Harry Potter and the Wrath of the Fallen

Chapter 22: A Happy Holiday... Sort Of

The next few days flew by in a whirl, as Harry and Ginny tried to come to terms with their two wildly contradictory situations. During the nights they were both plagued by fitful sleep and nightmares, yet they awoke each day full of excitement for the possibilities they may encounter.

Harry and Ginny had tried to commence building their first house on a tract of land located on the other side of the pond from the Burrow, in Ottery St Catchpole. It turned out to be far more complicated than they had originally imagined, and their plans for secrecy were immediately abandoned as they contacted Bill Weasley, looking for any advice he could give on how to get started.

Adding to their concerns, Molly and Arthur had already noticed the young couple were up to something, and Molly in particular was becoming very determined to find out what was going on.

After three days of plans and ideas being discussed via the floo network with Bill, or being sent by owl, Harry finally remembered he had the perfect assistant already available to him. Kreacher was summoned and was now acting as the liaison between Harry, Ginny, and Bill, depriving Molly of her opportunity to eavesdrop on conversations, much to her disappointment.

With Christmas only a few days away, Molly began to put together her elaborate family dinner, and this year she was pulling out all the stops. As Harry had watched Molly's excitement grow as she prepared, he thought it best if he informed her of his intention to invite Kreacher to dinner.

Molly had initially been reluctant to have the house-elf at her table, as she had had very little contact with Kreacher since she had stayed at Grimmauld Place a number of years ago. At that time, Kreacher had a less than pleasant personality and had loathed the presence of the Weasley family in what he considered to still be his old Mistresses house. Harry and Ginny had assured Molly that Kreacher was now blessed with a lovely disposition and would not be any trouble at all.

After listening to Harry's defence of Kreacher, Molly had cautiously accepted the idea of having a house-elf join her family for dinner. Now, she had embraced the idea, and she was determined to make Kreacher feel welcome. They had run into one snag though, as nobody seemed to know what house-elves actually ate. Harry had assured Molly he would find out as soon as possible. He had decided to ask Hermione tonight when they spoke via the floo network, hoping she would know so he wouldn't have to ask Kreacher. He found he was slightly ashamed that he didn't know very much about house-elves, despite owning one.

                                                               *

 

The floating heads of Ron and Hermione were bobbing around in the green flames as Harry and Ginny sat in front of the fireplace. From the looks on their faces, Ron and Hermione had clearly been having a fun holiday, and no sign remained of the cut that had marred Hermione's forehead following the King's Cross attack.

Harry still found that he wanted to talk to the couple about what had happened in the carriage during the attack, but he decided to let it wait until after Christmas so they could enjoy their holiday.

At one point, Ron's head leaned forward and he spoke in a whisper.

"I don't know what you two are doing with Bill, but Mum's asked me to find out. She thinks you two are up to something and she was very insistent that she needed to know what was going on when she spoke to me earlier."

Harry and Ginny grinned at each other before turning back to Ron and Hermione.

"What did you tell her?" asked Harry curiously.

Ron looked exasperated. "What could I tell her? I don't know what's going on so I couldn't tell her anything."

As Harry smirked he almost felt guilty for putting Ron in this situation... almost.

"Harry," said Hermione, using her tone of reason, "Molly is concerned about the two of you and she just wants to make sure that you're not doing anything unwise." Hermione looked worried as she continued. "Perhaps you could tell us what you're up to, and then we could reassure Molly that everything is alright without having to tell her what is going on."

Harry considered this for a moment. He didn't want to give Molly any reason to worry about him and Ginny, especially when they were both doing so well, all things considered. Hermione's idea made sense. He opened his mouth to answer her, but was interrupted by Ginny before he could get a word out.

"Don't tell them anything, Harry," said Ginny sternly, glaring at the floating heads before her.

"Why not," asked Harry, startled by Ginny's reaction.

"Because it's a trick," said Ginny.

Harry regarded Ginny with scepticism. "How do you know that?"

Ginny pointed at Ron's face. "Because my big brother is holding his breath. They are just trying to find out for themselves. I'm not sure if Mum had anything to do with this or not, but they're only trying to make us feel guilty so we'll tell them what we're doing."

Harry looked back at Ron and Hermione, only to find Hermione was now admonishing Ron.

"I told you we had to act naturally, but no, you couldn't even do that."

Ron grinned in embarrassment. "Sorry, 'Mione, but I couldn't help it. I always get nervous when I try and lie to Ginny. It's the Bat-Bogeys... they scare me."

Ginny scowled at her brother. "Bat-Bogeys will be the least of your problems when you get home, Ronald Weasley." Harry saw Ron's face fall as Ginny continued. "And Hermione, how could you try and trick Harry like that?"

Hermione also looked embarrassed now and lowered her eyes from Ginny. Harry couldn't take any more. The laughter burst out of him as he looked at his two very sheepish best friends. After a moment, all four friends were laughing together, and Harry had tears running down his face. As the laughter died away, Ginny returned to glaring at her brother.

"Before I go and yell at Mum, you had better tell how much of this idiotic plan was her idea," said Ginny.

Hermione bit her bottom lip before answering. "Actually, Molly told us you were doing something strange with Bill, but that's all she said."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Ginny, and the authority in her voice left Harry in no doubt that Hermione and Ron would not lie about this.

