The scenery outside the train window was bright; the afternoon sun beating down from a cloudless sky. The sixteen year old boy with his forehead pressed against the window did not notice the beauty of the scene, and even if he had, he was in no mood to appreciate it. His mind was whirling with memories of the past few days.

Only hours before, the boy had attended the funeral of his mentor, Albus Dumbledore. This wise old man had been the last remaining parent-figure in the boy’s life; his death had rendered the boy completely alone.

“Harry?�

The soft voice pulled the boy out of his thoughts and the train compartment around him came back into focus. Seated on the bench across from him was a bushy-haired brunette girl. Her brown eyes, normally bright and shining, were red and puffy. She had obviously been crying. Sitting next to her, with his arm draped across the back of the bench and thereby subtly around the girl’s shoulders, was a tall, lanky boy with a shock of red hair. His typically jovial face was somber. His blue eyes, instead of sparkling with their usual mischief, were blank.

“Yeah, Hermione?� Harry addressed the girl, willing his voice not to falter.

“We can’t be too far from London. Don’t you think we should plan our next steps?� Hermione said this as lightly as she could. Harry was certain she didn’t want to appear frightened. He needed to be honest with his two best friends, however.

“Hermione, Ron, I want you to know something. What I’m headed into is dangerous. By the end of this journey, someone will die. It might be me. I hope it isn’t, but it could be. If you choose to come with me, it could be either of you. I want you to know right now that you two are my best friends, and you’ll be my best friends no matter what you do. If you’re too scared for this, it’s all right. I could never ask you to put your lives in danger.

Ron forced a grin. “That’s why you don’t have to ask us, mate.� He glanced at Hermione, an unspoken question in his eyes. She nodded her consent, and he continued, “There’s no way we’d let you do this alone.�

A weight that Harry hadn’t even been aware he had been carrying lifted from his chest. He smiled at his companions, the first genuine smile he’d had in days.

After a moment, Hermione cleared her throat and repeated her question, “Where do we go from here?�

Harry closed his eyes for a moment, then said, “Let’s start with what we know. Voldemort has split his soul and has hidden pieces of it in meaningful objects – the Horcruxes. He believes seven is the most magically powerful number, so he created six Horcruxes, with the seventh piece still inside of him.�

“If you could call it a soul,� Hermione interjected. She was right – with his red eyes and thin, pale skin stretched over a skeletal face, Voldemort barely even looked human.

Harry nodded and continued, “We know for certain two of the Horcruxes have been destroyed. The diary in the Chamber of Secrets, and the ring last summer. The locket, which we thought we had, is a fake. The real one is still out there somewhere. Through the memories in Dumbledore’s pensieve, we are pretty sure a cup that once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff is a Horcrux as well. Dumbledore believed that Voldemort’s snake, Nagini, is one, and if he believed it, that’s good enough for me.�

“Are you sure, Harry?� Ron asked. “Dumbledore was the wisest man I’ve ever met too, but we all know now that even he can be wrong.�

Harry’s eyes clouded over as the memories from the tower came rushing over him. Dumbledore, weakened and crumpled against the wall, looking pleadingly into the eyes of the man he alone believed in, was begging for his life. Harry recalled the cruel, calculating look on Severus Snape’s face – the hatred and fury that burned in his coal black eyes, the green light of the killing curse that shot from his wand.

Harry shoved these thoughts from his mind and continued firmly, “The last Horcrux is a relic of either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. Hogwarts was the only home Tom Riddle ever knew. All of his objects are meaningful in some way to him. Another founder’s relic certainly fits that.�

“Do you have any idea where the Horcruxes are hidden?� Hermione asked worriedly.

