Chapter 11A – Going Home Again
Harry sat in the small office Fred and George used in their shop. The twins and Mike sat around the room as they discussed the expansion of the business. With Harry's inheritance, the funding was available to move forward with the plan.
"We need to establish the Hogsmeade location quickly. I would like to have it open before school starts on September 1. Can we do that?"
Fred shrugged, "We looked into buying the Zonko's location last year. Since they closed, the building has been empty. It is larger then this location. We should be able to move quickly."
"The problem is production. We only have our workshop here for producing our stuff," George included.
"Look into finding a small warehouse we can use," Harry replied. Harry was silent for a moment. "We lost Grimmauld Place as the headquarters for the Order when Snape murdered Professor Dumbledore. I am not sure what effect Professor Dumbledore's death will have on the Fidelius Charm, but Snape can go there anytime. Make sure the warehouse has an area we can set up as living quarters. Mike, can you help them?"
Mike nodded his agreement. "It might be easier for me to setup. It will be less noticeable."
Harry looked at the twins. "Remember to set up portkeys between the three locations. I want to make sure we can move around quickly. I have an idea I want to work on with Hermione that will help. I will also have Professor Flitwick teach me the Fidelius Charm for the warehouse."
A knock on the door announced Ginny entering the office. "Harry, Remus and Tonks are here. Are you ready to go?"
After yesterday's battle with the Death Eaters, Harry and his friends spent the night in the rooms above Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Harry had planned to travel to Godric's Hollow with only Ron and Hermione. Ginny insisted on joining them. Remus asked to join the group as protection and to visit his friends' home. Tonks simply attached herself to Remus.
Harry had risen early with Ron and gone to the Ministry of Magic to take his Apparition test. Passing the test the first time, Harry quickly left the building before Scrimgeour could corner him. They did avoid the Minister but passed Percy on the way out of the building. Percy scowled at Harry, but completely ignored the presence of his youngest brother.
When Harry returned, he found that the Saturday edition of the Daily Prophet had arrived while he was out. Reading the articles, Harry was not surprised that Percy was angry. "The Chosen One Saves Diagon Alley!" screamed the headline. The articles featured "eyewitness" accounts that had Harry facing all of Voldemort's Death Eaters single-handedly. Harry's brief comments to the young witch appeared in a small article on the bottom of the front page. Rather then Harry's message of standing together, the paper made Harry look like the only one fighting the dark wizards.
"Great," Harry sulked, "more publicity!"
Ron read the articles and sniggered, "Bloody hell, I think we were lucky we got out of the Ministry in one piece! Scrimgeour must be going nuts!"
"Harry!" Ginny called from downstairs.
Harry shook himself and answered Ginny. "Yes, I think we are done here. I will be down in a minute." Turning to Mike and the twins, Harry said, "Get a plan together and I will have an account set up to pay for it."
"Harry, how are you going to get the money?" George asked.
"I have taken care of the funding. We have a donor who will cover any reasonable costs." Harry had decided for now to remain quiet about his inheritance. Mike and Bill agreed to keep the secret. Neither really understood, but both were willing to remain silent.
Harry joined the five who would accompany him to visit his parents' house. Harry smiled to see Remus sitting in a chair with Tonks hanging over his shoulder. Since Fleur announced she would marry Bill no matter what happened to him, Tonks had mounted an aggressive attack on Remus's defenses. Harry had five galleons on her wearing him down by Christmas. Ginny had Halloween.
"Wotcher, Harry!" Tonks called as Harry entered the small kitchen.
"Good morning. Are we ready to go?" Remus asked.
Looking around, Harry noticed everyone seemed a little tense. Harry was working hard on his own emotions. Going home again. Those words seemed daunting. To see where his parents had died to save him and were buried. Harry felt many conflicting emotions rolling through himself. Excitement and nervousness warred within him.
"Thank you for joining me today. It means a lot to me to have all of you here."
Seeing that Harry was on an emotional edge, Remus said, "I am just going along because James borrowed a book of mine and I would like to get it back."
Harry grinned as chortles broke out among his friends. He appreciated what Remus was attempting to do. Reaching into his pocket, Harry extracted the ring Professor Dumbledore had left for him.
