Standard Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story; they all belong to JK Rowlings. This is a work of fan fiction, produced solely for enjoyment. No infringement of rights is intended.

– CHAPTER TEN –

Emotions Run High

With a soft pop, Harry arrived at the front door to the Burrow, and walked in to see Mrs. Weasley fussing over Fleur's dress, which her parents had just sent over from France; she looked anxious though. Mrs. Weasley looked up, and rushed over to Harry before he could take another step.

'Harry, thank goodness, you're back. I was beginning to worry about you. Are you alright?' Harry was surprised by this outburst; after all, he hadn't even been gone three hours.

'I'm fine Mrs. Weasley, honestly, why wouldn't I be?' He asked, slightly perplexed.

'Oh,' she replied, sounding surprised, 'nothing. It's just that you didn't seem to be in a particularly good mood when you left. We were all a bit worried about you.' Harry grimaced at this, 'so they've been talking about me behind my back again' he thought angrily. He pushed her away, and replied coldly.

'Really, Mrs. Weasley?' She looked at him in confusion, shocked by his sudden change in tone and posture.

'And what mood would you be in, if you had to attend the will reading of your last parent figure; followed by receiving the keys to the vaults belonging to your murdered parents, who you never got to know?' He yelled out the last words furiously. Mrs. Weasley took a step back in horror, realising how badly her caring words had been interpreted.

He was shocked by his own behaviour, but was unable to control himself. Waves of fury coursed through him, and he didn't notice when Ron, Hermione and Ginny walked in to see what all the noise was about.

'Because of that monster, I've lost everyone that was close to me; my parents, my godfather, Dumbledore, even my bloody aunt and uncle! I don't have anyone left.' He faltered, and collapsed to the floor, sobbing. 'Nobody, nobody.' He kept moaning, pain wracking his body.

Everyone in the room was shocked into silence, they had never seen Harry open up like this, leaving himself so exposed, and it was a few seconds before anyone could react. Harry felt a soft touch on his shoulder and looked up, teary eyed, to see Ginny, smiling gently down at him.

'Harry, we're here for you, we can be close to you.' She whispered, pulling him into a hug. 'All you have to do is let us be there for you.' He tried to push her away gently.

'I don't want anyone else to get hurt over me Gin; everyone I've ever care for has died.' He replied, his voice broken.

'No, don't say that Harry, you know it's not true.' She countered fiercely.

'Ron and Hermione are still here aren't they? Mum's still here, I'm' she added hesitantly, 'still here.' Harry looked up at her, but was unable to hold her gaze.

'Yes you are, but for how long?' He asked, looking down again, tears welling up again.

'Harry James Potter! How dare you think so little of us!' Hermione yelled shrilly, making everyone jump. She advanced on Harry, who looked up at her, confused by her sudden outbreak. 'Don't you think we can take care of ourselves? You don't think that we can hold our own again a Death Eater?' She shouted, angry at him for having so little faith in them. Harry jumped up violently, his eyes suddenly blazing. He almost bowled Ginny over, but he was too angry to notice.

'No, I don't Hermione! I don't think you could take care of yourselves. Not when there are two Death Eaters trying to kill you, sending Killing Curses at you. Not when Voldemort comes to kill you either, because, to be honest, no one can. The only person who Voldemort ever feared is dead and no one can stand up to him anymore. If he wants you dead, you're as good as gone now, because no one is foolish enough to pick a fight with Voldemort.' Hermione looked away to hide her tears, suddenly realising what Harry was trying to say, but Harry wasn't finished. 'So the nearer you are to me, the closer you are to death; I'm a living curse.' He added unhappily.

There was a deathly silence, before Harry turned away from them.

'I'm going,' he said, 'before anyone else gets killed because of me.' He made to turn towards the door, but a small hand gripped his forearm.

'Harry,' Ginny pleaded, 'please, we want to be there for you. You don't honestly think that distancing yourself from us will make us safer do you? Harry, Hermione is Muggle-born, all the Weasley's are blood traitors. We're all at risk of dying whether you are with us or not.' Mrs. Weasley shivered at this harsh statement. 'But if you're with us, we have an extra wand to protect us. You're a great wizard Harry,' he was about to contradict her, but she placed a finger on his lips, 'you are. You have been challenged every year since you started Hogwarts with harder and harder tests of character, and you've come out every time better and stronger for it. I'm not saying you should have been tested so cruelly, but we're so proud of you, all the same. There's only so much someone can take though, and I think you've reached your limit Harry. You need us, as much as we need you; and we're ready. We want to help you, just,' she faltered, 'just don't push us away.'

