Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
A/N: And here's yet... another story. I've been daydreaming in class about it, and this has seriously distracted me. I imagined and planned out tons of the scenes, but had no idea how to begin it... how strange. The pairings? I have no idea. This is just... a prologue of sorts. I just wanted to get this chapter over with. It's in the next chapter that there's time travel. Please read and review. Enjoy!
EDIT: This is basically chapters 1 and 2, edited, from previously.
Harry yawned tiredly as he stared out of the window. He was visiting the Burrow for the time being. He watched as the entire Weasley family, with the exception of Fred, prepared for the feast that they were to have later that night down in the garden. Harry's spirit dropped.
It was amazing to think that it was just two short years before that he had faced up against Lord Voldemort again for the last time, and won. It was exhilarating, and the whole Wizarding world was celebrating the Dark Lord's downfall. There was the relief that the danger that was looming over them all had passed, gone forever. That wouldn't mean that there would no longer be any more dark lords, but at the moment, it was a peaceful time.
Of course, the joyous feelings didn't entirely cover up the feelings of regret, or mourning. There were many that died, children and adults alike. Many members of the Order, and even Hogwarts students died in that final battle. And all those deaths were only from that one battle. There were many, many more that died over the years, including his own parents.
Hermione's parents were visiting Australia again. After Hermione had originally sent them there to stay out of harm's way, the dentists decided they liked the place and wanted to stay there for the summer vacation as well, for their anniversary. Hermione didn't go and would have had no place to stay until Mrs. Weasley kindly offered her home.
Harry, now that he was over age, refused to stay with the Dursley's, who had returned to Privet Drive, and had stayed for a few months at the Burrows. After much thought, he had first rented out a small apartment for himself near Godric's Hollow. He wasn't ready to actually move into the place where his parents were murdered, or where he was attacked by Nagini, but Harry would visit the house every now and then. The house itself was kept just as it was before James and Lily Potter were killed.
Once he gained the courage to enter the house, he did so. He passed through the layers of defenses that he hadn't realized were there the first time around. Of course, those defenses were not supposed to be noticed, but after the battle with Voldemort, Harry's magical powers had increased drastically. It was as though they were originally suppressed, but once let go… it felt as though a dam had been released and he overflowed with power. With his heightened magical senses, he noticed all of the defenses that surrounded and clung to the house.
Letting himself in, Harry noticed the absence of dust as well. The first time around, he didn't register how clean it was because he was occupied with other business. Now, in the daytime, he clearly saw that there weren't any layers of dust that should have accumulated over the past eighteen and a half years. When he thought about it, he realized that even if there was a spell that kept the dust away, it would have worn off after the caster had died. And all possible casters had died, as much as he wished they hadn't: his parents, the rest of the Marauders, Dumbledore…
Coming to the conclusion that another wizard or witch was in the house, Harry whipped out his wand from his front pocket and held it at his side, waiting and listening carefully. The house was silent. He could hear the sounds of everyday life outside of it, but inside, all he could hear was his own breath and the beatings of his nervous heart. All of a sudden, there was a resounding crack behind him and he spun, directing his wand at the person in front of him… and saw nobody.
"Master has finally returned to his house." A soft voice called out. Looking down, Harry saw large ears. A house elf. Bowing. His mind could barely understand the scene in front of him. After a few moments, his brain was berating itself. Of course there would be a house elf. Like Ron had said, house elves usually came with large houses and rich purebloods. His father was certainly a rich pureblood, and so it was highly probable that the one in front of him was James's… and was now his apparently.
"Floppy has been waiting for Master to comes." She looked up at him, eyes wide. 'Her ears are rather floppy,' he thought amused, before he was suddenly struck with the thought of Dobby. Brave and valiant Dobby. Her eyes however, were a striking green, much like his own.
"Hello, Floppy." He addressed her, squatting down. "I'm Harry."
She nodded happily. "Young Master Harry." She squeaked, and bowed low again.
He caught her. "You don't have to bow to me, you know… Anyway, have you been living here this entire time?" At her nod, he whispered, almost to himself. "You must have been lonely."
"F-Floppy wasn't lonely!" She exclaimed once she saw his downcast face. "Floppy had lots to do! So don't feel sad for Floppy, Master Harry!" After her outburst, her face reddened. "Floppy apologizes for speaking out of turn… Floppy -"
She was cut off when Harry started laughing. He fell back and just laughed. "It's okay, Floppy. Now, can you show me around?"
