As soon as the rest of the house was woken up, they all headed out for a grocery shop adventure.
James- who was driving- drove into the car park of a grocery shop called Piggly Wiggly.
Harry wondered why the hell someone would name a grocery shop Piggly Wiggly; Safeway's made sense but Piggly Wiggly?
Hesitantly he got out of the car and followed his family inside. Looking around he saw food stacked feet off the ground all around him. He hadn't been to the grocery store in forever, he aunt used to make him go but since he started Hogwarts he rarely went.
"Brandon, go grab a trolley," Lily asked as she went to go compare the bread prices.
Harry toddled along behind his parents, who wandered through the aisles looking for various items. Brandon came back with a trolley, he also seemed to have added his own list of items to it including tons of sweets and cookies.
"Sweets" James jumped up and down, looking to be quite the lunatic.
"James calm down. Brandon how many nights do you think we are going to be here for? Really?" Lily asked her son indicating the amount of food he had put in the trolley.
"Well you said a week, and I figure we'll have to come back before then," Brandon answered not catching her sarcastic ness.
"Well go on then" Lily sighed.
"YES" the twins shouted before running off in opposite directions to get more delectable goodies.
Harry looked around wondering what to do.
"Well go on Harry. Go pick something out," James said encouraging his son to partake in their normal shopping experience.
"Okay," Harry said before heading off as well looking for something to satisfy his taste.
He knew he would find no chocolate frogs or pumpkin pasties, but he was sure there was something that he would enjoy. Looking through the aisles he found himself called to the candy aisle. He picked up a packet of what the label called "Jelly Bellies" looking in through the plastic he saw a sweet that greatly resembled Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans though they looked a little more appetizing. He decided that he would try them out, nothing else struck his fancy anyways.
He came back to his parents and the trolley and held up his choice.
"Good choice Harry, but where's the rest of your stuff?" James asked his son.
"Other stuff?"
"Yes, you see the whole point of shopping together is that whenever we do we all get a say with what goes in the trolley that's usually why your mum does the shopping alone but you can get whatever you like," James said remembering how full their trolley's had been in the past.
"Oh well I'll remember that but I am good with just this actually," Harry said, he never was too fussed about food like Ron or Sirius.
"okay then if your sure," James said, he had realized by now that Harry wasn't exactly like his other children because he just didn't know how to be. He had grown up without the option of getting what he wanted, without the love a child should, but James was going to make sure that now that they were back together Harry would get everything and more that he deserved.
A while and many grocery bags later and the family were heading back to the Van with all their goodies.
They settled in the car, and James started the engine to drive them back to the house. They decided to skip breakfast and go right to lunch, after all it was almost three and they were starving.
They spent half an hour once they returned bringing in the food and putting it in the cupboards.
Lily decided to have a Barbie, and the rest all heartily agreed. So half an hour later Lily and Harry –who volunteered to help- were cooking on the grill on the deck out back.
Isabelle, Brandon, and James set up the plates on the table out back, they would help with the food as well but the twins had never made a meal and James could not be trusted with fire.
Lily and Harry were cooking side by side, talking about petty topics like the scenery, until lily brought up the interesting topic of Ginny.
"So how much do you like this Ginny?" Lily said with a smile on her face, she knew the answer but wanted to see her son admit it.
Harry blushed a dark red, it was uncomfortable to discuss his love life with his mother so he quickly tried to change topics, "So nice weather we're having"
"You don't get off that easily. Come on you can tell me, I won't tell anyone," Lily said with puppy dog eyes, something over time she learned could get her just about anything.
"Well first off the puppy dog eyes don't work I've pulled that act on more then one occasion so I won't fall victim that easily. Secondly, I think you know the answer so there is no need to tell you" Harry said with a smile on his own face, his red cheeks go to there normal color once more.
"No fair, I can tell you that I love your father, so you can tell me come on"
"Well I hope you love dad because it would be a problem if you didn't" Harry said. He enjoyed talking with his mother; she seemed so joyful and talked with a voice of someone quite young. Around her, he didn't feel like she was his superior or anything, which he liked.
They kept up their chat until the food was all cooked and ready to be eaten.
The group sat around the table on the deck and dug into their scrumptious lunch. Silence was the only noise available at the table, and it was becoming uncomfortable for each of the potters.
