? Where are you?” that they breathed a sigh of relief.
“We're in Kreacher's den, through the kitchen!” Harry called out to Ron. They heard him open the door and when he saw the boxes and crates scattered all over, he grinned.
“Well, we've got a start.” They all three started sorting through everything, looking in every fold, small box, and envelope they could find.

hey sorry i didnt reply right away, i kinda forgot that i wrote that. that little part of the conversation between slughorn and harry just seemed very reminiscent of the conversation Harry had with Dumbledore in HBP. it doesnt matter though, keep writin, youre doin good

“So, how did you get away from your mum, Ron?” Hermione asked, not taking her attention off the box of random junk that filled it.
“She told me to go upstairs and get my cloak to measure, and I just never came back. But don't worry, Hermione,” Hermione opened her mouth to interrupt. “I left a note for her, so she doesn't worry.”
“Ron, all the notes in the world wouldn't keep your mother from worrying about you.”sighed Hermione
They went through more boxes and when Harry got to the bottom of a crate, he moved it out of the way, but stopped when he heard something move, and there was a sound of metal hitting wood. Ron and Hermione both stopped and looked at it.
“The bottom of the inside of the crate doesn't fit with the outside. It's shallower than it looks,” Harry said, after examining it. He felt around in the box to see if there was a way to get to what was underneath.
“Turn it upside down,” Ron suggested. “Maybe it'll fall out.” Harry did so, but it didn't work. He smacked it, but the bottom wouldn't budge.
“Know any spells for getting the bottom off of a crate, Hermione?” Harry said, half joking, half expecting her to come up with something. She pointed her wand at two pieces of silver and transfigured them into an ordinary muggle hammer and crow bar. She handed both to Harry.
“Sometimes the muggle way is simpler.” Harry nodded in agreement and slid the crow bar under on of the lath pieces and hit the end of the bar with the hammer to get better leverage underneath. He then bent the crow bar back, and the nail popped out of the hole, and the lath snapped off. Harry put the hammer and crow bar down, and Ron picked them up, looking at them with awe.
“Amazing. Amazing that a simple muggle thing-a-ma-bob could do that.” Both Harry and Hermione smiled at each other as Harry felt around for whatever was rattling around. He first pulled out an envelope and handed it to Hermione, and reached around for the metal object.
“This envelope is addressed to Sirius,” Hermione said when she read the name.
“What does it say?” Hermione slit it open, and pulled out the note. She read, “Dear Sirius, I need you to hold on to something for me. NEVER let anyone find it. It involves a way to defeat Voldemort. Keep it safe, again, NEVER let anyone find it. I don't know what's going to happen to me now that I've tried to back out, but I can guarantee it's not something I'll live through. I know things have never been great between us, but please, do this for me. As one last wish from your baby brother. Regulus.” Hermione and Ron looked up as Harry lifted a locket on a gold chain with a small serpent in the shape of an `S' engraved on it. They all looked at it in shock. Shock that it had been so easy to find, and that they had actually found the Horcrux.
“So now what do we do?” Ron asked.
“I think we should leave it in the house for right now. It's a safe place; no one will come here except us, since it belongs to Harry. We'll decide when to destroy it, and…who's blood we need.” So, leaving the locket and the letter in a safe spot in Ron and Harry's old bedroom, the trio went back to the Burrow. After sitting through one of Mrs. Weasley's lectures on leaving without telling anyone during dangerous times, Harry, Hermione, and Ron sat outside on the back porch, just like they did the day of Bill and Fleur's wedding. Harry and Hermione sat rocking back and forth on the swing, and Ron sat on the porch railing. They sat in silence until Hermione spoke up.
“Ok, we need to discuss this coming year.”
“What about it?”asked Harry
“Well, since Mrs. Weasley didn't take us and Ginny to Diagon Ally today, she's talking about going tomorrow. We need to go on like we're going back to school this year. We need to go through with buying the books, robes, whatever we need, so we don't raise suspicion. So then on September 1st, we'll be on the train to Hogwarts, go through all the ceremony, and then we'll talk later. How's that sound?” Harry and Ron nodded, glad that Hermione was the brains of the operation, because she had it all figured out, while they didn't really have a clue of what to do next. It worried Harry what they were all getting themselves into. He knew he had to do it; he had to destroy the Horcruxes and kill Voldemort. But it didn't settle the feeling of dread that constantly sat in the pit of his stomach, he had no idea what the future held for all of them, and that was what mostly worried him.
“You know what I wish?” Ron and Hermione turned they're heads to Harry to show they were listening.
“I wish that I knew how this would all turn out. I wish I could see the future, and know whether we all live or die through this.”
“You'll live, Harry,” Hermione said, her eyes drooping with exhaustion. “I'm sure of it. You'll go on, and live the life that most people only ever dreamt about, a life without the threat of Voldemort.”
“But you don't know that I will, Hermione. What about you? And Ron?” Ron waved the thought away with his hand.
“We'll live, Harry. We're tough, we'll make it,” Ron said, trying to sound reassuring, but in the back of his mind, and in his two friends beside him, they didn't know if he was right, there was no way to find out until that day.

wiil more people plz review coz it fells like no1s reading this!!

The next morning, the trio, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley set out for Diagon Alley. Mrs. Weasley was becoming overbearing, and all teenagers wanted to escape as quickly as possible. No matter what they said or did, Mrs. Weasley never let them leave. Ginny had resorted to begging.
“Please, Mum, I'll be fine, can't you just let me go by myself?”
“No! Things are too dangerous nowadays to be wandering around by yourself. There's no guarantee that you'll be protected.” Mrs. Weasley grabbed Ginny's arm to pull her along, but Ginny wrenched it out of her grip.
“Mum, I'm not a child!” she said fiercely. “Stop treating me like I'm five years old!” Mrs. Weasley sighed and kept walking, her fuming daughter following her. Harry, Hermione, and Ron started walking again, completely bored out of their minds. When Mrs. Weasley suggested they go visit Fred and George in their shop, they all lightened up. A joke shop full of people and chaos would be the perfect way to escape. Just as they all suspected, the shop was filled with students buying joke supplies. While Fred and Mrs. Weasley were talking, Ron beckoned for his older brother, Fred's twin, George.
“What?” asked George
“Keep Mum busy, we're trying to ditch her.” said Ron
“Ah, trying to play the rebel, little bro?” laughed George
“She's overbearing.” moaned Ron
“Of course she is, she's Mum. I'll see what I can do.” replied George
“Thanks, George, we owe you one.” George nodded and joined his brother talking to their mum.
“Mum, you've got to see some of the new things we've come up with. Should be a high seller.” Mrs. Weasley agreed to go, and while they were walking away, George gave Ron a thumbs up to tell him to go. Ron grinned and turned to his friends.
“Alright. Let's go. See ya later, Gin.” Harry, Hermione, and Ron all apparated at the same time, leaving Ginny. But it didn't matter to her; she'd rather be by herself than with the trio. She stepped out of the store and onto the street, deciding where to go next. When she and Harry last talked, Ginny had pretended that she was ok with everything, but the truth of the matter was she was still angry about it. The only member of the trio that Ginny really talked to was her brother, only because he was the only one who hadn't betrayed her or tossed aside. She was furious with Harry, and hated Hermione with a passion. Every little thing about Hermione irritated her, from her intelligence, to the fact that to Harry, Hermione could do no wrong, that he had her on a pedestal that no girl could ever measure up to. And then he said he didn't love her, that there was nothing between them. Foolish boys, they couldn't see love if it was standing right in front of them. And Hermione was just as foolish, she said there was nothing between her and Harry. Ginny laughed to herself. And people thought Hermione was smart. And that was what hurt, and made Ginny's jealousy of Hermione grow even more than it had been from day one. Ginny didn't realize where she was going until she reached the end of Diagon Alley, about to go into Knockturn Alley. She turned around, but didn't realize three men beginning to follow her as she made her way back to Diagon Alley. She sensed someone following her, and turned, and that was when they grabbed her. Ginny tried to scream, but one of the men covered her mouth with his hand. She tried to reach for her wand, but they were quicker, and flung the wand onto the streets as they carried Ginny deeper into Knockturn Alley.

as no one is responding to my story i have decided to stop writing it i thank the people that have been reading my story and i am sorry to anyone that wanted me 2 carry on!

waht no dont stop! I like your story i was just too lazy to respond sry!

i never imagine that Ginny would be jeaslous of Hermione but you make it seem so real

ok then i will carry on my story for u iluvhpsomuch1_7 but if no1 writes any reviews den i will stop.This mite sound like im bein picky but i feel like an idiot writing and no1 writes back

