Chapter 22: Reunion

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2 years ago. Summer before 7th Year. 4 Privet Drive.

Harry ran back upstairs to his bedroom, arriving at the window just in time to see the Dursleys' car swinging out of the drive and off up the road. The car turned right at the end of Privet Drive, its windows burned scarlet for a moment in the now setting sun, and then it was gone.

Harry picked up Hedwig's cage, his Firebolt, and his rucksack, gave his unnaturally tidy bedroom one last sweeping look, and then made his ungainly way back downstairs to the hall, where he deposited cage, broomstick, and bag near the foot of the stairs. It felt most strange to stand here in the silence and know that he was about to leave the house for the last time.

Harry pulled open a door under the stairs. Harry looked around at the stacked shoes and umbrellas remembering how he used to wake every morning looking up at the underside of the staircase, which was more often than not adorned with a spider or two. Those had been the days before he had known anything about his true identity; before he had found out how his parents had died or why such strange things often happened around him.

There was a sudden, deafening roar from somewhere nearby. Harry straightened up with a jerk and smacked the top of his head on the low door frame. He staggered back into the kitchen, clutching his head and staring out of the window into the back garden.

The darkness seemed to be rippling, the air itself quivering. Then, one by one, figures began to pop into sight as their Disillusionment Charms lifted. All around him other people were dismounting from brooms and, in two cases, skeletal, black winged horses. Harry couldn't see their faces clearly through the window so he wrenched open the back door.

"Hello 'arry!" There was a general cry of greeting as Hagrid smiled at him and gave him a hug before entering the house.

"All right, mate?" Ron gave him a brotherly hug and a pat on the back as Harry laughed at him cheerily. Hermione was next as she gave Harry a warm smile and flung her arms around him, embracing him in another hug.

"Yer looking fit." Hagrid laughed as Harry pulled away from the hug.

"Yeah he's absolutely gorgeous," growled Mad-Eye as he pushed passed the crowd by the door. "Let's maybe get him undercover before somebody murders him."

Harry led them into the kitchen as the rest of them walked in the back door,

"Kingsley, I thought you were looking after the Muggle Prime Minister?" he called across the room to the man.

"You are more important." Kingsley smiled at him.

"Hello, Harry." Bill Weasley said to him as he walked through the kitchen door with Fleur. Harry walked over to him and shook his hand firmly. "Bill Weasley."

"Oh, a pleasure to meet you." Harry smiled back at him.

"He was never always this handsome." George laughed from behind him as the Weasley twins entered through the door and Bill rolled his eyes.

"True enough." He retorted back with a laugh and tilted his head so that Harry could see the scars that were faded across his face. "Fought a werewolf named Greyback.  Need to repay the favour one day."

"Well, you're still beautiful to me, William," Fleur said from next to him and kissed him soundly on the cheek before turning back to Harry with a wide grin. Harry looked at them and smiled, a part of him wishing that he could do that to Draco if he were here.

"Just remember Fleur," Remus chuckled as he walked in through the door again. "Bill takes his steaks on the raw side now."

"Ugh." Tonks rolled her eyes and pinched her nose bridge as Fleur giggled beside her. "My husband, the Joker."

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