Harry was wandering the halls of Hogwarts reliving the happy days of his time spent here. There was where Lupin's office used to be. Ah there was the one eyed witch. It all seemed so long ago. So dreadfully long ago that he had run these halls with Ron and Hermione. So carefree.
Dear god he stopped in his tracks. It was this very spot thirteen years ago that dwarf had tackled him. A bell rang from somewhere in the castle though no one had ever figured out where. Thousands of footsteps echoed through the hall. A swarm of bodies surrounded him bringing him out of his dazed memories.

Some said hello to him he nodded back and kept walking without a destination. The halls cleared out almost as soon as they had crowded. He sat on the bottom stair of a swirling staircase and remembered the mad dashes between classes. He and Ron would be making fun of Snape and Hermione would yell at them for dawdling. He sighed once again beleaguered with memories. He traveled within his own galaxy for so long he didn't hear the footsteps approach.
          He did hear the breathing over him and he started. He looked around quickly and saw Dobby the House elf three stairs above him. He stood and climbed the stairs to bridge the gap.
          "Hello Dobby." He whispered. The houself threw his arms around Harry's waist crying,
          "Harry Potter Sir! Dobby had missed you!" Harry reached down and pried the elves hands of his robes.
          "I don't see why Dobby. I don't see why anyone should miss me." Dobby looked up at him with big watery eyes.
          "Master Harry don't talk like that everyone missed you it wasn't the same without you!"
          "Humph I'm sure." Harry spoke dryly. "I assume you were sent here Dobby?"
          "Er yessir! Master Sirius is wanting to see you! Dobby is to take you their sir!"
          "Well then lets go shall we?" Dobby ran off and Harry followed him. Dobby stopped at the Gargoyle that had not changed in so long except for a few more scuff marks where people had kicked it.
          "Drobbles gum!" Dobby shrieked and it leapt aside.
          "Thank you Dobby. I'm-I'm sorry I snapped at you. How's Winky?"
          "Winky is good sir. She has been sober for a year now sir. Twelf steps you know.'
          "Twelf steps?"
          "For house elves sir. Dobby must go now. Dobby must help with the clean up from Halloween feast! Good bye Harry Potter!" Halloween that was three days ago. Did it take that long to clean up from the feast? Harry waved at the house elf as he ran off and turned to the staircase. Slowly he ascended gazing at the portraits that lined the walls. All to soon he reached the huge door.
          He knocked and a cool voice answered,
          "Come in Harry."
          "How'd you know it was me Sirius?" He asked this not expecting an answer Harry opened the door to reveal an office that looked very different than it had when he was a boy. The room had obviously been turned into a strategizing room at one time due to the huge model of Hogsmeade on the floor. It seemed that this had been a long time ago and no one had bothered to do anything about it.
          He stepped in more and closed the door. Sirius sat on an armchair gazing into the red-orange flames. Harry sat next to him in a matching arm chair. No sooner had he sat down than a weight came on to his knee.
          "Fawkes?" Harry said marveling. The phoenix looked at him and he saw that it was indeed Fawkes. "Hello Fawkes." He stroked the smooth feathers.
          "He wanted you to have Fawkes." Harry felt himself choke up.
          "How long ago was it?"
          "four years ago when he was destroyed it… it took Dumbledore too." Harry wiped the tears from his eyes wondering when he had last seen his mentor. He thought for a moment.
          It had been about two hours before he let. He had peeked into the room.
          "you wished to see me Professor?"
          "Yes Harry I did." Dumbledore had turned from his desk he looked so very old and defeated. "Are you sure you want to do this boy?" Harry flinched.
          "Please Head- er Professor don't call me that. And yes I am sure."
          "Sorry Harry. Well then please come back as soon as you get the word it's over."
          "Yes sir I will." He had said this with all sincerity at the time. Dumbledore had dismissed him. As the door clicked behind him he heard his mentor whisper,
          "If it is ever over."
          "Is that what you called me here for Sirius?"
          "No Harry that is not all. I feel I have to tell you this rather than you find it out on your own. It's about her. She hasn't been seen for years. Three years I think it has been. People have searched for her, tried to find her but even the Missing Persons department of the ministry couldn't find her 'course they couldn't find you either." Harry nodded calmly but internally he was sobbing. This couldn't be first he disappeared but now he was back and she was gone. Why did it have to be this way?
          "No one has seen her for three years?" Sirius shook her head.
          "Well someone tried to convince her to leave a little while ago but it didn't work."
          "Who was it?" Once again the older man shook his head.
"Doesn't matter the fact is he said she might come back. So you never know."
          "True you don't but she wouldn't want me anyway." He sighed. It was a long low sound that seemed to come straight out of his heart. Sirius put an arm on his shoulder. He was only twenty-five years old after all.
