Harry flew down to the ground, unafraid. He threw off his cloak. "What are you doing here?" He demanded.
Hermione looked as if she were about to slap him. "You're coming with us, Harry," she hissed, "it's dangerous out here, and we need to talk. Right now."
Harry didn't argue as Hermione gripped his arm and took him along for the ride. A few seconds later he was in the Burrow.
"Hey!" He said. He hadn't expected her to do that. He had thought she was going to take him to a bush or a shadowy area; not all the way back to the Burrow.
Ron shook his head, apparating beside Harry. Harry fumed at them both, angry that they had the power to do this while Harry could still only fly – at least for another few weeks. "Come on, Harry, you're being ridiculous. Flying out on your own? You're smarter than that."
Harry glared at his supposed best friend. "I don't see why you being there would make a lick of difference," he spat. "I can take care of myself. No one would have seen me."
"You think an invisibility cloak will hide you from You-Know-Who?" Hermione cried. "Harry! Ron and I can help you! We can both apparate, for one. Ron passed his exam yesterday. He can't do side-along just yet, but he's almost there. That's something."
"You took your exam without me?" Harry demanded, realizing for the first time that Ron had apparated under his own power.
Ron nodded. "We knew you were going to do something like this, I needed to be able to get out there to help you."
"What do you mean, something like this?" Harry demanded again.
Hermione just shook her head. "Harry, please trust us. It's not safe for anyone to be out alone, least of all you. We know your letter said you would come back here, but how were we supposed to know you would? And if you didn't, how were we supposed to know that it was under your own power that you didn't arrive? And you know perfectly well that Dumbledore meant for you to stay at the Dursley's until your birthday."
As Hermione had said, Harry knew perfectly well they were right. He knew that he shouldn't have been out alone, that he shouldn't have thought an invisibility cloak would be enough, and he shouldn't have thought his friends would just sit idly by and wait.
After calming down and apologizing to Ron and Hermione, he was allowed to go to sleep. He had been flying all day, and he was tired. He knew that was another reason that it was good to have Ron and Hermione; he would never sleep or eat if he were on his own.
Hermione and Ginny were in one room, Ron and Harry in another, and Fleur in the third. Bill was in St. Mungo's, and Fleur had been with him almost all day, telling him about wedding plans and herself and his family. Bill was to be released at the end of the week, when he and Fleur would be married. Harry had planned on coming back for Ron and Hermione, because he knew Mrs. Weasley would never speak to him again if he missed her eldest son's wedding. But for now, Harry fell asleep to the sound of Mr. Weasley arriving home from a long day at the Ministry.
The next morning, Ron, Hermione, and Tonks accompanied Harry back to Godric's Hollow. They gave him space when he was there, mostly because they were never quite sure where he was when he was wearing his cloak.
He got a chance to see his parents graves. They were in a small graveyard by a church at the end of the street. There was no mention of how they had died or what they had done with their lives. Harry sat down in front of them. These were his parents. Their flesh and blood. At least, what was left of their flesh and blood. Probably only bones and dust. Harry didn't want to think about it.
"I miss you," he said quietly. "I didn't even know you, and I miss you."
He stood up. That was it. He didn't know what else there was to do. "I'm ready to go now," he said.
Hermione took his hand. "Let's go, then." She said.
"You all done, then?" Ron asked. Harry nodded. They disapparated. Harry didn't even know if he'd ever come back.
The Burrow was bustling. Even with Bill in the hospital, plans for the wedding were occupying everyone's time. Ron was forced into helping and Hermione offered, but Harry mostly watched. He had other things on his mind.
Harry did a lot of research that summer. He bullied Tonks more than once into going to the library in Diagon Alley to pick up books for him. He was strictly forbidden from going there any more. He spent as much time in his room as he could. He loved being at the Burrow and he loved the Weasleys, but it was not comfortable between him and Ginny. He hoped that when he was done with Voldemort – if he survived – she would have forgiven him.
As far as he could tell, there was no evidence as to what the sixth horcrux could be. Harry truly had no idea. He hoped that maybe there was another Gryffindor artefact that Dumbledore didn't know about – something he'd missed. But it seemed there was no hope.
Harry didn't know how he was going to find all of the horcruxes. He didn't have the information Dumbledore had, or the sources, or the skills. He was just a kid with a goal. He didn't even know where to start.
There were three days until the day that Bill came home. It was a full moon that night. He was placed in solitary confinement and studied. The effect that the full moon would have on him was still not known, because he had been bitten by a werewolf in his human form.
The effect, it seemed, was that he turned into an odd hybrid of man and wolf – even odder than a werewolf. But he had control over himself and his actions, which werewolves did not, and was thus not considered a great threat. He was told to return to St. Mungoes for the next few full moons, just to make sure that nothing went wrong.
The wedding went off without a hitch, even if the groom's face could barely be seen through bandage. It was just a small group of people, members of the Order, Fleur's immediate family, and few others. Large gatherings were not recommended in such dangerous times.
The wedding passed without incidence. Afterwards, as demure celebration went on downstairs, Harry lay on his bed in his and Ron's room, thinking. He didn't even notice when there was a knock on the door.
"Harry?"
He looked up. Ginny was standing at the doorway. "Hey, Gin."
"You're leaving soon, aren't you."
Harry sat up. "Yes." He didn't know what else to say.
Neither of them spoke for a long time, and Harry was afraid that Ginny was waiting for him to say something. Finally, she came and sat down on Ron's bed, across from Harry. "I think this will be good for you," she said. "Not, you know, the whole ultimate battle thing," Harry smiled weakly. "but the understanding. I mean, there is so much about yourself that you don't know. Maybe this is the only way to figure it out. I hope you find what you're looking for."
Harry looked at her. "Ginny, I'm looking for Voldemort."
She smiled. "No you're not. You're looking for answers. It just so happens that Voldemort holds those answers. I know you, Harry, even if you don't. You're not going on this whole thing because you want the glory or even because you want to help people. It is revenge. You're doing it for yourself. And you know what?"
"What?"
"I think that's really important. Don't forget it. Being selfless is all good and wonderful, but it doesn't work well for initiative. Remember that you have a reason for being there. It's not just because you were destined. It's because you are learning something."
Harry didn't speak. He had never looked at it that way. He wasn't sure if he enjoyed hearing that about himself, but he was pretty sure that Ginny was right. He looked up at her again. "Thanks, Ginny."
She smiled. "No problem. So if you ever forget why you're out there, think of me and keep at it." She leaned forward and hugged Harry. "Good luck. Now I have to go downstairs and socialize before my mother notices I'm gone." She disappeared through the door, leaving Harry and his thoughts alone.
The next morning, Harry would leave, whether his friends came with him or not.
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I'm really happy with my writing in this story. I think it's going very well. Please feel free to tell me otherwise.
FSL: criticize if you don't like it, I am interested to hear what makes it "meh."
Maliaphire: I don't think Dumbledore ever actually said Harry had to stay that long, he just said that Harry had to go for a little while. Harry took that in his own way.
Alice: okay!
FanFictionFantom: I'm glad you like it!
Atlanta Enchanted: why would that make you sad? Would you rather it be people who are out to kill him? Because I could do that too.
Deb: Probably not. I decided she kinda pisses me off, and I really don't think she's ever going to have anything to do with the story again.
EveningSongEnchantment: thanks!
Please review it, I really want to know what you all think!
"I think one way the cops could make money would be to hold a murder weapons sale. Many people could really use used ice picks."
