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SIYE Time:14:11 on 28th March 2024
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HB Prince: Year of Love
By DHobbit

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Category: Post-OotP
Characters:All, All
Genres: Angst, Drama, Fluff, Humor
Warnings: None
Rating: PG
Reviews: 309
Summary: *** The author has been reminded via the e-mail address on file that this story is listed as incomplete and has not been updated in over 2 years ***

This story starts at the end of Order Of The Phoenix. Although this story starts as the usual Harry/Ginny romance, I believe after several chapters, you will find that Ancient Dark Magic takes on a whole new meaning to our Harry and Ginny. Will Harry discover the key to the Half-Blood Prince?* * * *American Edition *** * * *
Hitcount: Story Total: 195788; Chapter Total: 3395





Author's Notes:
SUMMARY: Harry is insulted. -- Harry’s hit in the chest by flames. ---------------




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Chapter Forty Ultimate Insult

Harry stood watching most of the people he loves walking
away loaded with trunks and cages.

He now had to face his annual torture with the Dursleys.
Uncle Vernon was nowhere in sight, neither were Aunt
Petunia or Dudley. They must be late. Harry found a bench
and sat waiting for at least five minutes. Then he decided
that they were probably in the car park waiting. Thinking that
they now have decided that he was not worth walking all the
way into the station for, he rushed out to find them. He knew
that they would not have much patience and there would be
hell to pay if he kept them waiting long.

No Dursleys. He stood around for a while before deciding to
sit on his trunk to wait. Perhaps they had a flat tire on the
way or something. After forty-five minutes he went back into
the station to make sure he hadn’t crossed paths and missed
them. No Dursleys. He went back to the car park and waited
some more.

It was dark, but not cold. He checked with the station
information to see if there was a message for him. No.

After two hours of waiting he decided to telephone them.
Their telephone was out of service.

“Fine!” he growled.

He checked his money he didn’t have enough Muggle money
for a bus or taxi. The Knight Bus! Yes! He had enough
Wizard money for that. So he went back to the car park and
raised his wand, hoping they would get his signal. Sure
enough a big purple bus appeared.

Stan Shunpike opened the door to greet him. He looked the
same with his acne filled face. “Neville! I mean ‘arry! It’s
good to see you again,” said Stan. “Look Ern, look who’s
here. It’s ‘arry Potter!”

Stan helped Harry load his trunk and Hedwig’s cage. Hedwig
was not happy and squawked angrily.

“Where to?” asked Stan.

“Little Whinging,” said Harry. He decided to have them drop
him off at the park a few blocks from the Dursley’s.

Stan sat down beside Harry and whispered. “Ya know, ‘arry,
I read all ‘bout what happened last year in the Daily Prophet.
I just want choo ta know that me and Ern, here, will do
anything to help ya out defeatin’ You-Know-Who. All ya gotta
do is say the word.”

“Don’t believe everything you read in the Daily Prophet, Stan.
But yes, if I need help, I’ll let you know,” said Harry.

Harry didn’t think Stan would be anyone he could trust
keeping a secret, but it was good to know that IF he needed
help and if it wasn’t too dangerous, that Stan could be called
upon.

Just as Harry’s stomach was about to heave from the jostling
about, they were there. Stan helped Harry unload his trunk
and cage. “Thanks Stan,” said Harry.

“Don’t forget, call on me and Ern any time, ‘arry,” said Stan.

“Right! Thanks Stan,” said Harry.

As Harry walked along the dark streets back to number four,
Privet Drive, he thought about Stan and Ern. Ern never
spoke much, but Stan, always the talker, really surprised
Harry. For Stan to offer to help was a very brave thing for
him to do. It was nice to know there really were people out
there who would risk themselves to help.

Riddle was still building his army and killing without remorse.
He had to be stopped.

When Harry arrived at Privet Drive, his stomach was
rumbling. He hoped that Aunt Petunia would let him eat. He
sighed.

Number four was dark. There were no lights shining from
ANY window. They usually left the kitchen light on when they
left the house empty at night. He knocked on the front door,
but got no answer. Uncle Vernon’s car was not parked in
the driveway. He pulled his trunk and Hedwig’s cage to the
back door and knocked. No answer.