“No,� Harry replied, his shoulders slumping forward slightly. “I’ll definitely need some help there.�

For approximately the one-millionth time in his life, Harry was thankful for Hermione’s intelligence. She began to logically tick off ideas. “Well, I think the first thing we should do is go back to search the house at Grimmauld Place. The Order of the Phoenix had their headquarters there. There has to be some written documentation somewhere.�

“That’s true,� Ron broke in. “Lots of times I’ve gone into a room only to have Dad or Bill or someone shove papers out of sight.�

Hermione nodded. “The next thing we should do is talk to everyone. They have to tell us now. War is imminent, and we’re of age – or almost.� She smiled sheepishly at Harry, whose seventeenth birthday was still a month away.

Harry frowned, as though suddenly remembering. “I need to spend some time at my aunt and uncle’s.� He wasn’t sure how long he needed to stay there to fulfill his promise to Dumbledore, but he hoped it wasn’t long. “Why don’t we do this? Hermione, you should go and spend some time with your family. Ron, you go to your parents. The three of us can communicate by owl if necessary. In a month we can meet at Ron’s house for his brother’s wedding. Then we can begin our search.�

Hermione studied Harry fretfully. “I don’t know, Harry. Will you be all right alone with them?�

Harry shrugged. “I have to. The protection their house provides only works if I go there at least once a year.�

As he finished, he felt the train start to slow beneath them. They were approaching the station. “It will only be a few weeks,� Harry said, with forced optimism. “We’ll meet at the Burrow in a fortnight.� He could only hope the time would go quickly.

Harry lie on his back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He had only been at the Dursleys’ house for four days, but as far as he was concerned, it had been long enough. His Uncle Vernon ignored him, Aunt Petunia eyed him warily and shied away from him, and Dudley glared menacingly at him.

If he had to admit one good thing about spending four days alone in his room, it was that it gave him plenty of time to think – from the mundane to the monumental. From Dumbledore and Horcruxes to Quidditch and school work. To his dismay, however, his thoughts always seemed to find their way to a certain fiery-haired witch.

Ginny Weasley, his best friend Ron’s little sister. For the past few years, he had spent so much time at the Burrow that they had become good friends. Last year, he had realized his feelings for her had grown from just friendship into something more. The two of them had spent a blissful month together, only to cool things down after the funeral. She had so gracefully accepted his reasons for them to not be together, but that didn’t stop him from missing her anyway.

He knew in his heart that it was the right thing to do, however. Everyone he was close to had died because of him – his parents, Sirius, Dumbledore – he couldn’t risk her too. She had chided him for being noble, but he had seen the hurt in her eyes. He wondered if she was thinking of him too.

Sighing, Harry shoved thoughts of Ginny from his mind, and swung himself up over the side of the bed. He turned his attention to the other issue that had been plaguing him the past few days – just how long exactly did he have to wait to leave this house? He finally had decided that he would confront his aunt. He had learned the summer before his fifth year that she knew much more about the magical world than she cared to admit. Even though he knew it would be easier to extract his tooth than retrieve information from his aunt, he knew he had to try.

He made his way down the staircase into the spotless, shockingly bright white kitchen. Aunt Petunia was just finishing her morning cleaning routine and was half bent over, scrubbing furiously at an invisible spot on the stove.

“Aunt Petunia?�

The tall, thin woman jerked herself to her full height, startled. Upon seeing the interrupter of her chore, she glared fiercely. “Can’t you see I’m busy?� she snapped.

“Clearly,� Harry replied. “But with Uncle Vernon at work, I think we should talk.�

“Oh, do you?� his aunt said sarcastically, placing a yellow-rubber-gloved hand on her hip.

“Yes, I do,� Harry answered firmly. “Like it or not, you are my mother’s sister. You did take me in all those years ago to provide a home. In a few days, I will walk out that door and probably not return. I’m not leaving without you telling me what you know.�

Aunt Petunia gave a resigned sigh. She snapped off her rubber gloves and pulled a chair from the table. “Fine. Sit.�

Harry tried not to let his jaw drop in amazement. This had been far too easy. He settled himself at the kitchen table and studied the sharp-featured woman across from him.