She looked longingly at Harry, willing him to understand. He looked back at her for a few minutes, wishing that they would understand the danger that they were placing themselves in. Everyone else held their breath, hoping that he would change his mind and stay with them.

Eventually, he nodded, and pulled Ginny into a fierce hug, not wanting to ever let go. Ron and Hermione stepped forward uncertainly, and seeing his brow smoothen, but his eyes still full of sorrow, rushed to pull him into an embrace too. Mrs. Weasley let out a wail, and ran over, pulling everyone to her bosom.

They stood there for a few minutes, content to just share eachother's company and it wasn't until Ginny started gasping for air, that they broke away. Mrs. Weasley rushed off to finish her inspection of Fleur's gown, taking it into the kitchen with her, and Hermione and Ron walked back outside, leaving Ginny and Harry to sit down on the sofa. There was a long silence, then Ginny looked at Harry, unsure what to say.

'So,' Ginny started hesitantly, 'what did Dumbledore leave you?'

'Um, well, he left me his Pensieve and Godric Gryffindor's sword. He also gave Fawkes to me -' Ginny looked up in surprise.

'What, do you mean his phoenix?' Harry chuckled gently at her disbelief.

'Ye, I was quite surprised too, he wrote me a letter too.' He frowned, remembering that he also had all the letters from his parents, and the one left with Ragnog.

He pulled them all out, and Ginny stared wide eyed at them all.

'Harry, that's not a letter, that's about ten!' She exclaimed, and then studied them a bit closer. A minute later, she looked up confused, 'Harry, they're not all to you, and they're not even all in the same handwriting. Who wrote those?' She asked; pointing at the letters addressed to the others.' Harry gulped, and replied shakily.

'They're from my parents; I found them in their vault. Ragnog gave me the keys this morning.' Ginny looked into his eyes sadly,

'Oh Harry, I'm so sorry. Why wouldn't you let us come with you?'

'I didn't want to see me cry, and I knew I would. I didn't want to upset all of you.' He looked down ashamed. 'I guess it's too late now though, isn't it?' He added, trying to make a light-hearted joke. Ginny looked sorrowfully at him.

'Harry, you can cry in front of us, we've all cried before. It doesn't make you weak if you show your emotions.' Harry's face immediately twisted into a scowl.

'That's not what Snape said.' He spat. "Fools who wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves … weak people in other words -" Harry mimicked cruelly, "they stand no chance against his powers!" Ginny looked shocked, horrified that anyone would say such a terrible thing.

'Do you really want to turn out like Snape Harry? Why would you believe what that, that traitor said?' She stammered. Harry looked lost, his eyes glazed over in sorrow.

'But he was right you know? If I hadn't been so obvious about my feelings for Sirius, Voldemort wouldn't have used him to lure me to the Department of Mysteries. Sirius might still be alive, if I'd listened to Snape.' He finished.

He looked down glumly, thinking about the irony of it. He'd got over Sirius' death, but he couldn't help thinking what may have transpired if he'd managed to close off his mind to Voldemort's intrusions. Snape, who loathed Sirius, had given Harry the advice which might have saved Sirius' life, 'if only I had listened.' He thought wretchedly.

His thoughts were interrupted by Ginny, who was asking him something.

'Sorry Gin, I didn't hear you, what did you say?' He asked. Ginny looked exasperated for a second, and then asked him again.

'Where did you go after leaving your uncle's home? None of us knew where you'd gone, and mum was worried sick, especially after reading the Prophet yesterday morning.' Harry grinned mischievously.

'Ah,' he said smugly, 'one of my true acts of genius. I bought a flat while at my uncle's, and as soon as I turned seventeen, met up with Hermione. She apparated us there, and I cast the Fidelius Charm on it.' Ginny looked round eyed at him.

'Wow! That's incredible Harry, but how did you do it? It's a really complicated charm; I remember Remus tried to explain it to us when we were in Headquarters.' Harry grinned, and replied.

'For once, I took a leaf out of Hermione's book. I found the relevant texts I needed that explained how to cast it, and had them delivered by owl post. I then spent about a month practising the motions and spells without my wand until I had learned it perfectly.' Ginny was still looking at him, goggle-eyed.

'And you bought a flat, just like that? So you could hide out for the summer?'

'Oh no Gin, it's a safe house that I can always rely on if I'm in danger. Actually, I spent the rest of my trust fund on it, so I don't intend to sell it for quite a while.' Ginny looked quizzically at him.

'But how were you intending to pay to go to Hogwarts if you spent all your -' she stopped suddenly, her eyes widening in fear. Realising the implications of what he had said, she asked him hesitantly. 'You're not returning to Hogwarts are you? You're going after Voldemort, just like you said you would after the funeral.' Harry nodded slowly, expecting Ginny to explode, but it never came. Instead he heard a quiet, determined voice.

