Harry Potter and The Last Horcrux
The Journal’s Final Message

It was Valentine’s Day when Hermione was finally able to dothings without anybody to help her. Shefelt back to normal and was starting to get very antsy staying at home. She had gotten sick of staying cooped up atGrimwauld Place and was coming down with a severe case of cabin fever.

She wasn’t allowed to go back to work until the healerscleared her. Even though the Aurors hadbeen nearly decimated many months ago and they were trying to maintainsecurity, they still didn’t want her to return. So in the mean time she had tried to keep busy by doing research onhorcruxes for Harry and reading Regulus’ journal. She had not found much of anything to helphim and she was about ready to give up.

“This is frustrating!” she exclaimed and slammed the journalshut.

Ron, who was engrossed in the quidditch scores jumped at theloud noise, “Ahhh! What’s wrong ‘Mione?”

She held up the journal, “There’s nothing else in here thatis helpful!” she tossed the book on the table in front of her in disgust, “Notone mention of horcruxes or anything else!”

“Have you tried writing in it like Harry?”

“It won’t work with me,” she replied shaking her head,“Harry was Sirius’ godson so he’s a Black by that connection, that’s why he canwrite in it. Since I’m not a member ofthe Black family it won’t work for me unless I marry Harry.”

“Ginny’d kill you,” Ron said and looked back down at thepaper.

“I can take her.”

He looked at her over the paper, “You’re nuts.”

“Are you getting jealous Ronald Weasley?” she said with achuckle.

“Nah,” he said, “Besides I’m much better looking thanHarry.”

Hermione snorted, stood up and went into the kitchen.

“What was that snort for?” Ron shouted through the door,“’Mione?”

When she didn’t reply he harrumphed and went back to readingthe paper. She came back out a momentlater with a glass of pumpkin juice. Sheflashed a mischievous glance towards her boyfriend, “You know… it maybe a goodidea just so I can do a much more in depth analysis of the journal.”

Ron lowered the paper looked at her in surprise, “What?”

“Yeah,” she said with a hint of a teasing tone, “I marryHarry and then I can write in the journal and get some answers,” she shrugged,“And I suppose being married to him wouldn’t be all that bad.”

After a few seconds of silence Ron, who had missed her toneentirely, looked at her in complete bewilderment, “Are you serious?”

She looked at him with a deadpanned look, “What do youthink?”

He looked at her and saw her mouth quirk upwards. He breathed out loudly in relief, “You thinkyou’re funny, but your not.”

She laughed at him and his facial expression, “That waspriceless!”

“I’m glad you thought so,” he muttered with no amusement inhis voice at all.

She wiped away a tear and settled down a little, “Ohhhh,thank you. I needed that.”

“Glad to be of service,” he replied and then added softly,“I knew I should have stuck with Lavender.”

Hermione heard that and hit him with a pillow, “Jerk.”

Ron threw the paper away and leaped at her. They wrestled for a few minutes beforeHermione rolled him off the couch and on his back then kissed him. He of course didn’t mind and responded withfull intensity. They broke off to comeup for air and Hermione glanced at the journal opened on the table.

She looked at it with a puzzled look and Ron becameconcerned.

“’Mione?”

She reached out, pulled the journal closer and read the lineshe’d seen. Then she quickly stood.

“Of course! How couldI be so stupid! I’ll be right back,” shesaid standing, “We have to go see Harry.”

Ron watched as Hermione raced out of the living room,“’Mione, what is it? What’s wrong?”

He stopped at the foot of the stairs and listened to hershout, “I can’t believe I didn’t see it before!”

“See what before?” he asked her, but got no reply.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” she muttered as she came down thesteps. She’d quickly changed and grabbedher cloak, “Come on!”

She put on her cloak and grabbed the journal. She dragged Ron over to the fireplace and withinmoments they had disappeared in a green flame.

Hogwarts was decorated with Valentine’s Daydecorations. McGonagall had allowed thestudents to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year due to the fact that the Hogsmeadetrip had been canceled. She figured thatthe students could at least enjoy some sort of recreation and this holiday wasperfectly timed for such a distraction.

She was walking the halls in between classes noticing thestudents were passing out and opening notes given them. She smiled at one student’s reaction to hernote. The girl turned bright red andlooked around her as if seeing if anyone had seen her, then she turned and madea quick retreat from the hallway.

