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Harry was standing in the owlery, watching an owl fly off into the distance with his letter. The blot became smaller and smaller against the rising sun, eventually fading from view. As the owl disappeared, Harry turned to walk down the winding staircase back to the castle. Weaving through the crowd of students preparing for breakfast and classes, Harry finally arrived at the Gryffindor portrait and answered the appropriate password. Stepping inside, he was surprised to find Neville sitting with Hermione and Ron. All three of them had shocked expressions on their face as they sat in a statuesque manner on the couch.
"Guys, what's wrong?" Harry asked as he approached the trio.
They exchanged worried and surprised glances. After a moment, it was Hermione who shakily replied, "Dumbledore's dying."
Harry froze in his tracks, halfway to the Trio. He looked at them in concern, questioning the merit of this statement, but knew none of them were the type to pull of this sort of joke. They were still regarding him in equal or greater amounts of stunned shock as Harry took a seat next to them.
"Dying?" Harry whispered.
Neville nodded numbly, his expression still crest-fallen as he stared blankly into the dying embers of the fire. Harry felt sorry for Neville. While he respected and admired Dumbledore, Harry didn't have the same connection with Dumbledore that Neville had. To Neville, Dumbledore was the only father figure in his life.
"He told me last night," Neville droned, "He just brought it up like it was nothing and said I had to finish what he started."
"The Horcruxes?" Harry asked.
"He wants me to finish it…" Neville trailed off.
"We'll help you," Hermione insisted as she wrapped an arm around his shoulder. Ron followed suit on Neville's other side as they sought for comfort in each other's arms. Harry was quietly sitting off to the side, caught up in his thoughts as he stared out the window. Dumbledore dying? How could Dumbledore be dying?
"…it was the ring. Dumbledore said that destroying the Horcrux in the ring caused something to happen to him. The break in his leg isn't healing right because of the effects of the curse. He wanted me to know - he wanted - he wanted to make sure that I destroy the rest of the Horcruxes," Neville stammered his way through his sentence.
"I don't think I'm going to come back next year," Neville suddenly stated.
"What? What do you mean you're not going to come back?" Hermione pulled back from him with an astonished expression.
"If Dumbledore's dying, I need to finish this quickly. It's up to me after all, isn't it?" Neville asked rhetorically, "The faster I destroy the Horcruxes, the quicker I can end all of this."
"Hold on a second, mate," Ron started.
"No, I've - I've made up my mind," Neville looked between his friends as they looked back at him with matching faces of incredulity.
"Neville, think about this. You need to stay here. You can't just go wandering about with the War going on!" Hermione pleaded.
"I won't have anymore people dying because I'm taking too long," Neville's eyes met Harry's briefly, a clear reminder of the cost of living.
"I think he's right," Harry quietly said.
"Harry, you can't really think that!" Hermione turned to him, her frustration with the boys increasing.
"You have to do what you have to do to end this. I know if I got the chance, I would," Harry defended himself fiercely.
Hermione opened her mouth to reply but couldn't find the words to contradict his statement. She turned back to Neville and pleaded for him to stay, "We can do this from Hogwarts. It's safer here! We have more resources here!"
"They'll restrict our movement here as well. We can't go wandering about searching the countryside. Dumbledore promised me that this can only stay between us; what do you think they're going to ask when Dumbledore dies. When Dumbledore dies…" Neville repeated his last statement as if he couldn't quite believe he just said that.
"We don't need to stay here. The lot of good a bunch of books are going to do us when we come up against a Horcrux. Neville got the diary by himself and that bloody thing was inside of Hogwarts," Ron pointed out.
Hermione felt defeated as she desperately looked back and forth between her two best friends. Turning to Harry, she pleaded through her eyes for his reasoning. Unfortunately for her, Harry was not going to acquiesce to her request.
"I'll support you guys all the way," Harry encouraged them quietly.
Hermione sighed in a manner that almost sounded like a growl. Her shoulders sagged in defeat as she realized that no one was going to take her side. She looked between all of them and admitted, "I guess we're going then."
A silence fell over the group as they stewed in their own thoughts. Harry was sure that had he been in the same position, he would have immediately left Hogwarts to search for the Horcruxes. Why bother wasting time at school when so many lives were on the line? Why wait for the inevitable attack on Hogwarts?
"So Madame Pomfrey can't do anything about it?" Hermione asked.