'Well, in that case, I'm coming with you.' Harry was momentarily stunned into silence, he hadn't been expecting this. Finding his voice, he said.

'Gin, you can't, you're underage, and it's too dangerous.' Ginny's stood up, face red.

'Do you think the Death Eater's will care that I'm underage?' She demanded, glaring down at him. Not waiting for an answer, she raged on. 'They'll kill me either way if they find me. I'm more than ready Harry; you can't stop me from coming.' Harry stood up too, stretching to his full height, and replied angrily.

'Yes I can stop you Ginny, and I will. Even if hypothetically speaking your mum lost her mind for a few minutes, and said you could come – which she won't; I wouldn't take you. You're not ready Gin, you haven't learned non-verbal spells yet, heck, I can't cast them reliably yet, and you can't apparate. What happens if we get into a tight situation, and I apparate away but can't get to you? You think I'd be able to leave you behind?' He asked, a haunted look in his eyes, 'I'd rather die than let that happen.' He added, looking down at his feet.

Ginny looked at him for a few seconds, and then whispered, 'Teach me.' Harry looked up, confused.

'How can I teach you Gin? You can't practise, you could get arrested.' Ginny hesitated for a more seconds; then bowed her head.

'You're right, I'm being stupid. I'd only be putting both of our lives in danger. Can you promise me something though? Stay safe, for me.' She looked pleadingly into his eyes. He nodded sadly, knowing that he'd have to go back on his word soon, 'Horcrux hunting will never be safe' he thought ruefully. Ginny leaned forward and hugged him fiercely, as if she wasn't going to see him again.

Hermione and Ron chose this moment to come back in, and seeing them in an intimate embrace, were about to leave, when Harry saw them. Pulling himself from Ginny's hug, he looked at Hermione.

'Hermione, I think I'm going to go back to the flat,' Ron looked quizzically at Harry, who didn't notice. 'I think I need some time alone.' Hermione nodded, sensing that Harry had a lot to think about and wouldn't want to be disturbed. 'You don't have to come with me, but when you next come over, why don't you bring Ron, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley? I think they should see it.' Hermione nodded, and Harry turned to pick up the letters of the sofa.

Ron was about to ask Harry what he was talking about, when Hermione whispered in his ear that she'd explain later. Harry turned back round, and hugged Ginny gently, before making his way to the door.

'By the way, Ron, the twins are coming over for dinner. They intend to tease you mercilessly for only passing second time.' Ron grumbled and muttered something about them not knowing what will hit them.

Harry laughed, and told him that he'd warned them, but that it had fallen on deaf ears. Ginny smirked at this and commented that it was a bad habit of theirs. Readily agreeing, Harry started towards the door, before remembering to say goodbye to Mrs. Weasley. Calling over his shoulder, he said.

'Bye Mrs. Weasley. Thanks for having me over again.' She bustled out of the kitchen, and rushed over to hug him, asking worriedly where he was going. Telling her that Hermione would explain it, he was really too emotionally worn out to think about that night again, he walked out, and focusing on the alley behind the block of flats, vanished.

With a quiet pop, he reappeared in the alleyway, and made his way back up to his flat. Taking his keys and wand out, he unlocked the door, and checking up and down the corridor for Muggles, surreptitiously whispered 'Alohamora' before opening the door and walking in. He collapsed on the sofa and closed his eyes, rubbing his hand over them, exhausted.

Opening them again and checking his watch, he couldn't believe that it was barely four o'clock. 'This has got to have been the longest day of my life.' He thought, and remembered that he still had the perch for Fawkes in his pocket. He pulled it out and muttered 'Engorgio', before placing it next to Hedwig's cage. She hadn't returned yet, but he opened the window hopefully all the same.

He wasn't sure how to call Fawkes, so he just tried calling him, on the off chance that Fawkes may know when to come. Nothing happened for a few seconds, so Harry started thinking of other ways he could call him. He had barely started thinking of possibilities though, when there was a flash of flame, and Fawkes appeared, and landing on his new perch, started singing.

Panicking slightly, Harry reached for his wand again and pointing at the door, muttered 'Muffliato'. He repeated this for the windows and walls, before walking over to stroke Fawkes.

'Lo, Fawkes,' Fawkes, sang softly, 'I guess you miss him too eh? Well, we'll make it.' He said, trying to reassure himself as much as the phoenix. Sitting back down on the sofa, he pulled out the letters, and laying them on the spot next to him, rummaged through them. Finding the one he was looking for, he broke the seal, and started reading.

Dear Harry, -