Road trip.

Harry Potter simply didn't care. There he was, standing on platform nine and three quarters, about to board the Hogwarts express that would bring him and his two best friends back to the castle for their repeat of seventh year.

He couldn't bring himself to take the last step though, and with an apologetic look, he shook his head and turned around. Ron Weasley looked confused and Hermione Granger shouted his name but he ignored them. He just.. Couldn't bring himself to say something.

He gripped his trunk tightly and twirl further, he was gone.

One would say he was depressed, another called him insane and yet another thought he needed love and care, or a shrink and meds. He was of opinion he just needed to get away. A breather. Away from attention, from the adoration, from the fame, the hate and from the pain he saw all around and sometimes felt.

Harry ended up at Andromeda Tonks' house, not knowing where else to go. With him appearing right in front of her gates, a little too close, the wards were breached and an alarm sounded, loudly ringing in his ears. Standing there, Harry watched how she rushed out the house, her midnight blue robes billowing dangerously as she moved with her wand in hand and ready to attack.

Seeing him however, made her tuck away the wand in her arm holster and she briskly stalked up to him, a finger waving to scold him. "Harry! I told you so," She grabbed his ear. "Do not apparate so close up, you'll set the wards of and scare little Teddy bear!"

"Ow! I remember! Ow! Sorry!" He squeaked, flailing his arms. "Sorry! Ow! Please let go."

She gave one more tuck at his ear and did let go, places her hands in her sides.

"Thanks." He mumbled and rubbed his ear but she just pursed her lips.

"You should be at Hogwarts, young man, what are you doing here?" She waved her hand around.

"I don't know?" He answered truthfully and she sighed. "Come on in then."

Harry grinned and followed her into the house to the kitchen and there sat Teddy, his godson in a high chair at the table, smudging applesauce all around, happy laughter filling the room.

"Hey hey! Little man," Harry plucked him up and kissed the toddlers sticky cheek, to be rewarded with sticky cheeks of himself as two tiny, apple-sauced hands patted his cheeks paired with happy gurgles in a hello back. "Aren't you one happy lad?" He crooned and settled him on his hip.

"Say.. Meda?" He turned towards the elderly Lady who was waving her wand, getting tea ready and she hummed in reply. "He doesn't really look scared.. Does he?"

She turned around, narrowing her eyes and pointed her wand at the teen.

"Erhm.. Sorry?" He winced with a deer caught in the headlight face and she winked, turning back to her tea making.

Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and kissed the toddler on top of his brown curls, who was still happily gurgling in his hold and messing up his clothes in the process and Harry smiled, putting the toddler back into his seat and watched as Teddy immediately attacked the bowl again.

"Sit." Andromeda said as she put two mugs of tea on the table and sat down. Harry scooted in the seat beside her and curled his fingers around the steamy cup.

"Why are you here, Harry?" She asked gently.

"I.. I just really didn't want to go to Hogwarts. I feel like, I've seen to much, yet, way too little and I just.." He thought for a moment, stirring the tea. "..Want to be free. See the world and be myself I guess. I feel too old for school."

"So you came here."

"Yeah," He nodded. "I like it here, its peaceful and.. Easy, I suppose."

"Its," Andromeda started and Harry cut in. "Home. Its home and thats where I want to be. Hogwarts isn't home anymore."

"You may stay, for as long as you like," Andromeda said softly and thumbed his cheek. "But only if you smile."

Harry looked a little confused at her.

"You looked sad," she clarified. "Don't look so sad."

Then she stood up, shuffled out the room and came back holding a small item in her fist. Placing it on the table, Harry recognised it as Sirius Blacks' motorcycle.

"How did you?"

Andromeda knew what he meant. "When my husband fell away, according to the old family laws, I regained my place in the family. Its a stuffy, complicated thing, old family magicks.," She sighed. "Basically said, I'm the last one carrying the name, and so I inherited everything," She pointed at the miniature bike. "Including this."

"Oh."

"It's yours," she continued. "But you have to get your drivers license, Sirius had to too and then you can go around, see the world, be a silly young man, do dumb things like teenagers are supposed to do and most of all, Dear, enjoy your life."

"But.."

"You deserve it." She hummed. "You cannot sit here, live without something to look forward too. One must have things to look forward to."

Harry nodded, and understood. "Thank you." He whispered eventually.