"He says she can't. He said that Snape was able to buy him some time but it's running out," Neville replied.
"Snape?"
"Yeah, Snape," Neville shrugged, "He's a git but apparently he helped Dumbledore."
"He's been missing," Harry added.
"You're right, I haven't seen him at any of the breakfasts or dinners lately," Hermione frowned in thought.
"Forget about Snape," Ron interjected, "If we're going to go, we should go when we're let out. I reckon my Mum's not going to be too happy about all of this, so I think it's best we just leave on a blinder."
"I'd feel bad for not letting your family know," Neville guiltily admitted.
"You'd feel bad anyways," Ron brushed it off, "At least this way, we're free to go as soon as we like."
"Are you coming with us Harry?" Hermione asked as she turned to person in question.
Truthfully, Harry didn't expect them to ask him to come along. Indeed, Neville and Ron looked surprised that Hermione would invite him on such a dangerous quest. After all, it was always the Trio that completed the tasks. It was always the Trio that needed to save the world. The sudden inclusion of Harry, while not offensive outright, was at least surprising to the other two-thirds of the Trio.
"If you'll have me," Harry regarded Neville and Ron carefully.
Neville's eyes flicked over to Hermione uncomfortably. It was obvious that Ron would not be the one to make the decision as he looked at Neville expectantly. On Hermione's part, she looked at Neville with a different sort of expectancy as he continually shifted his eyes from Hermione to Harry. Once or twice, Harry thought he detected of flash of…something…but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. After a few moments, Neville nodded his head slowly.
"You'd be a great help," Neville said to Harry.
Harry accepted his words gracefully, only nodding slightly back to indicate that he would agree to join this dangerous journey. Despite Neville's allowance, Harry still felt as if he were the odd man out. Ron only reacted to Neville's agreement with a slight nodding of his head. Hermione, on the other hand, was beaming as she looked back and forth between Neville and Harry.
"Thank you," Hermione said to Harry. At the same time, he knew that she was thankful that Neville allowed for Harry's participation as well.
"How many Horcruxes are left?" Hermione drew a leaf of parchment and immediately started writing several columns and lists.
"What's that?" Ron asked.
"If we're going to be roaming out the countryside, it would do as well to have a plan. It would also help to keep things organized for a four person traveling group," Hermione stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Four. There should be four," Neville answered, "The cup, the locket, and two more things that we don't know. Dumbledore said he would help me with the locket but after that…" Neville trailed off again.
Hermione gulped, "So we have to find three, but we only know the true identity of one of them."
"That would be correct."
"Hmmm," Hermione wrinkled her nose, "Since Voldemort likes trophies, I still stand by my statement that the sword would be one Horcrux and then something of Ravenclaw's to complete the collection. That would leave just one more item -"
Hermione suddenly stopped as the portrait door swung open. She hurriedly stuffed the parchments in her bag as Professor McGonagall glided in, her eyes fixed on just one person.
"Mr. Potter. Professor Dumbledore would like to see you," she said, her face stern but unrevealing.
"Okay," Harry looked confusedly at Neville, but the other boy was equally bewildered.
"Now, Mr. Potter," McGonagall ordered as Harry dragged his feet along.
Hermione mouthed to Harry that they would meet him after his meeting. Harry nodded as he fell in step behind McGonagall. As they navigated through the corridors, Harry had the distinct feeling he was being led to an execution. McGonagall's posture was tense and she did not speak to him in the entirety of the trip to the Headmaster's office. Speaking the password, she stepped out of the way and indicated with a slight movement of her head that Harry should ascend the stairs into the office.
"Mr. Potter," McGonagall called out as Harry placed his foot on the first step.
"Yes?" Harry said, turning around to face her.
With a grim look on her face, McGonagall said, "I knew your parents very well, Mr. Potter. No matter what happens, they both would be very proud of you. Both of them."
"I know," Harry simply replied, turning around to climb the winding staircase.
Opening the door, Harry found that Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, his arms crossed on the desk in front of him. The robes were pulled over his hands, so Harry could not see his damaged hand from his point of view. Dumbledore's smile did not reach his eyes as he motioned for Harry to sit in the chair opposite from him. Harry tentatively sat down, eyeing the Headmaster warily but also with a sizable amount of pity. Dumbledore easily picked up on Harry's expression.