“Before you begin your pesky questions, let me say that there is not a lot I can tell you. Your mother and I had very limited contact the last ten years of her life. I didn’t approve of her…lifestyle…and I wanted no part of it.�

Harry had somewhat expected this. “But you know things you haven’t told me. I told you two years ago that Voldemort had returned. I remember how you acted. You know what that means, not only for the Wizarding world, but for your world as well.�

Aunt Petunia nodded slightly. “There were many terrible accidents that happened between the time Lily graduated from Hogwarts and her death. I tried to convince her they had nothing to do with her world, but she was insistent. I didn’t really believe her until she died. Then, the tragedies stopped. I’ve always hoped it was a coincidence, but with that bridge collapsing last year, and the freak hurricane up north, well, I’m not entirely sure.�

He frowned. “You’re right. Both those instances were caused by Voldemort’s ever-growing army.� He lowered his eyes thoughtfully, then raised them to meet his aunt’s again. “It’s me he’s after. You must have guessed. He wants me dead, and if he kills me, there will be more of these occurrences.�

His aunt’s face paled, but she tried to maintain her composure. “And if he doesn’t?� she asked, her voice betraying her nervousness slightly.

“If I kill him, yes kill him,� he said at his aunt’s sharp gasp, “if I kill him, our world will be at peace. The non-magic world will be like it was before his return. No more outrageous accidents or unusual ‘natural’ disasters.�

Aunt Petunia studied him sharply, her small eyes narrowing even more. “What exactly do you think I can tell you, boy? Nothing I know can help you.�

“What was in the letter from Dumbledore the day you found me?�

Aunt Petunia strained her face, as though trying to remember. Her voice took on a faraway tone as she spoke, “I haven’t thought of that letter in years. A few days after you arrived, it became quite apparent that it would be an incredible struggle raising two toddlers. Vernon was at work, and I was so angry I threw the letter into the fire.�

Harry’s heart dropped. He had hoped his aunt would produce the letter, so that he might see Dumbledore’s instructions for himself. Aunt Petunia continued, “The letter had been written by Dumbledore. He informed me of the death of my sister and her husband, but told me that you had survived. The reason you survived was because your mother sacrificed her life for you. This deed invoked an ancient magic that protected you from your would-be murderer. Now, only having a home with someone who shared her blood would keep the protection alive. I had no choice but to take you in.�

“Of course you had a choice,� Harry interrupted.

“Perhaps,� his aunt answered frostily. “However, what would the neighbors have thought if we turned away the orphan on our doorstep?�

Harry sighed. In as much as he had grown, deepened, and matured over the past six years, this woman never would. “Is there anything else you can tell me?�

“I told you there was very little. I do remember the last time I saw your mother. Lily was always the brave, adventurous sister. But on our last meeting, she looked terrified. It was shortly after you were born. She kept telling me that this Vold-a-mold, or whatever his name was, would kill you. She pleaded for refuge in our home, but I turned her away. I couldn’t have your kind running around in our neighborhood. I suspect that’s the other reason I took you in. Having realized Lily was right, I felt a bit of guilt over the whole thing.�

Finally, Harry asked the question that had been in his mind all along. “How long am I to stay here?�

Aunt Petunia eyed him warily. “The protection on our home lasts until you come of age. To renew the protection, you must spend at least three days here every year.�

“Three days?� Harry cried, leaping from his chair. “That means I’ve been here long enough! I’m going to go pack and to leave, unless there’s anything else you can tell me.�

“I don’t know anything else,� Aunt Petunia sighed.

With a determined look on his face, Harry left the kitchen. He returned to his room, and almost gleefully took out his quill and parchment. He hastily scrawled a letter to Hermione, telling her he would be leaving for the Burrow that night, and for her to join them whenever she liked. After rolling up the parchment, Harry opened the door of the cage of his snowy white owl, Hedwig. “Feeling up for a trip, girl?� he asked her, as she hopped onto his forearm.

Her soft hoots seem to imply that she was ready, and so Harry tied the parchment to her leg. “I’ll be at the Burrow when you get back,� he told her, stroking her soft feathers affectionately. She gave a gentle nip at his fingers and flew out the window, spreading her fabulous wings.

