The war was over. Really over. Harry had killed the megalomaniac who was after his life, and the lives of... pretty much everyone else. All his friends were all right. It was now more or less two weeks after the Final Battle, everyone - almost everyone... - from the Wizards of Britain was there. Everyone had gathered at the ministry for a special banquet celebrating their new freedom.

However, unlike everyone else, Harry didn't feel particularly in the mood to celebrate. No one seemed to remember what they had been through, the people who had given their lives on the battlefield. Certainly, the green eyed young man fully understood the need for people to celebrate, have fun, and so on. But that did not mean that they had to completely forget what had just happened. It couldn't start all over again now. You had to remember what had happened so that it wouldn't happen again.

Harry shook his head to get out of his thoughts, no matter what mood he was in, it was not the time to remember everything. He too had to try to move on, nobody wanted his life anymore. - At last for the time being, they still had a few more Death Eaters to catch... - He would still have wanted to be left alone for that kind of thing.

« Harry, are you done? Hermione and Ginny are getting impatient downstairs, and I don't know how to hold them back much longer! » exclaimed Ron from behind the door.

« Yes, yes, I'm coming. » Harry sighed.

He joined the other three downstairs, they were already at the ministry, unoccupied rooms had been made available for them to change and get ready. God, how he hated formal dress. The wizard's robes were much too heavy, and he only wanted to sleep for the next ten years. You'd think that after the end of the war he would have been left alone, but no! Not even!

« Harry, » began Hermione's lecture, « that kind of dress looks great on you, but the colour... Are you sure it's a good one? »

Harry gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, and tried as best he could to contain his irritation. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the color of that dress.

« 'Mione, » he said in the calmest possible voice, « I like the colour, I like the effect it gives to the dress, I don't see what's wrong with it. »

« But how can you stand in front of all those people wearing those colors? » Hermione continued.

« That green would only remind them of everything that's happened in the last few years, Harry. » Ron continued.

« I don't think I said I wanted to give that speech, or even want to go to that banquet at all, did I? I wasn't given a choice, so if I want to wear green, I'll wear green. » Harry replied firmly.

Hermione and Ron looked at Harry without knowing what to say, and Harry held their gaze without showing an ounce of the hesitation that had once been in his eyes. Not knowing how to respond to this, Hermione turned her gaze to Ginny, who was waiting patiently for calm to return, the eyes of the former pleading with the latter to do something to change Harry's mind. The redhead nodded before approaching Harry, putting one hand on her left forearm.

« Harry, that's a very pretty color, that's true. And it puts your eyes out, » she began softly, « but the colour doesn't match my dress. Why don't you change to another colour. Blue, for example? »

Harry looked at her, shocked, for a few seconds. Not wanting to lose his temper prior to this sort of masquerade, he simply turned and went to where all the guests of the ministry were, without waiting for the other three, who nevertheless followed him, speaking at the same time, trying to make him change his mind before they entered the room. Harry did not listen to them.

All those present in the room fell silent as they entered, looking at them with looks of pure wonder. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny smiled at them, while Harry didn't pay any attention to them as he made his way to the table assigned to them. Nor did he pay attention to the disapproving glances of the Weasley family - the twins being an exception. -nor to those of his two best friends and Ginny's. The table was placed right in front, just before the big stage that had been magically set up. It was the headmost table, where he sat in the center, with Ginny on his right, Ron on his left and Hermione next to the redhead. His jaw tightened when he saw the journalists at the four corners of the room, staring at his every move. He was a Hero, after all.

The Minister made a quick speech before dinner began, which Harry didn't listen to, all he wanted was for it to be over as soon as possible, so that he could go home to bed. Much of the evening passed quietly, everyone seemed to be having a good time, and Harry was happy for them, really. He almost dared to think that everybody had forgotten that he, too, had to make a speech. Unfortunately, his hopes were soon dashed when the Minister announced his arrival. He sighed, then got up and walked to the stage.

