After years of separation and a life dedicated to the shadows and protection of a world that had abandoned him, Harry Potter finally decided that he was ready to forgive. He had reflected a lot on what had happened during the war, on the betrayals and disappointments that had separated him from his closest friends, Hermione and Ron, and by extension, the entire Weasley family. Although the wounds were still there, buried deep, Harry knew that he could not continue to carry the weight of this resentment.
That was why, when the invitation to lunch at the Burrow arrived, he did not hesitate to accept. It would be the first time in many years that he would set foot in the magical world again, returning to the house that he had once considered a refuge, a home. Time had passed, and Harry was different older, stronger, more hardened by the battles he had fought in the non-magical world. He was no longer the skinny boy with glasses. Now, with a neatly trimmed beard and muscles that showed years of training and combat, Harry looked like a different person, but he was still unmistakably Harry.
On the day of the luncheon, Harry approached the Burrow with firm steps, his heart pounding in his chest. He wore simple clothes, but they emphasized his soldierly posture and physique. As he approached the door, he could feel a wave of nostalgia and a tightness in his chest. The house was exactly as he remembered it chaotic, welcoming, and full of life.
When he knocked on the door, it was Molly who greeted him. Her eyes widened when she saw Harry.
"Harry, dear! Oh, my boy!" she exclaimed, wrapping him in a tight hug. It was as if, for a moment, the years had not passed. However, when she pulled back and looked at him more closely, she was visibly surprised by his appearance. "My God, you're so... grown up, Harry."
Fleur and Ginny, who were in the living room, stopped talking and looked at him too. Ginny, in particular, was silent for a moment, her eyes roving Harry up and down. He was no longer the boy she had known, but a man now muscular, with strong features and a seriousness in his eyes that spoke of experiences she could never have imagined.
During lunch, the mood was cordial, but there was a certain tension in the air. It was hard to forget everything that had happened. Ron and Hermione had not yet arrived, which gave Harry some time to reconnect with the rest of the family. Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Bill, and George were present, all curious about the life Harry was leading now.
Between bites of food, Arthur, always fascinated by the Muggle world, broke the silence. "So, Harry, what have you been up to lately? I hear you've been quite involved in the non-magical world."
Harry smiled slightly. He had known the question was coming. "I'm in the SAS," he replied calmly, "and I do a few missions for MI6 from time to time." The room was silent for a moment. The Weasleys, especially the men, were clearly impressed.
"The SAS? That's serious stuff," Bill said, raising an eyebrow. "You must have gone through some grueling training."
"Yes," Harry said with a slight nod, "it was one of the toughest challenges I've ever faced, but I'm used to dealing with extreme situations." He didn't elaborate, and the family knew it wasn't the sort of thing to ask about openly. The SAS and MI6 were known for their secret and dangerous operations.
"So you... you kill people?" George asked, trying to sound casual, but with a hint of seriousness in his voice.
Harry stared at him for a moment before answering, his expression grim. "I do what it takes to keep people safe."
The silence fell again, this time heavier. It wasn't easy to digest the life Harry now led. Yet everyone there knew that, in a way, he was still doing what he had always done protecting the world, only now on a different and much more dangerous scale.
Eventually, Ron and Hermione arrived. Their reunion was less tense than Harry had imagined. They had changed, as had he, and there was a silent understanding between them. The words that needed to be said would come in time, but for now, they were willing to let bygones be bygones and enjoy each other's company.
As lunch wore on, the conversation became lighter. Harry even laughed at a few of George's jokes, and there was a brief moment when everyone seemed to forget the emotional scars that separated them. At the end, as Harry said goodbye to the Weasley family, Ginny walked him to the door.
"You've really changed, Harry," she said softly, her eyes searching his.
"We all have," Harry said, with a sad smile. "But it's good to be back. Maybe not like before, but it's good."
Gina nodded, understanding what he meant.
"We hope you'll come back often."
"I'll try," he said. Before giving one last wave and disappearing into the bucolic landscape surrounding the Burrow.
As he walked away, Harry felt a weight lift. Forgiveness was not easy, but perhaps this was the first step to reconnecting with the life he had once known. And even though his life was now shrouded in shadow, he knew there would always be a place in the light where he could return.