CHAPTER ONE "Half the World Away"
DISCLAIMER: The characters and story plot of the Harry Potter franchise do NOT belong to me, I am just one of the many privileged enough to write on J.K Rowling's marvelous novel series.
With the light screen of smoke clearing from the Hogwarts battlefield, those survivors of the final battle came to lay eyes upon a battered Harry Potter standing victoriously over the crumpled, lifeless form of Voldemort. Clothes ripped and torn, Harry stood a rigid stance even with the open cuts he had with blood trickling down his face, his expression was distant as if lost in some far off place contemplating all reasons of the world. Around him, chaos brewed.
Families and friends of the fallen wandered aimlessly about the devastated landscape collecting the dead or providing what help they could to the injured, the fire in some parts of Hogwarts castle continued to rage in the distance. Even amidst all the heartbreak and terror, one sight in particular caught Harry's eye, a group of redheads huddled over a motionless body, the sounds of their cries reached his ears and forced him to turn away, even from the alluring gaze of one of the redheads in particular. He couldn't bear to see the pain he himself felt solely responsible for, if only he had tried harder he thought, if only he had been quicker, stronger, perhaps then no one would have had to taste the loss of a loved one.
Casting a final look to the dead body of his nemesis, Harry gritted his teeth and clutched his wand in a knuckle cracking grip. The dead wizard at his feet had ruined everything, his future, his past, his present, and now with him gone, Harry felt surprisingly alone. It had been a constant battle through out the years, a stable factor in his life, and now with the villainous Slytherin dead, Harry just didn't know what to feel other than regret, loss, and sadness. Not for the murderer of his parents, but for everything he wasn't able to prevent or do.
He needed to get away from it all, from everyone and everything, he needed to collect himself, go somewhere where he could live and do what he wanted without bringing misery or pain to those he cared for. They needed a life without him, after-all, how could they forgive him for not living up to their expectations? They were better off without him as he figured, it was for their own good just as much as it was for his.
Taking a few stumbling steps away from everything that surrounded him, Harry took in the faces of those he had ever held close in his heart one last time before vanishing into the Forbidden Forest, a crack of splitting thunder echoing after him as he disapperated away from all that had made up his life. From the family that accepted him, to the friends that were there for him, and the girl that waited for him, he left them all behind.
(It was two and a half months after the final conflict of the second wizarding war, and the wizarding world still reeled from its effects. Many of those responsible for the darker events of the war were still on the loose if not in hiding or imprisoned, missing people were still unaccounted for, and the rebuilding effort of all that was destroyed continued on even with a constant renewing pledge of dedication of many of the secret wizarding worlds inhabitants. In all that time, not once had the boy-who-lived surfaced into the public eye for long, all links to him had been severed. It was only the rare reports of sitings of him that let the people know the savior of their world was still in fact alive.)
Laying belly down on her bed with her chin propped up in her hands and her elbows giving support from the mattress, Ginevra Molly Weasley was lost in deep thought, her mind revolving around the one thing -or person in this case- that always seemed to claim her thoughts, Harry Potter. Or the git-who-left as she liked to refer to him as. She fumed constantly over his selfish decision to just uproot and leave everyone who cared for him behind, not even a letter or fire call to let them know he was okay, not even to her.
Rolling on to her back, she stared up at the ceiling which held host to a poster of Gwenog Jones who flew merrily through the air on her broomstick, waving enthusiastically to the crowd that watched her in the background. Why couldn't Harry be like her? Not a woman per-say, but someone who could just deal with their fame instead of cowering from it and choosing to be a hermit instead, or so were her ideas on why he left, because really? Why else would he just leave like that.
Huffing a sigh, who was she kidding? Ginny thought. He left probably because of her, he couldn't bring himself to tell her he wasn't interested anymore. Then why the kiss just before he left at Bill and Fleur's wedding? Did she press herself on him that day, is that why he did it? Merlin, the boy was making her insane with his leaving, she had so many questions and no answers.
Not that she was the only one looking for answers or him, right after the final battle and the arrangements to Fred's funeral had been conceived, Ron and Hermione went off in search for him. In the months since then they had tried looking everywhere they thought him to go, Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow, Number 12 Grimmauld Place, Privet Drive, Diagon Alley and its counterpart Knockturn Alley. All that was left to search for known places he could be to them was Hogsmeade and it's surrounding areas, which Ron and Hermione were currently investigating. Again not that Ginny was holding out for any hope of them actually finding him, she had already began to prepare herself for the words she knew she would hear, 'We're Sorry, Gin', he just wasn't there, we checked every mouse hole, nook and cranny. He'll turn up sooner or later, if we don't find him before then of course.'