"She said she was happy that you were both keeping busy, and she would find out soon enough what you were up to. She didn't ask us to do anything." Hermione hung her head again but Harry could see the smile on her lips.

Ginny turned to Harry and gave him a mischievous smile, before turning back to Ron and Hermione.

"Right, here's what's going to happen. Harry and I are going to tell everyone what we're doing. Everyone... except you two. And they will all be sworn to secrecy."

Hermione looked scandalised. "Ginny, you wouldn't?"

"Yes, she would," said Ron, slightly deflated by this turn of events.

Ginny grinned in satisfaction as realisation sunk in for Ron and Hermione. That will teach them for trying to be so sneaky.

The rest of the conversation concerned both Spain and the wonderful time Ron and Hermione were having touring around the country, and the eating habits of house-elves, before the friends all realised the time and said goodbye, promising to speak again soon.

                                                               *

 

Draco Malfoy was very unhappy at the moment. The small terrace house he found himself in was far more comfortable and warm than the warehouse had been, but the problem was this was the third place he and his father, along with their remaining companions, had stayed in since abandoning the warehouse following the capture of Crabbe and Goyle.

Draco glared at his father, watching as Lucius once again met with the mysterious cloaked stranger that had visited the warehouse recently. Lucius had been acting very strangely since they had left the warehouse, and his increasing paranoia was becoming an alarming issue for Draco.

As soon as Lucius finished meeting with the man, Draco expected to be ordered to pack their things and prepare to move once again. In anticipation of this, Draco hadn't actually unpacked anything following their arrival at this house yesterday afternoon.

Finally Lucius ushered his visitor from the house before returning inside and addressing Draco.

"Pack our things, Draco. We're leaving."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yes, Father."

As Draco glanced around the room, he noticed that several of their companions were also rolling their eyes or sharing meaningful looks with each other. Lucius had also sensed the change in atmosphere as the men reluctantly began to move.

"My friends," began Lucius, "our time is almost at hand. Our friend from the Ministry has provided the information we need to ensure our strike against our enemies will be most effective, but we cannot strike until the time is right."

Draco regarded his father with scepticism, bordering on suspicion. "That man you met with was from the Ministry?"

"Yes, Draco, and he has been working on attaining some necessary information for us which will allow us to directly attack Harry Potter."

The men assembled in the room looked doubtful, but Draco heard one murmured grunt of approval.

"What information do we need?" asked Draco. "Potter's been out in the open plenty of times if you just wanted to kill him."

Lucius glared at his son. "Are you questioning my methods, Draco?"

Draco returned his father's glare as he screwed up his courage. "Yes, I suppose I am," he said flatly.

Lucius was poised to lash out at Draco until he saw that the rest of his men were nodding in agreement with his son's stance on the matter.

"Very well, Draco," sneered Lucius. "The man I have met with has provided me with information that will allow us to get passed the wards which protect Harry Potter's current refuge. We are now waiting for confirmation that he is, in fact, where I believe him to be hiding. Once the final piece of information is in place, we will strike."

Draco's mind raced. He couldn't think of where Harry Potter might be hiding over the holidays. As far as he knew, Harry didn't even have a home anymore. He always stayed with the Weasleys.

                                                               *

 

 Dinner at the Burrow had been a rather rowdy affair, with George, Verity, and Percy all joining Harry, Ginny, Molly, and Arthur.

The large dinner gathering had been Harry and Ginny's idea, and Molly had happily agreed. Charlie, Bill, and Fleur were also due to attend, but Bill had sent word that Fleur was feeling unwell and he would not be able to join the family for dinner. Charlie had gone to Shell Cottage to make sure Bill and Fleur were alright, and had promised to return in time for dessert.

Harry had sat and enjoyed the meal while he contemplated the measures Ginny would go to in pursuit of revenge. He reminded himself never to play a practical joke on her, as the resulting backlash could be calamitous.

A whooshing sound from the fire place announced the arrival of Charlie, and to Harry's surprise, Bill also stepped out of the green flames.

"Evening all," said Charlie jovially as he strode into the kitchen.

Molly stood from the table and greeted her sons. "Charlie. And Bill, I didn't think you would be able to make it. Is Fleur feeling better?"

Bill hugged his mother and gave her a weary smile. "She's alright now. She just had an upset stomach."

As Bill made his way around the table and greeted everyone, Molly eyed her eldest son shrewdly.

"So," began Bill, looking at Ginny and ignoring his mother's stare.  "Have you told them yet?"

Ginny grinned at her brother. "Not yet. We thought we should wait for Charlie. Ron and Hermione are being excluded from this announcement as punishment for trying to trick Harry and me into revealing our plans."

Bill chuckled as he nodded his understanding. "Well then, take it away whenever you're ready, Ginny."

Ginny stood and looked at Charlie. "Have you got any Firewhiskey, Charlie?"

"Of course," said Charlie, as he produced a bottle of Ogden's from somewhere beneath his robes.

Ginny was suddenly overcome with nerves as she looked at the expectant faces arrayed throughout the kitchen. How does Harry make these announcements? she wondered to herself. She drew a deep breath and began.

"Harry and I had planned to undertake a special project over the holidays. It has become a little more complicated than we first imagined, but with Bill's help, we are finally under way." Ginny focussed on Molly and Arthur as she continued. "Harry and I have started to build our own house."

