Chapter 10: Going Home

Dumbledore looked pleasantly surprised. "Well, that was certainly a change in topic. I am glad, but I must ask you, are you ready to relive that nightmare in more than just words."

"Yes. I am. I need to."

Dumbledore nodded and walked back to the pensieve. "Ok, Harry. I am assuming you will come with me?"

Harry just pulled the cursed memory out of his head, and watched as its silky white liquid-gas dropped and sloshed into the bowl. He plunged into the silvery substance.

He found himself standing with Cedric in the maze. Dumbledore arrived as the memory-Harry said, "On three, right? One—Two—Three—"

The image swirled and the two real beings watched as the two memory persons got up off the ground. Harry asked Cedric where they were, gazing around at the graveyard. Cedric asked if anyone told Harry that the cup was a Portkey. Soon, after pulling out their wands, a figure immerged from the darkness. A figure holding what looked like a bundle carrying a baby…

Harry watched in horror as his memory self's scar burst into pain, and that high pitched ordered, "Kill the spare."

Time passed, Dumbledore and Harry occasionally looking at the other to see their reaction to the unfolding events. When he saw the little demonic baby in Wormtail's arms, Harry felt cold inside. He needed warmth, and one thing he knew would give him that was sitting at the Burrow. Yes, he needed to get back quickly. He was empty inside at the moment, and he needed her.

After memory Harry being tied up, having his blood drawn, watching in horror as his worst enemy came back to life, and the Death Eaters returning, Harry was in a desperate state. He felt Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder, allowing some easiness to creep back into him, but still, he didn't have what Ginny did.

He was able to watch the rest as he was released to duel. He was very upset about his performance not two months earlier. He would be able to do much better now. However, when the brother wands met, and the fight began, Harry saw his true potential show through as he won the battle of the beads. The phoenix song, though just a memory, still had an amazing calming effect on Harry. As the beads ran down the golden string connecting the wands and blasted into Voldemort's wand, and Cedric came out of his wand, Harry realized he'd see his parents again.

Memory Harry talked to his parents, and the real Harry was able to get a good look at Voldemort. His face was livid with fear.

Dumbledore spoke for the first time, "You see Harry…he does fear, and it's the love of your parents that he fears. It is love that will destroy him, as so many others' fears destroy them."

The memory changed quickly as the Priori Incantatem was broken and Harry grabbed the cup. The scene changed to the Third Task. Memory Harry would've been seen to be dragged off by the imposter, but Harry was looking too intently at Ginny. Even her mere memory comforted him. Her eyes filled with love, concern, and fear as she looked from afar at Harry.

Harry decided it was then that Ginny had decided to be his friend, rather than have a completely ridiculous crush on him. Harry ended the memory.

They arrived back on the couches surrounding the pensieve. Harry had a question. One he had been thinking for awhile, but only really gave it thought as he watched himself in the graveyard.

"Professor, I have a question."

"Just the one, Harry?"

Harry laughed, "Yes, sir, but I'm sure I'll think of some more." The air a little less tense now, Harry spoke his wondering, "Why have I become, forgive my bluntness, so powerful these past two months, Professor?"

"A wonderful question; it is one that I have pondered for some time. I have many theories, though watching you in the graveyard brings one to the top. However, I have a question for you first. When, apart from the last two months, have you felt the strongest, most powerful, achieved the most?"

Harry was a bit confused at where this was going. "I would have to say, first, was when I was with Quirrell. Second was when I helped Ginny and killed the basilisk. Third would be driving the Dementors away from Sirius. And then, in the graveyard, you saw how I collapsed when I got back. I had found strength somewhere to keep fighting."

"And what similarities do you find with all of these?"

Still confused, Harry played along, "They all happened at the end of the year…They all happened to do with me saving someone or something, including myself…" Harry trailed off trying to find more.

Dumbledore spoke, "All the time, you had love with you. First year, your mother's love increased your power and you overcame evil. Second year, Ginny was in trouble, though you didn't recognize it yet, I believe you had feelings at that time as well. Third year, your new father figure, friend, and possible guardian was in trouble. Your acceptance and love for him gave you power few have exerted before in driving off hundreds of Dementors. Fourth Year, you wanted to die like your father, whom you love, and ended up getting caught in something unexpected. You began to lose, but the phoenix song, only giving strength to those who are good and love, lifted you. It gave you the power to see your parents again, though just an image. You escaped with their words ringing in your ears.

