Hey all! I'm an avid fanfic reader, but this is my first shot at writing one in the last six years, so please please review and let me know what you think, and if you'd like me to continue writing. I have a few chapters done already, and a good idea where I want this story to go. It will be AU, taking place about 15 months after the Battle of Hogwarts. Lupin and Tonks survive (as they should have) and Harry moves in with them after he graduates, so as to not live alone in gloomy Grimmauld Place. This chapter will be pretty short, but others that follow will be longer. Thanks for reading!

Harry felt the breeze blow through his already untidy hair as he walked along the shore towards the cottage at the end of the beach. It had been a long day of errands in muggle London this afternoon, and he was looking forward to some peace and quiet, even though he knew that would be unlikely with a one year old in the house. Harry had just finished his final year at Hogwarts, Ron and Hermione as well as Neville and Luna all returned to get a proper 7th year education, one that didn't include cruciartis curses. After all, what good is defeating Voldemort and earning 5 OWLs if you're still going to have the label of Hogwarts Dropout on your resume? Another part of the motivation of the students to return was that Remus Lupin was returning to his former position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and with their interest in magical law enforcement, it made sense to learn from him as much as possible. The school had been completely rebuilt in mere months after the Battle, under Headmaster Professor McGonagall's watchful eye.

Harry and Ron were able to play their final year of Quidditch, both of whom were extremely impressed with how much Ginny had improved in their absence. She was now the team captain, and Ron was relieved she even accepted him back on the team. So relieved that he had wondered aloud if his brainiac girlfriend Hermione had placed her friend under the imperious curse to ensure his spot as keeper. Harry chortled just thinking about the uncertainty in Ron's face when he said it, which was a mixture of both frustration and relief. Hermione spent much of their last year in the library, seemingly trying to read every book Hogwarts had to offer, and down at the Quidditch pitch with all their friends during practices. It was a relief to Harry that his life had returned to some sense of normalcy in the months after the battle, and that his biggest problem was trying to concentrate on his studies while spending most of his free time thinking about Ginny or Quidditch.

Lost in thought, Harry had barely realized he had stepped onto the porch of the cottage, and reached his hand into his pocket for his wand to unlock the door. Seconds later he was greated by Tonks in her usually cheery manner, "Wotcher, Harry!", before she popped Teddy onto her hip and wandered into the kitchen yelling, "Remus, Harry is home!". Home, Harry thought. Other than Hogwarts, Harry had never felt that anywhere was really home for him. While he knew his parents loved him dearly, Godric's Hollow never truly felt like home because he was too young to have any real memories there. He lived through stories and monuments of his parents, and he could never truly feel like the place that held their gravestones was "home". The Dursley's was never home either despite all the protective enchantments that kept him safe for 17 years, to Harry it would always be merely a roof over his head, and some spiders in a cupboard under the stairs. Grimmauld Place could never feel like home, because it was merely a second prison for his godfather, Sirius, whose name was only cleared in the Wizarding world posthumously. And while Harry spent many nights at The Burrow throughout his teenage years and the Weasley's never made him feel any less than family, it would never truly be a home for him. But as Professor Lupin walked into the kitchen to greet him, smiling and welcoming him back from his day in muggle London, Harry realized this really felt like his first real home outside the castle walls.