Marked For Destiny

Memories

It's been four months

Four months since the Battle of Hogwarts. Four months since the death of so many people who believed in me. Four months of agony and hell. Four months of almost no sleeping, four months of nightmares when I actually do sleep, and almost one month of crying. Not to mention, I haven't heard from my friends in a while. Maybe it's because they need time to heal too. Maybe they need time to grieve.  Or.  Maybe they just hate me.

If I had killed Voldemort sooner, destroyed the horcruxes earlier, if I had gone to the forest to die sooner than I did, none of this would have happened. Sirius, Tonks, Remus, Fred, all of them would still be alive. How the hell does, what I did, make anything better. I'm just as bad as the dark side. I killed someone. That has to be enough to make everyone hate me. I even hate me. There is however, one who does not.

Kreacher. He and I share a homeowner/elf bond, that even in my darkest hours, he knows exactly how to look after me. If it wasn't for Kreacher, I would have faded away. In the beginning, he and I weren't exactly friendly, but after the battle, that changed. I am grateful for him. So many changes. He taught me that we cannot dwell on the past, we have to look to the future, and make sure nothing like Voldemort ever happens again. Slowly but surely, I was beginning to realize that we needed each other. He changed my eating habits, my living style, he even changed my wardrobe. "You are the golden boy, the boy who lived, the savior of the wizarding world, no more hand me downs for Master Harry". I laughed out loud remembering the moment. 

Which is funny because I don't laugh much anymore.  Remembering the sad is good for the soul, I tell myself.  I cannot dwell on the happy moments.  The happy memories.  How can I be allowed to be happy when others are dead.  Doesn't seem fair to me.  Which is why I have made two major decisions in my life.  One, I will not become an Auror like the wizarding world expects of me, and Two, I will return to Hogwarts to finish my education.

When the Ministry of Magic contacted Harry after receiving a letter saying that he did not want to be an Auror, they asked if he could go and see them.   He walked in, dressed in casual blue skin tight denims, a pink dress shirt and Boss boots, not knowing what they were going to ask him, not knowing what his answers would be.  Seated in his pristine office was the new Minister for Magic.  Kingsley Shacklebolt.  Harry was happy for him, he was a fair but strict man, and he made a good Minister.  Way better than Fudge.  Thinking of Fudge made his blood boil.

"Harry Potter" smiled Kingsley.  "It's so good to see you, even if it is under concerning circumstances, and I like the new look.  It suits you."

Harry had gotten himself an earring.  In his left ear, sterling silver.  The fang of a basilisk hanging on a small silver loop. He did it on impulse, and wasn't sorry or ashamed.  "Thank you Minister" answered Harry, shaking his hand.  Harry had also toned up his body, had muscles that were bulging, on a bronze tanned skin, not the scrawny teenager of before.

"Harry, you're allowed to call me Kingsley, remember.  We fought in a war that was meant to divide us".

Harry shied away, and just nodded.  "To what do I owe the pleasure of being summoned to the Ministry?"  He was burning to know.  All the letter said was that the ministry had a proposal.  Couldn't hurt to hear what it was. Right?

Before Kingsley could answer, two more people arrived and conjured chairs for themselves.  "Harry, this is Dawood Peacock" indicating the man on his right. "He is my right hand man" Peacock was a short stocky man, with dark brown hair, who kept playing with his fingernails.  "What a pleasure to eventually meet you Mr Potter, can't say that I'm happy with your decision, but I certainly understand it.  Tired of fighting the bad guys, am I right, considering it's all you've been doing your whole life".