« Good evening, » he began, « we are all here tonight to celebrate the defeat of one of the greatest Dark Wizards, Voldemort. » Shocked noises erupted in the room, and Harry refrained from looking up at the sky, he was dead, damn it, there was no need to be afraid of just a name. « You probably think you have to treat me like a hero, but you don't. » He took a deep breath, « I didn't do it all by myself. True, all of you pinned your hopes on a child as young as a year old, quietly waiting in your homes for that child to do all the work, but I was not alone. And I would ask you not to forget those heroes who died on the battlefield all those years ago. » "Disapproving whispers erupted in the room, but he ignored them, « You have every right to feast on your new freedom, and I completely understand. But I will ask you to always keep in mind those people who fought by my side to win it back. » Harry knew he was going to get blamed again by Hermione and Ron, but he had to say it. « I'd also like to pay tribute to those who fought and are here tonight: The Weasleys, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, and many others. This is an evening to forget, feast and pay tribute to them, so have fun. »

He did not wait to see the reactions of the crowd before going back to his table, where he refused to answer the questions of those present. He looked into the void, lost in thought, once again. He remained silent for the rest of the meal.

Once everyone had returned to Grimmaud Square - where Harry lived, and where Hermione and Ron had taken up residence, Ginny had just followed them. - The young man with the emerald eyes knew what he was going to get, even though he wasn't in the mood to hear them complain that he'd been rude...

« Harry, what the hell were you thinking? » Started to lecture Hermione, « you can't say things like that, you know that. »

« And why? Why can't I say what I'm thinking once in my life, Hermione? » Asked Harry.

« Because you're Harry Potter and everyone admires you, if you don't understand that your behavior can be harmful... » The girl continued.

« I've said what I had to say. And I know I may have hurt some people, but it was the truth, 'Mione. I won't go back on it. I'm going to bed. » Finished firmly, Harry.

Four months after the war, Harry was slowly beginning to reach his breaking point. It was full of little things, but he was fed up with them. From a very young age, everything had been dictated to him... Oh, he had no hatred for the people who had manipulated him, turned him into a weapon for Voldemort's defeat. He knew that Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and others had only good things on their minds, he knew that. However, the war had changed him. And he couldn't stand having everybody tell him what to do. He was able to make his own choices, to live the life he wanted. Apparently he was the only person who believed that. Everyone around him, - and even some he didn't know at all, - were telling him what to do.

He had to become Auror, because it was the most logical career to follow. What if he got tired of chasing bad guys? No one thought of that. Harry had to be a hero all his life, of course. He had to marry Ginny, because that was the next logical step, too, to have lots of kids and a nice house and meals at the Terrier every Sunday because it was written down and there was nothing he could do about it.

The war was over. Everybody was free. Still, Harry was beginning to feel he was freer when everything was still dark in this world. At least at that time, he still had a say, being the one with the power that nobody knew anything about. He could lead the troops. -And again, it wasn't really freedom, but still, it was more than he had at that time. - He had done everything he was told to do. Couldn't they leave him alone now?

He didn't want to be Auror, marry Ginny and have five kids with her. He sighed, as he got up. It was going to be a long, tiring meal at the Terrier.

Like every Sunday, everyone gathered at the Terrier... There was a time when Harry was more than happy to be there, after all, the family had taken him in, making him another son. He'd be forever grateful to them. However, they were beginning to be too eager to intrude on his private life, and Harry couldn't stand it any longer. Between the sermons of Hermione - who was finally in a relationship with Ron. -, Mrs. Weasley's insistence that he and Ginny should marry, - with the approval of Ron, who was more than ready to become Harry's brother-in-law. -, and Mr Weasley, who agreed with everything everyone said, Harry felt suffocated. - They thought they were being subtle, too. –

Everyone turned a deaf ear when Harry tried to give his opinion on something. Ginny kept trying to get his attention one way or another... It wasn't the life Harry had imagined living after the War was over. - Even though he hadn't really imagined he'd survive it... -

« Harry, have some more mashed potatoes, you're too thin, you need to eat more, you know. » Says Molly Weasley.

« Yeah, you gotta eat right, 'cause training for the Auror starts soon, you know. " continued Hermione, « You have to be in shape. »

« Speaking of which, » Harry began cautiously, putting down his fork, « I've been thinking a lot in the last four months, and I don't think I'm going to become Auror. »

When the bomb dropped, Harry went back to eating quietly, leaving the whole room silent. He didn't want to disappoint them, but he had changed, his desires had changed, what he wanted to do too. If he didn't tell them now, he'd never do it and would never be free to do what he wanted.

« Harry, you can't do this, » Ginny said, « what else are you going to do? »

« I thought about taking some time for myself, resting, living freely after all these years. » Harry replied honestly.