After she had disappeared from his sight, Harry threw open his trunk and began to toss his few worldly belongings inside. Shortly, he was interrupted by a knock at his bedroom door. “Come in,� he called, a bit surprised. His relatives never set foot in his room.

The door opened and Aunt Petunia stepped inside, clutching an old shoebox. As Harry eyed it curiously, she said, “After you left, I remembered this.� She held the box toward him, and he took it from her. Opening the lid, he was astonished to find the box jammed full of envelopes. He lifted his eyes back to his aunt. “Letters from your mother,� she continued. “I told you your mother and I didn’t have contact. That wasn’t entirely true. She kept writing to me, even though I never wrote back. I didn’t even open half of them.�

Harry’s eyes filled with involuntary tears. Letters from his mother. He was stunned. He couldn’t believe this box had been in the house his entire life, and he was only now seeing it for the first time.

“I’ll read them when I get where I’m going,� Harry told her, his voice cracking slightly.

Aunt Petunia nodded, and if he didn’t know any better, Harry could have sworn he saw a hint of sadness in her own blue eyes. She started to take a step toward him, but then restrained herself. “Take care of yourself, Harry,� she whispered instead. “I may not love you, but you still are the son of my sister. We’re connected by blood, and I really don’t want anything horrible to happen to you.�

Harry didn’t know what to say. “Thank you,� was all he was finally able to muster.

Aunt Petunia nodded again, and left the room, shutting the door softly behind her. Harry gazed at the treasure he held in his hands. He laid the box gently in his trunk and finished packing. He gazed around the room one last time. Surprisingly, he actually felt a tinge of sadness. No, it hadn’t been a warm, loving household, but it had been his home for the past sixteen years. Now that he was never to return, he felt a bit nervous. He was an adult.

Shoving the thoughts from his mind, he grabbed hold of his trunk and Hedwig’s cage. He thought of the Burrow and a warm feeling spread throughout him. The house was full of love, and the Weasleys were the closest thing he had ever had to a family. Smiling, he took a step forward and vanished from the bedroom with a faint pop.

“Harry!�

Mrs. Weasley’s scream, upon finding the messy black-haired boy on her doorstep, caused quite a sensation throughout the house. As she wrapped him into a tight hug, the remainder of the Weasley family thundered into the kitchen like a herd of cattle.

“Harry, m’boy,� Mr. Weasley said, clapping him on the shoulder, “so good to see you!�

Fred and George greeted him cheerily and Bill also extended a cordial hand. Finally, Ron grabbed hold of Harry’s trunk and said, “Come on, mate. Let’s get you settled upstairs.�

Harry followed his friend, grateful for the warm welcome of his adopted family, but he had immediately registered the absence of the youngest of the clan. As if reading his thoughts, Ron said, “Don’t worry. She and Fleur are in Diagon Alley picking up some things for the wedding.�

Harry blushed. Was it that obvious what was on his mind? Changing the subject to the upcoming nuptials, he asked, “So how is the wedding planning going?�

“It’s a mad house,� Ron replied, opening the door to his bedroom. Harry was pleased to see the second bed was waiting and ready for him. He flopped down onto it, his head burying into the feather-soft pillow. He opened his eyes as Ron continued his rant. “Mum is going mad with all the cooking and the cleaning and the decorating. All us boys stay out of her way – even Dad. Poor Ginny gets sucked into helping her, and I know she can’t wait for this wedding to be over. Oh, and Fleur’s parents have been by a few times. Between their language barrier and their attitude – let’s just say we now see where Fleur gets it – it’s driving everyone to insanity.�

Harry smiled. He had been nervous leaving his aunt and uncle’s home, but now that he was here and in the mix of the going-ons in the Wizarding world, his anxiety had fled. This was where he belonged.

