Harry James Potter

They all stood outside Grimmauld Place, in the deserted suburban street. Harry was in the lead; staring at the hill he recalled stumbling down only a number of days ago. How his life had changed from that moment to this moment was astonishing. Although his face appeared healed, his messy hair still reached his shoulders – he made sure he had some against his scar, hiding it from view. His body had not changed much either; he still felt the sores and bruises when he moved. However, they were better, much better, than they were when he descended that hill – he had even gained weight and muscle in those few days… but the scars, he realised, would be eternal reminders of his time at Vereor Nex.

"Ready?" Came Ginny's voice to his left. Harry's hand moved over the sword in the belt of his jeans,

"Absolutely." He muttered. He could see Hermione and Ron's faces, waiting, 'I'll be there soon,' he thought, as if his thoughts could carry across the miles 'I'm coming to get you.' Harry took a few paces forwards and immediately heard the sound of several Aurors doing the same. George smiled at Harry encouragingly and followed close behind him with Jack and Charlie. They ascended the hill; some Aurors going onto all fours to stop slipping down its muddy surface. They had begun their journey. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had given George, Ginny, Harry and Jack tearful farewells – with a strong embrace and kind, hopeful words.

"Bring them home," Mrs. Weasley had said, "Just bring them home…" Harry had given her his word, and left the house, hoping that by the end of the trip he would not have broken his promise.

The walking had begun at a very quick pace, each individual focussing on the same goal. Everyone was keeping an eye out, not speaking, just walking. One Auror had heard something and shot around only to see a small lizard scurry under a rock. They were all on the edge, Harry could feel it prickling the hairs on the back of his neck like electricity as the same riddle ran through his head… only the wolves followed, he ran his hand absentmindedly through his hair.

"Quiet, huh?" He heard a voice say. Harry looked up to see Jack strolling along beside him; Ginny was several paces in front of them both – out of ear-range.

"Yeah," he replied, "on the look-out I suppose." Jack nodded and they walked in an awkward silence for a few moments. "So… you and Ginny huh?" Harry asked. Jack seemed to like this change of topic because he smiled cheerfully,

"Yeah, for quite a while now." Harry kicked at some dirt with his feet, "quite a shock I must say, finding out Ron and Hermione were alive."

"Know much about them?"

"Here and there, you know. She didn't talk to me about them for ages when I met her, but there was always something," he frowned slightly as if trying to choose the right words, "hidden about it all… then when she started telling me about Hogwarts and they began to be brought up more. Harry was the last of them,"

"How do you mean?" He asked curiously.

"Harry Potter, heard of him? Of course you have… everybody has." Harry frowned for a moment before it clicked… and when it did accusation stuck in his throat – Jack didn't know that he was Harry. It made sense now, why every time Harry mentioned his life before Vereor Nex Ginny would cut him off, or quickly change the subject. She hadn't told him, he clenched his teeth.

"Yes I've heard of him."

"Ginny dated him, did you know?" Jack said, almost with a hint of anger. Harry picked up on it and didn't reply. He was frustrated with Ginny, but if she hadn't told him it must be for a reason – he would give her a chance to explain herself later, for the moment, he must keep being James.

"No, I didn't."

"It's crazy… The boy who lived… more like the boy who was really damn lucky he didn't die!" He laughed.

"Well, he defeated Voldemort, that gives him points in my books… he couldn't have done that on luck alone," Harry replied, trying to keep the anger from his voice. He wondered what Jack's face would feel like under his fist… Harry stuck his hands in his pockets to avoid a scene.

"Yeah, perhaps… but it was mostly luck," Jack stated firmly, "he could produce a Patronus… so what? I can too," he removed his wand from his pocket, "expecto patronum!" He yelled. A crow flew out the tip of his wand and started soaring around them, "see?" Harry frowned at it for a moment before it disappeared, he decided not to respond – he could feel the arguments burning the base of his throat but he knew that it wasn't worth arguing over.

"I'm going to go talk to George," he muttered, distracting himself.

"Oh, okay…" said Jack, with a surprised look on his face, "talk later then James?"

"…Yeah, later." Harry muttered under his breath. He felt anger boiled inside him and he wondered if what Jack had just said was responsible – or if he just naturally hated the guy, maybe he just didn't want to like him. Harry began strolling casually next to George, frowning at Ginny's back – still astounded that Jack had no idea he was Harry Potter. He went to say something to George but someone stopped him speaking with a strong grip on his arm. He came to an abrupt halt and turned to see who had stopped him, it was Dylan. His eyes were scouring the woods,

"Hear that?" Dylan muttered under his breath. Harry waited; the Aurors behind Harry had stopped in their tracks, listening.