The room was silent for a moment and Ginny wished somebody would say something. She looked at her mother and was worried by the expression she saw on her face. Her mother looked apprehensive, and Ginny hoped she was just seeing things, but she thought she saw sadness in her mother's eyes.

Molly stared at her daughter, unable to respond as her emotions got the better of her. Her youngest child and only daughter would be moving out of home, and while she certainly didn't object to this development, it saddened her to think that this holiday was possibly the last time Ginny was going to call the Burrow home.

The Weasley men sat nervously around the table waiting for Molly to respond. Harry and Ginny shared a worried look between themselves as Harry stood up to join Ginny.

"Are you okay, Mum?" asked Ginny nervously.

The sound of Ginny's voice brought Molly out of her reverie and back to the present. She looked up into the faces of Harry and Ginny and realised they were waiting on her response. She felt tears start to well in her eyes.

"Oh, dears," said Molly shakily, "that's a wonderful idea."

Ginny and Harry both breathed out in relief as the rest of the group seated around the table started grinning at each other and offering their congratulations to the couple.

Arthur regarded his wife carefully, as he understood what was bothering her. He too felt the pang of loss as he contemplated another of his children leaving the family home. He consoled himself that at least Molly would still have Ron to fuss over for a little while longer yet.

"So," said Arthur as he started conjuring glasses, "where have you decided to build your first home?"

Ginny grinned at her father. "In Ottery St Catchpole of course."

Molly's head snapped up upon hearing those words. "You're going to live in the area?" blurted out Molly, her excitement clear for all to see.

Harry chuckled as he realised now why Molly had not been overly joyous at the original announcement. She was upset that Ginny would be moving away.

"We'll be living nearby, Molly," said Harry. "Very near actually, if you and Arthur don't have any objections?"

While Molly was left speechless, Arthur looked enquiringly at Harry and Ginny. "How near exactly?"

"Well, Dad," began Ginny, "part of Harry's inheritance from his parents was a large piece of land in Ottery St Catchpole. That piece of land borders against this property, on the far side of the pond. Harry and I wanted to build our house not too far from the pond."

Arthur looked at Molly, and seeing her tears, he put his arm around her. "It's alright, Molly, they won't be going far."

Molly beamed at Ginny and Harry. She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes dry.

"That sounds wonderful, Ginny. Arthur and I would be delighted to have you living close by; if you're sure you really want to live in the area."

Ginny was elated that her mother was happy for her. "Harry and I love this area, Mum. We couldn't think of anywhere else we would want to live."

Molly was out of her seat in a heartbeat, making her way to her daughter and hugging her tightly. Arthur gave Harry a nod and held up his glass in a silent salute to Harry.

Bill stood and shook Harry's hand, grinning as he leaned in and whispered to Harry. "The next set of plans are ready for you and Ginny to have a look at. Kreacher has them whenever you would like to see them."

Harry grinned. Now was as good a time as any. "Kreacher."

A 'crack' announced Kreacher's arrival beside Harry. "Hello, Master, how may I be of assistance?"

"Hi, Kreacher, do you have the new set of house plans?"

Kreacher's large eyes widened even further as he looked around the Burrow kitchen and took in the number of people in the room.

"But Master, you asked that I only pass information to you about the... thing, when nobody else was present."

"I know, Kreacher," said Harry quickly, realising he had just asked the house-elf to disobey an instruction. "You can now pass any information to Ginny and I about the house in front of any of the people in this room. Do you understand?"

Kreacher bowed before Harry. "Of course, Master."

Kreacher snapped his fingers and disappeared, before returning with a 'crack' seconds later, holding a large rolled up piece of paper in one bony hand, and several smaller pieces of parchment in the other. He placed the items on the table before he looked back up at Harry.

"Do you require anything else, Master?"

"No thanks, Kreacher. Thank you for your help," said Harry kindly as he smiled at the little house-elf.

Kreacher gave Harry a small grin this time, before he snapped his fingers and was gone.

Harry turned back to the table to find Ginny was already unrolling the large piece of paper across the table. Everyone stood and gathered around, leaning over and craning their necks to get a better look at the plans.

To the shock of everybody except Bill, the plans revealed the house would only be a small two bedroom wooden house, with a high peaked roof and an attic.

George looked up at Harry and Ginny. "Why so small? You could build a castle if you wanted to."

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "We don't need anything bigger. Besides, this house will have a few extra features that will allow it to be expanded if we need more room."

A very shaggy haired Percy also raised his head. "But guys, what if you have guests?"

Ginny laughed at her brothers concern. "They could always stay in the attic."

"What's wrong with the second bedroom?" asked Percy.

"You would be welcome to stay in the second bedroom, Percy," said Ginny, "as long as Kreacher is happy to share his room with you."

Percy looked baffled. "You're going to give your house-elf its own bedroom?"

"Of course. Kreacher will probably spend most of his time at Grimmauld Place, but we want him to feel welcome in our home," explained Ginny.

Charlie chuckled as he considered this. "Hermione would be very pleased with your attitude."

"Oh, that reminds me," said Ginny. "None of you can tell Ron and Hermione anything about this for a little while. I'll Bat-Bogey the first person who tells them anything without Harry's or my permission, got it."

Ginny received the swift agreement of her family as some of them shuddered at the thought of Ginny's Bat-Bogey hex.

