Harry potter and the Time of Retirement
Everything related to Harry Potter belongs to JKR
Chapter 24
"Come on Wayne, move" said an excited Justin.
"Relax, Justin. Gee" was his answer.
"It's not like our grades are going to change" said Harry, evenly.
"Aren't you curios though? Not even a tiny bit?" asked Ernie.
"Nope" was Harry's answer.
"Most of the exams were pretty easy. There won't be surprises" added Zacharias, who was waiting while leaning on the door.
"Here, I am ready" said Wayne, getting closer.
"Let's go then. The girls have been waiting for us for a while already" said Justin, walking out of the room. Wayne followed, with a whispered 'So what?' that made Ernie snigger.
Harry and Zacharias exchanged a tired look, rolled their eyes and walked out themselves.
Hufflepuff's common room seemed particularly lively that evening with students coming, going and talking between themselves in small groups whose members were constantly changing. The small group of first year boys, moving towards their usual corner, eventually met their female counterparts.
"Finally! Talk about being slow" complained Susan, her arms folded in front of herself.
"My dad say its bad etiquette to make ladies wait, you know?" stated Megan, who was laying down on a couch.
"You are no lady yet, Megan" countered Ernie, with a smile.
"And when you'll be, we'll be the one stuck waiting" said Harry lightly. Too bad his humor was not understood by everyone.
"What? Why?" asked Hannah.
"Sexisttt" said Sally-Anne, but she was smiling at Harry while saying that.
"Sex what?" asked puzzled Ernie, with Justin sniggering next to him.
"Please, let's just go. Please" said Wayne.
"Found your enthusiasm now, eh?" asked sarcastically Zacharias. Wayne did not answer.
Lead by Susan, their group moved out of the common room, towards the great hall. Green and silver were still the dominating colors there, with a shining Slytherin banner still on display behind the High Table, a remainder of their victory of the House Cup. On the side walls, large parchments were on display showing the exam results for all the years that had not undertook the O.W.L.s or the N.E.W.T.s. Getting close to their year's parchment, the kids started examining it.
"Yeeeah, I passed" said happily Hannah.
"I am pretty sure we all did" said Ernie.
"I wonder if anyone ever failed the first year" added dismissively Zacharias.
"Let me see… nope, even those Crabbe and Goyle passed" said Megan.
"Just check your grades, guys" said Justin, busy reading his.
"Not bad, really not bad. My lowest score is in History" said Hannah.
"Me too. And I got an Exceed Expectations in Potions" added smugly Wayne.
Harry, too, checked out his own results. Beside an Acceptable in Potions, all his grades were either Exceed Expectations or Outstanding. Shrugging, he turned around to watch all the other students.
Nearby he could see a group of Gryffindors, both boys and girls, spread in circle and talking happily between themselves. He couldn't avoid to wonder how well Ron did, without his and especially Hermione's help this year around. 'Good luck, old friend' thought Harry.
Ravenclaws seemed less satisfied with their results, and busy talking between themselves. Judging from their pointing at their grades, and those of some other house's students, there was a chance they were actually comparing results.
Finally, in the background, Harry noticed the Slytherins. They had a smug expression on their faces, probably a results from their victory over both Cup's races. While he was watching them Malfoy spotted him, nodded in his direction as a greeting and came closer.
"Potter" he started.
"Hi Draco. Have you seen your grades already?" answered Harry.
"Sure I did. Mostly Outstanding, but I expected that" he answered smugly.
"Really? Check the other houses, maybe you are the best student of our year" countered Harry, a slight teasing tone in his voice. Draco took some time to answer, and when he did his voice was a mix of dejection and irritation.
"Maybe later. So, your plans for this summer?"
"I am not sure. It also depends on what my relatives wants to do" said Harry.
"Your muggle relatives. Try not to get too close to them, Potter" said Malfoy.
"I'll try. And you, do you have more parties planned?" asked Harry.
"No, nothing specific. I'll visit my friends, but that's it. Why, you want to be invited again?" asked Malfoy sarcastically.
"No need, I will probably go red this summer. Weasley suggested having his own gathering, back at your house" answered Harry, amused. Draco's reaction did not leave him wanting.
"That good for nothing Gryffindor…. Ah, he was probably just jealous of me. Don't count on him keeping his word. Or better, hope for it" said acidly Malfoy.
"That's no way to talk about your secret friend, Draco" said Harry. At these words, Malfoy's face tightened up even more.
"I'll see you later, Potter" he said, going away.
"Sure, later" was Harry's answer, who decided to get back to his group of Hufflepuffs.
"Ah, Harry, here you are! Have you heard about tonight?" asked excitedly Hannah. He had no time to answer, though.
"A party, Harry, organized by the older years" said Ernie.
"End of the year party! I like the idea" added Justin.
