A/N: Why all the Ginny hate! I actually liked her in the books and movies, if only for the fact that she was the first girl in the series that had a crush on Harry, and he ended up marrying her. I also love that she was fiercely loyal to Harry the whole way through. I liked J.K. Rowling's decision to pair him with Ginny; pairing Harry with Hermione would have left Ron high and dry, and this way Harry's actually officially a part of the Weasley family, instead of just a family friend. I recently watched Half Blood Prince again, and I have to say Ginny was portrayed beautifully, particularly in the Room of Requirement.

Laurie Juptier: Thank you for your opinion. After reading the chapter again and getting a proper feel for Volde-Potter, I have to say I agree with you on some points. I know he doesn't have to be paired with anyone, and I'm still tossing around a few ideas. I do think it is important that he learn what real love is - the love Ginny had for Harry, for example. I want him to have some sort of strong feelings for someone, even if he doesn't get the opportunity to pursue those feelings. Again, I have a few ideas that I think you will enjoy. I think I make you wait for any meaningful interaction with Hermione, however. Just know that it is something I intend to explore.

Also ... if you're enjoying the whole Snape being alive thing ... Stay tuned... *shifty eyes.* :D

LadyBookworm80: Thank you for your input, and I hope to see you sticking around the whole way through! I don't want to give too much away, but this chapter should get things going in a direction that will make you happy.

adalis: If the only way you're going to read my story is by waiting for the end to see if it satisfies you, then what's the point? Do you flip to the final chapter before buying a new book from the book store? Do you wait outside the movies and ask people how it ends before buying a ticket? Most of the fun in any story is the journey, not just the destination. I remember watching an interview with JK Rowling where Katie Couric had said that she flipped to the end of the Deathly Hallows to see if Harry lived, and then went back to read the book ... JK Rowling said it was a shame, because Katie had basically cheapened the whole experience.

I'd love for you to stay and enjoy this journey with me, but if my writing and story telling isn't good enough to keep you interested, perhaps you should look elsewhere.

Acciopencil: I wanted to keep Fred around for one reason: He and George were my two of my favorites. His death was one of the hardest for me. His and Dobby's. And Hedwig's. And Sirius' and Lupin's... I hate JK Rowling.

Anywho! ONWARD!

Enjoy!

The next few weeks offered more of the same for Voldemort. Rest and relaxation with the Weasleys and Hermione. It was a far cry from anything he had been doing in the previous few years, when he had been gathering followers to prepare for the uprising that ultimately failed. The ache in his heart that had crippled him during the first few days had lessened considerably as he got used to the feeling. He was almost able to ignore it completely now, though every once in a while - usually when Ginny smiled at him - it would flare up and catch him off guard.

He could see why the boy had developed feelings for Ginny; she was kind, cheerful and always ready to help. She was always there if he needed anything. She was everything he had never wanted ... but he found himself less and less eager to leave The Burrow as time went on. It was maddening! He knew he had to leave soon, or Potter's emotions would get the best of him... would keep him from doing what he had planned to do.

It was on the third week at the Burrow that he got the first letter from Snape. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny had been eating a large breakfast in the garden when the grey eagle owl swooped down and dropped the envelope in his lap.

"Who's it from?" asked Ron as he refilled his plate with a second helping of bacon.

"Snape," said Harry, doing his best to look surprised. He broke the seal on the envelope and read quickly. Severus had been smart enough to disguise his message incase the letter had fallen into the wrong hands.

"What does it say?" asked Hermione.

Harry,

I would like to thank you for your help in clearing my name. I know the world was reluctant to forgive me after what happened that night on the Astronomy Tower. Believe me, Killing Albus Dumbledore was the last thing in the world I wanted to do.

I've decided to head north for some much needed rest and relaxation. I know there are Death Eaters at large - most of which would like nothing more than to see me dead after my betrayal to Lord Voldemort... Fortunately, I have only had a run in with two of them, both of whom were taken care of quickly.

Two. Severus had found and killed two of them. There had to be a half dozen Death Eaters that knew Harry's true identity. Two was a good start, but Harry wouldn't feel safe until all of them were dead. The fact that they hadn't told the world the truth yet could likely be attributed to fear, and there was no telling how long that would last.

The letter wasn't much longer than that.

"Now the git wants to be all buddy buddy with you?" asked Ron incredulously. "After all he's done to you since you were eleven?"

"Perhaps we never knew the real Snape," said Hermione. "All those years working for Dumbledore to gain information..."

"I don't think anyone knew him for sure," said Harry, folding up the letter and setting it aside. "Perhaps no one really does even still."

At that moment, another owl swooped in, this one carrying four thick envelopes. The owl dropped one in front of Harry, Ron and Hermione, and lastly, Ginny.

"...Is this...?" Ron began, his brow creased.

"A Hogwarts letter..." finished Hermione, who had already torn hers open and began reading. "It's from Professor McGonnagal!" she exclaimed, her eyes widened. "She's invited us back to Hogwarts for our seventh year!"