It was the scariest moment of Ginny's life. She didn't what was going to happen to her, whether she'd live or die. Her mind was numb to what was actually going on, all she could think about was that she was going to die. She didn't see someone reach down and pick up her wand and hold it in the opposite hand of the own that held his own wand. He held his wand at the ready.
“Let her go,” He said in a threatening voice. The three men stopped and looked for who spoke. One of them sneered at the intruder.
“What do you want?”
“I want you to let her go. Now.”
“What authority do you have over us, Malfoy? You're so low on the Death Eater chain, that you're not even fit to wipe the dirt off of our shoes. You think we'll listen to you?”
“I could curse you. Remember all of those curses Voldemort taught me? I could use them now.” The third man pointed at him.
“Don't say his name, boy. You're not worthy enough to use it!”
“C'mon, you two, let's go. Let this traitor have the *****,” The second man said, and they all disapparated. Draco knelt next to Ginny, who, wide-eyed with fear, tried to get up and run away, but Draco held her still.
“Are you alright, Weasley?” Ginny didn't answer, now more scared than she was with the three men.
“I'm not going to hurt you.” Ginny finally found her voice.
“Why should I believe anything you say, Malfoy? You're the enemy!” Draco stood, and offered his hands to Ginny to help her up.
“I'm not the enemy. I've been exiled by who you call the enemy. I'm no longer part of them.” Ginny laughed, not taking Draco's offer and still sat on the ground.
“I refuse to believe that. What would make them send you into exile?” asked Ginny
“The fact that I couldn't complete a mission. I'm actually very lucky, I could've been killed for my failure.” replied Malfoy
“Why should I believe your story, how can you prove it?” asked Ginny
“If I was meant to be a Death Eater, don't you think I would've gone through my mission?” Ginny looked at Draco hesitantly, but finally took Draco's offered hand and he pulled her up.
“Do you have the…Dark Mark on your arm?” Draco nodded slowly. “Trust me, Ginny, I've taken Dumbledore's advice that he gave me before he died and come over to the other side. Though as a silent follower, I'm sure no one will be pleased to have me right away.”
“I must be crazy, but I'll give you a chance for right now. And…thank you, for…saving me.” said Ginny
“You're welcome.” They were silent for a while, neither one really sure what to do next.
“So, are you still going out with Potter?” Ginny looked up and glared at Draco.
“Don't. Remind me of him. He's nothing but a…there are no words to describe him.”
“That bad?” asked Malfoy
“Actually, it's not him I'm mad at it. It's not him I hate. It's that female best friend of his that I can't stand.”
“What's wrong with Granger? Besides her being an overbearing know-it-all.” laughed Malfoy
“Harry loves her and not me, and he's too much of an idiot to realize that he loves her.” moaned Ginny
“Well, I knew that, everyone knew that.” said Malfoy
“You all knew that he didn't love me?” asked Ginny
“Everyone knew he would never love you, Ginny. Because of Hermione. And no one ever understood why you wasted your time with him. Sorry to be so blunt, but…” replied Malfoy
“How could I have been so stupid and foolish?” Draco shrugged.
“I guess we're all allowed to be stupid and foolish sometimes.” said Malfoy
“Yeah. Well, I should probably go, my mother will looking for me.” Ginny turned to go.
“Hey, Ginny?” Ginny stopped and looked back.
“Want to do something daring and rebellious?”
“Like what?” asked Ginny
“Want to meet me again sometime?” Ginny smiled.
“When?” asked Ginny
“I don't know. Next Friday?” replied Malfoy
“I can't. There's a whole bunch of family stuff going on that day. Are you going back to school?” Draco shook his head.
“Well, we can meet up in Hogsmeade. How about the first Friday after term starts?”
“Alright.” replied Malfoy
“At seven?” asked Ginny
“Yeah.”
“Alright. Till then.” Ginny smiled and nodded.
“Bye.” As Ginny walked away, she thought to herself, `What am I doing? I just said I'd meet Malfoy in Hogsmeade! What is the matter with me? What will people say? Ron would be annoyed, and…' Ginny smiled, `So would Harry.' Suddenly, the risk she was taking meeting Malfoy didn't seem so dangerous now. Infact she was starting to like this 'new' Malfoy

Oh, good post and if you even think about stopping I'll stop my story and gie you hell! LOL But anyways great post and can't wait for new post.

NO! u cant stop ur story ur story is legend

look just because people dont write back doesnt mean you should stop. Like when i started my story no one wrote back but now everyone writes back just give it time. I luved your post but i hope Ginny and Harry stay together and that Harry doesnt love Hermione or Ginny loves Draco. But don't change it because i said that! I want to read what you intend to write!

hehe *evil grin* I'm not going to quit but I'll leave you with a gift, my next chapter is called

Harry Vs. Malfoy


How do you like that hehe I'll writing it tonight yay! Lol But seriously that's the next chapter so i'll leave you wondering what si going to happen.

ur evil scotty, and btw i dont no what shipper mine is yet iluvhpsomuch1_7 i think it mite be a h/hr but i aint sure!!

awesome and dont stop but I can only post over the weekends and its great!!!but aww H/HR o well ill get over it but I like the Ginny/Draco stuff!!!

I have been reading your story for a while now but have not been able to post any feedback b/c my mom wouldn't let me sign up. Now I have so I just wanted to tell you that I really like your story. I am a H/G shipper but its always nice to read something different so keep writing. Your doing a great job.

soory for the h/hr but its just how i wrote it and this next post will be my only post this week coz ive got SATS all week(god i hate bein 13) anyway i mite have the next update up tonite

wat the hell who cares about revising here it goes...

“Ginny, where'd you go?” Ron asked his sister later after they had met up and were going back to Fred and George's joke shop.
“Oh, just…around. I went to a…whole bunch of places.” Ron nodded in understanding.
“Mum's going to be furious.” Ginny shrugged.
“Oh well, what is she going to do, you're seventeen now, I'm going to be in a few months, we're not kids anymore.”
“Have fun convincing Mum of that, Gin.” Ginny shrugged again and turned her attention to Harry and Hermione who were walking along in silence.
“You two seem awfully quiet.”said |Ginny
Hermione gave a half smile.
“Just thinking.” There was no time to say anything else, they had reached Fred and George's shop.

Harry stared silently at the red sunrise from his seat at Ron’s window and sighed.

“You alright, mate?” asked Ron, throwing on a pair of pants.

“Yeah,” replied Harry. “Just...”

“A bit thrown that you’re finally going back to where you lived with your parents?” suggested Ron.

“Something like that,” said Harry with a smile. “I never knew them...but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m going home.”

“I wouldn’t really know,” shrugged Ron.

“You boys almost ready in there?” asked Hermione, knocking on the door.

“Yeah,” replied Harry. “C’mon in.”

The door opened slightly and Hermione poked her head inside.

“Come on,” she urged. “We want to avoid people bugging us, remember?”

“Yep,” replied Harry.

“Do we even know where we’re going?” asked Ron as they got downstairs. “It’s not like we can apparate there, can we?”

“Even if we could, I don’t think it would be a good idea,” said Hermione. “We might apparate right in front of some muggle.”

“So how are we getting there?” asked Harry, mentally chastising himself for not thinking of this sooner.

“Well...as much as I hate to say it...” trailed Hermione. As they got out back she pointed to three brooms leaning against the side of the house, one of which Harry recognised as his Firebolt. “We’re flying.”

“How did you get a hold of these?” asked Ron, inspecting the broom next to Harry’s. “They’re not half bad...and aren’t we liable to be seen flying around in broad daylight?”

“That’s why we’re leaving before the sun is fully up,” replied Hermione with a huff. “And I asked Remus for some help in getting them.”

“He didn’t object?” asked Harry.

“On the contrary, he thought it was a smart idea to fly instead of trying to apparate and he approved of us asking him for help as opposed to trying to do it ourselves.”

“Well,” said Harry, grabbing his broom. “Let’s be off.”

“Alright,” said Hermione. “Now mind you, Godric’s Hollow is a fairly small place, so we may have to ask for directions, but I know the general area that it’s near.”

“Okay,” said Ron, mounting his broom. “So which way are we headed?”

“Due south,” replied Hermione, getting on her broom as well. “Straight over the forest.”

“Lead the way, then,” said Harry, doing the same. Hermione gave a great sigh and Harry swore that he could see her lips move in a silent prayer as she kicked off the ground and flew a few feet into the air. Smiling, he did the same and rose up next to her.