He tried looking through the windows, but all was dark. The
door was locked. It was getting late and it was spooky in the
back yard. Harry decided to Apparate to his room. It was
dark in his room but there was enough light from outside
street lamps to see that the room was empty.
COMPLETELY EMPTY. No little desk against the window,
with a lamp. No bed. Not even Dudley’s broken stuff.

Harry risked a Lamos spell with his wand. EMPTY. Using
his wand for light, he went downstairs. The house was
empty. No furniture, no pictures on the walls. NOTHING.
He went into the kitchen to find it empty too, except a piece
of paper on the counter.

BOY -
After all the funny business you’ve pulled since New Year’s,
did you really think we would be here? We gave you
everything and this is how you repay us.

We’ve moved. Don’t bother looking for us. You are not
welcome. You’ve never been welcome. See how you like it
on your own.
You’ve never been anything but a thorn in our side.

Vernon Dursley

He re-read the note several times. What was he talking
about “all the funny business you’ve pulled” ? He’d been at
school. What did Uncle Vernon think he did? Whatever it
was could be nothing compared to what he would like to
have done.

Harry went back upstairs to collect his trunk and Hedwig.
He’d had enough! So Uncle Vernon finally gave him the
ultimate insult. He moved away without telling him where
they went. “FINE!” he said out loud. He didn’t want to be
HERE anyway! “FINE!” He was going “home”.

He didn’t know exactly how it would work with Apparating to
number twelve, Grimmauld Place, he wasn’t of age yet, so
he didn’t know if he was the legal owner of the place yet. If
he could find it and if he could get in. He decided to
Apparate to outside number eleven then walk over to
number twelve. He could see it, so he knocked.

Winky opened the door. “Harry Potter, sir! Winky didn’t
expect you. Come in. Come in,” said Winky.

“Hello Winky! said Harry, as he sat down his trunk and
Hedwig’s cage in the Entrance Hall. It was very quiet and the
lights were low.

“Come give me a hug,” said Harry, grabbing her up. Winky
was beaming.

“It seems very quiet. Where is everybody?”

“I is not knowing, Harry Potter.”

“What do you mean? Didn’t the Weasleys all get here a few
hours ago?”

“No, Harry Potter. I is the only one here. Are you hungry,
Harry Potter?”

“Starving. Is there food?”

“There is plenty. I will go make food for Harry Potter.”

Harry opened Hedwig’s cage and let her out to hunt before
he made his way to the kitchen. Winky was preparing him a
huge sub sandwich. Harry found a butterbeer in the cooler
and sat at the table. What a night! No Dursleys and now no
Weasleys. His stomach lurched, he already missed Ginny.

Harry wolfed down his sandwich. He didn’t realize just how
hungry he was. The butterbeer hit the spot too.

“Winky, sit down and tell me about the Weasleys,” said
Harry. He was starting to fade. It had been a long day.

“I is not knowing, Harry Potter.”

“They must have told you something when they left,” said
Harry.

“No, sir, Harry Potter,” said Winky.

“When was the last time you saw them?” asked Harry.

“A few days, I think,” said Winky.

“DAYS?” asked Harry, raising his voice in astonishment.

“I is sorry, Harry Potter,” said Winky, starting to get upset.

“I’m sorry, Winky. Don’t worry about it. They must have
made plans that I don’t know about. They’ll probably show
up tomorrow.”

Harry went up to his room that he shared with Ron and
crashed on the bed.

The next morning as Harry was dressing, he opened the
wardrobe where he had stuck Phineas Nigellus’ portrait.

“Potter, what are you doing here? Does Dumbledore know
where you are?”

“No. Could you please go to his office and tell him where I
am?” asked Harry.

“What do you think I am, a messenger boy?”

“No sir. I thought you would want to do a favor for
Dumbledore. If you don’t want to, that will be fine,” said
Harry.

“All right. All right. Since you said please, at least you’re
showing some respect, but I don’t think he is in his office.”

“Then please leave a message with the other portraits for
when he gets back,” said Harry, with patience.

“Oh! All right!”

Winky was waiting for him in the kitchen. Breakfast was
ready except for the eggs and toast, which she started as
soon as he walked in.

After Harry had stuffed himself to satisfaction, Winky asked
him: “Harry Potter, you are coming of age in July?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Winky thinks that Harry Potter should sleep in the master
bedroom. All proper masters of the house sleep in the
master bedroom.”