"I wouldn't mind trying a butterbeer again" said Zacharias.
"Wait, you tried one already?" asked Megan. Zacharias smiled smugly, but the effect was ruined by Susan.
"I did too, you know? It's no big deal."
"I didn't, but now I want to" added Wayne.
"We'll have a drinking competition, then" said Harry, smiling.
The evening after, an inferius-like group of Hufflepuff followed a tide of students all the way back to the station in Hogsmeade, where the Hogswart express was waiting for them. Once found a couple of free compartments, boys and girls crashed on them and soon fell asleep. Harry, while quite tired himself, just watched them with amusement.
The couple of cups of butterbeers they all tried at the year's end celebrations were not enough to get even an house elf drunk, but the bottle of firewhiskey a "funny" 5th year boy offered them to share, plus staying up basically until 4 in the morning, was enough to knock them all out. Harry, aware of his limits and with a lifetime's worth of experiences in similar situation, was still up. Not actually drinking any of the whiskey might have helped too.
Distractedly, he watched outside his window where the countryside was passing by fast. Unlike Christmas, where he still had a sliver of hope to solve his situation quickly, he was now resigned to stay involved with Hogwarts for a longer time. For better or worse, understanding or not what actually dragged him down to his past, he was here and that seemed to be it.
'Hopefully muggles were right, for once' he though, considering all their fictional stories about parallel dimensions and stuff. He didn't care for his family and kids for decades only for them to be erased by whatever happened. The mere idea was enough to freeze him in his tracks out of fear.
Feeling nostalgic Harry moved back to his memories, something he had not done in the last months, so busy he was in planning his thrice-damned duel with Quirrell and other school life chores. His children in their school uniform, nights out with Ginny, the mundane day-after-day at his job…. his whole life.
Mostly, he had enjoyed this year back in his old school – it's not like the life of a kid was hard or stressful in any way, when taken with an adult's perspective. Still, he kept assuming until now he could deal with Riddle in one strike and then decide what to do. 'Wishful thinking' thought Harry.
Obviously, it was not over. And after what happened he actually wanted to face Riddle again, considered Harry narrowing his eyes… hopefully when that criminal was still weak and ghost-like, of course.
In any case, some extra time spent sticking around would be needed. He could not recall all the details, but things like a tri-wizard tournament and the fake Moody were not something he could forget, and that was probably the next moment he would face Riddle. Probably.
'That could take years' he thought dejectedly. Still, there was not much else he could do. Vague ideas about hunting for Horcruxes and similar passed through his mind…before being completely rejected. Maybe he could put his hands on those easier to access, if he could do it without excessive hassles, but there was no way he would replicate his younger self's risky adventures. Those were only a secondary worry anyway – putting down Riddle in a way he could not come back was hopefully possible, and easier, than just hoping he would not create more like he did with Nagini, or simply hide better those that were around and he could somehow recover.
'Maybe I just don't want to do all that again' admitted Harry honestly. He was not going to take the whole weight of suppressing Riddle on his shoulders. His days at thinking he was the only one able to solve problems were over. He would fulfill what he felt were his duties, but that was it.
A small groan from one of his housemates drew his attention, but it was just a random sound as they were all still deeply asleep. His musings broken, he decided to walk a little around the train, and maybe find something to eat. As for all the others, he too had skipped breakfast in exchange for an extra hour of sleep.
The train was littered with the usual faces, mostly older students that Harry only occasionally could link to someone he met and befriended after Hogwarts was over. He was pleased, at least, to see that now no one kept staring at him more than strictly necessary; he was definitely one students among the others, at least among them. 'Kids have short attention spans, after all' he thought sarcastically.
Finally, he met the trolley lady and bough a small assortment of food and sweets. Instinctively, he decided at the end to buy a lot more, to share with his housemates just in case. It's not like he was lacking for money, and after so many months he could always write Dumbledore for access to more of his funds.
Walking back, he met the two Patil sisters busy chatting in front of the carriage housing Gryffindor's first year girls. He tried to just smile and nod, but Padma stopped him.
"Harry! I saw your grades, congratulations" she said, friendly.
"Mmmhh? How did you go, Harry?" asked Parvati.
"Good enough, but nothing special. And Snape gave me an acceptable" he answered.
"Typical. But he would have failed you if he could, so don't get down for that" said Padma.
"Wanna guess who was the best in Gryffindor?" asked Parvati.
"I can imagine. Did she help you to prepare for the exams?" countered Harry.
"Oh, yes, she has been very nice" said Parvati.
"Even too much" added Padma, but her sister lightly pushed her.
"I hope you are not jealous of her results. Come on, that would be unfair" said Harry.
"I think Malfoy was. You should have heard what he was saying to his friends, back in the Great Hall" added Parvati.
"He certainly looked a lot less snobbish" said a new voice, coming from the carriage. One second after, Hermione appeared at the door.
