the guardian | h.potter

4.3

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— The sun had risen high in the sky the next day. It was a new day. And hopefully, a better one than the last.

Finley and Harry entered Dumbledore's office. It was extremely quiet. The only noise were the clicks of the clocks.

Harry climbed the stairs while Finley scanned the desk.

She noticed a very peculiar wand. It gave her the feeling of power as she stared at it.

Finley turned away, continuing with her observation.

Harry met up behind her– his chest fully pressed up against her back, picking up the wand she was just looking at.

"Potter, Finley," McGonagall gained their attention as she entered the office. "In light of what has happened... if you should have the need to talk to someone, besides yourselves..."

Harry grabbed Finley's hand, dragging her with him as he went to leave the office they had just recently entered.

"You should know, Professor Dumbledore...you two meant a great deal to him." Harry and Finley listen to McGonagall's words.

The couple had relied fully on each other by now. There wasn't a moment they were away from each other in the past 16 hours. Every emotion was expressed with only each other. They were desperate.

Harry went to open his mouth to answer, but didn't. When he turned to leave, Finley's hand in his, Finley spoke up. "Thank you, Minerva."

+++

"Do you think he would've done it?" Hermione later questioned as the three stood against the railing of the place Dumbledore was killed. Ron sat on the step someways inside. "Draco?"

"No. No, he was lowering his wand. In the end, it was Snape. It was always Snape."

"I can't believe we trusted him," Finley murmured under her breath. She hated herself for it; she should've known.

"And I did nothing," Harry spoke again.

"Because I said to, Harry. Because... Albus.. didn't want you to." Finley reasoned with the boy.

"It's fake. Open it." Harry said to Hermione as he handed her the fake Horcrux. She opened it with a gasp. In the locket, was a note.

"To the Dark Lord," she read the note out loud. "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?"

"Don't know," Harry snips. "But whoever they are, they have the real Horcrux. Which means it was all a waste. All of it."

"You know, the snogging between you two when we come back needs to be moved to a minimum. It's cute and all, but..." Hermione changed conversations.

"We're not coming back, Mione." Finley informed.

"We've got to finish whatever Dumbledore started. And I don't know where that'll lead us, but we'll let you and Ron know where we are when we can." Harry finished explaining the plan that Finley and him had created that morning.

"I've always admired your courage, Harry. But sometimes, you can be really thick." Harry turned to her with a shocked expression on his face. Finley just nodded in agreement. "You don't really think you're going to be able to find all those Horcruxes with just you and Finley, do you? I mean, I get adding Finley adds a lot, but you still need us, Harry."

"I never realized how beautiful this place was." Harry was the one to change conversation topics this time. The phoenix of Albus Dumbledore flies off into distance, leaving the home its known for so long.

The four of them gather by the railing. Harry had his arms around Finley– hands on the rail, as she also held onto the rail. Hermione and Ron stood around them.

They watched the skyline as the bird flew off into the setting sun. They took in the last breath of peace before they were thrown into the storm.

Until the war had begun.

+++

Finley had arrived at the The Burrow with the rest of the Order. Everyone gathered there as soon as Hogwarts let out the students.

Finley had Apparated Ron, Hermione, and Harry out of there. She was ready to leave.

"Oh, Finley." Molly hugs the girl tight to her chest. Finley accepted the embrace, needing that motherly comfort at the moment.

As soon as Molly was done, she moved to her own son.

Finley gave a look to Harry, making sure he was in the spot she left him. He stood by the door, talking to Arthur. She nodded to confirm it in her mind, before she approached Remus Lupin and Alastor Moody.

"Boys," she greeted, putting up a confident and strong front. Remus disregarded that, bringing the girl into a hug. Finley let the tension leave her shoulders with a sigh.

Moody grasped her shoulder reassuringly as she let go of Remus. "Hey, kid."

"Mad-Eye, long time, no see." She smirked the best she could. "What's the plan?"

"We'll discuss details later. But, for now, I will tell you that you are staying with the Order for the summer."

She went to protest when Kingsley answered first.

"Harry will be completely safe if he stays inside the Dursley home. It is laced with his mother's protection. The moment he doesn't consider it the place of his home or he comes of age, the protection spell will break. We have until the end of summer. He will survive your absence for that long."

Finley glared at the ground at the idea. She didn't like leaving Harry, especially at the time they needed each other the most.

"You will do much more production here, Robinson. At the Dursley's with Harry will do none of us any good. We need you here." Moody spoke with sincerity and honesty.

Finley shut up after that.

She could feel Harry's presence move across the home, coming up behind her to wrap her in a hug from behind.

It was like he knew, in some way, she would be ripped from his grasp at any moment.

She leaned back into him. She sucked up all that she could take of Harry, cherishing the moments he had with him before the summer time tore them apart.

He kissed the side of her head, tapping her heart.

She smiled at the action she hadn't felt in a while.

"So, who wants some pie?"

+++

END OF PART TWO

- J.S.