"Second, Voldemort was there most of the time. The evil gives you power, Harry. It may be your connection with him," he said pointing at Harry's scar. "Or it may be the determination to beat him that you have that gives you strength, but regardless, it does. Your third year was not accompanied by Voldemort, but by other evils that create something worse than death even."

Harry thought hard on those experiences. Dumbledore was right, but… "Why am I strong now, then?"

"Because, Harry, Voldemort is back in full force bringing out your power and you have found continual love in the Weasley's, and a certain witch of that family." Having Ginny mentioned brought back the sick feeling he had, and his need to see her soon.

Having his question answered, Harry stood up. "Speaking of whom," Harry said, "I should be getting back…I am felling a bit…well, Professor, thank you. This has helped a lot."

As Harry was leaving through the fire, he vaguely heard Dumbledore mutter happily to Fawkes, "Yes, Fawkes, it has definitely begun. It will only be a matter of time now."

Harry entered the Burrow only to come face to face with Ginny. "Harry, what happened? I felt like, well, you were not feeling so well. I was about to go over to you."

Harry grabbed her in a hug, and he instantly felt soothed. Ginny seemed to agree as she sighed with content. He grabbed her hand and they walked outside together.

After several hours, Ron and Hermione joined them outside. "Mate, what have you been doing out here for this long?" Hermione hit him impatiently while Harry and Ginny laughed.

"Don't trust me with your sister, Ron? It's too bad I haven't done anything that would lose your trust." That earned him a hit from Ginny, causing them all to laugh. "Only, kidding, Gin. You know I'd never…"

"Harry," Ron said. "Why don't we go play a game of chess and leave these girls to do what they do?"

Harry thought for a moment. He really didn't want to leave Ginny. He felt the need to just be close to her. Whether it be talking or …"Mate? What do you say?"

Ron interrupted his thoughts, and he quickly said, "No, Ron. I'd rather not leave…especially to play a game I've never won you at."

Ron looked confusedly at his best friend and sister for a moment, before he walked off muttering under his breath. Harry was a bit confused, and after he looked at Ginny's perplexed look and Hermione's knowing and slightly scolding gaze, he decided to go ask Ron what was up.

Harry chased Ron into the house and up into his room. "Ron, what's up?"

Ron turned around, startled; he hadn't heard Harry's footsteps as Harry had trained to walk without a sound. "Nothing, I'm just being stupid, like last year."

"Tell me what's wrong, Ron. If this is anything like last year, I want to fix it now, so we do go months not being best friends."

Ron sighed, "That's the thing, Harry. Would you even care if I…nevermind."

Harry understood. "Ron, just because I am going out with Gin doesn't mean we're not going to hang out anymore. We'll still have classes and homework together."

"Yea, but you have already gotten out of divination; you never want to just play chess with me anymore, or anything else for that matter. You are gone for a few weeks, and you come back a totally different person."

Harry was getting irritated, "Like how?"

"You haven't lost your temper once, for example. And all the other things I've listed."

Harry thought it was ironic that he was being told he never lost his temper as he was getting close to it. "Well, Ron, I'm getting pretty close right now. It hurts that you think I'd leave my best friend, with whom I have great memories and—" But Harry stopped abruptly as Ron started laughing. "What?" Harry all but shouted.

"Well, it's nice to know you are still you. You just haven't been around this summer, and I expected us to."

Harry calmed himself down. Ron was being understandable. "Listen, I really like your sister. I feel good when I'm around her, but I will never stop being your best mate, or you mine." He wouldn't tell Ron, but he really wanted to get back to Ginny. She would make him feel better about the situation. "Let's just go back and do something with the girls, Ron."

Ron nodded ending the conversation and telling that he somewhat understood. Harry thought aloud, "You know, Ron, I bet Hermione is missing Ginny and me, too. You two could just get together and then…" Harry stopped, remembering what Ginny said about letting them work it out. He looked up at Ron's open mouth.

"What do you mean? You're kidding, right?"

Harry smiled and walked out the door, leaving a flustered, yet somewhat thoughtful, Ron in his room. When Harry reached the kitchen and made to go outside, Ginny walked in through the door. "Oh, Harry…I was going crazy out there. I, erm…I let slip to Hermione about how she and Ron should get together." They instantly interlocked hands and felt a calm sweep over them.

