Disclaimer – Isn’t mine. None of it.

Harry Potter and the Final Horcrux.

Chapter 1 – Looking for trouble

Harry Potter stared out at the garden of The Burrow with more than a little sadness. His final day of fun, of childhood, had come and now it was almost gone.

He had gone straight from Kings Cross station to the Burrow, spending the month before Bill and Fleur’s wedding enjoying what he knew would not last. The day of the wedding itself had been beautiful, wonderful, magical even. The only darkness in the face of such love was the looks of pity directed at the young couple when they weren’t looking.

Bill’s recovery from his injuries had been slow and arduous however he was coming along. Poppy had been right and there was no actual curse transferred so thankfully Bill didn’t have to be locked up once a month, however his perchant for raw meat did not abate. The first full moon after the attack had been a tense time but all that had happened was that Bill had spent a deathly boring night all on his own. They hadn’t wanted him to go with Remus on the chance that he didn’t turn so the next morning when he was let out looking no worse for wear other than the bored and sullen expression on his face, the sighs of relief were long and loud.

‘Harry?’

Harry tunred slightly to see the second eldest Weasley sauntering across the garden towards him.

‘Hey, Charlie.’ Harry said softly.

‘You doing alright?’

‘Yeah, kind of.’

Charlie looked carefully at him for several moments before speaking. ‘Ron told me you aren’t going back.’ He said placing a hand on Harry’s shoulder.

Harry shook his head, his eyes becoming distant. ‘No.’

‘Are you sure that’s wise, Harry.’

Harry’s attention snapped back and gave Charlie a wane smile. ‘Probably not.’ He agreed quietly. ‘But it was Professor Dumbledore who was known for his wisdom, not me.’

‘But what of your education?’

Harry shook his head. ‘Hogwarts cannot teach me what I need to know, Charlie. There are people and things I must find if I am to end this war. I promised the headmaster, I gave him my word and I won’t break that, even now he’s gone, especially now he’s gone.’

‘But Harry.’

‘Charlie, please. Trust me. I have to do this. Professor Dumbledore could have done it, would have done it, but he can’t now and it sounds big headed but I am all that stands between Voldemort and the wizarding world. I have to finish what the headmaster started.’ Harry pleaded softly.

Charlie looked down at the boy who had become such a part of his family’s life. Except he wasn’t a boy any longer. In his place stood a young man, his shoulders proudly straight and his green eyes resolutely bright. ‘Okay.’ He finally agreed. ‘But you stay in touch, and know that no matter what, there is always a place here for you.’

It was then that Harry noticed that every red head in the crowd of family and friends was looking in their direction and that this final plea had obviously been talked about in advance and that they all were worried about him, worried for him.

‘Thank you.’ Harry whispered huskily and Charlie gave his shoulder a final squeeze before walking slowly away.

Harry was up early the next morning but surprisingly Ron had already left. It was only when he finished packing and came downstairs to breakfast that he realised the entire family was waiting for him. They had guessed he would be leaving this morning, spending the last week before he turned seventeen with his only blood relatives as Dumbledore had requested.

‘I…I…’ Harry trailed off and Molly Weasley came bustling over to him.

‘Just sit down and eat your breakfast, Harry dear.’ She chided softly before pushing him into a chair and placing a huge plate of pancakes in front of him. ‘I know pancakes are your favourite.’

Harry glanced at the tense expressions around the table but decided against saying anything for the moment and dutifully tucked into what he knew would be the best meal he would have for a least a week.

The time passed slowly and silently, quite a disturbing occurrence in the Weasley household where normally Molly is screeching, Ron is swearing and at least one of the twins is setting of one or more pranks at any one time.

Towards the end of the meal several owls flew in dropping both Mr Weasley’s and Hermione’s subscriptions to the Daily Prophet. Ron allowed her to scan through the first few pages before asking, quite hesitantly if truth be told.

‘Anyone else we know die?’

‘Ronald Weasley.’ Molly scolded as she had done each day of the holidays but both Ron and Hermione ignored her.

‘No, not today.’ Hermione sighed.

Finally Harry placed his knife and fork together and stood up. ‘Mr Weasley, Mrs Weasley, thank you, for everything.’ He said sincerely.

‘Harry dear, please just promise me you’ll be careful.’ Molly grew teary eyed as he moved towards the door.

Harry stopped. ‘I find it hard to make a promise that I know I may have trouble keeping.’ He said carefully. ‘But I’ll do my best.’

