A Short FanFic – The Beginning

It was just after four in the morning and Harry lay awake, starring outside at his dew-covered window. He had been thinking about all that had happened at Hogwarts. Harry could still remember the first time that he had come to Hogwarts. He had been worried about everything from what house he would be from whether he would have any friends. Then, he had met Ron. Ron had been his best friend for six years now. He had stuck with him through all of Harry’s trial at Hogwarts, except for that unfortunate period when they hadn’t spoken during their fourth year. As he glanced at Ron, asleep in his four-poster, Harry realized how lucky he was to have friends such as Ron and Hermione.

Hermione. Harry knew that there was no way that he could have gotten through the last six years without her. How many hours of homework had been taken off of Harry’s back by having her as a friend? He realized now that he had never properly thanked her for putting up with him and Ron all these years. One girl among two boys must have been tough at sometimes. It had been particularly difficult this last year, when Ron had been dating Lavender. That put a major strain in their relationship, mainly due to Ron’s idiocy. Those two were obviously in love with each other, and not as just friends. Harry hoped that they would get a move on, because he had a feeling that they would need each other in the future months.

“BRRRRRIIIIIINNNNNNNNGG!� went Harry’s alarm clock and he quickly darted over to his bedside table and beat the clock into submission. Harry stole a look at his roommates to see if any of them stirred. Dean and Seamus remained silent while Neville drowned out the sound of the clock by his voluminous snores.

“Harry?� Ron had woken up.

“Ron! Er—just go back to sleep. We’ve got to be up in a couple hours to catch the train home.�

“Oh, yeah. But what are you doing up?� asked Ron, sleepily.

“Well, I er--, I’ve still got to pack.� replied Harry.

“Okay. Just make sure your clock doesn’t go off again,� said Ron as he stifled a yawn and closed his eyes to go back to sleep.

After this, Harry knew that he had tarried for too long, so he trudged across the room towards the door.

“Harry�

“Yes, Ron.� Why couldn’t he just go to sleep?

“See you in the morning.�

“Yeah, see you.� And with that, Ron drifted off to sleep, and for the last time in his life, Harry walked out of his dormitory.

Harry’s last walk out of Hogwarts was something that he would never forget. He seemed to float out of the school, hardly aware of the path that he had trod a thousand times before. He reached the entrance hall in what seemed like an instance. He brushed pass the doors, not daring to look back, for the fear that he would not be able to continue. He was halfway down the stairs of the entrance when Harry felt a small tug on the back of his robes.

“Harry Potter, sir,� squeaked a high pitch voice that Harry was very familiar with.

“Dobby? What are you doing here?�

“I had to find Harry Potter, sir. I feared that Harry Potter would flee because he fears for his friends. Harry Potter is a most noble wizard, but he must not leave Hogwarts is his home.�

“Dobby, but I have to go. You don’t understand. This is something that I have to do alone. I can’t risk putting Hermione or Ron or Ginny in danger. If something were too happened to them, I – I – I’d never forgive myself.�

At this, Dobby simply bowed his head and looked at his feet. His overlarge feet were hidden under what seemed to be a dozen different colored hats. These were accentuated by bright colors that glowed from every speck of his mismatched clothing. Harry began to walk away when Dobby picked up his head and stared at Harry with his big, brown eyes. Harry was surprised to see that tears were streaming down Dobby’s long, pointed nose.

“Aw, Dobby, don’t cry. This… this is just something that I have to do.�

“Dobby knows, Harry Potter,� squeked Dobby. “But Dobby fears for you, Harry Potter. Dobby doesn’t know what he would do if something were to happen to Harry Potter.�

“Dobby, nothing’s going to happen to me. I… I’ll be fine.� But Harry had trouble believing his own words.

“Dobby knows you will, sir. Because Harry Potter is a great wizard, sir. He will defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, because the bad, dark wizards will never win!�

When Dobby said this, he looked at Harry with a kind of fierce pride that Harry couldn’t believe was coming from the face of a house-elf.

And, suddenly inspired by Dobby’s faith in him, Harry began to believe.

“Dobby, your right. I’ll be all right. I know I will. And when I’m done, I’ll come and see you, Dobby. It’ll be the first thing I do.�

At these words, Dobby grabbed onto Harry’s leg and hugged it as tight as he possibly could.

“Harry Potter must come back. He must.�

“I will, Dobby,� replied Harry as he bent down to look Dobby in the eye. “But now I have to go.�

Then, Dobby smiled at Harry, and snapped his fingers. With a loud CRACK! he was gone.

Harry turned and walked towards the exit of the grounds. Harry looked up at the winged boars as he passed the gates, shining just as brightly as the first day he had passed them.

Then he turned and looked up at the castle that had been his home for nearly six years. At just that moment, he knew that he could do this. He would do it for Ron, for Hermione, and for Ginny. He would do this for those who had gone before him: for his parents, for Sirius, and for Dumbledore. As Harry crossed the threshold to begin the next era of his life, Harry smiled, knowing that no matter what was to happen, he would never stop fighting for the people he loved.