“I bloody hate flying,” she muttered.

“You’ll get used to it,” replied Harry with a smile. “Besides, it’s not like we’re going to be playing a game of quidditch or anything.

“And thank god for that,” she replied.

“Oy! Let’s get a move on you two,” smiled Ron from behind them. With a nod, Hermione rose higher and sped off over the canopy.

Harry flew after her, followed by Ron. He took a deep breath and let the wind penetrate his body...it had been far too long since he had been flying properly. Taking another breath, he looked to his left and saw the sun barely creeping over the horizon in the distance, giving the sky a warm, pink glow.

“It’s really beautiful, isn’t it?” said a voice to Harry’s right.

“LUNA!” exclaimed Harry, nearly falling off his broom. Ron, barely seeing Harry skid to a halt in time, had to make a quick move up so as not to crash into him. “Don’t do that!”

“Sorry,” she said with a shrug. “I would’ve thought you heard me come up behind you.”

“You could’ve given me some warning, mate,” said Harry, narrowing his eyes at Ron.

“But then it wouldn’t have been funny,” he replied, trying to conceal a laugh.

“Why are we stopped?” asked Hermione, flying up to them. “Oh, hello Luna.”

“Hello,” she replied in her usual airy voice. “So why are you three up so early?”

“Er...we could ask the same of you,” said Harry, with a small smile.

“Oh I always go out for flights in the morning,” replied Luna. “They help calm me.”

“That’s lovely,” said Hermione. “We really must be going though...”

“Oh, where to?” asked Luna with a bright smile.

“Um...where my parents used to live,” answered Harry.

“Godric’s Hollow?” she asked, prompting Harry to nod. “Okay, have a nice day!”

And without another word she flew off.

Harry stared off after her for a moment before looking over at Ron, who was looking at Hermione, who was looking back at Harry. He chuckled and shook his head before laying flat on his broom and speeding off after Luna.

“Hey,” he said catching up to her a few seconds later. “Do you want to come with us?”

“Oh,” replied Luna, slowing to a halt. “I couldn’t possibly intrude...”

“I wouldn’t be inviting you if I thought you’d be intruding,” said Harry with a smile. Luna grinned broadly at him and nodded once. “Let’s go then.”

They flew back to where Ron and Hermione were waiting for them, and were met with a chuckle from both of them.

“Glad to have you along, Luna,” said Ron, with a smile.

“I’m quite honored that you said I could come,” she shrugged. “I don’t really feel like it’s my place to be with you at such a sacred place.”

“You’re a friend,” said Harry. “A good friend at that. You’re always welcome.”

Harry thought for a second that he had silenced Luna, something that he thought was probably impossible, but the next moment she shrugged and smiled at them.

“Well, let’s get going,” said Hermione. “We’ve got a bit of a flight.”

“Right,” said Luna. “It’s something like a hundred kilometers to the southwestern coast as it is.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” asked Ron.

“Godric’s Hollow is near the shore down there...” said Hermione. “How did you know about that Luna?”

“I’ve been in that area many times,” she shrugged. “A lot of rare animals are supposed to inhabit that part of Britain.”

“Right...” said Harry hesitantly, though it was with a smile. “Well, let’s get on with it then.”

r&r plz

Its really good. I liked how you threw Luna into the mix. Keep up the good work.

The four of them were flying for just under two hours before the coastline became clearly visible. Hermione was in the lead, followed by Harry, while Ron and Luna were flying side by side, bringing up the rear.

Harry turned his head around to look at Ron and Luna who were talking to each other animatedly. Chuckling, he flew up to Hermione who was looking determinedly straight ahead.

“Relax,” said Harry, looking at her. “You’re much too tense. It causes the broom to react too fast.”

“I. Hate. Flying,” growled Hermione through gritted teeth. They were flying above the bottommost clouds so as not to be seen by people on the ground, and he sensed that the height was bothering her.

“Just relax,” repeated Harry, reaching over and placing his hand on hers. “Merlin, what are you trying to do? Choke the broom?”

“It’s not funny,” replied Hermione, though Harry noted that she did ease slightly at his touch.

“How come you hate flying so much anyway?” asked Harry, pulling his hand away.

“I just keep feeling like I’m going to mess up and it’ll be all over in a flash,” she said, still looking straight ahead.

“You know that even if you did fall, I’m much faster than gravity,” said Harry flashing a grin.

“I suppose you are,” chuckled Hermione. “See that village way down there?”

“Yeah,” replied Harry. “Is that it?”

“No,” replied Hermione. “That’s as close as I can get us. You should probably ask Luna if she knows the rest of the way.”

“Alright,” said Harry. “And remember, just relax.”

“I’ll try to,” said Hermione, smiling.

Harry fell back to where Ron and Luna were flying, and managed to catch some of their conversation as he approached.

“...and my father always said that knarples were rather tiny, but I don’t think they’d be too much smaller than a hinkypunk given their diet...” Harry heard Luna as he reached them “Oh, hello Harry.”

“Hi,” he said with a smile. “See the village down there?” Both Ron and Luna looked down at the village a few kilometers ahead of them and nodded. “Hermione knows that Godric’s Hollow is near there, but that’s it. We’re hoping you can show us the rest of the way.”

“Ask Hermione if that’s Bhraunwall,” said Luna. Harry nodded and flew up to Hermione.

“Is the name of that village Bhraunwall?” he asked, noting that Hermione had resumed her death-grip on the broom.

“I believe so,” she replied quickly. “Named for the famous eighteenth century wizard who secretly helped the muggles –”

“Hermione?” interrupted Harry.

“Mm?” she asked nervously.

In one deft move, Harry swung his legs over the side of his broom and, making sure to maintain a firm grip on his broom, jumped to Hermione’s, causing her to shriek in terror and drop a few feet in height.

“Relax,” he whispered in her ear with a smile.

“Don’t you ever bloody do that again!” she yelled, breathing hard. “We could’ve been killed!”

“Nah,” grinned Harry, placing his left hand on her waist, while still holding on to his Firebolt with his right. “Despite the fact that you hate flying, you know what you’re doing.”

“That doesn’t mean you have the right to scare me like that,” said Hermione, calming down.

“I’m sorry about that,” said Harry, placing his chin on her shoulder. “But I have to get you to relax somehow.”

“You’re still a right git,” replied Hermione, leaning back into Harry slightly.

Neither of them spoke for about a minute, and Harry had actually forgotten that Ron and Luna were behind them until Harry felt a light tap on his shoulder.

“Mate?” asked Ron from his right. “Looked like you dozed off there.”

“Nah,” said Harry, looking over and seeing Luna on the other side of Ron. “That’s the right village, Luna.”

“We need to go west for about four kilometers,” she replied. “Godric’s Hollow doesn’t have more than thirty buildings, so we’ll need to fly low to see it.”

“There’s a forest up ahead,” pointed out Ron. “We can fly just above the canopy.”

“Sounds like a plan,” smiled Harry. Ron and Luna nodded and dropped back, presumably to continue their conversation. Harry turned back to Hermione and could see that she was smiling slightly. “What’s funny?”

“Nothing,” she replied. “Just how adorable those two are.”

“Huh?” asked Harry, turning around to look at Ron and Luna. It surprised him to see that they weren’t looking where they were going, but were actually making such extraordinary eye contact that had it not been for the fact that Ron’s mouth was moving, Harry would’ve guessed they were playing the game where one tries not to blink.

“She’s liked him for ages,” said Hermione. “But she’s just really shy when it comes to things like that.”

“I had no idea,” commented Harry, turning back to Hermione. “So you’re warming up to her slightly?”

“She’s a good person at heart,” she replied. “And that’s what counts.”

“You’ve relaxed,” he whispered, grinning.

“It’s easier when I have a bodyguard,” replied Hermione with a smile. “I suppose we should start to descend.”

“Don’t miss me while I’m gone,” said Harry, giving her arm a quick squeeze with his free hand before jumping clear off her broom, only to right himself on his Firebolt a moment later.

“Must you do stuff like that?” asked Hermione, as she descended down to him.

“I haven’t been flying in so long,” shrugged Harry. “I miss the old quidditch moves, after all.”

“I certainly don’t,” replied Hermione, shaking her head.

“That’s it!” Luna called out from behind them. They turned around to see her pointing at a small cluster of buildings close to the ocean a few kilometers ahead of them, surrounded by trees on three sides.

“Last one there’s a rotten Malfoy!” called out Ron, accelerating past Harry and Hermione. Grinning, Harry chased after him, while Hermione and Luna flew behind them, going slow on purpose.