Nobody wanted the silence they just didn't know how to overpower it. So they stiffly ate through their lunch that was until…
James let off the biggest burp that they had ever heard, Harry even thought he heard the windows rattle in their place.
"JAMES POTTER THAT IS POSITIVELY THE MOST DISGUS-"lily's scolding was cut short by the sound of heavy laughter from Harry and the twins.
Soon enough they were all laughing over their half eaten meals, while it was quite a vile way to break the ice, break the ice it did for the time being.
After finishing their late lunch, they decided to go explore the area. Just behind the house was a path that leads down straight on to their own private beach. They had no idea were in fact they were on the coast of south Carolina but they did know that they would be thanking Albus for the opportunity to stay there.
They decided to walk along the coast.
Harry, Isabelle, and Brandon walked next to each other a few yards ahead of lily and James; they seemed to be wrapped in a conversation.
The two of them walked hand in hand, the sand squishing in-between their toes. They were blissfully happy, they had each other, and they had their family, what could be better than this.
They walked along chatting about nothing at all, and merely just enjoying each others company.
As the tide got higher, and the skies started to lose its pinky orange-ness that was being replaced with a dark purple sky, they decided it was time to head back to the house.
When they arrived, they were dead exhausted. While jetlag was almost done with them it wasn't finished yet and they all headed up to bed.
"Night mummy, daddy," Isabelle announced kissing the cheeks of her parents and then heading up the stairs.
"Night mum, night dad," Brandon said hugging his mum and shaking his fathers hand before he too headed up to bed.
"Erm, night," Harry said awkwardly. He himself did not understand why he was so awkward around them all. They had spent the day together, and in his mind acted the way a real family would but he couldn't get past the fact that he barely knew them, and he hated himself for that because he wanted nothing more then to get over it.
"Night son," James said with a smile of understanding. Lily smiled as well and pulled Harry into a quick hug.
Harry returned the hug and smile and dragged his feet up the stairs falling to sleep almost instantly.
The following morning, day two of their family vacation, Harry woke with a start.
He had had a horrible nightmare. It made him sick to his stomach and for a second he thought he would puke, but he managed to get himself under control though the images were left with him.
He, in his dream, had seen every member of his family put down like a dog by Voldemort while he had seen dreams like this occur in the past – though involving different people – none of them hurt as much as that one.
He had realized with horror that before this ended that might very well happen to them all. But no he wouldn't let it he would keep them safe he had to, it wasn't there fight… it was his.
Harry left his room, glad to see that he woken no one of their slumber. He headed out the door and onto the deck hoping that the sea air would calm him down. He was beginning to like the peacefulness of the beach. It seemed that here nothing could go wrong and everything could be solved by simple walking along the sandy white beaches and letting the wind carry away your problems.
After about an hour little calmness had claimed him the dream had just been so real and vivid it stuck in his mind like glue. He looked into the sea beyond and figured that it was probably around nine o'clock judging by the heat of the area and the fact that there were many boats sailing off in the distance.
He heard rather then saw somebody come onto the deck through the door he had used earlier; turning his head he could see it was his father.
"Hey," Harry said casually. Seeing his father calmed him more then the sea air had, seeing that his family was alive and in the flesh kept him sane he was sure of that.
"You okay" James said worried as to his son's early rise and pale complexion.
"Yep," Harry answered he didn't want to burden anyone with those dreadful nightmares, and now that he saw proof that his family was alive he wasn't quite so panicky.
"Okay then" James answered.
A silence passed between them so Harry decided to try speaking, "So…"
"So… you're really good at quidditch" James answered before he flinched in stupidity he had no idea what to talk with his son about.
"Thanks, so are you"
"Thanks"
"Erm… should we wake the others up"
"Yeah… sure… lets go," James replied feeling the awkwardness just as much as Harry.
An half an hour later the crew was up and dressed. Lily headed into the kitchen to start breakfast, Harry followed her in.
"Do you need any help?" He asked.
"No thank you, I'll manage. You need a break from cooking why don't you go hang out with izzy and Brandon.
"Okay are you sure?"
"Yeah. Kids shouldn't be working all the time"
Harry smiled at his mother and then left to go find his brother and sister. As he left his dad entered.
Lily and James stood in the kitchen, for some reason lily got the feeling that James was distressed.
"What's wrong honey?"
