The Return of The Chosen

The Way Home

Quote Time~

"To love someone is to wish him life; to hate someone is to desire his death." Nicholas Kirui

Throughout his life, Harry Potter had always been considered the golden boy—the chosen one destined for greatness. However, the weight of that title was like carrying an unforgettable burden upon yourself, and Harry despised the name that carried the expectations of an entire wizarding world.

His safe place had always been the Dursleys' home, a notion he clung to for safety, although he wasn't safe there himself. But after the war with the Dark Lord, the once-presumed haven became a breeding ground for haunting memories.

Panic attacks and anxiety became a new, unwelcome companion for Harry as he grew up fighting unnecessary things in his life. Triggered by loud noises and remnants of the past scattered in his cramped room filled with Dudley's discarded toys.

Harry's room felt like a prison within itself, the dim light of the sealing and the barricaded window barely revealing the scars on the walls and the shadows of a tormented childhood.

As the end of summer neared, the aftermath of the war against the Dark Lord left Hogwarts in ruins, and Harry, after all the trauma of always being attacked, didn't have to help with the rebuilding of the school and just hoped for a respite from responsibilities.

Yet fate had other plans for him, as a letter addressed to him from Hogwarts found its way into his hands. He scanned the parchment with the dark green ink lined across it, with the stamp of the school engraved into the wax seal.

The letter from Hogwarts, once a beacon of hope and comfort to Harry, now seemed like a harbinger of more suffering. Seated on his bed, Harry carefully unfolded the letter, not wanting its shiny gold design to fade. As he read the words carefully, scared he was going to miss an ounce of information.

The contents hinted at a return to normalcy—a promise of games, fun, and an education that will be devoid of the shadow of the Dementors. The prospect of another year at Hogwarts beckoned, but Harry grappled with the memories and the trauma associated with the school, making him feel sick just thinking of going back.

 As he sat on his bed contemplating whether he should go back, letters from fellow students flooded his room, sliding to his side in many different and similar parchments with various wax stamps indicating the different families and whom they were from, seeking confirmation of his return. Faced with the collective anticipation, he reluctantly agreed to go back as he sent confirmation to those who had asked.

As he continued to pack, the weight of his decision pressed heavily on his shoulders and chest. The walls of his cramped room seemed to close in on him, echoing the recollection of the war that had unfolded not so long ago. Harry couldn't shake the feeling that returning to Hogwarts might just be stepping into another battlefield, albeit a less overt one.

The knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, and without waiting for an answer, Aunt Petunia barged in with her usual scowl etched on her face. "What's all this ruckus, boy? You think you can just leave without telling us?" She spat, eyeing the scattered belongings on the floor and bed.

"I got a letter from Hogwarts. I'm going back," Harry replied, his voice steadier than he felt. Petunia's disdainful expression shifted briefly to surprise before settling into an icy glare.

"Hogwarts, again? You're nothing but trouble, just like your parents. We've had enough of your nonsense," she sneered. Harry knew resistance was futile; arguing with the Dursleys was like trying to catch smoke with bare hands.

Meanwhile, Dudley, who had sought refuge behind his mother, snarled and shot a malicious grin at Harry. The mere thought of his return to Hogwarts seemed to ignite a perverse satisfaction in his cousin, as if reveling in the idea that Harry would be leaving their miserable abode and having the whole house to himself again.

Ignoring the impending storm that was slowly building up in him, Harry continued packing, determined not to show any sign of weakness to his aunt and cousin. He couldn't let them see how much their words and actions still affected him. Deep down, he hoped that Hogwarts would provide a sanctuary, a refuge from the haunting echoes of his past, and help him create a new future.

As he zipped up his bag, Harry caught a glimpse of his reflection in the dusty, broken mirror—a thin young wizard marked by both physical and emotional scars.

Hogwarts might offer a chance at healing, or it could be just another chapter in a life filled with pain, one that will eventually destroy him entirely. Only time would reveal and unravel the true nature of the journey that lay ahead.

As Harry realized that his cousin Dudley had come back to his room to bother him about leaving, a venomous exchange ensued, revealing Harry's departure and inciting the wrath of Uncle Vernon. The toxic environment at the Dursleys manifested in physical abuse, leaving Harry battered and bruised. Perplexed by the inexplicable cruelty of his supposed guardians, Harry stuck with the fear that enveloped him.

Forced to apologize for imagined transgressions and clean up messes that weren't his doing, Harry's existence became a perpetual cycle of abuse and remorse. Locked away under the stairs were the remnants of his attempt to escape—a few confiscated belongings.

With the days slipping by and the nights deteriorating, Harry found himself confined to his room, a prisoner in a place that was supposed to be home, only to discover that it was not.

Harry was not able to sleep as the thoughts of going back to Hogwarts flooded his mind. He sat up in the dimly lit room and was now contemplating if he should or shouldn't go downstairs to get his belongings and leave before he was caught being up past his bedtime. Due to his mind being all over the place, Harry finds himself halfway down the stairs with a bag of the rest of his belongings that weren't taken away.

At the time, as Harry was getting his other belongings from under the stairs, something flashed through the window of the front door. It was his getaway; Ron and Hermione had come to save him from this hell hole of a home he was in.

Ron and Hermione stopped the car, making sure to be as quiet as they could so they didn't wake anyone. Harry abruptly opened the door and grabbed his bag. At the time he was walking out, he heard his uncle Vernon yelling from the top of the stairs, "YOU GET BACK HERE, BOY.".

Harry slammed the door and ran over to the car as fast as he could. The three wasted no time and briskly made their way out of the darkly lit road and into the street. Harry felt a sense of relief as they drove away into the night sky, making sure not to be detected, and away from the house where his uncle was hobbling his way down the driveway.

It was only a few weeks before they had to return to Hogwarts and Harry's birthday, but after the whole escape thing that had just happened, Harry was now sitting in the back of the Weasley's car, freaking out. The last time he had run away from home was his third year at Hogwarts; he had gotten into trouble and had to stay at the castle the entire time.

After getting picked up by Ron and Hermione and running away from his house, Harry was now extremely stressed in the backseat of the Weasley's car, as he worried that he would have to spend another year inside the castle at Hogwarts and not go anywhere because he left.

Hermione reassures him that they will be fine and that they will find a way to get him out of trouble for running away. Ron also mentions that the school will be just fine with the fact that he ran away from his awful muggle family, even though he left a few weeks too early. Harry slowly begins to relax and accepts their help.

Hermione then suggests that they take the flying car and head back to the Weasley's manor before morning hits and they are discovered. She explains that by the time they get back to the house, everyone will most likely be awake and that they will be wondering where they are. Harry agrees, and they swiftly take the car and fly away.

Once they are safely away from the houses and over vast landscapes of grass and water, Hermione tells them that they should turn off the invisibility power button so it stops wasting the magic in the car.

1462 words guys~