“You two are no fun, you know that?” asked Ron a few minutes later, as Hermione and Luna landed next to him and Harry.

“Well unlike you two, we don’t see fit to partake in such juvenile acts like racing,” said Hermione, dismounting.

“So this is it,” said Harry, looking around.

They were standing on a dirt road that led into the heart of the small cluster of buildings that was Godric’s Hollow. On their left was clear, flat, country, and on their right was forest, the ocean only a few hundred feet beyond the trees.

“Guess we go on foot from here,” shrugged Harry, walking off towards the houses.

“And what are you going to do about that?” asked Hermione, pointing at his broom. “It is a muggle village, after all.”

“Er...”

“Give it here, then,” said Hermione, holding out her hand. Harry reluctantly handed her his broom, and with a quick flourish of her wand, she had shrunk it to the size of a matchstick. “Just don’t lose it,” she said, giving it back to Harry, who put it in his pocket

That was awsome. Ron and Luna... I never thought of them as a couple. But anything can happen. I think its great so far. Please continue to post, don't quit u write really well. Can't wait for the next post!

“I won’t,” said Harry seriously, watching as Ron shrunk his and Luna’s broom too. Hermione followed suit with her own, and in no time they were walking towards the village.

Hermione suggested that they should ask someone where their destination was, so as they reached a petrol station, the four of them headed over to it and walked inside.

“Kin I help ye?” asked the man behind the behind the counter in a very heavy Scottish accent. Harry was immediately reminded of Hagrid, in that this man was probably over six and a half feet tall, and had an extremely long beard, though his hair was red, and he was chewing on a toothpick.

“We’re looking for something,” said Hermione with a smile.

“Oh, aye?” asked the man. “Well, there’s nut anythin’ round these parts that I dun know about. Mebbe I kin help ye out.”

“We’re looking for where James and Lily Potter used to live,” said Harry, looking the man dead in the eye.

Harry wasn’t sure if the man was gaping, but the toothpick fell out of his mouth and landed on the counter, bouncing slightly.

“Well, bless me marbles,” said the man looking at Harry. “Ye look jus’ like James Potter yerself.”

“I’m his son,” said Harry. “I’d like to know where they lived.”

“Course...o’ course,” said the man, fishing around the register for something. “I’ll take ye there meself. Ne’er a nicer pair o’ people, yer parents.” The man finally found a set of keys and led them from the store, locking when they were outside. “I knew ‘em o’ course.”

“Did you?” asked Harry, walking alongside the man while Hermione, Ron, and Luna all followed behind them.

“Ye,” replied the man. “Terrible thing, tha’ gas explosion. How’d ye survive it anyhow?”

“I don’t know,” shrugged Harry, understanding that this man knew nothing of Lord Voldemort.

“Well, ye couldn’t ‘ave bin more than a couple yars old anyhow,” said the man. “Blimey, I haven’t even introduced meself yet. Folks round here call me McCleary.”

“Nice to meet you,” said Harry with a smile.

“Same to you, Misser Potter,” replied McCleary. “That be the spot, just up on the right past that thar house at the end.”

“Thank you very much,” smiled Harry, extending his hand to the man.

“Anything for the son of James an’ Lily,” said McCleary, shaking his hand. “And if ye need anything at all, come round the station.”

“We’ll do that,” said Harry. The man turned and smiled and nodded at Hermione, Ron, and Luna, all of whom smiled in return as he walked off.

“Honestly...how ye got this far out into the country without a car...” Harry heard him mutter as he walked away.

“Well he was nice,” remarked Ron, once the man had gone.

“Very nice,” agreed Luna. “So is this it?”

“I guess so,” said Harry, turning to his right and looking at the empty space between the last house, and the trees on the left. In the middle of the ground was a patch of bare earth, where grass didn’t grow. “I guess that’s where the house was.”

“They probably filled in the foundation after it was destroyed,” said Hermione, as the four of them walked up to it.

“I wonder why they never built a new house here,” remarked Luna.

“I bet Dumbledore had something to do with that,” said Ron. “Probably paid a load of money to keep it like this.”

“C’mon,” said Harry, walking up to the edge of the trees towards the back of the empty space. “There’s a path here.”

The four of them walked along the path through the woods for a few minutes, stopping every so often to look around and remark on their surroundings.

They had been walking for about ten minutes when Hermione put her hand on Harry’s arm, causing him to halt.

“Look,” she whispered, pointing at a tree on their right. Harry turned and saw a rather large tree standing a few feet off the path. There was nothing unusual about the tree, except for something scratched into the bark. Curious, Harry walked up to the tree and froze when he saw what was carved there.

JP
+
LE

Harry felt tears sting at his eyes as he stared at the inscription, so simple, yet so meaningful to him.

“L.E.?” asked Ron, confused.

“My mother’s maiden name was Evans,” reminded Harry, wiping at his eyes. “This must’ve been from before they were married.”

Ron nodded silently and the four of them stood there for a while in silence, thinking about what the world must’ve been like when the initials had been carved into the tree.

“Well, let’s move on,” said Harry. “I want to see where this path goes.”

It only took them a few more minutes to find out where the path went. The trees in front of them disappeared to reveal a small clearing that stretched to a cliff, where waves from the ocean could be heard crashing on the rocks below. In the middle of clearing stood a simple white arbor, similar to the one at Bill and Fleur’s wedding, behind which there was a small garden in which, surprisingly, dozens of flowers were growing.

“This must have been where they were married,” breathed Hermione, looking around.

“How are these flowers here?” asked Harry, kneeling down next to the garden. “Flowers don’t last for nearly twenty years.”

“Someone must be taking care of them,” said Ron. “Wouldn’t surprise me in the least if someone was paid to take care of this place.”

“Harry?” asked Hermione, as he got up and began to walk towards the cliff.

“I’m just going to go have a seat,” he replied, not turning to look at her. None of them made any argument, and he walked to the edge of the grass and sat down, staring out at the waves rolling towards the shore.

He sighed and plucked a few strands of grass from the ground, releasing them individually off the edge of the cliff.

“Do you mind if I join you?” asked Luna, from behind him.

“Not at all,” replied Harry.

She sat down and hugged her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them.

“It’s so peaceful here,” she remarked, looking out at the ocean.

“Yeah it is,” replied Harry. “I can see why my parents lived here...it’s gorgeous.”

“You have wonderful friends, Harry,” said Luna. “Don’t ever forget that, no matter what happens.”

“Er...I won’t,” he replied, turning to look at her. “What makes you say that?”

“Just reminding you,” shrugged Luna. “Keep them close. Especially Hermione.”

“Why Hermione?” asked Harry with a smile.

“If you don’t know already, I’m not going to be the one to tell you,” replied Luna with a smile.

“Hey mate!” shouted Ron from beside the garden. “C’mon! There’s food to be eaten!”

Harry turned around and saw that Hermione had apparently brought a picnic, as there was a blanket laid out on the ground with some food laying on it.

“One second!” shouted Harry in response. “What are you talking about, Luna?” he asked, turning back to her, but she had already gotten up and was walking back towards Ron and Hermione. Chuckling to himself, he made a mental note to talk to her about it later, got up, and walked over to where Ron had already begun shoveling food into his mouth.

Really good post. I haven't read many stories where it's gone to his parent's place yet. They all seem to quit writing before or shortly after it. Can't wait for the next post

"Lavender or Parvati?"

"Parvati."

"Parvati or Padma?"

"They're twins!" Harry Potter exclaimed.

"So?" his best friend, Ron Weasley, asked indifferently, tossing a Quaffle from one hand to the other. "Their personalities are entirely different."

The two boys were playing 'Which Witch?' It was a game that basically consisted of naming two girls and asking which the other boy would rather kiss, date, marry, sleep with, and so on. It was the newest boredom buster the fifth year boys had invented, when they had far too much time on their hands.

Harry thought for a second.

"Padma," he answered finally. "Less giggly."

"Not as easy," was Ron's remark, twirling the Quaffle on his index finger.

He sniggered. It was quite easy to see why their hormones and newfound perverseness so frequently irritated Hermione. "But Padma's nicer. And smarter."

"Who cares about her grades? Parvati's idea of fun is ditching class and snogging in the rose garden," Ron countered.

"Padma plays Quidditch."

He paused. To them, that was an extremely rare quality with pretty witches. But he figured out something to beat it, like he always did.

"Parvati's got bigger br--"

"Bigger what, exactly, Ron Weasley?" Parvati asked in a stern voice, approaching the table they were sitting at. She eyed the two boys with mistrust.

