Second Edition

Chapter 2

Several days later of blissful peace spent in Harry's room; with an occasional banging on the door. Aside from the knockings, Harry could not be happier to seclude himself from everyone else.The knocking on the door came back, but sounding more urgent than ever, frowning, he asked, "What?"

"Harry, we need your help! Some of the Death Eaters who had gotten away from the last battle are attacking the muggles!" said Hermione.

"How do I know if -" began Harry, wondering if it was a trap.

"Just don't waste any time and just apparate to 24th street in London!" said Hermione and ran off. Confused and wary, he knew that everyone was in disarray about something. What exactly besides Death Eaters, he did not know. Hermione returned, being more certain that they needed Harry's help because Death Eaters were bound in everywhere. He knew that everyone have been grousing about his behavior for the last few days, though the critical situation had asked for him to help.

If he didn't, nothing else would make him to stop causing panic from other people about his behavior. He had to help others, it was pratically his life-long job as he had been spending his life doing just that, help others and fight the evil guys. As much as he hated that, he did felt some calmity within himself as he apparated to the street Hermione had said. As soon he reappeared, he saw several active Death Eaters torturing muggles and wizard/witches alike. Some of the curses Death Eaters threw were causing muscle failures in muggles' bodies. If he hadn't known any better, he would have thought this section of London were in warzone full of disorganized debris and dead bodies.

The Death Eaters were yelling in the Dark Lords name, avenging Voldemort's death, restoring their rights and trying at restoring their reputation. Now that he has arrived, their attempts will be in vain, Harry wryly thought to himself. Harry presented himself with manners in a sarcastic way, which caused the Death Eaters to rage in fury.

"Hello, would you like to challenge do a duel?" asked Harry politely.

"How dare you Potter! You will die for killing our Dark Lord!" yelled a Death Eater.

"Really, and you think you can kill me when I, myself, killed Voldemort?" asked Harry, arching an eyebrow. He had fully intended to mess around with the Death Eaters. After all, he had wanted some action before finishing them off or send them to Azkaban. The Death Eater with scared attitude tried to snarl in anger and pointed the wand at Harry.

"Cr-

"Petrificus Totalius!" yelled Harry, snapping his wand out of his arm sleeves, and pointed at the Death Eater, faster than the opponent, and enemy fell to the ground with a thud, unable to move. Harry moved with such speed that it seems impossible that he did with careful movements. Of course, Harry had depended on instincts, and used that to gain an upper hand first.

The other Death Eaters saw what they were dealing with, and the fact that Harry defeated Voldemort only a few days ago. Fleeing with series of cracks, all but one trapped Death Eater were gone. Harry looks down at the trapped Follower of Voldemort and gave him a sneer.

"Looks like your new home is going to be Azkaban," he said with an hint that one would have thought he was happy. While he sounded happy, Harry was being sarcastic and of course, is gleeful that he captured a Death Eater. He supposed he would have to capture others himself. He knew he would have to help clean up the mess after the demise of Voldemort.

When the Aurors came and took one look at the Death Eater on the ground, then looked at Harry, looking rather flustered.

"Goo-good work Mr. Potter, we'll take it from here," said one of the Aurors, lifting the Death Eater up with magic.

"Well, I guess I'll go back to my house," said Harry with a crack. He was back at Grimmauld's place, in front of his room to be more specific. He suddenly cursed himself for forgetting one important detail.

He was locked out of his room and the two keys that belonged to the door were inside his room. He had also made his room anti-apparation inside. Cursing his stupidity, he turned around, allowing his robe and cloak to billow out and apparated to the kitchens. Finding no one there and sighed a relief as he went to look for Dobby. He found Dobby making dinner, Harry cleared his throat for his attention.

"Oh Harry, sir!" squeaked Dobby, as he continued the cooking.

"I was wondering if you could do me a favor," he said somewhat lamely.

"Of course Harry Potter, Sir! What can Dobby do for you, sir?" stopping his cooking for the moment.

"Can you unlock my door?"

Dobby frowned at him.

"How does Dobby know you are Harry Potter, sir? Dobby is sorry for suspecting you sir," he frowned but Harry gave him a smile. He had told Dobby if anyone asks the house elf something and may be pretending to be him.

"It's okay Dobby; I gave you the order to be suspicious. Ask me a question that no one else knows but you and me."

"What and where did the ingredient I found for your second task?"

"It was the gillyweed and you got it from Snape's store room."

"Good, so can you unlock my door please?"

"Of course Harry Potter, sir! Can Dobby finish cooking, please sir?"

