Y/N's POV

After my encounter with Dumbledore, I returned to the Slytherin Common Room, ignored everyone's questions, and made my way straight up to my dorm.

"Pickett from first year was told to give this to you." Draco told me when he entered the room, chucking the bit of parchment towards me.

I unfolded it and read its contents.

Tomorrow, 3pm. Same place. I will be waiting for you in my office.

- D

I knew what it meant. Dumbledore wanted me to go to my father's funeral and honestly, I wanted to go too. However, I knew my mum hated me because of my actions and I knew Issac would never want to look me in the eye ever again, but it felt necessary to pay my respects to my father.

I felt that it wouldn't be necessary to take a lot of stuff, so I merely grabbed a jacket if it got cold and made my way to Dumbledore's office.

"I knew you'd come." Dumbledore smiled at me once I had entered his office.

"I had to." I said through gritted teeth before grabbing some Floo Powder from his desk.

"They will all be where you were buried. So Floo Powder won't work." Dumbledore informed me.

I sighed and put the powder down. "I guess we'll have to Apparate then."

As soon as Dumbledore and I had Apparated to the cemetery where I was buried, we parted ways and I made my way to the trees, hoping to find some cover. I finally found suitable foliage that would be able to cover me and hide me from everyone else who was attending the funeral. My mother definitely wouldn't want me there nor would Issac so I thought it would be best to attend the ceremony from a distance.

I could still hear the speeches that were being made, everyone was in dark attire and even Nick had decided to show up, his face was stoic, perhaps his way of coping with the trauma was trying to hide his emotions

"Steven L/N was a wonderful man," Dumbledore spoke to the small gathered crowd, "I remember him as a Hogwarts student, he was so mischievous yet so well behaved. He formed a lifelong group of friends and found the woman of his dreams, he deserved nothing less. It saddens me that we've lost someone so young, someone who still had years of being a father, and a grandfather left to live. He will be truly missed."

I looked over at the crowd, I could see Lupin looking extremely tired in his ragged robes, my heart broke when I looked at the look of sadness on his face. He was the last of the Marauders, he was the only one left.

Issac next took the stage. "I didn't really expect to be up here again so soon, but I guess life has a way of surprising you. My father was an extraordinary man, he did everything in his power to make sure that he could provide for his family and make sure that we could live a good life. I remember everything he did for me and my brother when we were younger, he sacrificed many things for our benefit and I know he knew that we were grateful, but I never properly thanked him for being the best father anyone could ever have."

Issac's eyes closed as he tried to recompose himself, he walked away from the front of the crowd, letting my mother speak.

"Steven was the love of my life, I knew it when I was just a teenager in my third year at Hogwarts and I still know now that he is, and always will be the love of my life. He was the only person who I ever loved in that way and he made me so special, he made me feel like I was the only girl in the entire world he cared about. He made me feel like that thirty years ago and he still made me feel like that to this day. Words cannot describe how much I'm going to miss him but I hope, Steven if you're listening, that you know that I will love you endlessly."

There was light applause as my mother finished her speech. I had to control myself from crying but the guilt that had consumed me since the moment I had done that unspeakble act was starting to consume me completely to the point where I thought the only way I would be able to repay for that sin would be to leave everything behind.

But I wouldn't do that, my father would've wanted me to carry on and I couldn't do that to Hermione. Even though we had broken up, part of me still longed to be with her, regardless of the danger that I could put the both of us in.

We couldn't be together, not now. I just had to hope that she would wait for me, once everything was over we would finally be able to be together.

The funeral proceeded and as soon as the casket had been lowered, right next to my grave, everyone began to disperse and I followed. But just before I left, I caught the eye of a certain person. My cold eyes met their familiar, warm ones. They gave me a shocked smile as I disappeared, away from sight.

Away from everyone.

Third Person's POV

Hermione Granger had saw Y/N L/N and her eyes had met his. She missed him, greatly, but she knew that he was set on protecting her and she knew he would refuse to get back together with her.

"I'll wait for you..." Hermione muttered to herself.

"Wait for who?" a voice asked.

Hermione's head turned and she noticed a boy walking beside her. He was taller than her and he had light brown hair and blue eyes that surveyed Hermione with great interest.

"Oh, I was waiting for Harry and Ron." Hermione lied.

The boy raised an eyebrow at her. "Well if Ron's that ginger twat who I've seen eyeing you through the whole thing then he's already gone."

Hermione was shocked. The idea of Ron staring at her certainly wasn't a pleasant one.

"H-he was staring at me?" Hermione asked.

The boy nodded. "Yep," he said casually, "I can see why."

Hermione looked at the taller boy, was he trying to flirt with her? She couldn't seem to process it as her mind was too preoccupied over her and Y/N.

"Thanks..." Hermione muttered.

"I'm Nick by the way," the boy said, holding a hand out. "I haven't introduced myself personally to you yet."

