Letters

'Harry?' Ron squinted in the semi-darkness of the early summer morning. 'What time is it?'

Harry checked his watch. 'Half past five,' he whispered.

'What are you doing up so early?'

'Just need to do something.'

'Are you going to be gone long? Mum's got that dinner planned for tonight.'

'I'll be back in a few hours.' Harry swiftly opened the door and left the room. He remembered to skip the creaky riser in the staircase and slipped out the back door of the Burrow. As he crossed through the garden gate, he Disapparated.

*****

A wiry young man walked down the lane of Godric's Hollow, hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket. His messy black hair fanned in the morning breeze, revealing an oddly shaped scar on his forehead. He was a young man, no more than twenty, but if you were close enough to see his eyes, you'd notice they were far older than his years.

He headed for the cemetery, and slowly walked down the rows until he came to a halt at a series of three headstones. They bore the names of James Potter, Lily Potter, and Sirius Black. The markers for James and Lily Potter were weathered a bit, but the one for Sirius Black was brand-new and still glaringly white. The boy knelt in the middle and gently brushed the names of each one with his fingertips. He pulled a piece of parchment from his jacket pocket, and buried it. He moved so he sat between Lily and James' markers, facing them. He laid his hands, palms outspread on each one.

It was July 31, 1998.

*****

Dear Mum and Dad,

Today is my eighteenth birthday.

It's all over. The war, I mean. Tom Riddle - Voldemort - is dead. Really and truly dead. We're free.

But so many others are gone. Good and decent people who are gone far too soon. People I considered my family.

I owe my life to you in so many ways. Not just by giving birth to me, or saving me from Riddle when I was a baby. My Patronus is a stag, like your Animagus form, Dad. It saved me from Dementors more times than I care to count. You both helped me escape from the graveyard when I was fourteen. You walked with me to meet my own death in May. You helped make it possible for me to defeat Riddle. In some form or another, you've been with me my whole life.

And I've got my whole life ahead of me. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet. I've been asked to join the Aurors, even without N.E.W.T.s. I suppose spending a year on the run from Death Eaters is considered good job training. I told Shacklebolt (the new Minister of Magic) that I'd give him an answer by the beginning of September. I think I'll do it. If that's the way I can keep another Riddle from ever rising to power, then I have to do it. Nobody should ever have to live like I did. Nor should anybody ever be made to feel ashamed of their background.

I've been living with the Weasleys. Molly and Arthur have been the best surrogate parents I could have ever asked for. They took me in, even at considerable risk to themselves and their family, treated me like a member of the family, made sure I had birthday and Christmas gifts, and simply became my refuge - them, and the rest of their family.

They have a daughter. Her name is Ginny. She has red hair like you, Mum. She's amazingly stubborn and refuses to let anything cow her into submission, not even Molly, and that's saying something. Resourceful, too. I'm going to marry her one day. I know you both would love her. I know I do. She makes me happy. Happier than I think I have a right to be, sometimes.

I love the both of you. I hope I've met the expectations you had for me when I was born. I've not always done my best, but I have tried.

Love,

Harry

*****

The sun rose over the gently rolling hills of Godric's Hollow. The young man stood, silhouetted against the blinding glare. Then he was gone. The only evidence he had ever been there, was a single lily on each of the three graves.

*****

Harry Apparated in the back of the Burrow and stepped through the garden gate. He lifted his head and saw Ginny sitting on the garden bench, a mug of tea cradled in her hands. She met his eyes and smiled, holding out one hand to him.

He took her hand in his, and pressed a kiss to the palm, before twining his fingers in hers. She scooted closer on the bench, until she could nestle her body with his. Ginny felt him nuzzle her hair, inhaling deeply. 'Did you go?' she said softly, turning her face so she could see his eyes.

'Yeah.' He cupped the back of her head and kissed her lightly.