Harry Potter One Shots

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All rights belong to the author, oceanbreeze43

Hestia froze where she stood. The bacon sizzled loudly from the stove and the toast was beginning to burn but Hestia didn't move. She stood, in the middle of the kitchen, staring at the newspaper headline in front of her unable to believe what she was reading. She had to re-read the headline at least three times before the words finally sank in. And even when they did, she still could not believe it.

It had barely been a year since Harry Potter had left on his secret "mission", leaving Hestia and Dedalius in charge of protecting his aunt, uncle and cousin, and they had heard no news of him. Unless, of course, you counted the rumors about him and his two closest friends breaking into the ministry and the bank, escaping on the back of a dragon.

But here it was, the news they had been waiting for all along. What they had hoped for day after day. Night after night they had prayed for this news, this specific outcome.

"Are you trying to burn down the house?!" Harry's uncle, Vernon Dursley yelled obnoxiously as he stampeded into the kitchen.

As he burst into the room with his wife, Petunia, and their son, Dudley, behind him, Hestia snapped out of her daze. It took her a second to release what it was he said, she was so used to tuning him out by this time, but when she did she whipped around quickly to face the now-burning stove.

Without realizing it Hestia had left a hand-towel too close to the stove in her distracted state earlier and it had now caught fire. Hestia took out her wand, successfully putting a stop to the flames. When the flames were out and she had turned all the kitchen appliances off, she returned her glazed eyes back to the newspaper in her hands. It couldn't be true... it was just too good to be true.

"What do you think your doing?!" Vernon bellowed loudly at her, as Dedalius ran into the room, wand out, obviously thinking there had been an attack or something. "Are you trying to kill us!?"

Dedalius looked around the room, taking in the situation around him. After assessing the situation and realizing what had happened he slowly put his wand away, looking curiously at Hestia. It was not like Hestia to take their complaints lying down. But he found that she was engrossed in the newspaper in front of her. Reading the article on the front page, her eyes were wide in shock and disbelief.

Dedalius completely ignored Vernon's shouts of indignation and walked up behind Hestia so that he could read the newspaper from over her shoulder. Feeling his presence behind her Hestia turned toward him muttering, "I can't believe it."

His curiosity and fear piqued, he gently took the newspaper from her shell-shocked hands, expecting the worst. He read the headline. His eyes widened in shock and awe. Could this possibly be right? He read the headline once more, before looking up and meeting Hestia's gaze.

Noticing the silent exchange between their two protectors, Petunia quickly silenced her husband. "What's happened?" Her voice was tight and constricted, hiding a desperate fear.

Both Hestia and Dedalius turned and looked at the three of them huddled into the corner as though they had just noticed their presence, and exchanged another quick look. This time though, it was Dudley who spoke up. Fear filled his voice, obvious in every word. "I want to know what's happening. Is it something to do with Harry?"

Hestia was the first to compose herself, turning to face Harry's relatives. "Yes, I suppose you could say it concerns Harry." She avoided the point trying to make sense of everything she had just read.

"Well, what happened?" Dudley probed, knowing from experience that if it was something bad the only way he was going to get any information was through intense questioning.

Hestia still looked confused. As Dedalius finished reading the article, he looked up locking eyes with the youngest Dursley. "Well, it appears you won't need us anymore. According to this, Harry has defeated You-Know-Who, for real this time," the last part added on to assure them, as well as himself, of the reality of what he had just said. Also he had added it on because, having told the Dursley's everything Harry had been through the past seven years, it might be hard to believe that this time he was gone for good.

"What does that mean, for us?" Petunia asked quietly.

"It means its over." Hestia answered. "No more hiding, no more secrecy, order is being restored as we speak."

"So it's over. Just like that?" Dudley was struggling to believe what they were telling him. After everything they had told him over the past year about Harry and his adventures against this particular dark wizard it seemed almost unreal for it to be over, just like that. It was hard to believe that the horror and destruction that had become a regular occurrence was over, just like that.

"Well, no. Not just like that. Harry returned to Hogwarts last night, and word got out that he was there. People from all over England assembled at Hogwarts and there was a huge fight. The details are kind-of fuzzy in the article but apparently Harry faced You-Know-Who and defeated him." Hestia continued. "According to this many people lost their lives... the count isn't known yet, but there was definitely a lot of them."

"Well it's about time we can go home." Vernon mumbled darkly under his breath and although everyone heard him no one cared enough to comment on it.

"So if everything's over... where's Harry?" shockingly it was Petunia who asked the question this time.

"I don't know." Hestia responded.

"Probably with the Weasley's," Dedalius guessed. He was happily bouncing up and down on the soles of his feet, unable to contain his excitement. "He's almost always there. Don't worry; I'm sure he's safe."

"How do we know he's safe, though?" Dudley pressed.

"Oh, trust me... wherever he is, he is definitely safe." Hestia responded. "Nobody in their right mind would attempt to attack Harry Potter right now. At least not so soon afterwards anyway. They're either running from the ministry or so shell-shocked at the death of their precious 'master' that they'd be too scared to cross him."

"Well, what happens now?" Vernon questioned his voice almost accusatory. "I haven't worked in a year. I can't just go back. What about our lives?"

"Don't worry about anything the ministry will take care of it all." Hestia replied.

"When?" He bellowed rudely.

"Didn't you hear me earlier? You are not their priority, you are safe." Hestia responded tensely. "There are still some of You-Know-Who's followers out there. The ministry must hunt them down, not to mention having to deal with the casualties from the battle at Hogwarts. On top of all that, many people were injured, and must be properly taken care of. Order must be restored and that is they're first priority."

"So what, we just sit here and wait?" Vernon spat disgustedly.

"Well, we can start with breakfast..." Dedalius chirped happily, turning to the mess that was now the kitchen. "Perhaps we should make it magically this time..."