"Harry, where did you get that ring?" Hermione asked, her eyes going big.
"Professor Dumbledore left it for me as a portkey to get to Godric's Hollow. I think it belonged to Godric Gryffindor." Harry slid the ring on a finger as the others gathered around.
Hermione said, "According to Hogwarts: A History, only a few items of Gryffindor's remain; his sword and his family ring. That must be the ring, Harry!"
Stretching his hand out, Harry told everyone to touch the ring. Once everyone was touching the ring, Harry activated the portkey.
Harry felt the familiar yank of the portkey behind his navel. After a second Harry opened his eyes to find himself standing on a path on a hillside, overlooking a small village nestled in a valley. A picturesque scene with trees and neat houses lay out before them. A couple of small fields marked small farms or grazing land. One particular field captured Harry's attention.
"Harry, is that what I think it is?" Ron asked looking in the same direction.
"I think it is."
The field that captured their attention contained something Harry never could have imagined. A standard football pitch filled a field just outside the small village. That was normal, but what was standing behind the football goals was not. Standing directly behind the nets stood Quidditch goals! How could they have Quidditch right out in the open like that?
"The wizard that invented the Golden Snitch was from Godric's Hollow," Ginny said in a vague voice as she also looked at the odd sight.
"Who?" asked Hermione, slightly upset that she did not know that fact.
"Bowman Wright lived in this village. I remember reading it on one of my Famous Wizard cards. He created the Golden Snitch."
Remus looked out on the village and said, "I thought you knew about Godric's Hollow. It is an oddity in the wizarding world. The magical community lives in the open here."
"But Professor Lupin, Hogsmeade is the only purely magical community in Britain!" Hermione protested.
"Ah Hermione, I did not say it was a purely magical community. There are more Muggles living here then magical folk. Nevertheless, they know about the magical community among them. Godric Gryffindor founded this town as a haven for Muggles abused by magic. Isolated here in Wales, it has kept his vision alive."
Harry was impressed. A surge of pride filled him that the founder of his school house had fought the prejudice of the wizarding world from the beginning.
"Remus, why doesn't everyone know about this place?" Tonks asked, just as mystified as Harry and his friends.
"Because Godric set it up this way," an elderly woman's voice answered.
The group turned quickly to find an old witch leaning on a staff standing a little down the path. Harry noticed she had a commanding presence with long white hair that looked like it had once been blond. What struck Harry the most was her bright blue eyes. Her eyes contradicted her apparent age. These were the eyes of a young, energetic, and mischievous witch. Whoever she was, her soul had remained fresh and optimistic.
Suddenly feeling very comfortable, Harry stepped forward to introduce himself. "Good morning, I am …"
"Harry Potter. Yes dear, I know who you are. You were born into my hands. Albus would trust no other mid-witch with your delivery. The first thing you did was piddle all over my robes."
Harry looked bemused as his friends standing behind him suppressed their laughter. "Excuse me, who are you?"
The old witch smiled, "I am Miranda Goshawk. I am the resident know-it-all and the leader of the town council."
The four Hogwarts students and their escorts felt their jaws drop. Miranda Goshawk! Hermione in particular was speechless. Hermione had spent the last six years memorizing every word written in her Standard Books of Spells and here was the author!
Harry was the first to recover. "It is very nice to meet you. We…um… have heard a lot about you."
The witch chortled with a gleam in her eye. "Yes, Minerva is still using my books isn't she? When I think how many times my name has been cursed by students writing scroll after scroll it just gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling."
Her wicked grin made Harry, Ginny and Ron snicker. This was not what they expected from the writer of one of their main texts.
Hermione stepped forward and said, "Ms. Goshawk, I think your books are brilliant! I have memorized the first six years of books!"
The old witch rested her hands on her staff and considered Hermione. "You would be Ms. Granger I suppose? I have heard you are trying to compete with my know-it-all status."
Hermione went pink while the rest of the group fought a valiant fight to keep from dying of laughter. Ron in particular was turning an alarming brilliant red.
"Albus told me all about you every summer. Your exploits in the classroom and these two ruffians," she gestured at Ron and Harry,"exploits out of the classroom was his favorite summer topic."
