When one door closes... - Part 4

He had to be the one to do this thing. Even if Ron and Hermione were with him on the hunt for the horcruxes, he had absolutely no intention whatsoever of letting them get anywhere near Voldemort when the final battle raged. He'd take Voldemort out, and maybe die in the process, but he'd be certain that neither of his friends was anywhere near him when that happened. He could never allow any of them to become another spare. Especially Ginny.

An image rose unbidden in his mind of Cedric's lifeless eyes staring from his crumpled body in a graveyard. Harry shuddered as his mind played a trick and warped the body into Ginny. Her warm, brown eyes – eyes that could melt an iceberg – stared blankly, almost accusingly, through him. He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't.

He glanced up at Ron and Hermione in time to see Hermione use a napkin to wipe away the jam that still remained on the corner of Ron's mouth. It would be wrong of Harry to begrudge them this happiness, no matter how much his heart ached to see it. Hadn't Professor McGonagall said that Professor Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think there was a little more love in the world?

He'd personally told Harry that love was his greatest strength, so why was he pushing it away?

No!

It was different for Ginny and him. Everything was always different for him, and he'd only end up getting her killed, or forcing her to watch as he died. No. It was better for her own sake to keep her away. He'd never want her to have to suffer the kind of horror and pain that he'd felt when he'd watched Sirius slip through that Veil.

Harry shook his head, steeling his resolve. This was the way it had to be.

Harry shook his head, steeling his resolve. This was the way it had to be.

"Okay." Hermione's voice dragged Harry out of his thoughts.

"Let's start with this room. It definitely needs some improvements." She scowled as her gaze roamed around the stacks of broken toys cluttered in the corner and the rundown condition of Harry's small bed. She withdrew her wand from her sleeve.

"We can't use magic," Harry said quickly. "The Ministry can't detect who is doing the magic, only that it's being done here, and I'll get another reprimand. Dumbledore told me that's why I got the letter when Dobby levitated my aunt's pudding."

"Not to worry, mate," Ron said, his mouth still full of pastry. "My dad said he'd inform Matilda Hopkirk at the Ministry that Hermione and I were staying here this summer, and we're both of age."

"So…then…they won't do anything if I use my wand, either. Right?" Harry asked, furrowing his brow.

"No, Harry," Hermione said firmly. "You're still underage, and we have to play by the rules if we want to avoid any trouble from the Ministry. They could still use a Priori Incantatum to see if your wand has been used. Let Ron and me handle the spells while we're here."

Harry scowled, feeling that old, familiar resentment arise within his heart. Dumbledore had always tried to shield him, and look at how well that turned out in the end. "Yeah. I'll just sit back and be a good little boy – like I always do."

"Right," Ron said, choking slightly on a piece of his pastry. "You're so good at staying out of trouble. It's not our fault you're such a young 'um."