Title: Through it All

Author: Sectumsempra12

Rating: Teen

Disclaimer: I own nothing, and most of the plot is a challenge from another site.

Through it All

The front doors of number 12 Grimmauld Place creaked open. Dust swirled in the light streaming down from high windows. The old Order of the Phoenix headquarters was to be Harry Potter's new home. It was the old headquarters because Voldemort was dead and the war was over. It had been that way for nearly four months.

Proof of the previous inhabitants could be found here and there. Scraps of paper and owl feathers littered the floor. Even the troll leg umbrella stand was knocked over. Tonks had to have been in charge of last minute clean up because if Mrs. Weasley had been in charge, not a single speck of dust would have survived her wrath.

Harry moved into the kitchen and opened the windows. Sighing, he took a seat at the wooden table. Just being in his godfather's old house made those old sores return. Those old sores melted painfully together with the new ones that Ron's death had created.

Reaching into his pocket, Harry produced a blue piece of parchment. He filled it up with his messy writing and with a touch of his wand, made numerous copies of it. With a second light tap the copies folded themselves into paper airplanes and flew out the open windows. Fred and George could do wonders with their products. There was a lot to do tomorrow before the big party.

It was slow, grueling work, renovating even that small part of the house. Harry spent the entire day cleaning and repairing the kitchen and entrance hall. There was dusting, washing, scrubbing, painting, and repairing broken things. Plus the noise he was making would arouse Mrs. Black from behind the curtain.

At last he was done, with what people would see at least. At eight o'clock people began to arrive. Hermione was first. She hugged Harry tightly then stood by his side while he waited for the other guests to arrive.

Next came Fred, George, Bill, and Fluer. Fred and George wasted no time in shaking Harry's hand and running off in search of more doxy eggs for a new product. Bill also shook his hand while Fluer got a scorching look from Hermione for kissing Harry's cheeks.

Mrs. Weasley showed up next with Ginny, Tonks, and Kingsley Shacklebolt. Mrs. Weasley instantly began to fuss about how thin Harry was. She seemed to be getting over Ron's death. Or she was hiding her pain. It was more than likely the latter. It was commonly known that Molly Weasley's seven children were very dear to her heart.

Hermione smiled and Ginny, but Ginny's mouth only twitched in the corner. She and Harry had not been able to pick things up where they had left off. It had devastated poor Ginny, leaving her depressed.

Mad-Eye Moody was next. Harry began to wonder if anyone he had invited from Hogwarts would be coming. He had invited a lot of students and graduates.
Luna Lovegood showed up not long after Mad-Eye. She apologized to Harry for being late. Apparently, she had felt the presence of a hiffilatumpus, whatever that was, and had to pursue it. This earned a loud snort from Hermione, who was still standing loyally beside Harry.

More people began to pour in. Oliver Wood came with his entire quidditch team. Katie Bell arrived with Angelina Johnson, Parvati Patil, and Padma Patil. Zacharias Smith came with Hannah Abbot and Ernie Macmillian. Cho Chang and a few other Ravenclaws were tailed by Cormac McLaggen, he was telling about the time he single handedly beat his friends at quidditch.

Hagrid, Professor McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick, and Slughorn even came. After Hagrids bone crushing hug, Slughorn waddled over to say, "Well, well, well, Harry. Decided to pull an ol' Slughorn and throw a party now did you?" Harry only smiled and rolled his eyes to Hermione as soon as Slughorn turned around.
Even if Harry had only said a couple of sentences to the person, they were invited. Harry was starting his life over that night. He had lost so many people in his seventeen years of life, that he was constantly afraid that another person was going to die soon. He was tired of living like that, so he had gathered everyone there to tell them of his new beginning.

Finally the front door closed for the last time. Everyone began to talk and wait to see what would happen next. Harry walked, more like shoved, his way through the crowded entrance hall to the the kitchen doors. "Erm...Everyone! If you could all just step into the kitchen please..."

The kitchen had been magically modified to fit all the people Harry had expected to show up. One by one everyone began to file into the kitchen and take a seat at the similarly enlarged table.

An anticipating silence filled the room as everyone waited. Harry walked to the front of the table. "You know, many of us have lost so many people we loved because of that war," he stated. Harry casted a meaningful glance at Hermione and the Weasleys. "It still hurts me, four months later, to think about Ron. It still hurts to think about Dumbledore, even though it has been over one year since he died."

"What I'm trying to say is," there was a tap on the window behind Harry. "...is that we need to move on. I'm sure most of you have already began to, but I'm also sure that there are others like me that want to dwell in the past. And we can-" another bout of light tapping interrupted Harry again. Harry sighed and turned around. That speech had taken him two weeks to write, and then someone was going to actually interrupt him in the middle of it?

But it wasn't someone. It was an owl. A brown tawny owl was sitting on his window sill at eight forty-five. Puzzled, Harry allowed the owl to enter by opening the window. Taking a closer look when it flew by, Harry saw that the envelope was stamped with the official Ministry stamp. Everyone watched as Harry took the letter from the owl and ripped open the flap. His breath caught in his chest the moment Harry read the first line.

Dear Mr. Harry Potter,

It is my sad duty to inform you of your sister, Ariana Mancini, and her husband, Patrizio Mancini's death. They were found dead in their London flat. I realize that you are an only child; however, Ariana was not the daughter of James Potter. We have yet to find the father's name, though we have reasons to believe that he is also dead.

The death of your sister is not the only reason I am writing you. It is also my duty to inform you of your niece and nephew. Liliana is your three year old niece, and Piero is your six month old nephew.

Not only are you of age and financially well off, but you are also the only known living relative of Ariana Mancini. That means you will be given immediate custody over the two children. If you feel that you are not ready for children, let alone a six month old baby, please do not adopt these children. There is a foster family that is willing to keep them. I will send someone tomorrow with the two children. If you want the foster family to keep Liliana and Piero, simply write to me. I hope you have a good night.

Sincerely,

Lidia Blackwell,
Head of the International Magic Office of Law