The rest of the night was filled with talk of houses and future plans, which left George visibly paler after Verity started talking longingly of homes and children. Finally everyone headed off to their own homes, looking forward to seeing each other again for Christmas dinner in three days time.

                                                               *

 

The next morning Harry had woken to find the sun shining through the bedroom window. As he rose from the bed and looked out the window, he could see the drops of water falling from the roof as the night's frost melted away.

The fields and trees struck Harry with their beauty, and Harry found himself wishing the house he and Ginny were going to build was already complete. Their plans seemed to have taken on a strange sense of urgency since they had been revealed last night, but Harry knew it would take several months at least for everything to be completed.

Harry jumped as he felt a pair of arms wrap around his body. Ginny had slid out of bed and had come around to stand behind him at the window, but Harry was so lost in his thoughts he hadn't heard the movement.

"Sorry," said Ginny with a giggle. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Harry turned around and gave Ginny a kiss, almost losing himself in the warmth of her eyes.

"You seem happy this morning," said Harry. "What's put you in such a good mood?"

Ginny considered Harry's question for a second. She couldn't put her finger on the source of her light and joyful mood this morning, but she was just happy to be happy.

"I don't know really," said Ginny. "We should go shopping today; we need to buy some Christmas presents."

Harry nodded. "Okay. Let's get that done early before Diagon Alley gets too crowded."

With that, Harry and Ginny got dressed and made their way down to the kitchen and had breakfast with Molly, before setting off to take care of their Christmas shopping.

The trip to Diagon Alley went far more smoothly than Harry had dared to hope for. They received a number of glares from some of the other shoppers, but mostly they received smiles and the occasional handshake. With their shopping done and their packages arranged to be sent back to the Burrow, Harry and Ginny enjoyed lunch at the Leaky Cauldron before returning home themselves.

                                                               *

 

Kingsley Shacklebolt sat on the sofa in the living room of the Burrow with Molly and Arthur. Arthur and Kingsley had arrived only minutes ago, and now sat patiently waiting for Harry to return from Diagon Alley, both feeling apprehensive as they contemplated the various pieces of news they had to share with Harry.

Molly heard a ticking sound as one of the hands on her clock moved. She stepped to the mantle and looked at the clock, noting that Ginny was now travelling.

"I think they're on their way," said Molly. "I'll just get some tea for everybody, shall I?"

Arthur smiled appreciatively at Molly. "That would be lovely, dear."

As Molly made her way into the kitchen to start fixing tea for everybody, the sound of footsteps and laughter could be heard coming from outside as Harry and Ginny made their way up the dirt path to the front door.

The couple entered the Burrow, accompanied by a gust of cold air, and immediately stopped laughing as they saw the grim expressions on Arthur and Kingsley's faces.

"Ah, Harry, come and sit down," said Arthur with forced cheerfulness.

"What's happened?" asked Harry, not moving from the doorway.

"Harry, please, sit down. We have to talk about a few things," pleaded Arthur, all false cheerfulness now replaced with concern.

Harry made his way slowly into the living room and took a seat, Ginny at his side.

Kingsley looked at Harry as if appraising him for a moment. "Harry, I've got some bad news for you. The man involved in the King's Cross attack who was receiving treatment at St Mungo's succumbed to his injuries yesterday. The Healers did all they could, but in the end there was just too much damage."

Harry's breath caught in his throat as he felt a large weight settle in the pit of his stomach. His head fell as Ginny put her arms around him. Harry raised his head and gazed at Kingsley.

"What was his name?" rasped Harry.

"We still don't know. I'm very sorry, Harry. If there's anything I can do please let me know."

Harry nodded as he struggled to regain his composure, not noticing Molly had reappeared with a tray of hot tea. Molly put the tray down on the coffee table and took a mug of tea to Harry.

"Here, Harry, drink some tea and you'll feel better," said Molly kindly.

Harry took the hot mug and took a sip. The hot liquid didn't make him feel any better, but it did give him something to focus on.

"So what happens now?" asked Harry weakly, in between sips.

"Nothing for the moment," said Kingsley as he began to explain. "Eventually you may have to testify about your actions on the platform, but no charges are going to be lodged against you. You were acting in the defence of others, and while two people were killed, you did not intend to kill them. Nor did you use the Killing Curse so you have been cleared of any wrong doing."

"I know that is little consolation at this point, Harry, but you have done nothing wrong. Just try and remember that."

Harry was shocked, not having realised he even could have been charged for the deaths. Now that Kingsley had told him, he was ashamed at the relief he suddenly felt. He put it to one side and looked directly at Kingsley.

"What about the other three?" asked Harry.

Kingsley grunted. "The other three have been questioned and have provided us with a wealth of information that is, I'm afraid to say, doing us little good. It appears the four men who attacked the train had abandoned Lucius Malfoy's group as they had become disillusioned with the lack of progress being made in the name of revenge."

"Their information also led us to a warehouse near London which appears to have been their hideout for some time. Obviously it was deserted by the time we got there, but the evidence we collected there points to another five or six people having stayed there, which matches the statements made by the captured men. Our hunt for Lucius Malfoy has been stepped up to become our number one priority, as he and his son represent our largest and most credible threat at the moment."

Harry slumped back on the sofa. It just never ends, Harry lamented.

Ginny looked at her father. "You said there were a few things you needed to discuss. What else is going on?"