James sighed, "I… well… I can't even have a simple conversation with Harry without everything being all awkward and its just so… frustrating," he admitted.
"James, you need to realize how difficult of a situation we are all in. yes he is our son but we are practically strangers to each other. Of course there is going to be awkwardness for a while at least. Not to mention that Harry is sixteen and already naturally independent and suddenly finding himself with a family… he isn't used to it," Lily spoke wisely.
"I know it is just… why couldn't we have discovered sooner? Why did we leave in the first place?"
Lily gave her husband a hug, it was the only way she could think of telling him that she felt the same.
Unbeknownst to either of them, Harry was standing outside the door; he had come back after he was unable to find Isabelle or Brandon.
He vowed right then and there to show his dad that they were okay, and to try his very best to get over the awkward barrier.
He waited a moment before he got up the courage to come back in the kitchen, a smile on his face.
"So shall we eat then?" lily said, pretending the previous conversation never occurred.
Both James and Harry looked at one another and nodded with hunger.
They ate outside again today, it was to marvelous not to try and spend every spare moment in the sunny scenery.
"Ahem, so do you all want to spend the day at the beach today?" Lily asked midway through breakfast.
They all nodded eagerly, even Harry who had never, apart from last night, been to a beach he was excited.
Soon enough they all were heading down the path towards the beach behind the house, the white sands sat just waiting for their feet to step through, and the blue waters looked most inviting.
The tide was just beginning to go out, giving them a good portion of the day before it became to high to use the sandy beach.
Lily and Isabelle went to lay their towels down prim and neat, smoothing out the wrinkles and dusting off the sand that had already managed to attach itself to them. However, James and Brandon chucked their towels on the sand and rushed at the ocean and its huge waves.
Harry stood awkwardly by his mother and sister, unsure were to go. He laid his towel down and decided he would wait for an invitation from one of the two groups.
"OY HARRY GET YOUR ARSE IN THE WATER," James yelled splashing about with Brandon.
"LANGUAGE POTTER," Lily yelled back at him.
"What was that?" James asked coming out of the water, dripping wet with a huge grin on his face.
He came to stand next to his wife, whom was laying on her towel, and shook his wet messy mop of hair, letting water droplets fly in every direction.
"James, I am getting all wet. Stop!" Lily said, trying to shield herself from the unwanted water.
"Your not wet… yet"
"What"
Before she could protest, James picked up his wife and ran at the water, tossing her in.
Lily screamed but to no avail she to was now wet from head to toe.
Harry, Isabelle, and Brandon laughed hysterically before they joined their parents in the water.
They all splashed about for a while, before the playful friendly splashing became an all out splashing war.
It was at that moment that Harry falsely placed his feet and went under, water had filled his mouth and he kicked his legs which seemed to have twisted around a water plant but it wasn't helping and his head was starting to feel dizzy.
He himself was not an entirely strong swimmer, sure he had completed his task in the triwizard tournament, but he had gillyweed then, which had given him the characteristics of a water creature aiding him with his swimming. But he had never had the need to learn how to swim before now, as the Dursley's hardly took him anywhere in public unless they absolutely had to.
Now he found himself wishing that he knew how to swim, as he was sure it would help his situation. His arms were beginning to get heavy, and his eyes stung from the salty water but were beginning to close.
It couldn't be his end could it? This wasn't supposed to be his death, he was supposed to die facing his worse enemy and from the dark arts not from simply water.
As he began to give up any chance of reaching the surface, something grabbed his shoulders and pulled him to the surface. As they broke through to the top, Harry felt the sea air whip across his face, as he coughed up the half an ocean of water he seemed to have swallowed.
The arms carried him back to the beach and set him down on the sand, were he turned on his side and coughed up more of the salty water, getting it out of his system.
"Harry are you alright?" a voice he thought was his fathers ask him.
He coughed some more and weakly nodded. He felt a hand on his back rubbing small circles, calming him and letting him gain back his energy.
"t-thanks" he gasped, when he was finally able to get air to his lungs again.
"No problem," James said.
Harry realized it was he, his father, who had grabbed him.
"You gave us all quite a scare," Brandon chimed in.
"Sorry, I'm not the best of swimmers," Harry mumbled embarrassed.
"Don't worry its okay. How about we stick to the beach for a while and later this week we can teach you how to swim Harry I am sure you will grasp it quick enough," Lily said gaining back her skin color; for a second there she thought she lost her baby for a second time.
