In an upstairs bedroom on Privet Drive, the dark haired man that newspapers where heralding as "The Chosen One" was lying on his bed staring up at the ceiling. Although he had been back for days, Harry Potter had not even touched where he dropped his belongings upon his arrival. He had spent days thinking through what lay ahead of him, and he had finally come to a conclusion.

He must return to Hogwarts. He had resigned himself that he must return, whether or not they open the doors of a place he once longed for more than any others. Now, the thought of returning gave him a pang like none other than the one he felt at the loss of his Godfather. He had come to realize that life wasn't fair, but there were some things worth living for. If he hadn't loved Dumbledore as much as he did, he wouldn't miss him this much; feel his loss more deeply then he could feel the scar left from his mortal enemy.

A soft knock on his door broke his silent thoughts as his Aunt Petunia requested his presence downstairs.

"Harry, you haven't been out of your room since you returned from that school. You also haven't eaten. Vernon is gone, he took Dudders to camp…why don't you come down stairs?" his Aunt requested.

The boy didn't reply, but after an undecided amount of time, Harry got up off his bed and headed downstairs, there was something he needed to discuss with his Aunt.

Petunia was finishing her lunch at the kitchen table, by herself when Harry came down. He looked so much older, but more handsome than she last remembered him. It felt odd facing him now, Petunia thought, like sitting across from her long dead brother-in-law. She cleared her throat, but Harry beat her to speaking.

"Dumbledore's dead, Aunt Petunia. I will be leaving at the end of this week and I will not be coming back. The most you did was give me a roof over my head, and since that has kept me alive this far, I guess I should thank you." Harry ended his monologue and turned to go, the only thing that stopped him was the sob of his Aunt. He turned back to look at her against his better judgment. She looked so worn in that moment and he wondered what went on in the house when he wasn't in it.

"Harry, Goodness Dumbeldore, I am sorry, I…" Petunia started.

She never got to finish because at that moment Harry's Uncle Vernon Dursley was entering the front door. He gave both of them a frown and told Petunia to fix him some lunch. Petunia jumped up with a start and went over to the stove.

Harry seeing that the conversation was at an end turned to head back up stairs. But immediately changing his mind, hetook off out the front door.

"Dumbledore's gone," he thought in a moment of contempt," The wards are gone, that house doesn't offer me any stupid protection." And off he went to say good-bye to Mrs. Figg, the one lady he had grown to appreciate on Privet Drive.

When Arabella Figg answered Harry's knock, Harry was surprised to see she was alone, deep down he just knew someone would be over there watching over him. Mrs. Figg seemed to notice his abrupt discomfort and smiled at him.

"Oh, there will be someone along shortly, don't you worry. Now sit down, would you like some tea?" Mrs. Figg asked.

Harry gave a rare smile, thinking she was a quite accomplished occlumens for a squib.

"Yes, thank you." "Er, actually I came to tell you good bye and thanks for everything. I guess I just really hate that I didn't know what, uh I mean who you were until so late."

"Don't let it bother you Harry. Now tell me how you are really doing. I know Dumbledore was like your father, I could always feel his concern the few times we would speak. And mercy to see it happened, why that no good Severus Snape should be Avada Kedavrad or kissed by the dementors at least!" Arabella spat.

Fighting a knot rising in his chest and a fury threatening to overwhelm him, Harry looked for a plan of escape. As Harry bolted to his feet, the fireplace lit up and none other than Ginny Wesley stood in Mrs. Figg's hearth. She had her back turned as though she talking to someone in another fireplace, without turning around she began to rapidly explain to Mrs. Figg.

"Oh, Mrs. Figg I'm sorry I'm late. It is just so hard to come here knowing that git is over there thinking up ways not to hurt me!" the youngest Weasley babbled. " I had to get out of that house though, this wedding is gonna…" as she turned around she simply stopped and as one Harry Potter attempted to sit down, he missed the chair.

Ginny couldn't help it, she grinned, " Oi, Potter! You should never get off your broom stick." Inside she felt stupid, foolish and completely exhilarated. He looked terrible, but then he also looked great.

Harry scowled as he picked himself up off the floor dusting off the cat hair as he got up. "Ginny" is the only breathless word he seemed to form as the moster rearing in his head was telling him to grab her and run. He knew seeing her at the wedding was going to kill him, but then again maybe she would have to stand in line as that was several people's goal it seemed.

As Harry fought his inner battle; Ginny's thought process returned and she was gone, flewed, straight to the Burrow because she knew she was simply not able to deal with seeing him again quite yet. Harry just stared at the fireplace mentally willing her to come back.

Mrs. Figg gave a small cough to remind Harry that she, too, was in the house. After a brief conversation that Harry couldn't slightly remember he headed back to his solitary room at #4 Privet Drive. Completely baffled as to why Ginny would have up and left like that. He hadn't realized how much he missed her, the smell of her hair, her hand in his and how she could always make him smile.

Harry opened the front door deep in though, only to find his aunt and uncle seated both together on the couch. Their faces held odd looks and without disturbing his thoughts of Ginny to wonder why, he headed through the door. Harry was immediately stunned backwards off the front porch. Harry quickly pulled out his wand and pulled himself off to the side of the porch. There standing over him was Draco Malfoy and two hooded death eaters.

"Bored, Malfoy?" Harry spat looking up.

"I think I owe you one Potter." And with that he sent a slicing charm straight at Harry's face. Harry sent up shielding charm and sent a disarming charm at Malfoy. Draco quickly dodged the spell and returned to his captive audience. "And this fat, filthy muggle you live with seems like a great place to start", and with that he muttered "Avada Kedavra" right at Vernon Dursley. Smiling broadly at his first successful attempt he sent the dark mark up into the sky. As the bright green light headed straight into Vernon's chest it was almost as if the room started to shake and from out of the chaos a blood curdling scream left Harry's aunt.

Suddenly Malfoy began to expand and float just as Aunt Marge had done not 3 years before. The two death eaters quickly took off their hoods to reveal none other than Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle who watched in awe as Draco expanded and floated away. They were sure that muggle woman had not just cursed their leader and seemed unable to figure out how to get Draco down. No matter how many spells, or incantations either of them muttered nothing seemed to help the blonde man as he ascended in to the atmosphere shouting for their help.

Harry quickly stunned and disarmed both cloaked men. As he was heading toward Petunia he heard a loud 'crack' and he knew it was over, more death eaters had arrived. Vernon Durlsey lay dead in the living room floor of #4 Privet Drive.