Harry grinned. “So, you think that that is important?”

“Yes, Harry Potter. I’s been making plans for your master
bedroom, but I has been waiting for Harry Potter to come
home to approve plans,” said Winky, with a twinkle in her
eye.

Harry followed Winky upstairs to the end of the hall to the
master bedroom.

“I has taken everything out. This is the proper bedroom for
Harry Potter.”

Harry looked at the empty room. It very large for a bedroom.
There was gray worn wallpaper on the walls and outlines on
the wooden floor where throw rugs and rested for probably
decades.

There were three windows, two of them were in the far right
back corner and another window on the right wall.

“What furniture is you be wanting? There is all kinds of
bedroom furniture in this house. It needs cleaning and
shined for Harry Potter.”

Winky took him upstairs to look in the several bedrooms that
had furniture in them. He choose a cherry wood bedroom
suite for his new bedroom. Winky assured him that she
would restore it to almost new.

She showed him several swatches for curtains and bedding.
He picked out what he liked and left it for Winky to put it all
together. Winky was in heaven.

Harry unpacked his trunk and took all his books on Charms
and Transfiguration down to the Living Room. He planned to
go through every spell in his books, starting from his first
year up to the present. Not all spells could be cast without a
wand, but he was determined to learn to do it with as many
as possible. He was going to teach Ginny this summer too.

So he spent the next few days going over the spells and
making them work wandless. Some evenings he spent time
going over songs that Mr. Weasley had left in the Defense
Room. The days were passing with no sign of anyone from
the Order. He was tempted to send Hedwig to find the
Weasleys, but he kept thinking they would show up at any
time now.

The days turned to weeks. Then one day, as he sat on the
sofa of the Living Room, studying, he heard someone in the
Entrance Hall. It was Snape.

“Potter, what are you doing here?”

“I LIVE here.”

“You’re not supposed to be HERE. Does Dumbledore know
you are here?”

“I sent word. Where IS everybody?”

Snape briskly turned and left.

“Nice to see you too,” said Harry, sarcastically. Then went
back to his books.

A while later he heard familiar voices coming from the
Entrance Hall. It was Arthur and Molly Weasley.

“Hi ! Where you all been?” asked Harry, smiling broadly.

Then a streak of flames hit him in the chest. It was Ginny.
She wrapped her arms around his chest. She held on with
determination, as though she would never let go. Harry
wrapped his arms around her.

“Hello, Love,” said Harry.

“Harry,” she sighed.

About that time Ron, Luna and Snape appeared in the Hall.

“Hi, Ron, Luna,” said Harry over the top of Ginny’s head
that came just below his chin.

“Where’s Lupin?” asked Harry to the room.

“He’s on assignment, you stupid boy,” said Snape.

Harry glared at him. There was tension in the room.

“I haven’t been called ‘stupid boy’ in months now,” said
Harry, tensely.

Ignoring Snape, Harry asked: “Where’s everybody been?
Why haven’t there been any Order meetings?”

“How long have you been here? Does Dumbledore know
where you are?” asked Arthur.

“Thank you for contacting the Weasleys. We were just about
to have lunch. Would you care to join us?” Harry asked
Snape with a mock inviting voice.

Snape briskly turned and headed for the door. Arthur
followed and thanked him for contacting them. He also
re-invited him to lunch. Snape made some sort of snort and
left.

The tension left the room immediately.

“Harry, how long have you been here?” asked Arthur.

“A couple of weeks. Since we got back from the train. The
Dursleys moved,” said Harry, still holding Ginny.

“WHAT?” said Molly. “The Dursleys moved?”

“Yep! There wasn’t a thing in the house. It was dark and
empty. They left a note telling me they moved and not to
come looking for them. So I came here. I thought everyone
would be here, but only Winky was here. She didn’t know
where everyone was. I reckoned there would be an Order
meeting any time, so I waited it out.”

“They moved? Just like that? Why didn’t Mrs. Figg inform
us?” asked Arthur.

“Mrs. Figg! I forgot about her! I could have went to her
house. She probably knew where everyone was. Where
WERE you?” asked Harry.

“The Burrow,” said Ginny.

“The Burrow? But it burnt down,” said Harry, confused. He
was still standing in the center of the hall with his arms
around Ginny.

“We re-built. We were going to surprise you,” said Arthur.