"Sure"
"Who wants to toss the Frisbee?" James asked.
"Frisbee?" Harry said unfamiliar with whatever it was.
"Yeah, come on its easy," Isabelle said
"If you say so"
Soon enough they were all tossing the Frisbee around in no particular order and with no particular rules they were just having a blast.
Laughing as James kept trying to save the Frisbee from falling by making spectacular dives, he missed the Frisbee every time but it was still amusing and entertaining.
Harry found as they played that he really enjoyed their company. The company of a family he could call his own had never really been an option until now, and Harry never wanted to go back to those days.
After an hour or so they stopped to rest, well the adults did. The kids went to play in the sand.
"Hey guys I got an idea," Isabelle said a grin that was just like her fathers resting on her face.
"What's that izzy?" Brandon asked used to his sister's wacky plans.
"I say that we bury mum and dad."
Now they were all sporting the James-Potter-troublemaker-grin, "excellent" they recited in unison.
They set to work, packing the sand in and around their sleeping parents. They made sure to add a few layers of dry and wet sand to keep it holding strong. When they were finished it was definitely a sight.
James had become a mermaid, complete with a tail and sea shells. Lily had become a seahorse complete with some decorative touches.
The three laughed among themselves before moving closer to the water to build a sand castle with the wetter, harder sand.
It was not soon after that they heard the distinct calls of their parents, "POTTERS"
They covered up their smiles and put on innocent looks, that to anyone that didn't know them any better would call them 'little angels of the best kind', but to their parents well that was a different story.
"Yes" they replied in unison.
"Do you think you might help us out a little?" James asked, knowing this was his kids work.
"Why aren't you capable?" Brandon asked.
"Why you little-"James was cut short by Harry stepping forward and stuffing some sand in his fathers open mouth.
They all laughed, and James tried desperately to get the grainy substance out of his mouth.
Eventually James and lily had wormed their way out of their burial plots and proceeded to chase their children along the beach. They only stopped when they ran out of breath and were on the brink of exhaustion.
The sun was starting to set, and they decided to head back to the house.
They took turns with the shower; Harry went second, after lily, who needed to get dinner started.
After all that time spent in the scorching sun and sandy beaches, he found the shower quite refreshing. All in all he figured that today was the start of a new step to be taken with his family. He felt that they were finally getting somewhere with the exception of a few mishaps in the day they almost seemed like a regular family instead of one that was separated fifteen years previous.
Harry looked into the mirror, and saw that his usually quite pale face was in fact quite red. This could only mean one thing… sunburn. His face felt tight and itchy and when he touched it he felt it sting.
He decided he would ask his mother if she had anything to help it after dinner.
They ate dinner on their laps in the living room that night. They ate shrimp and other foods that they had purchased the previous day in relative silence.
When they were finished, Harry decided to ask lily about the sunburn.
"Erm… mum do you have anything to help this sunburn"
"Well of course I do, you can't be as pale as me and not know how to treat sun burn," Lily said.
She waved her wand in Harry's general direction and Harry felt instant relief travel through his back and face.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it," she said smiling back at her son who was just as tall as she was and still growing.
They sat and talked and out of the blue the topic of pranks and trouble-making in general appeared.
"It was at the beginning of our fifth year and, Sirius, Remus and I snuck into the Slytherin boys dormitory and soaked his bed and himself in olive oil, it was quite funny to see his shiny greasy form the next morning at breakfast," James said with a smile as he remembered the past fondly.
"Why did you use olive oil?" Isabelle asked unfamiliar with the marauders reasons of pranking Severus Snape.
"Well we figured it would make it easier for him to get ready in the morning if he didn't have to do anything with his hair not that he does anyways"
They all laughed loudly at their fathers antics before lily chimed in.
"I remember when we were in sixth year; I levitated your father and his mattress out onto the black lake in the middle of the night. Eventually he fell off administering loud girly screams to most of Hogwarts population at the time"
"That was you? I thought it was Snape."
Lily nodded her head, confirming it was her who had committed the prank.
They all broke down once more into hysterics at James awed face; he had always thought that was a great prank.
"Well I am sure we weren't the only ones to play pranks anybody wants to fess up to what they've done?" James asked his children, his eyebrows rose knowing that as they were his children they must have committed a prank once in a while.