"Braids," he finished weakly. "Bracelets. Broomsticks?"

Lavender scoffed. "Do quit staring at her chest, Ron. We know precisely what you were going to say."

And, giggling, the two ditzy girls sauntered off.

"Nice save," Harry congratulated him sarcastically.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Anyway. New choice. Padma or Cho Chang?" His brown eyes glinted mischievously, not unlike his two twin brothers, Fred and George, when they were scheming.

"Cho," he said instantly.

He snickered. "That was an easy one. Okay. Now, who would you rather snog...Cho, or...hmm..." His eyes scanned the Gryffindor common room, trying to find someone that would present a difficult decision. "Hermione?" he said suddenly.

Harry frowned. "Why would I want to snog Hermione?"

"Because you prefer personality," Ron reminded him. "Supposedly."

Of course, he immediately became defensive, as he always did when Ron or Hermione called him shallow for fancying Cho Chang. "Cho has a fantastic personality!" he said hotly.

"Right," he said skeptically. "And when you say 'personality,' you mean her arse, right?"

"Ron," he growled in a warning tone.

"Oh, fine, I'll stop. She wins for physical attraction, though, no doubt about that. But who would you rather spend an evening with, watching the sunset, sitting by the lake, just talking, absolutely no kissing in the least?" He was sure to overly emphasize the fact that there would be zero lip-action.

"Well..." he said slowly, contemplating, "I've never had an actual conversation with Cho," he said awkwardly. "It would be grand to actually get to know her. But I always feel so nervous and uncomfortable around Cho, like I might vomit any second. With Hermione, it's relaxed, natural. She's my best friend. And our conversations are usually rather profound..." he trailed away.

Ron grinned. "Hermione?"

He nodded reluctantly.

"And that brings it to two for Cho, one for Hermione."

"Since when were you keeping score?" Harry asked curiously.

"Since I realized this wouldn't be a unanimous competition," was his wily reply. "So. Better looks?"

"Cho," he said quickly, before the image of Hermione at the Yule Ball came to his head, when he had actually admitted to himself that Hermione was pretty; so startlingly attractive that she had at first been beyond recognition.

But Ron, through their best friend telepathic connection, knew just what he was thinking. "And at the Yule Ball?"

"Hermione," he confessed guiltily. "But Cho was with Cedric! Of course I didn't want to stare at her all night, or it would have been pretty hard to fight the temptation of tossing my butterbeer in his face."

"And Hermione is beautiful, mainly when she takes the effort to fix her hair, use cosmetics, and wear something other than basic black work robes," Ron pointed out. He knew there was more to Harry's answer than his lame excuse.

"Of course you know, you couldn't tear your eyes away from her the whole night!" Harry cried triumphantly.

Ron's face reddened to about the shade of the Quaffle that dropped from his hands once Harry made his accusation. He changed the subject rapidly. "Who would you rather take to Hogsmeade?"

"Hermione would insist upon spending countless hours scanning the numerous shelves at the bookstore..."

"While Cho would demand on wasting away an eternity browsing through the endless racks of clothing at Gladrag's," Ron added.

"Hermione refuses to visit the Shrieking Shack, as it gives her bad memories," he mentioned.

"Cho would be too terrified of the ghost stories to come within one hundred feet of it."

"She wouldn't oppose to entering Quality Quidditch Supplies," Harry argued.

"Yet she's too concerned about her precious figure to stray into Honeydukes."

"And neither of them have the sense of humor for Zonko's," the two boys realized in unison.

"It's a draw," Ron announced. "I declare that both girls would be a complete drag. Shame, since Hogsmeade is about the only place you can go on a date at Hogwarts." His eyes lit up. "Except... Who do you think would be more likely to sneak out of bed at night for an adventure--?"

"Hermione," he said, before Ron had completely finished his sentence. "Before, I might not have believed it, but after knowing her for four years, definitely Hermione."

"Now it's tied, three to three," he proclaimed, looking strangely smug. "Let's see...more athletic?"

"Cho, hands down." Since Hermione despised Quidditch as much as the two boys loathed schoolwork, and Cho played on the Ravenclaw House team, it was not exactly a brain-buster.

"Sympathetic?"

"They're both pretty caring..." He remembered when he had asked Cho to the Yule Ball, and she hadn't giggled or loftily informed him that she already had a date. She had seemed genuinely rueful. And Hermione...well, sometimes she was so bossy that she didn't take other people's feelings into consideration. "This may be because I don't know her well enough to have argued with her...but Cho."

"More intellige--"

"Hermione." Definitely the simplest question yet. Cho was in Ravenclaw, the most studious House by reputation, but Hermione was Hermione, and there was just no beating that.

"More fun?"

"I don't know," Harry said, feeling stupid. The only reason Cho was gaining points was because he didn't know the finer points of her attitude he could possibly dislike, while he knew every aspect of Hermione's behavior that he loved and couldn't stand.

"Preferred dance partner?"

He blushed. "I'm a terrible dancer. So... Hermione. She would have no trouble leading. Because she wouldn't mind if I trod on her feet a few times. And there wouldn't be a problem of sweaty palms and a racing heartbeat."

"More unpredictable?" Ron queried, already positive what the answer would be.

A slew of memories rushed to his brain at once, almost overwhelming him. Almost as if a pensieve full to the brim of thoughts from the past five years had just been dumped back into his mind. Hermione Granger's fast-spoken, rambling introduction about memorizing the course books by heart. Emerging from her hidden spot in the common room, intending to stop Harry and Ron from sneaking out at night. Bursting into tears at Ron's comment on her lack of friends after Charms. Setting flame to Snape's robes at the Quidditch match; hugging Harry after the Potion's challenge. In second year, developing a crush on Gilderoy Lockhart and brewing a Polyjuice Potion. Using a Time Turner to attend a million classes at once. Telling McGonagall about the Firebolt. Defending Crookshanks even when Scabbers appeared dead. Slapping Malfoy after her insulted Hagrid, walking out on Divination forever, and missing Charms, all in the same day. Forming S.P.E.W., though anyone familiar with the wizarding world knew house-elves enjoyed enslavement. Going to the Yule Ball with Krum and looking dazzling. Kissing him on the cheek at King's Cross. What could Hermione do without surprising him, although he had known her for so long?

Ron took the prolonged silence as a moment of nostalgia. "Hermione, of course?" he laughed.

"Every single day, she never ceases to amaze me," Harry affirmed. "She's incredible."

"Better sense of humor?" he went on.

"Hermione's lightened up loads since we first met her, but still... This is the girl who almost felt sorry for Malfoy when Moody turned him into the Incredible Bouncing Ferret. Everyone has a better sense of humor than she does," Harry stated.

"Who would win in a cat fight?" Ron said, appearing to picture it in his own head and looking extremely amused.

"Well, she can slap pretty hard, that's a fact... But Millicent Bulstrode once got her in a headlock. And we had confirmed that Cho was sportier... So Cho."

"But in a wizard's duel?"

Harry was beginning to get a little exasperated. "Hermione. Come on, Ron," he protested, "how many more questions do you have to ask?"

"Fine, fine. They're tied at seven each, I'm sure. So this one clinches it... Who can you picture yourself spending the rest of your life with?" Ron asked, looking fully serious for the first time. "Marrying, staying true to, having little sproglets with, growing old with, the whole soul mate deal?"

To his astonishment, the choice was possibly even simpler than the matter of brains. When it all boiled down, Cho was a plain old crush that would soon fade. But Hermione was a permanent fixture in his life. And his love for her, though platonic and more familial, could never die.

"For some reason, that seems so easy. Hermione. Even if it wasn't between her and Cho, she'd still be the one. If Cho suddenly left, I'd grieve for a while, but in the end, I would get over it. If Hermione ever disappeared from my life, there would be a huge gap, my heart would be broken, and that void would be unable to be filled. My mourning would be everlasting. Because Hermione is irreplaceable.

"It's like...wands. The first wand I ever tried, a nine-inch beechwood and dragon-heartstring, was awkward and just felt wrong in my hands. When I waved it, I knocked a shelf over. Then the second my trusty, eleven-inch, holly and phoenix feather wand touched my fingertips, I felt this warmth. Once my fingers closed around it, I knew it belonged. It was just right, you know?"

"Nice metaphor," Ron said, resting his chin on his fist. He seemed both honest and yet mocking. "In fact, that whole speech was so deep it moved me. I wasn't sure if you were reciting poetry or forgetting I was here and soliloquizing. Does this mean you're in love with Hermione?"

