Chapter 63: Home
Harry leaned back on the bench and felt the steady rhythm of the train moving along the tracks. Hermione was cuddled into his side, sleeping contentedly. As she slept, thoughts raced through him of everything the end of the year brought.
"You're leaving!?" Harry asked Professor Lupin, incredulously.
"So you heard," Lupin said with a smile. "Yes I am leaving. With Fenrir dead, there's an entire pack of werewolves out there who have lost their leader. They're scared and confused and they need my help."
"You can't go," Harry pleaded. "You're the best defense teacher we've ever had."
"I have to," Lupin said. "If this pack doesn't get leadership- or its new leader is a reckless extremist- they could go off and attack at will. Fenrir was brutal but even he understood that if they acceded to their deepest desires, they would harm their own cause. Wizards would come down on them harder and keep them contained like they think they've contained the goblins or exterminate them like they did the giants. I have to help them, not just to keep them contained but hopefully to show them a better way and start changing the way wizards treat them.
"Teaching you; meeting you again, has been one of the best years of my life," Lupin laid a hand on Harry's shoulder. "You are a credit to both your mother and father. I've seen them both in you and they would be immeasurably proud. I will see you around."
Lupin picked up his trunk and walked toward the door.
"Well if you're leaving," Harry looked over his shoulder and smirked. "That'll give you plenty of time to date a certain pink-haired auror. I warn you: she's technically my cousin. Treat her well or the Blacks will all be coming for your head."
"Oh I intend to," Lupin smiled from ear-to-ear. "In fact, I'm meeting her in London tonight."
As Harry watched him go, he wondered who Dumbledore would get to Defense next year. Harry wandered the halls, deep in thought.
"Something troubling you?" As soon as Harry thought of him, the headmaster appeared, it seemed.
"Just wondering what is coming next year, sir," Harry said. "The night Pettigrew escaped; Professor Trelawney made a prophecy."
Harry recited it back to Dumbledore.
"Ah I see you've discovered the fun of hearing a prophecy," Dumbledore smiled. "Just don't do what I did and let the prophecy rule your life. Enjoy your life with Miss Granger and your friends, reenforce the bonds you have with so many people and build new ones with others. You know, your mother would been pleased to see you reaching out to other houses the way you have."
"Thank you, professor," Harry said. "I think I need to head back to continue packing."
"See you next year, Harry," Dumbledore said. Dumbledore watched the boy go and marveled at his growth the last two years. Meeting Miss Granger was the best thing to happen to that boy, he thought. He needed to get out of his office for a while after his most recent conversation with Barty and Ludo. He hated what they were bringing back but if they were going to do it, they were going to do it his way, especially since he figured it would be Tom's best chance to make a move. While he couldn't guarantee everyone's safety, he'd do his best to make everyone as safe as possible.
Returning his thoughts to the compartment, Harry looked down at the woman sleeping next to him. They received their marks and they both managed Outstandings in every subject except for Herbology where Harry only got an Exceeds Expectations, mostly thanks to Neville and Arithmancy where Harry got another Exceeds mostly through hard work and Hermione's unrelenting study habits.
Later that night, as they ate dinner at home with the Grangers, the conversation focused on lighter topics than Easter.
"So what did you think of the Thor comics," Richard asked Harry.
"Oh they're great," Harry laughed. "But I think Neville likes them even more. He's been growing his hair out and working out to look as much like Thor as possible.
"'Verily, Potter. I see you have the mark of lightning on your forehead,' Neville told me." Harry chuckled, remembering Neville in their dorm. "You did not need to mark yourself in such a way, mortal, to prove yourself a fan of Thor Odinson.' He's really getting into it."
Richard was beside himself with laughter.
"Oh that's good," he chuckled. "Now you just have to get him a hammer."
Now that's an idea, Harry thought.
"So are you ready to see Potter Manor?" Richard asked, brightly.
Harry turned pensive for a moment, pausing to form his next works clearly.
"Yes," Harry began slowly. "Though I don't know how to use it. I'm sure it'll be nice but here. Here is home."
Helen reached across the table and squeezed Harry's arm, tears in her eyes.
"Wherever you go," Helen said. "Know you'll always have a home with us, Harry."
Harry's iridescent green eyes took on a watery sheen as he locked eyes with Helen's blue eyes. So many times, he fell asleep in his cupboard wishing for a family who would care for him, a place to call home. He always scoffed at the idiom "home is where the heart is," wondering when- or even if- either of those would appear. Then, Hagrid knocked down the door, literally, and showed him a whole new world; a world that brought him here. He couldn't believe his luck.
