The Burrow. August 15, 1999.
Harry Potter apparated outside of the Burrow. It had been a year since he had been here. In front of, or anywhere near, the warm atmosphere of the Burrow. A year since he had left behind his friends and his family. And all because he needed to get away from it all. Everything. The press, the spies, the Ministry, everyone. He missed them terribly. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Luna, Neville, etc. He had spent the past year traveling around the world. No one knew where he was. He never stayed in one place for too long. And now here he was. Standing in front of his home. Some of his happiest memories were made here.
Harry walked towards the house slowly. Praying to himself that this wasn't a dream. He walked up to the door and knocked. After a while he hear shuffling behind the door. It opened to reveal a slightly flushed Mrs. Weasley. Once she laid her eyes on him, she stared. She stared at him with wide eyes and he gave her a small smile. At last, Mrs. Weasley flung herself at Harry and gave him a hug. She kept repeating how much she and everyone else had missed him. After a while she let go and wiped the tears away.
"Oh, Harry. Harry, Harry, Harry. How we've missed you." She whispered, holding him at arms length to get a good look at him. "Come in, I was just setting dinner on the table." She ushered Harry in and led him towards the dining area. The Burrow seemed empty. There was no noise, not even a creak. Harry looked around the house and tried to memorize everything about it. From the pictures of the Weasley's on the wall to the carpets and their smell. Not much had changed. The last time he had been in here was the night he left.
Flashback -
Ron was fast asleep in his bed, snoring, limbs all over the place, and mumbling. Harry changed out of his pajamas and quickly grabbed his backpack and headed out the door. He stopped in front of Hermione and Ginny's room and stared at the door. He reached for the door handle before shaking his head and making his way downstairs. Every time there was a creak he would flinch and make sure no one was awake. He made it out the door. He looked back and sighed.
"This is going to be good for you, Potter." Harry mumbled to himself. "This is what you need. After all the hell, you deserve to be a little selfish." He turned and disapparated on the spot.
"So, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, bringing him out of his thoughts. He turned to look at her. She seemed to have aged the past year. Noticeable wrinkles, more grey hairs, she looked worn out, but yet she still had the same warm, motherly smile she always had. "Where have you been? It's been a year. I expect a full explanation, young man."
Harry scratched his head and sat down. The table was filled with delicious smelling food. Pumpkin pie, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, chicken pot pie, spaghetti, and more. Harry's mouth watered at the sight. It had been far too long since he had Mrs. Weasley's cooking. Far, far too long.
"I'm waiting." Mrs. Weasley sat across from him, watching him like a hawk.
"Right," Harry cleared his throat. "I've been traveling."
Mrs. Weasley's eyebrows shot up. "That's it?" She exclaimed. She looked at him incredulously. "You've been off traveling for a whole year without so much as an owl? Harry James Potter, you daft boy. I've been worried sick about you for this long only to find that you were frolicking somewhere. Do you know how scared we were? We spent months searching for you and you disappear off the face of the earth without a trace. Oh, I should have your head for this!" Her eyes were flashing dangerously. When she was done she sat back in her chair and began breathing normally again.
"I - I'm sorry, ma'am." Harry said. It was something he had picked up when he was in the south. Calling ladies ma'am when he felt he had wronged them in some way. "It's just that I needed to get away. From everything. I didn't mean to hurt any of you. I just needed to be by myself. I needed some freedom. Somewhere no one knew my name, somewhere people wouldn't ask me if I was alright. I was selfish, I know, but after everything that's happened I think I deserve to be a little selfish. I understand that I'm not the only one who lost someone, but it's not fun seeing you all everyday and thinking about what I put you through. Just because you knew me. Because you took me in and made me apart of the family. I couldn't sit back and watch you all go on with your lives mourning Fred," At Fred's name Mrs. Weasley's eyes clouded over. "Remus, Sirius, Tonks, Colin, and so much more. I had to get away. And to be honest, if I had the chance to do it again, I would."
There was silence after he finished. They stared at each other. Neither saying a word. It was only when they heard a loud pop from outside did they look away. Mrs. Weasley got up to finish bringing the rest of the food in. Harry stood up to greet whoever it was at the door. The door opened and in came Mr. Weasley who had the same reaction as his wife. He stood there frozen. He had aged, too. Almost all of his hairs were white. He seemed to have lost some weight since the last time Harry saw him.
"Hello, sir."
Mr. Weasley snapped out of it and rushed forward to ingulf Harry in a hug.