Chapter One
Voices could be heard all around. They were seeking someone. Harry, they were looking for Harry and those voices belonged to Death Eaters. Harry thought he was well hidden until he felt a hand clasp his shoulder tightly. He turned around and was looking into the eyes of Voldemort. Those piercing red snake like eyes that held no emotion. Harry knew those eyes well. They were telling him that the time had finally come. Either he was going to die or Voldemort. Voldemort raised his wand high in the air and then...
Harry woke to the concerned voice of Julia. He hadn't realized that he had fallen asleep; it's been so long since he had really slept. He remembered why now. Even now that the war was over and Voldemort was forever gone, Harry still had nightmares. No matter how hard he tried to put a brave face on he was still afraid. The war had changed him. He was still the same old Harry Potter, but he felt guilty for everything that has happened. He couldn't help feeling guilty, although he defeated Voldemort once and for all; he was the one who helped cause all the pain and suffering for all the innocent people. That was why he still had the nightmares. That was why he left home and his loved ones, to somehow make up for what he did. Still he felt like it wasn't enough.
Julia understood this. That was why she helped him. She understood him and knew he needed someone to help him. For the last two years they have been traveling around Europe helping in whichever way they could. What they saw would make anyone sick with grief. Although life has improved enormously there was still a lot of work to be done. Things however have been looking up for the wizarding world. That was why Harry gave in to Julia's suggestion to go home for the holidays. He hadn't seen his family in over two years. He missed everyone very much, but was afraid of how they would react to him coming back. He had kept in touch with Ron and Hermione over the last few years. They were both off helping the ministry round up the rest of Voldemorts followers. He missed them more then anyone else. He knew they would always be there for him no matter what, and he was grateful for that. He also knew that Julia would be there for him also. She helped him in his quest to help restore peace and love, and was grateful that she was in his life.
They had met while Harry was in Italy. Julia was helping to gather all the survivors and assigning jobs to everyone to help rebuild their lives. They worked together and did all they could to help the Italians. After awhile Julia decided to join Harry. It was easy for Julia to leave home because she had no home left and no family. Harry was her family now. They are two orphans trying to make a difference in the world.
Harry looked at Julia, who was wiping away the sweat from his forehead. He knew she knew what happened. She had sat by him for hours at a time while he dreamt. He was lucky to have her and she to him.
"Are you ok now?" Julia asked with concern in her voice.
"I'm ok. I just had another nightmare." He said taking a drink of the water in front of him. "How long was I out for?"
"About three hours. That's a lot better you know. At least you're sleeping more now." Julia said with a smile.
"Yeah, the nightmares are becoming less and less these days. That's a good sign isn't it?" Harry asked.
Julia just nodded her head and smiled. She looked at her muggle watch. 'Two more hours and we're in England.' She thought. Julia was nervous, excited and scared all at the same time. She had never been to England before, but that wasn't why she had mixed feelings. She spent the last two years traveling. No, this time it was different. She was going to be so close to the place where Voldemort was destroyed. In addition, she was going to meet Harry's family and friends. He spoke often of them. She felt like she already knew them. Fred and George with their crazy tactics, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with their love and good values, Percy's obnoxious obsessions to be the best at everything he does, Ginny with her big heart and need to help others. Ginny sounded like Julia's little sister Anna who she lost to the war. She erased the memory from her head and thought of Ron and Hemione. Harry spoke of them often. The trio had been through everything together, from their first day of school to the downfall of Voldemort. For the first time in his life, Harry has been without his two best friends.
As Julia looked at Harry who was starring out the plane window, she thought she noticed a little twinkle in his eyes. His beautiful green eyes, which have seen so much. Julia reached over and took Harry by the hand. "We'll be home soon Harry. Why don't you rest awhile, we still have a long drive ahead of us."
Harry looked at Julia and half-smiled. "I don't want to miss a thing. It's been so long, I want to see everything that's changed since I've been gone." He looked back outside the window. ' I'm happy to be home, he thought, 'but will home be happy to see me?'
