Chapter 34

The Return Home

"What a year, what a year," Dumbledore's voice said to the crowd of students in the Great Hall. Today marked the final day at their beloved school. Many students, despite trying to be as upbeat as possible, wondered silently whether or not they would have the opportunity to come back again and see another year at Hogwarts. Such thoughts were interrupted as the Headmaster began to speak again.

"Many of you have had many hardships this year and have seen things not even seen by fully trained witches and wizards, but now I must tell you all, in all seriousness, that you must be strong for you and your families. You may choose your sides, which ever it may be, but always remember I am here. This world is too fragile to let it go. Now go, pack and enjoy you summer holidays. I hope to see each and every one of you next year," the older man said before the students quietly walked out of the hall.

Ginny walked along with Hermione and Ron. During Dumbledore's speech, the kids began to reflect of the year. Although it ended sourly, there were so many good things that happened. Ginny smiled as she thought of Harry and his bravery from the battle in Hogsmeade. That was front page news -- everyone seemed to find it so interesting that children, mere students still in school, fought Death Eaters and all of them had survived, some even unscathed.

"How about we see Harry? I think his mum and dad packed already for him and themselves," Ginny suggested.

"Gin, you know he's still a bit angry about us not telling him," Hermione told her. Ginny's face hardened.

"Does it look like I care?" she asked coldly. Noticing that her harsh tone was uncalled for, Ginny sighed. "I have something to give to him anyway, so don't worry." Hermione and Ron gave her doubtful looks. Ginny, ignoring their looks, turned around and began to walk to the Hospital Wing.

Ron shook his head as he watched Ginny walk down the corridor. "My sister is a bit of a nut, isn't she?"

Hermione laughed. "Yes she is."

"Harry?" Ginny said quietly coming up to his bed. Moving quietly towards his bed, Ginny held back a laugh as she looked at Harry's sleeping form. Harry was lying on his stomach, one arm hanging over the side of the bed, and his mouth was wide open. A small bit of drool was falling onto the pillow which Ginny, taking one of the towels from the nightstand next to his bed, wiped away. Despite wanting to watch Harry sleep, Ginny decided to nudge him, trying to wake him softly.

Harry stirred with a bit of a confused look on his face. He opened his eyes slowly and looked at Ginny blankly. "Whozere?"

Ginny smiled and laughed. "Hey there," she said softly, kissing his cheek. "How are you feeling this morning?"

Grabbing his glasses, Harry put them on and gave her a tired smile. He rubbed his messy head and moved into the sitting position. "Hello. I'm doing pretty good, still a bit sore. How are you?"

Ginny shrugged, "As can be expected given the circumstances."

Harry nodded and grabbed Ginny's hand. Running his thumb across her knuckles, he sighed heavily. "I'm sorry I was mad at you. I realize now that you really had no other choice. I guess it was just me overreacting."

"Nothing to be sorry about, love. I'm sorry for not telling you," she answered, enjoying the sensations his thumb gave off.

Harry waved away the apology and notice something in Ginny's hand. "What is that?" Harry asked, pointing to the paper in her hands.

Ginny looked down and held out the envelope. "It's something for you. I wrote it, but Harry, you have to promise me you will not read it until you get home. Promise?"

Harry looked at his girlfriend and leant up to kiss her."I promise you."

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny sat happily chatting in their compartment on the Hogwarts Express. They were on their way to Headquarters where they would all stay together for the summer. Even Hermione's parents were staying there to be sure they were safe.

Despite the drama from that went on during the year, the group of friends remained the same. They sat smiling and laughing at the bad jokes Ron was telling and they laughed at how Ginny would hit Harry over the head as he would start making fun of the famous Weasley hair.

Ginny looked at Harry and found that even though he had been through so much, he still looked somewhat like himself. He was being fed none stop by Molly Weasley who had decided it was her job to go the castle and feed Harry while teaching Lily some of her famous recipes. He was gaining his physique back and although Harry was still having problems walking without pain, he was slowly becoming the happy kid he was during that year. She also noticed that in his back pocket was the letter he had given him; still closed tightly with her seal on it.

"Oh come on! My jokes aren't that bad," Ron complained. Hermione laughed harder and pointed at Ron, gawking at him. "Oh, shut up, Hermione," he said crossing his arms tightly over his chest.

This, however, caused more laughter to arise

Ron huffed as everyone began to settle down and was red in then face.

"Oh, Ron," Hermione said kissing him on the cheek. Ron smiled and leaned back in his seat.

"So, Harry," he said slyly, "excited to go home?"

Harry was about to answer when Hermione instantly hit Ron over the head and Ginny gave him a death glare.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked confused at the reactions. Hermione looked at him mumbling words about a fly and Ginny just didn't answer.

"What do you know that I don't?" he asked knowing that his other three friends knew something.

