AN: It's been a really long time since I was supposed to have finished this, but I'm back! Better to turn up late to the party, than not at all, right? Right? I have about six new chapters written and I fully intend for this to be finished relatively soon. Firstly, I'm going through the chapters that are up and just tidying them up a bit. New chapter will be up tomorrow night, I think. Please keep R and Ring!
It had been a few months, since it had happened, but Harry hadn't the heart to come before now, still didn't, if he was honest. As the door swung open he saw the dust swirl into the air. The smell of Chanel No. 5, a muggle perfume she'd loved, and some nameless cologne still lingered. They could just have been away, under some foreign sun. Maybe they were.
Now that Harry was there, he wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. He brushed his hand against the banister, swiping away a film of dust – he regretted it, leaving any trace of his own presence here. Damage done, he ascended the stairs, ignoring the kitchen, which had been the heart of this home. He opened the first door that he came too, barely remembering the layout.
It was their library. He had always laughed at this room: if there had ever been two people destined to have a home library, it was these two. The room wasn't big, cosy really, shelves on two walls, covered in books. More books than most would read in a lifetime, but Harry knew her too well – there would be a trunk somewhere full of reducio-ed books. The third wall, to his left contained a small fireplace and two large windows, through which he could see the autumnal sunset. He turned to see the wall behind him and heard his own breath wheeze out. On the last wall were dozens of pictures, maybe more than a hundred. All were slightly haphazardly displayed, some in old ornate frames, others simply planted with sticking charms and some framed by painted pasta and something that looked like colourful fizzing whizbees. Some of the photos moved, others stood eerily still. Every single one had his friends in: a life, in pictures.