The Chapter 1: The Long Awaited Reunion
It was all over, Harry had finally beat Voldemort. Harry had spent the last year finding the horcruxes and then hunting down Voldemort himself. He was now standing in the middle of a circular room. The room was dark except for the candles lit along the perimeter wall. Harry stood over three hunched bodies. He saw two of them as he looked down. The unconscious bodies of Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape were at his feet; both had been struck by a stunning charm from Harry’s wand a little bit earlier. Gazing around the room, his eyes met the rest of the death eaters laying huddled near the door. All of them had been stunned by Harry as well. He then looked down upon the last body. Voldemort’s red eyes starred back into Harry’s green ones.
Harry found it more difficult to finally kill Voldemort then he thought it would have been. This was the man that killed his parents, caused Sirius’ death, and even ordered Draco and Snape to kill Dumbledore. In the end, Harry felt pity toward him as he looked upon his fear filled face. What Voldemort truly feared was death and he knew his time was coming.
After it was done, Harry walked, as fast as his legs would let him, toward Voldemort’s chair. The chair was stained in blood but he sat on it anyway. Harry surveyed his injuries. He had a small gash on his left leg. Despite this cut, he was surprised to see to see that he was relatively unscathed.
A few minutes later a pop announced another arrival in the room. Harry looked up into the face of the closest person he had to a father. “Remus It’s good to see you.”
Lupin had a look of shock on his face. Harry had sent him a cryptic message, right after he had defeated Voldemort, asking him to meet him in this place. “Harry, you did it” exclaimed Lupin as he rushed forward and stretched out his hand. Harry did the same to meet Lupin’s and shook it. After a few minutes of silence, Harry finally stood up.
Harry looked into Lupin’s eyes and said “It is a tale for another time. Now you must spread the good news to the world. I trust that you forwarded my message to the other members of the Order.”
“Of course. You could have mentioned what happened though. Shacklebolt, Bill, Arthur, and Hagrid are on their way here as we speak.”
“I’m sorry, Remus. I wanted to keep it quiet until I told her myself. I have been waiting for this moment for a year.”
“I was at the Burrow when your Patronus arrived. The Weasley’s are having an anniversary party for Bill and Fleur.”
“It’s been a year already? It seems like only yesterday that I was pinning a note on Ginny’s door in the middle of the night before leaving, alone. She has waited for me, hasn’t she?” he asked with a glint of worry in his eyes.
“Of course. She burst into tears when she saw your Patronus. I think she might have thought we were going to find you on your death bed. She will be thrilled when she sees you alive.”
At that moment, Bill, Mr. Weasley, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Hagrid came bursting through the door. After quickly surveying the room, Hagrid came running toward Harry and wrapped his arms around him in a fatherly hug. “Harry you’re alive We thought you might be dying.”
“I’m sorry about that, but as you can see I’m perfectly alright.” With that said Hagrid released Harry. “I have some business to attend to. I trust that you all will alert the ministry about what happened.”
“Of course we will Harry” said Bill.
“I’ll see you all back at the Burrow, then. I have someone to go see” said Harry. Harry smiled at his friends and turned on the spot and disappeared.
Moments later he re-appeared outside the Burrow. It was just a little after noon when he arrived. He could hear loud music from inside the house. Decorations adorned the outside and a large banner proclaiming the event hung from the overhang of the roof. Harry couldn’t help but smile. “If they were happy before, they are going to be happy now” said Harry with a smile spreading across his face.
Suddenly, a loud shriek came from behind him and Harry felt two arms wrap themselves around his body. “Hello, Hermione” he exclaimed regaining his balance after his friend threw herself at him. “Remus never said you were here.”
“Oh Harry, we all thought you were hurt. We feared the worst when Lupin rushed out.” exclaimed Hermione with tears in her eyes.
“You can let go of me now” Harry said as he turned and looked at the rest of the Weasley’s standing there awestruck. Hermione released her grip on him and walked back towards the Weasley’s. “It’s good to see you all”. Harry looked at them all in turn. When his gaze found Ginny’s he couldn’t help holding back his tears. “Ginny, I’m so sorry for leaving the way I did, but I’m back and back for good.” Harry ran towards her and wrapped his arms around her. She couldn’t speak so she simply put her hands on the back of his head and pulled his head closer and kissed him. Ron caught Harry’s eyes as he was kissing Ginny. Ron seemed to be struglging between wether to say something or remain silent.
When they finally broke apart Ginny had stopped crying and was wearing the most beautiful smile Harry had ever seen. “Harry does this mean what I think it does” questioned the redhead girl.
“If you think it means that Voldemort is finally defeated, yes” replied a happy Harry.
Everyone, except Hermione, winced at the sound of Voldemort’s name. “Harry dear that is great news ” exclaimed an ecstatic Mrs. Weasley.
