1

Chapter 4- Going Home

Ginny stayed with Harry for a little longer until he had stopped crying. Finally Harry reluctantly insisted that she go so that she wouldn't get in trouble. When she left Harry got onto the floor and opened the loose floorboard underneath his bed. He pulled out a pile of books that Hermione had been sending him over the summer. He went to his desk and began to take notes on stuff in the books.

"What is in those books that he is so studiously taking notes on?" James asked.

"Yeah we all know Harry doesn't take notes like that for his school work." Sirius laughed.

"It's probably more stuff on the horcruxes." Lily answered.

"I hope he's getting somewhere." James said.

"I'm sure he is." Dumbledore said reassuringly.

Harry continued doing this for the next week. Once in a while they would see an owl fly in and give him a letter. They couldn't be sure because they couldn't read it but they thought it was from Ginny. Harry would send a letter back and everyone was happy that Ginny was still getting through to him. Quite a few time Harry would fall asleep at his desk and wake up hours later and start again. Aunt Petunia would send food in through the doggie door. Either she suspected Harry wanted to be up there by himself or she was quite pleased that he stayed out of sight.

Finally July 31st came and Harry's room was for once since he had started hogwarts not flooded with owls. Lily that morning had taken to her bed.

"She does this every year. It's because this is another birthday that she can't be there for him." James said sadly because he was feeling the same thing.

"I don't understand why he's not getting any presents though. Or at least a card. He always did before." Sirius was very surprised.

"I'm not sure either." Dumbledore was just as equally surprised.

It was 12:01 in the morning and Harry had just muttered a quiet Happy Birthday to himself which made Lily cry. Everyone knew that Harry was somewhat hoping for the owls to fly in any moment. But after a few minutes he gave up and seeing as he was already awake went to his desk to study.

"He's going to kill himself" James said miserably.

"Yeah that much studying can't be good for a man." Sirius joked, trying to lighten the mood. He only received a few small smiles.

Suddenly there was a bang and Harry stiffened instantly. He drew his wand. The bang had come from downstairs. He crept over to his door and creaked it open slowly. He could hear faint voices from downstairs.

"Ouch, George or Fred which ever one you are did you have to land on my foot?" Came the unmistakable voice of Mrs. Weasley.

"Sorry mum." They both replied. Harry ran down the stairs smiling.

"Harry!" They all cheered.

"Hello guys."

"We've come to take you home for good." Mrs. Weasley said after giving him a huge hug.

"I'm all pack, in fact I never un packed. I only have a few books on my desk but they won't fit in my trunk." Harry said.

"Alright, well Fred and George get his trunk. Ron get his books. Ginny get his owl. Harry write your relatives a note explaining and meet me back down here, pronto." Everyone went to their tasks but before they had taken two steps Mrs. Weasley stopped them. "Now don't go waking the muggles and no mischievousness either."

"Yes mum." The four red heads replied rather disappointedly.

"Some days I wonder about them." Mrs. Weasley muttered to herself. Harry wrote a quick note, it wasn't hard.

Dear Dursleys,

Well I'm of age now in the wizarding world and I have left for good. You are now rid of me for good. I won't be back. Thanks. Goodbye.

Harry James Potter

Moments later the Weasleys were trudging back down the steps with his stuff.

"Harry you've got way too many books. I'm starting to think you're hanging out to much with Mione." Ron said as came down the steps with a teetering pile of books. Harry took some from him so that he could at least see where he was going.

"Well shall we go?" Mrs. Weasley said.

"How are we going?" Harry asked.

"Floo. Much easier." She replied.

"I really shouldn't, but I need to go first. Will you all be alright and behave yourselves?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Of course we will." Harry replied eager to leave.

"Alright then. See you in a few minutes." Then she threw some powder in to the fireplace, when it turned green she stepped in and shouted the Burrow! Then she was gone.

Ron was about to go next when they heard aloud crash from the kitchen. They all dropped their stuff and ran into the kitchen.

Lily jumped out of bed.

"What was that?" She asked with wide eyes.

"I don't know." James said.

"I think it might be death eaters, maybe Voldemort himself. Since at midnight today the magic set on the house ran up because he turned seventeen. I think Voldemort knows that." Dumbledore said calmly, but inside he was hoping that his worst fears weren't coming true.

Harry was in the lead, followed closely by the rest. In the kitchen they found Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Harry said.

"Wow Albus that kids getting more and more like you every day." Sirius exclaimed.

"How so?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well he gets that annoyingly calm voice when everyone else is either scared or wants you or expects you to be scared too." Sirius explained.

"Yeah I just saw Bellatrix flinch at his coolness." James added.

"I guess we'll take that as a complement." Dumbledore chuckled.

"Well around Death Eaters yes, but around us no because its just annoying." Sirius laughed.

"Would you stop joking around, my son is being attacked by two of the worst Death Eaters alive!" Lily screamed hysterically. James looked a little frightened at his wife but pulled her into his arms lovingly.

Meanwhile Harry had sent a stunning curse at Bella but she ducked. Quickly the other four jumped into action and within minutes they had stunned and tied up the death Eaters.

While they were getting together their stuff to floo to the Burrow and tell Mrs. Weasley to contact the Ministry, she herself came flying in the living room.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN. I HAVE BEEN WORRIED SICK!" she wasn't worried about waking the muggles up anymore.

"Mum!" Ron shouted.

"What?" she calmed down just a little.

"We were too busy stunning death eaters to come home." Ron said.

"Ronald Weasley don't even joke about something like that."

"He's not joking mum. Come and look." Ginny said and pulled her mother to the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley cried because she had left them. Then she contacted the ministry and the put the two in Azkaban.

Finally everyone went to the Burrow, this time Mrs. Weasley went last. When Harry stepped in the kitchen of the Burrow and after getting up from the floor from being knocked over by Ron coming after him, he felt like he was truly home for good.