He allowed her to hug him tightly before shaking Arthur’s hand. ‘Take care, son.’ The older man said fondly. Harry just smiled and took the offered handshakes from Bill and Charlie and a kiss from Fleur before getting to the twins.

‘Anything you need Harry.’ They whispered. ‘Just owl us and we’ll send it along.’

‘Thanks guys.’ Harry whispered back before getting yanked into a crushing three way hug.

Ron and Hermione were next and they too whispered softly so the Weasley parents wouldn’t hear. ‘We’ll be there, Harry.’ They promised. Harry just nodded and hugged them both tightly before walking to the door where Ginny was holding onto his trunk.

‘Gin.’

‘Harry.’

Harry stared deep into the brown eyes, seeing the fire of conviction burning brightly. She had faith in him, that he would succeed and return. ‘I’ll be back.’ He promised.

‘And I’ll be waiting.’ She said softly.

Harry reached up and gently touched her cheek before dropping his eyes and grabbing his trunk unable to get out of the door fast enough. He practically ran down the driveway, wanting to get away from the knowing brown eyes before he couldn’t help himself and turned back. He held out his wand and within moments there was a bang and the Knight Bus appeared.

‘Welcome to the Knight Bus.’ A cheerful voice sang out but Harry barely heard, pushing past the figure and onto the bus with a muttered, go, now, to the driver who dutifully obliged and with another bang they were gone.

Harry plopped himself down on the first bed trying to steady his breathing as the bus continued its madcap journey.

‘And just who are you?’ a haughty voice asked.

Harry raised an eyebrow. ‘I could ask you the same question. Stan not back yet?’

The woman’s face before him gave a sneer. ‘No, still locked up. Good for nothing.’ The woman didn’t seem to notice the angry spark that lit Harry’s eyes. ‘Anyway, Cadence Fighorn is the name and I’m your conductor for today. Where to then?’

‘Magnolia Crescent.’ Harry said bluntly, opening his trunk and rummaging around for his money bag.

‘That’ll be three galleons, two sickles and a knut please.’ She commanded holding her hand out. Harry delved into the bag and extracted the required fare before handing it over.

‘Thanks.’ He murmured before dumping the money bag back in his trunk, pulling out a book and burying his face in it.

‘Well, if that the way you feel.’ Cadence Fighorn sniffed before turning away to talk to the driver.

They made two more stops, Harry never even looking up before he heard the driver call out Magnolia Crescent. He stuffed the book back in his trunk and dragged it to the door. As soon as the bus stopped and the door opened he made to get off.

‘Hey, you never said what your name was.’ Cadence Fighorn called out as he manhandled his trunk down the steps.

‘No, I didn’t.’ Harry said bluntly without even turning around as he quickly walked away.

‘Aunt Petunia?’ Harry called out as he opened the front door. He knew his uncle would already be at work.

‘Mum, the freak’s back.’ Dudley yelled towards the kitchen from his permanent place on the living room sofa in front of the television.

‘Oh, it’s you.’ Petunia said scathingly as she walked out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a dishcloth.

‘Look Aunt Petunia.’ Harry began. ‘I’m only here for the week as I promised Professor Dumbledore. I’ll stay out of your way and you can stay out of mine. Just pretend I’m not here. It should be easy enough for you, you’ve been doing it for sixteen years.’ He added under his breath before grabbing his trunk and dragging it up the stairs and into his room.

And ignore him they did.

Other than the first night when Vernon came home and he tried to have a go, Harry politely pointing out that although he may not be able to use magic at that moment it would be less than a week until he could, quickly put paid to any sort of abuse from the whale like man, verbal or otherwise, and Harry continued his half existence up in his small bedroom at 4 Privet Drive counting the days until he could leave.

Ron and Hermione wrote daily, sometimes twice and Pig and Hedwig, having flown on from the Weasleys, were getting quite tired.

Harry spent the rest of the time trying to work out where the other Horcruxes might be and what the thing of Ravenclaw’s or Gryffindor’s might be.

‘The locket, the cup, the snake and something of Ravenclaw’s or Gryffindor’s.’ became almost a mantra, running through his head almost every minute of the day.

Finally his birthday arrived, several owls arriving from his friends at midnight. Harry waited, wishing he had thought to ask at what time he was born so that he would know what time the wards would fall.

He daren’t go to sleep in case they fell and Voldemort arrived on the doorstep.

Eventually morning came and with it, the arrival of Ron and Hermione at precisely nine o’clock. Harry answered the door and under the disapproving eyes of his Aunt and Uncle he led his friends upstairs to his room.