"I--" Harry began. starting to say deny it, just like it was customary and automatic to do ever since Rita Skeeter had written her first article announcing that he and Hermione were a steady couple. Then he changed his mind. "To be honest, I don't know anymore. But after our little game, I realized three things: first, I sure as hell am not in love with Cho. Second, there is absolutely no contest between those two girls. And finally...it's that I can't be sure about my feelings for Hermione. All I can tell is that it's beyond friendship. And I don't think kissing her would be quite as strange as I used to imagine."

"Well, why don't you find out?"

Harry noted that Ron was looking past him. His heart began to hammer against his ribcage, like it did when the prospect of inviting Cho to the Yule Ball with him came about. But this wasn't Cho. He knew exactly who it was, but he still whipped around to spot Hermione peeking out from behind a wall.

"Hermione..." He said her name slowly, carefully, desperately trying not to panic. "How long have you been there?"

She just continued to stare at him with wide, glazed, syrupy brown eyes, almost looking lost. Like she was still asleep and dreaming everything that was happening.

"I'd say a while," Ron whispered, even though he didn't want to interrupt the moment.

"How much did you hear?" Harry inquired, crossing his fingers beneath the table and praying to god that she had only just come.

"Enough," she answered softly, sounding breathless. Then she approached their table, legs wobbling like she could barely support herself. Just as her knees gave out, Harry stood up and caught her in his arms. They gazed directly into one another's eyes, and somehow, they both knew what would come next.

A kiss.

They tilted their heads to opposite sides, moved gradually closer, inch by inch, until their lips touched... Initially, it was light, gentle, hesitant, but sweet. Then the shyness dissolved in a second, and the romantic sensations overtook them. Hermione cupped her hands around his face, drawing him closer. In response, his arms slid down from her back to snake around her waist, and he kissed her more fiercely. Perpetuity had passed, and time had stood still at exactly the same time. It was like they had been transported to their own world that wasn't bound by chronology. But they still had to draw apart to regain their breaths.

"Get a room," Ron teased in a false, whiny voice.

Hermione playfully swatted him. "Be quiet, Ron. You're the one always talking about how wonderful snogging is and that we ought to do it."

"Not with each other! Not in front of me!" he continued to complain. "It's just bizarre watching your two friends kiss. Especially that! I mean, I understand that was the first kiss for both of you, but what was that? That was pathetic! Not even tongue. Imagine, the famous Harry Potter is a bad kisser!" he taunted.

"I beg to differ," Hermione giggled, eyes sparkling like diamonds.

"Shut up, Weasley," Harry said, face still flushed. He pushed his bangs out of his eyes and peered at Hermione. "He wants tongue?"

She smiled back. "We'll show him tongue."

And they both leaned in and kissed again, more passionately this time. Ron leaned back in his armchair, arms crossed, looking pleased and content for his two best friends. And maybe for another reason...

Lips curling into a sly grin, he thought, 'And since Harry's with Hermione, that means he doesn't have any feelings for Cho...'

I never thought that I would like Harry and Hermione together, but I kinda liked it. Nice post. Can't wait for the next

soz bout putting dat up but it was in my head its got nothing to do wid the story so ill pit the next part up .. so ...yeh anyway

“You could’ve waited Ron,” chastised Hermione.

“Why?” mumbled Ron through a mouthful of food.

“Because it’s polite to wait for everyone to be present,” said Hermione as Harry sat down beside him. “Especially when the last person arriving is the reason why we’re here.”

“‘Arry doesn’t mind, do you?” asked Ron, his cheeks bulging.

“Er...” said Harry nervously, everyone looking at him intently. “I’m staying out of this one on the grounds that I can’t give a satisfactory answer to everyone present.”

“Oh go on mate, just say she’s right, I don’t mind,” said Ron, swallowing.

“It has nothing to do with being right,” huffed Hermione. “It’s the principle of the –”

“Oh just let it go you two,” chuckled Harry. “This is supposed to be a happy day. Happy. Not arguing.”

“Sorry,” said both Ron and Hermione bashfully.

“Now come on, let’s enjoy some of this food,” said Harry, looking down at the spread that looked very similar to something one might find at Hogwarts. “Who enlisted Dobby’s help, anyway?”

“I did,” chuckled Hermione, blushing slightly. “I apparated over there this morning before you two were awake and he made this for me. I got the feeling he wanted to come along but was too shy to ask.”

The four of them chuckled at this.

“How’d you bring all this with you anyway?” asked Harry.

“Broomsticks aren’t the only thing you can shrink, you know,” winked Hermione.

“Noted,” smiled Harry as they all began to tuck in.

=====

“Ahh, that was a great meal,” said Ron about an hour later, patting his stomach. “Remind me to compliment the house elves.”

“I still don’t approve of how they’re used,” frowned Hermione. “But I really suppose there isn’t much I can do about it.”

“Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?” asked Ron with a smile. Hermione shrugged.

“You’re not really giving up on SPEW, are you?” asked Harry.

“It’s S-P-E-W,” corrected Hermione, rolling her eyes. “And I don’t know...I just don’t feel like it would go anywhere.”

“Hey,” said Harry putting an arm around her. “What happened to the girl that never gave up on anything she put her mind to?”

“I guess I realised that it’s just not possible to do everything,” sighed Hermione. Harry chuckled and gave her shoulders a quick squeeze before letting go. He opened his mouth to say something but a rustle from somewhere to his right caused him to freeze.

“Did you hear something?” he asked, looking around.

“No,” shrugged Ron. “What was it?”

“Sounded like something in the forest,” replied Harry, squinting at the trees.

“It was probably a gnarlyfunk,” commented Luna absently. “There’s a surplus of them in this region.”

“I don’t think...Hermione?” asked Harry, turning to look at her. “What is it?”

“Look,” she breathed, eyes wide. Harry followed her gaze to the edge of the trees where the path ended, and distinctly saw four figures in black cloaks just as his scar began to tingle.

“We have to get out of here,” he said quickly. “Let’s go.”

“Now what’s the rush, Potter?” an icy voice behind Harry said.

Instantly there were several cracks around the four of them, and five cloaked figures with white masks appeared, wands drawn.

“When did you get out, Lucius?” asked Harry acidly, recognising the voice as Draco’s father.

“Well after the enchantment that Dumbledore put on me to keep me grounded disappeared, it was rather easy to...slip away,” replied Lucius. “Now get up.”

Figuring it would be easier to make an escape with a standing base, Harry complied, but kept his back turned to the elder Malfoy.

“You three as well,” ordered Lucius, and the other five death eaters converged quickly to drag Hermione, Ron, and Luna to their feet. “I cannot wait to see the look on the Dark Lord’s face when he discovers the situation,” he continued, pressing the tip of his wand to the black mark on his left forearm.

A dark chill filled the air and the sunlight seemed to disappear as black smoke flew from the path in the forest to where Lucius was standing.

“What is it, Lucius?” the cold, high voice of Voldemort asked. “I told you not to interrupt my search...well what have we here?”

The smoke began to swirl and gather, only to materialize in the form of Lord Voldemort a moment later.

“Harry Potter...and his band of minions,” said Voldemort with a sick smile. “How wonderful of you to join me. Tell me...why are you here? Is it because you heard I was going to be here and wanted perhaps to ‘get the best of me’? Or is it something...else?”

“My parents lived here,” said Harry in a monotone. “You of all people should know that.”

“And you just wanted to come and reminisce?” asked Voldemort with a cold chuckle. “A waste of time, living in the past. I’m sure your headmaster...excuse me, ex-headmaster told you that.” A chorus of chuckles rippled through the death eaters at this comment. “Tell me...why are you really here?”

“I wanted to invite you to a picnic,” droned Harry, rolling his eyes. “Honestly, what does it look like we were doing?”

Voldemort leaned over to his right slightly to get a look at the white blanked laid out on the ground with the remnants of the meal still sitting on it. He frowned slightly and gave Harry an appraising look.

“You disappoint me, Harry Potter,” sighed Voldemort. “And all this time I thought you were plotting against me.”

“My lord,” called a familiar voice from the woods. “We haven’t found anything with the spell you gave us –”

“You are interrupting me, Severus,” spat Voldemort, not breaking eye contact with Harry. Harry, however, snapped his head around and saw his former teacher standing with his head bowed at the treeline.

“I beg your forgiveness my lord,” said Snape with utmost reverence. “I did not realise –”

“Of course you didn’t,” hissed Voldemort. “But then again, you didn’t know we had company, so for this time I shall forgive you.”

