CHAPTER 8 The Adventure Begins

The four teens climbed the tall hill they were about to appariate from. They levitated their heavy trunks, so the climb wouldn't be as difficult. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were carrying the cages for Hedwig, Pig, and Arnold, while Hermione was holding her cat's, Crookshanks's, basket.

After a fifteen minute trek, they were up at the top of the hill, looking down at the house below them. A loud scream from Mrs. Weasley filled the air as guilt filled into their already guilty conscious. How badly they wanted to go back there, but they couldn't. No yet, anyway. They just prayed they didn't hurt Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to bad, which they knew they did.

"We don't have much time," said Harry as heard her scream. "Your mum is probably searching the house. We can't let her see us leave, otherwise she might stop us." Harry shrunk their trunks and slipped them into his pocket.

"Ginny you can side apparate with me. Ron, Hermione, apparate as soon as we leave." They friends nodded in despair. The one question on all their minds was when they were they coming back. It could weeks, months, even years to find just one horcrux.

Harry didn't want to turn his back on the people who were like parents to him. But what else was he supposed to do? They wouldn't understand. Plus, he promised Dumbledore he wouldn't tell anyone but his friends. He couldn't risk telling them and then Voldemort torturing them for the information. It wasn't worth it. Harry cared about them too much.

This thought made Harry shudder. Ginny leaned on his shoulder and rubbed his hand gently.

"I know, Harry. It's going to be tough, for all of us. But we have to be strong. They'll understand in time. So, let's go before anyone sees us," soothed Ginny. Harry nodded. She always knew how to comfort him.

Ginny grabbed onto Harry's arm excitably. "I'm warning you Gin, apparation doesn't feel that great."

"Oh, stop being a worry wart. I'm sure it won't be that bad." Harry, Ron, and Hermione snorted.

"You'll see, baby." Harry kissed Ginny on her forehead and she gripped his arm harder.

He concentrating hard on Godric's Hollow Cemetery. Not only was Harry nervous about seeing his parents' graves, he was worrying about hurting Ginny. Sure he side apparated Dumbledore, but Ginny was different. She was the only girl he cared about this much and leaving pieces of her in Germany would not help his guilt conscious any. Plus, that would put a damper on their plans on not getting caught by the adults.

After what seemed like an eternity to Harry, the young couple got that strange feeling of being sucked through a tube. As the pressure got greater, Ginny gripped his arm even tighter, turning it purple. She felt sick and she wanted it to end. Harry started feeling bad for his girlfriend feeling this bad, but she would get used to it as time wore on.

Finally, they arrived at the front gate that lead of the very large cemetery. Cobwebs covered the silver bars and some of tombstones in the front. Surrounding the graveyard, were very small cottages that looked deserted. Dust filled the windows and lawns looked as if they have never been tended to. A large, silver statue of a lion was in the center of the town square. It looked as if no one has even touched in about fifteen years.

Across the street from the graveyard, there was a small park with a few dusty, wooden picnic benches surrounding a large, rusted jungle gym. The wind blew the dusted swings back and forth as if children were on it. The jungle gym squeaked and looked as if any more weight was put on it, it would collapse under the pressure.

Harry gave a look of disgust. He always imagined the village he and his parents lived, to be a nice and clean place. He always imagined a lot of kids running around and playing at the neighbor hood park, where you didn't have to worry about being crushed the playground equipment. Even though he always wanted to come here, he wanted to get out of this hell hole as quickly as he came.

As of now he put these thoughts aside and looked at his beautiful girlfriend, who was green than green. She could barely stand without falling over or shaking. Now it was time to tease her for not listening.

"Are you alright Ginny?" asked Harry with a hint of sweetness

Ginny who was red in the face was startled by the question and put on a fake smile. "Yes, I'm fine," she replied sarcastically, hoping he wouldn't notice. He did.

"What did you think of apparition?"

"It was just as I imagined it, nice and quick."

"You know we have to apparate inside the graveyard, right?"