Sitting up, Ginny crawled off her bed and slid into a pair of maroon flip-flop slippers on her way to the main floor of the Burrow. The heavenly scent of a freshly cooked breakfast could be smelt and heard sizzling from the staircase down, she needed to occupy her mind on something other than, Harry Potter for once. Stepping into the kitchen she found her mother as usual hovering over the stove preparing the next stage of her recipe, and her father seated at the table with the Daily Prophet in his hands.
"Good morning, Mum, Dad." Ginny greeted, reaching her arms high above her head for a morning stretch.
"Mornin' Ginny, sleep well?" Mr. Weasley asked, not taking his eyes off the morning paper.
"I think I did," Ginny replied as she dropped her arms back down to her sides and headed towards the table where the still sizzling bacon rested.
"Good morning, Ginny, and don't you go eating that just yet, be a dear and pass me those eggs please." Mrs. Weasley asked, turning around to envelope her daughter in a tight hug before pointing out a basket of eggs on the far counter of the kitchen.
"Sure, Mum," Ginny said, switching her course of path to appease her mothers wishes. Placing the basket in her mothers reach, she looked around with raised brows. "So... Where is everyone?"
"Hmm?" Mr. Weasley mumbled, looking up over the top of his paper. "Oh yes, almost forgot, Charlie finally returned back to Romania early this morning, he sends his regards and apology for not saying good-bye, it was a last moments decision to return he said. Also George I think decided to finally go and pay that shop of his a visit, he said he'd try to be back as soon as he could. And as for Ron and Hermione, well you know as well as we do where they are off at."
Ginny nodded. "Well that answers for just about everyone then. What about the Prophet, anything interesting in there for once?"
"Same old, same old. You know how it is, nothing is to interesting anymore, which is just how I like it if you ask me." Mr. Weasley answered, turning the page of his paper.
"I like it just the same, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, placing a plate of stacked toast down on the table and giving her husband a peck on the cheek as she did so. "Do you have any plans for the day, Ginny?"
"No, I just plan on loungin' 'round here, waiting for Ron and Hermione," replied Ginny, taking a seat at the table and grabbing a piece of bacon. "Speaking of them, they didn't happen to say when they hoped to be back did they?"
"Can't say I remember, but knowing Ronald, the boy wont be missing breakfast." Mrs. Weasley said in a tone that suggested it was a matter of fact instead of a guess.
Ginny cracked a small smile. "Knowing, Ron', he's probably already had breakfast and is going to be coming here looking for a second one at some point."
Two loud POP'S! just outside of the tall leaning household of the Burrow seemed to justify both Ginny and Mrs. Weasley's words. As expected, the side door to the kitchen was thrown open to reveal a shaggy redhead, with sorrowful eyes and a sophisticated looking bushy haired brunette. Both of whom bore weathered travelling cloaks and suitably disappointed expressions.
"Ron', dear. Hermione, you've made it just in time for breakfast, please take a seat, it'll be ready in just a second." Mrs. Weasley said, she rushed over with a smile and ushered them in towards the table.
"Thank you very much, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione said, pulling on the clasp that held her cloak together. Taking it off, she draped it over the back of her chair and took a seat. She didn't meet Ginny's gaze.
"How many times must I tell you, please call me, Molly. And you are very welcome." Mrs. Weasley said, bustling about the kitchen to put the last few finishing touches to the morning meal.
Hermione nodded with a smile before looking right to Mr. Weasley and questioning him about the paper he read, and the articles it contained. An innocent enough conversation if Ginny didn't know it to be for what it was, an avoidance of providing her with bad news. So since Hermione was playing hard to get, Ginny fixed her focus on her brother who squirmed under her intense stare.
"Well?" Ginny asked at last.
"Well what?" Ron' replied slowly.
"You know plenty well what I mean, did you find him?" she questioned.
"Uh, sorry, Gin', we looked everywher-" Ron' started until he mumbled off as his sister let out a disgruntled sigh.
"I get it, trust me, no need to explain it all to me again," Ginny said, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. "That about does it, doesn't it? We've had to have checked just about everywhere he could be by now, haven't we?"
Ron' looked over to Hermione as if expecting her to bail him out of answering. She didn't come to his rescue. "... It's hard to say we've 'checked everywhere' right? 'Cause who knows, he might be very well off somewhere else in the world, maybe he's in Asia or somethin', he doesn't necessarily have to be here in England."
"But all the reports of people seeing him suggests otherwise." Ginny countered defensively, it was outrageous in her mind for Ron' to even suggest that Harry could just up and go live in a foreign place.
"Mhmm, quite true, and um, speaking of which, we ran into someone in Hogsmeade who claimed to have seen him comin' out of Knockturn Alley not a week ago." Ron' said, doing his best to keep on her side and not a target of her frustration.
"... Really? What was he doing there? What else did they say?" Ginny pressed, coming to lean up on the table as she yearned for more information about Harry.
