A/N:

Chapter 1: The Aftermath

Number 12 Grimmauld Place was darker than ever. The curtains were drawn closed, sheets covered the furniture. A thick dust covered everything. The house had lain forgotten in the clash of war. It hadn't seen life for a while, not until a few days after he had defeated Voldemort.

Harry had pulled on a comfortable pair of sweats and t-shirt. His trunk at the foot of the bed he currently lay on. A guest room. He couldn't bring himself to move into an appropriate room. It hurt too much. But being at the Burrow wasn't an option. The loss of Fred was too great. And Harry, he felt responsible. The Weasley's needed time to grieve in peace, without the face of the person who failed to save them all haunting their every turn.

He hadn't done much the entire summer. Grief ate him up on the inside. He had shut out anyone who tried to reach him. He barely ate, and only when Kreecher persisted. The house elf's change in opinion of him was great.

Ginny had stopped coming when he made it clear he couldn't support her the way she wanted. He was hurting inside himself, and had too many demons to chase away. Looking at Ginny only reminded him of his failures.

BANG BANG BANG

"Harry James Potter! You open up this door this instant!" Hermione was banging on his door. She was still the most persistent person around. The Weasley's all fell one by one in their attempts to reach him. Harry didn't blame them. He didn't deserve them.

CRACK

Harry looked up with dead eyes to see a long crack in the door along the knob. He was a little surprised. Hermione usually just gave up, and never used force like this.

BANG

The door shattered against the wall as it swung open. Hermione stood there, hair in a messy bun, and a fierce glare in her brown eyes. But once they locked on the green ones before him, the anger melted. Harry was so thin.. Deathly looking. His eyes lacked the sparkle they usually held.

"Oh, Harry.." She collapsed next to him, crushing him to her in a tight hug. She cried for him, as his own tears were dried out. He just lay there, allowing her to hold him. "Harry, we're all so worried about you! Please, enough is enough. You need to move again, eat right. Take care of yourself!"

Her eyes were streaming with tears, and he looked away. Blue eyes awaited him. Ron. The red head stood in the doorway, unshed tears in his own eyes.

"Please, Harry. None of us blame you. I already lost one brother to this war, don't make me lose another." Ron spoke gently. The force of his words crashed down on his chest, and he cried out. A new guilt raked over him as he realized what he had been putting his two best friends through. The two that were always there for him. And his entire family. Ron pulled both him and Hermione to him as Harry cried out, for one last time.

~*~Line~*~

The days started out slow as Harry began to let go. Healing wasn't easy. The reminder of lost lives were everywhere. The Weasley's welcomed him once again with open arms, pulling him into bone crushing hugs. Mrs. Weasley worked even harder to stuff him full at each meal. But he still pushed Ginny away. The ginger woman only tried once, when he first arrived, and fled with rejection.

Harry felt horribly about what he put her through, but he just couldn't be the man she wanted him to be.. The man she needed him to be.

Days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months. Harry began to look healthy once again. He joined in with the family in games and laughter, but everyone around him could always tell there was something missing.

"I'm fine." He would insist with a light smile on his lips. They would just sigh and drop the subject. Harry didn't even know he was lying.

Then, one day, the three Griffyndors were startled to receive a letter from Hogwarts when Ginny did. Rebuilding had finished, and classes would happen again, as everyone tried to put the war behind them.

Apparently, the previous 7th years were given an option to either take the NEWT's immediately, and opt out of the school year, or they could return for a repeat chance due to the lack of proper learning the year before.

"We must go!" Hermione declared. Ron and Harry both looked at her as if she was daft. "What? We didn't even attend a single day of 7th year!" She pushed.

"I don't want to go back." Harry spoke from his spot in an arm chair by the fire.

"Would you rather face the world and step into your career at this moment, Harry?" Hermione spoke softly. She was right though. Harry wasn't ready to be an adult on his own yet. He was still healing, no matter the distance he had come already.

"No, but I don't want to go back there. Maybe I'll just take some time off. I have enough money from my parents and Sirius' estates."

"So, you're just going to close yourself off again, are you?" Hermione bit back at him. His anger flared and he stood, only to be interrupted.

"Just like your father." Gasps were heard around the room as eyes shifted to the figure before them. Severus Snape stood, sneering down his long nose at Harry.

"P-Professor?" He forced out. Snape rolled his eyes.

"Yes, you idiot. Just more proof that you need to return to finish your education." Harry had trouble being angry at him. He was too shocked to really register any of his insults.

"What? How?" He was at a loss for words, but there were so many questions. Snape rolled his eyes again and sighed in annoyance.

"Shut your trap, Potter." Harry's mouth slammed shut, with a clink from his teeth. "That's better. How? It's called a Healer. What? I assume you mean, what am I doing here. And there is no reason other than the fact that I made a promise to your mother so long ago to watch over you the best I could. So, you will return to Hogwarts, finish your education, take your NEWT's, and move on into your life." His arms were crossed as he watched the young man before him.

"I don't know what to say.." He trailed off, at a true loss for words.

"'Yes sir' would be a great start." He led. Harry couldn't help but smile lightly.

"Yes sir."