Harry James Potter, Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, walked hand in hand alongside his girlfriend, his student, his best friends sister, Ginevra Molly Weasley. The couple had just apparated to the town of Danby, Yorkshire, England. Just outside of this small town on the River Esk, was the home of Harry's grandparents, Potter Manor. It had been in Harry's family for years. His father had decided to reside in Godric's Hallow which happened to be home to the family for as far back as anyone can remember. However Potter Manor had been build over 200 years ago and stood today empty, waiting for the young couple to enter the massive grounds.
Harry opened the gates with the password provided by Gringotts Bank. "After you." Harry smiled at Ginny.
"No," she shook her head, "you should really see the place first." She kissed his cheek and waited for him to enter.
The grounds were massive. Just inside the gate was a narrow winding pathway that lead to the house. Only the grass and trees were so overgrown with brush that neither the path nor the house was visible. The couple walked deeper into the mini jungle. After several minuets, they finally got a small glimpse of a limestone structure through the trees. They altered their course. A few moments later they stood, staring in awe at the large mansion in front of them.
A four story stone building overgrown with weeds stood looming like a Hogwarts tower over them. Harry felt Ginny tense next to him and understood why. From his point of view the home did look like something out of a muggle horror movie. "Should we go in?" Harry asked squeezing the redhead's hand. A nod from Ginny gave him the okay to enter the ancient building.
As they pushed through the front door Harry silently thanked Merlin for magic. Everything in Potter Manor looked like his grandparents had just locked the front door. "Well at least its clean." Harry smiled at Ginny as they walked through the entrance hall. "Where should we go first?" He asked never dropping her hand.
"This way?" She asked pointing to a hallway to the right of the hall. Harry followed her willingly as they entered a large sitting area. Photos of generations of Potters lined the walls. A newspaper clipping announcing the marriage of James and Lily Potter lay on a small wooden table beside a high-backed arm chair beside the fireplace. A chess table stood between this chair and its pair on the other side of the mantle. Ginny thought she could almost see Harry and Ron sitting by a warm fire playing chess here.
"It must be the sitting room." Harry pointed out. Chairs, tables, books, couches and soft cushions were scattered around the room in small clusters. Ginny nodded in agreement as they both looked around the room.
Ironically for the outside of the house to be so large, the inside of the house had few rooms. What they lacked in number, they made up for in size. Through the sitting area was a large ballroom type room. A stage on one end, elaborate paintings on the walls, mirrors hanging in every other archway, and intricate patterns on the wood floors, this room was clearly designed to entertain. Beyond the grand hall as they were now calling it were smaller rooms. Once designed to be ladies' and men's smoking lounges, they now appeared to be set up for more intimate sitting areas. There were only three other rooms on the ground floor. Two were lavatories. The other was the size of the main sitting area and ball room combined. Set with no less than 9 very large dinning tables, this was obviously the dinning room.
The second floor rooms were much smaller as Harry and Ginny found out. A main hall stretched out from the staircase and ran the length of the home. Three more lavatories were spread across the length of the hall. And all the other rooms on this floor appeared to be bedrooms. "Wow!" Ginny laughed, "is this a house or a hotel?" Harry looked at her blushing a little. He had known that Potter Manor had contained a lot of objects but was unaware as to the extensiveness of the house. "Its ok Harry I'm only teasing." Ginny leaned up and kissed her embarrassed boyfriend. "Want to look at the third floor?" Harry nodded and the couple walked back to the central staircase.
Harry stepped into the room first followed closely by a google eyed Ginny. The third floor closely resembled the Hogwarts library. Three quarters of the length of the home itself, the third floor was an open labyrinth of books. Shelves ran across the short side of the room. In the center the couple found a small sitting area. Several overstuffed arm chairs would allow a reader to sit in comfort for hours at a time. On the opposite end of the room floor to cling and wall to wall widows opened to a large observation deck that looked out over the pasture. From this point you could see the river on one side of the property and the woods on the other. "It's beautiful Harry." Ginny walked up and wrapped her thin arms around the man of dreams' chest.
Harry nodded bringing her around to stand between him and the railing. "It really is Gin." He paused to kiss her. "Its just way to big." The emerald green eyes of Harry Potter scanned the horizon.
"You mean 'the-boy-who-lived', the boy who has women falling at his feet, the boy who saved the wizardring world doesn't want his own castle.?" Ginny asked sarcastically.
"I'd much rather live the rest of my life in Hagrid's hut." He smiled at the young redhead. "Especially if you lived there with me." He leaned down and kissed her lips. They stood here for several long moments enjoying each others company in the quiet solitude that can only be found in the middle of a national forest.
Several hours, two sets of sore legs and several kisses later found Harry Potter standing in the kitchen of Potter Manor with his arms around Ginny Weasley. "As much as I would love to stand here all night Gin, I'm getting hungry. Are you ready to go back to the Burrow?" Ginny nodded and kissed her boyfriend before the couple walked out of the large manor house. They walked slowly down the winding path that would take them back to the main road where they could apparate safely.
"You know this place is beautiful, but it kind of gives me the creeps." Ginny said as she snuggled into Harry's arms. "I liked the house in Godric's Hallow better." Harry smiled leaned down and caught her lips with his as he turned them on the spot. The couple reappeared moments later at the kissing gate of the Burrow garden.