"I assume that Mr. Longbottom informed you of my condition," Dumbledore was to the point.
"He did. I'm so very sorry Professor," Harry confirmed Dumbledore's belief.
"Do not be sorry for me, Harry. I have lived a long life. Far too long than I should have lived. My only regret is that I won't be here to help you or your friends for much longer," Dumbledore looked purposefully at Harry. Not knowing whether or not he should respond out loud, Harry simply nodded back to him.
"I do not wish about me for any longer. I have brought you here for a different reason," Dumbledore looked quite serious as he opened a drawer with one of his hands. Harry could briefly see a flash of his damaged hand as he withdrew the other hand from the folds of his robes. Harry reverted his eyes back to Dumbledore's face as the Professor emerged with something in his outstretched hand.
A blue envelope.
Harry could hear Dumbledore speaking but heard the older man's voice as if he were speaking through a pillow. The aged wizard's voice barely registered in Harry's ears as the young man continued to look at the periwinkle, blue envelope.
"I regret to inform you that the Ministry has deemed it fit to request you of your services."
The envelope was odd at this close distance. Harry, of course, had never seen one up close. The blue shading seemed much brighter and Harry could spot the insignia of the Minister's Army sealed across the flap. It seemed heavy in Dumbledore's hand as if there something more in it besides a letter. It occurred to Harry that he did not see the contents of Ginny's own letter. What was inside the envelope?
"I wish I had more power to stop this sort of behavior from the Minister, but alas I cannot. The public grows more fearful every day of Voldemort's power and the Minister uses that paranoia to push more and more into his army."
Perhaps there was something other than a letter attached inside. Perhaps it was a portkey to immediately bring you to the location of your training. No. Harry distinctly remembered Ginny departing with two Ministry officials. If it was not a portkey, what was inside the envelope? Perhaps Harry was imagining things. Perhaps the letter simply looked heavy in Dumbledore's hand because the Professor was dying.
"I'm sorry, Harry."
Harry looked up at Dumbledore, finally hearing him clearly for the first time. Without hesitating, Harry snatched the letter out of Dumbledore's hand. The old man looked mildly surprised at Harry's sudden movement, but Harry thought nothing of it. He simply tucked the letter into the side pocket of his jacket.
"It's okay," Harry replied.
Dumbledore cocked his head and looked at the teenager through his half-moon spectacles, "You seem to be taking this quite well."
"Anything to help."
Dumbledore's face fell. He obviously did not like Harry's short answer. Sighing, Dumbledore leaned forward and stared straight at Harry, "Harry. I know that you wish for revenge. I know that you wish to bring those who are responsible to justice. Do not let this vengeance overcome you. I have seen great men tore down to pieces in the name of revenge. You will grow up and be a wise and powerful wizard. I can sense it in you. Don't let this darkness overtake you."
Harry felt something adrift in his head. He felt as if something were poking it, trying to access it's contents. Harry didn't appreciate this invasion one bit and forcefully slammed the investigator out of his mind. Dumbledore only gave a tiny flinch to indicate that there was something amiss. Harry stood up and though he felt guilty for addressing the dying Headmaster in this manner, he regarded him coolly nonetheless.
"Thank you, Professor, but I know what I'm doing."
As Harry prepared to leave the office, he was suddenly struck with a thought. Stopping and turning on a six-pence, he asked one more question for the aging Headmaster.
"Professor, what's the dark tower?"
Immediately, Dumbledore's face clouded and he looked almost angry at Harry. His usual twinkling, blue eyes suddenly became icy and harsh.
"Where did you hear that?"
Harry shrugged noncommittally, "I saw it when I got a glance into Voldemort's mind."
Dumbledore looked troubled. More troubled than Harry had ever seen him before. He watched the Headmaster's Adam's apple bob as he gulped, "I'm afraid I can't tell you much. The Founders spoke of a dark tower they used in an effort to unite Muggles and Wizards alike when they were alive. It is but a bedside tale."
"Sure it is."
Without another word, Harry turned around and fled from the office. He did not see the Headmaster's forlorn and disconcerted expression as he disappeared down the staircase.
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As the sun hovered above the horizon, Harry watched it from his spot in the owlery. The soft hooting of the owls and the slight stench of dead animals didn't deter Harry from his spot. He was content to watch the sun set on the horizon. He heard footsteps behind him but didn't bother to turn around. He could recognize the hurried and insistent patter of steps from a mile away.