Harry smiled. "I let slip to Ron that he should do something about that, too." They both burst out laughing. "So much for letting them figure it out."

"So what was Ron on about anyways?" Ginny asked after they stopped laughing.

Harry told her everything. "Who does he think you are?" Ginny asked angrily. "Does he really think you'd abandon your best friend?"

"I just think he was a bit jealous of you, Gin. I assure you, there is plenty of me to go around," Harry said with a smirk. Ginny hit his arm.

Ron came downstairs just as Hermione entered, each of them avoiding the other's eyes, and the four of them decided to play a small game of Quidditch. They each got on a broom and took off. Harry missed Ginny's hand in his, but flying nearly vanquished that feeling. Nearly.

No sooner had this thought appeared in his head, when his head erupted in pain centered on his scar.

Harry tried to stay on his broom, but the pain made him lose his focus on everything, and soon he was falling, but the thought of hitting the ground twenty feet below didn't sound so bad compared to his head.

Then it all stopped, and Harry had a vague thought of high-pitched laughs and…happiness in a sick way flood through him before he was brought back to reality.

He was on the ground with Ginny's figure over him, holding his hand. Harry never realized he had hit the ground. But, he really didn't care as Ginny leaned down and kissed him worriedly.

"I'm alright now, Gin…but, he's happy."

"Harry, you just fell twenty feet from your broom," which he realized was in Ginny's hand, and he sighed with relief, "and you're worried about Voldemort being happy?

Harry jumped up, somehow fine from his fall. "Look, I'm fine, but that is a big deal…If he was as happy as I felt…" Harry didn't finish as he thought it would be disastrous.

Without telling the others what he was up to, Harry looked around carefully, and seeing no one around, transformed into his phoenix form. The next second he was gone in a brilliant flash of red and gold.

Harry transformed back into himself outside Dumbledore's office. He muttered an incantation under his breath, focused his eyes, and looked through the walls to make sure no one was in there but Dumbledore. Dumbledore was in his office, staring out of the window, looking grave. He reached up and knocked the Gryffindor knocker on the door.

"Come in, Harry."

Harry entered and noticed the founders had been added to the walls and Gryffindor waved to him, and Slytherin had his arms crossed but look rather content with his surroundings. Soon they had fallen back into feigned sleep. Harry told his mentor of his pain and Voldemort's emotion. "Yes, I have just received word that many Death Eaters have escaped Azkaban. That would be the reason for his…happiness."

"No…" was all Harry could say. Voldemort's most faithful minions were out again. Out to cause pain, out to get Harry. Then a thought came to his mind. "Well, at least in the middle of this awful news, the world will know he is back."

Dumbledore frowned. "Yes, many more will believe us, Harry. However, Fudge will do all he can to stop that. He does not want to be the Minister who allowed Voldemort to come back and not do anything about it. He will not admit his mistake, making it much, much larger."

"So what do we do now?"

"We wait, but in the meantime…I have set Order members at the Ministry to watch over the Department of Mysteries, where the Hall of Prophecies is. I believe Voldemort will want to know the full contents of what ultimately led him to his first fall. We can just destroy the copy of the prophecy, of course, but I am not allowed in the Ministry at this time, much less the Department of Mysteries.

"I also have sent Hagrid with Madam Maxime to make truce with the Giants. He just returned a few hours ago. Harry I am telling you some of our plans, because I believe you have the right to know, you are indeed a very, very important part of this. If you do not wish to know just tell me."

"No sir, please tell me all that you can or that you feel is relevant." Harry did in fact want to know all he could, and that started with this Department of Mysteries. He had not read anything on it because the Ministry was not what it was a thousand years previously. There were no books on current affairs in the Training Chamber. Distracted by his thoughts, Harry hardly realized Dumbledore had asked him something. "Sorry?"

"I asked how the Weasley's are."

"Oh, great. They are wonderful as always," said Harry, instantly thinking of Ginny. He became increasingly aware of the strange feeling he kept having when he was away from her for a long period of time. "Speaking of whom, I must be getting back unless you have more?"

Dumbledore's beard twitched and his eyes twinkled madly looking into Harry's own shining emeralds. "No, Harry. You must be getting back…"

Harry transformed and vanished in flames so quickly, Dumbledore hardly saw him turn into a phoenix at all.

Harry was immediately grabbed by Ginny. "Where did you go?"

Harry smiled. "I just went to talk to Dumbledore," and his expression grew weighty. "Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban." Ginny sighed a long sigh before looking up at Harry.

