Till The End | h.p

the beginning of the end

At the end of the year, there was no feast or celebration. The halls remain dark and deserted as everyone mourns. Sam and Harry stand in Dumbledore's office, for the last time. They walk around and look at the beautiful clutter that remains. McGonagall enters the room.

"Potter, in light of what has happened... if you should have the need to talk to someone..."

Harry walks past her and towards the door, but she continues, "You should know, Professor Dumbledore, you meant a great deal to him."

Harry nods and gives her a sad smile. He turns to look at the portrait of Dumbledore, but he appears to be sleeping. Harry turns his head to Sam.

"I'll catch up," she assures.

He nods and leaves the office. Sam turns to Professor McGonagall.

"I'm not sure if I ever told you... considering the mayhem and trouble my friends and I are always getting into," Sam chuckles and McGonagall smiles, "But you've always been my favorite Professor."

A tear slides down Sam's cheek, "You've taken care of us, all of us. And no matter how difficult things have been, you've always had our best interests at heart. I just- I want to thank you."

Though Professor McGonagall will never admit it, tears brim in her eyes, "It's been my honor to teach you, Miss Black."

Sam smiles and hugs her. The initial shock fades quickly and the professor returns the gesture. Sam pulls away.

"Now, off you go," McGonagall says as she subtly wipes her eyes, "You must catch up with Mr. Potter."

Sam chuckles and heads out the door. She finds her friends in the Astronomy Tower. She stands next to Hermione and Harry.

"Do you think he would've done it?" Hermione asks, "Draco?"

"No," Harry answers, "No, he was lowering his wand. In the end, it was Snape. It was always Snape. And I did nothing."

"Dumbledore told you not to, Harry," Sam argues, "He wanted to keep us safe."

Harry hesitates, but nods slowly. He hands Hermione and Sam the locket that he went to retrieve with Dumbledore that night.

"It's fake," he says, "Open it."

Hermione opens the locket to find a folded up piece of paper. She opens it and reads, "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."

They all look at Harry, hoping for an answer, but he responds, "Don't know. But whoever they are, they have the real Horcrux. Which means it was all a waste. All of it."

Ron looks at Harry and gives him a small reassuring smile, but Harry continues, "I'm not coming back, next year. I've got to finish whatever Dumbledore started. And I don't know where that'll lead me, but I'll let you all know where I am when I can."

Sam chuckles and Harry looks at her, confused, but Hermione speaks for her, "I've always admired your courage, Harry. But sometimes, you can be really thick."

He looks at them both curiously now.

"You don't really think you're going to be able to find all those Horcruxes by yourself, do you?" Sam asks.

He looks out over the grounds and she leans over to catch his eye, "You need us, Harry. We agreed, a long time ago, that we were all with you, till the end. I don't intend to break that promise."

He reaches over and holds her hand, Sam holds Ron's hand, who, in turn, holds Hermione's hand. The watch as Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, flies around the tower and off into the horizon.