“How about you?� Ron asked, turning the conversation back to Harry. “Was it awful there with the Muggles?�

“It’s been worse,� Harry answered honestly. “I actually had a conversation with my aunt.�

“Wow – a real one?� Ron asked, surprised. He had met Aunt Petunia and the woman had barely uttered a word, though he knew if she had, the words would have been far from pleasantries.

Harry nodded. “She even gave me some letters from my mum.�

Ron knew how much this meant to his friend. “Reading them is probably almost like having a conversation with her,� he said.

“I don’t know yet,� Harry said softly. “Most of them were unopened, and I haven’t read them yet. I will soon.�

“Well you know there’s the garden out back. Or I can leave you alone for awhile so you can read them.�

Harry was grateful for Ron’s sensitivity. “Actually, Ron, that would be nice. I forgot how comfortable this bed was.�

Ron smiled. “Yeah, there are advantages to being home. I bet Mum’ll have dinner ready before too much longer. I’ll come back for you then.�

“Thanks, mate,� Harry replied as Ron left the room, the door clicking closed behind him.

Lifting himself off of the bed, Harry opened the lid of his trunk. The shoebox was nestled between his clothes, protected. He lifted the box out gently, and sat back down on the bed. Ever since his aunt had given him the letters, he had wondered how it would be to read them. Would he hear his mother’s voice? Would he cry? Would he learn anything?

Sifting through the box, Harry noticed the letters appeared to be in date order. Given his aunt’s penchant for order and neatness, he really wasn’t surprised by this. He pulled the first envelope out of the box. This one had been opened. Pulling the letter out, Harry curled himself on the bed and began to read.

Dear Petunia,
My wedding day is rapidly approaching. Won’t you please change your mind and come? As Mum and Dad have already passed on, you are my only remaining relative. It would mean so much to both James and I if you would be here.

I really am happy with the life I’ve chosen. My work with the Ministry and the Order has been very fulfilling so far. I wish you would accept this. We’re sisters, Petunia. Sisters shouldn’t cease contact with each other.

Again, the wedding is next month. There will be a space waiting for you if you and Vernon choose to attend.

With love,
Lily

Harry’s eyes watered as he folded the letter back up. His mother had pleaded with her sister to accept her as a witch. Even though Petunia had been cool and unforgiving, Lily had still tried to melt her sister’s icy exterior with her unwavering love.
Harry spent the next hour alone in the bedroom, reading through the dozens of letters in the box. His mother wrote of the increasing turmoil in her world, her love of her work, and eventually, her pregnancy. Harry cried unashamedly as he read his mother’s words, of her excitement of the baby she was about to have, letters of how happy she and her husband were, and her fear that she might not be a good mother. He smiled sadly as he read those parts – he idolized the woman; she was perfect in his mind. Her fears were unfounded.

He had read about half of the letters when there was a knock on the door. Ron peeked his head in and said, “Dinner’s ready, Harry. Do you want to come down?�

Harry looked up at his best friend and shook his head. “I’m too in to this,� he responded. With a nod of understanding, Ron left him alone again.

Returning to the letters, Harry pulled the next one out of the box. A few months seemed to have elapsed between this letter and the previous one, and the tone was much darker.

Evil is rising. He is growing ever more powerful. I fear not only for James and myself, but for my beautiful baby boy. You remember Dumbledore? He was the recipient of a prophecy about baby Harry. He said Harry will have the power to defeat the Dark Lord. You-Know-Who is aware of this prophecy though, and Dumbledore thinks he will come after Harry. We have to hide.

I look into the beautiful green eyes of my small son, and I can’t believe someone so little will someday bring an end to this evil monster…

Tears streamed freely from Harry’s eyes now. He could almost hear his mother’s voice as he read the letters. It was comforting in some ways, but in others, it ripped at his heart.
The next few letters told of his parents’ movements, as their locations became known to the Death Eaters.

How could someone betray us in this way? There is a concealed Death Eater in our mix, but who could it be? Our friends have always been so loyal, as we have been to them…

It was the very last letter Harry read, however, that brought his heart to a stop.

