Authors Notes: An adventure, drama, thriller, mystery, romance (not necessarily in that order). What no angst? Not this time, but thanks for asking. Why did you make the title seem like a parody or humorous story? It really was not intentional. I wanted to get the flavor of the old mystery novels of our grandparent's generation. It just seemed to fit. I hope you have fun reading it. This one will be substantially longer than any of my previous fics. H/Hr, R/LL and G/N. That's right, there's an N after that G. What can I say? I love Neville; he deserves a great witch like Ginny. Draco, not the one we imagine and write about on Portkey, but the cannon one in the books… he deserves diddly. Hehehe. {Runs and ducks for cover from all the D/G fans who are currently cursing my name and throwing large objects} Anyway, Enjoy!
The Day After Graduation Day
After all the hoopla, it was kind of nice to take some time to just hang out together at The Burrow. There were a lot of important people in their lives, but for right now, it seemed right to have just the three of them together. Ron was going on and on about how great the graduation day practical joke was, provided by the one and only Weasley twins. Harry was laughing and even Hermione had to admit it was a bit funny. Tasteless, but funny.
Immediately after the graduation ceremony Dumbledore had planned a wonderful wizarding fireworks display. He opened up the school coffers and spared no expense to have Fred and George put on a first rate show. The final firework? It was the prettiest, bright pink deathmark anyone had ever seen. It lit up the night sky and capped off one of the best celebrations the school had ever seen.
With the fall of Voldemort only three weeks before, it was a miracle that the three of them had done as well on the N.E.W.T.S. as they did. Hermione had gotten one in every area of expertise, except Muggle Studies and Divination. Of course, those were the only two she decided not to take. Harry had done quite well and Ron did better than most had expected him to. Mrs. Weasley, however, was as pleased as a mother could be and bragged that he really had it in him to be something special. Hermione and Harry could not agree more.
"You two given anymore thought about what you want to do now that we've been let loose on the world?" Harry asked aloud.
Ron smiled and replied, "Well, Luna invited me to come visit her and her dad for a couple weeks. I'm a little nervous about it, but I thought it might be kind of fun."
Ron had not been able to find a date for the seventh year Yule Ball and had just about given up on it altogether. Out of the blue, Luna sent a letter to Ron telling him that she had been carrying a bit of a crush on him for quite some time, but had been too nervous to tell him. Harry thought for sure that he would laugh it off or ignore the letter, but he seemed pretty flattered by the whole thing. The next day he asked her to go. They ended up having a great time. Luna had a knack at making him laugh. Things got a bit crazy after that and they had not been able to see much of each other. Ron had been feeling guilty about ignoring Luna, but she said she understood and that what he had done was far more important. The morning before graduation she invited him to her home, and all there was to do now was to see how the whole thing played out. Harry was hoping that they would be able to recapture some of the magic they shared at the ball.
Hermione and Harry went as friends and it was nice. They only danced twice, but they spent the whole time talking and reminiscing. It was really nice. Harry kissed her on the cheek and she squeezed his hand when they said goodnight. The rest of the year had been utterly awful, but Harry was grateful they had two really great memories to hold onto; the ball and graduation night. The question on his mind right now, was what would happen to the three of them, now that school was over.
"So, what about you Hermione?" Ron asked, leaning forward.
"To be honest, I received a special letter of invitation to attend a summer study abroad program with a small witch's college in Salem, Massachusetts. The school is half muggles who think they're witches and the other half are real witches, but they're not studying magic per se. They're studying specialized courses in the theology, philosophy and ethics of witches in modern society. I hate to admit it, but it sounds like it might be a really good educational opportunity for me. I sent a letter yesterday confirming a seat for myself there. After that, I'm not really sure. Maybe, I'll figure it out once I'm out there."
Ron gave her a funny grin, "Well, good for you Hermione. I, uh, hope you have a good time. You know… doing more school! As if seven years wasn't already enough."
Ron laughed and Hermione gave him an embarrassed grin. Neither really noticed the look of hurt in Harry's eyes. He had thought that after all they had been through together that the trio would have spent the summer just enjoying time with one another. Now Ron was off to be with Luna and Hermione was going to America of all places for the next couple of months. This was not what he had hoped for at all. With Ron he sort of understood. This was his chance to see if he could fix the relationship that never had a chance to take off. Hermione, on the other hand, was leaving Europe altogether; and for what, more classes? That one really hurt, but he was not going to give either one of them the satisfaction of knowing it. He kept a brave face about the whole thing.
Soon enough the talking and the laughter swept him back into a positive state of mind. He was excited for Ron and really did hope that Hermione was going to have a good experience. At least it was an all witch's school. For some reason that thought made him less worried.
Mrs. Weasley poked her head in with a big plate of pumpkin cookies. The three of them eagerly took some and munched away while trading stories about the last seven years of their lives.
