Chapter 3: Hallowe'en

'Damn memories are getting about as bad as that damn conscience of mine.' Harry thought on the morning of Halloween after having another night of restless sleep that was filled with nightmares that had seemed to have taken over his nightlife.

Harry poured himself out of bed and descended the stairs to get a little bit of inspiration from his morning coffee so hopefully he could rouse himself enough to get a shower and halfway decent shave in before the evening "festivities" started. As Harry sat down at the table, Errol, the Weasley owl, flew into the kitchen and crashed into the doorway leading to the basement.

"Bloody bird still can't see straight!" Harry said picking the owl up and laying him on the table to retrieve the letter tied to his leg. "After all these years of crash landing you would think you would knock your eyes uncrossed." He continued after taking the letter and giving the owl a soft poke in the ribs.

Errol hopped up, hooted softly and gave Harry a questioning look before stealing a piece of toast and retaking to flight out of the window.

"You could have hung around a bit to catch your breath before heading all the way back to the Burrow!" Harry yelled after him as he was zooming across the yard. Errol did a kind of dumb looking loop-di-loop before catching a breeze and soaring higher into the air. "Stupid bird won't make it all the way back without crashing again." He muttered as he opened the letter that could only be from Ginny.

Dear Harry,

After all of these years you've finally decided to at least attempt to come out of hiding in your own home. Let me say that I have been looking forward to seeing you again. It rather brings back the butterflies of my younger days of fawning over you, but back to the point here, after dinner tonight at Hermione's I want you to come out with me to anywhere you choose. I have some things I would like to discuss with you in private before you run back to Godric's Hollow to live out the rest of your days in solitude. Just let me know tonight, Harry.

Love,
Ginny

"Gin...Ginny wants to see me for something that's private?" Harry asked himself after reading the letter a second time. "I've rarely talked to her about anything other than Quidditch."

'Though you should have said a bit more to the girl.' His inner voice spoke.

"Please don't start! These past two weeks have been nice and quiet without you chiming in every five seconds." He grunted refolding the letter and slipping it back into its envelope then into his pocket.

Harry drank the rest of his coffee in silence scanning through the morning edition of the Daily Prophet before heading upstairs to try and be cleaned up for tonight is dinner with his old friends. Now with the thoughts of meeting privately with Ginny later tonight or tomorrow morning Harry thought he saw a glimmer of hope open into his mind.

Hermione bustled around her kitchen constantly checking up on everything she was currently cooking, though being one of the brightest witches in ages she was still terrible in the kitchen even with the assistance of magic and trying out several muggle devices seemed to make things even worse. Ginny and Ron were due for lunch anytime now and if all the things Ron said about Ginny being a great cook were true then maybe she could get a helping hand before ruining everything.

"They're here!" Hermione squeaked in surprise when the doorbell rang. She untied her apron, tossed across a chair, and hurried to the front door to greet her friends. "Ron, Ginny!" She blurted out as she threw open the door and pulled them both into quick hugs.

"Hermione! Bloody hell it hasn't been that long since we saw you last!" Ron said returning Hermione's hug.

"It's been almost three months, Ronald, since you two have been by here." Hermione replied still holding his hands. "Well...now that you're here lets have a quick sit down lunch," She stammered releasing Ron's hands after realizing she had probably held on too long.

"Yes...err...well lead the way." Ron muttered trying to compose himself and giving Ginny a warning look about her suppressed giggles.

"So do you think he'll be here tonight?" Hermione asked towards the end of lunch.

"He'll show, Hermione, if he sent you a response you know he'll live up to it." Ginny replied.

"Ea, 'ione, e'ff e ere" Ron said through his mouthful of food.

"Ron, could you at least swallow before talking? It is quite disgusting you know." Hermione asked while Ron just shrugged his response. "You have the table manners of a troll did you know that?" Ron grinned and nodded before tucking back into his plate.

"Come on, Hermione, let's leave the troll to his lunch and check up on what you've cooked so far. Maybe I can help out?" Ginny said sliding her chair back.

"Could you help me, Ginny?" Hermione asked getting to her feet.

"Of course, mum taught me everything I know! There's not a kitchen I couldn't get around in."

The girls left Ron to his lunch and headed toward the kitchen.

"Do you think Harry will be too withdrawn into himself to even try and talk about the past?" Hermione asked.

"Harry was withdrawn most of his life, Hermione, never having a family that cared if he lived or died, but he'll be able to recall enough to hopefully get him out of his shell." Ginny replied checking out the Steak and Kidney Pie in the oven. "You knew him better than most, Hermione, besides he'll show up tonight feeling probably a little apprehensive from being away from normal life for so long, but we'll get him over that hump in the road." She continued leaning against the counter.

"You're right, Ginny, I'm just nervous. I just hope he hasn't regressed so far that he's like he was in our fifth year."

"No, I hope he hasn't resorted back to yelling at everything that moves, but probably not. You have to remember most of his problem's then were hormones and Dumbledore not sharing what he knew sooner."

"How do you know that, Ginny?" Hermione asked tossing a salad.

"Well, one of the few talks we had while still in school was toward the end of your seventh year, just before Voldemort attacked Hogsmeade, he told me about the Prophecy and he said he finally understood what the 'power was the Dark Lord knew not' was. He gave my hand a loving squeeze and a soft kiss before heading into his dorm."

"Well, Ron and I knew about the Prophecy back at the beginning of our sixth year, but he didn't say anything about knowing what the weapon was. Anyway-" Hermione stopped talking and looked toward the front door where the bell was now ringing.

"He's early!" Ginny said while Hermione hurried to the door.

Harry stepped from his bathroom and into the bedroom where his t-shirt lay on the bed.

'If you were any cleaner, Potter, you would literally squeak.' The voice said suddenly.

"Please not now! All I want to do is finish getting ready and head out to Hermione's a little early." He replied and went about pulling his shirt on, then slipping on his trainers.

'Stupid hair will never lay flat!' Harry thought as he gave himself a once over in his mirror making sure he had not forgotten anything.

He knew that he was not expected until after five, but he felt he needed to be there before then just make sure he could take on the burden that was awaiting him. He could slip in make sure, all was going to be OK and if it was not give Ginny a time and place to meet and then leave.

'Some hero you are, wanting to get there early so you can check out the way things may go and if they're not going to you're liking then you'll split.' His conscience spoke up as he left his bedroom.

Harry ignored this comment and walked toward his kitchen door that lead out into a large field where disapparated and reappeared outside Hermione's home. With a trembling, apprehensive hand, Harry reached up and rang the doorbell.