I Open at the Close

6

Harry stared at the fire place in the Room of Requirment. He was waiting for Ron and Hermione. His alone time gave him plenty of space to digest his day.

He'd expected it to be much harder on him, going through all of the bad things that had ever happened to him. Instead he found it, therapeutic. Still, there were a few things he didn't dare weigh his younger self with. The most pressing one being the horcrux issue.

Without allowing Voldemort to become powerful enough to cast Avada Kedavra, Harry wasn't sure how to get rid of the horcrux presently residing in Younger Harry. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already decided that would be the final one they deal with. They were planning on leaving the castle as soon as Sirius was freed.

They wanted to get the horcrux's handled as soon as possible, thankfully for them there was one in the walls they were in. That night they'd go and get the diadem.

However Ron and Hermione couldn't meet Harry until that night. So he'd spent the day sitting in the Room of Requirement. Thinking about the conversation he'd had with Younger Harry. And thinking about conversations to come. Like Sirius and Remus. If he met them now, what would he say? Would it be best to avoid them? If they fixed everything there was always the chance he'd see them when they got back to their time.

Though there was always Hermione's theory that everything from their time, including them, would disappear once they did all they wanted to do.

That didn't matter anymore though. They'd already changed things, there was no going back.

Finally the time came for Harry to slip out of the Room. Ron and Hermione were waiting for him in the hall.

"Ready mate?" Ron raised his eyebrows, the sword of Gryffindor in his hand.

Harry nodded, "Ready."

He paced back and forth three times, I need the Diadem, He thought each time.

Once he finished his third lap, the door appeared. Together the trio slipped into the Room.

"Just like I remember it." Ron tsked

Harry looked at his friend, "I remember it with more fire." He smiled

"Very funny Harry." Hermione rolled her eyes, "Do you remember where it is?"

"Yeah" Harry nodded, leading the way.

It didn't take long, the Diadem was right where it had been when they found it just a few days ago. Harry carefully picked it up.

"Here," Ron outstretched the sword

Harry took it and placed the Diadem on the ground. He raised the sword, then swiftly brought it down. The Diadem's gem cracked and a small puff of black smoke inked out. Dissipating in the air.

"That's it?" Ron asked

"Maybe since Voldemort's not at full power yet it's not as strong?" Hermione offered, though she herself didn't sound sure.

At any rate, they had one Horcrux down. However anticlimactic.