"Well a few weeks back I rubbed glue across my English teacher's floor, and she got stuck on it for a good few minutes," Isabelle admitted proudly.
"That's nothing, about a month or so ago me and a few of the guys played hookie and-"Brandon stopped there at the look on his mothers face, you know the one. It was the glare that only a mother could give.
They sat in silence for a minute.
"What about you Harry, what have you gotten up to at Hogwarts?" James asked curiously.
"Well, um second year me and Ron flew Mr. Weasley's Ford Anglia to Hogwarts and crashed it into the Whomping Willow."
"Wicked!" Brandon exclaimed.
Harry smiled and continued, "Then later that year Ron, Hermione, and I brewed the polyjuice potion in the moaning myrtles bathroom, so that we could get into the Slytherin common room. And to get some of the ingredients we had to set off some fireworks in Potions class to get them"
"Genius!" Isabelle put in.
"Then a year later, I… well I accidentally blew up Aunt Marge"
"That's my boy!" James said before bursting off in laughter at what an amusing situation that must have been.
They laughed and talked for hours later, before they slowly dropped off one by one exhausted from their eventful day.
The day after, was spent similarly to the previous one. The group headed to the beach where they decided to teach Harry how to swim.
Harry had grasped the concept quite quickly after they set to the task and was soon swimming quite well through the salty ocean water.
They headed back to the house later that night and after dinner headed off to bed, but James called Brandon and Harry back.
"Hey how bout's us guys pull a prank?" James said eager to use his marauder skills once again.
"On whom?" Brandon asked.
"Well who are the only people in the house that aren't present?" James said with a grin.
"Mum, and izzy but- oh" Brandon said finally getting the message and a grin spread on his face too.
"count me in," Harry said, he didn't really want to prank his new found family just yet but if it meant that he was going to be included in a father son activity that would make his dad happy than what harm could it do.
They proceeded to plan out their prank. Harry posed that they just make it a small one so that the girls wouldn't be totally ticked off with them the following morning.
The others agreed and soon they had successfully pulled their prank now they just needed to wait till morning for it to play out.
The following morning, Harry, Brandon, and James woke to the high pitched screams of Isabelle and lily.
"JAMES POTTER I AM GOING TO BLOODY CASTRATE YOU"
"LANGUAGE LILY"
"AARRGH"
it won't be said what actually played out that morning, but it is safe to say the girls were none to happy and were already planning their revenge.
For the rest of the day they spent relatively in silence, the girls had long since forgiven the boys but they had also yet to tell them. They didn't want the boys to think they gave in and let them win no they would wait until their revenge was in motion before they talked to them again.
The following morning, Lily and Isabelle awoke to the screams of Harry, Brandon, and James.
"LILY WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY FACE?"
"I JUST REDECORATED"
"REDECORATED MY ARSE COSMETICS BELONG ON A GIRL NOT A GUY"
" LANGUAGE POTTER AND YOU LOOK LIKE A GIRL TO ME"
"AARRGH"
After the boys managed to rid themselves of the make up the girls had installed on their faces the five of them left to go and take a boat ride and see the dolphins.
It took them all about twenty minutes to get into the open sea and another fifteen before they spotted any dolphins.
The instructor, a muggle, had lived on the land for over fifty years and had been sailing since he was just a wee little lad.
He let each of them have a turn steering the boat, the only glitch was that when Brandon got a hold of the wheel he gave it one almighty swing successfully turning the boat on a sharp 45 degree angle, causing everyone to hang on to something.
The instructor looked half way between giving a yell of joy or a yell of anger, and soon after their boat trip ended as did their day out.
They ate dinner at one of the local restaurants that night and talked about their day and other topics that came up. It was safe to say that so far this week had been really good for them, it taught them how to act as a whole family again, and each one of them was incredibly glad that they had the opportunity.
There were only two days left to their family vacation. TWO DAYS! They felt like they had been there TWO MINUTES.
They all agreed to spend the last two days quietly (or not so quietly) at the beach.
The morning of their sixth day in paradise Harry awoke his scar had given a weak twinge. He shrugged it off though; it was not like he had any vision or nightmare in fact for once his dream was half pleasant.
He had been flashing back over his holiday, to different events like the boat ride the previous day and that first day at the beach. To him it was a nice change from his regular nightmares.
