Hogsmeade was bright and active when Harry and Ron arrived, the shops all open and bustling, and the air was spirited. Shopkeeps stood in their doorways, cajoling passing wizards with promises of the best prices. Shouts passed over each other, voices in the streets were louder to compensate, and everything seemed much more lively than Harry could ever remember.

"Bit of a headache, isn't it?" Ron read his mind, looking around in amusement.

"I guess things are more relaxed lately." Harry smiled - he had been at Hogwarts since the day he had brought Voldemort in, and he hadn't known how the outside world was responding.

"Harry Potter!" A passing boy, tiny and thin the way Harry must have looked at his age, tugged at the arm of his father and pointed.

Harry smiled and waved.

"In a good mood today, then?"

Harry shrugged. "Why not? Look around. There's actually more to the world than magic and books and dark lords. It's a good thing to remember now and then."

"Mm hm. Just hope no one heard that kid, or your good mood's going to get tested. "

Someone had heard. An older couple, wearing pressed, rich robes and carrying bags of purchases, came at Harry from the side. "Harry Potter! Wonderful!"

The woman extended a hand weighed down with stones and silver. "It's a pleasure, Mr. Potter! The world owes you so much."

Harry glanced around, seeing other eyes on him. "Right. Thanks. No problem."

Ron tugged at his other arm. "There's the shop we wanted, Harry, come on."

Harry grinned at the couple. "Sorry. Loads to do." He ducked into the shop with Ron quickly. "Forgot about that part of it."

Ron shot him a smirk. "Right. I know you hate it." He grinned around at the store. "Oi, Harry. I haven't been here in years!"

Harry smiled at the never-changing interior of Zonko's. "It's not quite the twins' store, is it?"

"No competition," Ron said proudly. "Still." He went to the nearest rack and explored happily.

Harry sighed, paying the gags and jokes no attention. It was nice to get out of the castle. Things were too tense there. The hours in the library were frustrating everyone. Remus and his new 'friend' had taken to joining them, which didn't help Harry's mood.

Ron flashed a dangerous-looking spiked ball. "Look at this! Says here if you throw it against a wall and it sticks, it turns the whole wall invisible! Crikey, the twins would kill for this!" He cast a surruptitious look around. "Let me get this, and we can be off."

They set out down the road a minute later, Ron clutching his bag happily. "They'll owe me big for this!"

At the Three Broomsticks they turned and went in. Harry grinned at the familiar sight of Madame Rosmerta, looking as if she hadn't aged a day.

"What do you think, Ron?"

Ron blushed the color of his hair. "I'm getting married, Harry. Can't be holding on to old schoolboy...she's bloody gorgeous."

Harry laughed as they went to the bar and sat. "Hullo, Rosmerta."

"Harry! Ronald Weasley! It's been ages!" She started two mugs of butterbeer, always on top of her customers' favorites. "What have you been doing with yourselves? Besides putting a stop to evil warlords, of course."

Harry grinned. "Just the usual."

"I heard you both became aurors?"

"Yeah. But I might leave as soon as this thing with Voldemort's done with."

Ron turned to Harry instantly. "What? You never said anything like that before!"

Harry shrugged, flushing. "Just something I've been thinking about. It doesn't matter."

"Not on, mate! We're talking about this!"

"Here you go, boys. I'll leave you to this little delimna I've caused." She smiled, charming as always. "I'll be back to catch up."

Ron hardly noticed her leave. "We're supposed to be in this together! All three of us, always."

Harry sighed, taking a swallow of his butterbeer. "I told myself that when Voldemort was dead, I was through fighting. It's getting to be too much. I want to...have a life of my own."

"What about us?" Ron demanded.

"You'll get married and be happy." Harry shrugged. "I'll come over and spoil your children, and try to find out what else I might be meant to do."

"But..." Ron was red-faced. "You'll go starking mad from boredom in a week."

"I don't think I will."

"This is not bloody on."

He laughed. "Ron, it's alright. It's not like I'm running away and never coming back. I just want to take a break and waste all that money I've got lying around, and spoil myself a little for once."

Ron made a face, draining his butterbeer. He set the glass on the bar hard enough to draw a sound of protest from Rosmerta. "Okay, maybe that does sound nice," he answered resentfully. "You could have told me."

"I don't really know. I didn't really even consider it until that day at the Ministry. That annoying loudmouthed werewolf talking about what I owe the world and how I should do something with my life when I was done saving the world. It made me realise that I'd been trying to do exactly that, and it's stupid. I don't owe anyone anything."

"Course you don't, mate. But..." Ron sighed. "Wish you'd told me."

"I just did."

"Funny, Harry."

His quarters were empty. Just as he remembered from his teaching years.

Empty and silent, waiting for him to do anything he wanted. No demands to be met, no questions to answer. No chirping, childish voice distracting him from his work. No silly face lit up at the promise of something as ridiculous as a soak in a bath.

No one forced him to dinner that night, and his stomach rumbled and was ignored. No one pushed him to come to bed, for sleep or pleasure or any other reason, so he didn't realize it was obscenely late until he found himself nodding off by his books.

He ought to sleep, he figured. His mind was sharp but his body was tired. He had finished his potion hours ago, and swallowed it down like the bitter brew it was, and now the new batch was bubbling away merrily. It would be safe to let go until the morning, when he would have to take it again. But Seamus's cauldron sat, ready to turn and go bad. He would have to start a new one.

He regarded the useless potion and tugged out his wand. With a dark feeling he cleaned the cauldron. The ingredients were already cut and measured out and ready to start again.

But was there any point?

He was cynical at the best of times, and Seamus was in the hands of a man he wouldn't be able to get away from. Not when the boy had no wand. Not even if he did have a wand. Not with his hesitancy to cause pain to anyone.

He was probably dead. To think anything else was simple idiot fool hope, and he hadn't been capable of that in years.

He sighed and tucked his wand into his robe, and turned away. Moving to the door into the bedroom his eyes caught on the empty tub. The bed, large and soft and his one true luxury for years.

A minute later he was back at his table, fire going under the cauldron and ingredients carefully arranged to be added in their proper time.

Harry was jolted awake by a thundering knock on the door.

He shot out of bed, reflexes at the ready. Sleep was gone from his mind and his wand was in his hand before he realized what was going on.

"Harry!" It was Remus.

"Come in! What?"

The door opened and Remus flew in. "Get dressed. "

"Why? What's going on?" Harry grabbed dirty slacks from the floor even as he asked.

"Voldemort is awake."