          "You don't know that Harry."
          "Yes I do."
 _______________________________________________________________

A rightly aimed frying pan caused Ginny to duck faster than a bullet train.
          "Mum stop this please and let me explain!" she yelled over the din of clambering metal. There was no reply except for a dish aimed in her general direction. Ginny gave Bill a pleading look and he stood from where he was sitting at the table.
          "Mom cut it out. Ginny came here to apologize and to explain which she can't do if she's unconscious." The items stopped flying and Molly Weasley turned to her children. Oldest and youngest they were close and it didn't surprise her that Ginny had gone to him first. It didn't surprise her but it hurt her.
          "Fine explain." She spoke so icily that Ginny's heart broke.
          "Mom…" Ginny sighed and sat down. After a moment Bill too sat.
          "I had to leave mom it was too painful here. There were all those memories that were eating me up. I wanted to get away from it all, I wanted to escape. I'm sorry I hurt you mom but I had to go." She heard her voice crack and felt the tears on her face but she felt as if she were watching herself out of body.
          "Virginia that is no excuse" there was a pause. "Go now, Don't come back." Ginny looked at her mother hard,
          "Mom no!"
          "Mom that's not fair.'
"She wanted to get away from s than she can get away William."
          "Oh Mom." Ginny cried racked with sobs. Bill led her out. When they were outside her sobs seemed to multiply and Bill held her closer. Finally she calmed down enough to speak.
          "Did I ruin my entire life?"
          "Oh Ginny." He sighed then he lifted her chin up so he could look in her eyes.
          "Listen to me Gin we both know you shouldn't have left. But I understand your reasons and I still love you. Mom'll come around she doesn't hate the twins anymore. Well not much anyway." This caused a small giggle to come from Ginny but it was a forced laugh.
          "C'mon let's go get CJ and hope Fleur hasn't gone nuts."
          "She has further to go?"
          "Just cause- Never mind." As they reached the village a figure rushed past but turned when he saw them.
          "Hello Bill." Then on closer inspection, "Ginny?" She gave the balding man a wary smile.
          "Um… Hi Dad?" to her relief he burst into a wide grin.
          "Ginny! My girl you're back your mum'll be…"
          "Mad beyond belief." Bill supplied.
          "Oh dear." He gave Ginny a quick kiss and whispered, "I'll see what I can do with her." they continued walking on they got to Bill's house. When he unlooked the door and CJ hurdled toward them. A slower figure came after him but it wasn't Fleur.
          "Bill." He nodded. Ginny blinked and then her eyes widened.
          "Hello Ron." She muttered. "Please don't gloat." He came up next to her and took her arm.
          "Wasn't going to." He smiled.
          "I'm so sure." She grinned in spite of herself. She sat on the couch still holding CJ.
          "Mommy." He whispered.
          "Yeah Ceej?"
          "Do I gotta go to school? Fleur said so." Did she now?
          "Eventually you will."
          "I can't mom." He whispered. "Kid's don't like me cause I can't read."
          "I know. Shush now Uncle Ron needs to talk." She looked up at her brother. "Don't you?" he sighed and sat back in his chair. He gave a meaningful look at Bill who took CJ from Ginny and set off to find Fleur.
          "Is he still having trouble." She looked after her young son.
          "Yeah. He's getting better though."
          "That's good. Now Ginny I came her to ask you something."
          "Okay."
          "This is strictly hypothetical. If I were to tell you say he was back what would you say?"
          "I'd say you were off your rocker. Once he." She took a deep breath to steady her voice. "Once he decides on something his mind is set." Ron nodded.
          "Well then I'm off my rocker." Ginny's eyes widened. She stood and started pacing.
          "You're-you're kidding! There's no way! Does he know I'm back?" I hope not oh God he's back this can't be." They she sat again. "Ironic is it not?" Ron nodded.
          "Irony isn't the word. I believe Kismet is."
          "Kismet! Right! More like the devil's work"
          "Gin!"
          "I mean it Ron he left us and he comes back now?"
          "Well let the pot call the kettle black."
          "Er you have a point…"
          "Do I?"
           "Since when are you so kniving?"
          "You live with Hermione for awhile."
          "How is Hermi?"
          "Pregnant. Need I say more?"
          "No. How far along?"
          "Um eight months."
          "Congrats on making it this far, not that I'd know or anything."
          "Is that why he has trouble in school?"
          "Yeah. So anyway…"
          "Yeah he doesn't know you're here but you've got to see him sometime."
          "I don't see why."
          "Great Friday at Hogwarts it is then.
          "What?'! I didn't say that." Ron had already stood and was heading for the door.
          "Ron don't! Come Back! NO I'm NOT GONNA-"
          "See you Friday!" the door closed and she stood in the hall overcome by shock.