He disregarded the random twinge for now, it twinged often now a day's with Voldemort back. He did not want to ruin the ending days of his holiday over a silly little twinge, because that would surely happen if he told anyone.
He kicked back the sheets and got ready for the beach.
At about noon that day the five of them were back in the water, splashing and laughing about.
That was when Harry decided to swim back to shore after he had started to develop a headache, but as he turned around he saw something he hoped was only a nightmare… Death eaters.
Lily and James seemed to notice their son's stone-faced appearance because they two turned back to face the sandy beaches.
Death eaters were on either side of them, they had yet to notice them though.
Isabelle and Brandon soon caught on that something was up and stopped their splashing as well.
James put one finger to his lips motioning for them to be quiet, they didn't need telling twice.
Ever so slowly they paddled back to shore and towards their things. They had brought their wands along by habit though they were glad they had them on them.
As they ran for their wands, the death eaters seemed to have spotted them as they were now running down the beach their wands raised.
"Listen we need to get out of here, lily start working on a portkey or something, Harry, izzy, Brandon help me guard her."
The death eaters were approaching at a grand speed and the curses started flying from everyone's wand.
"STUPEFY!" Harry screamed out at one of the death eaters, whom was caught unaware and fell on his face.
"AAAAAAArgh," Isabelle screamed as a stray cutting hex hit her leg.
'Izzy' were Brandon's and Harry's thoughts, they rushed to their sister's aide defending her and themselves.
James shot curse after curse at the impending force of Death Eaters. He was glad that despite him living as a muggle for fifteen or so years he still had a good fight in him. Those death eaters wouldn't be leaving today with what they wanted he would make sure of that.
"Potter's Grab hold quickly!" Lily yelled out.
Harry and Brandon practically dragged Isabelle over to the makeshift portkey (a bucket).
James shifted towards the portkey fighting as he went. When five fingers were touching the buckets silver handle, they all felt the familiar pull behind their navels and they were carried off, away from the danger and their previous paradise.
Harry and the others landed with a harsh thud to the ground. Harry looked around and saw that he was in fact in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place.
He heard a scream and looked up to see The Weasley's, Sirius, Remus, and Tonks enjoying their lunch; Mrs. Weasley was the one who had screamed.
The group looked at them all with confused faces; they weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow.
"Death eaters," James supplied.
Now that they were out of harms way, Lily turned her attention to her daughter whom she had seen struck with the cutting hex.
She went about stopping the blood flow, and patching it up the best she could.
Harry put his head against the wall, shut his eyes and sighed, 'why can't I ever just have a normal bloody vacation'
"There can't have been we would have heard about it. There were wards up to protect the area, nobody even knew where you were with the exception of Dumbledore," Remus said, confused and worried.
As if on command, Dumbledore apparated into the kitchen.
"Is everyone alright?" He asked the potters.
They were all a little shook up and worse for the wear but for the most part fine. They let him know this by nodding their heads.
"Good"
"What the bloody hell happened? You said it was safe" James cried out.
"it was. I believe that Voldemort somehow got word of where you were. After the event at your old home I took precautions and told no one of your location."
"Well then how did he get there, and how did he get past the wards?"
"I can not say for certain how he knows but I believe we have once again underestimated Voldemort's ability."
Harry thought over all this information, and something clicked in his mind.
"Professor, this morning when I woke up my scar was stinging weakly"
"Why didn't you say anything?" James asked, somewhat hurt that h is son had not confided in him.
"Well it wasn't to do with any visions, and I didn't want everyone to become paranoid over a silly twinge."
"Harry what is it you dreamed of before that?" Dumbledore asked curiously.
"Well it wasn't a nightmare if that's what you're thinking. In fact for once it was pleasant, it was like memories of the past couple days and- oh my, Merlin he didn't…did he"
"I believe that he very well might have Harry," Dumbledore answered.
"Done what? What are you talking about?" James asked.
"It seems that last night, Voldemort probed his mind, and seemingly what he was in search for he found. This would be how he knew of your location, he saw it in Harry's mind through their connection and legilmency." Dumbledore explained, " it would seem that after last years mishaps Voldemort has learnt how to better control his emotions, that is why you didn't see the dream as any sort of threat, and more then likely why you felt the twinge.
"Harry have you been practicing your occlumency?" Dumbledore asked.
