the guardian | h.potter

1.9

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— Finley sat on Harry's bed as he packed his things into his trunk. She watched him in content.

He stared down at a piece of clothing before packing it, closing the trunk and locking it.

He sat down on the bed, turning his arm behind him to keep a hand on Finley's ankle– the need to be in some sort of contact with her overpowering.

She scooted forward, leaning to rest her forehead on his.

"You all right?"

"Just stay."

+++

"I know how you feel, Harry." Dumbledore spoke softly.

"No, you don't." Harry replied quickly. The conversation took a pause. "It's my fault."

Finley flinched at his words.

"No, the fault is mine. I knew it was only a matter of time before Voldemort made the connection between you. I thought by distancing myself from you, as I have done all year, he'd be less tempted, and, therefore, you might be more protected." Dumbledore casts his eyes quickly to the girl standing beside Harry.

"The prophecy said... 'neither one can live while the other one survives.' It means one of us is gonna have to kill the other, in the end."

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Harry questioned, asking it to both of them.

"For the same reason you tried to save Sirius. The same reason your friends saved you. After all these years, after all you have suffered. I didn't want to cause you any more pain. I care too much about you."

+++

Harry walked back down the stairs after the talk with Dumbledore. Finley was at his side, their hands interlocked.

"You know, I'm here for you. Always have been and always will be." She comforted, speaking the truth.

He tried his best smile, looking over at her.

"I know. And I say the same. Thank you, for what you did– for everything you did."

"You needn't thank me, Harry. It was you, and for you, I'd do anything."

They continued down the halls in comfortable silence. They saw Luna hanging posters on the walls.

"Luna," she caught the girl's attention. The bright girl smiled at Finley, waving.

"How come you're not at the feast?" Harry questioned. The two had stopped walking. Harry's arm snakes around Finley's waist, pulling her close.

"Lost all my possessions. Apparently, people have been hiding them."

"That's awful," Harry comments.

Finley's face turned to a frown. She'd find out who did this and punish them for their actions.

"Oh, it's all good fun. But as it's the last night, I really do need them back."

"Do you want any help finding them?" Harry offered.

"We'd love to help," Finley adds sincerely.

Luna shook her head, "I'm sorry about your godfather, Harry." Harry's grip tightened on Finley's waist. Luna reached for Harry's hand, giving it a comforting, friendly squeeze.

"Are you sure you don't want any help looking?" Harry tried again.

"That's all right," she shook her head. "Anyway, my mum always said the things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end. It not always in the way we expect."

There, on the ceiling, are Luna's shoes.

"I think I'll just go have some pudding." Luna turned around, skipping away.

+++

Finley hummed a tune as they prepared to board on to the Hogwarts Express. "Second time riding this train," Finley informed the three.

"I've been thinking about something Dumbledore said to me," Harry started. He and Finley walked next to each other, Ron on his right and Hermione on her left. The group they travelled to the Ministry with feeding in behind them.

"What's that?" Hermione encouraged.

"That even though we've got a fight ahead of us, we've got one thing that Voldemort doesn't have."

"Yeah," Ron urged him to continue.

"Something worth fighting for."

+++

END OF PART ONE

Author's Note: finished part one!! what do we think?
- J.S.