"On another topic," Helen said as she wiped tears from her eyes. "Hermione mentioned that you'd like to learn to dance?"
"I would," Harry said earnestly. "Hermione told me she loves to dance and that is something I would very much like to do with her."
"Well tomorrow, before we leave for Potter Manor, we'll move the furniture so we can dance and begin your lessons."
Across the country, Daphne was unpacking her school trunk when Trolly, the family elf, popped in with a message that her father arrived and wished to speak with her. Descending the stairs, Daphne spotted the light from her father's study, the French doors thrown wide open for the first time in her life.
Knocking on the open door, her father turned to regard her with a smile.
"Good evening, daughter," Mattias turned at her knock.
"Good evening, father," Daphne returned his greeting.
"I have to commend you. Your grades are good and you have built a fruitful relationship with Heir Potter. With our formal alliance, we are now tied closely with the Longbottoms, Bones and Potter dealings. Because of this, the dark families have backed off and the goblins are giving us a more favorable rate on the imports of our potions ingredients."
"You asked me to try and get closer to Potter to form an alliance," Daphne kept an erect posture. "I am glad that it has paid off for you. Does this mean you aren't going to sell Astoria or me off?"
"I was never going to sell you off," he said, his smile dropping, his eyes hard. "I only entertained the offers to keep them at bay from harming the business."
"Felt real to us, father," Daphne glared. "You made us think we'd be sold; that we were nothing better than a brood sow to help keep the business running smoothly."
As much as Daphne tried to keep her cool façade, the hurt and worry of the last three years broke through.
"I am sorry to make your life hard while I worried about the future of this family," Mattias spat as he leaned back on his desk. "If only you cared as much about this family as I do."
"Care about this family?" an incredulous Daphne spat back, drawing her wand. "Expecto Patronum."
Glad for the wards keeping her magic from registering at the ministry, a white octopus came from her wand and swam around the office. Mattias' eyes grew misty at her Patronus, a spell he didn't master until after school and a spell he struggled with to this day.
"You can cast a Patronus?" He exclaimed. "I heard some students learned to cast them. I never thought…"
"Harry is a good teacher," Daphne said. "He taught all of us the key to it. It is based on love, not happiness. I used this."
Daphne pulled the necklace from her blouse.
"Family," Daphne said. "Astoria specifically but family nonetheless."
Daphne was about to storm from the office when her father embraced her warmly. As the Patronus continued to gambol through the study, her father's hug tightened. Letting all the worries of the last three years slough off their collective shoulders, father and daughter took a collective breath in, letting it out as one. Daphne let her icy mask fall completely, the tears from her eyes washing it away.
"I am proud of you, Daphne," Mattias said. "Your future is yours and I can't wait to see what you make of it. I love you, Daphne."
"I love you father," Daphne said through her tears, quietly and held him tight until the Patronus faded away. From the doorway, Eleanor Greengrass hugged Astoria, tearfully watching her husband and her eldest daughter heal their relationship.
The next morning, Harry was feeling utterly foolish as Helen gave him his first dancing lessons.
"Okay so in dancing," Helen began. Harry realized her teaching tone was the same as Hermione's. "You have to communicate to your partner where you want to go."
"Oh," Harry suddenly felt very odd, like his body didn't belong to him. "I guess I want to…"
"Not that kind of communicate," Helen laughed kindly and stepped closer to Harry and grabbed his hands. "Place one hand here on my back and hold my other hand."
Harry placed his hand where she said to but soon realized just how tough this was.
"You're holding me too tight," Helen said. "Relax your hand. Just keep enough pressure to let me know where you are going to step. There you go that's better."
A half hour later, Harry was starting to get the hang of the waltz they were dancing when a knock sounded at the door.
"I'll get it," Richard said as he stood from the sofa in the corner. "You just keep working."
Richard moved to the door to find a well-dressed man on their doorstep.
"May I help you?" Richard asked cautiously.
"Sirius Black," Sirius extended his hand with a smile. "I'm here to take you all to meet the goblins for a tour of Potter Manor. What's going on here?"
"Harry is learning to dance," Richard said. "He's coming along well; I don't think he's stepped on Helen's foot in 3 minutes."