“I’m surprised,” said Harry. “Is everyone going to stay for
lunch?”

“Yes!” they said.

All but Harry and Ginny headed for the kitchen.

“I’ll bring your lunch to the Living Room. You and Ginny may
have a few quiet moments together,” said Molly, giving Ron
a stern look.

Ron slowly followed Molly to the end of the hallway. He
paused at the top of the stairs leading down to the kitchen.
He looked over to watch Harry and Ginny. He watched as
Harry caressed Ginny’s cheek, then gently kissed her.
They walked hand in hand into the Living Room before Ron
headed down to the kitchen. He was confused about his
feelings. It felt weird seeing his best friend kiss his sister.
But it also didn’t quite seem “right” for some reason. There
was something strange about their relationship. He shook
his head and continued down the stairs. The smell of food
quickly took his mind off Harry and Ginny.

Harry waved his hand and all the books that were scattered
around the sofa neatly shuffled themselves into a pile.
Standing before the sofa, he pulled her close for a big hug.
Their eyes were shining with excitement at seeing each
other, then Harry gave Ginny another kiss. This one was a
much deeper and longer kiss. They sat down on the sofa.
Harry put a pillow up to his chest and pulled Ginny back
against it. He then wrapped his arms around her.

Ginny asked him about the books and his wandless magic.
He quickly told her about what he was doing. Then
they sat in silence just enjoying each other’s presence.

He could smell Ginny’s hair, it seemed to overpower him. He
moved her hair to the side and kissed her neck below her
ear. He slowly kissed her neck all the way to the end of her
shoulder. When he reached her shoulder, Ginny turned to
face him.

They looked into each other’s eyes and kissed. It was a long
slow kiss that lasted forever... until they heard a sound. They
separated, smiling.

Molly was in the Entrance Hall, making more noise that was
necessary to bring their lunch. Harry knew that she did this
so that they would have warning of her arrival.

Harry rose and gave Molly a hug. “I’m sorry I didn’t give you
a proper greeting, Molly Dear,” said Harry.

Winky popped in with a couple of bottles of butterbeer. Harry
opened them and handed one to Ginny.

“I‘ve really missed you, but at least I had my butterbeer to
help me through the rough times,” said Harry.

“With butterbeer in the house, I’m surprised you missed me
at all,” said Ginny, teasing.

“Well... I DO love my butterbeer,” said Harry, grinning.

Ron and Luna entered the room. Both holding their
sandwiches and a glasses of pumpkin juice. Harry rose and
gave both of them a hug.

“How’s Fred? Did you get to see him since school let out?”
he asked Luna.

“Fred is perfect,” said Luna, smiling.

Harry smiled and sat down beside Ginny. He picked up a
sandwich, then held it for Ginny to take a bite.

“I can’t believe that the Dursleys moved without us knowing.
Arthur went to Mrs. Figg’s house to see what he could find
out,” said Molly.

“The house is empty. I think it would have been hard for
them to move without anyone noticing. Maybe they moved
the day before. I don’t know. The note wasn’t dated,” said
Harry, then taking a bite from their sandwich, then holding it
for Ginny to take another bite.

“I can’t believe that we didn’t notice that the Dursleys were
not at the station. I’m so sorry, Harry. This is the first time
they didn’t show up, and we didn’t even NOTICE! There is
no excuse,” said Molly, sadly.

“Don’t worry about it, Molly Dear. No harm done. I’m
perfectly fine,” said Harry.

“That is beside the point. You should never have been left at
that station without an escort. We just got caught up with
getting everyone home to The Burrow for the surprise. What
will Dumbledore think of us? This is terrible!” said Molly.

“Calm down, Molly Dear. No harm done,” repeated Harry.
“So where is everybody? Why weren’t there any Order
meetings?” asked Harry.

“Everyone is out on assignment, everyone but us. With this
lot all coming home, we were assigned just to take care of
them until Dumbledore thought it was safe for you to join us.
Oh dear, I need to find out what is going on with Mrs. Figg.
Maybe something happened to her. Excuse me, while I go
check,” said Molly. She got up and rushed out of the room.

“So, what’s The Burrow like?” asked Harry to anyone in the
room, taking another bite of their sandwich.

“It’s ok,” said Ron. “Everything is new.”

