Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1: Difficult Decisions

Chapter 1 – Difficult Decisions

"_Avada Kedavra!" _A bright green light shot out of the trembling wand and hit Dumbledore in the chest. In a split second Dumbledore was on the ground ten feet back, completely still. Harry felt his lungs close up, he couldn't move, he couldn't breathe. Snape swiftly pivoted toward him and raised his wand to Harry. With all his might Harry tried to raise his wand hand but his arms were being pinned down. As he fought, he felt his whole body being shaken by a pair of icy cold hands.

Harry opened his eyes to a head of red hair and a pair of wild brown eyes looking down on him. Ron had a hold on both of his arms, looking at Harry with a bewildered look on his face.

"Blimey, Harry. You could've woke the entire house with all your noise." Ron let go of Harry's arms and slid to the floor, leaning against the bed that had been brought to Ron's room for Harry after the end of term.

"Was I screaming again?" Harry cursed under his breath.

"Yeah, mate. And when I tried to wake you, you started thrashing and kicking."

"It was just the nightmares," Harry muttered. Did I wake anyone else?"

"I think Mum and Dad are up, but I'm not sure they ever went to sleep."

It had been two weeks since Professor Albus Dumbledore's funeral and the Wizarding world still hadn't excepted his death. It seemed that all wizards had just lost their head. Harry had read the Muggle newspapers. Wizards were just roaming the streets, not bothering to wear Muggle clothes any longer. Dumbledore had been an idol, an icon to so much of the Wizarding world.

Reporters from the Daily Prophet apparated to the Burrow every few hours, begging for an interview with any witnesses to Dumbledore's death and Snape's mutiny. Mr. Weasley had finally blocked the Floo line when one reporter showed up at three in the morning and tried to sneak into Ron's room. Harry fleetingly wondered how many reporters had broken their way into the Dursleys' home.

Harry hadn't bothered to contact the Dursleys after the end of term. He knew they might have wondered when he didn't show up the first few days after term, but he was certain that they had quickly lost their curiosity towards him. The Weasleys had insisted on him staying with them at the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley had told him she was too shaken up to let him be all alone with 'those horrible Muggles'. He had gladly accepted the offer, but didn't plan on staying long. Every minute he spent with the Weasleys was another minute he was putting them in danger. He had tried, but failed, to explain this to the family. They wouldn't hear it.

There was a soft knock at the door and Harry snapped back into reality. Harry looked down to see Ron dosing on the floor, snoring softly. Harry stepped over Ron and opened the door to see a slightly disturbed looking Ginny. Depsite himself, Harry felt his heart skip a beat as he looked at her rumpled hair and wistful eyes. "Is everything alright Harry?" Her voice shook slightly. "I heard someone scream."

"It's nothing. You can go on back to bed," Harry said. He smiled sadly and stepped back to close the door.

"No, Harry," Ginny stopped the door with her arm and stepped forward. "It's your nightmares again, isn't it?"

"I'm fine, really." Harry squeezed her hand that was holding the door open and she let it drop to her side.

"You can't hide these things from me, and live in my house at the same time, you know," Ginny replied softly, as she turned away. "I won't let you."

Harry swallowed, hard, and gently closed the door. The door clicked shut and Harry turned to see Ron jump. Harry let out a soft chuckle. "It's alright Ron, go on back to sleep."

Ron shook his head and sat up. "Who was at the door, mate?"

Harry started to say 'no one', but thought better of it. "Ginny, she heard me yell." Harry was surprised how hard it was to even say her name after he had ended their relationship.

Ron nodded, but didn't say a word as he got up and changed into a pair of worn blue jeans and a sweater. Harry followed suit. It was getting harder and harder to live a normal day. He felt guilty exposing the Weasleys to any kind of danger. They were the only family, besides Sirius, that Harry had ever known. And after Sirius was murdered, Harry felt responsible for keeping them safe from the man that had killed his true family. He wouldn't let that happen again, he couldn't.


	2. Chapter 2: A Morning Talk

Chapter 2 – A Morning Talk

Ron and Harry found Molly and Arthur Weasley slumped over their worn oak dining table. When the matriarch of the family looked up, her eyes were red and puffy. She hastily wiped her eyes and stood up. "Are you boys hungry?"

Harry nodded weakly. His heart ached as he saw the pain he and Voldemort were putting on this family. The guilt started to build up in Harry's throat. He searched for something to say, but found nothing. Instead he pulled the plates from the cabinet above the sink and started placing them on the table. Mrs. Weasley smiled warmly when she passed him with a heaping pile of sausages. All traces of her despair had left her face and were replaced by her usual warmth.