After that meeting, Harry promptly moved into Godric's Hollow.
"HARRY!" He was pulled out of his memories as Ron yelled from the garden. "Get your arse down here! Dinner's ready!" Harry grinned and ran downstairs.
"You really didn't need to yell, Ron," he laughed and jogged to his best friends. Hermione and Ron, after their passionate declarations of love for one another a little less than two years before, actually broke up half a year after Voldemort's downfall. Harry didn't really know why, but ironically, even though they broke up, the three of them became even closer friends.
Mrs. Weasley really had outdone herself. The table, as large as it was, barely held all the food Mrs. Weasley had cooked for them. Bill and Fleur had a child. It was only one, but it was his birthday that everyone was celebrating.
The entire evening was filled with food, laughter, as well as a few jokes that George had played on the entire family, which caused Mrs. Weasley to be cross with him for some time.
Everyone felt that it was different without Fred as well, but nobody voiced it. George was after all, trying his hardest without Fred, his twin, his other half, his balance. And in that thought, which loomed in the back of their minds, they remembered their grief in the midst of the joy and happiness.
"G'morning, Mrs. Weasley," Harry ruffled his hair as he walked into the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley was standing at the stove, wand in hand as she prepared the meal. It was quite a sight to behold actually, and Harry would have stopped and stare in awe and appreciation at the mother of… six now that Fred was dead, if not for the fact that he was extremely exhausted.
The night before, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had all stayed up, talking about the past and laughing at each other. They were talking about the new generation: Harry's godson and Ron's nephew. It was amazing to think that this was going to be the first generation that wouldn't have to live in fear. Their greatest fears until the age of 18 would be about grades, dating, OWLs, and NEWTs. They wouldn't have to worry about their lives, conspiracies, or dark lords. And the three were grateful for that.
"Morning, Mum." Ron entered, barefoot and yawning widely. He plopped into an open seat, rubbing his eye. "What's for breakfast?"
"Merlin, your breath stinks, Ron!" Charlie waved his hand in front of him, as though he were fanning the stench away.
"Aw, shut up." Ron glared, or attempted to as he was still rubbing his eye.
Mrs. Weasley turned around, wand in one hand and a spatula in the other. "No breakfast until you clean yourself up, Ronald!" She pointed with her spatula to the door that led back upstairs and stared at him until he started getting up.
"B-But what about Harry, Mum?!" Ron cried out as he walked to the door.
"I dunno what you're talking about, Ron. I already brushed my teeth." Harry smiled innocently at the redhead.
"WHEN?!"
"When you were still rolling out of bed and fought with your blanket that you swore was trying to suffocate you."
Ron pointedly ignored the sniggers that were coming out of his older brothers as he stomped back upstairs, stopping his racket only when his mother yelled at him.
Breakfast was a peaceful event, or as peaceful as it could get in the Burrow. Afterwards, Mrs. Weasley took Ginny to buy her school supplies for her seventh and final year at Hogwarts. Bill, Charlie, and George tagged along for the Floo ride. The three were going to go back to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. The store was doing spectacular, even with the absence of the other twin.
Mr. Weasley and Percy Floo-ed to the Ministry of Magic after them. A few minutes after, Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood in front of the fireplace.
"See you guys there." Harry grinned as he took a pinch of Floo powder, threw it into the fire, and stepped in. "Potters' Mansion!" he cried, gave a quick wave at the other two, before pulling his hand down and keep them at his side.
"Ouf." Harry groaned and flew out of the fireplace. Even after using the Floo for so long, he still hadn't gotten used to the landing. He quickly moved out of the way as an ornament about his fireplace glowed.
"Fireplace spit you out again, Harry?" Ron grinned as he stepped out of the fire as calmly as though he were walking though a doorway.
"Shut up, Ron." Harry rolled his eyes, before stepping out of the way. "Come on, Hermione's coming through now."
"Again, Harry?" Hermione said, smiling lightly as she raised an eyebrow and glanced at the soot that littered the floor in front of the fireplace.
"It just doesn't like me, okay?" Harry pouted as he finished dusting himself off.