Hermione turned to Harry and asked, "So, what about you Harry? Any thoughts of what's next for the Boy-who-lived?"
"I really hadn't thought about it," he replied lamely. "I guess I wasn't totally convinced that I was going to live to see this day, so I haven't had time to figure things out yet. The whole idea of a future after Hogwarts never even occurred to me."
Hermione's eyes softened, "Well, now you have that chance. Why don't you just take the summer off and travel somewhere? It's a great big world out there. Who knows what you might find."
"Yeah, that might be okay," Harry replied.
It was fairly obvious that his answer had been dismissive, so neither Ron, nor Hermione pressed it any further. For some reason, he really had no interest in leaving England. Or even leaving the seat he was sitting in right now, for that matter. It felt a bit like all the important things of his life were slipping through his fingers. What was wrong with just staying put? He had barely seen anything past the Dursley's home or school. Except for a quick jaunty or two to Hogsmeade and the Ministry of Magic. There was enough things to keep life busy right here. Maybe it was time to learn a little bit more about the country he called home.
"You know," Harry said thoughtfully, "I think that maybe I'll explore our own backyard a bit. I haven't really seen much and I know almost nothing about what it means to be an adult wizard. I think I'll just hang out here."
Ron answered, "You know, that might not be such a bad idea. Plus, that way you can come and visit Luna and me. I know she'd love to have you over. You should plan on stopping by a couple times. It'll be fun."
"Alright then," Harry smiled, "I'll hold you to that."
The thought of getting to at least spend some time with Ron and Luna made things seem a little brighter.
Hermione chimed in, "And hey, Fred and George will be at their store and Ginny still as another year of school. I know she'd love you to stay in close touch. As a matter of fact, I have it on the highest authority that she would miss you terribly if you didn't stick around. And didn't you promise Neville to go and meet his parents? He's convinced that they would not be back to their old selves if it wasn't for you. You'd be a hero in that household. Not that you're not one now… well, you know what I mean."
Things were looking better and better. Maybe this would be a good summer after all. His parent's small fortune meant that he could take some time and enjoy life. Something he had never really allowed himself to do before.
A clomping coming down the stairs signaled another Weasley was about. Harry looked up and saw Ginny poke her head in through the door.
"Hey you three. What're you up to?"
It was the most unenthusiastic greeting Harry had ever heard from her. Considering the first time he met her that was saying a lot.
"What's wrong?" Hermione blurted out.
"Ohhhh… nothing," came an equally enthusiastic retort.
Ginny plopped down next to Ron and let out a noticeable sigh.
"Isn't Draco a complete jerk?" she offered to no one in particular.
Hermione tried to cover her smiling mouth with her hand. Harry decided it was a good time to stare up at the ceiling. A distinctive growl was coming from Ron's throat.
"Oh, just go ahead and say it," Ginny snapped. "We tooold you sooo. I just thought he had changed after everything we had all gone through. It seemed like he did, but as soon as his mother and father were out of the way, he inherited their whole estate and gobs of galleons. I reminded him that he invited me to travel to France with him a month ago and he suddenly remembered that he had to visit some sick family member. Which I'm sure explains the fact that he suddenly had three Slytherin girls lined up to travel with him. Bunch of money-grubbing scarlet women. They couldn't stop fawning all over him and the little prat enjoyed every minute of it. Big stupid jerk."
Harry really wanted to feel bad for Ginny, but for some reason he just could not. As far as he was concerned it was the best thing that could have happened. A jackal might be wearing sheep's clothing, but in the end, he was still a jackal. Harry and Hermione kept their mouths shut, but Ron could not resist a barb or two.
"Don't be too hard on yourself. It's not your fault that you didn't listen to anybody at all."
"I so appreciate your support Ronald. By the way, noticed Luna isn't anywhere in sight. Did you succeed in chasing away the only girl that ever gave you the time of day?"
"For your information, she invited me to stay at her house for a couple weeks," Ron grinned.
"Well… then… oh, who am I kidding. That's actually good news. Just don't blow it," Ginny conceded.
"Ginny, you should send a letter to Neville. I thought you promised to do something nice for him for saving your life. I'm sure he'd like to hear from you, especially since you haven't talked to him since then," Hermione suggested.
"Good grief Hermione. Do you always have to be so good at making me feel guilty?"
"Yeah, she's really good at that," Ron agreed.
"That is not true, I don't try to make people feel guilty" Hermione exclaimed, "Harry, back me up here."
"Ummm… I… it's just that, well you really are quite good at the guilt thing," he said shrugging his shoulders.
"I have no friends," Hermione declared.
They all laughed at that and the four of them kept on talking through the afternoon and into the evening.