Harry heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to see Ginny in the doorway. Her eyes, just as Mrs. Weasley's had been, were red and raw. The lump that had been accumulating in his throat grew larger and Harry quickly turned around. His eyes stung as he pulled the silverware out of the counter drawer. Ginny brushed past him, her hair lightly brushing his cheek as he turned.

Controlling his emotions, he laid the forks and spoons on the table and let his feet take him out the door. The cold air felt good on his burning face. He concentrated on slowing his breathing. Snape may have been pulling his barriers down in those so-called lessons, but Harry had learned to control his feelings from them.

The door slammed from behind Harry. He was surprised to see Mr. Weasley heading towards him. "Mr. Weasley," Harry said in greeting.

"Harry, I've been meaning to talk to you for some time now."

"What about, Mr. Weasley?"

"The way you've been acting since the end of term. Professor Dumbledore's death has affected everyone, but Molly and I don't think it's a good idea that you go gallivanting around the country after You-Know-Who. Molly and I would like you to stay with us, we wouldn't feel you were safe anywhere else."

Harry was touched at the sincerity in Mr. Weasley's voice. "Mr. Weasley –"

"Arthur, please."

"Arthur, I can't put you and your family in any more danger. Every moment I'm here Voldemort will be trying to find me. Don't you remember the war?"

"I do, Harry. I remember all the good people we lost. Molly and I are not going to let you follow in their footsteps. We'd really love for you to stay with us all this summer. No one can protect us from You-Know-Who except for each other."

Harry blushed. "Mr. Weasley –"

"No, Harry. I'm afraid I won't take no for an answer. I don't want you to go through this alone anymore. None of us do. Some of us have been more adamant on this than others." Mr. Weasley turned toward the house. Harry caught a glimpse of Ginny and Ron in the window before they disappeared. Once again Harry felt his face get hot. "You don't have to decide anything now. Just please, don't go running off in the middle of the night. I'd hate to have to chase you."

Harry chuckled and Mr. Weasley clapped him on the back. "Good lad," he said. With a smile Mr. Weasley turned around and walked back toward the house.

Harry shook his head. Mr. Weasley always knew what to say. After Dumbledore's death he had wanted to sever all ties with his friends to keep them out of danger. But for some reason, they wouldn't let him.


	3. Chapter 3: Regret and Guilt

Chapter 3 – Regret & Guilt

Harry was surprised when he woke from yet another disturbing nightmare to find Ron's bed empty. He sat up, rubbing the thin scar on his forehead. Where was Ron? He heard low voices from below him and hastily rubbed his eyes. Harry pulled on his glasses and grabbed his wand from the bedside table. There was a thud from wherever the voices were coming from.

Taking the stairs two at a time, Harry rushed to get to the bottom floor. He skipped the last two stairs, they creaked when stepped on. From the kitchen he heard a sniffling sob. "Ron, I know why he's here. I know we have to protect him. But…" There was another sob and a muffled cry. Harry's stomach churned as he recognized the voice. Risking being caught, he peered into the darkened kitchen from the doorway.

Ginny was sitting in a chair with her head lying on the kitchen table. Ron was standing behind her, awkwardly rubbing her back. "Ginny," Ron started in a husky voice. "Harry feels like he needs to protect us. He's still feeling guilt from Sirius's death. I know he hasn't gotten over that. I hear him thrashing about at night, sometimes all night. Sometimes he screams Sirius's name. It's a bit scary, really."

"T – this is why we should be protecting him," Ginny stuttered. "This is why he needs to let me back in. I can't stand him being here when he won't even look at me." Ginny flung her body around and stared up at Ron with watery brown eyes. "You-Know-Who already knows who Harry cares about. Lucius Malfoy, Pettigrew, they all know who his friends are. They don't keep secrets from that horrible ting they call their leader. It's too late to protect us from You-Know-Who's radar. Now we need to save him. He needs us and –" She stopped mid-sentence and she started to sob again and Harry watched as she threw her head into Ron's chest.

Harry realized that he had edged his way out into the doorway. Ron looked up and jumped. "Harry."

Harry cursed under his breath. Ron never could keep his mouth shut. "Yeah, yeah it's me." He walked out into the moonlight that was trickling through the window. Ginny jumped back and slowly shrunk away as he walked closer. Harry's whole body burned as he saw the look in her eyes. It was almost like she was scared of him. "Ginny. I'm sorry. I heard voices, I didn't know it was you. I wouldn't have come down. I – "

Ginny sucked in a shuddering breath. For a few moments she looked into Harry's eyes and Harry resisted the urge to reach out and comfort her. Then she was gone. She brushed past him and he heard her run up the stairs and quietly shut the door. He turned to Ron.