Arthur swallowed. "There are three things actually. Firstly, Ron will be arriving back here shortly as he wished to attend Alicia O'Riley's funeral later today. Ron didn't want you two to interrupt your holiday with a funeral, but I thought you should know just in case either of you also wanted to go."

Harry and Ginny both nodded. "We'll go and pay our respects, Arthur, and support Ron. It's the least we could do," said Harry.

"Thank you both. It will mean a lot to him."

"What's the second thing," asked Ginny.

Arthur pulled an envelope out of his robes and passed it to Harry. "This arrived from Arrabella Figg earlier today."

Harry opened the letter and saw that Dudley Dursley had sent him a Christmas card, wishing him a happy holiday and once again expressing a desire to meet some time soon. Harry was baffled by Dudley's change in behaviour. This new thoughtful Dudley was almost as worrying as the old bullying version. Harry put the card aside. He would think about that later.

"And thirdly?" asked Harry reluctantly, wondering what else could befall him today.

Kingsley and Arthur's expressions rapidly changed into bright smiles, leaving Harry and Ginny more than a little confused.

When Kingsley spoke his voice boomed. "Max and Mary Dearborn have returned home in time for Christmas, and the Healers tell us that Gawain will be released a day or two after Christmas if he keeps recovering at his current pace."

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, both seeing a huge smile appear on the other's face. Harry sighed deeply as he felt relief wash over him. Some good news was just what he needed at the moment, and this would do just fine.

                                                               *

 

Harry checked his reflection in the mirror. His hair remained a disaster area that was best left to its own devices, while the rest of him was now appropriately covered in his formal black robes again. He almost regretted having to wear these robes to Alicia's funeral, as they had reminded him so vividly of his wonderful memories of the Halloween Ball.

Harry shrugged off the thought as Ginny returned to the room wearing a towel. He exchanged sad smiles with her as she selected a simple black dress from their closet and got dressed quickly.

"Are you okay?" asked Harry, remembering how much Ginny had liked Alicia herself.

"I'll be alright," said Ginny. "It's just so sad."

Harry stepped to Ginny and held her for a moment, before breaking away. "We had better get downstairs. Ron will be here any minute."

Ginny nodded and took Harry's hand, making her way out the door and down the stairs, silently hoping that this was the last funeral she would have to attend for a victim of the violence which had plagued the wizarding world.

The couple met Arthur in the kitchen as he stood watching the fireplace, waiting for Ron to arrive.

"How are you two holding up?" Arthur asked Harry and Ginny.

Harry and Ginny never had a chance to answer as emerald green flames erupted in the fireplace and Ron stepped out into the kitchen. As he brushed a piece of ash off his robes he looked up and was startled to find Harry and Ginny waiting for him.

"Harry, Ginny, what are you two doing here?"

Harry and Ginny walked to Ron and they both embraced him. Any complaint Ron had about his father telling his friends about his return for the funeral died on his lips, as a sudden swell of gratitude flooded him and he wondered how he thought he could have done this alone.

Arthur's voice interrupted their brief reunion. "Are you ready to go, Ron?"

Ron nodded at his father. "Yeah, Dad. How are we getting there?"

"We're taking a portkey which leaves in a matter of minutes."

With that Arthur turned and made his way out the back door of the Burrow, heading to the large shed at the edge of the garden. He opened the door and disappeared inside as Ron, Harry, and Ginny all followed him. Before the three of them reached the shed, Arthur reappeared holding an old tin can. He checked his watch as the other three took up positions in a loose circle around him.

"One minute, kids," said Arthur as he held up the can. Everybody made sure they had a finger on the can as they counted down the seconds in their heads. When Harry thought he still had about ten seconds to go, he felt the pull behind his navel and the Burrow disappeared.

                                                               *

 

Three hours later, as gray clouds rolled in and the darkness enveloped the surrounding country side, Harry was sitting at the wooden kitchen table in the Burrow, turning the card from Dudley Dursley over in his hands as he stared at it without really seeing anything.

He cast his mind back to the funeral he had attended today and felt the grief pulling at his heart. He had sat and watched the short, dignified ceremony with one arm around Ron's shoulders, and the other around Ginny.

The emotion of the funeral hadn't really affected him until Alicia's parents had stood and spoken of the pride they had in their daughter, and the devastation they now felt at her sudden loss. Alicia's father had spoken eloquently about his family and the love they had always shared, grateful for the time they had together, and his respect for the decisions Alicia had made in life.

Harry was sharply reminded that his own blood family were all gone now, except for the Dursleys; and while he didn't relish the idea, he thought he should at least make the effort to see his last remaining relatives occasionally. If they did not want to see him then he would move on without regret, knowing he had at least made the effort.

So now he sat alone in the kitchen of the Burrow, trying to think of how he should approach this problem. He wished he had asked Ron for advice, but Ron had already departed the Burrow and returned to Spain to finish his holiday with the Grangers.

Harry stood and walked to the kitchen counter. He rummaged through the drawers until he found a piece of blank parchment, a quill, and some ink. All of the items looked as if they had been sitting unused in the drawer for quite some time; the ink in particular looked well past its prime, but he only needed to get a few words onto the parchment.

He sat back at the table and composed his letter for Dudley.

Five o'clock

Christmas Eve

Privet Drive

Harry

Harry regarded his blunt message with satisfaction. It gave nothing away of the conflict he felt about meeting the Dursleys again, and nor did it engender any sense of affection or bitterness. It would serve his purpose perfectly.