Ginny started to sweat with nervousness. Did they really have to? It wasn't a far walk. Oh god, why does magic have to be so troublesome. Next time she was taking a car. Maybe she could go to the Forbidden Forest and find the Ford Angelina.

"Just kidding, Baby," joked Harry with a large grin on his face. He got her good. But Ginny wasn't too happy. She slapped him hard on the shoulder.

"Owww! That hurt. What did you do that for?"

"You shouldn't have said that. You made me nervous."

"I'm sorry, Gin. Can you ever forgive?" begged Harry as he went on his knees in front of Ginny. She laughed at him with pity.

"What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't?" Harry jumped up and they connected lips. He licked her lips with his wet tongue and she gave a small giggle.

The two were so busy having fun with each other's tongues, that they didn't hear two loud that told them their best friends had finally arrived. While Hermione looked at them in awe, Ron looked absolutely disgusted.

"Excuse me," interrupted Ron. Harry and Ginny broke apart with red covering their faces quickly. They didn't hear any one behind them and were ashamed of being caught in an intense moment.

"Sorry Ron," said Harry.

"You know what? I'll let it slide this time. Next time make out somewhere I won't find you. Got it?" Ginny and Harry nodded. They looked serious on the outside, but they were laughing hysterically inside.

"I think we should go into the cemetery now," said Harry.

"Harry, are you sure you're ready for this?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah, mate. This is a big step," replied Ron.

"We'll understand if you don't want to," responded Ginny. "We could always come back another time."

"Listen guys, I know you're only trying to look out for me. But I need to do this. I just need to. I have never even visited my parents in the last sixteen years. It's time I do this. I can't postpone this any longer."

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny nodded and followed him into the large, dark graveyard. There was a small path of stones between each of the row of graves. Harry didn't know where to look or even where to start. He felt like he was searching for the prophecy, in the Department of Mystery all over again.

They split up into groups of two and took different paths. Harry and Ginny took the east side and Ron and Hermione took the west.

Even though the graveyard was cold and creepy, Harry felt very comfortable with Ginny walking beside him. She held his hand tight as they searched for the tombstones of his deceased parents. Harry could tell she was just as worried as he was, but she put on a small smile and kept him close.

After an hour of searching the large area, Harry and Ginny were standing in the middle of the graveyard, where the two largest stones laid. It was the only place in the cemetery that had any light and was not a bit creepy. They called over Ron and Hermione, who quickly ran toward them. Now was not the time to leave their best friend alone too long. Who knows how he would react.

The tombstones were pure white and sparkled as the morning sun shined through the large Weeping Willows. Unlike the others, these two tombstones were clean. There were fresh, white lilies laid in front of the stones that were magically charmed never to move or die.

Harry knelt beside the two stones and looked at the writing.

James Potter

1960-1981

Dear Friend, Father,

And Husband

Died Fighting a Brave Fight

Lily Potter

1960-1981

Dear Friend, Mother,

And Wife

Died Protecting Her Only Son

Harry's eyes started to water but tried to hide the tears from his friends. It was unsuccessful. Ginny turned to him with compassion in her eyes. "Harry, do you some time alone?" He nodded. Ginny didn't want to leave her boyfriend in the state he was in, but she knew he needed to do this without them.

"I'll come out when I'm ready." They nodded and grabbed Hedwig's cage. The teens waited walked out of the cemetery quietly and waited sat down at one of the picnic benches across the street.

Harry looked at the tombs and couldn't help but let the tears that were dying to fall, fall. He wanted to tell his parents everything that had happened every since Hagrid had told he was wizard, even if they couldn't hear him. He told them about how he was following in their footsteps. How he had stopped Voldemort from stealing the Sorcerer's stone. How everyone thought that he had been the heir of Slytherin and how he opened the Chamber of Secrets to save Ginny. How he discovered that Sirius was innocent and how Peter got away. How he got entered in the Triwizard Tourament and how he saw Voldemort come back. How he saw Cedric, his first death witnessed, die. How he saw Sirius die and how he discovered the prophecy. How he discovered Voldemort had used horcruxes and how he saw Dumbledore died. Harry told it all. He told them about all Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and all the other friends he had met. He told them how loyal his friends were and how they wouldn't stop loving him, no matter what stupid mistakes he made, even if it did involve bring them into grave danger.

