Title: The Return

Author: Rylee Jane

Summary: Coming back from the dead can make life difficult. A future fic, set nearly 20 years after OotP. You want more? You have to read it.

Disclaimers: It's all Ms. Rowling's, and many thanks to her for it!

Rating: Teen, at the most.

Prologue

He was cold, and hungry, and miserably sore from head to toe. He crouched in the shadows, mud covering his pants from the knees down, seeping over the top of his boots. He'd grown quite used to these conditions and it was little more than an inconvenience now. He knew what real pain was, not to mention true heartache, and this wasn't it.

He heard the squeak of a door opening just around the corner and he settled back against the wall behind him. Two more, he thought, clearing the last bit of sleepy haze from his brain and preparing to act. Two more and I'm done.

A group of three men passed by the opening of the alley, their shadows brushing across the tip of his boots. They hadn't seen him, which made no difference either way. Once they were past, he stood quietly and followed them into the street.

"John Barston! Kiffron Tess!" he called out and squared his shoulders as the men all turned toward him. "I have been sent by the Ministry of Magic for the city of London to bring you in for crimes against the wizarding world. Will you come quietly?"

The third man, whom he didn't know, turned and dashed off down the road. He let the man be. The other two were all that mattered to him now. "I beg your pardon?" Barston called back, his hand fingering the pocket of his robes. "You're here for what now?"

"You heard me," he said, "Will you come quietly?"

"And what if I don't?" Tess laughed.

"Then I'll take you by force."

"You think you can, son, then by all means try it."

Harry stepped into the beam of a street light and lowered the hood of his cloak. "I'm quite sure I could."

He'd grown used to the looks of astonishment on their faces when they saw him, but it was still a bit amusing. Tess began to sputter incoherently and Barston didn't even attempt to speak. He fumbled for his wand, but Harry was much quicker on the draw. The curse hit him before he could draw and he was dead before he hit the ground. Tess turned tail and darted off down the road. Harry followed, having no problem keeping up with the overweight, older man. For all his training, Tess had apparently never learned the art of ambush, and he turned a corner and continued running. He'd unwittingly ran right into a dead end and had no choice but to turn and fight. Harry stopped at the opening to the alley, prepared to shield himself from any spells the Death Eater threw.

"No," the man gasped, cowering, his back to the wall. "NO! Please. You—You can't be! I saw you die."

"Yes," Harry said, his voice hard. "You did. And I'm the last thing you'll ever see before you die, so it's fitting, eh?"

"Please," Tess howled, clutching at the brick behind him. "Please, don't. I—I'll go with you. I'll do anything. Please just—please!"

Harry raised his wand. He didn't even bother to reply, just aimed and shot. Tess fell without a sound.

Harry's knees gave out and he sank to the ground. It was over. And a whole new hell was about to begin.

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Woohoo! Did I get your attention? God, I hope so. Go on, read chapter one. You know you want to… :D