When Swords Meet Wands

Depressed Teenagers And a Oh So Peachy Summer.

Harry

Harry was having the most peaceful summer he'd ever had. He was staying at The Burrow with Ron and his family, and Hermione. No Dark wizards threatening to take over the world, no attacks from Death Eaters, no reason to worry and despair. Even though Harry was happy, many times, a pang of sadness would hit him. All the friends, family and innocent people who had given up their lives to protect Harry. The guilt weighed upon him like the world was resting on his shoulders. Ron and Hermione often tried to tell him that it wasn't his fault. But Harry knew. He felt what the others couldn't. He knew he was responsible for their deaths. He could've stopped them. But he didn't, out of selfishness for preserving his own life. He was interrupted out of his brooding thoughts by Hermione.

"Harry are you thinking about how it's your fault again? Harry, if you hadn't done what you did, no one would be alive. Don't you see that? You just saved the world from torture. They gave their lives to stop Voldemort. They did part of the job and you just finished it. It isn't your fault Harry, they made their own choices," Hermione said earnestly. Her big brown eyes pleaded with Harry to listen and Harry couldn't help but feel that maybe it wasn't really his fault.

"Alright, alright, Hermione, no need to do your big sad puppy eyes," said Harry, giving up. They were feeding the hens in the shed outside, while the others were doing various other chores. The remaining members of the Order popped by from time to time as well. Harry and Hermione went back inside just in time for lunch.

After the attack by the Death Eaters on Bill and Fleur's wedding day, the house had been damaged a lot. The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione had spent a lot of time rebuilding the house. It looked much the same as before, but it was bigger and had more rooms. In their hurry to finish, they had forgotten altogether about the bathrooms, and several bathrooms were added on later next to the bedrooms and had to be held together by magic.

The kitchen was much larger now, so they could all comfortably sit at the table. Mrs Weasley had outdone herself yet again, Harry thought. Steak, gravy, potatoes and beans for lunch and homemade chocolate ice cream for dessert. Everyone dug in and were chattering away happily. Just then, a flock of four tawny owls flew in through the kitchen window and landed in front of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny. "Owls from school? Why are we getting them? And why are they arriving so late?" asked Ron, motioning at himself, Harry and Hermione.

Harry carefully removed the letter from the owl's leg and tore it open. "They're inviting us back to finish our seventh year as 'major disruptions interfered with your studies', as they put it," Harry said, overjoyed. Hermione had already been planning on going back to school somehow, so this wasn't such a surprise for her.

Surprisingly, Ron was excited. "It says here that Hogwarts is hosting exchange students!" He said, pointing to a specific paragraph. Harry quickly read through it. "Americans? That ought to be good," Hermione said.

Harry was excited too. He'd never actually met Americans. Then it occurred to him that an exchange worked two ways. "Who's going to their school from Hogwarts then?" he asked. "That's the thing, no one from Hogwarts is going. This is so weird," replied Hermione. "Only four days 'till September first. We'll meet them then," said Ginny.

Harry and Ron continued to speculate about how the Americans would be like, while Hermione and Ginny were fangirling about some Muggle boy band (something called BTK or BTS or something?). They finished their lunch and went outside to play Quidditch. Hermione still wasn't very confident in the air but Ron had been teaching her.

Later that night, Harry lay in his bed and thought about all the friends he'd lost. This had became a habit for Harry. He felt that thinking about them and mourning them would be enough to repay them. Harry fell into a fitful sleep, dreaming about the Hogwarts War.

Hi!! This is a really short chapter, I know. But on the bright side, it's Harry's POV! I'm not really familiar with writing in a 'British' way. Like, how British people speak and their slang. So please tell me where I've gone wrong. Next chapter will be extra big, I promise! Bye :)

-Lightshadowkitty