--- ---
Hermione had made her way back home and the entire Weasley clan was fast asleep, to the last. Harry's makeshift bed was underneath the window in Ron's room. He could hear his steady breathing. Outside the waxing moon was due to be full in the next couple of days. It was sitting almost perfectly in the middle of his view. Its pale light lit up the garden in the backyard. The crickets of summer were filling the night with their high-pitched song. The evening wind had died down to a slight breeze that only swayed the smaller branches and the tallest blades of grass. The air had that slightly sweet, organic smell that only comes at the end of a warm June day.
Harry's mind began to wander and he let it fill with all of his past memories. Some he smiled at, some he cringed at, and some he just shook his head. He decided that tomorrow morning he would send a letter out to Remus Lupin. For some reason, he thought that Moony might have some good advice about what he should be doing with his life. After all the ups and downs, Harry had no interest in working at the ministry, although he would never tell that to Mr. Weasley. He did not want to hurt his feelings. What were the alternatives? He certainly was not planning on opening a shop of any kind. So, what exactly do other witches and wizards do with their lives.
For awhile the possibility of trying out for one of England's quidditch teams seemed interesting, but after his fight with Voldemort his joints and limbs were never quite the same. It seemed to age him somehow and his knees and arms hurt a lot when he spent too much time on a broom. At first he was convinced that it was simply awful, but in the end he decided it really was not all that tragic. He certainly loved to play, but somehow the thought of playing for someone other than the Gryffindor team turned it from something fun into work. He never wanted something so special to him, to become a job. That would ruin it. Kind of the way that some artists love to paint, or sculpt, or create in some way or another, but when they have to do it for a paycheck then they start to hate it.
The real question is what would he be good at? He was fairly good at being a student when he put his mind to it, but that time was done. He was really great at defeating Dark Lords, but the only one that he knew about had been quite destroyed. No one really seemed interested in applying for the currently vacant job. Which was a rather pleasing thought, overall. Nevertheless, it really was not a skill that would be helpful in some day to day drudgery. So, the question still remains, what on earth would the Boy-who-lived be good at doing? It's not like he had to suddenly find an income, he had enough money that his children would most likely never have to work, even if he lived a comfortable life between now and then. The thought of not doing something productive kind of chaffed at Harry. Heroes simply do not like lazing about like gentlemen of leisure; he decided he would have made a terrible Malfoy.
After letting all these thoughts run circles in his mind for a couple hours, he finally fell asleep and did not wake again until the sunlight poured down on his pillow.
--- ---
Ginny was staring down at Harry, while gently poking his forehead.
"Hello, sleepyhead. Time for breakfast."
Harry sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Ron had already gotten up, but apparently decided to let him sleep in. Once Ginny was convinced he was up she turned and started to walk out of the room.
Just as she was heading out the door, she looked back and announced, "And by the way. There's a visitor here to see you. So, don't take all morning to come down."
With that a flurry of red hair whisked out of the room. Harry dropped his legs down to the ground and stood up. He stretched his arms straight out and let out a large wakeup yawn. He smacked his lips and undressed. He looked through his meager selection of non-school clothing and grabbed a pair of jeans and a wine-colored pullover. Lastly, on went the glasses as he stumbled down the narrow staircase.
As he came around the corner he could smell eggs, bacon and fresh biscuits wafting up towards him. His stomach began to grumble and a smile crossed his face in anticipation of another great home-cooked breakfast ala Mrs. Weasley. When Harry hit the bottom he looked across the kitchen and noticed it was empty. He could hear loud voices coming from the backyard. A perfect sunny, summer morning for breakfast in the garden.
Harry stepped out into the day and strode over to the extra large picnic table Mr. Weasley had brought home sometime during the spring. Lively faces were bantering with one another. Harry noticed that indeed there numbers had increased by one. After a quick shock of surprise he cleared his throat.
"Albus, it's so wonderful to see you!"
The talking immediately died down and a large number of mouths stood open.
Ron was the first to break the awkward moment, "Don't you mean Professor Dumbledore?"
Harry walked straight up to Dumbledore with his hand stretched out. Albus stood up with a smile and warmly shook Harry's hand.
Ginny was the one who broke through the ice, "No, he's right Ron. I think after everything Harry has been through and the fact that he was the one to face Voldemort and live the first time and then the only one who succeeded in killing him the second time… well, I think he would be just about the only person who could ever be considered Professor Dumbledore's equal."
With warmth and wisdom Dumbledore replied, "You are quite right Ms. Weasley. I could not have said it better myself. It is so good to see you Harry. I hope you are doing well."
"I am, thank you. I'm really glad to see you."
Dumbledore nodded his head and answered, "I have some most interesting news for you, but let's just save that until after you've gotten a little breakfast in you."
With that they began digging in anew. Everyone picked up where they had left off and before anyone knew it they were all as full as a person could be. Ron patted his stomach and leaned back with a contented look on his face. Ginny opened her mouth and let her tongue hang out. Mr. Weasley thanked his wife at least three times for such a wonderful breakfast. It was one of those warm moments in life that one looks back on years later and lets a smile cross their face at the memory.
