I would've died except for A.J. I couldn't let him go live with Dudley Dursley and his wife Val. They were worse magic haters than Vernon and Petunia.

So eight and a half years went by. When A.J. was seven we moved to Liverpool because I could buy a bar for cheap. We lived o.k. I took him to the zoo, movies. He had friends. Then an owl flew in with a letter addressed to Mr. Albus J. R. S. R. R. Potter.

I had never told A.J. about Hogwarts. What could I say? Oh, by the way there's a different world out there that thinks your old man is crazy. So I just shrugged off his blowing up of slugs and when he set his substitute teacher's briefcase on fire.

It took a while but I finally got him to understand. I didn't mention that I was a wizard I just took him shopping. We did the whole bit, even went to my Gringotts vault. I was wearing a hat to hide the scar. Moreover, my hair had been white since Lisette's accident. But when we got to Ollivander's I sent A.J. in alone.

He came out bringing a nine-inch rowan and dragon heartstring wand and questions.

"Papa, Papa" he cried to me, "Mr. Ollivander knew my last name but not my first names and when I told him he said that was interesting and he said so he's not dead! What's up? I thought Maman was a witch, were you a wizard?"

I had to answer this time, "No, your maman was a Muggle. I was once a wizard. Shall we get some dinner?"

A.J. looked downcast but realized that I was trying to change the subject so he agreed and we walked to The Leaky Cauldron. After a good dinner of steak and kidney pie A.J. and I realized that we couldn't make it home that night and so we decided to get a room.

After A.J. was safely in bed I walked downstairs for a bit of a drink. I had ordered a Butterbeer (not exactly sophisticated I know but I hadn't had one in seventeen years) when Tom the bartender decided to make conversation.

"This your first time in the Cauldron then?" he asked me.

I hesitated and then decided on a white lie, "Yes, you could say that," I answered.

"Well, then. You should look at the Memorial wall. It's right outside, where you'd go to enter Diagon Alley," he informed me.

I shrugged, put my sickle down and headed out the back way. There was the brick courtyard. Nothing had changed until I turned to the right. Instead of the dingy bricks there were slightly glowing names and dates. Across the top in brightly written letters were the words "A Memorial Wall to all those who gave their lives in fighting Voldemort and his Deatheaters." There were so many names I knew. Sirius Black, Charlie Weasley, Cedric Diggory, the Longbottoms, my parents. Then I looked in the center. One said "Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived. 1986-2005." I was confused, and then it hit me. They all thought I was dead! No wonder they hadn't looked for me. I shook my head in amusement and headed upstairs.

The very next day I sent A.J. off on the Hogwarts Express. I told him to study hard, have fun and make his maman proud. Then I walked away before he could see me cry.

Then today, three days later, in my empty apartment above my bar three owls flew in the window. To my surprise one nipped me on the ear. It was, of course, Hedwig. I opened her letter first.

Dear Papa,

Why didn't you say you were famous? They've got books here named after you. And they all thought you were dead! A girl named Michiko Chang-Smith says his mum knew you. A boy called Art Weasley says his dad's family knew you. Art blew up a toilet on the Express!! Anyway, it seems nice here. Professor McGonagall says that this owl was yours so I can have her! She says her name is Hedwig. Is that true? I miss you. Don't forget to feed the fish.

Love,

A.J.

P.S. A girl called June Longbottom has a toad!!

P.P.S. The Hat put me in Gryffindor.

I smiled after reading A.J.'s letter and remembered to give the owls water. The next one was a brown barn owl.

Dear Harry (you prat),

Thanks a lot for keeping in touch. We thought you were dead!!! How could you do that to us! You'd better come and explain.

Now I'll be nice and say that when we heard McGonagall say Potter, Albus James Ronald Sirius Remus Hagrid that I felt a lot of pride. Hagrid, of course, burst into tears. In addition, the rest of the room started a burst of excited chatter until the Hat said "Quiet, yes he is the Harry Potter's son." I'm going to have to write Mum and Dad and Remus about all this. Not that I'll have to. Really, you'll have made the Prophet again.

Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger-Weasley.

P.S. Not like he let me write any of it. HGW

P.P.S. Ron's the doctor here and I'm the Arithmancy professor. HGW

I always knew Ron and Hermione would get married someday. But I must say I never saw Ron as a doctor.

Finally I got to the last owl, a nondescript school owl.

Dear Harry,

I feel I must open this letter with a congratulations on your son and a thank you for the Albus. I must say it did surprise me that you were still alive. I know that it was a terrible assumption that you had died, but by the time we had cleaned up Voldemort and eradicated the last of the Deatheaters we were not able to use any of your belonging for a searching spell. Too much time had passed. You can imagine the shock we felt when the brown haired image of you walked in.

Harry, it has taken my world, no our world many years to become used to your loss and still people feel like there is something missing. We never got to see our embodiment of courage grow up. It took us a while to understand that is why you left. Everyone has a right to live their own life. You could still come home, Harry.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore.

I look up and realize that I can still go home. For so long A.J. has been my only reason for tomorrow. But I can't live through him anymore. I don't want to make him run like I did. I will make my own tomorrow.