Aemi: Yay! New chapter!Ryn updated! -hypervenalates-
Ryn: Jeez, calm down…
Aemi: No.
Ryn: …
Aemi: Teehee, anyway, Ryn got mad at me last time because I forgot to post a disclaimer, so here it is. Ryn, would you do honors?
Ryn: I don't own it. Umm, yeah. None at all.
Aemi: Good, now on with the story!
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Chapter One
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The wedding was to be held the summer that Harry, Hermione, and Ron returned from their sixth year at Hogwarts. The first month of the summer passed very slowly for the trio. Each of them, along with the wizarding community, kept the sudden death of Dumbledore in their minds.
Harry, under close watch of the Ministry of Magic, spent his summer with the Dursley's. At first, he argued against the idea when he was told to go back to Number 4, Privet Drive, but the Ministry claimed that he was still under aged and must live with his guardians.
Truthfully, the Dursley's didn't want him there either. They didn't like Harry in the first place, but the new thought that the darkest wizard in the world was after a boy living under their own roof wasn't very appealing either.
All summer, Harry wasted his time by lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling and listening to the Dusley's pretending that he wasn't there. After five days of Harry not eating anything, or moving for that matter, his aunt brought him a plate of food claiming that she didn't want her family being charged with murder for letting her nephew starve to death, but as she left, she stood at the door and looked back at him with a worried glance then quickly turned and left the room. Each time, Harry would eat a few bites then shove the rest of the food into Hedwig's cage and return to his old position on the bed.
Hermione and Ron sent worried letters saying that they hoped he was okay because they hadn't heard a word from Harry since the last day of school. They even tried calling him on the phone a few times and the Dursley's actually took time to carry the phone up to his room, but Harry would just turn away. The whole time that he laid on his bed, he wondered what he was going to do with the rest of his life. Everything that he ever cared about seemed to slipping away. His parents, Sirius, Dumbledore, and his whole life were being taken away from him because of Voldemort.
Hermione spent the summer with her parents. Her family usually went on a long vacation during the summer, but this year her father got stuck at work with a big project that was sure to get him a promotion. Without her father around, the house was very quiet and Hermione couldn't find anything better to do than to curl up in the window seat in the family room and read a book. Most of the time, she found herself worrying about Harry and hoping he was fine.
Her parents realized that she would spend her summer sulking next to the window if she had nothing else to do, so they let go stay with Ron and help the Weasleys get ready for the wedding.
Before Hermione arrived at the Burrow, Ron was going insane by his family and the wedding arrangements. Mrs. Weasley rushed around the house cleaning and giving the rest of the family orders to follow. On a normal day, she yelled at Ron fifteen times for not helping. Most of the time he just stood there looking at her but not taking anything in. Bill and Fleur were always giggling and kissing and that was enough to drive Ron out of his mind. On top of that, many visitors from both sides of the family were coming to stay with the Weasleys for different periods if time. The house was always crazy and everyone was going in different directions.
Ron was thrilled when Ginny told him that Hermione was staying the rest of the summer. Once Hermione arrived, the two friends would spend their days outside the Burrow to escape the chaos inside. They talked about everything. What they planned to do as they got older, Voldemort, Snape killing Dumbledore, and most of all…Harry.
A week before the wedding, Harry stiffly sat up on his bed. He slowly walked over to the window and looked out just in time to see and owl gliding through the air towards his window. Harry quickly ducked just in time as the bird almost managed to make it through the window unharmed, but his claw got entangled in the fabric of the curtain. Even though the owl was stuck, he still attempted to free himself by flapping his wings at full speed but he pulled down the curtain and it fell on top of him.
Harry gave a small chuckle at the pile of cloth moving slowly toward him. Then he bended down and pulled the fabric off the owls head.
Two, round thankful eyes looked up at him. "Errol, you are such a klutz," Harry managed to reply through his laughter. He bent down and untangled the owl from the cloth. The bird flew to the desk next to Harry's bed and started to clean his feathers. Harry noticed a letter tied to the leg of the owl and walked over to retrieve it. He took out the letter and unfolded it.
Harry,
Mum and Dad said you could come and stay with us for the rest of the summer if it's okay with your aunt and uncle. Hermione is already here. You are coming for the wedding, right?
Send a reply as soon as possible. We have loads to tell you!
Ron
When Harry was done reading the letter, he immediately took out a pencil and wrote a reply on the back of the letter. Then reread it twice and tied it onto Errol's leg.
Harry gave Errol a small piece of bread from the plate next to his bed and ran his fingers through the owl's feathers as the owl greedily gobbled up his treat. When he was done he gave another thankful look at Harry and sped off toward the window, knocking over the jar of pencils on the way.
Harry, not wasting any time, raced around his room, collecting all the important things he needed. He packed all of his clothes, letters, books, his wand, the marauders map, his broom, and his invisibility cloak into his trunk and snapped it shut. The he remembered. Cursing himself for almost forgetting, he crossed the room to his bedside drawer and pulled it open. He pulled out the heavy book and slowly opened it.
Harry felt a sudden sting of sadness as he looked at the first page. There, looking back at him and smiling was James and Lily Potter. In their arms was a one year old boy who looked a lot like his father. He seemed very content with people around who loved him…
He slammed the book shut and thrusted it into the trunk with everything else. With great force, he picked up Hedwig's cage, startling the bird. When both Harry and Hedwig calmed down, Harry rolled his trunk out his bedroom door and down the stairs.
As Harry stood in the front hallway, he heard his aunt humming as she prepared dinner for that night. He turned toward the front door but stopped when he was about to grab the handle. He wondered, What should I do?
After a minute he decided that he knew what to do. He laid down the trunk and the cage and slowly walked to the doorway of the kitchen.
It took a few seconds for Petunia to realize that Harry was standing in her presence. At first she looked startled as if Harry had come back from the dead.
Her expression quickly changed to a grim look and she asked sarcastically, "So you're up now, are you?"
Harry ignored the insult and continued to attempt his task. "Thank you," he said quietly.
Petunia gave a confused look and there was a period of silence.
"For what?" she finally asked.
Harry looked into her eyes and replied, "Everything."
Petunia was more confused than ever, but Harry turned and walked out of the kitchen and gathered up his belongings. He pulled open the door and walked down the sidewalk of Number 4, Privet Drive. When he got to the road, he slowly turned back to look at the house that he grew up.
With one last glance toward the small house, he turned and walked away, knowing he would never come back.
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Aemi: -sniff sniff-
Ryn: Really, you should shut up… –grabs spork-
Aemi:… Whats with the spork?
Ryn: -mumbles- I don't know…
Aemi: Well then, if you're done threatening me with a spork, lets go… xD
Ryn: I was not! Okay, well, maybe a little but—
Aemi: So, if you've read this far, please review
Ryn: Don't interrupt me!
Aemi: -sticks out tongue-
Ryn: -grabs spork again-
Aemi: Erm, buh bye. And review! –runs away-
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