Ch. 159

Frank looked skeptical. "I find it hard to believe the public was so easily swayed…"

"Oh, believe me, it wasn't hard," Harry snorted derisively. "All it took was one allegation. Look at how quickly my supposed friends turned on me. To this day, the Weasleys, except for the twins and Ginny, resent me. Hell, even Ginny believed I was evil until the evidence stared her right in the face, and all of them have known me for years, practically grew up with me. And let's not even get started on the Order of the Phoenix. Despite the fact that Voldemort admitted to framing me, they still believe that I'm out to replace him. So, no, I'm not all that eager to return to the wizarding world."

Frank and Alice blinked in surprise at that. Harry spread his arms, gesturing all around him. "Here, I have people who like me, not for being the Boy-Who-Lived, not for defeating Voldemort, but for who I am. They respect me for what I can do, but they're not afraid of me. Here, I have friends, I have found a family, and I have found love, something I've never had in the wizarding world. Why would I leave all that behind?"

"What about closure?" Alice finally asked. "Don't you feel the need to… tie up loose ends, as it were? Even if you have already decided to remain here, aren't there a few things left to do for you in the wizarding world?"

"Not to mention," her husband added, "that you could do so much good in the world. The wizarding world could learn so much from you, not just about courage and integrity, but also about tolerance. Look at what you accomplished in so little time - you could do a whole lot more in the years to come."

Harry shook his head decisively. "While it's true that there's some things I have to deal with still, I don't think I'll return. Sure, I might be able to make a difference, but to what end? In the end, it's the people's decision. I can't force them to learn tolerance, I can't force them to stand up for what's right. That's something they have to do for themselves. Besides, if this war has taught me one thing, then it's to be selfish."

"Selfish?" Frank echoed, puzzled.

"Yes." Harry smirked knowingly. "After all the wizarding world did to me, after all they accused me of, after all the betrayal… did you really expect me to kill Voldemort for them? Please, I'm no saint." He found a perverse sense of pleasure in seeing the Longbottoms' eyes widen in surprise. "I did it for myself. I killed him in revenge for my parents, for my godfather… for threatening my wife and child. For the people who followed me."

"W-what?"

Alice glanced at her husband with a look of disbelief. "What do you mean, for the people who follow you?"

"The sorcerers of Trazkaban, the Ice people…" Harry leaned forward, taking a sip of his now-cold tea. "They went to war with Voldemort for me, without me having asked them, because they felt that it was the right thing to do. Count Hiscophney and Queen Xerina hate oppression and xenophobia and all that Voldemort stood for. They didn't go to war for me, or because of me, but for themselves. They did it because it was the right thing to do, and I just happened to share their ideals. They threw their support behind me, respected me, and ultimately, sacrificed for me and the wizarding world. Same thing with the goblins. They didn't have to come to the final battle, but they did. Eight hundred and seventeen goblins died to free the wizarding world from Voldemort, after all that the wizarding world did to them. Do you think wizards would've been so generous if the roles were reversed? I don't think so. That is what I fight for. Not the wizarding world. Not the people who sit idly by and let children fight their battles for them, or who oppress other races, maybe not in the way Voldemort did, but in other ways. I fight for those who fight for me. That's all."

When Neville's parents remained silent, Harry smirked. "Not quite as noble as you had expected me to be?"

"No… not really," Frank finally muttered.

Harry shrugged. "Honestly, I don't really care anymore. I've gotten past the point of caring what other people think of me. I had to, in order to survive," he finished grimly.

"I supposed so," Alice admitted. "And from what it sounds like, you have every right to be angry at the wizarding world."

The words reminded him so much of what Hermione had told him weeks ago, when she'd tried to get him to vent the anger and betrayal he felt on her, and Harry chuckled. "Angry? No, not really. Frustrated? Yes. Infuriated? Definitely. But I came to realize that you've got to help yourself before you help others, and if the wizarding world doesn't want to help itself, well… they got lucky my interests intersected with theirs, no matter how much they screwed me over."

Alice recovered first and managed to put a slightly forced smile on her face. "Nevertheless, your parents would be proud."

Before she could say anything more, the door cracked open a bit, and Bella stuck her head in. "Harry? Can I-" the dark haired witch trailed off as she stared at the two Longbottoms, caught like a deer in a headlight.

The Longbottoms stared back with a similar expression that quickly turned to hatred, but before they could say anything, Bella quickly excused herself and closed the door. They turned around to stare at Harry, who looked back, an unspoken challenge in his eyes for them to dare say anything.

"What is she doing here?" Frank demanded.