A/N: After some consideration, I decided it didn't make a lot of sense to re-write Reign of Camelot given that HBP is already on the shelves. I may go back to it at a later date just for fun. As such, this will be my version of what is to come in Harry & Co. 7th year based on the events of The Half-Blood Prince.
Edits: 9/10/06
Disclaimer: I do not own or thereby claim the rights to Harry Potter and subsequent characters, plots, etc. These all belong to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic Books, and Warner Bros.
Chapter 1:
Harry Potter, just one day shy of turning seventeen, sat by his window at Number Four, Privet Drive and looked longingly outside. One more day and he could leave on his self-appointed quest to find the many places that Voldemort has hidden the fragmented pieces of his soul. It was on such a quest, that Harry and Albus Dumbledore had found what they believed to be a Horcrux; a fragment of a wizard's soul. Yet, as Harry discovered later, they were sadly mistaken. And lives had been sacrificed because of their naiveté.
It had been one month. One month was all that had past since the attack. One month since the lives of so many in the wizarding world had been so greatly affected by one man's death. Harry still couldn't believe that Severus Snape, so-called spy for the Order of the Phoenix, had actually been playing them all this time. It was he who had performed the Avada Kedavra curse, effectively murdering Albus Dumbledore. Harry had never had fuzzy feelings towards his long-time potions professor. But he trusted Dumbledore, and Dumbledore trusted Snape, so that was enough for Harry. Most of the time. Of course, whenever Harry's life was in danger, he and Ron had been quick to point fingers at the Slytherin Head of House, but when it came down to it, the only thing that they had been sure of was that Snape despised Harry's father and seemed to carry that hatred through the generations. They had all had the wool pulled over their eyes.
But Snape was gone now. After he had performed the Killing Curse he had fled, most likely to return to serve his Dark Lord. Harry couldn't care less, really. He knew that one day he would avenge the deaths of so many close to him in his life but he needed to continue the work that he had begun with Dumbledore. Some day, he would face people like Bellatrix Lestrange, Severus Snape and Tom Riddle (for that was the name that best suited "he-who-must-not-be-named" in Harry's opinion) and hurt them just as they had hurt him. Someday. But not today.
Instead, tomorrow evening, after he had received the many birthday presents he was sure his friends would be sending him, Harry would embark on an adventure and find a way to finally defeat and kill the man who had so ruined his life. He recalled the conversation he had had with Ginny at the end of term just a month ago.
" 'Ginny, listen…I can't be involved with you anymore…it's been like…like something out of someone else's life these last few weeks with you…But I can't…we can't…I've got things to do alone now.'"
And later, with Ron and Hermione…
They had been talking about the future of Hogwarts. " 'I can't bear the idea that we might never come back. How can Hogwarts close?' Hermione had asked desperately.
"… 'I'm not coming back even if it does reopen.'"
They had looked at him strangely then, though Hermione had said she knew he would say that. "'I'm going back to the Dursley's once more, because Dumbledore wanted me to. But it'll be a short visit, and then I'll be gone for good.'"
In one more day he would turn seventeen and leave the Muggle world behind. It seemed fitting to leave on his birthday, they day that he would be considered an adult by wizarding standards. He half-expected to receive several owls the following day bearing birthday gifts and wishes. Part of him wanted to; the child in him said "stay." But the adult told him it was time to move on. And so Harry had packed a week ago and now spent every night staring out his window, waiting for the day to come.
12:02, the clock blinked accusatorily at him. 'Why aren't you gone yet?' Two minutes later, Harry noticed four figures flying at his window and quickly opened it to let the creatures in. He recognized Pig and Hedwig, of course, but the other two were a mystery. Possibly school owls? He untied the parcels from each owl and offered them a bit of water and food. Something that Hedwig looked none too pleased to see, but reluctantly allowed her feathered friends some shelter and food anyway.
"Well, let's see what we've got here," Harry muttered to the empty room and proceeded to open the packages one by one.
"Harry,
How's it goin', mate? We reckon we'll see you pretty soon, seeing as it's your birthday and you'll probably be wanting to get out of the Dursley's as soon as you can. Dad says we can come get you at 5:00 on your birthday to go to the Ministry and get your Apparition license. Anyway, wasn't sure what to get you for your birthday, so I hope you like it! Fred and George helped me pick it out, so be careful!"
Harry grabbed the package that had accompanied Ron's letter and opened it to find a surplus of Shield Hats, Cloaks and Gloves. Harry grinned. These would all come in very handy in the coming months and possibly years.
He reached for the next letter that Hedwig had delivered.
"Harry,
Happy Birthday! You're now an adult wizard! Don't forget, you're coming to the Burrow for Bill and Fleur's wedding before you start on your adventure. Ron and I are still coming with you, by the way. I'm not sure if we made that clear to you at the memorial service, but there's no way we're going to let you do this alone. Have we ever?
Take care and we'll see you soon!
Love,
Hermione"
She had gotten him a book, "Most Advanced Defensive Spells", obviously hoping it would aid him in the coming war.
And the next…
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmistress Minerva McGonagall
Harry Potter
The Upstairs Bedroom
Number 4, Privet Drive
Surrey, England
Dear Mr. Potter
We are pleased to inform you that after the events of last spring, Hogwarts will remain open for another term. Your list of books required for your seventh and final year has been included as well. Please send this owl with your reply of whether or not you will be attending in the fall.
Sincerely,
Filius Flitwick
Deputy Headmaster"
Well, that was easy. Harry took a piece of parchment and a quill from his desk and quickly wrote, "I regret to inform you that I will not be returning to Hogwarts this year so I can finish the job Headmaster Dumbledore and I set out to do", tied it to the corresponding owl and sent him on his way.
Finally, Harry opened the fourth letter, rather curious to find out who it was from. A key dropped out of the envelope as he pulled out the rest of its contents.
"Harry Potter
Who I am is of no consequence to you. What matters is that I know of the quest you will soon embark upon and the place where you shall begin. The enclosed key will lead you on the path; all you have to do is discover what it opens.
Good luck to you,
RAB"