“My deepest gratitude,” said Snape, still looking at the ground.

“Come, then Severus, join the party,” said Voldemort with a sick smile. Snape finally raised his head and made his way over to the circle of death eaters, bowing to Voldemort when he got there. “As you can see, young Potter and his friends decided to join us today.”

Harry made sure to stare at Snape with the most amount of loathing he could muster, while wishing his former teacher would burst into flames at the same time.

“Harry here seems to really despise you, Severus,” chuckled Voldemort. “Now why could that be...ah yes! Perhaps it was because of Dumbledore?”

“You know bloody well that’s why,” said Harry through gritted teeth.

“Now, now Potter, I don’t take kindly to being talked to like that,” chastised Voldemort, brandishing his wand. “Perhaps I should teach you some respect. Crucio!”

Harry thought his skin was melting as Voldemort kept his wand trained on him. He vaguely registered someone screaming in the back of his mind, and thought for a moment that it was him until the curse was lifted and he realised it was Hermione.”

“Stop!” she cried, her eyes red in terror.

“Hmm,” said Voldemort appraisingly, stroking his wand with his long, white fingers. “Miss Granger...young Harry here means something to you, doesn’t he?”

“He means something to all of us, you b*****d,” whispered Hermione.

“Hermione shut up,” said Harry fast. Her eyes widened at his outburst. “Don’t get involved in this.”

“Ah, but she is already involved in this,” said Voldemort silkily. “As are your other two friends...I wonder, Potter...are they as good at resisting the Imperius Curse as you are?”

Harry’s mouth remained closed, but in his head he was truly fearing what was about to come next.

“Well let us find out,” said Voldemort, training his wand on Ron. “Imperio.”

Instantly Ron’s eyes glazed over, and the death eater holding him let go. Silently, Harry watched as Ron walked over to Voldemort and bowed once, causing the assembled death eaters to laugh imperiously. Without a word, he stalked over to Lucius and, in one quick move, reached through his robes and pulled a hidden dagger from them.

“Ron...” whispered Harry as his friend began to walk over to him. “This isn’t you...remember who you really are...remember the Weasley inside you.”

Ron’s steps faltered. Harry could see that he was fighting it...but he wouldn’t win the battle without some help. Silently, Harry remembered something that he had once overheard the teachers at Hogwarts talking about, and focused everything he had on the one spells he was thinking of.

‘Expelliarmus,’ he thought, looking at Voldemort. The result was about what Harry expected. A small ripple flew through the air, and Voldemort easily blocked it, but in the process his concentration faltered and Ron broke free.

“So...” said Voldemort, turning to Harry as Ron dropped the dagger like it was an acromantula. “You’ve learned wandless magic...”

“I haven’t learned anything,” spat Harry. “I just tried as hard as I could.”

“So you’re a natural, then,” smiled Voldemort. He paused for a moment and then frowned. “I’m wasting time here...I came here for a reason and you’ve distracted me yet again. I will not let this opportunity pass though.” He looked Harry dead in the eyes and pointed his wand at him. “I intend to find out what you denied me over a year ago Potter. I know Dumbledore told you the prophecy...and now you will tell it to me. Legillimens!”

Harry closed his eyes and braced himself for the invasion, but instead of seeing a rush of images surge through his mind...he saw only a brick wall. Slowly he opened his eyes and met Voldemort’s, rage and frustration running through them.

“So Potter,” he ground out, not breaking the spell. “You’ve learned Occlumency...and here I had thought you failed.”

Harry didn’t know what to say so he kept his mouth shut. He was sure that if the brick wall wasn’t present in his mind, Voldemort would be seeing nothing but confusion. Harry continued to stare at the dark lord until something just beyond him caught his eye. He was careful not to break eye contact, but paying attention very carefully, he could distinctly see Snape staring hard at him, mumbling something under his breath, his lips barely moving.

Comprehension dawned on Harry and it began to confuse him even more. Finally, after a few more seconds Voldemort gave up, and with an angry growl, stalked over to Hermione and trained his wand on her.

“Tell me the prophecy Potter,” he said venomously. “Tell me the prophecy or the mudblood dies.”

Harry was breathing hard...his heart was beating harder. Despite trying to find a way out, he knew that his time was running short.

“You have five seconds Potter,” said Voldemort, his arm around her neck. “Five...four –”

I love it!!! So I guess snap e is really good? I never could stand him. This story great. Keep posting. Can't wait for the next post.

Oh I checked out your other story. I like it a lot as well!

i luv it and gr8 cliffy. and i also think ur english teacher was crazy cauz ur a gr8 writer. cant wait to find out what happens to hermione

hmm shall i kill hermione off or not???

I don't know how far Harry could get without Hermione. I don't know though, its ur story. I don't think i'd kill her yet.

Very good and sry again 4 not commenting regurlarly!!!update soon!

Ok. The mischevious Twins have something to say.

Natasha- Ja adore la Magie! It's great! I'm hanging over the edge of my chair and Meena comes in and asks what all the laughing is about. Uh, heehee. And she damanded to read it too. It's great! Keep working at it!

Namine- Gosh Tasha. Merde. Oops. Anyways, this is REALLY good. It's funny in a way. I love how funny Ron is in these. The 'wich witch'? game reminds me of the game the boys at my school play. Rather rude really. Tasha overheard some of them saying Natasha or Namine? Haha. I won. I love it! keep working hard at it!

Au Reviour! ~Meena & Tasha

u are a very good writer!


I am totally in awe!

One thing i don't get...
how come ron likes cho?

It's kinda like unrequited love from my view of this story.

Ginny likes Harry, Harry likes Hermione
Luna likes Ron, Ron likes Cho
(Cho likes Ginny...)

RON DOES NOT LIKE CHO. that was just a one shot thing that came up in my head it has NOTHING to do with the story k
btw i mite quit this story coz i dont like how its goin

Say wut???If u quit will u make a new 1???

Don't quit! Please! Keep writing! Or else...

i mite make a new one
but i ant even quit this one yet

Yay! Good for U!~

well you're one of those people who believe that its H/H all the way. I, personally, can't think that way. It just doesnt seem right. I mean they love each other but in a brother sister sort of way. I think Harry's relli in love with Ginny

Mee 2. Harry and Ginny together is Fate. But it's your story so do whateva you want.

yeh i am a h/hr but i dunt think it will happen (unfortunately) can people plz pm me some ideas im a bit stuck

well me like the others is a R/Hr H/G shipper but wuteva still good!!!and also I updated mine!

plz -plz pm me some ideas i am really stuck

I am so loving this story. I cant wait till you find the time to write more. Just thought I would drop some words of encouragement

write heres tha thing of written da nxt part of story but i need to no are u allowed 2 swear on this forum or shall i jus star (****) it out????

here u go not very good coz ive been ill so...
An extremely loud gunshot from the woods sounded, and five armed men, led by McCleary came running out of the woods, the barrels of their guns leveled at the death eaters.

“Ye leave those kids alone ye b*****ds!” yelled McCleary, a double-barreled shotgun aimed at Voldemort’s head. “Ye git on outta here or I’ll blow ye head off!”

Harry looked quickly between Voldemort and McCleary, the former obviously weighing the situation and his odds. Before anyone had time to react though, one of the death eaters spun around and aimed his wand at one of the men beside McCleary.

Harry couldn’t help but find it ironic that for all the magic wizards had, they were really no match for a gun. Three shots sounded loud and clear before the death eater could even utter a word, and he fell to the ground in a bloody mess.

“Ye try anything like tha’ again, and ye’re all dead!” bellowed McCleary.

Voldemort was livid, it was easy to tell...but even Harry knew that Voldemort wasn’t stupid.

“I will now take my leave of you, Potter,” said Voldemort, dropping his arm from Hermione’s neck. “But I promise you, this isn’t over by a long shot.”

“I’m well aware of that,” spat Harry.

“Come,” growled Voldemort to his death eaters. With seven cracks they all disappeared, and the four teens instantly drew their wands in case they decided to return.

“Ye okay?” asked McCleary, coming up to them.

“We’re alright,” said Harry, walking over to Hermione to make sure she was okay. “How did you know we were in trouble?”

“Neighbor heard a lass screamin’ an’ called fer help,” said McCleary, still holding onto his shotgun tightly. “An’ there ain’t no law around here ‘sides me, so I rounded up me boys an’ run ar arses o’er here.”

“We’re indebted to you,” said Hermione graciously.

“Ah, dun ye worry ‘bout it,” said McCleary. “This is Jackson, McPherson, Farstall, Luther, and Kingsford, by the way.”