Harry sighed and looked to the stove and saw that it was ready to be burned. Harry nodded, letting Dobby know that it is okay and that he would wait.

'Okay Dobby, you do that," he said, Dobby nodded in eagerness to finish his cooking. Harry disappeared with a crack. Appearing in front of his bedroom door and waited there for Dobby to come and unlock it for him. He leaned against the wall, in an indifferent position. Then he heard something he did not want to hear, footfalls and approaching fast. The footsteps were coming up the stairs as Harry banged his head against the door post. He mentally groaned in his mind, knowing what was coming, he recognized the steps only too well.

"Potter!" yelled Severus Snape. Harry didn't respond, just looked at him. Snape stopped running when he saw him standing next to the door. "...What are you doing there; don't tell me you've locked yourself out of there," sneered Snape. Harry glared at him venomously; he did not want to be bothered right now.

"How convenient," drawled Snape, "we can actually hold a proper conversation."

Harry still did not say anything but glare at him. Snape wasn't fazed by his glare but only sneered back at him. He walked up to Harry, his sneer pronouncing even more with each step. Harry felt irritated and wanted Dobby to unlock right now. He could not stand talking to anyone right now.

"I heard you came and took care of a few Death Eaters," he drawled.

"No, you got that wrong, I only trapped one," corrected Harry, wishing that people would not exaggerate or twist things around.

"Still, you managed to make the rest of them to leave," he countered. Harry shrugged his shoulders and then sagged them.

"In my own definition, I only took care of one," said Harry.

"Will you come out of your rooms from now on?"

"Of course not, are you daft?" replied Harry.

"No, I'm not daft, you are being a coward, even when you are a Gryffindor," drawled Snape.

"I have news for you Snape, perhaps a bit of refresher," said Harry hotly. "Don't you remember that one scene in one of my Occulemency lessons with you back in my fifth year? The one with the sorting hat?"

"No I don't," drawled Severus. "Remind me."

"I was nearly placed in Slytherin and I had to beg the hat to not put me in Slytherin, happy? That I have some Slytherin qualities in me?"

"No, on the contrary, it only makes things even worse, because I cannot imagine you in my house. Your foolish Gryffindor bravery is too much for me to bear."

"Well, too bad for you," said Harry, shrugging again. Dobby finally unlocked his door. "Go away now," said Harry, entering his rooms. Snape immediately followed in before Harry could close it. Growling under his voice, he glared harder at him. "Get out Snape! I don't want you in here!"

"No Potter, you need to come out and stop this foolish behavior. Everyone is grating my nerves in trying to get you out of here. So, help me Merlin, don't drive me to insanity!" Harry rolled his eyes and glared at him.

"Listen Snape, I don't want to deal with anyone right now, if I could, I would run away to the muggle world and never deal with anything magic again. So do not make me take that option," threatened Harry. That did it, shutting Snape up, as if he was slapped in the face and now steadily getting angry again.

"Potter, you will do no such thing!"

"Really, try me Sir, just try me, stupefy!" Harry whipped out his wand so fast that Snape couldn't even make a sound and fell to the ground with a thunk. Smirking slightly, he asked for Dobby.

"Yes Harry Potter sir?" asked Dobby, wary of the man on the ground.

"Put him in a room two floors down, the further away he is from me, the better," growled Harry, walking away.

"Yes sir, Dobby will do that for Harry Potter sir," said Dobby, slightly scared of Harry's mood as he picked Snape up and disappeared with his snap of fingers. Sighing of relief, Harry pulled a book out and began reading the one on helpful house cleaning charms in a home. He found some bits of it intriguing; others were bland and boring. Nevertheless, he read the book anyways; he didn't think he would even use them because of Dobby.

This greatly reminded him of Hermione and her S.P.E.W. Thankfully, she had given up on her S.P.E.W. in sixth year because she found out that if house elves were not bonded to a master for more than five years, they would either lose magic or die. From then on, she had to learn to accept that the house elves are perfectly happy with their jobs. Just as long as they were treated fairly, was Hermione's motto at the time.

Hermione hadn't known that house elves were to losing magic the longer they were unemployed, the worse they would be. If they hadn't killed themselves for being free in the first place. Harry freely wondered how nice it would have been able to use magic while at the Dursley's. He would had complete control over the house, or if he didn't. He would have used magic to clean the house. If only they were not so afraid of magic.