"Hey Hermione," Harry said softly without turning around.
"How'd you know it was me?" she asked in confusion.
"You make it a point to stomp with your heels."
"Do I?"
"You've done that ever since your second year when I started noticing you."
"You noticed me back then?" Hermione asked with a bit of incredulity in your voice.
"I suppose," Harry grinned to himself.
He heard Hermione step closer to him and place her chin on his shoulder as she stared at the setting sun. There was a calm quiet as they soaked in the beautiful sight. Though Harry just received a letter that would send him off to war, he never felt so peaceful as he did right now. Hermione wrapped her arms around his waist as she hugged him from behind and continued to watch the sunset.
"What are you going to do?" she asked quietly.
"I'm going to fight."
"You don't have to do this you know," Hermione said in response, "You can come with us. If the Death Eaters can't find us, the Ministry surely isn't."
"You know that's not where I belong."
"What do you mean?" Hermione tugged on his shoulder so she could see his face.
"It's not me. It's just always been the three of you," he truthfully admitted.
"That doesn't mean we don't need your help. That doesn't mean I don't need you."
Harry was silent as looked at her pleading face. She was begging for his assistance, begging for him to come along. He shakily inhaled the soft scent of her hair, closing his eyes and memorizing the delightful aroma.
"I'm needed somewhere else. I have something that I have to settle and I just…I know you want me to come, but I know they don't."
"They do," Hermione insisted, "They're just used to a certain way. But I know you Harry! I know how much help you can be to us."
"I would just be an outlier, Hermione. Forget being the third wheel, I simply not be on the wheel at all. I can see how he looks at you," Harry finally arrived to the crust of his argument.
"He doesn't look at me like that," Hermione didn't bother to explicitly state the implicated individual.
"He's going to have a lot on his plate. You said it yourself, remember? He needs you even if he doesn't want you to be there," Harry turned her own words against her.
"I need you."
Harry fell silent again as Hermione stood her ground. She crossed her arms and glared at him, the tears welling up in her eyes. Her jaw was set as she delivered the ultimatum. It was the her final offering as her own pride refused to bow to Harry's determination. He brought his arm so that it looped behind her head. Bringing her head to his so that their foreheads were touching, Harry looked into her tear-filled eyes and attempted to explain his line of thought.
"When the time comes, Hermione, I will be there. When you really, really need me, I will be there. But you don't need me now. We both have things we need to accomplish. Throwing us in the middle of everything won't do anyone any good if Voldemort is still roaming around."
"Is that it then?" the scorn in her voice evident, "You're just going to run off and hunt down Death Eaters? You can't - nothing - you can't bring them back."
Hermione turned the tables on Harry as she carved out an already open wound in his heart. But Harry simply took it in stride, knowing exactly what she was trying to do.
"I know I can't. They're not coming back. But if I can help bring Voldemort down - and I'll be more help out there then trying to destroy the Horcruxes - then at least - I hope - I'll find some peace," Harry exhaled, the soft whispers of his breath tickling Hermione's nose.
"I hope so too."
They were quiet as they reached an unstated understanding. They simply continued to look at each other, their foreheads touching and their arms encircled one another as the sun lowered below the horizon. As the sun faded from view, the light dimmed until a darkness overcame the land. In the midst of it all were two teenagers set to embark on two separate but intertwining journeys.
Harry closed the two inch gap between their lips and met them softly. His lips rubbed against hers lightly, just a slight brush. She puckered her lips in response, just barely meeting his kiss halfway. They pulled away not three seconds later, the mutual feelings reciprocated.
------------------------------------------
Michael Henry was angry.
"Lisa, how are we ever going to get to London? They said to take the M6 from Birmingham. Do you even know where that is?"
"I can't do everything with you yelling in my ear the whole time!" Lisa screeched.
"Guys. Shut the fuck up for a second. Just give me the map and I'll find a way out," Jimmy looked between the arguing couple.
Michael, Lisa, and Jimmy were backpacking through Europe. It wasn't all unusual for three Americans fresh out of college. Currently though, they were having trouble navigating the unknown motorways of the United Kingdom.
"Aha! See, I told you I knew where we were going!" Lisa pointed excitedly at the tall clock tower so aptly named Big Ben.
"She has a point, dude."