"Nothing! Nothing at all," Hermione said quickly smiling way to much. Harry nodded and they continued their conversation.

As the train ride came to a sad halt, the many Hogwarts students grabbed their trunks and immediately jumped off the train. Harry however was instructed to wait until everyone was off so he would have easy access off.

Another five minutes came and went and Harry slowly walked off the train with help from his friends. Ron was the lucky one who was holding all of the luggage including Harry's and his own. Hermione and Ginny were standing beside Harry giving him support as he walked.

"HEY! I NEED HELP!" Ron bellowed under all the trunks. The other three didn't even acknowledge him.

When Harry finally made it off the train, he stopped for a moment wondering who had come to pick them up. He was jolted out of his thoughts as Ron flew out of the train, all the luggage on top of him.

Stifling their laughs Harry knelt down next to him, "You okay there mate?"

Ron snorted and started grumbling about servants.

"Hey! Harry, look," Ginny said excitedly pointing to a group of people. Harry turned his head and a smile lit up his face.

Standing not to far away was a small group of people; obviously their guard since Harry no longer had to return to the Dursley's home. Sirius and Remus stood idly tripping adults passing by while James was getting yelled at by Lily. Moody was standing there clicking his stump for a leg trying to get their attention. Molly was yelling at Sirius and Remus who paid no attention to the woman and Fred and George were out selling items from their joke shop. The odd group was getting a lot of weird looks and whispers especially with the presence of Lily and James Potter who supposedly had been dead for a good 15 years.

The four teenagers walked quietly up to the large group and merely watched, waiting for them to even notice they were there.

"JAMES POTTER! STOP IT!" Lily screamed slapping him over the head.

"Lils! Come on! We have to have a little fun and HEY! WATCH THE HAIR! I JUST GOT IT LIKE THIS!" James yelled to his wife shielding his head from her swatting.

"Oh come on! It's like every day! What's the difference?" she asked tapping her foot angrily.

James looked up at her as if she was mad, "Hello. See this little part here?" James pointed to a piece of hair that was sticking up, "it took me forever to get it too look like this."

Lily just stood there looking at James.

"I'm surprised you are not gay," she mumbled. James shot up and gave her an evil look.

"Hey! I am not gay! You love my hair! I just want to look good every day for you and all the lucky people who get to enjoy my presence," he said crossing his arms smugly. Lily burst out laughing.

"So I guess that's where you get your cockiness mate?" Ron whispered containing his own laughter.

"What is so funny? HEY! I HEARD THAT LILY POTTER! MY HAIR IS VERY SHINY AND YOU KNOW IT!" James screamed stamping his foot on the ground like a five year old child trying to get candy.

At that point, the teens gave up and burst out laughing. The guard suddenly became aware of them and stopped in the place they were at. Sirius and Remus stopped in mid-stride running from Molly. Fred and George stopped throwing their dung bombs and Lily stopped laughing as she saw her son.

"When did you guys get here?" Molly screeched running up to her children which she included Harry and Hermione. The kids were still laughing which made it hard for Molly to give them her usual bone-crunching hugs.

Lily wiped herself off of the dust and she and James came up to Harry and gave him a big hug that he gladly accepted. As they pulled away, Harry noticed the knowing looks everyone was giving him.

"What does everyone seem to know that I don't?" Harry asked getting a bit annoyed.

Molly walked up to Harry and stood next to his mother, "oh you'll see Harry. Don't you worry."

After taking a portkey from the platform Harry had yet to take a breathe. He was shocked when he had not arrived at Number 12 Grimmauld Place and still hadn't taken his eyes off the magnificent house that was standing in front of him.

It was a beautiful cottage that Harry had only seen in his dreams about that faithful night years and years ago. The cottage was new looking even though it had been standing for longer than Harry's father was alive. Trees surrounded it and other houses were empty along side.

Flowers were illuminating the house and Harry walked up to it. He touched it just to make sure it was real and Harry pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming like he had so many times before.

He came up to the mailbox and ran his fingers over the name on it. It read "the Potter's."

Harry jumped up and down smiling, loosing all sense of dignity. His parents stood watching their son look happier than he had in a long while. The other's had taken a portkey back to headquarters where they would wait for a chance to see the infamous house where the legend of Harry Potter truly began.

"You like it?" his father called laughing as Harry was still jumping.

Harry stopped and smiled, "yes! What kind of question was that? Can we go in?"

Lily laughed and nodded guiding him to the door. Harry stuck his hand out to the knob but stopped. He remembered his dreams as a child in his first year where he would see flashbacks. The house was clean and cozy and quiet. Suddenly, a green light illuminated the room. His father came out holding his wand and called to his wife to run with Harry. Harry shook his head fighting the memory and opened the door.

It was truly magnificent. The house had been restored to its former glory and Harry ran in and out of each room smiling. This was his home after all.