"Spoke too soon," Richard said as Helen winced when Harry once again stepped on her foot.
"Ah Prongslet," Sirius swept into the room. "You've got the steps but you need to feel the rhythm!"
Sirius pulled Hermione from the couch with a yelp from the teenage brunette. Once Hermione was on her feet, they were galivanting across the living room in an elaborate waltz.
"See?" Sirius said. "Nothing to it. Just feel the rhythm and move, similar to how you move your broom around. The broom goes where you tell it. Nothing different."
"Are you saying women are just like broomsticks?" Hermione asked dangerously.
"Spare the thought," Sirius backpedaled. "Just saying there's more to dancing than knowing the steps. It's all about knowing your partner, knowing what you want to do and then letting the music guide your steps."
"You've made your point," Harry said. "Now would you mind letting go of my girlfriend?"
"Jealous?" Sirius winked at Harry. "It's okay, Sirius Black has enough for the both of you."
Sirius twirled Hermione away and pulled Harry into his embrace. When Harry wouldn't move, Sirius picked his feet off the ground and swung him around the living room.
"There's nothing to dancing," Sirius said brightly as Helen held her hand in front of her mouth to cover her laughter at Harry's embarrassment. "Stick with me, pup, and I will show you all my tricks."
"Hopefully not all of them," Helen said. She knew a cad when she saw one.
"Well…" Sirius paled at Helen's glare. "Not all of them, I guess. Are you all ready to see Potter Manor?"
"Yes," Harry said. "How do we get there?"
"With this," Sirius took out a large ring that looked like a door-knocker. "The goblins have given me this portkey to take us to the meeting place where they'll begin the tour. Just waiting for…"
As Sirius was speaking, there was another knock at the door.
"That," Sirius said as the door opened to reveal Lupin and Tonks. "Alright we're ready. Everyone grab onto the portkey. I warn you; this isn't likely to be pleasant."
Once everyone touched the knocker, Sirius touched it with the tip of his wand and Harry immediately felt his feet jerked off the ground. It was as if someone combined a roller coaster with the teacups.
As suddenly as the ride began, Harry and the three Grangers were deposited roughly onto a dirt road.
"Have fun?" Sirius said brightly as he stood above the toppled family.
"About as much fun as one of Snape's classes," Harry grumbled as he helped Hermione up while Richard did the same with Helen.
"Well just bend your knees next time," Sirius said, neglecting the fact that he could have told that them the first time.
"You don't by chance have your mothers spell in your grimoire, do you?" Hermione asked. "You know? The one that traps him in his animal form?"
"You know?" Harry tapped his chin with his finger. "I believe it is. I'll have to teach it to you. It's generally not something done but I think I can make an exception."
Sirius paled at the venomous, victorious glare Hermione had. Meanwhile, Tonks and Lupin were leaning on one another, holding in their laughter. A clearing of a throat brought everyone out of the moment. In front of a wrought iron gate stood Gripclaw in his finest three-piece suit. On either side of the gate were pillars topped by bronze Griffins. At that point, Dobby popped in bouncing on his feet in excitement.
"Greetings, Heir Potter," Gripclaw gave a small bow.
"Greetings Gripclaw," Harry returned the bow. "May your enemies bleed gold."
Gripclaw just chuckled with that chuckle eventually becoming a full-blown belly laugh.
"You're better at creative greetings than most goblins, Harry," Gripclaw wheezed out.
"Well hopefully you've enjoyed them because I am running out," Harry said.
"Are you ready to see the new and improved Potter Manor?" Gripclaw asked.
"Ready when you are," Harry said.
Gripclaw turned around and reached for the gate, tapping it three times with his clawed hand. The iron on the gate melted off, revealing gold underneath as the gate swung open. Beyond the gate was a dirt road flanked on either side by trees of every kind. Gripclaw took to pointing each one out as they walked down the path.
"Elm," He gestured around him. "Beech, Oak, Pine, Aspen, Rowan, Holly. Every wood which wizards use for wands is represented on this path, an homage to the origin of the wands wizards use."
Down the path they walked until the path curved to show a house that would look at home in Rome, its white columns gleaming in the sunshine, leading to its red roof. The house had a wrap-around porch and a red door with a gold handle in the middle of the porch. The house had two levels and was as wide as a Quidditch Pitch with two wings off the main circular building.
"The house sits on the center of the land," Gripclaw said. "It has been made unplottable. If anyone wanders close, they suddenly remember an errand they need to run. If anyone comes with ill intent, the wards will react… strongly."