"Don't fucking 'dude' me, Jimmy. I knew too," Michael steamed in the passenger seat as he refused to admit that his girlfriend was right about the directions.
Jimmy laughed and could only shrug. Bickering was commonplace for the two and Michael didn't take kindly to losing to Lisa.
"Aww, baby. It's okay. Sometimes I get things right too," Lisa cooed condescendingly.
"I'm hungry," Michael stated loudly.
Jimmy and Lisa could only shrug as they pulled into the busy streets of London. They pointed at the landmarks excitingly as they drove in and around the congested streets. They left their car and started to travel around on foot to see all the sites.
"Where do you wanna go?" Michael asked, his grumpiness slightly satiated by some food.
"Hyde Park," Lisa crossed the location off her list of places they needed to go.
"If only we could teleport there," Jimmy groaned as he rubbed his feet, "The walking is killing me."
"We could use magic," Michael wiggled his eyebrows.
"If only such a thing existed," Lisa sighed.
"That'd be really cool. What do you think? Would I need a wand like all the old time wizards or do I just move things by hand," Jimmy started pantomiming in the air with his hands, pretending to move around objects with his invisible telekinesis.
"Wand? No. If they were real wizards or witches, they wouldn't need wands," Michael debated.
"Why not?"
"That's just something people do at Disney. Just because Mickey had a wand in Fantasia doesn't mean actual wizards have a wand."
"You realize that both of you are arguing about a non-existent form of magic and whether or not the wizards would need wands. Why did I go on this trip with both of you?" Lisa looked between them with a disbelieving look on her face.
Jimmy and Michael looked back at her, their eyes questioning.
"So you think they do need a wand…" Jimmy said slowly.
"You're an idiot," Lisa stood up and started walking in the direction of Hyde Park.
Jimmy and Michael erupted in laughter and slapped high fives as they trailed behind her. They eventually snapped her out of her own grumpiness as they enjoyed the fine weather and usual tourist attractions. Eventually, they decided to take a seat on one of the benches. Lisa looped her arms between her boyfriend and her other friend as she sat in between them.
"I hate both of you," Lisa smiled at them.
"You know you love me," Michael casually replied as he closed his eyes and accepted the cool breeze of the night.
"Me too," Jimmy said through a mouthful of food.
Lisa laughed as she unhooked her arms and pulled a map out of her purse.
"So where to next…" Lisa trailed off as the ground suddenly rumbled beneath her.
"What as that?" Michael asked.
"Can London even have earthquakes?" Jimmy bewilderedly wondered.
Another rumble shook the ground and forced a few people to stumble. Everyone looked questioningly at each other as the rumbling continued. It suddenly stopped, causing Lisa, Jimmy, and Michael to look at each other in confusion. The small reprieve was suddenly over as the ground suddenly shook violently. Cracks started appearing below their foot as people scattered in panic.
"Come on!" Michael pulled Lisa by her hand as they sought shelter from this calamity.
Trees were being uprooted from the ground as it continued to shake and crack, the faults becoming more evident as they rumbling grew. The three tourists dodged to and fro as they attempted to maneuver through the falling debris. Out of the corner of his eye, Michael spotted the foundation of a building crumble and give way.
"Away, away!" Michael pulled them in a different direction, away from the falling building.
As Michael turned around to look back at the destructed park, he disbelievingly watched as something rose out of the ground. At first it was just a tiny peak, but then it grew as the ground opened up beneath it. A tall structure shot in the air as if it were being raised by the hand of god himself. Up and up it went, high into the air and higher than any building in London. Michael stumbled and fell, bringing Lisa down with him as stared at the tall, dark tower with a mixed expression of shock and horror. Lisa turned to see what her boyfriend was looking at and her jaw dropped as she took in the sight.
The tower was black and looked to be made of some sort of solidified lava. It kept rising high into the air, easily blotting out the moon and casting everyone in a dark shadow. There seemed to be no entrances or windows of any kind. At the very top was a pointed tower, much like the castles of the Medieval days. The rumbling of the ground finally stopped as well as the rising of the tower. The visitors of Hyde Park looked at each other as they gaped at the tall, dark tower. Lisa turned to Michael, her eyebrows scrunched in deep confusion.
"What is that?"
Michael still couldn't believe his eyes as he continued to stare at the tower.
"I don't know. I just - I don't know."
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End Part 1