Chapter 15

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[Harry]

The blazing sun was setting. He lingered at the doorway as he always does as Andromeda pushed a giggling Teddy down the pavement. When they became a blur and eventually out of sight, Harry closed the door with a sigh and retreated back to the semi-empty house.

He felt drained. Drained of emotion and energy. Even though he didn't love Ginny that way, he loved her nonetheless. It was like losing a dear friend. It was heartbreaking to see her vanish into thin air. Gone.

And the other person he also loved to pieces was Teddy. But he only saw him once a week, and every time Andromeda came to take him away from Harry, a little part of his heart broke. He wished to have someone he could love and spoil full-time.

The sun hadn't set completely, with only a slight chill settling in. Harry grabbed his coat and decided he needed some fresh air instead of sulking pathetically. This emotional roller coaster of a week had got him taking walks much more than usual.

He grabbed his coat and left the house and locked it with their customized spell.

He made his way past the familiar surroundings, on the way to Ron and Hermione's. He might be ready to tell them about Draco now. Halfway there, he stopped. He wondered what they would be doing now. Given the previous events, approximately sunset seemed to be a bad time for visiting.

It could wait, Harry thought. Also, he was feeling particularly vulnerable so he might be spilling some unwanted details. He would tell them the next drinks night when he was anticipated. Hermione would definitely be able to squeeze out of work for his love life.

He was about head back home when someone came rushing up to him.

"Oh, bugger, no, no, no..." Harry quickened up his pace but the Daily Prophet reporter caught him in mere seconds. Harry groaned inwardly.

He faced the tiny man. Rita Skeeter's animagi secret was revealed, so she was banned to transform and do the interviewing and snooping duties. However, she was still a writer behind the desk, and the Prophet started sending this man to fulfill Skeeter's spot. Harry couldn't see him in crowds and he can weave his way and sneak up on him whenever he wants.

Harry had nothing against tiny people, but he had everything against this particular one. He almost physically repelled him.

"What," Harry seethed through his teeth, "Do. You. Want."

"Ooh, in a bad mood. Interesting..." The tiny man got out his quick-quotes quill, sucked on the end of it and it started scribbling furiously. Another thing Harry physically hated.

Harry decided he did not want another further second with him. He started walking straight forward, quickening his stride by the second. The tiny man was wheezing behind him trying to catch up. The pair drew a few curious eyes from the muggles.

He wished for the muggles not to be there. Then he could disapparate. Or better, throw the tiny man a taste of the signature bat-bogey hex Ginny taught him.

"Now, there, don't get-" he panted, "all-" he panted again, "defensive," The tiny man was practically running now.

Harry didn't know where he was going, but that was the least of his problems now. He kept up his pace going straight ahead, still not daring to run, fearing it would cause too much commotion.

He heard the tiny man whisper something.

He knew what it meant. He went as fast as he could without running, throwing a death glare to the tiny man running at full speed just a little behind him.

"Oh, to hell you won't."

But he was too late. A swarm of Daily Prophet reporters emerged from the road ahead. Harry was surrounded.

His breath was shallowing. The muggles were positively staring now, puzzled at who or what attracted that much attention.

He backed up against a wall. They were getting close.

"Was the divorce as hard on you as Devin here said?"

"Was it truly a mutual agreement?"

"What triggered the breakup?"

"Could you give us more details, Harry?"

Harry was getting dizzier by the questions filling every inch of his worn-out body and the reporters cornering him.

They were inches away from him. The muggles can't see him now.

He cared no more.

With a crack, Harry promptly evacuated from the swirling madness. 

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