Harry placed the last of their luggage in the back of the car they had rented. Ever since the war, the traveling laws became complicated. There where registered apparition areas and you had to file numerous forms to open a floo passage from one place to another. Most wizards couldn't be bothered with this extra hassle and decided to travel the Muggle way. Therefore, Harry and Julia decided to travel by muggle transportation, seeing as how the muggle world was not as affected by the war like the wizarding world was.
Harry decided to drive, seeing as how Julia had never driven on the left side of the road. The drive would take them about four hours. They decide to drive straight through without stopping. They had eaten on the plane so there was no point in stopping on the way. Besides Harry and Julia were too tiered and just wanted to get home.
'Home'. Harry thought, 'the only place that ever really felt like home, well except Hogwarts of course. How much has changed since I've been gone? Ron told me that things were pretty much the same, but he hasn't been gone as long as I have so he wouldn't notice. I'm scared. I'm so scared but happy at the same time.'
Harry looked over at Julia. She was starring out the window. She looked so serious. He knew that look. It's the look she always got when she was thinking about her family. He also knew not to disturb her.
They had an unspoken agreement to never disturb the other when they're thinking about life before the war.
'I wish I could have those days back again. The only worries we had was school, homework and of course Snape. How many times had Ron and I got into trouble with Snape? I t seemed so long ago. Almost like it was a dream. It couldn't be a dream though. Life was never like this before was it? After all I've been through, it's hard to believe life was ever so carefree and fun.'
Harry looked up and saw lights ahead. 'I'm home!' He thought. They would be home in a few minutes. Harry swallowed hard and tried to relax himself as he pulled up in front of the house. "Home" he said out loud not realizing he had done so.
Julia looked up at the house and back at Harry, "Are you ready?" she asked. Harry's response was to get out of the car and walked up the front steps to the door. He turned to find Julia by his side. She took his hand as a sign of encouragement. He turned his attention back to the door, and slowly raised his other hand and knocked on the door of the Burrow.
Voices could be heard all around. They were seeking someone. Harry, they were looking for Harry and those voices belonged to Death Eaters. Harry thought he was well hidden until he felt a hand clasp his shoulder tightly. He turned around and was looking into the eyes of Voldemort. Those piercing red snake like eyes that held no emotion. Harry knew those eyes well. They were telling him that the time had finally come. Either he was going to die or Voldemort. Voldemort raised his wand high in the air and then...
Harry woke to the concerned voice of Julia. He hadn't realized that he had fallen asleep; it's been so long since he had really slept. He remembered why now. Even now that the war was over and Voldemort was forever gone, Harry still had nightmares. No matter how hard he tried to put a brave face on he was still afraid. The war had changed him. He was still the same old Harry Potter, but he felt guilty for everything that has happened. He couldn't help feeling guilty, although he defeated Voldemort once and for all; he was the one who helped cause all the pain and suffering for all the innocent people. That was why he still had the nightmares. That was why he left home and his loved ones, to somehow make up for what he did. Still he felt like it wasn't enough.
Julia understood this. That was why she helped him. She understood him and knew he needed someone to help him. For the last two years they have been traveling around Europe helping in whichever way they could. What they saw would make anyone sick with grief. Although life has improved enormously there was still a lot of work to be done. Things however have been looking up for the wizarding world. That was why Harry gave in to Julia's suggestion to go home for the holidays. He hadn't seen his family in over two years. He missed everyone very much, but was afraid of how they would react to him coming back. He had kept in touch with Ron and Hermione over the last few years. They were both off helping the ministry round up the rest of Voldemorts followers. He missed them more then anyone else. He knew they would always be there for him no matter what, and he was grateful for that. He also knew that Julia would be there for him also. She helped him in his quest to help restore peace and love, and was grateful that she was in his life.
They had met while Harry was in Italy. Julia was helping to gather all the survivors and assigning jobs to everyone to help rebuild their lives. They worked together and did all they could to help the Italians. After awhile Julia decided to join Harry. It was easy for Julia to leave home because she had no home left and no family. Harry was her family now. They are two orphans trying to make a difference in the world.