As Harry sat and waited for the ink to dry fully before he rolled up the parchment, Ginny arrived in the kitchen, her long red hair now a tangled mess after a brief nap following the funeral.

"Hi, Gin, how are you feeling?" asked Harry softly.

"I'm okay," said Ginny, as she looked at the table and saw the card from Dudley lying to one side and the parchment lying in front of Harry.

Ginny felt a flutter of worry as she moved over to Harry and stood behind him, reading the letter he had written over his shoulder.

"You're going to see them?" she asked, unable to hide her surprise.

"Yeah, I suppose so."

Ginny was baffled as she made her way around the table and sat opposite Harry. She studied his face, trying to get any sense she could of how he was feeling because she didn't understand why he would want to see the Dursleys.

"But why, Harry? I didn't think you wanted to see them again."

Harry shrugged as he saw the confusion on Ginny's face. "It's hard to explain. I just feel like I should make the effort; they are my family after all."

"I thought we were your family," said Ginny, feeling a lump in her throat.

"You are," soothed Harry as he reached across the table and took Ginny's hand.

"Then why bother with them?" asked Ginny, her voice getting louder as she fought for control. "They never loved you like we do."

Ginny took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Harry's longing for his own family was something she had tried to understand, but she could not relate to his feelings on the matter, having never known anything except a close and loving family. She could not understand why he would willingly visit people he knew despised him.

Harry regarded Ginny for a moment before he spoke. "I don't know that I do want to see them really, and while I would rather that they weren't my family, it doesn't change the fact that they are. If nothing else, maybe this will be some closure for me."

Ginny nodded slowly. She could understand the desire for closure.

"Can I come with you?"

Harry smiled at her. "I would be very grateful if you would."

Harry folded up the parchment and stood from the table. He went to the window, pushed it open, and whistled loudly for his owl. After a moment he heard the beat of large wings before the owl swooped down onto the window sill.

"Hello, Cyril," said Harry as he stroked the owl's head.

Ginny was startled. "When did you name your owl?"

Harry turned and grinned at Ginny. "Just now."

"Where did the name Cyril come from?"

Harry scratched his head as he thought about it. "You know, I have no idea. It just popped into my head."

"But your owl's a girl. You do know that don't you?" asked a flabbergasted Ginny.

"I could change it to Cyrilette if you'd prefer," suggested Harry.

Ginny considered this for a moment. "So, Cyril it is then," said Ginny, starting to laugh.

Harry smiled as he tied the parchment to the owl's leg. "Take this to Dudley Dursley, okay?"

Cyril nipped gently at Harry's fingers and puffed her chest out. Harry took this to mean that she either understood her task, or approved of her odd name choice. The owl spread her wings and dropped from the window sill, leaving Harry to watch her soar into the darkness before she vanished from sight after a few seconds.

                                                               *

 

The Burrow was full of frantic activity as Molly bustled around the house preparing for the Christmas day celebrations to be held the following day. Ginny, along with a visiting George and Verity, had been drafted in to assist Molly, while Harry sat in the living room and counted down the hours until he would depart for Little Whinging.

As the sky started to dim, Harry got up and started pacing, trying to collect his thoughts in the remaining ten minutes left to him. As his mind raced with all sorts of scenarios regarding his return to his childhood home, some likely but most not, Ginny entered the living room and informed him it was time to go.

Harry and Ginny made their way outside to the property boundary as they prepared to apparate. Molly had accompanied them and wished them luck, telling them both to be cautious and not to do anything overly dramatic if the situation became too distressing. Harry assured Molly they would be careful, before he put his forehead against Ginny's for a second.

"Are you ready?" asked Harry.

Ginny kissed Harry lightly. "I'm ready whenever you are."

Harry smiled for a second before they both vanished with a 'pop', leaving Molly behind with her worry.

                                                               *

 

Little Whinging had turned out to be much colder than Ottery St Catchpole had been. Harry and Ginny huddled together at the end of Privet Drive as Harry tried to push away his doubt.

He could see the front yard of Number 4 only a few houses away, but for some reason he was having trouble convincing his feet to start walking in that direction.

Ginny looked at Harry, putting her arm around him as she felt her own doubt rising.

"Do you want to go home?" she asked softly.

Harry seriously considered this option for a moment. "Maybe," answered Harry honestly.

As Harry wrestled with his options, a tall young man stepped out to the curb of Number 4's immaculately tended front yard. At first Harry thought it must have been one of Dudley's friends, so he decided to wait until he left.

The young man looked up the street, before he turned and looked in Harry and Ginny's direction. It was only then that Harry realised it was Dudley, but certainly not the Dudley he remembered. For a start, there was only about half as much of him as there used to be.

Dudley waved in their direction, and Harry saw a smile appear on Dudley's face. Harry stood frozen to the spot as Dudley quickly approached him. He didn't have the first clue of what he should say. Apparation had now worked its way to the top of his options list as Dudley stopped a few feet away from him.

Harry was startled by the change in Dudley's appearance. He had grown considerably taller in the previous year and a half, as well as considerably thinner. It gave him the appearance of having been stretched. Dudley was also sporting a short, deliberately messy hairstyle that suited him well. Harry guessed he had stopped letting his mother cut his hair for him.

"Hello, Harry," said a smiling Dudley. "It's good to see you again."

