May 2, 2000

8:44 PM

Hogwarts Castle

As he stood and looked at the castle that once been his only home, he realized that so much had changed. So much in so little time. On his eleventh birthday, a half-giant named Hagrid came to him and explained to him that he was a wizard, a being of intense magical power. Ten months later, he faced his mortal enemy, Lord Voldemort, for the first time.

In his second year, he fought the memory of Tom Riddle and his basilisk.

In year three, the prisoner known as Sirius Black escaped from the magical prison of Azkaban. This terror, imprisoned for the slaughter of thirteen Muggles, actually turned out to be innocent AND Harry's godfather.

Returning for his forth year, Harry was entered into a deadly magic competition between much older students from two other magical schools. At the end of the tournament, Harry witnessed the return of Lord Voldemort.

After surviving the encounter, he was slandered through the press over the next year by the Ministry of Magic and its cowardly Minister, Cornelius Fudge. However, it was at the end of this year that everything changed. During a battle at the Department of Mysteries, his godfather was pushed through the Veil of Death, a one-way trip to the land of the dead. After destroying much of Albus Dumbledore's office, he learned that a prophecy between himself and Lord Voldemort existed. This prophecy named Harry as the only one who could match Lord Voldemort in battle and succeed.

The news of this prophecy shocked Harry. He knew that much had been hidden from him over the years. However, he couldn't possible imagine being bound by prophecy in this battle.

Over the next year, Harry prepared to battle Lord Voldemort, learning everything he could from the man. However, at the end of the year, another blow was struck to Harry in the death of his mentor, Albus Dumbledore.

After his death, Harry spent the next year searching for Horcruxes, pieces of Lord Voldemort's soul trapped within physical objects. Harry's quest eventually led to the collection of the Deathly Hallows, three magnificently powerful objects.

In the end, Harry took control of the Elder Wand and was able to defeat Lord Voldemort and finally end years of battle against the Darkest Wizard of All Time.

Or so he thought.

For a year after The Battle of Hogwarts, things were fine. Harry entered into the Auror Academy, quickly passing his exams and joining the ranks of the Aurors. On June 30th, the memorial for the Battle of Hogwarts was built and Harry was there to see its commemoration. Seeing the memorial, he thought that things could finally go back to normal. He couldn't have imagined how wrong he was.

He had tried to get back together with Ginny, thinking that he could resume the relationship they had started at Hogwarts. Unfortunately, at the one-year celebration and memorial of the end of Lord Voldemort, Harry finally realized how much he had changed over the years. There was a bit of Ginny that still treated him like a hero, someone to be worshipped. With the war over, that was the last thing that Harry wanted. And so, one year after the death of Lord Voldemort, Harry ended things with Ginny.

Then came the investigation. What a horrible experience that was.

After that, it was the lawsuit. It left him with nothing.

The marriage of Ron and Hermione was the only bright spot in this time, a shining light that just maybe happiness could prevail.

However that thought was firmly squashed by the call from Arthur and Molly Weasley. Ginny, in her saddened stated after Harry's dismissal of her, had tried to kill herself. She had been unsuccessful but for Harry, that had finally been enough. He had left nothing but death and misery to everyone he knew and decided that he was going to drink himself to death. Unfortunately, Harry was found drunk wandering down Downing Street in London by a couple of off-duty Aurors.

Between the investigation, the lawsuit, and the numerous drunken exploits that followed, Gawain Robards, Head of the Auror Office, decided that Harry was no longer a prime candidate to protect the witches and wizards of England. He was subsequently dismissed as an Auror.

It was in the moment that he sat in Robards' office as he was delivered the news that Harry decided he was leaving. He no longer had the same death wish that he had had over the past few months. He just wanted to protect his friends from the influence he seemed to have on anyone.

So, here he was at Hogwarts Castle, the first home he had ever known and the last place he would visit before leaving. He hadn't told anyone that he was leaving or where he was going. He only hoped that they would be able to forget about him and move on with their lives. He looked up at the castle, knowing he would never see it again.

"Goodbye." he said firmly. No tears fell and his resolve was strong. Then, with a swift turn, he made the short walk back to Hogsmeade, where he instantly Apparated away from that place and into the unknown.