Till The End | h.p

returning

The four of them Apparate to Hogsmeade, but the second their feet touch the snowy ground, alarms start blaring all around the town. They quickly run for cover in a dark alley. Harry immediately grabs her hand and squeezes it for reassurance. They can hear people shouting to find them and running through the streets. They make their way further into the alley when they hear someone whispering to them.

"In here, Potter."

A side door opens and they quickly enter the small home. They rush down the stairs into a basement with paintings surrounding the walls.

"Did you get a good look at him?" Ron asks them, "For a second, I thought it was..."

"Dumbledore. I know," Hermione finishes.

Sam steps in front of painting, with a young girl in a blue dress staring into the room. She makes eye contact with the girl and then looks away.

"You bloody fools," the old man says as he enters, "What were you thinking coming here? Have you any idea how dangerous it is?"

"You're Aberforth, Dumbledore's brother," Harry states bluntly, "It's you who I've been seeing in here," he holds up a broken shard of a mirror.

"Do you hear from the others much? From the Order?" Sam inquires.

"The Order's finished," he informs, "Anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves."

"We need to get into Hogwarts, tonight," Harry alerts, interrupting him, "Dumbledore gave us a job to do."

"Did he now?" The man scoffs, "Nice job? Easy?"

"We've been hunting Horcruxes," Sam speaks up in a calm voice, "We think the last one's inside the castle, but we'll need help getting in."

"That's not a job my brother's given you. It's a suicide mission. Do yourself a favor, go home. Live a little longer."

"Dumbledore trusted me to see this through," Harry argues, his anger rising.

"What makes you think you can trust him? What makes you think you can believe anything my brother told you? In all the time you knew him, did he ever mention my name? Did he ever mention hers?" Aberforth points at the painting Sam noticed earlier.

"Why should he-?"

"Keep secrets? You tell me."

"I trusted him," Harry argues further.

"That's a boy's answer. A boy who goes chasing Horcruxes on the word of a man who wouldn't even tell him where to start. You're lying! Not just to me, that doesn't matter. To yourself as well. That's what a fool does. You don't strike me as a fool, Harry Potter. So, I'll ask you again. There must be a reason."

Sam steps forward and to Harry's side, staring Aberforth down with an intensity to show that Harry isn't alone.

"I'm not interested in what happened between you and your brother. I don't care that you've given up. I trusted the man I knew. And we need to get into the castle tonight," Harry says with a seriousness and authority that Sam has never seen.

Aberforth turns to face the painting of the young girl, "You know what to do."

She nods politely at him before walking backwards into the woods behind her.

"Where have you sent her?" Harry inquires.

"You'll see soon enough," he whispers.

Sam, Harry, Ron and Hermione all sit down around the table. Sam reaches for Harry's hand, under the table and gives it a gentle squeeze. When she looks into his eyes, she can see the pain and weariness. They've all been fighting for too long now and the effects are starting to take hold. She offers him a small smile and he, in turn, rests his forehead against hers.

"We're going to make it through this," she whispers so that only he can hear.

He nods his head slightly. A while later, the young girl returns and the painting is pushed forward, off the wall. To their surprise, it's Neville who walks through, a narrow passageway behind him.

"Hey guys, long time no see!"

"Neville!" Sam exclaims, "You look-"

As they look him over, they all notice the cuts and bruises around his face.

"Like hell, I reckon. This is nothing. Seamus is worse," he finishes, "Come on."

They follow him into the passage and walk down the dark and musty path.

"Don't remember this on the Marauder's Map," Ron remarks.

"That's because it never existed till now. The seven secret passages were sealed off before the start of the year. This is the only way in or out now. The grounds are crawling with Death Eaters and Dementors."

"How bad is Snape as headmaster?" Hermione wonders.

"Hardly ever see him. It's the Carrows you need to watch out for."

"Carrows?" Harry asks.

"Yeah. Brother and sister. In charge of discipline," Neville informs as he points to his face, "They like punishment, the Carrows."

They reach the end of the passage and walk down into the Room of Requirement.

"Hey, listen up, you lot. Brought you a surprise," Neville announces.

He steps out of the way to show the Golden Four and everyone claps and cheers before rushing up to hug them each. Sam's overwhelmed by the sudden appreciation considering all they've been through the past year. The room is filled with bunk beds and makeshift beds or sleeping bags. It appears they've used the room as a hideout this year.

"What's the plan, Harry?" Neville asks.

Harry turns to face the crowd of students, "Okay. There's something we need to find. Something hidden here in the castle. And it may help us defeat You-Know-Who."

"Right. What is it?" Neville inquires.

"We don't know," Sam answers.

"Alright, where is it?"

"We don't know that either," Harry concludes, "I realize that's not much to go on."

"That's nothing to go on," Seamus corrects.

"I think it has something to do with Ravenclaw. Um, it would be small, easily concealed. Anyone, any ideas?"

Luna steps forward, "Well, there's Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem."

"Oh, bloody hell. Here we go," Ron whispers.

"Well, yes, Luna, but it's lost, for centuries now," Sam points out, "There isn't a person alive today who's seen it."

"Excuse me," Ron blurts out, "Can someone tell me what a bloody diadem is?"

"It's a crown, like a tiara," Sam informs.

A student rushes forward, "Snape knows. He knows that Harry was spotted in Hogsmeade. He's demanding everyone report to the Great Hall."

Just as they finish their sentence, every member of the Order walks through the passageway. Remus is the first to greet them, followed by Shacklebolt. Sam waits by the entrance until she sees two familiar redheads walk through.

"Little S!" Fred and George wrap their arms around her and hold her tight.

Upon hearing their voices, Ron runs up and wraps his arms around them too. They hold each other for moments before they're pulled away to come up with a plan. As the students line up to leave the room, Harry stands between them, shielded by their bodies, so as not to be noticed. He looks across the room and finds Sam. She gives him a quick nod and he mouths, 'I love you', before walking out with the others.