The prophecy is true! I never truly held stock in those silly things; I only went along with all of this at Dumbledore’s urging. But it’s correct – it really is. The part of it that never made sense to me – those who have thrice defied him – now is crystal clear. James is of a pureblood family, and yet he refused to join the fight. Defiance one. Though not a pureblood, the Death Eaters wanted my potion making ability. I was the second best in our class, of which they were aware. I refused. Defiance two. I could never figure out what the third strike was, but now I have learned.

You-Know-Who is so advanced into Dark Magic. He knows spells so evil that even advanced textbooks on the subject do not dare discuss them. Recently, on Order business, James stole from You-Know-Who an ancient book which described some of the darkest magic that exists. You-Know-Who found out he took it! Now he’s after us not only to kill our son, but to kill James and recover this book as well. Thrice defied. He’ll kill us, Petunia. He’ll kill my husband and my child and most likely me.

I’m preparing to cast a charm that will keep our location a secret. Only one person will know where we are – this house, number 16 Apple Drive, Godric’s Hollow – will be invisible to everyone unless specifically told of its location by the Secret Keeper or the charm’s caster. I wanted you to have it in case you ever decided to come visit me…

Harry felt his jaw drop. There it was, in writing! The address of his parents’ house! He reread the letter several times. His parents had defied Voldemort. His mother knew the end was near. He had to go to their house.

Wiping his face free of any remaining tears, Harry pulled himself from the bed. He had to share this with Ron. He left the bedroom and descended the stairs to the lower level of the Burrow. At the bottom of the stairs, to the right, was a small sitting room. Harry entered and was surprised to find not only Ron, but Ginny and Hermione there as well.

“Harry!� Hermione cried, jumping from her seat to hug him.

He smiled at her. “I see Hedwig found her way to you.�

“I came as soon as I read your letter. I’m so happy you were able to get away from those awful people earlier than we planned.�

Hermione took a step back from him to return to her seat, and finally, Harry’s eyes locked with the one person he had been waiting to see. “Hi, Ginny,� he said softly.

As she looked back at him, he was uncertain what her response would be. Finally, she smiled at him and said, “Hello, Harry.�

Relief flooded over Harry. Her smile was genuine and there was little awkwardness between them. Looking at the three people before him, he said, “I have so much to tell you.�

For the next fifteen minutes, Harry filled them in on what he had learned from his mother’s letters. They were as astounded as he had been.

“You mean,� Hermione whispered, “those letters have been in your aunt and uncle’s home all along?�

“Yes,� Harry replied. “I can’t be angry though. They’re mine now. They’ve pointed us in the direction we need to start our journey.�

“I’m coming with you,� Ginny said firmly.

“No you’re not,� Harry answered her, just as certain.

“Harry, I know you don’t want me to get hurt. I know you think us being together will just entice Voldemort to come after me. I appreciate all of that. However, just because you’re not my boyfriend doesn’t mean you’re still not my good friend. I want to come with you to support you and help you. I want to see him destroyed just as much as you do.� She sounded as though she had been rehearsing the speech for several days.

Harry pondered her statements for a moment and said, “If you want to risk yourself, you can come with us to Godric’s Hollow. We’ll see how that goes. If beyond that I don’t think it’s safe for you, will you then promise to stay away from all this?�

“No,� Ginny replied honestly. “But I promise to listen to your arguments. I just think that an extra mind in all of this would be useful. I do want to come with you to your parents’ home, though.�

Harry nodded at her. “We’ll go tomorrow morning, as early as possible. Now, please don’t be upset with me, but I’m exhausted. It’s been a very long day, and I just want to get some sleep.�

Hermione nodded knowingly. “Of course, Harry. We all understand. We’ll be ready to go first thing in the morning.�

After saying good-night to his friends, Harry made his way back up the stairs to the bedroom he shared with Ron. He changed into his pajamas and crawled into the bed. Tomorrow would be a big day for him. Laying his head on the soft pillow, Harry quickly drifted off to sleep.