"Excellent!" Ginny said, looking over at Harry with a smile. Harry had opened his letter as well, and he didn't share the excitement with Hermione at first. "Now you can finish your schooling. I wonder if they've invited anyone else back? Last year with the Carrows didn't really allow anyone to get a proper education."

Each envelope came with the standard list of required materials for seventh years, along with a handwritten letter from Professor McGonagall. Harry read through the letter twice before saying anything.

Harry,

I know you have been through so much over the past several years, and we are all thankful for what you have sacrificed. I know you didn't ask to be thrust into such an important and perilous position, but you handled with with such honor and bravery that even Godric Gryffindor would applaud you.

That being said, it saddens me to think that you might miss out on finishing your education. As such, I am extending you an invitation to return for your seventh year at Hogwarts, so that you may take your N.E.W.T.S and hopefully succeed in your ambition to become an Auror.

An Auror... The boy wanted to be an auror? A smile slipped across Harry's face at the realization; this could be the perfect opportunity to pursue his goal. As a a respected employee of the Ministry, he would certainly be able to put himself in position to gain the trust and loyalty of the people. He looked down and continued reading.

I will understand completely if you choose not to return, although I believe Professor Dumbledore would have liked you to come back as well. He truly did care a great deal about you, Harry, and would only want the best for you.

Hoping you are well,

Minerva McGonnagal

"Well?" Ron asked, looking over at Harry.

"We haven't exactly got anything better to do, have we?" said Harry with a grin. "Hermione?" He looked over at her.

"Do you honestly have to ask?" she said, looking as though she were ready to run upstairs and pack for the Hogwarts Express right then.

The thought of returning to Hogwarts as a student was actually humorous to Voldemort. The most powerful dark wizard of all time ... sitting in a classroom? It was all he could do to not laugh out loud. He had, of course, loved the place when he was a boy. It had been his first real home... the first hint that he was something more than an unwanted orphan. He was special.

It had been painful to see the castle damaged only weeks before, and had it not been prudent for him to remain inconspicuous, he likely would have punished the Death Eaters who had inflicted said damage.

"What are you daydreaming about?" asked Ginny, resting her hand on his. Harry looked over at her and realized they were alone - Ron and Hermione had taken their plates inside.

"Oh, nothing," he said quickly. "Just thinking about going back to Hogwarts. It will be interesting to have a normal year at school, won't it?"

"Hogwarts is never normal, Harry," Ginny said.

"I suppose," said Harry. He looked down at her hand, which was currently gently squeezing his own. He felt the familiar bellyflop, followed by the gnawing of restless anger. He loved her touch, but hated what it was doing to him.

"I'm excited," said Ginny. "I was beginning to worry about going back and being away from you for an entire year." It was obvious that she was excited; the smile on her face hadn't faded at all since he had read his letter.

"So am I," said Harry. It was true; he was excited that he had finally stumbled across the path that would lead him where he wanted to go. The thought of going back to Hogwarts, however, wasn't something he was overly enthused about. He was worried he might be wasting time ... and he was worried that spending more time with Hermione and the Weasleys would begin to do more harm than good. Ginny in particular seemed to be having a strong affect on him.

She just... cared... so damned much.

"Oi!" said Ron, poking his head out the back door. "You two staying out there all day?"

"No, of course not," Ginny said with an annoyed sigh, getting to her feet. "Brothers..." she muttered under her breath to Harry, who stood as well.

-x-x-x-

The last thing Hermione Granger and the Weasley family expected the next morning was an empty bed where Harry Potter should have been. But that's exactly what they found. He left a note under Ginny's door that said simply "I am not the man you want me to be." That's all. The only other evidence that he had been there at all was the empty dish in the sink that held his dinner the night before.

Needless to say, Ginny was distraught. Hermione was worried, and Ron was certain that Harry had just stepped out for a bit of fresh air. What none of them knew, however, was that he was on the opposite side of the country in a little Muggle town called Gibson.

It was a quiet town, well out of the way of any city that mattered, with a small farming population. Not one of their fifty or so residents had ever seen or heard anything extraordinary, nor had any of them done anything harmful to anyone. They were good people. That didn't matter to Voldemort, however. He had spent so much time learning to ... love... that he had begun to forget who he really was. It was time for him to recover some sense of normalcy.

He walked down the one lane street with the Elder Wand out, not looking for anyone or any place in particular. He spotted an elderly man across the street, reading the paper.

"Avada Kedavra," he said simply, and the man promptly fell to the ground. Harry inhaled deeply through his nose and smiled at the sensation before turning his attention down the road. It was still early yet and no one had seen what had happened. He spotted another man walking toward him, and quickly delivered the same fate. This victim, too, toppled over.

He let out a low chuckle at the sight before moving quickly up the road, toward a row of shops that lined the main road. There were a handful of people in a small coffee shop, some of them chatting amongst themselves, others reading the morning paper without a care.