"I'm sorry, mate. You were having another nightmare and I woke up. There were noises, from downstairs. I took my wand and went downstairs but it was just Ginny. The minute I walked in her she just kind of attacked me. It was kind of odd, she just started crying and going on and on about you, Harry."

"She's just upset."

"No, Harry. A lot of what she said is true. You can't protect us forever; not when we want to help you." With a sad smile toward Harry he followed his sister up the stairs and into his room.

For several minutes Harry stood in the dark kitchen, clenching and unclenching his wand. He played the image of Ginny's ruffled hair and wet face running from him over and over again in his mind. This had to end. Voldermort was going to pay for ruining his life, again.


	4. Chapter 4: Hermione's Meeting

Chapter 4 – Hermione's Meeting

A week after Ginny and Harry's argument Ginny still wasn't talking to Harry. When he walked into a room she would discreetly leave soon after without even making eye contact with him. His stomach seemed to drop fifty feet every time she left, making the guilt he felt already, worse.

Hermione wrote during that week, asking Ron, Harry and Ginny to meet her in Diagon Alley at Fred and George's shop the following Wednesday. Her letter didn't specify why she wanted to see them but Harry felt that it was important. Her handwriting was slightly less neat than usual and her routine full sheet of parchment was now minimized to just a quarter of a page.

It took lots of begging and several compromises before the three were allowed to go to Diagon Alley to meet Hermione. Mrs. Weasley consented to letting them go but was determined on going to Diagon Alley with them. No amount of arguing from Ron could change her mind about this.

The following Wednesday morning Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, Ron and Harry one by one stepped into the Weasley's fireplace, which was filled with emerald flames.

Flooing had never agreed with Harry so he was the last to step through the flames. Hundreds of fireplaces flashed by Harry as he flew through the green flames. Suddenly everything stopped spinning and he fell on to the Leaky Cauldron's wood floor. On his way down he felt himself fall into someone else. Ginny fell beside him, the force of his fall knocking her down.

Harry felt his face turn as red as Ginny's hair. He heaved himself back on his feet and offered his hand to help Ginny up. For a moment Harry thought she was going to take it. She looked up into his eyes and he saw a slight smile cross her lips. Then she raised herself back up.

Harry had been so preoccupied with Ginny he didn't realize that Ron was snickering behind him. When Mrs. Weasley turned her back Harry threw his fist into Ron's shoulder. Ron winced and fell slightly aback.

"Sorry, mate. But you do always seem to land on your stomach when you floo. Not my fault you have a stability problem." With a chuckle, Ron scuttled to the other side of his mother with a grin on his face.

Mrs. Weasley gave one last set of directions to the three before heading toward the shops. Ron and Harry waited until she was safely in a store before heading towards 'Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes'.

Diagon Alley had changed a lot since the last time Harry had been there. Although Ollivander's had closed the year before his shop had now completely disappeared. There was a hole between 'Madame Guarini's Potions' and the 'Owl Emporium'. There were many other shops that were now boarded and their owners gone. It was looking more and more drab as they walked toward Ron's brothers' shop.

Among all the drab and dull shops there was a burst of brilliant colors. Each window on either side of the door was filled with advertisements for the  
Weasley brothers' most popular items. In bright orange a sign above the door read 'Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, For all Your Pranking Needs'. Harry saw a head of curly brown hair below this sign before Hermione turned and her face brightened, but only slightly. "Good you're here."

"Well hello to you, too," Ron said glumly.

"I'm sorry. I'll explain everything inside. Come on." She opened the door and let them both in.

Fred was standing behind the store counter. "Well hello my dear brother and friends!" Fred said.

"How can we help you today?" George popped out from a door to the left of the counter.

"Actually," Hermione replied matter-of-factly, "We just needed a place to meet." Although the brothers looked slightly disgruntled they pointed to a table and the four sat down at it.

"Alright, what is this about?" Ron asked, impatiently.


	5. Chapter 5: Stating the Obvious

Chapter 5 – Stating the Obvious

Hermione pulled two books out of her bag. She pulled out Prophecies at a Glance and flipped to a page and pointed to a paragraph with a quivering finger. "Harry, do you understand what this means?"

Harry readjusted his glasses and peered down at the page questioningly. The text read: "Most prophecies are kept in glass balls or figures. Occasionally they can be kept in jars sealed with the blood a pixie, blood of a hippogriff and a piece of the web of an arachnid."

"Hermione, I don't need to know this," Harry complained. "Why are you having me read this?"

Hermione shrieked exasperatedly. "Just keep reading!"

