ooc: There's no one on, so I"m going to... can I just pick a color? I'll use darkred for right this mo' and when Kris gets on later, she can poke me. Yes. *hugs Emma and everyone and runs in circles*

For one glorious year, Harry had been Harry Potter, Falcons Seeker and Quidditch star. He hadn't been the Boy-Who-Lived, someone who was famous simply for not dying repeatedly. Reporters had followed him, but they asked him about his matches and his girlfriend, not about his scar or his parents or anything that had to do with Voldemort. He'd been considering going into Auror training. He'd been considering getting married. He'd had the whole world open in front of him. Finally.

And then there had been that strange rumor about an attack on the stadium. There'd been no attack, but Dumbledore sent him a brief and specific owl asking him to come and stay at Hogwarts until things smoothed over. Harry had been there ever since. He'd owled his resignation to the Falcons. He'd owled the woman he THOUGHT was the love of his life, asking her to risk it all and come and be with him. The choice was between safety and love. She'd chosen safety.

He tried not to be bitter as he lined up the brooms for inspection outside. He still got to fly everyday. He honestly loved Hogwarts and had considered it a home all these years. But still... he wanted to be here on his own terms.

Harry knew there were others in the castle. Dumbledore had told him, and had even made it clear that they were there for similar reasons. Somehow, Harry had managed to avoid them. He spent almost all day outside, checking and rechecking the brooms. He'd made his peace with the squid and swam for hours in the lake. Occasionally, he'd see that dark-haired young woman out on the grounds, but they managed to miss each other. He preferred it that way.