Harry, Ron, and Hermione had only arrived at the Burrow a few days ago. Now serving as the Order of the Phoenix headquarters, members of the Order filtered in and out all day. Harry was anxiously preparing a salad with Ginny while waiting for the arrival of Dumbledore. Angry and worried, he nearly mistook a finger for a carrot. Where are you, Dumbledore? This has to be finished before anything happens. Why are you taking so long to show up? But what if you…
The cracking noise of an Apparation startled Harry as he jumped up from the kitchen stool, but there was no need to get up to find out who it was. He could here Mrs. Weasley’s amicable greeting from down the hall.
“Mundungus, what on Earth are you doing with those things? Get them out of my house!”
Harry went back to his carrots, accenting his knife against the cutting board in frustration.
Ginny spotted his exasperation and offered a reassuring word. “Don’t worry, Harry. Dumbledore doesn’t visit very often. You know he has his own things to do first. He’ll stop by soon. Everything will work out.”
“But what if something happened to him? What if he’s still being controlled by the Imperious Curse? What if…” Harry could not bring himself to finish the sentence.
“Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard alive at the moment,” Ginny rebutted; however, her statement was continually growing falser.
“Then explain to me how he ever got under the curse in the first place? Face it. Dumbledore no longer holds the most power.” At this point Harry was getting very aggressive. “There are only two people that can end the war-”
“Harry, stop,” Ginny called weakly. Tears spilled from her eyes onto the cutting board. “Please.”
Growing up with her six brothers, Ginny was a tough girl. Harry had never seen her break down openly. He did not mean to make her cry. “I’m sorry. I really am.”
She stifled a sob. “I know. It’s just…” her tears came back. Harry stood up and wrapped his arms around her. Her hair smelt like roses. “I’ve always thought these things, but when I hear them out loud they seem much more real. I may look strong, but inside I’m already shattered. I can’t stand the thought of losing you to this war.” Ginny’s eyes flooded with tears again.
“I don’t want to lose you either,” Harry kissed her on the forehead. “There’s no way to know what will happen. It may end in the worst way imaginable, but it also may not end as bad as you think it will.” Harry tried to sound as optimistic as possible.
Ginny pulled him closer and kissed him. She sighed, her sweet breath surrounding Harry.
That evening, grey clouds rolled in and covered the quarter moon that dimly lit the sky. A steady rain was falling, and by dinnertime, it was starting to pour. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were cleaning up after dinner when there was a knock on the door. Harry’s long apprehensive wait ended when he saw a wet Dumbledore walk through the door. He was soaked from walking from the neighboring hill where he Apparated. His silver hair clung to his face and his beard was dripping.
“Oh, Albus, you are drenched,” Mrs. Weasley said, when she saw him to the living room. “Please, have a seat by the fire. Would you like a cup of tea? Ronald, bring Professor some tea.”
Back in the kitchen, Ron poured a cup of tea for Dumbledore. “I’ll bring it to him,” Harry insisted. He grabbed the tea before Ron could say a word and brought it into the sitting room where Dumbledore was drying by the fireplace. The fire casted a familiar silhouette on his aged figure.
“Professor Dumbledore, I’ve brought you your tea.” As Harry came into the light of the fire, he could make out his wizened features. He always knew that Dumbledore was old, but for the first time he noticed his age. For the first time Dumbledore looked different than the first time he saw him in first year.
“Thank you, Harry, my boy.” His right arm reached out to the tea, and Harry saw how the curse had spread up his arm and crept onto the right side of his face.
“Professor, your arm…” Harry dared not to continue.
“The curse is spreading - ,” Harry opened his mouth in protest. “However, we have other matters to discuss.” Dumbledore’s blue eyes no longer gleamed with odd humor, but with resignation. He was weakening as Harry suspected, and his magic was dying with him.
How long does he have? Harry thought. The rapid weakening began after departing the cave in which they found a worthless locket.
“It is not a matter of my life but of yours.” Dumbledore seemed to have read his mind. “Yours alone has the power to stop Voldemort.”And Harry, who had wanted this meeting to arrive so hastily, now dreaded it.
Harry watched Dumbledore depart the Burrow under the thunderous clouds from the front window, furious that he did not tell him from the start. After all these years, he chose now to reveal that Voldemort’s unstable soul had latched a part of itself onto Harry’s the night that his parents had died for him. His fate had been sealed the moment Voldemort marked him as his match. “Neither can live while the other survives.” With a piece of Voldemort hidden inside Harry, there was only one way to make sure of that, and somehow, Harry already knew that it would have to end this way. But could it really be that simple, dying?
Harry approached Ron’s room, where he and Hermione were sitting on Ron’s bed, quietly whispering and exchanging loving glances while Ron gently stroked Hermione’s palms. He stood just outside the door unnoticed for a bit, watching the two, glad that they were able to be together at least a little before the end. Ginny, more beautiful and sad than he had ever seen her, was sitting on the floor scratching a purring Crookshanks behind his ears. He only wished that he could change unalterable destiny. Maybe after he had died he would be able to watch her from wherever he was.
Harry felt guilty of disturbing such tranquility, but continued into the room. When Ginny saw that he had returned, she picked up Crookshanks and stood up. Neither said anything at first, but the silence was understood.
With dismal eyes, Harry said the first words. “He thinks Voldemort is going to initiate a battle, most likely at Hogwarts. Dumbledore’s told me what I have to do when the time comes, how to finish it.”
“Surely, you won’t have to do it by yourself,” Hermione spoke out.
“Yeah, we want to help you, Harry,” Ron offered.
They did not know the worst. Harry shook his head. “The most you can do is fight alongside the rest of the Order. I’m the only one that can stop him now.”
“Won’t you tell us what you have to do?” Ginny asked.
Once again Harry shook his head. This was the one thing he had to do alone.
Only In My Dreams by Ice Cream Eater
Chapter Notes: Finally, the last chapter. It's been a long while but here it is.
I'd like to thank my beta, Karin for sticking with me the whole time. You've been a tremendous help.
I'd also like to thank all my readers. You guys made it worth while to write because I knew someone would be reading it.
And now the chapter you've all been waiting for.
Chapter Endnotes: Well, this is it. I have mixed feelings for the last chapter. I know I could take the story to another level, but I just don't have the time for it anymore. I'm not the 13 year old I was when I started and have other commitments now. I just have to let this story go and hope someone will like it.
Hope all my readers have enjoyed the journey as much as I did.