Harry lingered in Diagon Alley longer than he intended.
It wasn't out of spite—though letting the Order stew in his absence certainly had its appeal. No, it was something else entirely.
Peace.
True, fleeting, but real.
He strolled past shops he had only seen from a distance from the first times he ever set foot here. His steps slowed before a broom boutique, not because he needed a new broom, but because he could now appreciate the beauty of it—the way magic folded into craft, precision into tradition.
With he's new senses he could appreciate works of magic like this better than before. how it weaved and folded, plused and glowed to him. He could see and feel it all and it was well...Magical. hehe.
He bought a small charm bracelet from a magical jeweler that claimed to change colors with his mood. When he touched it, the bracelet glowed a quiet, steady silver.
Honestly, why did he waste his time running around before, Always trying to be normal as if it was something special when he could have just embraced this life of his and enjoyed what being a wizard meant. Like he never said it out loud by he had always blamed being a wizard for all the dangers that came to him these past years.
Trolls, Possessed Teaches, idiotic potion teachers, giant snakes, Annoying hunam sized bat, giant spiders, soul sucking demons, and soul sucking teachers. Admittedly three of those things were the same person. God how he hated Snape.
And now with Jacobs's memories that hate had skyrocketed.
Sigh. He continued on. Let's just move on.
At the Magical Menagerie, a feisty little pygmy puff launched itself at his face. He let it cling there for a few seconds before peeling it off and handing it back to the laughing clerk. "Pass," he said, lips twitching. But he was a little tempted by its cuteness.
He bought a few books and among them were rare books at Flourish and Blotts—nothing about Hogwarts coursework. No, these were old, forgotten things: one on magical theory and spellwork, another about magical beasts. The shopkeeper had tried to warn him about the "mature" content some of them had like he was some sort of little kid can you believe that. Huff.
Harry just stared at him until he shut up.
Yes, people whispered.
Yes, a few even pointed.
There went Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived, an arrogant brat, murderer, liar.
He ignored them. Well, almost all, that person who called him a murderer did find himself launched nearly 30 feet in the air for some inexplicable reason. He was pretty sure that had just made them fear him but given that he didn't pull out his wand they couldn't blame him outright.
He didn't care if they feared him. Let them. Let the world shift its image of the Boy-Who-Lived into something heavier if they want.
By the time afternoon faded into evening, Harry had enjoyed the most of his day.
And then it was time to go back.
Grimmauld Place
Number 12 loomed as he stepped up to the door. The ancient enchantments pulsed with old blood and bitterness. This was no doubt a place built to last a long time.
He slipped inside without a word, the heavy door creaking shut behind him.
The house was quiet—but not empty. He passed by the painting of sirius's mom making sure not to wake her up, he was in no mood to listen to her yelling nonsense.
He passed Molly in the hallway. She looked up, clearly surprised to see him.
"Oh—Harry, you're back. I'm so glad"
He nodded smiling at her a liitle. she was a good person he knew that but she was too controlling a times.
"You missed dinner, dear."
"I wasn't hungry."
He moved past her without stopping. She didn't call after him thank Merlin.
Voices filtered from the drawing room upstairs.
He climbed slowly, each creaking stair a countdown.
When he stepped into the room, Ron and Hermione were there, talking in low tones. They stopped as soon as they saw him.
"Harry—" Hermione started. "You're back."
"We were worried," Ron added quickly. "You disappeared all day—"
"I needed space," Harry said simply, stepping into the room and shutting the door behind him. "And I got it. That's not what I came to talk about."
They both straightened at the shift in his tone. Their eyes looked worriedly at him.
Harry didn't sit. He remained standing, facing them with arms crossed loosely.
"I was angry," he said. "Still am, a little. But not for the reasons you think."
Hermione bit her lip. Ron looked down at his shoes.
"I get it," Harry continued. "Dumbledore told you to stay away. Don't contact me. Don't interfere. And you obeyed."
"We thought he had a reason," Hermione whispered. "He always—"
"I know," Harry said. "I know you think he's some kind of perfect leader. And maybe he is. Maybe everything he does is part of some grand plan. But here's the thing—" he took a slow breath "—I wasn't friends with Dumbledore."
Hermione flinched.
"I was friends with you."
The words hit harder than he expected. Maybe harder than they expected, too.
Ron looked up at him, guilt swimming in his expression.
"I needed you. After Cedric. After Voldemort came back. After that graveyard… I needed friends. And instead, I got silence. Because the man with the beard said so."
"We're sorry," Hermione said quietly, her voice cracking. "You're right. We should have—"
"No," Harry cut in. "Don't say sorry unless you mean to change something."
They both fell silent.
Harry looked at them. For all their flaws—and they had many, well so did he—he still saw pieces of what had once been home. Ron, quick-tempered and loyal. Hermione, brilliant and anxious and always two steps ahead when it came to rules—but never emotions.
He exhaled. Some of the anger melted away.
"I'm not mad at you forever," he said, softer now. "I just needed you to know what it felt like. To be ignored. To be left behind. Because that's how I felt all summer, and the worst part was, I expected better from you."
Ron stood up slowly. "We really messed up."
Hermione rose beside him, tears glimmering but unshed. "We'll do better. We promise."
Harry nodded. "Good. Thank you and I forgive you guys."
That seemed to get a smile from them.
He gave them a smile too. "So what the hell has been happening while I was away. "
Hermione nodded, relieved.
Ron grinned faintly. "Mate you won't believe what the ministry has been saying about you."
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