Harry Potter Getting Even

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said, nodding at Ginny slightly. They had been staring at each other as Ron spoke.

Ginny, who had caught Hermione's look, nodded her head. "We understand," she said and stood before she made her way to hug Harry.

Stepping back before she could reach him, Harry ran his hand through his hair. This was the most he'd spoken since the battle and he felt exhausted now that his anger had faded.

"I'm going to go speak to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," he said. "I think it's time I left."

"You should call them mom and dad Harry," Ginny said, before she fully took in what he had said. "Wait, what do you mean left? You can't leave! Where would you go? You can't want to go back to the muggles?"

Sighing again and rubbing his neck, Harry shrugged. "I just want some time alone," he mumbled. "I think maybe I'll go to Grimmauld—"

"But that's not safe Harry," Hermione said, interrupting him as she followed them into the kitchen.

"I'll be fine," Harry interrupted. "I'll set up some wards or something."

"What's this about wards, my dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Tell him, mom!" Ginny practically shouted. "Harry wants to leave!"

Molly frowned at this. "Harry dear, why do you want to leave? Aren't you happy here? I thought I heard that you and Ginny were back together."

Sighing, Harry shook himself free of Ginny, who had once again attached herself to him. He said, "It's not that, Mrs. Weasley—"

"Call me Molly dear, or mum."

Shaking his head, Harry continued, "It's not that. It's just that, I think, I just need some time alone to deal with everything." Harry shook his head as he struggled to word his need for space.

Frowning, Molly exchanged a glance with Ron and Hermione, who were standing behind Harry. "Well dear, are you sure that's for the best? I mean, you're still taking potions to help you recover," she reasoned, not wanting Harry to leave.

"I'll be fine," Harry insisted, "I don't need the potions anymore, I feel fine. I just really want some time to sort my head out."

Molly frowned, "But all alone—"

"I wouldn't be completely alone," Harry interrupted as an idea hit him. "I would be with Kreacher."

Upon saying his name the house elf appeared and jumped at Harry. "Master Harry where have you been?" The elf asked, clearly upset upon seeing Harry.

"Harry, how could you?!" Hermione's indignant voice rang out, "You should release him at once - and keeping a slave I thought—!"

Kreacher froze at her words and sent Harry a horrified look, before interrupting her rant about SPEW. The house elf wailed, "No master please, Kreacher will be good!"

Harry sent Hermione a cold look that had her freezing. He knelt down to the elf to reassure him, "It's okay Kreacher, I'm not going to send you away. I was just wondering if you've been back to Grimmauld Place?"

Calming down, the house elf nodded his head, his ears flying around. "Yes master, I returned there after the big fight as I had no orders and master had vanished," the house elf said, sounding nervous.

"Good," Harry again reassured the skittish elf, "that's good, Kreacher. How is the house, could I stay there?"

The house elf's eyes grew wide at that point. "Master wants to return to master's house?" the elf asked excitedly. Kreacher's voice lowered and he began to mutter, "Yes, yes master should return at once. Kreacher has been busy, so busy making the house good for master but Kreacher didn't know if master would return."

Smiling, Harry stood up and looked around the room. "I'm going to collect my things and I'm going to Grimmauld place," he said with a finality that had even Molly wary to argue with him.

Grimmauld Place, 4th June 1998

In the days that followed his exit from the Burrow Harry was hounded by Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and even Mrs. Weasley. It got to the point that Harry had blocked the floo connection against them and warded the house to keep them out; he still accepted their owls, but only because he had written and asked them to allow him to have some time alone. Harry had been shocked when Kreacher told him that Harry could edit the house's wards, he hadn't even known he owned the house, inheriting it after Sirius' death.

Standing now that he had finished his meal, Harry thanked Kreacher.

"I think I'm going to go visit the Burrow tomorrow," Harry told the elf. Their letters had started to get almost demanding as they asked to see him because they were worried. Feeling bad for adding to their stress, Harry thought a visit would help reassure them he was fine.

Kreacher pulled a face at that but didn't speak. He hated the blood traitor family and their pet mudblood for how they treated his master, but master had asked Kreacher not to speak badly about them or call them names, so he didn't. But Kreacher knew that they were not worthy of his great master, no matter what his master said.

Just as Harry reached the kitchen door a soft knocking was heard. Turning toward the sound, Harry was surprised to see a large and rather terrifying looking eagle owl perched against the kitchen window.

Flicking his wrist so that his holly wand was in his hand, Harry opened the window with a wave of his wand. The bird swooped elegantly onto the kitchen table, its claws making a quiet click against the aged wood. Seeing as the bird was not moving, Harry approached it with caution. The wards should have blocked out anything with malicious content but Harry had no intention of becoming complacent. Moody would be proud, he thought. After running through his repertoire of detection spells, some of which he had only learnt since getting to Grimmauld, and getting nothing back, Harry carefully took the letter from the bird's outstretched leg. If possible the owl looked at Harry with exasperation and took flight as soon as it was freed of its burden.

"Guess you're not waiting for a reply then," Harry mumbled under his breath before looking at the letter in his hand.

Harry noted the high quality of the envelope and was drawn in by the beautiful and elegant calligraphy on the front. Turning the envelope around, Harry was surprised to see the wax seal of Gringotts Bank. He hadn't thought he would hear from the goblins any time soon due to the situation with the dragon.

With a resigned sigh Harry found himself breaking the wax seal and pulling out the letter. Like the envelope, the parchment was high quality, and reading it Harry soon found himself intrigued.

Mr. Harrison James Potter-Black

We the goblins at Gringotts Wizarding Bank require your presence due to matters of inheritance and reparations.

You should present yourself at Gringotts Wizarding Bank as soon as you're available to ensure that the situation is resolved in a timely manner.

Regards,

Gringotts Head Goblin of the London Branch, Ragnok

"Harrison? Potter-Black?" Harry mumbled to himself in confusion before shaking his head. "Kreacher, change of plans, it seems like I'm going to Gringotts tomorrow instead.