Disclaimer: I own nothing of the fantastic world of Harry Potter as this right belongs to the talented JK Rowling…lucky her! But thanks for letting us play with him and his world!



Back to Normal

On the outside everything seems to have gone back to normal. Diagon Alley is as busy as ever, if not busier. Going into Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes is like walking into one of those crazy Muggle circuses. Kids are everywhere, screaming, running and grabbing every type of colorful joke product in sight. Upon leaving the twin’s joke shop and turning into the main street of the alley it is the most peculiar, yet most jovial, scene. Wizards, witches, warlocks, goblins, even some select muggles are gathering at outside stands or cafes. The ice cream shop is re-opening today and handing out free scoops.

This is of course where we find a large group of loud, red headed people eagerly lapping up various kinds of ice cream and going back for more. Among the tell tale signs of the Weasley clan we also find one very bushy haired girl of about 18 years and a young man of about the same age, normal build, perhaps a bit on the skinny side, with messy black hair and the most stunning green eyes, some would say like a fresh pickled toad. But this is not what makes the young man so special, at least not to the majority of the wizarding world. The small, red and fading lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead is both his curse and his fortune.

You see, this scar was the cause of quite a bit of misfortune in this young man’s life. Well, that is putting it a bit lightly. It was the cause of death, destruction and an infinite amount of both physical and mental pain. The upside of this peculiar shaped scar was the strength that it gave Harry Potter to conquer the Dark Lord, Voldemort, once and for all in a final battle at Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

This is the cause for much celebration and the reason for the upbeat attitude of the recently ghost town that was Diagon Alley. Everyone that Harry met on the street congratulated him, went into deeps bows or even asked for his autograph. Many people in the world, including Harry’s Second Year teacher Gilderoy Lockhart, would kill to have this kind of fame. Well, those who say they would kill for such a thing doesn’t know what it is to have actually done so. Harry Potter, never really a care free boy, but at least a young man knowing that he was at least trying to do good in the world, couldn’t even look in the mirror anymore without hating what he sees.

Actually, every mirror that Harry owns is now broken. Every time he comes into contact with one of the witty mirrors that loves to gives its usually unnecessary and unflattering opinion, calling the person of the image scruffy, tired looking or telling them, them being Harry, that they had a moping face like that of Eeyore, the mirror does not last through its commentary. Harry was surprised to find out the wizarding world knew of Winnie the Pooh, but that wasn’t really what concerned him as he punched his hand into the glass. Harry really needs to learn a new way to get out his anger. There are only so many mirrors in all of Great Britain. The truth is that Harry likes the way the glass looked scattered in so many pieces on the floor. He feels as though this shattered glass really understood what it is to be him. When Voldemort killed people he split his soul on purpose, Harry’s soul didn’t just split when he killed, it shattered.

This is the state that Harry is in as he is slowly lapping his regular vanilla ice cream, no seconds for him. His mind is elsewhere, as it has been for months now. Not even the stare of the pretty young Miss Ginny Weasley, which used to transfix Harry, could snap him out of his reverie. This is our scene. A large group of bouncing red heads, a young, extremely intelligent bushy haired witch and one very sullen looking hero.

Of course not everyone looks at young Harry as a hero. Voldemort had many followers, some who are still running free, terrorizing muggle and wizard alike. Harry had of course done his part, but the guilt still shrouds his heart because of all the people still feeling the hate. The Malfoy’s are amongst those still free, which truly goads Harry as he wants to see nothing else but to have this family finally put where it belongs; not in a manor but in Azkaban, the wizard prison. Sometimes Harry thinks he sees a sleek blonde head or the signature Malfoy snare, only to realize that it is just the hope of his subconscious that it would be so easy to end the terror, the looking over your shoulder and the avoidance of any dark corner.

The group eating ice cream decides that it did not fulfill the big Weasley appetite and begin to move toward The Leaky Cauldron for some lunch. The group parts crowds as they walk by, not only because of the sheer size of the group, though it is a factor, but because of the reverence that many people feel toward this family. It is well known that the whole family fought in the war, including the two youngest children and Hermione, the bushy haired girl, who were the only ones left in the chamber when Harry threw his final blow that shattered not only Voldemort’s soul, but his as well.

The amount of hello’s are not even countable, though always received with the cheery replies of the Weasley’s smiling faces. This of course does not include Harry. He sulks in the back of the group. Not talking to anyone and definitely not making any eye contact. Harry believes that if anyone looks into his eyes that they will see the eyes of a killer. Ginny begins to lag behind hoping to catch down to Harry (with him it is definitely not catching up). He keeps his eyes averted from her searching chocolate brown ones, knowing that Ginny was the last person Harry wants to see the shattered pieces he is in. Knowing her, she will insist he pick up the pieces himself and snap out of his sulking way. But she doesn't understand. Ginny never killed anyone. She reaches out her hand, meaning to take his, but as Harry sees this movement he quickly pushes his hands deep into the pockets of his navy blue robes. Dejected, she silently stands by him. It seems Ginny does a lot of the silent support lately.

The group finally reaches their destination, pushing through the small opening in the brick wall between muggle London and Diagon Alley. They are seated in the middle of the pub, center of attention as always. Harry is flanked by Ginny who will never leave his side and Mrs. Weasley who wishes she never had to leave his side. After ordering and saying hello to the many well wishers they sit back and enjoy the challenge of talking over one another. How else would life be in a family with seven kids, a muggle crazy father and a molly coddling mother? Finally the food arrives and Harry gets some peace as the mouths of the family are now occupied with eating. He relaxes back in his chair, reveling in the few minutes of peace when no one was asking how he is or if he needs anything. This is when Harry feels a small tap on his shoulder.
He turns around and stares into the dark eyes of a young girl, maybe five or six. She looks up into Harry’s eyes, barely blinking, mesmerized.

“I am sorry for interrupting you but I just wanted to see if I could maybe get your autograph?” the young girl whispered to Harry, unnoticed by anyone but Ginny.

“Of course. What is your name?” Harry replied in far too of a monotone voice.

“Samantha. Samantha Shacklebolt,” Smiled the little girl.

With this Harry is definitely taken aback. He remembers Kingsley Shacklebolt quite well. Kingsley was a member of the Order of the Phoenix, the underground group who worked tirelessly to fight Voldemort and to keep Harry alive. He was also the secretary to the other minister. The Prime Minister of Great Britain and its muggle population. He was killed in a raid at the office saving the life of the Prime Minister.
Samantha could see the wheels turning in Harry’s head, as they often did in hers.

“Harry?”

“Yes?”

“Voldemort killed your daddy right?”

“Yes, he did” Harry couldn’t believe the little girl could say the name Voldemort when so many adults refused to even do so because of fear.

“He killed my daddy too.”

“I know. And I knew your daddy. He was a great man”

“You know that Voldemort would have killed lots of other kid’s daddies if you hadn’t stopped him?”

“I never thought of it that way before.”

“I always do because I think of how much I miss my daddy. Well, I just wanted to say thank you.”

“You’re welcome” Harry whispered back as he hands over the signed picture from the Daily Prophet.

Harry watches the little girl return to her mother, smiling and showing off the picture. He feels the one of the shattered pieces of his soul snap back into place. Though not fully healed, he is beginning the process. He just needs the right kind of reminding. At this moment the Weasley clan gets up from the table in one sweeping movement of red and exit back out into Diagon Alley to floo home from the twin’s joke shop. As they begin to part the crowd again, Harry catches up with Ginny. He looks down into her eyes and gently slips his hand into hers. And one more piece jumps back into place.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!