*NOTES* Okay so my beta hasn't edited this yet but she has had it for like three days. And I know I haven't updated in forever so this is the chapter. Once I do get the beta-ed one back from her I will post that one. But for now enjoy this chapter. I'm almost half way done the next chapter so hopefully you won't have to wait so long for the next chapter. As always please read please enjoy and please review.
Four letters were the only things that lay on the table and everyone stared at them. This was the last straw and it just might break the camel's back. But before that happened they had to be picked up. There was one written to Hagrid and he snatched it up, one written to Hermione that Jane Granger picked up, another written to Ron, in which Arthur took, and the last one had no address but Tonks sheepishly picked it up.
All four letter bearers glanced at each other and then Arthur, Jane, and Tonks looked to Hagrid. Hagrid knew he was going to be the first and he looked at the letter. He remembered picking up Harry and taking him to Diagon Alley. The boy was amazed by such the littlest of things that it even amazed Hagrid. How could one so young been born to do such great things? True back then Hagrid didn't know what he knew now and if he did then he would have taken Harry far away from what his future held. Away from the death and the pain and the destruction, but a wise man one said our choices shape us and he knew that Harry had made the right choice. He had made the brave choice of not hiding and facing whatever came his way. Hagrid was counting on Harry's bravery to pull him through the next hour, day, week, and year.
Carefully he broke the seal on the envelope. The letter slipped from it and into his shaking hands. Hagrid let out a sigh as opened the letter.
Hagrid,
You've known me since I was born. In fact the whole Order has known me since I was born. Albus, Minerva, Moody, Remus, and you because you all knew my parents. And like I've been told several million times (a hundred of which by you) I am my parents. A spitting image of my father except for the eyes, I have Lily's eyes. You were the first person to tell me this. And ever since then you have told me many numerous facts about them.
Once you told me that you were the one who rescued me from the house in which they died and then ten years later you took me from the Dursleys. I feel like I owe you me life for all the times you have saved me. But I know that anything I offer you you won't take. And that, Hagrid, is a true friend and that is what you are to me, a true friend. My first.
Through out my years at Hogwarts you have become a constant fixture that Ron, Hermione, and I go to when we need to hash out our wild and crazy schemes about who is evil. We have told you everything and you will once again be told everything.
It started last year when Dumbledore started giving me lessons on Voldemort's past. They revealed that Voldemort had broken his soul into six different parts (one still in him to make seven). And I was going to have to find four of these parts and destroy them. I told Ron and Hermione this and they decided (and I didn't get a say) that they were going with me. I honestly couldn't say no to them and so I told them we would leave after Bill's wedding.
After Bill's wedding we all said our goodbyes to our families. Hermione went to her parents house and explained everything, Ron said goodbye to his mum and dad, and I went and said goodbye to Aunt Petunia. Shortly after our goodbyes and reassurances we all met up at Grimmauld place. And there in the entrance way we took an oath that all of this wouldn't be talked about to others until after the final battle. It wasn't a real oath, I think, but it was good enough for us.
So we started our lives in Grimmauld place. First I convinced Kreacher to stay in the kitchen at Hogwarts and then I asked Dobby if he wanted a job. We offered him two galleons a week and anything else he wanted. Needless to say I think professor McGonagall was a little shocked to have one of her house elf's resign. That is judging from the letter I got.
Hermione, Ron, and I really got the house back to working order. I think we spent the first two weeks there just cleaning it and then we got down to work. We started discussing Horcruxes. That is where Kreacher came in handy. We made a special visit to Hogwarts for that.
I'm sorry we didn't visit you on any of our trips there. But each of us new that to keep going we would have to keep our contact with the other world at a minimum. It would have been to hard to keep seeing the reminders of what we gave up to go on this fight. Anyway we went to Hogwarts many times during the years. It is amazing how you can find solace under an invisibility cloak sitting by the lake. We also went to the shrieking shacks many times and spent the night there. Whenever, that is, we got a tip that the school might be attacked.
