The war was over.

Had been for a while now actually.

There had been quite a bit of loss on both sides before the inevitable conclusion, and the so called "final battle" had not been an epic clash of the titans, a battle to end all battles, nor had it been particularly impressive what so ever…in fact after all the build up, it had been rather anti-climactic to be honest with you.

"The-Man-Who-Won"…

Ridiculous title really.

Then again, what more can you expect from the Daily Prophet? They are after all rather simple folk…just like the majority of the wizarding population in general really, now that you mention it.

Well, lame or not, the title did in fact describe our hero, the man that was praised above all others and worshipped as something just short of a god. This man was now 20 years old, and of course went by the name Harry James Potter.

The four-and-a-bit years between the events at the Department of Mysteries and where our story picks up were…enlightening, if nothing else.

A fifteen year old Harry Potter descended the stairs, leaving the office of his headmaster, one Albus Dumbledore, with many thoughts in his mind. Predominate among those were that mourning and a sense of loss – this was because he had just lost his godfather, Sirius Black, a man who he had not known for long but loved all the same and whom he considered to have the potential to become the next best thing to a father. There was also a sense of undeniable hatred. This was directed towards the self styled "Lord Voldemort", the half blood champion of the pureblood ideals, as well as his right hand bitch, Bellatrix "I don't quite know where sane is, so how can I be in sane" LeStrange, the murderer of same said godfather.

Both of these things were to be expected really…or were at the very least understandable. What many people wouldn't expect was that there was also a sense of betrayal as well as undeniable anger directed towards the very man whose office he was now leaving

'That damned prophecy…he knew all this time and never said – never tried to train me…almost as if he was wanting me to be unprepared…well, I'll show him, I don't need his help…' these were just some of the thoughts that were going through Harry's mind as he walked along the corridors and hallways of Hogwarts, not even paying attention where he was going, simply needing time to think before he had to deal with people again.

-SCENE BREAK-

It was the day before the end of term, and Harry was just returning to the common room after handing in a late essay to one of the professors when he over heard the tail end of a whispered, but heated, conversation between his two best friends, who were clearly oblivious to his presence.

"I said 'No' Ron, I won't do that to him and I think it's disgusting that you are. I thought you were supposed to be his friend." Hissed Hermione angrily, "Spying on someone, even for a teacher, is not something a friend would do…I can't believe you would do this to Harry…"

Hearing this, it was fair to say that Harry was a little bit pissed off…but he still, in his naivety, held out hope that perhaps Hermione had misunderstood something that had been said (which he had to admit to himself would either be a minor miracle or one of the signs of the apocalypse…Hermione Granger, not understanding something…almost laughable, if the situation wasn't so serious, and he wasn't so angry). It was at this point that Ron spoke up, removing all doubt.

"Oh come on Herms," he began (and Harry, even in his angered state had to cringe at the nickname that Ron had taken to using for their bookworm friend lately, knowing that he really wasn't helping his case) "he's just a big headed glory hound anyway, it's not as though he actually cares about us…besides Dumbledore pays me really well and all I have to do is tell him stuff about Harry. He said that you can have the same deal and that if we do a good job then we will be guaranteed the Headboy and girl positions come seventh year."

By this point, Harry had heard enough and decided to act.

Momentarily forgetting that he was a wizard, Harry grabbed Ron and punched him in the face, before throwing him on the ground and hitting him repeatedly until the dazed redhead's face was almost unrecognisable and he was unconscious. He then climbed back to his feet and looked over at Hermione, who had a look of understanding on her face…no anger, no rebuke about attacking someone – she understood and would have done the same in his position (though she may have used spells instead of fists).

They walked out of the, fortunately empty, (as most people were outside enjoying the sun and their last day at the school for some time) common room together, knowing that they needed to talk about what had happened, and needed privacy to do it, barely sparing a glance for their one-time-believed friend.

Little did either of them realise that that would be the last time either of them would see Ronald Weasley.

-SCENE BREAK-

As the train pulled in to Kings Cross station the students were all scrambling to collect their belongings and disembark, calling to each other and saying their farewells. Overall there was a rather joyous atmosphere…this was except in one compartment of the Hogwarts Express.

In this particular compartment sat a small group of friends. Those being: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom.

Harry and Hermione had spent the first part of the journey filling in the other two on the events of the previous day. Oddly enough, neither of them were overly surprised by the information…it turns out that most of the school had thought there was something wrong with the notion of the supposed "Golden Trio" from day one.