"Excuse me, but it sounds like you knew Professor Dumbledore well," Remus said.
"Albus? You could say that. He was my neighbor for more then fifty years as well as a cousin of sorts," the smiling witch answered. "And, please, call me Miranda."
The old witch's casual comment stunned Harry and his friends. Before any more questions could be asked, the witch motioned for them to follow her down the trail. The witch moved quickly down the trail with practiced ease.
The trail opened onto a quaint cobbled street lined by well maintained, two storied Muggle cottages. Harry thought that Uncle Vernon could drive through the village and never look twice. Each cottage had a colorful yard with many flowers in bloom. A variety of cars lined the streets. The area seemed quiet. For 11 o'clock on a Saturday morning, it seemed remarkably quiet. Harry asked where everyone was.
"Most are probably sleeping off last night's excitement. The local football teams played last night. The secondary school played the local adult league. It is a traditional event every year. Tonight we do the same thing with Quidditch."
"Excuse me, but how can you play Quidditch in the open? Aren't you worried that someone will let the secret out?" Remus asked.
The witch smiled as she kept walking. "No, the other Muggles in the area just think we are a weird bunch and discount the stories they hear. Plus the charms discourage visitors from looking too hard."
As they passed a small graveyard, the old witch came to a halt. "I suspect this should be our first stop. Harry, you may want to go in alone. It is straight down this path and on you left."
Harry stood frozen in place. After so many years of wishing and wondering here he was.
Ginny took Harry's hand. When he looked down at her, she said, "Go ahead Harry. Go say hello to your mum and dad."
Harry nodded and walked into the cemetery. Walking past the neat rows of graves, Harry looked for his parents' graves. Finally, he reached a large double gravestone. Harry read on the marker:
James and Lilly Potter
1960-1981
Defenders, Parents, Friends
Together Forever
Harry knelt in the fresh cut grass of the cemetery and cried. The grief and pain of sixteen years released in a torrent. Years of suppressed hurt that even Harry had not realized he carried. Living with the Dursleys, the finger pointing at The-Boy-Who-Lived, and the Chosen One, when all he wanted was to be normal and accepted. The pain of being an orphan when everyone else seemed to have parents that loved them. The Weasleys had practically adopted him since first year, but years alone and abused still rode on Harry's mind.
A sudden epiphany struck Harry. Professor Dumbledore made Harry review several scenes from Tom Riddle's life. Harry understood throughout how Riddle felt getting into Hogwarts and learning about being a wizard. Harry had felt the same way. Harry and Tom Riddle were on the same road when they entered Hogwarts.
Harry realized two major differences in their lives occurred in Harry's first year. The first occurred when Harry met Ron Weasley. Ron was the first true friend Harry ever had. This friendship brought Harry everything; the Weasleys as family, Ginny as his love. Hermione joined Harry's family but Ron was the first step off Riddle's path. Without Ron as a friend, Harry would have probably been in Slytherin with Malfoy. Introduced to the "importance" of Blood in that house Harry would have been ashamed of his "Half-Blood" status.
That set up the second deviation. When Harry learned about his parents, he was proud of them and their accomplishments. Tom Riddle hated his parents for failing to live up to an orphan's expectations. He had a Muggle father who abandoned his pregnant mother. Then a witch mother who died, leaving him alone. Even his pureblood uncle was a wretch living in a hovel. The disappointment in his heritage may have led Tom Riddle to create one of his own. Tom Riddle and his disappointing parents disappear replaced by Lord Voldemort with no family.
This is what Dumbledore had been trying to teach Harry all last year. This was part of the Ancient Magic. The sacrifice of his parents, Sirius and Dumbledore was not his fault. They chose their path based on their love of Harry and their world. They died not because of Harry, but for Harry.
Harry felt a gentle kiss on his cheek as he sat by the grave and a warmth and peace flowed into him. Harry felt approval and love in that kiss. Harry glanced around but no one was near. Harry put his hand on his cheek where he felt the kiss. Harry took a deep breath and realized that all around him was a single smell. Lilies.
A hand gently touched Harry on the shoulder. Harry looked up to see Ginny, Ron and Hermione standing beside him.