"Hear what?" He asked after a few moments.

"I hear it," muttered George, pulling a wand out of his pocket, the other Auror's did the same. Harry put a fist around his sword and waited. The Aurors that had trailed ahead had now noticed the disappearance of the other members and had made their way back, all holding wands at the ready.

"Show yourself!" Harry yelled into the woods, their tall trunks blocking out most of the sun. Suddenly an Auror to his left fell, stunned – his wand inches from his fingertips. A few Aurors fired stunning spells in random directions, hoping to hear a comforting sound of a body falling to the ground, but none came.

"Are they invisible?" Came Jack's voice next to Harry.

"Not sure," he replied, his eyes jumping from tree to tree. The world was wrapped in silence for a moment, with only the sound of shifting branches and the occasional birdcall heard. Harry waited for a sound, a movement… he didn't have to wait long until several things seemed to happen at once. Harry saw a beam of light shoot at an Auror directly beside him; he jumped and tackled her to the ground – the spell hitting a tree behind them instead. Ginny, reacting on instinct had immediately thrown a spell from the light source and there was a distinctive sound of something falling onto the soft earth.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked the girl he had just pushed to the ground. He offered her his hand and she took it gratefully.

"I'm fine," she said, brushing away stray dirt from her robes. "Thanks for that," she said, Harry shrugged one shoulder,

"It's no problem." He watched as Ginny and two other Auror's emerged from the woods carrying a disheveled man between them. He hung limply, his eyes unfocused, his clothes dirty from the ground.

"Disillusion Charm," muttered Ginny distastefully. "We should set up camp sometime soon… question this guy when he regains consciousness."

"Absolutely," Harry replied almost too energetically. Ginny eyed him suspiciously as she half-dragged half-carried the man back to the path where they then dropped him carelessly. Dylan went to the Death Eaters side,

"Can I do the honours?" He asked Ginny.

"Go ahead."

Dylan flicked his wand and the Death Eater became wrapped in thick ropes, another movement with his wand made him levitate several inches off the ground, his head lolling backwards, hair slightly trailing in the dirt. "That should do," he said.

"I think there's a place not far from here… a clearing in the trees," Harry said to Ginny, his eyebrows furrowed in thought, trying desperately to remember the trail. Ginny nodded and response and set off at a determined walk, resuming her place at the front of the group. Everyone continued after her, their eyes constantly darting around woods surrounding them. Some Aurors didn't even pocket their wands, remaining cautious. Dylan was strolling next to Harry, the unconscious levitating Death Eater in front of them.

"I know that guy," Harry said quietly.

"Vereor Nex?" Dylan asked, matching Harry's tone. Harry nodded in response,

"Not the nicest guy around, let's just say that." He pulled up the sleeve of his shirt to show several scars up his arm, each appearing brutally carved. Harry remembered how he had kept his hand from his other arm pressed against the cuts as they bled profusely. Dylan frowned at them,

"Geez," he muttered as Harry pulled his sleeve back down. Harry notice that Ginny was alone at the front of the group and so took that moment as a possibility.

"Excuse me," he said to Dylan and set off at a fast walk, catching up to Ginny – out of ear range of everyone else.

"I need to talk to you," he said, she frowned momentarily but said nothing. "Why didn't you tell Jack who I was?" The question seemed to slow her pace slightly; she appeared uncomfortable, her cheeks burning scarlet.

"I don't know," she said inaudibly,

"What?"

"I don't know!" She looked at Harry for a moment, "I just… I didn't want to alright?" Harry considered the words,

"…That's not really good enough."

"I know."

"If you don't have a reason then I'll just tell him now shall I?" Harry stopped in his tracks to wait for Jack. Ginny quickly span around, her eyes sparking like fire, she grabbed Harry's jacket and pulled him forward.

"Developed a mean streak while you were away huh?" She said, her voice angry.

"I just… I don't like secrets," he said. "He's going to find out, and I'm sure it's you he'd like to hear it from." Ginny nodded,

"I know… I just don't know what to say."

"The truth helps," Harry replied.

"Easier said than done…" she whispered, kicking the dirt.

"He's not a big fan of me is he?" Harry said, Ginny laughed,

"No, he likes you fine… Harry? Not so much."

"Just, promise me you will do it… soon?" Harry asked, glancing sideways at her.

"Okay," she sighed, "I will… just, keep being James for now? For him anyway?" Harry kept quiet for a moment, "please?" She pressed,

"Okay! Fine."

"Thanks Harry," she said.