The remainder of the journey was spent making plans for the future. It was apparent that they could no longer trust Ron, and equally rather obvious that their beloved Headmaster was somewhat less than trust worthy as well. No, for now, they only knew for certain that they could trust each other. They had considered including the other person who accompanied them to the Department of Mysteries, Luna Lovegood, but it was agreed all round that while Luna was a nice enough girl and everything, until they knew for certain what was going on her strange ways and seeming lack of common sense or restraint in what she said and to who, was a potential security risk that they couldn't afford right now.

Harry also took this opportunity to share the prophecy with the others.

However, none of these things were the reason for the tension in the room. This was caused by the fact that Harry was about to do something that would either give him a way to escape from his hated relatives as well as potentially their manipulative headmaster, or it would tip their hand too early and cause completely unpredictable and unwanted consequences.

During their discussions, it came to light that Harry should have received a hell of a lot more than he did from his parents. According to both Ginny and Neville, the Potters were an incredibly old (dating back to before the time of Merlin) family and probably the richest in the magical world, if not the muggle one as well. And from what Neville knew as well as bits and pieces that Hermione had read, Harry should have become emancipated and independent from the time he first entered the wizarding world at age 11, though until age 14 he would have had an advisor to ensure he was looked after properly.

-SCENE BREAK-

Sneaking out of the train station unnoticed had been relatively easy for Harry. In the large crowds he had been able to get to the barrier between the magical and muggle parts of the station with no problems and before he went through, he slipped under his invisibility cloak.

From there he went into the car park, where Hermione was waiting, having just finished feeding her parents some story or other to justify them giving Harry a lift in their car over to the Leaky Cauldron and the entrance to Diagon Alley. Whatever it was she told them, it obviously worked as 20 minutes later, after saying goodbye and promising to keep in touch, he found himself walking into the yard behind the old pub and entering the Alley.

Upon arrival at Gringotts, his first destination this afternoon, Harry approached the first free teller he saw and gave a general impression of the nature of his enquiries.

From there he was directed to a more senior goblin's office where he received several pieces of information that were important.

First, he had not only the vault that he had been using but in fact several others. He also had shares in several large companies as well as owning a fair number of properties, both residential and commercial, across the world.

Now, Harry was a not-quite-sixteen-year-old boy, and as such had very little idea when it came to finances…so naturally his eyes pretty much just glazed over as the goblin went on and on describing everything his family owned, but the important part is that he was rich. Very rich. And could choose to live in any one of about 30 countries the world over.

There was also a note in his bank record that confirmed he could potentially be emancipated as well as stating that his parents had a will that had yet to be completely read as he was required to be there at the time. However, in order for either of these things to happen, he would have to go to the ministry of magic, as Gringotts, while impressive looking and ancient, was just a bank…an elaborate, prestigious and somewhat unusual bank, but a bank none the less.

His mind made up, Harry used the floo connection at Gringotts to go to the ministry. Fortunately he had had the foresight to put on a cloak with a hood so that he wouldn't be immediately recognised. Also, as luck would have it, he arrived during a shift change, so he was able to get past the guards with no difficulty.

After meeting with a representative of the Department of Estates, Wills and Heredity, Harry indeed became emancipated, gained a seat on the Wizengamot (which he had no plans of using anytime soon) and had all tracking charms removed from his wand.

-SCENE BREAK-

In the manor house that had once belonged to his father, Tom Riddle had just summoned his followers – the rather pathetically titled "Death Eaters".

One by one they came forward and kissed the he of his robe before scurrying back to join the masses.

"My loyal servants," he began, "I have gathered you here tonight for one simple purpose. As you are no doubt aware, several of your fellow death eaters have been captured because of their incompetence. This is…an unfortunate set-back in my plans. Therefore, I have decided that the time has come to make the world feel our wrath and remember why they fear to speak my name."

Predictably this gained cheers from the dim-witted brownnosers that he called his most loyal followers.

"From this moment on, I want each and every one of you to take any opportunity that presents itself to deliver a blow to the so called Light side. Whether this means killing their forces, innocents or just wanton destruction…you have my blessing."

After a few more individual and specific assignments were given out, all of the Death Eaters left.

-SCENE BREAK-

Albus Dumbledore, the self promoted Leader of the Light was in pain.

What was worse, Albus Dumbledore was in pain and it was his own fault…and he knew it. For he had just successfully destroyed one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, and while this was a good thing and a major step in the right direction, he had been too arrogant in the way he did it.

He had put the ring on and attempted to engage in a battle of wills in order to defeat the soul fragment. This had eventually been successful, but not before one of the traps on the artefact had been activated, leaving his hand almost useless.

Doing this would be his second to last mistake.