The teens smiled and nodded at the men, who grunted in response.

“Don’ take it personally,” laughed McCleary. “They dun talk much.”

“I understand that,” laughed Harry.

“We best be getting away from here,” said McCleary. “In case any o’ those b*****ds come back, eh?”

Harry nodded and the four of them were about to follow the men out of the clearing when three cracks sounded behind them.

“Stupefy!” three different, yet familiar voices yelled. In an instant, three jets of red let hit half of the men, and in another second the other three fell. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Luna whirled around, wands drawn, only to come face to face with Lupin, Tonks, and Moody.

“You really didn’t need to make such a big entrance, you know,” said Harry, shaking his head.

“Didn’t know if they were the ones causing the commotion,” said Remus. “What happened?”

“Voldemort showed up,” said Hermione. “We’d be in a lot of trouble right now if these men hadn’t saved us.”

“McCleary?” asked Lupin, looking down at the fallen red-haired man. “Didn’t know he was still around.”

“You know him?” asked Harry.

“Course I do,” replied Lupin. “He was good friends with your parents...but he doesn’t know a lick about magic. Obliviate.”

Harry watched as Lupin repeated the charm five more times for each of the men, and then woke them.

“How the hell did I end up down ‘ere?” McCleary asked, blinking.

“Dunno,” shrugged Lupin. “I reckon you lot got drunk and passed out.”

“Oh aye...” groaned McCleary. “Well, sorry to intrude, we’ll be goin’ then.”

Harry suppressed a chuckle as the six men wandered off down the trail before turning to Lupin.

“How did you know we were in trouble?” he asked, watching as Moody’s magical eye continued to follow the men.

“Trouble sensors,” Lupin explained, pointing at the garden. “I would’ve been here sooner but I didn’t want to come alone in case I ran into more than I could handle.”

“So you’ve been keeping the garden?” asked Ron. Lupin nodded.

“What happened anyway?” asked Tonks.

“Like Hermione said, Voldemort showed up,” said Harry.

“He was actually here? Himself?” asked Moody, looking down at the dead death eater.

“Yeah,” said Harry. “I think it was a coincidence though, he seemed surprised to see us.”

“Macnair,” grunted Moody, pulling the mask off the man.

“Pity,” sighed Harry. “And here I was hoping it was someone important.”

“I wonder why he was here,” contemplated Lupin. “It’s not like him to go prancing around the country in broad daylight, with or without death eaters.”

“He said he was searching for something...” trailed Harry. “He was interested in why we were here...”

Harry’s eyes widened as he remembered something Dumbledore had once said to him.

“Lord Voldemort would prefer objects that, in themselves, have a certain grandeur.”

“Remus...” said Harry slowly. “Did my parents ever own anything that belonged to any of the founders?”

“Well...hmm,” said Remus thoughtfully. “Not that I know of...why?”

“We have to get to the Durselys,” said Harry, looking at Lupin. “Can you apparate us there?”

“Tonks, take Luna, will you?” asked Remus as he took Harry's arm.

Tonks nodded and placed her hand on Luna's shoulder.

“We’ll see you there, then,” said Harry, and a moment later he was gone

Lovin this story. Keep up with the posts. Its really good.

Yeah freaking awesome story, can't wait for next post!

THAT`S AMAZING I MEAN THE STORY OF COURSE

reeaarrgg!!!!!!
If u do i'll kill everyone who types a message after this death threat!

^^^meaning im gonna die???koolio!!! great update soon!!!

great story i ave been reading this since beginning but ive only jus signed up

It is a really good story keep going

gr8, keep posting

it's almost been 2 months, post now or someone will definitely be stalking you...
one cold night, as you turn into a dark, deserted alleyway..
something will be there...
who is...
the boogey man!

no1 seemed bothered dat i wernet posting so i gave up ill carry on if ya want me 2 though

plz keep posting this story, dont stop cause its really good and i want to be able to read it

k den ill hav nxt part up by tuesaday latest

great

woot woot!
boo ya!
woo!hoo!
yippee!
muhahahahahaha!!!!
yay!

i like your story as well
keep posting lol

O by the way, in a harry potter fan website i read that Hermione becomes a Head Girl, but 'Arry Snotter doesn't.
Offence to Harry Potter, but my neighbour calls him that.

wats the Harry Potter fan website

erm... its kinda bin like 2 tuesdays since ur last post

omg i am only on page 3.....but this is SUCH A GOOD STORY! it is THE BEST one i have read so far so PLEASE dont stop posting! dont make this entire night of reading a waste for me! i want to hear more!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!

~*!!!YOUR NEW FAN!!!*~

erm ok soz evey1 but my life sucks at tha mo so ill put tha nxt part up wen i can and thanks OhILuvHP

no prob-but seriously---it is an awesome story!like i said, i am not finished yet but you hafta put more up! this is keeping me hooked! im even wondering if j.k. rowling will be able to match your writing.........

lol i int dt gd
but fanx for da compliment

yeah-um.....anyways, i am now caught up with the story and um.....where is the next post? you need to get one soon-if you need an idea, try this:

say like "a few days after their encounter with Voldemort, the four friends were taking the familiar journy to Hogwarts...for the last time"


And then talk about that and then have Harry and Luna talk! i wana know what luna was talking about when she said keep hermione close!

You need to get a post up! all your fans are going crazy!

OMG!! THIS STORY IS SOOOOOOO GOOD!!! I LOVE IT!! YOU ARE A REALLY GREAT WRITER!! I REALLLY HOPE YOU KEEP POSTING IT! IT IS JUST SOOO GOOD!

yeah it really is-so post soon!

a little update because i realised how long ago it was that i updated

Are you going to tell us why we’re here?” asked Lupin as Harry strode purposefully towards the door to Number Four, Privet Drive.

“No,” he replied with such finality Lupin didn’t say another word as he, Tonks, Moody, Luna, Ron, and Hermione all followed Harry up to the porch. “Please not my uncle,” he murmured in prayer as he rung the bell. The door opened and Harry inwardly groaned.

“What in the bloody hell are you lot doing here?” said Vernon furiously, though keeping his voice down for fear of attracting attention from the neighbors.

“I need to speak with my aunt,” sighed Harry, looking Vernon in the eye.

“She’s out shopping,” he replied with a grunt. “Won’t be back for a while. Now go on, shoo.”

“Who is it Vernon?” Harry heard Petunia ask from what sounded like the sitting room.

Had it not been for the fact that he didn’t want to make his uncle angrier, Harry would’ve burst out laughing. Instead, he merely bit his tongue as his uncle closed his eyes in grudging defeat. He distinctly heard a snort come from Ron, though.

“Get in, then,” said Vernon in such a deflated voice that Harry almost felt bad for him. Almost.

“Harry?” asked Petunia with a very shocked expression as she came into the hall. “What are you..” she paused momentarily as the six people he was with also entered. “What are you all doing here?”

“I need to talk with you for a moment,” said Harry seriously. He glanced at Vernon who was staring at him with his arms crossed.. “Privately.”

Petunia looked at Vernon slowly then back to Harry.

“Alright,” she said after a moment.

“Hermione, Ron, please come with,” said Harry as his aunt began to lead him up the stairs.

“What about Luna?” asked Ron, looking at her.

“She’ll find out when everyone else does,” replied Harry as Hermione walked up to him. “This needs to remain a secret for now.”

“I don’t like having secrets kept in my house you know,” said Vernon brusquely.

“Then you should be thanking me,” replied Harry, turning his back to continue up the stairs. “Because I’m about to remove one you’ve had in this house for years.”

ooooh! great post! its so good! and i love that last part!

&quote "Then you should be thanking me," Harry said. "because i am about to remove one that has been in your house for years." &quote

It is really good! keep it up!

its excellent, i absolutely luv it. plz post again soon

yeah it is really good! i also love that last part!!!!!!!!!

y is dat last part so good?

Originally posted by Denniz234
“Then you should be thanking me,” replied Harry, turning his back to continue up the stairs. “Because I’m about to remove one you’ve had in this house for years.”

that part was really good-i dont know why-it just sounded really proffesional writing

yeah it did!!! it was like really suspencful!!! i have no clue what is going to happen next!

if any1s bothered then tha nxt post could be up tomoz

This is such a good story. It is one of the best ones I have read. I can't wait for more.

WHERE IS THE POST????!!!! you gotta post if you say you are going too! i have been waiting for a post for like....weeks!!!

im really sorry but i havent typed it up yet i will have it up by the end of the week

we thought you quit it, good I cant wait

neither can i