« Harry darling, you're not thinking about it, are you? Everyone's looking forward to you being the youngest of the Aurors. Everything has already been prepared. » Retorted Molly.

« I'm sorry, but I don't want to make this career, it's still my choice, isn't it? » The young man began to get angry.

He knew what was coming. He knew they were going to try to change his mind, like they always do. But if they couldn't accept his choices, how could he trust them? His life belonged to him and him alone. He looked up, firm and calm, and challenged them to say something, anything.

« So it's like that? Can't we change your mind? » Sighed Hermione.

« No. »

« How do you think you'll be able to live if you don't have an income? » She tried anyway.

« I've everything I need and more to pu up whit for a while, I've earned a break. »

« All right. » Says Molly, « and when do you think you'll move in with Ginny and start preparations? »

Harry didn't answer, frozen, shocked, by the question Molly had just asked him. Honestly, it was to be expected. But it still came as a great shock to him to realize he'd been right. They didn't understand him. They were still in the past, didn't understand that he had changed. He'd grown up, seeing things he shouldn't have seen at that age. Doing things no one should ever have had to do. He wasn't the same Harry they'd known before, and they didn't know the new one.

« Molly, » he began softly, « I'm sorry, but I don't remember saying anything about Ginny and I getting back together. »

« But... It made sense, you don't have to say it to know it. » She said surprised.

« Yes, Harry, everyone knows we're meant to be together. » Smiled Ginny.

Harry slowly got up from the table and looked at them... They all froze in the coldness of his eyes, never having seen him like that before.

« That's the next logical step for you. You wanted to believe I'm going to marry Ginny... Become Auror. And be happy about it, » he said in an icy voice, « I've never said anything like that. I never wanted that. Sure, Ginny and I were together for a short time during the war. But people change. I changed. And I can't see myself making a life with the person I always thought of as my little sister. »

« Harry, you don't know what you're saying, you must be tired. Get some rest. » Says Hermione.

« No, I've had enough of this. You think you can handle my life? You think you can tell me what to do? The war's over, we're not children anymore, sad as it is. I know you all want to forget the horrors of war as soon as possible. But it's not possible. » Harry continued, ignoring other's remarks. « All my life I've been told what to do and not to do. All my life I've been 'trained' to be a weapon and do what was expected of me without ever explaining anything. And as much as I love you and consider you my family, you cannot dictate my life as you please. »

« Harry » said Hermione shocked, « the war was hard on all of us and you know it. You're just confused now, but you know you love Ginny and you belong together. »

« She's right, mate, » says Ron, « you and my sister were meant to be married. »

Harry listened to them talk for a while, realizing that he couldn't leave things as they were now. It just wasn't possible. He wouldn't be a puppet all his life. It was so ridiculous.

The room temperature seemed to drop drastically, although it was still summer, as Harry's cold laughter echoed through the room. He was sad, but he couldn't let them do what they wanted anymore.

« I won't marry Ginny because you want me to. I won't become an Auror because you want me to. I don't have to do what other people expect me to do. The war is over, and I intend to do what I want from now on. And that include the fact that I'm quitting the Auror's school, as well as the fact that I'm not going back to Ginny, get used to it. » He said firmly, « with that, I'm going home. »

He ignored their calls. Hi disappeared from the room, reappeared at home. Closed the fireplace, reinforced the wards around the house. He needed to think.

Two days later, Hermione and Ron were finally able to return to Square Grimmaud. Everything was quiet when they arrived in the old house. They called Harry several times. Hearing no answer, and having already been through the rooms on the ground floor, they decided to go upstairs, their friend was probably still asleep. They were sure what had happened at dinner was only a misunderstanding. That now that Harry had calmed down, everything would be all right again. They went into the room and...

When they returned to the Terrier everyone was waiting impatiently for them, wanting news of the young man with ebony hair and emerald eyes.

« So? » Ginny asked as she stood up, « Has he calmed down? He's come to his senses, right? »

Ron looked at Hermione, and she sighed before saying,

« Harry's missing. He's gone. His clothes are gone, along with everything else he owned. » She announced, « and before you ask, yes, we thought of kidnapping, but it's not the case, the fact that his things are gone, that nothing has been destroyed, and that there's no sign of struggle means only one thing. »

« He left on his own, » Ron concluded.

As everyone sat there, shocked and not knowing what to say, only two persons spoke.

« It was time for him to get his act together, » said the twins, smiling.