The Start of Everything
June 1999.
Life went on. It always did, or at least that is what so many people had told Harry, and he was sure thousands of others had heard the same thing from loved ones trying to comfort each other in the wake of the war.
Hermione had gained a job working at the Ministry of Magic in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Andromeda had moved back to muggle village she had lived in with her late husband to ‘get away from the drama of the wizarding world for a least a short while again’ and to raise Teddy. She had promised to visit, though that was rarely followed up on. Not that Harry was much better in making time for his Godson. With auror training in full swing both him and Ron where both too busy to find time for a regular sleep schedule.
September 2000.
It was only in 2000 that Harry found his first real break in what felt like years, having passed the final assessment into becoming a junior auror. He and all the recruits who he was training with and had passed their own assessments including Ron, where given a standard two weeks off to ‘recover and prepare’. Though by the time the second day had rolled around Harry was already itching to go do something. Sitting still had never dwelled well with Harry he had always had something to do whether it was chores for the Dursleys, Schoolwork, or even running for his life from Voldemort. A forced two weeks off was almost torturous by Harry’s standards especially as all he had been doing for the past year was dedicated to his auror training, so he had basically no hobbies outside of it. This all lead to Harry standing in the ornately decorated doorway of the slightly dusty library of 12 Grimmauld Place. The Black ancestral home had not exactly been Harry’s first pic of a home, but it had seemed infinitely better than searching through his inherited properties from his parents and potentially drugging up bad memories or leaching off the Weasleys despite Mrs. Weasley’s kind offer to let him stay as long as he wanted. Plus, he did have some fond memories with Sirius in Grimmauld even if Sirius did not love the house.
Harry walked through the endless isles of the truly impressive library, though reading would not have been his choice entertainment Harry had already explored most of the old house when he had been cleaning it out with the Order, and the rest was explored on his first day off, all that was left was the books inside the library. Harry plucked a book off one of the shelves, Basic Runic Guide for the Holidays. Seemed like a book that if nothing else Harry could pick apart its weird Pureblood ideals. As Harry read though he found himself fascinated, not with the Runes which he didn’t find normally interesting but the way the book described the Holidays in it and their magic enhancing properties. However, the book was scarce on the topic as it mainly focused on how to perform basic rituals not, the holidays themselves. Which lead Harry back to the shelves of the library scouring the packed shelves for books on theses Holidays.
Eventually Harry found an entire section that seemed to be dedicated to them. It was an alcove tucked into the left most side of the library and it was packed with books on the exact subject Harry was looking for multiple books on traditional wizarding holidays, and a whole series of books with each book focusing on one holiday. Harry hadn’t even known there were more unique holidays in the wizarding than Yule, and Samhain which he had heard a couple classmates mention. But just reading the spines of the books Harry could see Yule, Winter solstice, Imbolc, Spring Equinox, Beltane, Summer Solstice, Lughnassadh, Autumn Equinox, and Samhain. Harry flicked through the books trying to find one that could give a good overview of all the holidays, but it seemed like most of the books where like the one he had found earlier and where mainly focused on Runic patterns that could be built to amplify one’s magic on one of the holidays. The only books that came close to what he was looking for was the series of books with each book named after a holiday, which while it included some basic runic patterns each book mostly focused on the history of each holiday and its practice in the modern day. Well modern was kind of a stretch as they were written in the 1950s. The first book was titled Imbolc which Harry took with him to find a comfy chair to settle in.
In the end Harry went back multiple times through the next couple of days in order to devour all eight books, he was so engrossed in the last book Yule he didn’t even notice the fireplace flash and two figures step out. The silence that followed was also ignored but the whispers soon roused him out the book.
“’mione have you ever seen him this invested in a book?”
“No, you?”
“Never.”
Harry finally drug his gaze away from the book as he flipped to the back cover. Spotting Ron and Hermione simply standing by the now orange flames of the fireplace in the living room of 12 Grimmauld Place.
“Were you ever going to tell me that you started reading?” Hermione accused playfully.
Harry stared at her blankly.
Ron snorted, clearly disagreeing with Hermione’s assessment. “More like when were you going to tell us who is trying to murder you.”
Blinking Harry looked between his two best friends trying to figure out exactly why they had shown up. Not that Harry was unhappy to see them, he just did not remember making any plans. “Umm-“ Harry began uncertainly.
“-Don’t tell me you forgot.” Hermione swiftly cut him off. “We said that we would all meet up on yours and Ron’s break, and you didn’t respond to either of our owls, so we decided to take matters into our own hands.”
Harry did distantly remember some owls coming to deliver letters. He had taken the letters and sent the owls on their way with some food. Harry had just not opened the letters. Grinning a little nervously “well…” Harry trailed off knowing both Ron and Hermione were both used to his forgetfulness.
“Of course, he did” Ron grinned “I don’t think we should have expected any less.” Ron glanced at the watch which he had taken to wearing like some of the other auror recruits when they had first started training, it was a simple leather banded analog clock that had gold trim. “How about we move this to the kitchen and get some food? Cause I’m fairly sure if Harry didn’t notice us arriving then he hasn’t eaten today.” Ron dodged around the couch that sat in an awkward position in front of the fireplace, headed toward the kitchen. Not leaving his ‘suggestion’ up to debate.
Harry sputtered trying to come up with an excuse as hopped over the chair he was still sat on to follow Ron into the kitchen.
Hermione, left alone in the living room, glanced at the book Harry had placed on the coffee table. Wondering what had caught Harry’s attention so fully that he had forgotten about their plans to plan to hangout. She picked up the book reading the title Yule, confusion flitted across her face what about Yule had Harry so interested. She began to flip to the table of contents intent on finding out.
“Hermione you coming?” Ron yelled from the kitchen.
Yelling back a distracted affirmative Hermione glanced at the book, resolving to ask Harry about it. Before putting it down and hurrying into the kitchen to help the others make dinner.