'Anyway, I have to do something about Snape,' thought Harry. He wished he could just leave the house already but being as persistent as he is, Harry won't go. He had Snape depraving him all seven years in Potions class. How he passed the O.W.Ls for Potions, he would never know. By Professor McGonagall constant insistence, he took the potions class so he can be an auror.

Now he wasn't sure if he wants to be an auror anymore. He would have to deal with many dark creatures and dark wizards and witches. Granted, he liked to take on the Death Eaters, but that was different.

He wished that his worries were as normalas the rest of the wizarding world. Alas, that cannot happen to the Boy-Who-Defeated-You-Know-Who-For-Good as most reporters have dubbed him. He wished he could find a way to repute anything that deals with his fame. Harry knew if he wanted to escape into the state of being incognito, there is that leaving the muggle world option.

Or commit some bad crimes that would make him look bad, but he supposed it would make him even more, if not, infamous than he was now. 'Really, the reporters are exaggerating everything I do, it's getting ridiculous, not to mention sickening.'

He wished he could find a way to escape the fame without causing any ignominy on his reputation. He supposed that would never happen, as literally everyone in the wizarding world knows him. Defeated, he decided to go to sleep early.

Dream

"Mwha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Now you will die at the hands of your own parents!" yelled Voldemort with mirth, cackling as Harry watched the corpses around him closing in on him. The two of them being Lily and James, Harry thought that all of this was only a figment of his imagination. It couldn't be his dead parents. They were lusting after his own blood!

"Mum! Dad, snap out of it!" yelled Harry, hoping they would stop trying to get him. This only spewed even more laughter from Voldemort. Harry felt his own emotional being were shaken by the sight of his parents. He felt weak, and wanted to keep fighting Voldemort.

The answer were in front of him and Harry felt used. He had to fight the will of his mind to ignore his parents. They were just corpses, but he knew that after the battle; would tear him apart. The skeletons and corpses with skin still attached, clawed at him. Harry pointed his drawn wand at the majority of dead army. He felt something going through his left shoulder and turned around and faced with his own father.

End Dream

Harry sat up, screaming as he instinctively grabbed his scar. But he realized the scar didn't hurt in the first place, as it had in the past. Harry sighed in relief. He drew his knees to his chest, shaken from his dream. Harry shook his head, telling himself that it was a figment of his imagination. But he knew that he was lying to himself. He wanted a night with a nonexistent dream, where he could actually sleep in peace; undisturbed by the latest events of his life. The dream was so detailed, he found that he was unable to sleep for hours afterwards. No one came to comfort him, like the time of Hogwarts where Ron would wake him up. It was comforting then.

He knew the exact details of the battle was so sickening, because Ron was now trying to work his way into his room; only few hours after his dream.

"Mate, please, I know you are suffering, but at least let me carry some of that burden!" said Ron.

'When did he get so noble and wise?' wondered Harry. Then he thought about the fight back in early seventh year. 'I suppose it's that and the final battle made him see his own.'

"Sorry, Ron," said Harry quietly but he knew Ron could hear him. His maturity had improved in the last two years, due to the brain attacks back in the fifth year. Something inside the tentacles improved Ron's hearing. It had improved to the point of having a remarkable cochlea within his ear. Ron had been lucky to survive the attacks in the Department of Mystery.

"I don't want to, I can't," spoke Harry.

"Why?" asked Ron from the other side of the door. Harry stood up and walked over. He felt really bad about doing this to Ron. He hadn't deserved anything like this sort of treatment.

"Because I don't think anyone can handle of what happened," said Harry.

"You would be surprised, Harry, at least let me in," said Ron, pleading.

"You know Ron, you've pieced a lot of things together for me, I don't know what I would do without you and Hermione. Please, I don't know when, but one day, I'll let you guys in."

"Harry!" said Ron, sounding somewhat alarmed. "You need to talk to us, whatever has happened, you looked so bad when you came back to Hogwarts after the battle."

"I know, when you know - no I'm sorry Ron. I can't tell you," said Harry. Berating himself for almost making another promise, that he knew he would break.

"Mate, I know you want to talk to us, you always have."

"Ron, if you respect me, then you will leave the questions unanswered. You have to realize that not all questions are answerable."

"This one is!" said Ron hotly.

"A question to what I will never answer, not in my life," said Harry, still speaking softly.

"Mate..."began Ron.

"Please Ron, just... leave me alone," interrupted Harry, going back to his own bed Harry realized that Ron had fallen silent as well and the footsteps retreated away from the door.