"Are you okay, mate?" Ron asked. "You have been in here for over an hour."
Harry nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Harry stood up and took Ginny's hand. Clearing his throat Harry introduced his friends. "Mum, Dad, these are my friends and family."
Harry and his friends rejoined Remus, Tonks and Miranda outside the cemetery. They resumed their walk along the road. More local residents were starting to emerge from their houses. Several waved to Miranda as the group passed by. Following Miranda onto a side street they stopped in front of a neat cottage with a clean painted white picket fence. Everything about the house seemed clean and bright. Nothing was out of place.
Miranda turned to Harry with tears in her eyes. "Welcome home, Harry."
"This is my parents' house? Hagrid told me it was almost completely destroyed the night my parents died. Professor Dumbledore's message said he had it cleaned up but I did not expect this!"
"Yes, Harry. This is your house. It was rebuilt from the ground up after your parents' deaths. It has been waiting here for you. I live two doors down on the other side," Miranda said pointing to a slightly larger house a little further up the street. "And on the other side is where Albus lived when school was out."
This last announcement caused the group to turn and look at the house their Headmaster had called home. The oddest thing about the house was it was so completely and utterly normal.
"Harry Potter, sir! You have come home! And you brought your Wheezy, Bookie and Lovey along too!"
Harry knew that voice. Turning in his surprise, he saw an excited house-elf dancing on the front stoop. Dobby was dressed in his usual odd assortment of clothing.
"Dobby, what are you doing here? Why aren't you at Hogwarts?"
"Professor Dumbledore offered me a new job! Dobby is so excited! He asked me to come here to help get Harry Potter's new house ready for him!" Dobby called in an excited voice. "Now you are here and it is all ready!"
Harry remembered a often repeated quote from a cartoon character Mike introduced him to over the summer. It sprang immediately to mind. "D'oh!" Harry knew that this was not exactly fair. Dobby had done a lot for Harry and his friends over the years, but the pain of their initial meetings carried on.
"Dobby, that is wonderful. You have done a wonderful job! You didn't do all of this yourself, did you?" Harry asked.
"No, all of the other house-elves from Hogwarts helped too! They wanted to work and there is not much for the Hogwarts house-elves to do over the summer, Harry Potter sir!" Dobby looked at Harry with his huge eyes. "Can Dobby stay and be your house-elf sir? You won't even have to pay me!"
Harry knew this was an important question for Dobby. "I would be happy to have you here Dobby. Moreover, I will pay you the same amount you received at Hogwarts. I also want you to feel free to visit Hogwarts to see your friends."
Ron later commented to Harry that he had never seen a house-elf explode before that day. Harry agreed that was the best way to describe it.
Once Dobby managed to pull himself together, the group walked up to the front door. Miranda declined because she had much to do for the night's festivities. She invited the group to join the village at the games. With a wave, she left them and walked down the street.
Harry stepped onto the porch and opened the door. Inside was a very neat clean house. Just inside the door was a shield with the Potter family crest. Underneath it read, "Age. Fac ut gaudeam"
Remus walked in behind Harry. Looking around he said, "This feels odd. It looks like James and Lilly's house, but not how I remember it. Dumbledore and Dobby updated it. I wonder who helped them out."
"I bet it was Miranda," Ginny said stepping in the door.
Harry moved down the hall past the living room and into the kitchen. It contained a modern Muggle kitchen complete with a dishwasher and microwave. Harry suspected Ginny was right about the decorating. It was obvious an eccentric wizard and a house-elf had not decorated the house. It looked like it was decorated by a committee of housewives. Harry wasn't sure what was worse.
Hermione followed Harry into the kitchen. "Harry, this house is gorgeous. The furniture is all brand new and first rate. This must have cost a fortune!"
Harry heard Ron calling his name from upstairs. Harry walked back to the hall and up the stairs. Wizard pictures from Harry's life and his parents lined the stairs. There was a picture of Harry holding a golden snitch after a Quidditch match. Another was of Harry and Sirius taken in the Black Manor shortly before the battle in the Department of Mysteries. Near the top, a photo contained James, Lilly, Sirius, Remus and two girls Harry did not recognize. Taken at the end of their time at Hogwarts, they were all laughing and having a good time in the photo. The last two photos contained Lilly and James's wedding photo and a photo of Lilly holding a baby and waving at the camera.
