Come What May

Harry slowly walked up to the tomb of Albus Dumbledore and gently placed his hand on the polished white marble as a last gesture of farewell to his mentor. Originally, he'd intended on packing his things and then waiting for the Hogwarts Express to return him to London for an abbreviated stay with the Dursley's, but he wanted to say goodbye in his own way before starting a quest that the man buried here had died to impart onto him.

The eyes of Hermione, Ron and Ginny could be felt on Harry's back, even thought they stood a respectable distance away. People dispersing from the aftermath of the funeral cast curious glances at him but no one said anything. After a moment, Harry pulled his hand away and turned around, intent on heading back to Gryffindor tower.

"Harry!"

For a split moment, Harry felt a surge of displeasure, thinking that Rufus Scrimgeour was again coming over to try and persuade him to join him at the Ministry. Turning towards the direction of the voice, however, showed not the limping form of the Minister of Magic, but that of Neville Longbottom (helped by an attentive Luna Lovegood) making his way through the crowds. Everyone converged on the two to see how their dear friends were doing.

"Almost all better - few more days at most, according to Madame Pomfrey," said a slightly strained Neville, as he looked at Harry. "I heard talk that the school may not be open next year."

Harry, Ron and Hermione all glanced at each other, uneasily. Neville and Luna, catching the glimpses, looked confused.

"Is there something the matter?" Luna said, her dreamy, unblinking gaze fixed fully on Harry.

"I - we," Harry said, indicated Ron and Hermione, "aren't coming back next year - even if the school is open."

Neville was dumbfounded. "Not coming back? What? Why?"

Ginny's brow furrowed into a frown as she looked from Harry to Ron, who did everything possible to avoid her gaze. She'd known that Harry had decided to do things alone, but now that she heard that he was not only leaving school, but also going with Ron and Hermione, a thrill of indignation now ran right through her core.

Before anyone could say anything, Luna's eyes narrowed, all trace of her characteristic dreaminess gone.

"You're going to go out and find the Dark Lord, aren't you?"

Neville's own eyes widened in surprise as he looked from what looked liked an incensed Ginny to an uncomfortable Ron and Hermione.

"Is - is that true?" whispered Neville. "You're actually going after V - Voldemort?" The very fact that Ron did not grimace from the Dark Lord's name told him how true - and how serious - that statement was.

Harry looked around quickly, making sure they were out of earshot. "Something like that."

"Well, then, I'm coming, too!" Neville said, trying to straighten up, but grimacing a little from the pain.

"As am I," Luna put in simply.

Harry shook his head. "I can't ask that of you two. In fact, I don't want you to come, it's much too dangerous - "

"No."

Harry blinked, unsure of what he'd heard from the normally timid Neville. "What do you mean, 'No'?"

"I said, no."

"He said, no," Ginny joined in, now stepping forward and crossing her arms. Harry looked incredulously at Neville, who was shaking his head.

"You need us, Harry - I mean, I want to come. I know I may be a little slow, but I'm thinking this all has something to do with that prophecy and...maybe even something to do with everyone calling you, 'the Chosen One.' "

Harry sighed. He so loathed that term - it'd become almost a cliché at this point.

Yeah, I'm 'the Chosen One', alright. Chosen by the Dark Lord, that is. It could've easily been you, Neville.

Once again, Harry wondered what if the circumstances had been different. But if there was one thing he'd understood from experience was that one could go mad wondering about 'what ifs'.

"I'm sorry, you two, but I still don't want - "

"Then what was it all for, then?" an uncharacteristically irate Neville asked. "I mean, all of last year...meant nothing? Dumbledore's Army, all those spells you taught us so we could fight the Dark Lord, what happened in the Ministry - that was all just for laughs?"

"No, that's not what I - "

"Then, what?" Neville cut in. "You said the very same thing last year. Were we only good enough to get inside the Ministry so you could try and save your godfather, and then we weren't needed anymore?" Harry winced at that, but Neville continued, "We all went along not because of who it was, but because we trusted you, Harry. I didn't know what to expect. Oh, I knew there might be Death Eaters, but even I never thought I...that I'd meet the...person" - he swallowed hard - "who took my parents from me."

Harry looked away in chagrin. It hadn't been in the forefront of his mind that Bellatrix Lestrange had caused so much pain to two people in this group. He could still see Neville, bleeding and surrounded by Death Eaters, hit with the Cruciatus Curse by Lestrange, while screaming for Harry not to give up the prophecy. If that did not show the depths of his loyalty, what did? But still...fighting in the Ministry was one thing; joining in a search that would eventually lead to a confrontation with Lord Voldemort was something far more dangerous.

"What about your grandmother?" he asked quietly, hating himself for reminding Neville of the only family who'd grieve for him if something happened.

Neville sighed and chewed on his lip. "I think...I think Professor McGonagall was right: I have to be my own kind of wizard and not the kind that my Gran wants. Maybe you do have to fight Voldemort by yourself, Harry...but that doesn't mean you can take on all his Death Eaters on your own," he finished with a tone of certitude.

"What about you, Luna?" Harry asked tentatively, turning towards the Ravenclaw. "You still have several years left in school especially if it stays open next year."

"A school is only as important as a student who thinks there's still something to learn, Harry. Don't you remember Fred and George when they left last year, saying they'd outgrown school?" Luna gave a small shrug. "Hogwarts will always be here...but friends? I think I know what is more important at the moment," she said with a nod, her butterbeer necklace tinkling.

Neville smiled at the Ravenclaw and reached down to entwine his hand with hers. Then he reached over and placed his other on Harry's shoulder.

"No matter what comes our way, I'll be right there with you."

"As will I," Luna said with a smile.

"Me, too," said a resolute Ginny who came forward to clasp his hand and turned a fierce gaze at him, worthy of her mother, as Harry tried to argue. "You may have ended our being boyfriend and girlfriend, Harry Potter, but I was your friend a lot longer," she said with a fervent squeeze of his hand, "and it'll take a lot more than a stupid, noble reason to end that."

Harry then started as Ron, whose other hand held Hermione's, similarly grasp his other shoulder.

"Looks like you're stuck with all of us, mate," Ron said with conviction.

Harry just didn't know what to say. His throat grew tight with emotion, as he looked from one face to another, seeing the sheer amount of loyalty, the sheer amount of courage, and the sheer amount of...love in all of them.

He looked over his shoulder at the marble tomb. Was this what Dumbledore had meant? Not just in his ability to love...but also in what everyone in the group felt for one another? Harry had seen that Voldemort never had friends and that he always worked alone and he felt slightly ashamed that he'd wanted to follow that same path.

"Thank you," he said quietly. He had no idea what they all would encounter in the search for the four remaining Horcruxes, but deep inside, he didn't feel as...alone about his mission. Once all four were destroyed, it would be then, and only then, when he would (prophecy or no) face Voldemort for the very last time.

Harry looked at his friends before him, checking one last time for even the slightest hint of hesitation, but all he could see was unwavering trueheartedness. He blinked several times because he knew that what he saw before him was something more powerful, more pure, more binding than any Unbreakable Vow ever made.

Just before they all turned to leave the grounds, Harry thought he could hear the last strains of a phoenix song drift over the lake in a tone of solemn approval.

-FIN-