"Do I have a room?" he asked. Harry didn't care that he was acting like a little kid, he was just happy.

James looked a bit dumbfounded, "of course you have room! This is your house too, Harry. It's upstairs and to the right. First one there."

Harry nodded and ran up the stairs skipping every other one ignoring the pain that was coming from his side. He didn't exactly care if he wasn't supposed to be running; he just wanted to see HIS room. He reached his door and saw that etched in it was his name and quidditch number. He smiled and opened it.

His breathe caught in his throat.

The room was… perfect. Harry had never truly had his own room. He didn't get one at the Dursley's and Dudley's old play room didn't really count. He also shared a room with Ron at Grimmauld but here, he was at home.

The walls were in Gryffindor colors; red and gold and one wall was lined with pictures. Some of Harry, Ron, and Hermione from their younger years and one of Harry, Ron, and Hermione before the Yule Ball. Others were of him and Ginny doing stupid faces at the camera. Harry found pictures he didn't know that anyone had even taken. It was from his quidditch games during the year. They showed Harry flying magnificently and catching the golden snitch. Then there was the most embarrassing picture Harry had ever seen; it was from when he and Ginny were snogging in front of Ron and Hermione. Ron was red as a beet and stormed over to Harry who was currently busy. He started poking Harry until he looked up and Ron hexed him. The picture proceeded to show Ron and Harry hexing each other while Ginny and Hermione tried to stop the fight.

Harry chuckled, good times.

Harry ran his hand over the satin bed sheets that were the color red. He smiled and looked around the room some more. He found that he had a desk filled with books on defense and everything else he needed to know for school. He had new parchment pieces, some new supplies for the upcoming year, quills, and more things that he would never need.

Harry was more than shocked to find his firebolt already sitting in a corner in his room; it was standing nicely in a stand which read "Harry's broom" on it. His quidditch robes were hanging on a hanger in his closet which had new clothes already in it. He would never have to wear Dudley's old clothes again.

Harry saw on his nightstand was more pictures but they were a bit more personal. They were ones from his photo album; his parents were dancing happily in a park and then there was a picture of Harry as a baby with his parents in front of the original Godric's Hollow.

Harry looked around his room one more time before remembering the note in his pocket. His picked it up and sat at his new desk. He smiled as he looked at the familiar hand writing.

My dearest Harry,

Right now, I'm sitting next to your sleeping figure. You look absolutely adorable when you sleep you know, not that you don't when you are awake but when you're asleep, you look 11 years old again. You look like the once lost and confused boy you were all those years ago.

I decided to write you this letter just now. Oh Harry, you've been through so much in your life I just don't know how to make you happy anymore.

This letter is to remind you of some things Harry and if you are reading this before I said you could which you had better not be, stop now.

Anyway, when you were… captured I thought my life was over. I thought that they had tortured you for information and then killed you. That whole week… I didn't think I could make it.

Ron and Hermione were distraught as well. Ron was so quiet Harry. He would skive off classes to go up to the dorm and just would sit there looking at your empty bed. Hermione was well weird. She was reading none stop about spells to help find people then she would do your homework and act as if you were just sick. She would leave it on your bed.

I was not quite good. I would sit in the bathrooms and cry for you Harry. One time I broke down in McGonagall's class while she was teaching us how to change an object into a pot. Everything to me related to you. I would see something black it would lead to your hair. I would see the glass in the window; it would lead to glasses, which inevitably lead to you.

I need you to know Harry, that you mean the world to everyone. Not just to me but to my mum, my dad, my brother's, Hermione, Dumbledore, the teachers (except Snape but you know him), Sirius, Remus, the Order, and of course your parents whom you don't really know about yet but I suppose you will find out soon.

Harry ever since I found out about that damned prophecy I have been worried sick about you and your life along with Ron and Hermione and everyone else. I thought day after day that what if you didn't make it? What if you lost? What if you won but died trying? What if… what if… what if. But I know you are strong, you are amazing, you are brilliant, you are bloody Harry Potter and we all have faith in you.

I know the prophecy says it's up to you and you only but we can be there for support can't we? I think so.

Do me a big favor love and live your life. You will be hunted yes but you are only a teenager now; soon to be adult wizard but you can still have fun! Do it for me if anything.

Harry James Potter, I love you more than life itself and I will be there for you in the hard times.

Till death do us part love, I mean it.

Love always and forever,
Ginny or as you call me Gin

Harry sat there for a moment just looking at the letter. It was deep and heartfelt. He found a new strength. He would do it… he would win and live his life for years to come with Ginny Weasley.

"Harry!" his mother called from down the stairs, "time for dinner! Everyone is coming over to see the new house!"

Harry smiled; he had a family; a real full fledged family.

"Coming!" he called before racing down the stairs of Godric's Hollow, Harry's home sweet home.