Right, so this is my first story on and so I'm feeling a little nervous. It's only a first draft people, and so if you like the concept, let me know and I'll write a second draft. Ok, enough excusing myself. Enjoy? xx

Harry let out a long sigh and placed his head in his hands. The cold wind whipped viciously around his thin body, but he couldn't go inside. Someone needed to guard the tent. Or at least, that's what he was telling himself. The truth of it was that he couldn't face Hermione crying. He knew that she would try to hide it from him and in some ways that was worse. The storm pushed past his face, causing tears to form in his eyes. Angrily he wiped them away, becoming more and more frustrated as they kept on coming. That was, until a warm and gentle hand caressed the back of his head.

Harry sighed again and leaned back, closing his eyes as his tangle of hair was ruffled.

'Do you ever brush it?' Lily Potter reprimanded him as she sat down beside her son. 'Sometimes I think that it's worse than your father's.'

Harry grinned. 'Where is he?'

'Out collecting firewood. You guys looked cold.' Lily put her hand to his forehead and frowned. 'I'm worried about you. Hermione too.'

'Mum, don't fuss.'

'It's my job, Harry.'

The two sat in silence for a while, when Lily suddenly smiled. 'I'm proud of you. You do know that don't you?'

Harry looked up at his mother sadly. 'What for? I haven't exactly achieved anything have I? We've been here for months and we've got nothing. I'm hardly the champion that everyone else expects me to be.'

'Then don't be him.' Lily suggested carefully. 'Be who you want to be.'

Harry looked down again at his scuffed trainers. 'I want to be a boy.'

It was only when James came along did they all begin to speak again. He'd dumped the logs with the others and struck up a fire, before going to sit on the other side of his son.

'Ron misses you already, you know.' He volunteered.

Harry raised his eyebrows.

'Well, ok. He doesn't.' James admitted reluctantly. 'But he will do. Give it a few hours yet, maybe even a day or two.'

Harry scowled as he hunched over his knees. 'He didn't have to be that way.' He said crossly. 'And Hermione too, talking about me behind my back. I know what they have been saying.'

Lily put an arm around her son and pulled his head onto her shoulder. 'I know that you're upset, baby; truly, I do. But think about how they've felt.'

'Whose side are you on?'

James laughed. 'You sound like me at your age. Look, I'm with you one hundred percent. They knew the risks. They knew the trials and tribulations. But what they also know is the glory. It's been no picnic, Harry. You know that. They're just scared. They want the road trip, they want the triumph. It's human nature not to want the hard-work that comes with it. I'm not excusing his behaviour. He's not either. Just don't be so hard on the lad. He's only seventeen.'

Lily kissed Harry's forehead as he swallowed. 'I'm seventeen too.'

James closed his eyes and put his arm around his son. The three of them sat like that for a long time. Harry didn't fidget like he usually did with physical contact. He just let his parents hold onto him, wanting just to stay there for the rest of his life.

'Your turn to do the washing up tonight.' Lily said, breaking the spell as she nodded towards the dirty pots and pans sitting by the fire.

Harry shrugged. 'Hermione can do it.'

'Harry James Potter, you cannot just expect one of your friends-'

'Alright! Alright, I'll do it. I was only saying.'

'Young man, you will do more than say. You will do it too. Come on, get up now.'

James said something, but Harry did not catch it, he was too busy leaning into his parents arms. 'Mum? Dad?'

They didn't respond but he knew that they'd heard.

'I'm scared.'

When at last he looked up at them, he saw that they had tears in their eyes too.

'We'll be with you all the way.' They promised. 'We won't ever leave your side.'

'Promise?' He knew that he sounded childish, but he needed to know.

'We promise. We're so sorry that you have to do this. We would do anything to protect you, to keep you safe.'

'What's dying like?' The question was out of his mouth before he had time to phrase it any more carefully.

James swallowed. 'Like falling to sleep. There's no pain. I promise you, there is no pain.'

'Please don't go dying any time soon though, hmm?' Lily gave a watery smile as she pushed back Harry's hair to get a better look at his face. 'We want to keep you around for as long as possible, ok?'

'Ok.'

There was a noise inside as Hermione rolled over in her bunk, probably to really go to sleep. Harry stood up and put the pots into the bucket of cold water and began to wash it by hand. When done he put them onto the towel and rose to leave them.

'And dry them too.'

'Sorry Mum.'

The towel was already wet and the pots were still damp, but they'd do for now. However when Harry turned back to explain it to his parents, they were gone.

His parents were dead.

They'd been dead for sixteen years to the day and they were never coming back. Biting his lip, Harry hunched his shoulders and placed his hands low into his pockets before going back into the tent.

Leaving behind the roaring golden fire.