The students were headed to the Great Hall for dinner. McGonagall entered with other students andwalked up to the teacher’s table passing Harry standing at the Gryfreplaceor tabletalking with Ginny.

A small card in a plain white envelope was placed next toher.

“Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Ginny looked up in surprise and saw Harry standing next toher. She looked back at the card thensmiled.

“Thank you,” she said and reached for the card, but hestopped her, “What is it Harry?”

“Can you please read it later?” he asked quietly.

“Of course,” she said and gave him a quick hug and sat backdown.

Harry nodded a greeting to the others and went to theteacher’s table.

Colin sat down next to Ginny having seen the wholeinterchange from the doorway, “What was that all about?’

Ginny put the card in her pocket, “Nothing. He just wished me a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“Oh, ok,” Colin said with a slight tone of anger in hisvoice.

Ginny picked up on his anger and hers rose, “Listen Colin,Harry’s known me for years. I will notdismiss that now that you and I are seeing each other.”

“Then stop hugging him and flirting with him,” he spat outand stood.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him down, “Sit down. I do not flirt with him. Harry and I are friends. If you can’t get over it then maybe weshouldn’t be together.”

His jaw clenched, “What are you saying?”

“Maybe,” she started, “Maybe we’re just not meant to be.”

He looked at her stone-faced, “Fine.”

He stood and went down to the other end of the table. Ginny felt a little better actually. Something inside her knew that Colin wasn’tit. She would have thought about it morewhen the doors burst open.

She and everyone else present turned and were surprised whenHermione and Ron raced in.

The hall grew quiet as they raced up to the teacher’s tableand started speaking to Harry. Hermionewas holding up a small bound book in front of her and showed them a page init. Ginny’s stomach began totighten. She then saw Hermionedistinctly mouth the name Voldemort.

“They’ve found him,” she said.

“Found who?” Dennis asked, but Ginny didn’t answer.

After a few minutes more Harry stood and put his cloakon. Kathryn stood and whispered to himand then raced out of the hall through a side door. Harry turned to McGonagall and they spoke fora few moments before Harry, with Hermione and Ron ran out of the hall.

Then hall the erupted with conversation like water from abroken damn.

“What was that about?” Luna asked when she came over and satdown.

“I think they’ve found You-know-who,” Ginny said.

Luna’s face went pale, Dennis swallowed his food with a loudgulp and several other students around them stopped talking and looked at herwith shock.

“Students!” came McGonagall’s voice over the din. The hall slowly quieted down and she stood infront of them.

“Thank you,” she said, “Now I’m sure you’re all curiousabout what just happened. Just beassured that there has been a slight emergency and it will not affect Hogwartsin any regards. So please continue doingyour normal activities. Thank you.”

She started talking with Professor Sprout and left asquickly as Harry did. The hall againbecame noisy again with the students talking. Ginny turned back in her seat and felt the card in her pocket. She pulled it out and stared at it for aminute.

She looked at Luna, “I hope he survives.”

The trio raced along the castle’s stone hallways and outinto the night. They were racing to theedge of the school grounds so they could apparate.

“If he’s where you say he is then this won’t be easy,” Ronsaid.

“He’ll have protection,” Harry said, “We need to wait forKathryn before we go in.”

“How many Aurors are left?” Ron asked.

“Not enough,” Hermione said looking at Harry with concern.

“That’s why McGonagall’s getting The Order together,” Harrysaid, “I asked her just before we left.”

“That’ll be good,” Ron said, “Plus with the last horcruxgone You-know-who will be weaker than last time.”

“Don’t bet on it,” Harry whispered and stopped, “Ready?”

Hermione and Ron both nodded and with in moments they weregone.

They apparated just outside a high stonewall that was atleast twenty feet tall and vines growing on its face. They walked around and found a small irongate entrance leading to what looked like the backyard. They peaked through and saw the small castlethat had several rooms lit.

“How long?” Ron asked.

Harry shrugged, “A half hour at least.”

Ron nodded and gulped, “Ok.”

They waited in silence with nothing but the sounds ofcrickets chirping in the distance. Thenafter what seemed like an eternity they heard the distinctive sounds of peopleapparating nearby. Harry jerked his headto the other two to follow him and they retreated back to where the sounds hadcome from.

They saw at least a dozen people heading to the cover of thestonewall as they approached. Kathryn,Shacklebolt and ten other Aurors had arrived. Kathryn looked and saw the trio approach and gave them a quick smile.

“Fancy meeting you here,” she said.