"Avada Kedavra," he said, pointing his wand at the waitress, who was at the back of the shop filling up a mug of coffee for a customer. She fell forward, quickly drawing the attention of the other shopgoers. He killed them one by one, until the entire shop was full of nothing but corpses, bringing his total to nine.

"What the devil are you doing?" A voice hissed behind him. Harry turned, his wand at the ready, and saw Severus Snape standing behind him, his face a mask of concern and confusion. "My Lord...?"

"Enjoying myself, Severus," Harry said, his chest heaving and a smile on his face. "What are you doing here?"

"What you commanded!" Snape said, looking up and down the road. "I've tracked a Death Eater to this town, and I've been looking for him for an hour."

"Ah, well, good! We can kill him together," Harry said. "Who is he?"

"My lord, you shouldn't be here," Snape said quickly.

"But I am here, Severus," Harry said, already moving past the shop and toward another.

"My lord," Snape said, grabbing Harry's arm and turning him around. There was a flash in Harry's eyes, as if reminding Snape who he really was, and Snape quickly withdrew his hand. "I worry only for your safety," he said in a harsh whisper. "You trusted me and me alone with knowledge of this plan, and I owe it to you to offer my advice where I can."

"Then offer it," said Harry.

"My Lord, if you were to be seen, your entire plan would be unraveled. Surely you can see that?" Snape said. "What prompted this rampage?"

"You did, Severus," Harry said harshly. "Your advice for me to go with the Weasleys. It's driving me mad! You have no idea what it's doing to me."

"Be that as it may, my lord, coming here was reckl-"

"Avada Kedavra!" someone shouted from their right. There was a flash of green, and a bolt of magic flew right past Harry's head and hit a passing Muggle behind him. They turned toward the caster, and Harry recognized him as one of the Death Eaters who had abandoned him before the battle of Hogwarts... Before he had obliviated him.

He wasn't alone. Amycus Carrow was with him, and both of them were pointing their wands at he and Snape.

"You dare try to kill me?" Harry said, walking toward the Death Eater slowly. "Even knowing who I am?"

"Avada ke-"

"Sectumsempra!" said Snape, severing the wizard's wand hand from his body.

"Amycus," Harry said, turning his attention from the death eater to the Carrow. "A pleasure to see you again."

"You're right," Amycus said. "We do know who you are."

"Then know your place and lower your wands," said Harry simply. "Do this and you will live."

Amycus didn't say anything for a long while, and just when it looked as though he was going to lower his wand, wizards and witches began apparating all around them. Aurors. Ministry officials.

"Obliviate," Harry whispered quickly, wiping the memories of Amycus and the handless Death Eater, before they said anything to give him away.

"Stupefy," the Aurors shouted, aiming their wands at Amycus and the death eater. When the two of them were sufficiently stunned and taken into custody, the Aurors turned on Harry and Snape, their wands drawn.

"Explain yourselves," a grizzled looking man said. He was tall, barrel-chested, with a long, full brown beard.

"We've been tracking the Death Eaters," Harry said simply, "and we followed one of them here. When we arrived we saw that man and the Amycus Carrow murder an entire shop full of people, so we fought them to keep them from murdering anyone else."

The bearded Auror looked to Snape, who merely nodded.

"You fools," the man said. "It is not your place to hunt dark witches and wizards!"

"I made it my place when I fought and killed Voldemort," Harry said stiffly. "Or have you already forgotten?" There was a long pause before the auror lowered his wand.

"No, Mr. Potter," he said. "Of course we haven't. We care only for your safety."

"People have been saying that quite often lately," Harry said, glancing to Snape, "and I'm beginning to think everyone is forgetting who I am."

"Of course not, sir," the auror said again. "Thank you for your help." And with that, he turned back to the other Aurors, who were already getting started on helping with necessary memory modifications.

"Come, Severus," Harry said, turning to Snape. "I believe the time for fun has come to an end."

He and Snape turned on the spot and reappeared in Ottery St. Catchpole, with The Burrow in sight.

"McGonagall invited me back to Hogwarts," he said to Snape not long after they had landed. "She wants to offer me the opportunity to 'finish my education,'" he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"No," said Snape quickly. "You mustn't. Going back to Hogwarts would be an incredible waste of time."

"Severus, do you have any idea what the boy had wanted to do as a career?" Harry asked, turning to look toward the Weasley house again.

"He wanted to be an..." Snape paused before flashing a very rare smile.

"Sometimes, what might seem to be a waste of time is actually the best course of action," Harry said. "Passing the required N.E. would allow me to become an Auror, which is in and of itself wonderfully ironic."

"Harry!" Ginny yelled, running down from the house. She was followed quickly by Ron and Hermione, who both looked just as relieved. Harry turned in their direction and watched them approach.

"In the meantime," Harry said with a sigh, "I shall have to endure this horrid thing called love and friendship."