Harry looked down to the ground with shame and guilt, "No. not since the incident in Snape's office last year"
The rest of the potter's were confused as to what had happened last year, but now was not the place to ask.
"Well then mystery solved, a mind that is not protected by an occlumency shield is more flexible and is easier to access undetected. It is my inclination that Voldemort probed his mind for the location and was able to pinpoint it through the images he saw, the same ones that you saw in your dreams. As for how he got through the wards there I am not sure, the only thing I can think of is that since the beginning of the summer he has strengthened a great deal, Professor Snape already has informed me that he has gained new recruits and is expecting more to turn up before long," Dumbledore finished with.
Harry had turned quite pale, and couldn't think straight. It was his fault, he almost cost his family their lives again all because of his careless stupidity.
Sirius looked over at Harry he could see his troubles clearly; the boy wore his heart on his sleeve.
"Harry you weren't to know. It wasn't your fault," Sirius spoke.
Harry nodded in reply, though he wasn't agreeing with what Sirius said at all, he wasn't safe anywhere.
For a second time that day, somebody arrived via portkey, Moody.
"The house was destroyed though we managed to get your things out before hand," Moody said unshrinking the trunks that he had stowed in his pocket previously.
"And what of the death eaters, alastor?" Dumbledore asked.
"They disappeared shortly after, the potters left," Moody answered angrily.
"Were there any injuries?" Lily spoke up.
"A few muggles were struck down in the area, but nothing to fatal," Moody muttered.
Everyone looked down, in sadness and anger at the dark side.
A few minutes of silence passed, before Mrs. Weasley spoke up, "You all have had quite a trying day, why don't you head up and get some sleep you look exhausted"
She had spoken to the Potter's and it was true they all looked exhausted. They nodded in response.
"James, Lily their will be a meeting later tonight that I wish for you to attend," Dumbledore spoke his voice not showing his sadness at the fact that things had to be the way they were.
The potters headed towards the door, Harry in the lead.
Harry walked out of the kitchen and right up the stairs in silence. Not looking back at his family he walked through to his room and shut the door quietly, he didn't see the worried looks his family shared before they also went into their rooms.
While he was tired, Harry couldn't get to sleep. The thought that his family could have died and that muggles from the paradise village had perished, and how it had all been his fault. He sat on his bed berating himself for this very bout of guilt, until he eventually drifted off into an uneasy slumber.
Isabelle sat on her bed, in the room she was sharing with Hermione and Ginny. Wondering why her brother was so high up on Voldemort's hit list, there was no denying that that was why the death eaters showed up, but why?
Sure he ended his reign for 13 years but if she happened to be a dark lord – which she wasn't- she would wait to conquer her past enemies and focus on winning the war, unless… no Harry was no more important to the war then her or Brandon.
Brandon lay awake also, wondering why Harry was so important to the war, he unlike his sister, had already recognized that Harry was of great importance to the war. He had figured it out from only knowing his brother for a bout two weeks.
He like his mother had an ability to see emotions more clearly then others. He could easily tell that there was a heavy burden lain with Harry. He did not know of what it was but it stood out clear enough to define that his brother, before all of this was over, would go through hell. Heck he was already halfway there. And that revelation alone scared him too much too even think about.
A.N. IMPORTANT: okay finally it is done. That is my longest chapter yet, and I know it took a while I apologize it was quite difficult at some bits to write. Well thanks for reading and please leave me a nice long review with somethings you liked, quotes, and whatever else. I worked my arse off on this chapter (and though it may not show since there are probably countless errors) I would really appreciate if I got some really nice long feedback in return.
Also REVIEWERS: I may have mentioned this before but if you could please state your opinion on the newest matter at hand I would be greatful. I need to know where I should stop this fic and start the next. Should I make it two really long stories (sixth and seventh year) or should I break into four stories (summer, sixth, summer, seventh) please tell me I am having trouble deciding.
All pranks that you didn't recognize from the books belong to me and my old class. The ones you recognize belong to J.K.
Time will tell I will update soon guys sry for the wait I was working on this one for a long time.
Just so everyone knows this chapter has not yet been betaed but when it has Give a mega fantastically big THANKS To Pontas Metallika because well she has to put up with my bad grammar and that is something tough to do, so please a round of applause.
Well once again please review.
Cheers
Petroleumjellydotone.