"It's ok, we're all safe." Harry nodded looking in her eyes and smiled again, feeling just what she said, safe. Harry looked up only for a moment and said, "Where are Ron and Hermione."

"Hopefully doing this," Ginny said as she stretched up and wrapped her arms around the boy-who-lived. Their lips met and Harry felt a small jolt come from his self and one coming from Ginny. He merely smiled and passed it off as the good feeling he always had around her. Apparently, so did Ginny.

It was a bitter-sweet moment when Harry fell asleep the night before returning to Hogwarts. He would be going home, yet he'd be leaving home. Hogwarts was Harry's favorite place in the world, but the past couple months had been wonderful bliss with Ginny, and the others.

As Harry fell asleep, he could only hope that things would not change much.

"Hurry, now…I can't believe we are late again." Molly ran around the house, picking up spare articles of clothing and supplies for school. Harry smiled as Ron and Ginny rolled their eyes and Hermione copied the matron of the house. She was muttering under her breath about books and whether her summer homework was good enough while going through her trunk for the sixth time.

They rushed out the door, and hopped into the Ministry car, which comfortably fit them all with more than enough room for their large trunks.

It turned out that Ron and Hermione were not together, but had left to see if Harry had gone in his room. They were worried he was brooding about something. Harry laughed at their strange assumption, and hoped that it was a cover-up for what he knew was inevitable. They were sitting rather close on the way to the train station.

Soon they arrived, and each passed through the barrier without problem, but had little time to board. So, they each gave Mr. and Mrs. Weasley a hug goodbye promising to write, and hopped on the train. Harry vaguely heard Hermione pout, "…prefects Ron, we can't be late."

"Yea, mate, we've got to go to this meeting…"

"Alright, you'll join us later then?" Ron nodded, and then he looked a little uncomfortably between his sister and Harry.

Ginny sighed out, obviously trying to calm herself, and just grabbed a grinning Harry by the hand and pulled him down the train.

As it turned out, all of the compartments were full, but Ginny knew a girl at the end, named Luna Lovegood. Harry didn't know how to describe her, so he just dubbed her 'different.'

Neville soon joined them, and took one look at Harry's and Ginny's hands holding and their close bodies. He looked up surprised and a bit of something else before saying, "You two together, then?"

Harry smiled down at Ginny before nodding earnestly. The three of them—Luna was off in her own world humming an unknown tune—told each other of their summers. Harry and Ginny left out very much of what happened in their summer.

Very soon, the compartment opened once more, and Harry looked up at a girl he had long since forgotten, but now wondered why she was there. Ginny tensed a little, but Harry squeezed her hand telling her that there was no one other than her he wanted to be with.

Cho duplicated Neville's reaction to Harry and Ginny. She went a little red in the face and muttered, "Hey, Harry. I just, wanted…to see how your summer was."

Harry smiled, "It was," and he stopped. He couldn't say his summer was great, even if it was. Cho had just experienced a huge loss. It would be like he didn't care at all. "Unanticipated," he finished.

She smiled weakly again, and said, "Good." And she turned and left. Ginny motioned outside with her head, and Harry got up and walked out.

"Hey, Cho. Look, if you need to talk about anything, just ask me, ok?" Cho whirled around and gave a stronger smile, but her eyes held a little sparkle of tears beginning.

"Thanks, Harry. I might hold you to that. Just not now." Harry nodded and walked back into the compartment.

Hours passed and the prefects joined them. Harry became anxious soon, as he knew the annual visit from Malfoy was coming. He didn't know how he would react to Malfoy's taunts. They both knew the truth. Malfoy Sr. was a Death Eater, and was serving the Dark Lord. How much did Draco know? How would he act towards Harry, now? Soon, his musings were interrupted by none other than Draco and the cronies.

"What do you want?" Harry said forcefully.

"Manners Potter, or I might have to give you a detention." Malfoy stuck out his rather scrawny chest. "You see I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, and that means that I, unlike you, have power to hand out punishments."

Harry smiled at his weak attempts to get him riled up. Harry was glad he wasn't prefect. "Well, you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone."

Malfoy's large smirk faded a bit as the others laughed. But he struck again, "How does it feel, Potter, to be second to a Weasley?"

This hurt Harry…not because he was jealous of the badge, but because Ron was hurt from the statement. Harry gently stood up, releasing Ginny's hand. "Get out," he said coldly.

