Let Me Be Your Voice

Part 6

Harry packed his trunk the following morning as he prepared to leave for Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, his backside twinging from the previous night’s wank. He didn’t regret doing it, however. His main regret lay in having led Ginny on, in allowing her to hope they would create a future together even though he’d never really seen himself having a future. The assumption that he would die trying to finish Voldemort had made his actions seem noble at the time, though now that he had lived to tell the tale, he realised how selfish he had been.

So, making amends to Ginny was another item he added to the “to-be-rectified” list he was creating in his head.

The ride to Hogwarts was awkward. Harry had barely set a foot through the barrier leading to the platform before he was ambushed by people. Reporters from the Daily Prophet were crowding around the barrier, taking his photograph and directing their quills to record his every move.

Fortunately Ron, George and Hermione spotted his plight and came to his aid, driving the reporters and well-wishers back using Shield Charms and threatening them with hexes if they tried to circumvent them.

He made his way to the compartment Ron and Hermione had selected, trying not to grimace as he walked. He sat down at last in a window seat and closed his eyes, thankful for having made it onto the train in one piece.

“Hello, Harry,” Ginny’s voice said, making him start and wince as his arse complained at the sudden movement.

“Gin!” he said, surprised. She was sitting opposite him and he wondered if she had come in immediately after he had, or if he had really not noticed her when he sat down.

“How are you?” she asked, fixing him with a steady gaze, her voice carefully neutral.

He swallowed nervously, wanting to talk to her privately, to apologise and to ask her forgiveness, but Luna and Neville entered the compartment right then and took the seats beside Ginny.

“I’m good,” Harry told her, trying to smile nonchalantly, but he was sure he probably looked as if he had gas. “I want a word in private later, if that’s all right with you,” he told her.

She nodded, her face calm and collected, before turning to greet Luna and Neville and strike up a conversation as if nothing was amiss.

Hermione and Ron shuffled in and took their seats beside Harry.

“George wanted me to give you this,” Ron said, handing over a package wrapped in brown paper. It was about the size of a pocket Sneakoscope. “He said not to open it until you were safely away from prying eyes.”

Harry took the package and tucked it into the mokeskin pouch he wore beneath his shirt.

Hermione watched him stow it away with a distrustful glint in her eyes. “If it ends up being something dangerous or illegal, Harry…” she began.

“I’ll hand it in straight away,” Harry finished for her.

She smiled crookedly, shrugging. “Oh it feels good to be going back! It feels like we’re getting a chance for a fresh start.”

Ron slipped his arm around Hermione’s shoulders and Harry’s eyes fell on the ring resting on Hermione’s left hand.

It was almost as if that ring symbolised the fact that their days as a trio were over and Harry was on his own once again. He stared out of the window watching the world fly by while surrounded by the merry voices of his friends, wondering what the future held for them all.

~x~

There was an uproar of applause and merriment at the announcement of the new members of staff that year. To Harry’s surprise and Ron’s horror, Mrs. Weasley sat among the professors at the head table and stood up when McGonagall announced she would be taking on the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher as well as Head of Gryffindor House.