Ron called Harry again. Harry walked up to the second floor. Ron was standing in the hall at a shut door.
"Your room is up front. Take a look."
Harry walked into a beautifully furnished but not decorated room. A huge bed stood in the center of the room. It reminded Harry of his bed at Hogwarts except five times bigger. A matching wardrobe and dresser sat near the wall with a small sitting area with two plush chairs and a table completed the room. Harry could see a bathroom beyond the wardrobe.
Harry walked back into the hall where Ron was still standing.
"There are two more bedrooms with a bathroom down that hall. The oddest thing is the hallway just kind of ends with a small window."
Dobby appeared next to Harry. "If Harry Potter needs more rooms I can extend the hall to make more rooms. Professor Dumbledore said he used some of the same magic at Hogwarts, sir!"
"Bloody hell!" Ron swore, impressed. "Dobby, what is in this room? I can't open the door."
"Professor Dumbledore says this is a special room for Harry Potter. For when he needs it!" With a giggle, Dobby popped out again.
Harry thought for a moment and reached for the door. It opened inside at his touch. Harry and Ron walked into the Hogwarts library.
"Not when I need it, when I require it! I think Dobby's sense of humor still needs some work." Harry looked around in wonder.
"We can't tell Hermione about this. I will never see my girlfriend again. She will be here studying all the time!"
Harry laughed, "I have never heard you come right out and call Hermione your girlfriend before!"
"Neither have I," a voice said dryly behind them. Hermione walked into the room and tapped Ron on his shoulder. "Ronald Bilius Weasley, you are going to get yourself into trouble."
"Harry, this house is wonderful. You deserve it." Hermione grinned, "And while my boyfriend may be right that I would normally lock myself in here, Ginny and I are going to have a wonderful time decorating this house with your money!"
An hour later, Harry and the others gathered around his kitchen table for a light lunch Dobby cooked. The girls and Tonks discussed the house in excited tones. Harry just sat with a bemused expression on his face.
When they started discussing Harry's room, Ron put his foot down. "You can't decorate Harry's room! He is letting you play with the rest of his house (I don't know why.), but at least leave him his room! Maybe he wants to paint it orange and black and hang a Cannons banner?"
In his distracted state, Harry mumbled, "It would have to be blue and gold."
Ron turned to Harry, "I thought you liked the Cannons."
Harry blinked and said, "I was thinking about something else and was distracted."
Ginny looked at Harry curiously. "Why would you want to paint your room blue and gold?"
"I don't, but I can't paint it for the Cannons, either. It might be awkward."
"Why not?" Ron demanded. "Our dorm room is covered in those colors."
Harry sighed. "Would you please let this go?" Seeing the looks of curiosity on Hermione, Ginny and Tonks faces and Ron's stubbornness, Harry realized that his muttered comment made this a lost cause.
"Don't get too excited. But I found out I own 20 of Puddlemere United." Harry said quietly.
Everyone but Remus looked at Harry stunned. Remus just smiled with a far away look. Ron sat opened mouthed with conflicting emotions. Harry had seen the same thing before when Hermione was friends with Krum. His feelings of jealousy warred with his awe of Krum as a player. Now his loyalty to his lifelong team fought with his loyalty to Harry.
Hermione took Ron's hand and patted it like a little boy. "It is okay Ron. You can still support the Cannons and be friends with Harry. Think of the fun you will have betting on games."
Ron grinned at her sheepishly. "Harry, why didn't you tell us about this before?"
Harry shrugged, "The last couple of days have been a bit of a blur. Greyback and the Death Eaters attacking kind of bumped it out of my mind."
Before his friends could ask Harry any more questions, Dobby appeared in the kitchen. "Harry Potter sir, you have visitors for you at the door."
After Harry left the table, Hermione turned to Remus and asked, "Why don't you seem surprised?"