“Yes, that is good and all, but where is my lousy husband” said Fleur. Everyone laughed a little. It was the first time Harry had laughed in over a year. “Don’t worry Fleur. He is with Hagrid, Mr. Weasley, Kingsley, and Remus. I expect the Ministry had arrived by now to escort every Death Eater to Azkaban. He should be home by dinner” replied Harry. “If you don’t mind, it would be nice if I could have a word with Ginny alone.”
The both of them went into the house and up to her room. “Ginny, I was stupid to leave the way I did. I was so afraid for your safety. I couldn’t bear even the thought of you being killed.”
“Harry, there is nothing more you have to say. Of course, I was mad at first, but eventually I realized that you did it because you loved me.”
Harry looked into Ginny’s eyes. He had never before noticed how they sparkled like diamonds. “I’m never going to leave you again” he whispered. “That I promise you” he said pulling her into a hug running his hand through her long ginger hair. Her hair smelled of flowers. It was the smell that had sustained him for the past year. “I love you more then anything in the world” Harry whispered into Ginny’s ear right before he kissed her. He had forgotten how soft her lips were. He never wanted this moment to end.
A few moments later, Ginny pulled back from his warm embrace. She looked into Harry’s green eyes and said “I love you.”
“Ginny, there were so many times when I wished you were there with me. All those lonely nights spent laying on the ground starring at the sky. I almost came to Hogsmeade a few times hoping to find you there with Ron and Hermione during a Hogsmeade weekend.”
“Don’t think about that now. All we have to worry about now is how we are going to spend our time together” replied a grinning Ginny.
Harry and Ginny continued to talk for the rest of the afternoon until Mrs. Weasley called them down for dinner. Harry walked into the kitchen to find all the people he cared about in the world waiting for him there. Tonks had showed up will Lupin. Bill was standing next to Fleur with his arm over her shoulder. Even Kingsley showed up with Mad-eye. The rest of the Weasley family was seated at the table. Harry looked out upon everyone’s faces, and the biggest smile he had worn in a year stretched its way across his face.
Harry sat down next to his best friend Ron. Ginny seated herself down next to Harry. “Harry, I didn’t get a chance to say anything before. It’s great to have you back, mate” he declared patting him on the back. “The Evening Prophet arrived an hour ago. You should take a look” said Ron handing the paper over to Harry.
“Thanks Ron. “I’m so glad to be back home, I’ve missed this house so much, I feel I’m back where I belong.” replied Harry. Harry looked down at the paper and his eyes widened. A large picture of himself was looking up at him with a smile. Harry read the article in a hurry. “Well, for once they got the story right. I expect I’ll have fan mail arriving by tomorrow morning.”
Hermione walked over to him and dropped a large pile of letters on the table in front of him. “They have already started arriving. There’s one there from Neville and a few of our old school friends” said Hermione
“That was quick. I wasn’t expecting them until tomorrow at the earliest. News spreads fast in the wizarding world.”
Harry opened up all his letters with the help of Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, and Charlie. When all his letters were opened and read, they all sat down and had a wonderful dinner. Mrs. Weasley kept on piling mounds of green beans and potatoes onto Harry’s plate saying how thin and underfed he looked. Harry gratefully ate everything that was put onto his plate. He had forgotten how great of a cook Mrs. Weasley really was.
When diner was done they all went into the living room and sat by the fire. Ginny sat in Harry’s lap while he told everyone his story. Ginny gripped his arm tightly when he told them about a dragon he faced in Norway. “I would have loved to see that dragon. That species was thought to be extinct” exclaimed Charlie. .
After Harry was finished, he listened to everyone’s tale about what they had been up to since he last saw them. Ron and Hermione told him about how they had finally gotten together after a particularly hard Quidditch game that Ron had lost to Ravenclaw. He found out that Ron had taken up the post of running Fred and George’s new premises in Hogsmeade. Hermione announced that Head mistress McGonagall had asked her to take over as Transfiguration teacher since she was having a hard time teaching and being Headmistress. “Of course I accepted at once” exclaimed an ecstatic Hermione. “So Harry what are you going to do now that you are back.”
“I don’t know. I think I might take some time off. I think I deserve a break.” replied Harry.
“McGonagall told me last week that they are looking for a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Mad-eye only stayed for one year as a favor to McGonagall. I think you would be perfect for the job. You would also be close to Ginny since she is going back in September for her seventh year. Also Ron and me won’t be far off either” said Hermione with a smirk on her face.
“Now that’s an idea. I would be closer to Ginny” he said smiling to her. “You and Ron wouldn’t be far off either. I think I might have to go have a word with McGonagall about that opening” replied Harry with a smile on his face. With that said he kissed Ginny goodnight and made his way up to Ron’s room. He was laying down on a camp bed that was put out for him, while he thought about the DADA job until he fell asleep; finally being able to sleep without worry.