"How much land is there?" Harry asked.
"Enough to build your own castle," Gripclaw said. "This land was bequeathed to the Potters by Arthur Pendragon as a thanks for their help in the battles against an invading army. I think the land rivals Hogwarts for size. Behind the house, there is a Quidditch pitch, stables and fields all leading to a glen at the end of the property."
"This is amazing," Harry said with accompanying nods by the Grangers behind him.
"You haven't seen the inside," Gripclaw said. "Come. Place your hand on the door handle."
Tentatively Harry touched where Gripclaw told him to and stepped back as the door shook and subsequently swung open, welcoming them all to the home. Inside, Harry walked through the threshold and stood in a grand foyer with a curved staircase running up either side. There were doorways on either side of the entry and grand walkway on the upper level. Stepping into the house, Harry looked up to see light spilling through windows at the top of the manor. Dobby sprinted into the house and was energetically popping through the house.
"Oh Harry!" He squeaked, excitedly. "There is so much to do here! Can we move in?"
Harry chuckled at his diminutive friend and gestured for Gripclaw to begin his tour.
"The bottom level has all your hosting areas. You have a formal receiving room and dining room, as well as an informal dining room with a large kitchen just beyond, a study, two sitting rooms, a potions chamber, as well as a room for dueling. Every room has a door leading out to the porch or patio with exception of the potions and dueling rooms, and library at the back."
"Library?" Hermione spoke for the first time, making the goblin chuckle.
"Yes the library," Gripclaw said. "Lady Lily Potter was the driving force behind its first iteration, making it not just a place for books to be stored but also read. I have been instructed to show that last as that is the room our builders are most proud of."
Hermione pouted for a second but stopped with Harry and her parents nudged her with a friendly smile. First, they came to the to the kitchen with an open concept with dark brown stained cabinets and granite counter tops, featuring an island in the middle of the kitchen with a cooktop that Helen examined with yearning eyes and a loving touch. Through a swinging door, was the informal dining room with a table large enough to seat 10 comfortably at an Amish hand-crafted table imported from America, lit by a chandelier made from stag antlers.
"That is one of the only things that remained from the original manor," Gripclaw said. "Something your father was very, very proud of, I am told."
Back out of the dining room, they found themselves the foyer where Gripclaw took them to the sitting room with all kinds of chairs and sofas arrayed around a fireplace in the wall with a dragon skin rug with a fireplace lying at the hearth, a table sitting on top of the rug.
Across the hall, they avoided the double doors next to the sitting room and moved to the other side to tour the formal receiving room and formal dining room with enough space to host a gala if they wished. Moving upstairs, the second level was open to the level below. Along the walls were portraits of every Potter Lord and Lady in their history. When Harry reached the last portrait, he reached out to touch the canvas.
"Hi mum, father," Harry said.
"They cannot speak," Gripclaw said. "In the old manor, they could in the past but we could only restore the canvas, not the magic imbibed into it, I am afraid."
Gripclaw continued the tour, telling them they had 16 rooms. They quickly toured most of them but one room they stepped into was unlike any of the others.
On the back of the house, facing the Quidditch pitch was a room that looked like the ones in Harry's dorm back at Hogwarts. There were posters on the wall, another fireplace, a desk and a four-poster bed with a connected en suite bathroom. Upon stepping into the room, Sirius collapsed to his knees.
"This…" he croaked when Harry fell to his knees next to his godfather, concern written on his eyes. "This was my room. When I ran away from home, James got Charlus and Dorea to take me in. They gave me this room and allowed me to decorate it as I saw fit. I wasn't just a guest; I was brought into the family.
"I know a little what that's like," Harry said, giving the Grangers a meaningful look.
"I thought I'd never see this room again," Sirius said. "Thank you for making it look exactly as it was."
"It was one of the explicit requests of James Potter," Gripclaw said. "He said, and I quote, 'we need to make sure the doghouse looks exactly the same as it was.'"
Sirius laughed through his tears. He missed his brother more and more every day and felt the pain of failing them every time he went to sleep and woke up with it every morning. He saw it in the morning after his shower and felt it in his stomach after every meal.
"I failed them," Sirius said. "I failed all of you. I can't believe that you still want anything to do with me."