A pop could be heard as the house-elf appeared near the three. "Welcome home, Master Harry." Floppy squeaked out, giving a short bow. "Hello, Mr. Ron. Hello, Miss Hermione."
Things had changed since two years ago. There were more decorations in the house, and it had a warmer feel to it. The garden in the back had a marble statue of a family of deer that were all lying on the ground, consisting of a stag, a doe, and a fawn. The three would form a triangle, with the stag and the doe facing the fawn, which faced the doe. Every now and then, Harry would go outside with a book or something and sit in the center, leaning against either the stag or the doe.
Inside the mansion, Ron and Hermione had their own rooms as well. Despite it being a peaceful time, paranoia still hadn't left Harry. The house had many enchantments surrounding it. There were objects on top of the fireplace, spelled to alert occupants of different occurrences, ranging from when someone is Floo-ing to the house, to if it was going to rain.
"Hello, Floppy." The three said in unison, and grinned at each other. It had become a habit to say that in unison whenever they'd arrive at the house together.
"Master Harry. This letter arrives for Master Harry when Master Harry went to Mr. Ron's house." Floppy held out a letter in both hands to Harry, who took it.
Harry looked at the front. The envelope seemed normal enough, and would have been, if there was anything on the front other than "Mr. Harry Potter" scrawled in the center.
He looked at the other two, who shrugged. He stared at the envelope, and opened it anxiously. The envelope was now open, and nothing had happened. Maybe he was a little too paranoid, but learning under Moody during his fourth year and some time before his death had caused him to be constantly on guard.
Harry was about to take out the letter itself, when Hermione gave a loud gasp. He looked up quickly, and was about to ask what had happened, when he saw for himself what was going on. The walls of Potter Manor were fading out. Within a few moments, he could feel the wind blowing through his hair and sounds of people talking with each other reached his ears. The slightly sooty tiled floors of the house were replaced with a cobbled street. Diagon Alley.
The three stared, awe-struck around them. No one seemed to have noticed that a witch and two wizards seemed to have materialized out of nowhere into their midst.
"What… what just happened, Harry?" Hermione asked, her voice an octave higher.
"I have no idea…" He murmured, still turning around in circles.
In a few minutes, people started going around them. They were like rocks in a stream, and the water had to go around them. Of course, in this circumstance, the water had an opinion, had no patience whatsoever, and could speak. "Children these days. They shouldn't stand in the middle of a pathway." A witch muttered.
Her comment simply bounced off of them as they looked around them in shock.
"WOW! A NIMBUS 1000! It's the fastest model yet!" A voice cried out. "Dad! Can I get one? Mum? Dad? Can I, can I?" The heads of all three snapped towards the origin of the voice. There was a little boy, begging his parents as he pointed excitedly to the broom on display.
"Nimbus… 1000?" Harry asked to no one in particular.
"Fastest model yet?" Ron repeated.
The two gaped, while Hermione, noticing that people were starting to be cross with them, grabbed their hands and dragged them to the exit that led into the Leaky Cauldron. "A room, please." She asked the bartender, Tom. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a few coins.
"Only one room, Miss?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow.
Hermione breathed in impatiently. "Two rooms then." She took out more coins, grabbed the keys that he held out for her, and herded her friends upstairs. Upon reaching the first room, she pushed them in and locked the door. "Muffliato." She cast, after whipping out her wand.
"Now, snap out of it, you two! We've got more urgent things on our hands than brooms." She said, falling into a nearby seat. "Where's the letter, Harry?" She asked.
"The… letter?" He repeated numbly.
A soft pop sounded, and Floppy appeared before them. "Floppy picked up the letter, Master Harry." She bowed, and handed the letter back to him.
Hermione didn't comment on the fact that he actually dropped such an important document that could explain their whole situation. Harry took out the letter, and started reading.
"Dear Harry,
I am afraid that once you have begun to read this letter, the spell in this letter would have done its job and you will have arrived in Diagon Alley. I don't know where to begin, but I suppose that it would be better to say it right out. Voldemort is back.
A/N: Mwahaha! Cliffhanger! Any guesses on who wrote the letter? Anyway, so, yup, that's the first chapter. How was it? Please review. I have recently realized that reviews are a good motivation for updates. *laugh* I do plan on updating in the near future though. I really need to get this off my mind.