I remember the first time we visited the town this year and it was completely deserted, all the town members just up and left. I don't think we ever felt the weight of the war until we saw the scene that lay before us when we arrived at Hogsmead that cold afternoon. I guess with Dumbledore gone the town just up and left. I guess they didn't feel safe anymore.
Anyway we kept on researching and looking for the Horcruxes. Obviously we found the ones that were left. The locket was in Hogwarts with Kreacher, the goblet was in the orphanage, the wand was in his first house, and Nagini was out on a mission when we found her.
And now we go to the final battle. He can finally be killed and I'm still not sure I'm ready. I'm pretty sure I'll have to use the killing curse on him but I've never done that before. I've never been able to conjure up that much hatred. Hermione keeps telling me that maybe I need to use a spell that isn't focused on hatred but on something else. I have no clue what she is talking about. But I'm not the only one because Ron thinks she is nuts too. He says she has been spending way too much time with me lately and has picked up those Dumbledore habits I now have.
So this is it. This is goodbye, Hagrid. If I die I want to be buried next to my parents and I want you to be the one who is in charge of taking care of that. You always said Dumbledore gave you the important jobs and this is the important task I'm giving to you. Thank you for being there.
Harry
Hagrid set down the letter. He glanced it over and was surprised to see the ink was constantly changing colors. It made him laugh and then he broke down. His tears were the size of rain drops and he tried to stop their flow with a yellow table cloth sized handkerchief.
"There, there, Hagrid," a soothing yet ancient voice came from beside him. "After all he isn't really gone, not yet. You must never give up hope. Now have a lemon drop and let's get on with Harry's letters." It seemed that even Professor Dumbledore's portrait had a weak spot for lemon drops.
"So do we open the letter to no now?" Tonks asked as she changed her noise to the shape of a pig snout. The twins let out a snort at her antics and everyone glanced at Remus.
"Well Hermione's letter at the beginning of this reading adventure said that the letters to Ron and Hermione were supposed to be last." At this Tonks tore into the envelope she hardly even glanced at the seal that made sure it all stayed together. Inside the envelope was a piece of paper.
"Okay here we go…" But before Tonks could even read the letter everyone was suddenly transported to the kitchen of Grimmauld place. There sat the three teenagers.
"What is so important that you had to drag us out of bed at this ungodly hour," Hermione questioned Harry as she nursed a cup of coffee. Ron lifted his head off the table in a sign of agreement as Harry sat looking at his two friends.
Mrs. Weasley finally grasped the situation and began to call out to the three teenagers but none of them seemed to hear her. "Molly," Remus's voice cut through the argument Harry and Hermione were having about proper sleeping times. "This is yet another memory. In fact it is very much like a pensive." He then turned back to look at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as everyone fell silent.
"I don't see why you are so tried Hermione. It's not like you and Harry do anything in that bed. You keep telling me over and over that all you do is sleep." Ron grinned as he said this and Hermione smacked him upside the head. She looked ready to reprimand him but Harry cut in.
"I want, no I need, to write a will."
"You have will, mate, what do you need to write it down for?" Ron got up and poured himself some coffee. Hermione explained what a will was and they all watched as Ron let the coffee spill over the edge of the cup and onto his hand. "Ow! Now why in heavens name do you think you are going to die?"
"We all might die, Ron. This is war after all." Hermione said as she fixed his hand so it wasn't burnt anymore.
"Yeah but he is Harry." Ron said as he stared at his best friend. "Mate, you can't die. I just…you're my…you just can't."
"Ron I don't plan on dying but if I do I want you all to have something of mine. Something so that if your memory gets fuzzy then you can look and see that I was truly here. That I loved you both."
"Okay fine if you want to write something down then we will but I get your firebolt." All three friends glanced at each other before they shared a laugh.
"I want the cloak and of course this sweater of yours." She said pointing at what she was wearing.