"My father has a saying," Hermione said as she knelt next to the broken man and brought him in to a consoling hug. "When I fell or failed, he would ask me 'why do fail? It's so we can learn to pick ourselves up.'
"You are not your failures. You are so much more," Hermione said. "You broke out of prison to protect your godson. There's so much that you should credit yourself with. You're here; we're here."
Sirius' black eyes met Hermione's as his sobs receded.
"You know," his smile returned. "I can see why you fell for this girl, Harry. Don't let her get away."
"You'd have to kill me for that to happen," Harry said. "Even then I don't think that'd keep me away. I'd find a way back to her. You know, Sirius, this manor is nothing without the people living in it. If you're willing, I would like to offer you a room to live here. Same with you, Remus, if you're willing."
"I can't take that charity, Harry," Remus's grey eyes looked sad. "I've still got the werewolf pack to take care of."
"Whenever you need a place, you'll have a room here," Harry said. "What about you, Padfoot?"
"I…" Sirius looked around the room. "I think I would appreciate that. I feel guilty taking up space at the Tonks residence. If you're serious…"
"I'm not serious, you are," Harry quipped, brightening Sirius' entire face. "But you are welcome to stay here. I know you mentioned your family has a home but I remember you saying you hated that place."
"Staying here would be great," Sirius said as he stood and held Harry by the shoulders.
"Just don't wreck the house," Gripclaw held up a piece of paper. "Another of James' requests. I know you two tried to blow the house up a few times."
"We were just testing the integrity of the wood; the strength of the wards," Sirius said.
Sirius nodded and the tour moved on to the master suite. Gripclaw opened the double doors and Harry's eyes widened at the suite. There was a huge bed at one side with a setup in the corner for a lady to do her makeup. Through another set of doors was a private office. Connected to the bedroom was bathroom bigger than some of the rooms. A large tub was sunk into the floor with an elaborate set of taps. In the back corner was a tiled shower that put the ones at school to shame. There were two sinks set on opposite ends of the door.
"This bathroom puts the Prefect Bath to shame," Tonks said. She walked through the room amazed at the space and, in true Tonks fashion, tripped on the edge of the tub. Luckily Lupin's reflexes were as good as they were to catch her before she fell into the tub itself.
"Incredible work to you and your team, Gripclaw," Harry said. "It's everything I hoped for and more. Now I feel like we have waited long enough to see the library, unless there is more to show."
"Took the idea right out of my head," Gripclaw lead them back down the staircase to the closed double doors. With a wave of his hand, the doors opened and Hermione's world changed forevermore. At the end of the room were floor to ceiling windows in a library that spanned both stories of the house. In between the two windows was a mantle with the family crest sitting above a fireplace. On every wall was a bookcase with all manner of books, except for a few places where a desk sat. In the center of the room were chairs and sofas like in the sitting room and antique rugs lying all across the floor. Everywhere Hermione turned, she saw more books. What she did not see, however, were ladders to reach them.
"It's wonderful," Hermione cooed. "But how do you get a book down?"
"That's the real trick our team is proud of," Gripclaw took them to one of the desks where a book sat. "This is the first living library, of sorts. This book is the master book. You flip through this book to see every book in here. It is self-updating so if you add a book, it will be added to the master book. Simply ask for the book you want and the library will deliver it to you."
Hermione leaned over the book and called out the first book to catch her attention.
"Master's Syllabary, second edition," Hermione called out. She looked up as a book detached itself from the bookshelf and floated down to her. Hermione beamed at the options, snatched the book out of the air and folded herself into the nearest sofa to begin reading.
"And that is why we revealed this last," Gripclaw chuckled. Harry and the adults laughed while Hermione was blissfully ignorant. "There's another feature to the room."
Gripclaw clapped his hands and the antique rugs rose from the floor.
"Flying carpets," Gripclaw said. "They are all flying for show. In the future, just step onto one and say 'up' to activate it. When you lie upon them, they will relax to feel exactly like a hammock. You told me you enjoyed the hammocks at the Granger household."
"I do," Harry beamed. "Thank you, Gripclaw."
Hermione pounced into the nearest carpet without even closing the book she was reading. Richard thought it looked like fun and dropped into one himself, his wife snuggling up next to him as the carpet moved them to the windows and let them relax while watching the scenery outside.
"If you will accompany me to the study, there are a few things we need to take care of, Harry," Gripclaw wanted to finish the last piece of business.
In the study, Gripclaw pulled out a leather-bound book.