"Other than that, not much, he said Harry was wearing a hooded cloak so it was hard to see his face, but that he was positive it was him. The old codger also wanted a galleon for what he saw just encase you were thinkin' of reimbursing me..." Ron' answered.
Ginny cocked a brow. "You've got another thing coming to you if you think i'm paying you back, you want to find him just as much as I do."
"If its going to cost me my whole savings, maybe I should rethink if its worth the trouble, besides, he's the one who left us after-all." Ron' grumbled sourly.
"You don't mean that, he's your best-friend, Ron'!" Ginny protested, her brows dampening into a somewhat sorrowful expression.
"Some friend he's been, leavin' us all alone here to deal with the aftermath of everything, he was like another brother to me don't get me wrong, but the way he's actin', I don't know who he is anymore, and I'm not sure I want to." Ron' said in a quiet voice.
"What're you saying?" Ginny asked, she felt her own voice grow quiet to match his as what he said started to make sense in her head.
"I'm just saying, it's been two and a half months and he hasn't tried to make one effort to contact us... Me and 'Mione have been thinking, and maybe it's best to just leave him alone, it's obviously what he wants," Ron' said, sliding his hand across the table, he placed it over his sisters. "I'm sorry, Ginny. Really. But there isn't really anything else we can do, we've got to start moving on."
Ginny's mouth opened with a retort, but her mothers announcing of breakfast being finished beat her to the punchline. With a pan full of freshly scrambled eggs placed before, she suddenly lost her appetite. This was it it seemed, they were just going to give up like that by the sounds of it, and deep down, she knew she couldn't argue against it. The more her family continued holding out for Harry to return to them, a little bit more of them was lost inside each day they waited, he was a taboo to her family's emotions, and the only plausible option to cure it seemed to cut him loose. Why then did it have to feel like such a bad decision then?
"Ginny?" Mrs. Weasley repeated in a worried voice that gathered Ginny's immediate attention.
"Yes, Mum?" Ginny replied, snapping from her stupor, she quickly pulled her hand out from under her brothers.
"You aren't eating, here have some bacon. You've got to keep up that strength of yours." said Mrs. Weasley, she didn't even wait for a response before piling several strips of bacon on to Ginny's plate.
"Yeah... Thanks," Ginny mumbled, picking up her fork she moved the bacon aimlessly around her plate for a little while until putting down her fork completely. "You know what, I don't think I'm all that hungry now that I think of it."
Mrs. Weasley looked almost appalled at her daughters words, even though everyone else at the table seemed to look understanding to her loss of hunger, bar Mr. Weasley who was still to caught up in his paper.
"Not even a bite?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
Shaking her head 'no,' Ginny got to her feet and made for the stairs, she had only laid a foot down on the first step before there was a loud tapping of the kitchen window. Looking over her shoulder, she observed as her mother went to open it for a stern looking owl bearing the mornings post to its leg.
"Ooh dat froom?" Ron' asked through a mouthful of egg and bacon.
"Don't speak while chewing, Ron', it's disrespectful." Hermione scolded, giving a swat to Ron's arm with a roll of her eyes.
In reply, Ron' held out his tongue full of his mashed food to her and then swallowed it. "Better?"
"Disgusting, but yes, much better." Hermione said, pulling a face at his antics.
Mrs. Weasley looked more than slightly amused at Ron' and Hermione's banter, and even more than happier than her expression was, she placed the pile of letters she had gotten from the owl on the kitchen table. "The mail is for all of you." she said.
Mr. Weasley put his paper to the side just to view the mail on the table. "To all of us?"
"Not you, Arthur, it's to the children. Unless you're expecting a letter from Hogwarts that I'm unaware of." Mrs. Weasley replied, she took a seat at the table and watched expectantly as Ron' darted forward, shuffling through the mail until he got the letter that bore his name.
Curiosity getting the best of her, Ginny redirected her course of path back to the table where a letter sealed with the Hogwarts crest and her name awaited her. Picking it up, she shared a look with Ron' and Hermione before they all tore their envelopes open. Unfolding the crisp paper, Ginny feasted her eyes upon the neat scrawl of the letter.
Dear,
Ginevra Molly Weasley.
We the staff of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry are proud to invite you back to complete your seventh and final year. If you so choose to accept, a list of your N.E.W.T level classes, side classes and necessary books are attached within and also provide further information to the institutes reopening. Please be at King's Cross station, platform 9 3/4 in London to catch the Hogwarts Express on September 1st.
Sincerely,
Headmistress Mcgonagell.
Looking up from the letter after glancing at the attached paper behind it, Ginny waited as patiently as she could while Ron' and Hermione conversed in hush tones about their own letters. Turning to her mother and father, she unsurprisingly found them looking eagerly on at the two whisperers as well. With her patience as thin as the paper she held, Ginny broke her silence with a questionable outburst. "Alright, enough, what does it say already?"