Dudley looked at Ginny. "And Ginny of course, I'm glad you came."

Ginny was so surprised that Dudley knew who she was that she forgot to maintain her deliberately indifferent expression.

"How do you know who I am?" Ginny demanded.

Dudley threw his head back and let out a short laugh. "Everybody knows who you are. You're in the paper all the time."

"What paper?" asked a baffled Ginny.

"The Daily Prophet of course," answered Dudley.

Harry and Ginny looked at Dudley with wide eyes, both feeling like they were missing something. Harry was having trouble trying to reconcile his memories of Dudley with the jovial individual who stood before him now. A question rose up in Harry's mind and he blurted it out before he could stop himself.

"What happened to you, Dudley?"

Again Dudley gave a small laugh. "Dedalus Diggle happened to me. A year spent with that man will change anyone's life. Why don't you both come inside and I'll tell you all about it?"

Harry was surprised to find he was intrigued to hear about the Dursleys year in hiding with Dedalus Diggle. He had not envisaged this scenario at all during the day as he thought about the things he wanted to say to the Dursleys.

"Do your parents know that I'm here?" asked Harry warily.

Dudley's face fell a little. "Yes, but I should warn you, I don't think they'll be very happy to see you. Some things haven't changed," said Dudley with a shrug.

Harry grunted, almost relieved that his aunt and uncle remained unchanged. At least he knew how to deal with their attitude towards him. Dudley was proving to be a far tougher puzzle to solve.

"Lead the way, Dudley," said Harry, as his feet finally came back under his control and he followed Dudley towards his childhood home.

As Harry and Ginny followed Dudley up the path to the front door of Number 4, Harry caught the movement of a curtain in the front window out of the corner of his eye. This should be interesting, Harry thought to himself as he drew a deep breath and checked that his wand was still in his back pocket.

Dudley opened the front door and stepped into the house. As Harry entered the house behind his cousin he noticed that every surface was spotlessly clean, even in the hallway. Harry stepped into the living room and came face to face with Vernon and Petunia Dursley, who both stood side by side in the middle of the room.

Harry felt Ginny's grip on his hand tighten as they both looked into the sour expressions on the faces of his aunt and uncle. Vernon Dursley hadn't changed much as far as Harry could tell. His uncle was a little heavier and his hair was now predominately gray, while Petunia remained completely unchanged as her face was concealed beneath heavy make-up. Harry stood patiently and waited for someone else to break the silence.

Meanwhile, Vernon and Petunia Dursley regarded Harry with suspicion and a touch of fear. Vernon's face slowly began turning red as he waited for Harry to speak. Finally, he could wait no longer as his outrage grew.

'Come to offer an apology, have you, boy?" spat Vernon, the veins in his neck standing out.

Harry raised an eyebrow as he gazed at his uncle. "I apologise," said Harry coolly. "Now, would you be kind enough to tell me what it is I'm apologising for."

Vernon's face flushed as he glared at Harry. "For breaking into my house. I should have you arrested and thrown in prison. That would teach you to respect other people's property."

"Shut up, Dad," said Dudley, much to Harry's surprise.

Petunia gasped and clutched her chest as Vernon's mouth opened and closed several times, but no words were forthcoming.

"This is my house too," continued Dudley, "and I asked Harry to come and see me. He is my guest, so either treat him decently or sit down and keep your mouth shut." Dudley turned to Harry and Ginny. "Come on, you two, we'll talk upstairs."

As Dudley made his way out of the room, Harry and Ginny looked at each other. Harry could see the same disbelief and amusement in Ginny's eyes as he was feeling himself. He smirked at Ginny as they turned and followed Dudley back out into the hallway, leaving a stunned Vernon and Petunia behind them.

Harry followed Dudley up the stairs and stepped into his cousin's bedroom. Ginny walked into the back of him as he stopped in his tracks. He was not prepared for the scene that met him as he looked around the room.

Dudley's immense collection of toys and electronic gadgets were all but gone; a small television sitting in one corner and a radio by the bed was all that remained besides a wardrobe and a desk. It was the desk that drew Harry's eye. Pinned to the wall over the desk was a collection of Daily Prophet articles about him.

Dudley glanced at Harry and followed his gaze. Dudley blushed as he realised what Harry was looking at.

"Oh," said Dudley, unable to meet Harry's eyes. "Sorry, just ignore all that."

Harry barely heard Dudley as he and Ginny stepped across the room and looked at the articles. Among the articles, Harry noticed several pieces about the King's Cross attack that he hadn't actually seen himself. Harry turned back and looked at Dudley, a bewildered expression on his face.

"Where did you get all this stuff?" asked Harry.

Dudley looked embarrassed as he fidgeted involuntarily. "Arrabella gets a copy for me each day. I just like to see what's going on in your world."

"But why?" asked Harry, as he returned his gaze to the articles and noticed that they went back for over a year. There was even a wanted poster for him on the wall.

"It sort of became a habit while we were in hiding with Dedalus and Hestia," explained Dudley. "We would get the paper every few days and occasionally it would have an article about you or some of the others who were fighting. Dedalus would tell me which bits were true and which bits weren't. I didn't think you were going to survive, so I started keeping the articles about you so I would have something to remember you by."

Neither Dudley nor Harry could meet each other's eyes now. Dudley sat down on the edge of the bed as an awkward silence filled the room. When he spoke again his voice was heavy with regret.

