Chapter 2 – See Who I Am

It was nighttime when Harry finally opened his eyes. He shifted on the hallow ground, sensing a change in the air. And he felt…different. There was a weightlessness about him that he had never sensed before. He felt free.

Harry sat up grinning, his mind clear. He didn't know how, or when, but somehow during his stay in the cemetery he had discovered himself. His true self.

He saw his inner nature and his desires. Standing upon the graves of his parents he realized he could finally let his past go and live the way he wanted to, with no attachments.

He walked through the bronze gates as if in a trance. No one would ever tell him what to do again, he was done with that. The innocent boy who tried his hardest to find love and make others happy was gone now, replaced with a colder reality, the truth.

Staring up into the heavens above, Harry laughed long and hard. He had never felt so alive, so confident. From this moment forward he would do what he wanted on his own terms. From this night on his life would finally begin.

With a barely noticeable pop he disapparated from the graveyard, leaving the dead to their peace once more.

***

"Harry, Harry, Harry! Where were you? Do you know it's the middle of the night?" Hermione's voice screeched, causing Harry to wince at its volume.

The others were gathered in the living room of the Burrow, all in their bathrobes. They were discussing the tasks needed to be done after the war. They varied from rebuilding Hogwarts to imprisoning remaining death eaters.

Harry could have cared less about such triviality. He brushed past Hermione as if she was nothing but a ghost to his eyes.

"Harry!" she said incredulously. He stopped and turned, watching her flinch at his cold look.

"I'm sorry Hermione," he said, his voice void of any emotion. The others perked up considerably when they noticed his change of tone. He continued speaking.

"Where I was is no concern of yours."

She looked as if she had been slapped. Ron stood slowly and went to Hermione's side.

"What's wrong mate?" he said, his voice unsure. "We were just worried about you."

Harry stood straight, staring into the eyes of his best friends. He tried to feel guilt at how he was treating them. After all, they had for the most part stuck by him throughout the war.

But then he thought of Ron's constant betrayals. Ron had left Harry's side several times when his need for him was at its greatest. And Hermione loved Ron. When Ron had left during their camping session she had not been the same Hermione he knew her to be. Hermione had only one thought on her mind: Ron.

As always Harry was an outcast, a third member in a group of two. And truth be told, he didn't need them anymore. He was on his own. He had been on his own since the tender age of one when he had lost both his parents and his innocence.

Unable to answer them, he turned to the stairs. A hand caught around his arm however and he swung around, his eyes glowing fiercely.

"Get off me!" he shouted, his words coming out harsher than he intended.

At this point Luna and Mr. Weasley had stood up as well. Mr. Weasley was eyeing him with a frown of disproval and concern, while Luna merely looked curious.

The ever-quiet Mr. Weasley made himself heard. "Are you alright Harry?"

Harry deflated at his tone. For the life of him he could never stay mad at the man who had showed him what a true family was supposed to be like.

He looked away, not because he was ashamed, but because he knew what they would see in his eyes otherwise. He did not want them to know what he felt.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired."

It was a lie, but Mr. Weasley nodded, accepting his answer as the truth. He told Harry to get some rest.

Everyone present watched Harry's retreating form before going back to their previous discussion. Only Luna felt unnerved by what had just happened.

She wondered if anyone else had noticed the slight insanity she had seen behind Harry's emerald eyes.

***

The next morning Harry woke early, refreshed and ready for life. Glancing to his right he found a still-sleeping Ron.

He dressed quietly and crept downstairs, leaving the house in favor for a walk outside under the rising sun. He could tell it was going to be a beautiful day.

He wandered aimlessly for an hour before settling under a group of trees a good distance from the house. The walk had done him wonders for his mind. He had never felt so calm.

Resting his back against the bark he closed his eyes, enjoying the enveloping sensation of peace. There were no thoughts in his mind. The only sound that reached his ears was that of the bird-song.

When the sun had reached its peak in the sky Harry stood and started walking back to the Burrow, slowly.

As expected, when he walked through the kitchen doors the room stilled. He ignored the stares and went straight to the cabinet, intent on making something to eat.