"Huh?" Ron' mumbled, his head twisting to look up at Ginny as she towered over him from across the table.
"She's referring to the letter, dear, what does it say?" Mrs. Weasley said, softly.
"It's an invitation to finish our final year," Hermione answered, suddenly. She held out her letter to Mrs. Weasley to take while Ginny reached forward and plucked Ron's own letter from his hands.
"Hey! That's mine!" snapped Ron'.
"It's not like you can read anyway," Ginny replied taking a step back out of Ron's arm length as he tried to snatch the letter back. Her eyes skimmed over the first few lines of the letter before she was interrupted by her father.
"Would either of you care to read aloud?" Mr. Weasley asked, he looked from his wife to Ginny and back again.
"Yes certainly, dear. It reads, 'Dear, Hermione Jean Granger. With the recent events of last year, it has become the focus of the Ministry of Education, and the Hogwarts' School-board to provide those who had been denied the possibility of learning to continue and complete the course of their seven years education,'" Mrs. Weasley read, she stopped for a breath before continuing. "'We invite you back to the refurbished and renovated Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry to participate in your seventh and last year, fitting you into classes with your fellow students of your own year and that of the former sixth years, or at least the ones who were able to participate in last years sixth year curriculum. An attached list of requirements is supplied. If you so choose to accept, please be at King's Cross station, platform 9 3/4 in London to catch the Hogwarts Express on September 1st. Sincerely, Headmistress Mcgonagell.'"
"Marvelous," Mr. Weasley exclaimed with a clap of his hands. "Well, Ron', Hermione, what do you think of that?"
"What is there to think of, of course they'll be going," Mrs. Weasley said, she let out a short laugh before fixing both her son and his girlfriend a stern look. "You two will be going."
"We wouldn't miss it for the world, Mrs. Wea- Molly. It wouldn't do us any good to not complete our N.E.W.T.S anyhow." Hermione replied, her answer brought a beaming smile to Mrs. Weasley's kind face as she rushed over to where they sat and swept down to gather them both into a single bone crushing hug.
Ron' gasped for air as it was all pushed from his lungs. "Mum! Can't breath! Mum!"
"Sorry, sorry," Mrs. Weasley apologized, hastily loosening her grip on them. "I'm just so proud of you two for making the decision to return to school."
"Blimey, if that's just for going back to school, please don't give me a hug for when I graduate." Ron' said, rubbing at his sides.
Smiling a bit, Ginny's eyes dropped back down to the letter and as if a Hippogriff had charged her head on, a realization of whatelse the letter meant hit her like a brick. "This is brilliant!" she blurted.
"I think so too, I never would have thought I'd get the chance to finish my last year at Hogwarts," Hermione commented, grabbing a piece of toast from the stack on the table. "And we'll be in the same year."
"No not that, well yes that, but I mean, if you two got this letter, that would mean Harry would've received one too, right?" Ginny said, waving the letter in her hand around for emphasis.
Hermione almost choked on the toast in her mouth as she nodded. "Of course, I didn't even realize." she said when she managed to swallow her food down.
Appetite returning to her along with a smile she hadn't been able to wear in quite sometime, Ginny dropped down into her chair at the table and picked up one of the pieces of bacon her mother had given her earlier on. Sliding Ron's letter across the table top back over to him, she picked hungrily away at her breakfast, she felt a turn of events coming on in her life finally and she was happy.
Ginny finished her breakfast with a rejuvenated energy, she had the mind set to take on anything, so after clearing the yard of garden-gnomes with Ron', she walked aimlessly about the property till dark thinking things through in her head as she had come to make a habit of. Her eyes looking always ahead and never behind as she walked, she didn't have to focus on the past anymore, it was all about the future now and what awaited for her in it.
Even if she tried, the smile on her face wouldn't leave her as much as she tried to straighten it out. She hadn't felt this elevated since her fifth year, when she had Harry as her own, her family had been whole, and trouble with Voldemort hadn't reared it's ugly head into their lives until later on that year. Ginny was hopeful, and in her head she already started the mental countdown to September 1st.
A/N: Hello there everyone, so I decided to write this story up, I wrote it quite some time ago in a notebook, forgot about it and left it unfinished. However a week ago, I stumbled upon it and got to reading, naturally I became interested in finishing it as it was my first fanfiction even before I started writing "Banished Soul" my other fiction which is currently ongoing. So here is the first chapter of my newest oldest story if that makes any at all sense haha, with a complete overhaul as in my notebook a rough draft wouldn't describe what I wrote back then. I've also been hooked on listening to a lot of music by The Black Keys and The Whigs, two of my favorite bands, and the titles to their songs fit so well with this story. The main title of the story is a song by the Whigs and so is the first chapter. Enjoy everyone, thanks for giving me the time of your day to read this, hope you enjoy reading it as much as I do writing it.