"Hey Hermione" said Padma, with her sister only nodding to her.
"Hi" said Harry.
"Hi" answered Hermione, neutrally.
"So, best grades in Gryffindor?" he asked.
"I heard that you did well yourself" she answered.
"Come on, guys, make peace" said Parvati.
"We are not fighting!" countered Hermione.
"Really, now. Harry?" asked teasingly Padma.
"Leave her alone" he answered, smiling. The two sisters giggled, and even Hermione did not seem hostile towards him, for once.
A second of silence followed, and Harry took advantage of that to leave.
"This is it. Have a nice summer girls, I'll see you all in… Diagon's Alley, maybe" he said, moving a step away.
"Have a nice summer, Harry!" said Padma. Parvati just waved her hand.
"Bye, Harry" said in a low voice Hermione.
Walking slowly towards his housemates carriage, Harry found them all still asleep. Leaving his bag of food on one chair, he took down from his chest a book and, trying to remain as silent as possible, he started reading and munching. There were still some hours to burn, before they would finally arrive back in London.
Tired, Harry placed his chest and the rest of the luggage on the floor of his room at Privet Drive. The goodbyes with his classmates had been…. nice, he thought, just that bit too much emotional. Most of the girls wanted to hug them all, and even the boys were all about writing or visiting each other during summer. Not that Harry was opposed to that, but…
'Ok, i am not going to do that' he honestly thought, shaking his head. If there was one thing he could imagine for the coming months, it was minding his own business and those only. Maybe traveling a little, if he could find the desire.
'What was that guy's name, again?' he mused, thinking of his trip to the Leaky Cauldron during the Christmas break. That had been a fun moment – for him.
Placing away his school robe, and hiding his most valuable items – Mantle of Invisibility and leftovers Galleons among those – he went out to greet his family.
A trip to the kitchen first, and in the living room later, confirmed what the silence seemed to suggest: no one was at home. Picking up a slice of watermelon from the fridge, he moved in front of the TV and turned it on, while sitting down on the couch.
'This is nice' he thought, relaxing.
It was after maybe five minutes that an hesitant voice came from behind him, in the distance.
"Dad? Mom? Is that you?" said what looked like a kid's voice.
"Dudley, it's Harry. Come in."
His cousin advanced, until he was looking at him with a weird expression.
"I didn't know you would be back today" he said.
"Your parents don't, either. So, how is it going?" said Harry.
Dudley took his time to answer, before sitting down next to Harry. He also picked up the remote, and started changing the channels on the TV.
'Of course' thought Harry, while his face remained expressionless.
"I have been at home for a while now, it's boring. Mom and Dad are out for shopping, if you care" he said, while watching a cartoon on the screen.
"I do. Sort of. Why didn't you go, too? They could have bought you something" said Harry.
"They are buying clothes" answered Dudley disgusted. "Dad is planning some important dinner, or something."
"Your mom wanted you to go, you bitched about staying here" added Harry amused. Dudley threw his a poisonous stare, but didn't comment.
"I am hungry. Bring me something" he said instead.
"Ask me nicely, I'll do it" said Harry.
"Forget it" said Dudley.
"Back to you, then" answered Harry, stretching on the couch.
"Do it, or I'll say Dad you used your magic the second you were here" he added smugly.
"I thought we already went through this, cousin" said Harry, now irritated. Opening his hand, he silently cast an Accio that took the remote away from Dudley, who stared at him alarmed..
"So, do you still want some food?" asked Harry. Dudley, after a couple of seconds where he was only watching at the remote, nodded.
"Good. Stay here" said Harry abaonding the remote, walking out of the living room and picking a box of chocolate snacks for his cousin plus another slice of watermelon for himself.
"You are welcome, Dudley" he said evenly, when handing those to him – but without letting them go. Dudley, still scared, made only an half attempt to pull them by force.
"Thank you" he said eventually, and Harry let them go and sat down again, starting himself to eat.
After a couple minutes, he restarted talking: "So, your plans for summer? Just staying at home would be lame" Harry said, pleasantly.
Dudley, unsure, answered and the evening kept going on like that – with Harry leading most of the conversation, while Dudley kept choosing the channels to watch and eating all the snacks Harry brought.
Eventually, uncle Vernon and aunt Petunia were back and while finding him and Dudley watching quietly the TV together seemed to mollify them a little, greetings were still quite cold.
'Nothing like family life' thought Harry sarcastically, while standing up and going to the kitchen, where his aunt had just asked for his help 'Totally worth it, to come back here'.
Author's notes: so, end of year 1. I am still split about just adding new chapters, or starting a "year 2" story – if I do the latter, I will write a warning here through a new chapter. Anyway, I wish to all my readers that you spent a pleasant Christmas and will now have a pleasant new year.