The funeral was finally over, and Harry was left alone staring at the White Tomb. Albus Dumbledore, the greatest headmaster of all time, the Leader of the Order of the Phoenix, was dead. He had abandoned Harry, abandoned Hogwarts, abandoned the war on Voldemort. Harry had looked at Ron and Hermione before they left.

“I just can’t believe that he’s gone,� Ron said to Hermione. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen next. All I know is that we just can’t sit here like this.� Hermione, tears streaking down her face, nodded. Most students were discussing whether or not they would return next year. Most of them glanced at Harry before they left for the Castle.

“You two can go on,� Harry insisted. “I’ll be along in a minute.� Before long, Ron and Hermione left Harry’s side, and Harry stood alone, staring at the White Tomb, tears sliding down his face. He was not going back to Hogwarts. He was going to hunt down the remaining Horcruxes and destroy them. This was going to be a hopeless task, but he was the only one besides Dumbledore who knew about them. He was alone in his fight now. He preferred it this way. So many had died. First he lost his parents, then Cedric, then Sirius, and now Dumbledore. There was no way he would let anyone else die for him.


*********
Ginny was walking back to Castle, trailing behind Ron and Hermione. She kept glancing over her shoulder at Harry. The utter look of defeat on his face had surprised her. He had escaped Voldemort four times during his first six years of school, led a rebellion against Umbridge’s regime the year before, and, above all, he had saved her. Ginny owed her life to Harry. She had been all but resigned to her death when she was taken into the chamber, and it had been Harry, the last person she had expected who had saved her. Now, though, he looked completely lost for the first time since she had known him. The three had reached the steps leading to the entrance hall when she stopped walking.

“Ginny?� Hermione asked. “Come with us.�

“Harry is still sitting there,� Ginny said. Ron and Hermione looked at her.

“Do you want to go back?� Ron asked. “You know full well that I’m fine with you and Harry being together now.� Ginny continued looking between them.

“Go on, Ginny,� Hermione encouraged her. “He needs you right now. More than ever.� Ron nodded, and Ginny smiled at them. That was all that she needed. Permission. Thanking them, she turned and ran down the steps and back to the tomb- and Harry.
******
Harry had turned away from the tomb and was walking towards the lake when he heard a familiar voice. “Harry?� He turned and saw Ginny walking towards him. “Are you going to come back to Gryffindor Tower?�

“I’m not coming back, Ginny,� Harry said to her. “I have to finish what Dumbledore started, and end this war once and for all.� He started walking away, but Ginny followed him.

“Where are you going?� she asked.

“Short term, I’m just going down by the lake. Long term, I’m going Horcrux hunting. Voldemort split his soul into seven pieces,� Harry explained to Ginny. “Dumbledore was working on locating the Horcruxes before his death. Two of them have already been destroyed, which leaves four more. He passed what knowledge he had of the four Horcruxes onto me before he was murdered.� He stopped, now looking her right in the eye. “We can’t stay together, Ginny. The last few weeks have been great, some of the happiest of my life. But I know if we stay together, you’ll just be more of a target since we’re so close. I’m going after the Horcruxes, and then I’m going to finish off Lord Voldemort myself. I’ll let you, Ron, and Hermione know where I am when I can.� Ginny grabbed his arm. She looked him straight in the eye.

“You’ll do no such thing,� she said.

“Ginny, I have to. This is a prophecy. Voldemort and I are linked together, and one of us has to kill the other in the end. I have no choice. No one else can die for me.�

“You’ll do no such thing,� Ginny repeated. “I’m your girlfriend. You are going hunting for the Horcruxes. And I’m going with you, no matter what happens. You aren’t talking me out of this.� Harry walked over to an oak tree not far from the lake and sat down in the shade. Ginny sat next to him, renewing her grip on his arm.

“It’s going to be dangerous, Ginny.�

“Which is why you aren’t going alone, Harry. I’m with you.� Her hand on his arm was gentle, but her eyes blazed with an intensity that matched his own. Harry smiled down at her. He realized that she was just as determined to destroy Voldemort as he was. There was no one else in the world that he wanted by his side more than her. He hadn’t realized it until now.

“We have a lot of work to do, Ginny. I’d walk right now if the trace still wasn’t on me.�

“Trace or no trace, you have to come to the Burrow one last time,� Ginny said. “Bill is getting married in only a few weeks, and Ron and Hermione will want to see you off.� Harry smiled.

“One more thing, Ginny. Whatever you do, don’t tell anyone what we’re up to, especially your Mum. She’ll only worry about us.�

“I won’t, although I think Ron and Hermione already know. They both urged me to come back here and find you. I thought they should be the ones to do it, but in Hermione’s exact words, ‘Go on, Ginny. He needs you right now.’�

“I knew she would say that. And Ron? What did he say?�

“He said he’s known about us since we were ten and eleven, and gave me a shove.� Ginny laughed. “I think he’s only beginning to accept us being together. Only Ron. I swear, I have six older brothers, and every last one of them has no tact whatsoever. Still, Ron was the first to ever encourage me to do something like this. Ron has always been protective of me, so I think you should keep that in mind that he won’t take you too kindly if you do anything to his baby sister.� Harry put an arm around her.

“We’re going after Voldemort.� Harry said. “And when we find him, we’re going to end this for good. As for Ron, he has nothing to worry about. I’ll look out for you. I’m glad you’re with me, Ginny.� Taking Ginny’s hand in his own, he walked her back to Gryffindor tower.