“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
__________________
Take what you can from
your dreams, make them
as real as anything
-Dave Matthews
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.
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.
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
__________________
Take what you can from
your dreams, make them
as real as anything
-Dave Matthews
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,
"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
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!
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
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Apr 16th, 2006 08:00 PM
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