"You will recall that I had something to tell you Harry. I sincerely hope you will not be cross with me, as I would hate to think you felt that I kept something from you unnecessarily. I worried that if you knew about this, that you would not have gone back to stay with the Dursleys; leaving you vulnerable to Voldemort, something I simply was not willing to do."
"Alone? Out where?" Harry interjected.
Dumbledore pulled out a very official looking parchment. It was rolled up and tied with a small, blue velvet ribbon. There was a small piece of melted wax, hardened across the middle. It had a symbol pressed into it, that Harry did not recognize.
"This, my dear boy, is for you."
Dumbledore's arm stretched towards Harry holding it outward. Harry tentatively reached and gently slid it from his hand. He pulled it close, removed the ribbon and stared at the waxy seal.
"What is this symbol?"
"It is a coat of arms," Dumbledore smiled. "It is the family crest of the very old and well respected Leakwood family. I regret to say that the last of the family had no children of their own and there is no one else to carry on the name."
Mrs. Weasley spoke out and said, "I think I remember that name. Wasn't it an older gentleman… oh, what was his name… Gerald, yes Gerald Leakwood. I'm almost positive that he was the one who first suspected Voldemort was a threat."
"Indeed you are quite right," Dumbledore reassured. "He was the last of his family line and he was the first to be killed in the Dark Lord's rise to power. What is written about in this document was his rightful inheritance. However, when he died it went to the only other person who had any Leakwood blood in them. A one Lily Potter. She was a descendant by way of her grandmother as I recall. And now, Harry it belongs to you."
"But, what is it?"
"It's a will," Albus said somberly.
Harry felt awkward about breaking the seal, but with all eyes staring he carefully split the wax and unrolled the long parchment. He began to read and read… and read.
"Well? What does it say mate?" Ron exclaimed.
"I," he read a little more, "I seem to have inherited…" He read a little more, "A place called Leakwood Manor, and from what I can tell a substantial amount of surrounding land. It was originally built in 1783. It has been in the Leakwood family ever since and it says that I am the sole heir."
Harry rolled the parchment back up and stared off into the distance. He was trying to wrap his mind around the idea that he had some kind of house or manor, or whatever and that it was now his and his alone. He thought that it all seemed very surreal. What was he going to do with a whole manor?
"It said that it's located about thirty miles east of Gillingham. I've never been anywhere near there before."
Ginny lit up, "Gillingham, it's not too far of a trip to the Strait of Dover from there. It's just due east of Gillingham. Not a bad place at all Harry. You might like living there."
"Living there? No, no Ginny. Who said anything about living there? I don't want to live in a manor way out there. I'd be all by myself. In some big, lonely place, and plus how would Hermione… I mean, how would anyone for that matter, find me. I can't live out there. I just can't."
Then Dumbledore said the one thing that turned Harry's mind completely around about the whole matter.
"Harry, I really think you should go there; at least for awhile. This is one of the only connections you may have to any of your family's ancestors. It would be like a link to long lost loved ones. Specifically, your mother's family. Perhaps, you will find what you are looking for there."
Harry thought about it for a moment. He thought about the word 'family', and the word 'connection'. Somehow that changed the idea of what it would be to go there. He really had no idea of what it was he was looking for, but maybe this would be a good place to start.
"Maybe I will go. That might not be so bad."
"There ya go," Ron said with enthusiasm. "Now you have a summer adventure, too."
That solidified it in Harry's mind. If everyone else was going to have an adventure, then he thought he should have one too. A frown crossed his face and he looked directly at Mrs. Weasley.
"You will tell Hermione where I am won't you? What if she can't find me there?"
Molly looked long and hard at Harry. She knew that Hermione would have no problem finding Harry, and on some level she knew that Harry knew that as well. For some reason though, he was afraid of something. Then after careful thought, she knew what it was. He was not afraid she would not be able to find him. Harry was afraid that she would not even try to find him. Which of course was ridiculous, but to him, at this moment in his life, it was not ridiculous at all. By his look, she deduced that he was quite frightened by the thought.
"Well, when our Hermione gets back," she said with warmth in her voice. "I will send her straight away to see you, first thing."
Harry smiled, but she could tell it was forced and full of worry.
Authors Notes: Ha! Bet you didn't think I could write a whole serious chapter without someone weeping, or blacking out, or dying off did you? I admit a slow start here, but I'm savoring this story and I want it to have some depth to it. I want this work to have some serious length and I really want you to understand where the characters are coming from. Plus, I'm writing to help work through some personal issues. If you were too bored with it so far, give it a chance. I have a really fun and interesting story planned out, I promise. Would the madman of angst lie to you? Of course not! Until next time, happy fanfic reading.