A/N: Yes, this is my first attempt at writing fanfiction, so please leave some reviews if you see this. Any kind of review is welcome (except for completely insane comments) and prepare to be amazed at my lack of literary skill, thank you. Oh and to make matters worse, I don't have a beta or anyone to proofread my stories (not that anyone would want to), so any errors are not because I suck at the English language.
If I was J.K, do you think I would be here writing really bad quality stories? Was that a rhetorical question? Well, that one was. Sigh… ok, here's the fine print.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, everything except the plot is J.K. Rowling's and I bow down before her.
Actually, I'm not even sure that the plot is completely mine. Now, without further ado:
Oh, wait; I need to give out a few warnings before we start.
Warnings: Those of you fluff addicts out there, this story is not recommended for you. There are also spoilers from HBP (but hey, who hasn't read it?)
ReminiscenceA lone, dark figure stood at the edge of the Astronomy Tower, lost in thought. He let out a sigh and ran his hand through his black, tousled hair. For the briefest of moments, a lightning-shaped scar was revealed on his forehead. Hollow emerald eyes peered out under his glasses towards the Forbidden Forest, a dark and ominous presence. Night had finally set in, and sparks of spellfire were illuminating the grounds.
Harry Potter, now at the age of 21, was done running. He had been running ever since that fateful night on the very tower he was standing on now. Harry survived the two years he spent hunting for horcruxes due to a certain brown haired witch's ingenuity, the loyalty of a red headed best friend and his escaping skills, and this was the end of the line. It had to end here, it had cost him too much… far too much.
The empty eyes of the dead haunted his thoughts.
------------------------------------------------
The hunt for the pieces of Voldemort's soul had started after he had seen Bill and Fleur get married.
Harry had left Privet Drive on August 1st just as he had planned. His guard came to escort him along with Ron and Hermione and Harry couldn't help but feel the happiness of being liberated from the Dursleys for the last time. Well, the bone-crushing hug he had received from Hermione was enough to lighten his mood, but nevertheless, there were no goodbyes exchanged. The feeling of relief was evidentially mutual. The group then arrived at the Burrow, only to be swept up in the preparations for the eldest Weasley's wedding.
Harry soon put aside his troubles and helped out as best as he could. Each newly placed decoration was an escape of sorts. They helped him to temporarily forget about everything plaguing his life. Horcruxes, Voldemort, the war, prophecies, and the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Ginny Weasley was another matter entirely. At first the two just exchanged pleasantries and talked about random things such as the weather, pygmy puffs, and that she wanted to follow Harry on his quest. Harry had hoped she wouldn't bring up that up so soon, but he stood by his earlier decision. He stood impassively as Ginny asked, entreated, begged, and even threatened him. In the end, everything went to hell.
Harry had hoped that Ginny wouldn't let her temper get the better of her. Too bad hopes aren't always fulfilled.
He limped away from that engagement with an injured arm, damaged pride, and a lot of angry bats.
The ceremony started a little awkwardly, but there were no more hitches. The wedding itself brought a form of comfort to Harry. Seeing Bill and Fleur look like the happiest people alive automatically put a smile on his face. A small part of his mind was wishing that he could do this someday, but he shook it off. He had work to do. As soon as the ceremony ended, he had tried to sneak out by himself, only to be stopped by Ron and Hermione, who were waiting for him at the gate.
"Where exactly do you think you're going?" asked Hermione.
"Really mate, did you think you could just slip away without us knowing?" added Ron.
Harry knew that they would be waiting for him; his best friends would never let him leave alone. He resigned himself to the fact that they would be with him during his search. But a part of him was glad that they would be there with him. He could never have asked for better friends than them. They would always be by his side, whether he liked it or not
Smiling, he said, "Well come on then, we haven't got all day."
The hunting had begun.
------------------------------------------------
A cold wind brought Harry back to his senses. That day seemed so long ago. He wished that one day, he would be able to experience something like that himself. He shook his head. This is no time for wishful thinking Potter. And besides, without her, he would never feel that kind of happiness. Never.
So Harry Potter stood, and began to prepare himself.
------------------------------------------------
A/N: This turned out shorter than I expected, probably due to my eagerness to get that first chapter up, I guess. For those of you who care, yes, the chapters will get longer as I get to the more interesting parts of this story. But bear with me for a while, and you will be rewarded.
In case you didn't notice, this chapter has been reviewed, rewritten, and revamped. But I'm not entirely happy with the revised edition either, so don't be surprised if a version 3 of chapter one comes up later.