Harry knew he had a tendency in keeping secrets for as long as he could. However, this one would last well into his grave, if not, the beyond. Harry felt that the memories were surrounding him. He thought that he was going insane. Harry realized, just how do you know that you are insane? Do the true insane people realize that they have... gone mad? Does the Longbottoms? Feeling a new surge of revenge towards Bellatrix Lestrange, he had really wanted to avenge the Longbottoms along with Sirius.

She was walking freely in the wizarding world or perhaps the muggle world. He had to find her and he won't mind if he used the killing curse on her. Harry faintly wondered that if killing was justified, he would not be put in Azkaban? Or so he hoped they wouldn't. The reasoning sounded so perfect, it had to work..

He wasn't sure if he was just a nuance away from filling the the criteria to be the next Dark Lord. He shuddered at the very thought of being one. He didn't think he could handle that. The thoughts of his parents, Sirius, and Dumbledore's death were too much for even allowing himself to become dark.

Harry knew he would have to carry on with his life, somehow. The bodies of the corpses didn't really leave your mind so easily, even if you witnessed so many deaths in a period of time. There would be a lot of carping reporters if they started spewing out that Harry is going dark. But Harry wasn't, he still knew the love. The love had been great at the time in the Department of Mysteries, nevertheless when he thought of, just to die and rejoin Sirius.

Then that gave Harry the idea, 'If I would just kill myself, everything would end...' Harry stopped his thoughts, aghast at what he was thinking. Wasn't he thinking of moving on with his life, only mere moments ago? He couldn't let all the sacrifices that had been made in his name, in vain.

He hated how callous he was thinking, especially at such thoughts he was having. He felt the insatiable need to be loved and to love someone else. Then Harry knew, he would need to move on soon. He longed for the halcyon days, where no dark wizards reigned. Feeling empowered and renewed in vigor of capturing all Death Eaters. He would leave other Dark Wizards to Aurors. He stood up, pocketed his key and suddenly opened the door. Then Harry wished he never opened the door.

Hermione was standing there; ready to knock on the door with mouth open to say his name. She blinked in surprise, jaws dropping further than she originally had. "H-Harry?"

"No time Hermione, I have to hunt, it's the only way I can move on," said Harry, making past Hermione.

"What do you mean, hunt?" asked Hermione shrilly.

"Death Eaters that are walking freely," yelled Harry as he walked down the stairs. He walked into the kitchen, pushing the door wide open, revealing most of the Order at the table.

"Hi guys," said Harry lightly. Then there was a heavy silence.

"Harry! You came!" yelled Mrs. Weasley happily.

"Yes, I do realize that," said Harry coolly, making her frown slightly.

"What is it you want, Harry?" asked Mr. Weasley.

"Information on Death Eaters of course," said Harry.

"Why?" asked Snape.

"So I can hunt them down. I figured it's the only way I can move on," said Harry.

"Why don't you tell us what happened in the final battle?" asked Tonks.

"Sorry, can't do, so where are they?"

"Right now, they are targeting muggles in large population so -"

"Right, muggles, large population, thanks, bye!" said Harry, disapparating to parts of busy London. He looked around for any suspicious activities. He kept disapparating to places with large population of muggles. He even apparated to Surrey and found no Death Eaters there as well. Harry knew he would find them on this wild goose chase eventually. It was just a matter of time. He knew that this wasn't exactly a good devious way to catch the Death Eaters. Finding then attacking on offense may deem as a stupid way to get the Death Eaters.

Harry could care less; he would apparate all month just to find one single Death Eater, with food and rest of course. Not to mention, getting out of the house and getting fresh air felt good to him. He hoped to find Bellatrix last so he can torture her nice and long because he was sure that each Death Eater was likely to piss him off. All the pent up anger would be an asset to get Bellatrix Lestrange. The cruelest witch of Wizarding world he knew.

Death Eaters would have to be in the open sometime in the future. They could not just hide in one single place for more than a year, if necessary. Harry knew he would not even last that long. Sirius also proved that as well. He couldn't even stay in Grimmauld for a year.

With each location, the more he began to glean clues of where they could be. At one place, there was a sign of suffering from the muggles that was a bit too weird to call normal. Harry couldn't go up to them and ask what was wrong. He would find himself in a tight situation if he had done that. The area showed some hint of known Death Eaters, MacNair to be more precise. Harry found some beheaded cats and dogs in a Dumpster area. Sickened with disgust, Harry walked backwards away from the area and ran.

He ran into something and collided with a crash. Harry looked at what, or rather who, he crashed into. He grinned wickedly. He found one of the Death Eaters who was carrying a dead Australian shepherd dog.