Chapter 223 - Back Home!

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On the train, the compartments were filled with the sounds of laughter and chatter. Harry settled into a seat with Daphne, Tracey, Hermione, Susan, Hannah, Neville, Pansy, Ginny and Luna. The journey back to King's Cross always felt a bit bittersweet, but Harry was looking forward to a break from the intense school year.

As the train neared King's Cross, Harry felt a familiar sense of anticipation. The platform came into view, bustling with parents waiting for their children. The train came to a stop, and students began to disembark. Harry grabbed his trunk and Hedwig's cage, stepping off the train and onto Platform 9¾.

Harry spotted Aunt Petunia amidst the bustling crowd of parents. He turned to his friends, exchanging hugs and farewells. "See you soon," he said with a warm smile. Then, weaving through the throng of students and families, he approached his aunt.

"Welcome back, Harry," Petunia greeted him with a warm smile, opening her arms for a hug. Harry embraced her, feeling a genuine sense of warmth and acceptance. They started walking towards the barrier that led back to the Muggle world.

"How was your year?" Petunia asked as they reached the barrier.

"It was great, Aunt Petunia," Harry replied, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "Lots of studying, Quidditch, and... new adventures."

Petunia nodded, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "I'm glad to hear that, Harry. You always have so much going on at that school of yours."

Harry smiled, knowing he couldn't share everything with her but appreciating her genuine interest. "Yeah, there's always something happening."

They walked through King's Cross Station, blending into the sea of Muggle travelers. Once they reached the car, Petunia turned to Harry. "I made your favorite for dinner tonight. Figured you might be hungry after your journey."

"Thanks, Aunt Petunia," Harry said, genuinely appreciative. "I'm looking forward to it."

Carrying his trunk and Hedwig's cage, Harry followed Petunia into the house. The familiar scent of home greeted him, mixed with the enticing aroma of dinner cooking in the kitchen.

After unpacking and settling in, Harry headed downstairs for dinner. The table was set, and Petunia had gone all out, preparing a feast that made Harry's mouth water. They sat down to eat, the atmosphere warm and relaxed.

"So, tell me more about your year," Petunia prompted as they began their meal. "Any highlights?"

Harry thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Well, I did pretty well in my exams, and our Quidditch team won the Cup again. I also made some new friends and learned a lot of new spells."

Petunia nodded, clearly pleased. "Sounds like you had a productive year."

Harry smiled, grateful for her support. "It was. And it's nice to be home for a while."

After dinner, Harry went back to his room, feeling the satisfaction of a home-cooked meal. He glanced at the clock, noting it was still early enough to get some work done. Harry went back to his room and opened the Enchanted Briefcase. He stepped inside, the familiar feeling of magic washing over him as he entered the spacious mansion within. The vastness of the mansion always amazed him, no matter how many times he saw it.

He made his way to the study, where a single diary sat on a table, carefully isolated with a clever application of magic. The diary of Tom Riddle, a dark artifact filled with dangerous secrets and a fragment of Voldemort's soul.

Harry had cleverly tricked the diary into thinking it had been cast away. In the elaborate scheme, "Jacob" had taken the diary and sacrificed himself, convincing Tom Riddle within the diary that it was lost in the Chamber of Secrets forever. This deception meant Harry could never appear before it again; to Riddle, the diary was gone, lost for eternity. Unless he found a way to summon someone, the Diary would be forgotten beneath Castle.

Harry stood there, staring at the diary. His emotions were in turmoil. Part of him, the emotional side, wanted to destroy the dark artifact and kill Voldemort's soul fragment inside. It felt like the right thing to do, the vengeful choice. But another part of him, the logical side, knew there was much to learn from the diary. Knowledge about Voldemort's past, his secrets, and his weaknesses could be invaluable.

"Master Harry, you seem to be lost in thought," Nigel's voice broke the silence. "Pondering the destruction of our dear Tom's diary again, are we?"