Malfoy, for the first time, seemed to look at Ginny and his eyes lit up. "Oh Potter, you've gotten yourself a—umf!"

Harry never realized he had grabbed Malfoy by the front of his shirt and pulled him up and slammed him against the door to the compartment. "Don't finish that sentence Malfoy." Harry spoke softly, but with more power than when Dumbledore had spoken to him after the car incident in his second year. "Don't cause any trouble this year. Don't insult my friends, or anyone for that matter. I won't have it." The glass in the room began slowly crackling, creating spider webs across the windows.

"If you do anything to…" but Harry stopped as several things happened. Crabbe and Goyle, whom Harry had been oblivious to the entire time, fell hard to the ground, the windows completely shattered, and Harry felt a warm comforting hand or his arm.

Harry slowly put a panicked Malfoy back on the ground. He took off running out of the compartment whimpering with fear, with the two bulky figures getting up and scampering after him. Ginny guided Harry back to his seat and he sat.

After several moments, Neville asked, "Harry, how did you do that?"

"Do what?"

A moments silence, then, "That! How did you pick him up so easily, and make the windows crack, and make Crabbe and Goyle fall when they tried to grab you, and…talk like that!"

Harry sighed, "I let my emotions get the better of me, Neville. Accidental magic, that's all."

He looked up. Luna had stopped humming, but still looked dreamily out the now broken window. Neville's mouth was open, and he kept looking around the compartment as if searching for an answer. Ron and Hermione, knowing somewhat of Harry's potential, just stared hard at him, trying to understand. Ginny was giving him a scolding look, but in her eyes he could see gratitude and amazement.

And for the first time, he realized the room was in disarray. He had heard the windows but hadn't fully comprehended what he had done. The trunks in the overhead area were threatening to fall off.

Harry pulled out his wand and fixed the windows, tucked the trunks away, and fixed a dent in the door. He didn't feel bad, he wasn't going to take any crap from him this year. The rude comments, the desperation to get them in trouble…it all needed to stop. By force, if necessary.

"Harry, come on." Ginny led him outside, down the hall and into one of the bathrooms. Hey, what is going on?"

"Nothing, I'm just sick of it. I'm not going to—"

"I know, take any guff from him. Look, I appreciate you defending me, us, in there…but you can't hurt him. At least not until he follows his father's footsteps," she added with a smile and a sigh. "We don't want Voldemort to know how powerful you are, Harry. If he thinks he is better, then maybe you can finish him off before he puts more effort into fighting."

"Ginny, there is no way I'll be able to keep it a secret. I'm sure there will be Death Eaters to get on my way to him, and,"

"I mean your wandless magic and knowledge of just about everything, Harry."

"And about you, my secret power?"

Ginny blushed slightly. "What?"

"Oh come on…I'd be nothing without you. You were how I learned wandless magic. You were how I woke up from my coma," Ginny blushed deeper. "You were how I destroyed the Horcrux. Come to think of it…You are probably the second strongest student in Hogwarts, with all the training we've done."

"Well, it's all been you, really. I've had little to do wi—" She was stopped by Harry's lips coming onto her own. They forgot abruptly what they were talking about. They were only disturbed minutes later by Ron outside the door.

"Is someone in here? Harry, Ginny, are you in here?"

Harry broke and smiled at Ginny. "Yea," he smiled broader as his voice cracked a little. "Ginny's just been talking some sense into me."

So they made the rest of the journey to Hogwarts in peace. Harry got off the train, and went directly to "Firs' years, firs' years over here!"

"Hagrid! How are you?"

"Oh, I'm just fine, Harry. How are you doing?" The great giant gave Harry a pat on the back, causing him to stumble forward.

Smiling, Harry answer, "Great Hagrid, just great" They bade farewell and Harry followed his friends to a carriage, and he sighed. A deathly reminder of the graveyard stood in front of him. A thestral looked over to him, and Harry shrugged and pet the beast.

Ginny, Ron, and Hermione gave him questioning looks. He explained the situation and the three looked at him sadly. Soon, they were off to the great castle. Harry no longer desired the Burrow. He was still with friends, with Ginny.

He was home now more than ever.

Hope you enjoyed. I won't be able to write more for a while. Well, that's not guaranteed, but it is most plausible that I will not post more for a month or so. Even so, don't hesitate to review. I do enjoy my reviews. Thanks!