"This is the ward book," Gripclaw opened it. "As the master of this house, you are in charge of who is and is not welcome. If you want to give someone the ability to visit, you must write their name in the book. Otherwise, even if they found the place where this house is, they would simply see an empty field. We have allowed you access but now that you are about to take possession, you must write down each name."
Harry took the quill and wrote the names of Sirius, Tonks, Lupin, all three Grangers, as well as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick, Neville and his Grandmother, Hannah Abbott, Susan and Amelia Bones, as well as Tonks' parents. He also included Luna, Daphne, Tracey and Astoria. When he went to put the final names, he stopped.
"A few of my friends have the same names as their fathers who I certainly do not want to come here," Harry said.
"You can write their full names with Jr. at the end," Gripclaw said. Harry nodded and added Greg and Vinny to the list next to Cedric's name, hoping to have the older boy over to play a game of Quidditch, if possible. Thinking hard, he added Fred, George and the other members of his Quidditch team and, with a final thought, finished up with Dean, Lavender and both Patil Twins."
"Boy pup," Sirius was leaning on the doorframe, watching Harry write. "I didn't realize you had so many friends and allies. You've got James' charisma and Lily's heart."
"I've been lucky," Harry said. "I have made a lot of meaningful relationships. Gripclaw, I appreciate everything the goblins have done for me and my friends. You may not often hear this from wizards but you have my trust and respect."
Harry bowed before the flummoxed goblin.
"Thank you, Lord Potter," the goblin bowed lower. "You are correct that most wizards are distrustful of my people. It has been my utmost pleasure to serve you."
As they walked back to the group, Gripclaw pulled out a folder and handed it to a smiling Richard as the Granger's carpet landed.
"As we agreed," Gripclaw said and pulled a large ring out of his pocket. "These are all reusable portkeys. Slip them onto whichever finger you wish. Once they are on, they will resize and become invisible. They will only activate with a phrase once you touch the ring. Works for magicals and non-magicals alike. What would you like your phrase to be, Harry?"
Harry looked at Richard and gave him a rakish smile.
"Once more unto the breach," Harry said to which Richard barked a loud laugh. "But what is in the folder?"
"That would be my surprise," Richard said, picking up the folder and leafing through it. "We are going to go on a vacation, much like last year. Except we are not going to France this year. Instead, it will be Germany. But Gripclaw, I am confused. There isn't anything here on payment? We never got to that part when finalizing arrangements."
"That's because it has been paid for," Gripclaw looked at Sirius once he finished.
"It's my treat," Sirius said. "After Harry and Hermione did so much to save me and then free me, I needed to repay my debt, especially to the two of you for all that you have done for Harry."
"Guess that means we'll have to add one more then," Richard said. "If you're paying, then you are coming."
"No…" Sirius refuted. "That isn't necessary. I wouldn't want to intrude."
"It absolutely is," Helen said in a tone everyone knew not to argue with. "It will give us an opportunity to get to know you. Gripclaw, can you add another to the itinerary?"
"It is already done, madam Granger," Gripclaw bowed. "It would have been bad form for us to not include Lord Black on the trip."
"Do we also need two more?" Harry asked as he looked at Lupin and Tonks.
"No," Tonks placed her hand on Lupins arm. "We have other plans during that time. Love you, Harry but I think we'll be otherwise involved during these two weeks."
She finished her talk with a saucy look at a flustered Lupin.
"It is set then," Gripclaw said. "A week from today, you lot will be flying first class to Berlin with a stopover in Frankfurt. Thank you for the challenge of rebuilding this house. The structure is done; now it is up to you to add to it in whatever way you need."
"Thank you Gripclaw," Harry shook the goblin's hand. "May your horde reach new heights to look down upon your enemies."
"It has been and will continue to be my honor to serve the Potter family," Gripclaw bowed again. "Those portkeys will take you back to the Granger household whenever you are ready."
For the rest of the day, the group enjoyed the manor, staying through dinner as Dobby insisted upon breaking in the kitchen properly. As the sun set beyond the windows of the library, Sirius took them back to the Granger house. Harry looked around at the manor one last time.
Dorothy was right, Harry thought, whether it's here or at the Grangers, there's no place like home.
(A/N: Back after a brief delay due to a move and just an overall lack of time to write. It took me a while to tinker with this chapter until it felt right.
"So we can learn to pick ourselves up" is from Batman Begins and good advice for Sirius.)