The White Tomb (HBP)

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The White Tomb is the thirtieth and final chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Harry sees Luna and Neville by the corner of his eye, fanart by mudblood428.

This chapter summary is not done yet. Please be patient.

"What if I don't care?" Ginny asks. Harry says that he does—how does she think he will feel if he has to attend her funeral, knowing it to have been his fault?

Ginny confesses that she never gave up on Harry. She always hoped that someday the two of them would become an item. Hermione advised her to relax around Harry and go out with other people; the advice worked.

Harry tries to smile. He wishes that he'd taken notice of Ginny earlier. She almost laughs. "But you've been too busy saving the wizarding world. Well... I can't say I'm surprised. I knew this would happen in the end. I knew you wouldn't be happy unless you were hunting Voldemort. Maybe that's why I like you so much."

Harry glances at Ron, who is stroking Hermione's hair as they both cry. He stands up and walks around the lake. Suddenly, a voice calls him, and he turns to see the Minister for Magic limping towards him.

"This was a dreadful tragedy. I cannot tell you how appalled I was to hear of it. Dumbledore was a very great wizard. We had our disagreements, are you know, but no one knows better than I—" Scrimgeour begins.

Harry interrupts him, asking what he wants. Rufus annoyedly admits that he wants to know where Harry and Albus went on the night before the Headmaster died (HBP26). Harry refuses to answer.

"Such loyalty is admirable, of course, but Dumbledore is gone, Harry. He's gone."

"He will only be gone from the school when none here are loyal to him (CS14)," Harry replies.

Barely concealing his irritation, Scrimgeour offers Harry the protection of a couple of Aurors. The teenager laughs; Aurors won't prevent Voldemort from killing him.

Rufus repeats the request he made to Harry at Christmas (HBP16); the boy retorts, "Released Stan Shunpike yet?"

The Minister turns purple. "I see you are—"

"Dumbledore's man through and through. That's right."

Harry, Ron and Hermione; fanart by H.Johanna.

The Minister leaves. Harry, soon followed by Ron and Hermione, goes to the beech tree under which they've sat so many times (OP31, for instance). When Harry tells them what Scrimgeour wanted, Ron angrily expresses his wish to get up and go hit Percy. Hermione prevents him from doing so.

Hermione wonders how Hogwarts can ever close. Ron suggests that perhaps it won't. Harry states that, regardless of that, he will not return. Hermione is not surprised; she asks him where he will go.

Ever since Dumbledore died, Harry has had an idea in his mind: after, at Albus' request (HBP3), returning to the Dursleys', he will go to Godric's Hollow, where it all began, and visit Lily and James' graves. Afterwards, he will track the rest of the Horcruxes.

"I've got to find them and destroy them and then I've got to go after the seventh bit of Voldemort's soul, the bit that's still in his body, and I'm the one who's got to kill him. And if I meet Severus Snape along the way, so much the better for me, so much the worse for him."

The trio enjoy their last peaceful day at Hogwarts, fanart by reallycorking.

In the distance, Hagrid is still howling. Ron and Hermione offer to go to number four, Privet Drive and from there go with him. He tries to refuse, but Hermione points out that they had an opportunity to turn back long ago; they've made their choice. Ron reminds Harry that he has to pass by The Burrow before his journey to Godric's Hollow, for Bill and Fleur's wedding. Harry agrees.

He clutches the fake Horcrux, and enjoys his last day of peace with Ron and Hermione.