“We were in the neighborhood,” Harry replied and looked atthe group.

Kathryn read his mind, “This is all that’s left,” she said.

“Professor McGonagall is getting more help now,” Harry said,“The Order.”

Kathryn nodded, “Good, we’ll need all the help we can get,”she looked around, “Is there a place where we can get in?”

“There’s a small entrance a few yards from here,” Harry saidpointing to his left, “There maybe a few others plus the main entrance.”

Kathryn nodded, “We’ll have to go in there then. Let’s go.”

Harry led the small group to the gate and stopped. Kathryn looked in and saw the same thingHarry’s group had.

“Are you sure?” she asked looking from Harry to Hermione,“This could be a disaster if you’re wrong.”

“I’m sure,” Hermione said.

“And I trust Hermione,” Harry added.

“Ok,” Kathryn said nodding, “How long before McGonagall gethere?”

Harry shrugged and shook his head, “I don’t know. The Order is spread out all over England.”

Kathryn leaned back against the stone, “We can’t wait allnight.”

“We’re outnumbered though,” Shacklebolt said, “Thirteen ofus cannot possibly take on Voldemort and his Death Eaters.”

“Agreed,” Kathryn said, “But twelve of us have to take theDeath Eaters, only one of us has to face Voldemort.”

All eyes went to Harry. He nodded slightly at her comment. Suddenly there was sound of popping near them. They all turned and pulled out theirwands. They immediately breathed a sighof relief when they saw almost the entire Weasley clan minus Fleur, Percy andGinny.

Arthur Weasley saw them first and silently walked over, “Isthis all?”

“All that’s left of the Aurors, Arthur,” Kathryn said, “Areyou it?”

“No,” he said, “More are coming.”

“We’ve been trying to decide whether to do something now orwait,” Shacklebolt said, “Since you’re the highest ranking Ministry officialhere you’re technically in charge Arthur.”

Mr. Weasley nodded, “I know,” he sighed as he looked inthrough the gate at the house, “Not much in the way of cover is there?”

Kathryn took a quick look with Shacklebolt and shook herhead, “Very little. It’d have to bealmost a straight shot at the castle from here.”

“We’d be exposed too long,” Shacklebolt added, “And the snowwould slow us down.”

“They can’t know we’re coming?” Charlie Weasley said, “We’dhave the element of surprise.”

“Maybe,” Mr. Weasley said, “but You-know-who’s source ofinformation is impressive. He may or maynot know we’re coming.”

“Well we can just sit here and debate about this or we canjust get this over with Arthur,” Kathryn said.

“Agreed,” Mr. Weasley nodded, “Minerva could be sometimewith the rest of the Order,” he paused in contemplation, “We wait ten moreminutes then we move in.”

They nodded and waited in silence. Occasionally someone would shiver in the coldand blow on their hands, but for the most part the group never moved. Just before the ten-minute time limit Mr.Weasley had imposed was up there came several soft pops near their hidingplace. McGonagall, Tonks, Moody andHagrid appeared. They quickly joined therest.

“This is it,” McGonagall said.

“Ok,” Arthur said, “Then lets go. Once inside, spread out along the wall thenbreak off into groups and go around the grounds until we’ve covered the house. Hagrid stay here until we get in. Unfortunately with your size you will benoticed.”

Hagrid nodded understanding perfectly. They tried to open the gate, but it wouldn’tbudge, even when they used the alohomora spell. So Hermione acted next, “Evanesca.”

The door promptly vanished in front of them.

“Good work ‘Mione,” Harry said and entered first withKathryn. The group fanned out along thewall in the darkness before they broke off into groups and englobed thecastle. Harry, Kathryn and Charlie Weasleyquickly went to their left and found a small entrance in the side of thecastle.

They quickly looked around and didn’t see anyone. Then quickly as they could ran to the castleand hid in the shadows of the entrance. They looked and saw similar movement from the shadows and Hermione, Ronand Shacklebolt joined them.

Harry looked at Kathryn and tried the knob. It turned easily and the door opened. Harry cautiously opened the door farther andpoked his head through. He heard nosounds and saw no one in the small entranceway. He nodded to the group and they entered silently.

Once all six and entered Ron closed the door and looked atHarry. Harry saw a stairwell leading upand one leading down. He gripped hiswand and headed up the steps with Kathryn and Shacklebolt, while Charlie,Hermione and Ron took the steps that led down.