"I had forgotten that Harry's grandfather had purchased a stake in the team. He did it in 1971 when we were first years. The team needed to buy new equipment and Mr. Potter provided the Galleons they needed." Remus looked around at Harry's friends. "I don't expect Harry will say anything to you about this. It probably embarrasses him. People today only talk about Harry as the Boy-Who-Lived. However, the Potter family has been one of the great wizarding families for centuries. It was always a small family but very wealthy and influential. James was an only child born late in his parents' lives. "
"Harry is heir to a great house. James once told me that their have been Potters at Hogwarts since the founding and in all four of the houses. The Potters have always been strong proponents of the Muggle-friendly part of the wizard world, as the Malfoys have supported the Pureblood faction. Although at one point it was a friendly argument between the two families."
Hermione asked, "Professor, how can the Potters have been in Slytherin if they disagreed with the Pureblood faction?"
"Salazar Slytherin wanted students of cleverness, ambition and cunning, aside from his Pureblood views. Don't let your prejudices cloud your view. Properly channeled, those attributes can be a great asset. Harry would have made an ideal Slytherin in a different time."
Harry walked to the door to find three young boys in Quidditch robes in the hall. The looked like first year students to Harry. Had he been that small his first year?
"Are you really Harry Potter?" one of the boys asked.
"Yes, I am. Can I help you?"
The boy who spoke blushed. "Mr. Potter, we are starting at Hogwarts in September. Are you still the Seeker for the Gryffindor team? Would you like to come play with us this evening in an exhibition match? Please?" These questions were asked in a rapid-fire mode.
Harry was taken by surprise by the question. "I don't know. I have not brought any of my Quidditch things with me yet."
"Harry Potter sir, I have already placed all of your things in your room. Your Quidditch uniform and your broom are upstairs!" Dobby said with a smile. "I can get your Wheezy and Lovey's things too!"
"Wow," said one of the boys. "You have a house-elf, but he is dressed!"
"This is my friend, Dobby. He saved my life once and I freed him." Harry said introducing Dobby.
"Harry Potter is the greatest wizard ever! I will say that until my dying day!" Dobby gushed with tears in his eyes.
Looking at the boys Harry said, "I think a fun game of Quidditch would be brilliant. I have two friends with me who also play. Could they join us?"
A boy dressed as a Keeper lit up. "Is one of them Ron Weasley? I heard he is a brilliant Keeper! Can I meet him?"
Harry laughed to himself. Ron had a fan, a big one from the sound of it. This should be a fun game.
Three hours later, Harry flew his Firebolt above the Quidditch pitch looking for the Snitch. A young Beater flew by on an old Cleansweep 5. Harry smiled and waved to the young player he had met early named Adrian.
Harry had enjoyed the evenings Quidditch game. Harry had never seen a recreational game before and he found it was a lot of fun. The exhibition turned into Harry, Ron and Ginny playing against a mixed team of local students without Bludgers. Ron made a great show of just barely saving their shots while Ginny played keep-away with the Quaffle. Harry played a game of Follow the Leader with three young Seekers.
The town accepted Harry as a returning son, rather then a hero. A large number of the older witches, wizards and Muggles told Harry amusing stories about his parents or seeing him as an infant.
Harry also learned that Miranda Goshawk had not been kidding when she told them that the trio had been Dumbledore's favorite summer topic. Harry was embarrassed (but not entirely surprised) to learn that five years of adventures, stunts and pranks he thought he had gotten away with were well known to Dumbledore. Worse, he had shared the stories with the town. As one elderly witch put it, "I never thought that any student or students would be able to replace the stories of the Marauders or the Weasley Twins, but it seems that the Golden Trio managed it!" Harry had never known that the Hogwarts staff had hung a nickname on Hermione, Ron and him. Yet the entire village of Godric's Hollow seemed to know it.
Harry spotted the Snitch streaking only a couple of feet above the ground. The Firebolt dove down to intercept the golden flash almost before Harry even consciously identified the Snitch. The wind in his hair, the adrenalin of the chase, and the friendship of the village made this one of the happiest days of Harry's life.
A/N: Please forgive me for the Simpson's quote. I had it on while I was writing that paragraph. Homer must have said it three times in a minute so I figured it was meant to be!
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