Harry quickly glued his eyes to the page. She was scary when she was annoyed. Had she always been that way? "Prophecies are not reversible. Although there are some supposed accounts of someone changing their prophecies none of them have ever been proven."

Harry looked up from the page slowly. "Hermione, I don't understand what this means."

She rolled her eyes slowly as she opened up another book. "Read."

"Prophecies that pertain to death or murder should be carefully observed for they usually do not give a date or time period. Be careful of those who could be the cause of your death. It is wise to keep away from these people or things. But there are no guarantees."

"Hermione, isn't that a given?" Harry asked. Ron slid the book around to read it while Hermione began explaining.

"Well yes, Harry. But have you paid attention to any of this?"

Harry nodded his head, annoyed. "Why don't you just tell me instead of making me read all this. I know you're just _dying_ to tell me."

She huffed and tossed her hair, aggravated. "Oh alright!" Harry and Ron both jumped back at her sudden outburst. "Harry although you've known about the prophecy you need to pay more attention to it. It says here, under what you stopped reading: Once the prophecy has been made known to at least one of the people in it, some people have testified of having a kind of connection with the other people in it. Certain cases have attested to being able to read each other's thoughts or tracking each other.

"Now do you understand?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other, "No."

Harry didn't think that Hermione could look any more irritated. "Ugh! If this is true Voldemort can be tracing you all over London. He can also be reading your thoughts, without Occlumency. You can't protect yourself using Legilimency against him anymore. He could kill you Harry, he may know where you are right now."

Sorry this has taken me so long. It's shorter than I would like but my life has been pretty hectic. Reviews would be nice so I know what you guys are liking and disliking. Questions are welcome as well. Be sure to check out my Yahoo Group website as well.


	6. Chapter 6: Secrets

Chapter 6 – Secrets

Harry trudged down Diagon Alley, his bag swinging at his side, still wondering why anything Hermione had said was relevant. Half of it he already knew. Ron and Hermione were whispering under their breath behind him but for once Harry didn't care. He knew it was about him and he knew he was in danger, none of which was new. Ginny lagged behind them all pretending to be interested in the shops, or the lack of them. Harry turned the corner to the Leaky Cauldron and stepped through the door as a man, who looked frighteningly like an ogre, held it open. Ginny took his offer when he held the door open for her but Harry saw her back slightly shudder as she walked past the ogre looking man. A small smile crossed her lips.

Harry had one foot in the door when he heard Ron say "Hermione, wait, come here." Ron and Hermione never talked about anything in private. Harry slipped the invisibility cloak out of his bag and over him hurriedly. He gently opened the door and heard Hermione protest. "Ron, what are we doing?"

"Listen, Hermione. Harry's in trouble. His dreams that I wrote you about have gotten worse. Sometimes in his sleep I hear him scream at Voldemort, threaten him and thrash around. Sometimes it's about the prophecy, or about his parents. He curses him over and over again. Other times he has conversations with Dumbledore. They always end in screaming. Something's not right."

Hermione loosely clutched Ron's forearm as he told her of Harry's dreams. Harry, from where he stood in the alley, could see her tears starting to build up in her eyes. "In your last letter, you said that Harry was talking about leaving the Burrow. You talked him out of it, didn't you?"

Ron slid his hand down to take hers and stared at the bricks that made up the road. "No. At the beginning of the summer I told him that none of us were going back to school but that's about it. He doesn't talk about Dumbledore or Hogwarts and he really doesn't talk about Ginny and him. They haven't spoken at all since their last incident I told you about."

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, how much had Hermione and Ron wrote about him? And since when did Ron write letters? He knew his nightmares had been getting worse and he knew they meant something. He had written letter after letter to Sirius and Dumbledore, each time, in mid letter, realizing there was no one to send it to. The danger was worse, more acute. Harry slowly backed up. He would just go inside and talk to Ginny. If he was going to leave then he needed to –"

There was a crash as Harry felt himself back into a garbage can. Hermione and Ron quickly turned toward the noise as Harry ran to the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron. Ginny was sitting at the bar drinking a butterbeer. He slid his invisibility cloak into his bag as he slid into the stool next to her. He ordered a butterbeer and turned towards her.

"Ginny, I – " She began to get up and Harry took her wrist. "Ginny, please, just listen." She looked at him and he could see the tears welling up in her eyes.

"No, Harry. I just _can't_," she whispered.

Harry was aware of all the eyes on him as Ginny brushed past several hags to a table next to the fireplace. He heard the door creak open to Ron and Hermione, Hermione clutching his hand. He couldn't face them. He took a pinch of floo powder from his pocket and ran to the fireplace without even thinking he yelled, "HOGWARTS!"


End file.

Harry Potter, Drama, Fantasy