𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐲 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 (Harry Potter x Reader)

Y6 ༓*˚⁺➵ Until the World Ends

A/N ~ Short chapter, but it's the last of sixth year... here we go.

∞ ϟ 9¾ ♔ ⚯͛ △r⃒⃘ ➵ ♆

The Slytherin locket- the supposedly Horcrux- was unnoticed until the morning after the battle.

The Quartet had a rough night- Y/N didn't think she even slept at all.

They met in the common room in the morning and walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast, the realization of yesterday's events slowly surging back into reality.

The Great Hall was filled with students, all murmuring and whispering.

The Quartet tried to ignore everyone's pointing fingers as they walked to the Gryffindor table.

There, they sat and ate in silence, as the whispers and buzzes from other tables swallowed them whole.

After breakfast, Harry found himself walking up to the Astronomy Tower without any thought, and his friends followed his lead, without questioning it.

They arrived at the very top of the tower, squinting their eyes through the soft orange sunshine, and looked down at the rest of the castle- at the glistening lake, the many birds, the smoking chimneys.

The weather seemed to be mocking them.

Harry stepped forwards to the railing and placed his two hands on its cold metal.

He closed his eyes and let the fresh wind collide with him, blowing softly at his hair, face, and flannel.

Y/N walked to his side and lay one of her hands on one of his, clutching it firmly to wordlessly tell him everything will be OK.

Ron and Hermione also stepped forwards, glancing at each other, but still lingered behind in Harry and Y/N's shadows

"So?" said Ron in a very low voice. "Did you find one? Did you get it? A- a Horcrux?"

"No," said Harry. "Someone had already taken it and left a fake in its place."

"Already taken-?"

Wordlessly, Harry pulled the fake locket from his pocket, opened it, and passed it to Ron. The full story could wait.

Y/N and Hermione gathered by Ron's side and he took out a very small folded piece of parchment. It read...

'To the Dark Lord,

I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more.

R.A.B.'

"R.A.B.," whispered Ron, "but who was that?"

"Dunno," said Harry. "but whoever they are, they have the real Horcrux."

Ron nodded understandingly and folded the letter back into the locket and handed it back to Harry.

They all stepped forwards so they were side-by-side, and placed their hands on the railing. The four held onto each other's hands without really realizing it.

They simply stood and stared out into the morning, having no clue what in the world would happen to them in months to come.

"I'm not coming back," Harry said quietly, breaking the peaceful silence. Y/N turned to him and frowned. Hermione and Ron swapped glances. "I have to finish whatever Dumbledore started."