"Wake up," Ginny commanded, standing in front of the Death Eater's slumped form. They had tied him to a tree with severe force, and now Ginny, Harry and another Auror Harry didn't know had been given the chore of questioning the Death Eater as the others set up camp. The sun was low in the sky, casting eerie shadows on the ground. Two Aurors were circulating the campground, waving their wands and muttering spells incoherently under their breath – occasionally causing the air to ripple as if an invisible wall was being placed around them. Others set up tents, although there were only few of them, each navy blue in colouring.

"Wake up!" Ginny said again, grabbing the Death Eater by the face and shoving a potion into his slack lips. A few moments passed before the Death Eater started spluttering, his eyes rolling back in his head as he tried to regain focus. When he did, his eyes immediately rested on Harry,

"Potter," he said, his voice a deep croak. His eyes moved around the camp and he laughed hoarsely. "Got yourself a bit of an army here eh?"

"I'll be doing the questioning if you don't mind," Ginny said. She turned to Harry briefly, "you don't have to stay if you don't want to… we can get someone else to do this."

"It's fine," he replied.

"Another Weasley," the Death Eater stated with an air of distaste. His eyes still moving around the camp, he must have seen George and Charlie for he soon said, "bit of a family reunion huh? Everyone's going to have a swell time." He for some reason found this hilariously funny as he began to laugh heartily. Harry, not being able to stand the sound lodged a kick squarely into the ribs of the Death Eater – he could swear he felt a snap as he made impact. The Death Eater slouched sideways, a pained look on his face.

"Shut up Bainsley," he said. Harry felt adrenalin running through him, to be on the other side of the attack felt so wonderful… revenge… he bathed in it.

"Such harsh words for a cowering fool," Bainsley replied, his voice sounding strained through panting breaths. "Ah, no! Stop! Don't hurt us!" He imitated, putting on a girly voice. Some Aurors had stopped to listen now,

"Are you tracking Harry?" Ginny asked, holding out a hand to stop Harry running at Bainsley again. He grudgingly held back and waited for the answer. The Death Eater grinned,

"You could say that."

"How?" Replied Ginny. Again, the Death Eater smiled, Harry hadn't realised until then how quickly darkness had fallen on the camp.

"A magician never reveals his tricks!" He said. Harry placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, he felt Ginny's hand grab at his sleeve and tug it away,

"Don't!" She warned in an urgent whisper, "we'll do that when we have to." Harry grudgingly removed his hand.

"Taking order Potter? That's not in your nature." Bainsley said cruelly. Suddenly his eyes widened slightly, "ooh, is this the girl?" He asked, "the one that kept creeping up in your mind whenever we infiltrated it?" He laughed again. That sound filled his head, and he removed his sword before Ginny could stop him and shoved it through the Death Eaters shoulder with as much force as he could muster. The Death Eater screamed in pain as Harry removed it, his teeth clenched. Ginny grabbed Harry's sword from him,

"I think you should stay out of this one. I'll question him… you can watch if you don't do anything. That was out of line Harry, we can't have him dying on us." Although she sounded angry there was something in her eyes that seemed sad. He nodded, his eyes trailing across the Death Eater as he bled, sobbing loud tears of pain.

"Sorry," Harry said to Ginny.

"It's okay, just leave it to me. We need info, not a carcass." Harry went and sat next to George at a safe distance. George was taking a swing from a hipflask, he offered it to Harry who grabbed it hungrily and downed the liquid, feeling it burn his tongue and the base of his throat.

"That was rough, are you okay?" George queried,

"Not really." Harry replied, taking another swing. He could still hear the Death Eater's pained groans; part of him enjoyed the sound, he smirked slightly. Jack walked over and sat down next to George, Harry could see him out of the periphery of his vision,

"They start without me?"

"Yep," replied George.

"Is he bleeding?"

"I stabbed him in the shoulder," Harry stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh…" Jack said, "yeah these Death Eaters can get to people, they're cunning that way." George nodded and took the flask off Harry, who was now watching Ginny question the Death Eater, Harry's sword secured in her belt next to her own. She had grabbed his face in one hand, holding it in a vice-like grip.

"I'm going to give you one more chance," she was muttering in a fierce undertone.

"Then what? You're going to do worse than what Potter did?" Harry saw Jack stiffen next to George,

"Did he just say Potter?" He asked, looking at George. "Am I the only one who heard that?" George seemed to be panicking, Harry could almost feel his heart rate rise next to him, he was staring at Harry, asking for an answer. Harry grabbed the hip flask off George again and drank, a small smile playing on his lips.

Hi guys!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I had a tough time writing the start of it, I was going to edit it heaps but I just feel like I needed to post! I hope you all have a great Easter, I'll be uploading the next chapter soonish so stay tuned!

Phoenixxsong