The headmaster was running as fast as his very old legs would carry him towards the dungeons of Hogwarts and the one man with years of dark arts experience whom he actually trusted beyond any doubt, Severus Snape.

Same said greasy haired potions master had just finished brewing a rather virulent form of poison when one of his masters barged into his office and explained what had happened to him.

This was the time that Snape had to make a final decision…who would he serve for the rest of his life? If he healed Dumbledore then he would be shunned from the death eaters for the rest of his life (or at least what would be left of it before the Dark Lord killed him). If however he were to follow his Lord's orders and use this opportunity to kill the old man, he would be shunned by the light but gain favour above and beyond all others with Voldemort.

Severus Snape was a coward. The choice was not too difficult for him.

As opposed to the potion that would restore Albus' hand to full use, he instead gave him a vial of the potion he had just been brewing.

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Leader of the Light, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Order of Merlin First Class, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards…and various other things, was dead before he even knew he had been betrayed.

Severus fled into the night to rejoin his master.

Trusting Severus Snape was the final mistake Albus would make in his long life.

-SCENE BREAK-

It was now just before Christmas in what would have been Harry Potter's sixth year of schooling, had Hogwarts still been open.

Instead, he and a small group of trusted people, including former school-mates and members of the now disbanded Order of the Phoenix were living together in one of Harry's larger houses in Wales 'Gryffindor Manor'.

They had been there since the middle of August, training for the war they now found themselves in and using the location as a base of operations.

Such a short space of time, but already they had lost people.

Of the Weasley family, only Ginny and Percy (the prat) remained alive.

Mad-Eye Moody was also dead…but he took Bellatrix and Wormtail with him.

Hagrid was worse than dead, a victim of the dementor's kiss.

The minister of magic (as incompetent as he had been) had been killed before the summer was over, as had his successor, one Rufus Scrimgour. Amelia Bones was now minister and doing a much better job than Fudge had, but it was still difficult considering that the higher levels of the ministry and the Wizengamot were filled with Death Eaters.

There were random attacks on targets across Britain and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe.

The Death Eaters were not very organised, but they didn't have to be. Their form of terror was more than effective.

However it had not all been bad, the five remaining friends from the department of mysteries incident (they had decided to include Luna less than 2 weeks into the summer holiday) were now closer than ever and were a very effective fighting unit after the training they were doing.

There were deaths in Voldemort's ranks too, though it was sometimes difficult to know exactly who these were. The more notable ones included:

Bellatrix

Pettigrew

Lucius

Draco

Crabbe Snr

Goyle Snr

Nott

However, things were still far from over.

-SCENE BREAK-

It was now a month after Harry's seventeenth birthday, and they had finally managed to destroy the last of Voldemort's horcruxes.

The Dark Lord was now mortal.

As happens with all witches and wizards, Harry received a rather substantial power boost when he came of age. He was now far greater than the equal to the dark lord that the prophecy indicated he was back when he was a baby. He and his friends were now confident that when Harry and Voldemort met next, Harry would be capable of killing him. However, Tom Riddle, despite all of his assorted failings, was far from stupid. He kept away from any major fights and was rarely seen at all except by his highest ranking servants.

So while Harry was able to beat him, he still had to actually find him first.

-SCENE BREAK-

Harry Potter had just defeated the Dark Lord. There had been no taunting, no never-before-seen magic, no declarations that it was being done in revenge for such-and-such an act, nor for the 'greater good'.

No, this was one of the few battles that Voldemort wanted to personally oversee. They were attempting to take over the ministry.

While he was watching what his team of death eaters were doing to the opposition (commonly known as losing), Riddle was not paying attention to what was going on behind him. This cost him his life.

Having your head removed by a sword does usually have the effect of killing someone.

The so-called Lord was no exception.

There were of course celebrations across the world, various ministries wanted to award Harry with various honours…he refused them all.

For among all of the celebration there were two people who did not have much to celebrate. These people were Harry and Hermione. They were the last people remaining out of the group that had been training together all that time ago. All of their friends had been killed, some in rather gruesome manners, others quickly and painlessly, but it didn't matter in the end, for they were still dead.

-END FLASHBACK-

This brings us to the current situation. The two surviving heroes were sitting together in the kitchen of #12 Grimmauld Place (where they had taken to living lately) and mourning the loss of their friends.

"I just wish there was some way that we could change everything." Said Hermione quietly.

Sitting in silence for a moment, Harry pondered that statement, for that was something he had also been thinking a lot lately…unlike Hermione though, Harry was seriously considering it. Deciding that he might as well at least run the idea by his wife of the past six months, Harry voiced his plan.

"Hermione, I might sound crazy here, but I have an idea…"