Just Walk Away

A Small Change

Here is Chapter 2. Again, I do not own Harry Potter or anything else that you might recognize. I am not getting any profit from this, just practice. 

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Hope can do one of two things to a person. It can give them the strength to do what needs to be done. It can be the force that drives a person to great things.

However, it can also bring someone great disappointment. When you hope for something only for it to never happen, it can be devastating.

This is what Harry experienced in the week following the final battle. He had hoped that people would rise to the occasion and begin making changes. He had hoped that Kingsley Shacklebolt, as the temporary minster of Magic, would take charge and do what needs to be done. That McGonagall would take Hogwarts and turn it back into the school that it once was, maybe even making a few changes along the way. He thought that maybe the Daily Prophet would actually start printing news maybe about the effects that the war had on their world.

His hope was quickly vanquished. Shacklebolt, while Harry knew he was not stupid, could not seem to think for himself. He kept asking to meet with Harry, asking his opinion on this issue or that. McGonagall was just a bad trying figure out what Hogwarts needed. She had asked him what he thought and has seemed awed when he said, "Can't we just start by rebuilding the castle." It should have been common sense.

Even the Daily Prophet was still up to their old games. They would speculate on whether Voldemort was really dead or how Harry defeated him or the rumors about Harry's love life. Quite frankly, Harry was disgusted with it and he could tell that he wasn't the only one. There were many who were feeling the same thing that Harry was. They saw what needed to be done, but it was like those who had the power to do something didn't see it.

It was at this point that many of them turned to Harry, knowing that he had the influence to do something. Hermione had taken to telling him every morning to set up a meeting with the ministry to make something happen. Dean Thomas kept asking Harry when he was going to run for minister saying, "You could do a much better job than this lot."

The worst, though, was Ginny. She had taken to cornering Harry in the most random places. She would kiss him and make it seem like she wanted to spend time with him. That was bad enough with his already confused feeling for her, but then she was say little comments like, "Everyone is looking to you Harry." And "They are waiting for you" and his personal favorite (not) "You're a hero now, don't you want to help people"

She would say these thing and he would always reply in his most flat emotionless tone, "I don't want anyone looking to me" and "Well they are going to be waiting for a while" and of course, "I have been helping people".

This was the reason that he was currently hiding out in a tree in the forbidden forest. He had noticed that witches and wizards tended to not look up when they were looking for someone. It was a very sad, but fortunate thing for him. He had done this every day for the last three days and no one had yet to find him.

"Harry!"

Once again, someone was looking for him. This time, from the voice, it sounded like Neville who was the one person that had not tried to track him down and force him to do something. He really hoped that Neville didn't jump on that bandwagon.

"Harry! Where are you?" He shouted again, this time much closer then Harry had anticipated. Most tended to stay out of the forest, but it seemed that Neville had once again surprised him.

Harry did his best to keep still, but he wanted to look down just to see how far away Neville was.

Bad idea