‘Ready to go Harry?’ Ron asked as he closed the door behind them. Hermione was just looking around the sparsely furnished room with disgust and no small amount of anger.

Harry saw the expression and shook his head. ‘Leave it, Hermione. They don’t like me and never wanted me and no little spiel from you will ever change that. Just let it go.’

Hermione nodded stiffly but Harry could see she wasn’t happy. Ron, of course, had seen the bars on his window and caught a glimpse of his room in second year so it was no shock to him.

‘I’m almost ready. I just have’ Harry started to say but was cut off by an enormous crack that had all three clapping their hands over their ears.

Harry tentatively removed his hands and looked out the window. ‘Shit, the wards have gone and bloody Scrimgeour is here already.’ He swore before manically throwing his things into his trunk as Hermione and Ron rushed to the window. Sure enough the Minister of Magic was walking up the front path accompanied by no less than twelve Aurors.

The doorbell rang just as Harry yanked out his wand to shrink his trunk. He heard Aunt Petunia scream and grabbed the now miniature box and shoved it in his pocket before darting for the stairs, Ron and Hermione hot on his heels.

‘What do you want:’ Harry asked flatly as he got to the bottom and saw two Aurors either side of the Minister, their wands pointed at Vernon and Petunia. Dudley was cowering in the doorway of the kitchen with his hands clasped tightly over his enormous bottom.

‘Harry, we need to talk.’ Scrimgeour said bluntly.

‘No we don’t. I’ve said all I have to say to you and now I’m leaving. I’m of age, you can’t stop me.’

Scrimgeour scowled impatiently. ‘Harry, the wards are down. Voldemort could arrive at any moment.’

‘I know, that’s why I’m leaving.’ He said slowly as if the Minister was having trouble understanding him.

‘But it’s not safe out there for you. I know I offered you Auror protection and perhaps two was not really enough with the seriousness of the situation but I have brought an entire compliment to leave at your disposal.’ The Minister said gesturing to the Aurors now arrayed at various positions around the living room and hallway and even outside the front door.

Harry gave a bitter laugh. ‘Minister, I told you before. It isn’t just a few random Death Eaters, Voldemort himself wants to kill me, and your entire Auror department wouldn’t be able to stop him, so why bother. Besides, completing the things I have to do would only be hampered by so many people. It’s hard enough to hide with this.’ Harry pointed to his scar. ‘without twelve Aurors following my every move.’

‘Why do you need to hide, Harry? What are you doing?’ Scrimgeour leant forward slightly, a determined glint in his eye.

Harry’s own eyes narrowed. ‘Professor Dumbledore left me a task to do. I have to destroy Voldemort.’ He rolled his eyes as the entire group bar the Minister flinched for a second time and waited as Rufus Scrimgeour made to bring up the prophecy as the new Minister was want to do.

‘But Mr Potter, you are the chosen one. You yourself has admitted it. You can’t go off looking for Voldemort on your own. You are a barely trained wizard not even graduated. You can’t possibly believe that Albus Dumbledore would have wanted you to leave Hogwarts and go chasing after dark wizards all on your own.’ Scrimegour protested.

Harry’s eyes narrowed. ‘Professor Dumbledore would have wanted me to do what ever it was that was in me to do and if that meant leaving Hogwarts to search for.’

‘Yes.’ Scrimegour said eagerly.

‘For things better left unsaid, then that is what I will do.’ Harry finished gruffly.

‘Besides, he won’t be on his own.’ Hermione piped up.

‘Yeah, we’re going with him.’ Ron added and the Minister rolled his eyes.

‘What on earth has gotten into you children? Mr Potter, I implore you, you can’t go running off looking for trouble.’

Harry stood abruptly and stared down at the Minister of Magic. ‘I assure you, Minister Scrimgeour, I won’t be running off looking for it. Trouble just seems to have a way of finding me all of its own. Good day.’ Harry stalked through the living room to see the Dursleys listening intently at the kitchen door.

‘Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia. You didn’t do much, but you did manage to keep me relatively safe until I was of age and for that I thank you. I do hope you can overcome your bigotry of others before it’s too late Good bye.’ And with that Harry walked out the door of 4 Privet Drive for the final time, Ron and Hermione flanking him.

They ignored the oddly muggle dressed Aurors as the three walked swiftly down the front walk and out onto the street. Once at the corner Harry nodded and with a crack all three apparated away, leaving several shocked muggles and an even more shocked group of Aurors.

There we go. The beginning of what will be my seventh year story, or one that follows canon anyway.

I do hope you enjoyed it.

Regards,

Mione.