The others kept their silence until he sat at the table with his food. Luckily for him Mrs. Weasley spoke first.

"Did you sleep alright last night, Harry?"

Harry gave a slight smile, that is, until he noticed how the taut atmosphere seemed to relax once they realized he wasn't going to blow up in anger. This caused his face to fall back into his blank mask.

He answered with a quiet, "It was fine, Mrs. Weasley."

From the corner of his eye he watched Hermione eye him suspiciously and felt more than saw Bill's scrutiny from across the kitchen. God he hated being stared at.

He looked up from his meal to glare at everyone present and spoke with the same coldness as the night before.

"Do you know it's rude to stare?"

He had the satisfactory of watching the others blush and look away. It was strange, how he did not feel the least bit of guilt at his harsh words, but he could not bring himself to care.

When he got up to leave he had to control his anger once more as Hermione blurted out her thoughts.

"Harry, wait. And please don't get angry! It's just, I'm worried for you. We all are. You were gone all day yesterday and again this morning when everyone woke up. I've noticed you changing since that last night of the war. Don't you deny it Harry Potter! We're losing you. Just promise me, wherever you go you won't do anything rash. I don't want to see you hurt."

Her cheeks were tinged with red by the time she had finished. The entire room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for his infamous temper to erupt.

Harry, however, surprised them all by smiling. It was not an innocent smile, but one of a darker, more sinister nature. They knew from that smile and the dangerous glint in his eyes, that this was not their Harry. Was it an imposter? Or had he really changed this much without them noticing.

Harry felt the air sing with nerves. He watched as a few of the older males stood up, watching him closely. He sneered at them.

A misty voice spoke from the corner of the room. Everyone turned to the voice.

"There are no more wrackspurts clouding his mind. You need not worry Hermione, for he has finally learned the truth behind the thestrals."

Luna smiled eerily from where she sat on the counter. The others shuddered.

Harry smiled too, an honest smile. He had finally learned how to appreciate her honesty and ability to see things clearly. She was a dear friend.

"Thank you Luna," he said sincerely.

Her eyes sparkled as she watched him, but when she spoke again her voice was gentle.

"You've taken on too many wallypurtans in your life Harry, with the tears you've shed. Too many have used you as a nargle without looking at their own strength."

Harry nodded at her solemn tone.

"But there's a little yellow bird outside, calling your name. Find him Harry Potter and hold him dear."

"I will," he promised her.

Hermione spoke from her place by the table, looking annoyed. "Oh honestly Harry, you don't need to listen to that rubbish."

Harry's anger flared.

"Shut up Hermione." He spoke in a low, warning tone.

"What's the matter with you?" Ron demanded angrily. "You're sounding as loony as, well never mind. But don't talk to Hermione that way."

Silence was his answer.

Impatient, Hermione motioned for him to sit.

"Oh never mind, let's just go over these plans. Harry you're going to Hogwarts today. We've promised McGonagall that we'd help rebuild the parts of that castle that were destroyed –"

"No," Harry interrupted firmly.

"Excuse me?" she said taking on her scolding tone.

"No," he said again. "I'm not going. Don't you think I've done enough for the war? My part is finished. I just want to be left alone."

"But –"

"No Hermione, drop it."

"Harry Potter!" Ginny snapped from her seat. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She continued, ignoring her mum's reprimand about her swearing.

"Don't do this, let us in."

Harry whipped out his wand when she moved towards him. Gasps were heard all around. Most stood, taking their wands out as well.

Ginny just looked disbelieving.

"This isn't you Harry. Something's happened, something's wrong. Please tell me!" She was close to tears.

Harry, for his part, shook his head. He had no words to comfort her as he would have done in the past. She had to realize now that he had changed and there would be no changing back.

He took a chance to glance at Luna and saw that she was humming a mournful tune.

Ginny came at him again, before he was ready. But when he opened his mouth to tell her to stop lights flashed all around.

Pain worse than the Cruciatus Curse erupted through his body, blocking out any coherent thought. He blinked as time seemed to stop.

There was nothing he could do but lie there and watch the lights begin to fade.


Did you get Luna's message? Lol.

Review, please! Next chapter will have Harry/Draco interaction. ;)