“Mum is pretending that she loves it,” said Ginny, taking the
last bite of the sandwich.

“Pretending?” asked Harry.

Ginny washed down her sandwich with a sip of butterbeer.
“Dad is very proud of the house. He has been trying to make
it better than before, but it just isn’t the same. It’s too new.
It doesn’t feel like home.”

“I like it,” said Luna.

“It’s ok. It’s nice to have new things for a change,” said Ron.
“But it doesn’t have any personality. I can’t believe I miss the
ghoul in the attic,” added Ron, shaking his head.

Since he and Ginny didn’t want any more food, he adjusted
the pillow, then Ginny lay herself against it. Harry wrapped
his arms around her.

“So! What did the note say?” asked Ron. Harry reached
into his pocket and pulled out the note. Actually it was up in
his room, he had wandlessly summoned it.

“Blimey! That’s cold. What does ‘all the funny business
you’ve pulled since New Year’s’ mean?”

“I have no idea,” said Harry.

Ron handed the note to Luna who read it, paled and passed
it to Ginny. Ginny’s eyes welled with tears.

“Don’t let it bother you, Love. I’m used to it,” said Harry,
when he noticed how upset Ginny was.

“Nobody gets ‘used’ to being treated like this,” she said.

“I’m not bothered. I was glad they weren’t there. I hate
staying with them. Don’t be upset, Ginny.”

“Why would they hurt you like that?” Ginny sniffled.

“They didn’t hurt me. I learned a long time ago not to be hurt
by them. I do get angry sometimes, like I do with Snape,
but I just don’t care,” he said. But it really did hurt
sometimes. He just didn’t want to admit it, not even to
himself.

“As to why, I think Aunt Petunia was jealous of my Mum.
Anyway, they didn’t get along. Aunt Petunia is paranoid
about magic. She married a man who has the same feelings
about it. They have a ‘thing’ about things being ‘normal’. So
when my parents were murdered, they felt that they
deserved it. Then I was dropped on their door step. They
didn’t want me, so they feel justified in blaming me for
anything that goes wrong. They blame me because they
feel that they were forced to raise me.”

“Like me,” said Luna.

“You weren’t dropped on any door step,” said Harry.

“No, I was dropped in your kitchen,” said Luna, thoughtfully.

“That is entirely different. You were invited. I wanted you for
my sister. It felt right, for some reason,” said Harry.

“You chose me to be your sister, like you chose Ron and
Hermione to be your best friends and Ginny to be your
woman,” said Luna.

“Exactly!” said Harry. “Well I’m not sure about choosing
Ginny. I think she chose me,” added Harry.

“No. YOU chose me. Don’t you remember?” said Ginny.

Harry thought for a moment. “You chose me first, then I
chose you. Actually I think we chose each other,” said
Harry, smiling.

“Are you SURE you didn’t do anything since the first of the
year?” asked Ron, who wanted to get off the subject of who
chose who.

“I haven’t done a thing. I been at school. How was I
supposed to do anything from there? Anyway, they always
blame me for stuff. If anything is not going their way, I
always get the blame. It’s no big deal,” said Harry.

“So what you lot been doing at The Burrow?” asked Harry.

“Not much. I been riding my new broom and playing my
guitar.” said Ron.

“I been spending my time thinking about Fred,” said Luna.
“But now that you’re back, maybe we can stay here and I
can go through some old issues of the Quibbler.”

“And you? What you been doing, other than crying your eyes
out because you missed me? “ Harry asked Ginny.

“Not much, other than helping Mum, that doesn’t leave me
much time to do anything else,” said Ginny, grinning.

“I’ve been studying and helping Winky with some more
re-decorating. Winky insisted that I have my own room, the
master bedroom. She thinks it is only proper,” said Harry.

“ ’Course, in between I’ve been crying my eyes out, missing
you,” added Harry, knowing Ginny wanted to hear this.

“You better have. I will be checking your pillow for tear
stains,“ said Ginny.

They sat around chatting for at least an hour before Molly
returned.

“Harry, Arthur is back and wants to talk to you in the kitchen,
privately,” said Molly.

Harry rose to follow her. He paused at the door, looking at
Ginny. “Coming?” he asked, holding his hand out.

She rose and took his hand, walking out the doorway,
leaving Ron and Luna sitting with odd looks on their faces.

* * * *

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