"Yeah you're were the guy I saw in the Burrow when I first arrived." the girl replied, shaking his hand. "I'm Hermione."

"I'm meant to meet Mr Weasley somewhere," Nick told her, "he's going to teleport me back home. Is that what you guys call it? Teleportation?"

"Apparation." Hermione replied, she was now intrigued, how did he not know what that was? "I haven't seen you around Hogwarts...what house are you in?"

Nick smiled sheepishly. "Well, you see, I don't actually go. I'm what you guys call a Muggle."

"So am I!" Hermione exclaimed. "So how do you know the Weasley's then? And how have the Ministry not wiped your memory then?"

"Well, something happened and this guy called F/N-"

"-Y/N."

"Oh you know who he is? Mr Weasley told me to call him F/N to everyone except from some adults."

"Yeah...I know. He's my boy-ex boyfriend." Hermione said looking down.

Nick let out a little gasp. "Ah, well um...this is awkward."

Hermione looked at Nick skeptically.

Nick took a deep breath and composed himself before retelling the story that still haunted him.

"Well he killed my family cause his psycho grandfather told him to do it but then he found me and took me to the Weasley's who told me all about the Wizarding world. Y/N's...interesting, he was scary at first and he's still scary but his life's kind of messed up."

"Yeah...I know." Hermione replied.

"Well there he is." Nick said, looking at Mr Weasley who was calling the boy over. "I guess I'll see you around Hermione."

And with that, he left Hermione standing on her own, in the cold, trying to process everything that had just happened.

Back at the Burrow, Harry and Dumbledore were having a private conversation in the living room of the Weasley's home. Dumbledore was planning on taking the boy with him to find Tom Riddle's Horcrux, a task he knew he couldn't do on his own.

"I take you with me on one condition: that you obey any command I might give you at once,and without question." Dumbledore told the boy.

"Of course." Harry replied.

"Be sure to understand me, Harry. I mean that you must follow even such orders as 'run', 'hide' or 'go back'. Do I have your word?"

"I-yes, of course."

"If I tell you to hide, you will do so?"

"Yes."

"If I tell you to flee, you will obey?"

"Yes."

"If I tell you to leave me, and save yourself, you will do as I tell you?"

"I-"

"Harry?" they looked at each other for a moment."Yes, sir."

"Very good. Then I wish for you to meet me outside the Burrow in ten minutes, with your Cloak." Dumbledore told him.

Harry nodded and walked off, rushing to find Ron and Hermione.

He burst into Ron's room, where they both were eagerly awaiting him. he scrambled around for his Invisibility Cloak, trying to ignore Ron's frantic questions.

"Look," Harry told them quickly, I haven't got much time but I need you to help me."

They listened and nodded.

"Dumbledore isn't going to be in tonight, so Draco is going to have another shot at what he's planning, and it's not going to be good. I heard him the other day, him and F/N sounded like they were celebrating something. But I want you to take this," Harry shoved into Ron's arms some scrunched up socks, inside was the Felix Felicis he had won, "I know it won't be any good because F/N and Draco will have their own vial but use it."

Hermione opened her mouth, her eyes filled with fear. "But Harry-"

Harry looked at her. "I have no time for 'buts' Hermione, I've got to go."

Before he left, he reminded them about their task regarding the Malfoy brothers. "You've got to watch them and you've got to watch Snape, too. Use anyone else who you can rustle up from the DA. Hermione, those contact Galleons will still work, right? Dumbledore says he's put extra protection in the school, but if Snape's involved, he'll know what Dumbledore's protection is, and how to avoid it, but he won't be expecting you lot to be on the watch, will he?"

Ignoring their protests, disbelief, and their multitude of questions, Harry stormed out the room, carrying his Cloak just like Dumbledore had instructed.

He made my way back into the Weasley's living room and looked at the teenage boy standing awkwardly by the door, when I walked near he opened the door for me.

"Thanks..." Harry said, trailing off because he was unsure of the other boy's name.

"Nick. Nick Sawyer." he replied.

Harry gave him a quick smile. "Thanks Nick."

Walking out, he looked at Dumbledore who was already waiting.

"Are we going to Apparate?" the boy questioned.

He nodded. "Do you have your license yet?"

"No sir."

"Well, I will assist you then," he took his arm, "one...two...three."

The sickly feeling Harry usually experienced when he Apparated entered his stomach and his mind as his vision blurred and the Weasley's Burrow disappeared from his sight. Harry scrunched up his eyes to prevent himself from passing out or feeling nauseous but it didn't work. When he reopened my eyes Ihefelt sick and took deep gasps of air.

He looked around, they were standing in the cool darkness, breathing in lungfuls of fresh, salty air. It was isolated and instantly there was a feeling of dread that entered his mind. He wanted to go back, sensing that something was going to happen, but he couldn't.

Harry was right, they had left Hogwarts in a vulnerable state, ready and open for anyone to attack...