Harry looked at Julia, who was wiping away the sweat from his forehead. He knew she knew what happened. She had sat by him for hours at a time while he dreamt. He was lucky to have her and she to him.
"Are you ok now?" Julia asked with concern in her voice.
"I'm ok. I just had another nightmare." He said taking a drink of the water in front of him. "How long was I out for?"
"About three hours. That's a lot better you know. At least you're sleeping more now." Julia said with a smile.
"Yeah, the nightmares are becoming less and less these days. That's a good sign isn't it?" Harry asked.
Julia just nodded her head and smiled. She looked at her muggle watch. 'Two more hours and we're in England.' She thought. Julia was nervous, excited and scared all at the same time. She had never been to England before, but that wasn't why she had mixed feelings. She spent the last two years traveling. No, this time it was different. She was going to be so close to the place where Voldemort was destroyed. In addition, she was going to meet Harry's family and friends. He spoke often of them. She felt like she already knew them. Fred and George with their crazy tactics, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with their love and good values, Percy's obnoxious obsessions to be the best at everything he does, Ginny with her big heart and need to help others. Ginny sounded like Julia's little sister Anna who she lost to the war. She erased the memory from her head and thought of Ron and Hemione. Harry spoke of them often. The trio had been through everything together, from their first day of school to the downfall of Voldemort. For the first time in his life, Harry has been without his two best friends.
As Julia looked at Harry who was starring out the plane window, she thought she noticed a little twinkle in his eyes. His beautiful green eyes, which have seen so much. Julia reached over and took Harry by the hand. "We'll be home soon Harry. Why don't you rest awhile, we still have a long drive ahead of us."
Harry looked at Julia and half-smiled. "I don't want to miss a thing. It's been so long, I want to see everything that's changed since I've been gone." He looked back outside the window. ' I'm happy to be home, he thought, 'but will home be happy to see me?'
Harry placed the last of their luggage in the back of the car they had rented. Ever since the war, the traveling laws became complicated. There where registered apparition areas and you had to file numerous forms to open a floo passage from one place to another. Most wizards couldn't be bothered with this extra hassle and decided to travel the Muggle way. Therefore, Harry and Julia decided to travel by muggle transportation, seeing as how the muggle world was not as affected by the war like the wizarding world was.
Harry decided to drive, seeing as how Julia had never driven on the left side of the road. The drive would take them about four hours. They decide to drive straight through without stopping. They had eaten on the plane so there was no point in stopping on the way. Besides Harry and Julia were too tiered and just wanted to get home.
'Home'. Harry thought, 'the only place that ever really felt like home, well except Hogwarts of course. How much has changed since I've been gone? Ron told me that things were pretty much the same, but he hasn't been gone as long as I have so he wouldn't notice. I'm scared. I'm so scared but happy at the same time.'
Harry looked over at Julia. She was starring out the window. She looked so serious. He knew that look. It's the look she always got when she was thinking about her family. He also knew not to disturb her.
They had an unspoken agreement to never disturb the other when they're thinking about life before the war.
'I wish I could have those days back again. The only worries we had was school, homework and of course Snape. How many times had Ron and I got into trouble with Snape? I t seemed so long ago. Almost like it was a dream. It couldn't be a dream though. Life was never like this before was it? After all I've been through, it's hard to believe life was ever so carefree and fun.'
Harry looked up and saw lights ahead. 'I'm home!' He thought. They would be home in a few minutes. Harry swallowed hard and tried to relax himself as he pulled up in front of the house. "Home" he said out loud not realizing he had done so.
Julia looked up at the house and back at Harry, "Are you ready?" she asked. Harry's response was to get out of the car and walked up the front steps to the door. He turned to find Julia by his side. She took his hand as a sign of encouragement. He turned his attention back to the door, and slowly raised his other hand and knocked on the door of the Burrow.