"Consider it done. Now let's discuss what I give to others. For instance you two have accounts set up at Gringotts. In the event that I do happen to keel over and die," Ron snorted at this," then you both will be given the rights to these accounts. They each hold twenty thousand galleons and some other stuff I thought you would both find funny and sentimental. You also will share joint ownership of this house. Not much I know but I thought you would enjoy having it." He looked towards Hermione when he named this comment and she smiled at him. Her smile he noted didn't reach her eyes but not many of them did nowadays.
"Hagrid will be getting the Marauders Map." Hermione and Ron let out a laugh at this and then turned back to Harry who was looking at how to say the next thing on his list. "Aunt Petunia will be getting…"
"Honestly Harry, how can you give that woman anything?" Hermione's voice cut through whatever he was about to say. Harry got up and hugged Hermione. Their conversation was so hushed that no one, not even the entourage, knew what they were saying.
"Now Aunt Petunia will be getting the daily prophet for the rest of her life to remind her that the wizarding world does exist and she is connected to it." Harry sunk back into his chair as Ron and Hermione followed him to the table. "Dobby can have all my socks," He said as the house elf appeared with some sandwiches. "Remus will be getting the photo album Hagrid made for me in my first year, the one you keep adding pictures to Hermione."
"What do you think so far?" He looked towards his two best friends and they smiled at him. Even though they didn't agree with him dying they were not going to stop him from making this will. It would ease his mind to know that even if he died his family was well taken care of.
"Harry," Hermione said quietly.
The shared a look. Both could see the pain in each others eyes. They rarely ever talked about what was to come when the final battle took place. It was an unpleasant talk for all three of them and Ron rarely ever stayed around long enough to hear that his best friend might die but Hermione was also the shoulder Harry leaned on when he needed to talk to someone.
"Okay now on to the Weasleys." They broke eye contact but Harry picked up her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I would give your parents money, Ron." Ron let out a sigh as if knowing what Harry was going to say and he probably did. "But I know they won't take it. So instead I'm going to give them the recognition they deserve. I've written a letter, it's in Hermione's vault. Once I'm dead give it to the daily prophet. Make sure they print it exactly as it's written." Harry looked at Hermione who nodded. "Now on to Minerva, she gets all my school stuff."
Harry stood up and walked to refill his cup of coffee. "I think that about covers it. Oh wait Neville. Neville gets my wand. If it survives the battle then I want him to have it."
"Harry, what about…"
"Ginny," Ron finished for Hermione. They both knew it had ended between Harry and Ginny and even themselves but they also knew that while Harry's feelings for Ginny were no longer mutual he still cared for her deeply.
"I've thought about this long and hard for the past month. In that time I decided what needed to be done and I have done it. I have begun the quest to destroy the Horcruxes, I've left everything but you two behind, and I've decided that if I am going to die I'm going to leave everything I have to those that mean more to me than anything in this world. I'm not fighting this war for the wizarding world; I'm fighting it for two reasons and two reasons alone. And those two reasons are you two. Ginny was….Ginny was a…"
"Distraction?" Ron asked quietly as he looked at his best friend with some anger hidden in his eyes.
"You said it not me," Harry said with a grin as Ron took a swipe at him. The two boys ended up in a heap on the floor throwing fake punches at each other as Hermione looked on with laughter in her eyes.
"I have to fix dinner so if you would kindly get out of my kitchen I will start making tacos." Hermione said to end this immaturity. Both boys looked up at the sound of food. Suddenly Hermione was surrounded by her two best friends as they both gave her a kiss on the cheek. She smiled as she shooed them out of the kitchen all the while listen to them argue about whether or not the next Horcrux was as easy to find as the last. Quietly Hermione started getting the taco fixings ready and she as she turned on the stove the visitors heard her whisper, "I'm sorry Ginny."
Just as suddenly as they entered the memory they were thrown out of it. "Well that was eventful." Tonks said as she stared at the piece of paper in front her.
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