Harry smiled slightly at Nigel's remark. "You could say that, Nigel. It's a tough choice. Destroying it would eliminate a part of Voldemort forever, but keeping it means we can learn so much more."

"Indeed, a classic conundrum," Nigel remarked dryly. "Do we destroy the darkness immediately or use it to understand and eventually conquer the greater darkness? Decisions, decisions."

Harry sighed, moving closer to the diary. "It's just... I feel like keeping it is a risk. What if something goes wrong?"

Nigel's voice took on a thoughtful tone. "A valid concern, Master Harry. Yet, knowledge is power. Understanding our enemy might provide the edge we need."

Harry reached out, his fingers hovering over the diary. The dark energy it radiated was palpable, sending a shiver down his spine. "I know you're right, Nigel. But it feels wrong to keep something so evil."

"Understandable, Master Harry. But remember, you have taken precautions. The diary is isolated, contained. It cannot harm you as long as you remain vigilant."

Harry nodded, pulling his hand back. "You're right. We'll continue to study it, but carefully. We can't afford to make mistakes."

"Wise decision, Master Harry," Nigel agreed. "Now, shall we move on to more pleasant matters? Perhaps some light reading or a bit of spell practice?"

Harry chuckled, grateful for Nigel's ability to lighten the mood. "Maybe later, Nigel. I think I'll take a walk around the mansion. Clear my head."

"Excellent idea, Master Harry. A stroll always does wonders for the mind."

Leaving the mansion, Harry stepped into the vast forest. The air was fresh and cool, with a hint of pine and earth. He enjoyed these moments of quiet, where he could think without interruption. As he walked deeper into the woods, he heard a familiar sound—a heavy flapping of wings. Moments later, a dragon swooped down from the sky, its giant head burying itself into Harry's chest in a gesture of affection.

"Hello, Ash," Harry greeted, patting the Norwegian Ridgeback's scaly head. The dragon, which Hagrid had hatched last year, had grown considerably and now lived in the forest within the enchanted briefcase. Ash nuzzled Harry, her warm breath tickling Harry's face.

"Master Harry, it seems your dragon has missed you," Nigel remarked. "Who knew such a fearsome creature could be so affectionate?"

Harry looked at the dragon and spoke in the Draconic language, "Are you behaving, Ash?"

Ash's massive eyes gleamed with a mischievous sparkle. "Yes, Master," the dragon rumbled in response. "I have been practicing flying higher and hunting for my food as you instructed."

Harry smiled, patting Ash's scaly head. "Good girl. Keep it up. You're getting stronger every day."

The dragon let out a low, contented growl, a sound that reverberated through the forest. "The forest is a good home. Plenty of space to fly and hunt. But I miss our training sessions."

Nigel's voice chimed in, "Indeed, Master Harry. A dragon as a sparring partner is quite the advantage. Perhaps you should schedule regular sessions to maintain both your skills."

Harry chuckled. "Good idea, Nigel." He thought in his mind, then spoke to giant dragon, "We'll start tomorrow, Ash. Now, I need to get back. There's much to do."

Ash rumbled in agreement and took to the skies, its wings creating a powerful gust of wind that rustled the leaves around Harry. He watched the dragon soar, feeling a sense of pride and connection.

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Hello you all,

This is the end of Volume Two, as well as the Second Year. As you may have noticed, I picked up the pace a bit. To be honest, it is the curse of every fanfiction that at the beginning it is all good and towards the end, people lose interest. But as I don't like to drop my fics, I will do my best to finish it.

Anyways, thank you all for still supporting me, and hopefully you enjoy the fic. Summer and Third Year will be interesting, in my opinion, and it was something I hinted at from the early chapters and was eager to show already. Finally, it has arrived. The Summer arc ended on Patreon and the Third Year has just begun, so no more than 25 chapters for the Summer arc.

All the love from the Author!

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It is the start of the new week. Please support me with Power Stones! Much appreciated!

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