Prologue

So here is my attempt at a sequel to The Jar of Marmalade, been a hell of a long time getting around to it and as that really annoys me when other people do that in their stories I must apologise profusely and if you're reading this, thanks for sticking with me. For anyone new who hasn't read Jar of Marmalade, if you like go and check it, here is a few things you should know about the HP world I write in.

Sirius, Lily and James never died and Harry lives with the 3 of them and his 2 older brothers Andy and J at Potter Manor. I have read many stories where Harry has younger siblings but I love the relationship between Charlie and Bill and Ginny and wanted to try and recreate that for Harry.

Andy is 29 and works as an auror with James who is Head of the Auror Department. He is engaged to Kat (Katarina), a dark haired Hispanic liaison between the Ministry and foreign Ministry's in Spain, Portugal and France. J is 27 and works as a Healer like his long term partner Matt. J flew through Healer training with flying colours and is head of a diagnostic team and also has a muggle medicine degree.

Matt works in paediatrics. Harry and Ginny never broke up at the end of HBP but Dumbledore was still killed. Ron and Hermione professed their pent up feeling for each other soon after Harry and Ginny and are now a couple.

For the purposes of reducing confusion, in this story the Deathly hallows won't exist. Too much of a headache trying to keep tracking of who has them all! Horcruxes do exist and the Order knows about them. This story is set post final Hogwarts battle and the horcruxes, along with Voldemort, were all destroyed mainly by Harry but also the Order. A lot of people have written 'after the battle' stories and some people moan about the magnitude of those stories that there are but the truth is that we all just really like reading them as we all secretly want to keep the series going. So here is my take with some twists, some similarities that I've read and loved so much I had to use and some controversial ideas I hope you don't hate me too much for. ;)

I know this might be confusing and that I have changed a lot but isn't that the whole point of fan fiction, to write things how you would have liked them to happen so that is what I'm trying. I know it might not be what a lot of people like but I have tried to incorporate all the best bits of stories I have read and my own ideas as well.

As someone very expertly put; Harry Potter is J K Rowling's toys, we just play with them.

I hope you enjoy the following and try and be nice.

Thanks

Chapter 1

One foot in front of the other.

And again.

And again.

Such a simple thing, people barely think about it. But for Harry each step was like someone was twisting a dagger further and further into his heart, and yet he kept putting one foot in front of the other as he turned his back on the wonky gargoyle sentinel and Dumble... Harry visibly flinched at this slip... McGonagall's office.

It wasn't like Harry wasn't used to it after these past 17 years. In fact he had become adept at putting one foot in front of the other and moving on, filing away the guilt and pain and fear into boxes in the back of his mind and starting on the next job. But now there was no next job, no more missions. For Harry's sleep deprived and grief addled mind this was too much to comprehend and so he filed away the foreign feeling, that if he had looked closer he would have identified as being relief, and put one foot in front of the other.

Ron and Hermione kept pace by Harry's side. Not that this was a difficult feat as the pace he was setting was dictated and heavily restricted by exhaustion and injury, something that Ron and Hermione were beginning to feel with earnest as well. Hermione felt the despair and sadness pile on her as she watched her two boys dragging themselves down the corridor. Ron's left arm hung at an unnatural angle from his shoulder and he had a deep gash across his right knee. But it was his face that made something in Hermione ache. There were tracks through the grime on his face from the recently shed tears and his eyes held the dull look she had seen for too many years in Harry's eyes; one of grief and indescribable pain. Not a part of Harry's body seemed to be free of a cut or burn or bruise through his tattered clothing and his feet were barely moving across the rouble strewn stones now. As he turned around Hermione got her first look at his face and it was that look of emptiness staring back at her that finally broke her and she collapsed in a silent heap on the floor.

Both boys seemed to take this as their cue and instantly followed suit until all 3 were sitting on the dusty floor amidst the rubble backs against the wall, Hermione between Harry and Ron but gripping a hand each as tightly as her miniscule remaining energy allowed. She noticed out of the corner of her eye how Harry kept shaking his head every so often. None uttered a word. Simple words seemed so inappropriate amidst the destruction surrounding them, but none could find it in themselves to move from their spot on the floor, pain weighed them down too heavily.

In unity all 3 heads whipped around to look down the corridor they had just walked along as the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoed towards the trio. Hermione and Harry both bared their wands in the direction of the noise; Harry's trembling in his grip. But Ron forced his protesting muscles into standing up, leaning heavily against the stone wall, and providing what protection he could for Harry and Hermione. The sound of multiple footfalls got louder and louder and with curses on the tongues of the trio, several figures came into view; familiar figures.

'Stop! Don't fire!' Neville called. 'It's only us.'

He gestured at the group surrounding him which consisted of Bill, Charlie, Seamus, Dean and George who were all taken aback by how bad the Golden Trio looked. Hermione and Harry's prone but wavering wands were kidding no-one of how close they were to breaking down, Hermione, and slipping into unconsciousness, Harry. Ron's vague attempt at remaining standing in front of his two best friends brought tears to the eyes of his 3 older brothers, particularly Bill. He had only heard the bare minimal from Ron when he had arrived at Shell Cottage before Christmas but from that point something had significantly changed inside Ron. Bill didn't know but Ron had made a promise to himself that he would never again abandon Harry or Hermione and would stand between them and danger for as long as he was able. Bill's heart nearly broke at the words that came from Ron then.

'Please help us.'

Holding back a new wave of tears Neville took charge. 'Ok, guys let's get them to the common room, it's been properly searched and cleared by the aurors. Let's get them home.'

Seamus and Dean gently pulled Harry somewhat vertical and then set off to the place that had been their home for 7 years with an arm each of Harry's around their shoulders. They were followed by George carrying a silently weeping Hermione and Neville striding beside them wand poised.

Upon seeing his two best friends getting further away Ron dragged his screaming legs in front of the other, the pain wasn't important. He had made a promise and as long as he was still breathing he would be there protecting the two of them.

Charlie grimaced at his brother's obvious pain, 'Ron, we're here now. Please let us help you bro.' He attempted to grasp one of Ron's arms but the youngest Weasley kept pulling himself forwards occasionally using the wall for necessary support.

'I can't,' Ron whispered, his voice evidently laden with pain and guilt. 'I have to protect them, I... I've got to keep them safe.' He looked his oldest brother directly in the eye and Bill saw Ron's determination. He wanted a reason to stop, he needed a reason to stop and Bill was sure as hell going to give it to him.

'Come on Ron,' Bill said quietly to his baby brother as he and Charlie pulled one of Ron's arms over their shoulders. 'It's all ok now, they're safe.'

And it was those words and only those words that allowed Ron to sag into the grip of his 2 big brothers and be guided through the rubble strewn corridors of their second home whilst tears quietly tracked paths through the dirt and grime of everyone of the group's faces. Tears that dropped to the floor and washed away a tiny bit of dust.

Author's Note: So here we go again, hopefully. Thank you for anyone who's sticking with me and I hope you enjoy where the story goes from here.