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny waited patiently for him. They knew he need time and space. It was time that he finally confronted this.

After an hour had passed, Harry walked out of the graveyard with streaks of tears still streaming down his face. His eyes were red and puffy from the crying. He hated to cry, especially in front of his friends, but he couldn't help it and he couldn't care a less at the moment.

Ginny hugged him and told him everything would be alright and how it would be over soon. She really hated to see him this upset, but she knew he felt a lot better. He needed to do this more than he even knew.

They grabbed the animals' cages and were about to apparate when they heard a small voice.

"Ja -Ja -Ja -James?" Harry turned around. It was a strange, elderly man. He was deathly pale and looked shocked to see the young, dark-haired boy. The man's pale blue eyes popped out of his head in fright.

"No. I'm Harry, James's son."

The old ban gasped. "That can't be possible. You died in the fire." Harry knew this man was a Muggle. He oblivious to what really happened that night. But almost everyone was.

"No, I was sleeping over my aunt and uncle's house that night." The man didn't look too convinced but decided not to question it. "How do you know my parents?"

"Your parents used to live in the cottage next to mine. Wonderful people and so tragic what happened to them. Everybody in this small village knew and loved them. They were very nice and had a nice, behaved baby. He never seemed to cry either. They were a bit young, but the best neighbors you could get. They cared about everyone else first, even if they didn't know who they were."

"One day they just disappeared. They stopped coming out and no one had come in. We didn't know what happened to them until Halloween 1981. Their house had just magically caught on fire and their bodies were lying on the front lawn and no one knew who did it. There was no trace of anybody else being there, except their baby was missing."

"Everyone thought he was dead and his body burned in the fire. He had to. No one heard him even scream or even cry in pain. Ever since, everyone has been terrified of this village and never set foot in it. It was believed to be haunted and the only reason I am here is because I heard a muffled cry when I was walking past the cemetery."

He smiled at the young boy and his friends. "You look just like James except….."

"I have my mother's eyes. Yeah, I've heard that a lot." Harry smiled at the old man and couldn't help but trust him. "These are my friends, Hermione and Ron. And this is my girlfriend, Ginny." They all shook hands.

"I'm Henry, by the way."

"Hi, Henry," said Harry. Harry had just got an idea. "Henry, do you think you can show us where my parent's cottage was?"

"Didn't you just listen to my story? This place is haunted. You'd be crazy to stay here any longer."

"Please, it would mean a lot to me," begged Harry.

Henry considered it but shook his head. "I can't take you there. But take a right on Black Street and take a left on Main Place. You'll be on Gryffindor Road. The first pile of ash you see is the old house. It won't be hard to find, there isn't many roads in this small village."

"Thank you, Henry. This means a lot to me."

"You're welcome. I suggest you don't stay here long. Who knows what could happen. Everything you find there is yours, including the land, even though I doubt you'll want it."

Harry nodded his head in thanks. The four teens headed down Black Street and made the right. After about fifteen minutes of walking in silence, they made the left on Main Place.

Before he knew it, there was a large pile of ash next to them. Harry looked down of the ruins of his old home. It was ashes and burnt wood. He moved the burnt wood around frantically, hoping to find something. But nothing appeared. He lost hope and didn't notice the faint glimmer of gold beside him.

If only he could remember what the house looked like. But he couldn't, no matter he tried. Harry dropped to his knees and put his hands in his face and began to cry silently. Ginny patted his back and knelt beside him, holding him to her chest.

Here is a newly edited chapter and I want to thank everyone who is being so patient with me and my little editing bits. I probably won't do this too often but maybe occansionally. I'm a bit of a perfectionalist. But anyway, Thank You.