"I treated you terribly for so long, Harry. I never realised what I had put you through until you were gone. I want you to know that I'm truly sorry for everything I did to you."

Harry was left speechless. All he was able to do was mumble something incoherent before Dudley continued.

"I know we will never be friends, Harry, I'm not that stupid, but I hope that we can keep in touch so that I know how you're doing without having to read about it in the paper."

"Um..." began Harry, but his voice failed him.

Harry stood motionless for a minute as his mind raced. He had expected many things from this visit to his childhood home, but this wasn't one of them. Dudley had obviously undergone a very significant change and Harry was left feeling a little shaken by it. He stared at Dudley until Ginny nudged him.

"Harry, are you still with us?" whispered Ginny.

Harry nodded slowly. "Yeah, sorry. What happened last year, Dudley?"

Dudley grinned. "Dedalus pointed out some rather troubling flaws in my character which he felt could be improved. It was a very harsh lesson to find out how other people saw me, and even harder to accept that they were right. It was then that I really saw my father for the man he was. I was appalled by how my father treated Dedalus and Hestia, and I realised I was just like him, so I decided to do something about it."

Harry thought about what Dudley had said.  He knew it must have been difficult for Dudley to admit to his own shortcomings, especially with his parents being happy to encourage his less than charming personality traits. Now he was trying to make amends and Harry could understand and appreciate the effort Dudley was going to. While he agreed with Dudley that they would probably never be friends, Harry was glad to realise he would have a least one relative who cared about him.

Harry made a decision. He extended his hand to his cousin and smiled as Dudley shook it.

"We'll keep in touch, Dudley," said Harry. "Now, why don't you tell us about your year in hiding?"

With that, Harry and Ginny sat down with Dudley and listened to the story of his year with Dedalus Diggle and Hestia Jones. Harry was surprised to learn that Dudley had been listening to Potterwatch on the radio throughout the year, as well as receiving regular updates from the friends of Dedalus and Hestia, who kept the group supplied with food and anything else they needed.

Dudley also spoke regretfully about the inflexible attitude of his parents, as he now viewed his year away as a life changing experience for the better, while Vernon and Petunia were just as bitter as when they had left. They resisted all his efforts to keep them informed about the goings on in the wizarding world, but Dudley remained hopeful that one day they might come around. This was a hope Harry didn't share with his cousin.

The sound of Aunt Petunia's voice calling Dudley for dinner brought an end to what had become a rather pleasant afternoon. Harry and Ginny made their way back downstairs and headed to the front door. Harry stopped and thought for a moment before turning around and heading into the kitchen to say goodbye to his aunt and uncle. He would make one last try at acting civilly, as he thought his parents would have wanted that.

Harry and Ginny stood in the kitchen, an uncomfortable silence descending in the room. Harry noticed Vernon scowling at him as he sat at the table and prepared to eat his dinner. Aunt Petunia meanwhile, had turned paler than usual as she looked at Harry.

"Well, goodbye then," said Harry. "It was... interesting... to see you all again."

Dudley quietly moved into a position that put him in between Harry and Vernon. Vernon made no attempt to answer Harry, instead, choosing to glare at his nephew.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye, Dad?" asked Dudley, his stern tone startling Vernon.

Vernon continued to glare at Harry. "Goodbye, boy. Be sure you have my permission before you enter this house again."

Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head as he turned to face his aunt. Aunt Petunia's lips were pursed together so tightly they no longer had any colour left in them. Harry realised he was not even going to receive a farewell from his aunt.

Harry sighed and drew his wand, eliciting a gasp from his aunt while his uncle struggled to his feet.

"How dare you threaten my wife," roared Uncle Vernon.

Harry ignored his uncle's outburst as he waved his wand in a complex movement, aiming at his other hand. When he finished, a beautiful lily lay in the palm of his hand. He placed the flower on the counter top in front of his aunt.

"You despised my mother because she could do magic like this," said Harry sadly. "Keep this flower and let it remind you of my mother and her son every day, but know that once I leave here I will never think of you again."

This was too much for Uncle Vernon. "Get out. Get out of this house immediately, boy. You are not welcome here," screamed Vernon, as his face turned purple with rage. He began to advance on Harry until Dudley blocked his path. This only served to further infuriate Vernon.

"You see what you have done," he spat accusingly. "You have turned my own son against me."

"No, he didn't," said Dudley fiercely. "I turned against you long ago. I just wish I had stood up to you before now."

Dudley turned and faced Harry and Ginny. "It was great to see you again, Harry, and to finally meet you, Ginny. I hope you both have a nice Christmas."

Harry gave his cousin a crooked smile. "Yeah, likewise. Good luck."

Harry and Ginny left the kitchen and made their way to the front door again, the sound of what promised to be a messy argument floating down the hallway behind them. Harry opened the door and stepped out into the cold night air, an unexpected sight before him causing his breath to catch in his throat. Harry heard the door shut behind him and then he heard Ginny gasp.

"What are you lot doing here?" she demanded.

"We just wanted to make sure Harry was alright," explained Molly Weasley.

Harry felt a grin spread across his face as he looked at most of the Weasley family standing before him in the front yard; only Ron and Charlie missing from the group. He could no longer feel the cold as warmth spread through him. He took Ginny's hand and they walked down the path and joined their family.

"Let's go home."