Obliviate my Destiny {Book 5}

3. The nine Potters

"This is the tidiest I've seen your room."

"Shut up and help me carry this stuff."

So I ended up carrying Hedwig's cage and the firebolt as Harry ended up with just the rucksacks as we headed down the stairs for the last time. Natural light was fading in an unravelling hurry, the hall full of shadows.

"It's strange," Harry said, his voice echoing in the empty house. "I'm leaving here for the last time."

"Well you did live here ninety percent of your life, you're bound to feel a bit odd." I said, leaning against him. "I mean I would have felt the same with Jenna's house, but Mark burnt it down before I could get nostalgic."

Harry smiled to himself. "It's funny, when the Dursley's used to go out I'd be so happy. I'd run to play on Dudley's computer or take all the snacks I wanted from the fridge..."

"Hey, just remember all the good memories here." I told him. I gestured to the doormat. "Remmeber you told me that Dudley threw up on it after you saved him from Dementors? And last summer, Dumbledore walked through that door..."

The two of us sighed wistfully. "I never showed you." Harry said sarcastically. "My previous bedroom."

"Yes, because you knew I'd go into a rant for half an hour."

Harry knelt down and pulled open the cupboard under the stairs. I looked inside the tiny space, where a camp bed was squeezed in at the side, toy soldiers lined on the shelf, covered in dust and spider webs.

"Wow, it's so small... I'd forgotten completely..."

Looking at the racks of shoes and umbrellas I felt close to tears as I thought of Harry's childhood: waking up to spiders on his face, not knowing he had a sister waking up in a loving household, not knowing the meaning of the dreams with green light...

A deafening roar came from nearby. Harry straighted up and smacked his head on the door frame, using swear words so colourful he could have painted a rainbow.

"Looks like our squad has arrived," I said, unable to keep the smile off my face, dashing out into the kitchen and staring into the back garden.

The darkness rippled and then figures began popping into sight like some suburban mirage. Hagrid was most noticeable with his goggles and sitting on a giant motorbike. All around him my friends were dismounting from brooms and thestrals.

I hurtled out of the back door, Harry following after me, still rubbing his head. Greetings were called as Gennie flung her arms around me, Cole kissing the top of my head, dispite being mid-argument with Alia.

"Rory, Harry! Ready to go!" Hagrid called, a big grin on his face.

"Definitely," said Harry, beaming around at everyone. "But I wasn't expecting this many of you!"

"Change of plan," growled Mad-Eye, who was holding two sacks, and whose magical eye was spinning. "Let's get undercover before we talk you through it."

"Yeah well somebody was meant to be coming," Cole said, glaring at his younger sister with a scowl, as she just rolled her eyes.

Harry led everybody into the kitchen where everybody settled onto chairs and counters, all looking out of place, but yet making the place seem like home all at once.

Ron, lanky with his faded denim jacket; Hermione with an untidy plait; Fred and George (who was showing around pictures of Maia around to everybody); Bill scarred with his cool earring; Mr Weasley and Mad-Eye stood next to Remus and Tonks, hand-in-hand; Fleur and Kingsley;  Mundungus Fletcher; Cole sat on Gennie's lap on a counter-top, and Alia, with her feet up on the kitchen table.