Harry and Ginny back in Godric's Hollow

[A.H.]

Kind of a simple question: Do you think it's plausible that Harry would've wanted to go back to Godric's Hollow? Is it a cliche or just silly/corny to have he and Ginny rebuild James and Lily's home and live there? I have the strongest urge to put them in the house because I want them in GH to begin with, and having them somewhere else, while an entire shrine to Harry is a few streets away, just seems . . . weird. For Harry, that is.

Should I just avoid GH altogether? I want him there in the first place because, to Harry, it would be like conquering . . . I dunno, some kind of inner battle. With Voldlyshorts gone I can see Harry having the need to stop proving himself to the world and start proving himself to . . . himself. And going back to the place where it all began seems like a (masochistic ) good way to do that.

ORR am I just way over-thinking Harry's post-DH living arrangements?

[ahattab33]

I don't think it's cliche for them to live in Godric's Hollow. Harry felt a pull to go there himself, for closure, to feel closer to his parents. His entire family line is from there, and never having family, it would probably mean a great deal to him to know he is living in a town where his ancestors go back generations.

I also think that Ginny would probably support his decision, not minding that she's farther away from her mother.

I don't think he'd go back to Grimmauld Place to make his permanent residence. While it is a different place than it was while Sirius lived there, I think he'd want to make his own memories in a new house.

[the opaleye]

I agree that Harry would want to go back to GH. And I agree that it would be weird for Harry to live in GH but in another place.

The only thing is, would it be possible to rebuild the Potter house? In DH I got the impression that perhaps the house could not be rebuilt in its original state since it was destroyed by a curse. So maybe they would live on the same site but in a new house? Just food for thought...

And no, I don't think you're overthinking his living arrangements. I have often pondered the exact same thing!

[LuNaLoVeGoOdLoVer]

Hmmmm... actually, I've been thinking about where Harry and Ginny would live for a while now. JKR hasn't mentioned it, has she?
Well, anyway: I don't know if it's plausible for Harry to live in GH, but it's defianetly better than him living in GP. As you explained your reasons for living in GH, I think that sounded good, but I don't know if he would tear down the 'shrine'. I know it must be wierd if you had a shrine to yourself a couple streets away, but do you think he would tear it down or rebuild it? He said he thought it was good people had grafitied the place, and maybe he'll think it's part of the past (you know, where it all started...) and it should stay part of the past. It is a big part of it, afterall.
Well, I don't think he would rebuild it, but leave it as a reminder, but that's just my opinion, and I dno't think it matters all that much. Like always, I hope my post made sence, but like always, it probably didn't. -sigh-


Oh yeah- and happy birthday, Harry, indeed. -hands out cake and gives Harry present-

[Padfoot Patronus]

I have my corny moments, so I do love the idea of Harry going back to Godric's Hollow and settling there. But I don't think that was it.

Harry already during the war gets a pretty real example that Grimmauld Place could be a true home, what with Kreacher coming around and all. I don't see him feeling a discomfort or the need to perhaps relocate. Another thing is that if he weren't living in the same exact home as his parents (which to I don't think recostruction is possible) and instead he buys another one, I'm not sure there is the same sentimental value between the two. So what's the use. Not that Apparation would make much of a difference but Grimmauld Place is closer to the Ministry than the village, I'm sure that is, if only very slightly, considered with wizards as it is done with Muggles.

You're right that it seems weird the idea of having a 'shrine' close to where you live. It will also stir something with the press perhaps that Harry has never been really fond of. I think he matured after book 5 in a way he found it relatively easier to accept past. The initial charm of that place was seeing the place where it all began. Beyond that I think he'd have considered little.

-Akay-

[OliveOil_Med]

I don't think it is an especially corny idea. I actual did in my story, Harry Potter and the Skat-Hatokha Reaction.

I would look at this concept the way you look at anything else when considering the plot of your story. How well are you able to explain it? Remember, I don't think J.K. ever did anything in her books just because 'it was cool'. We should take the same approuch in writing fanfiction.

What I would do is carefully consider why Harry and Ginny go back to Godrics Hollow in your story and then build around that explaination.

[Tim the Enchanter]

What's wrong with Grimmauld Place? Harry already inherited a house from Sirius Black, and a very nice, big house at that (though one that required a bit of cleaning). If you want them to live in Godric's Hallow, then you should explain what Harry did with Grimmauld Place, because though he is rich, I don't see Harry as the kind of person who would buy another home when he already has perfectly good one.

As for rebuilding Lily/James' house, I personally think that is a bit creepy, and even scandalous, perhaps. It is something of a shrine, and Harry just rebuilding the house would desecrate it. Plus, I find the thought of rebuilding and living in the house your parents were brutally murdered in to be a bit morbid.

Tim the Enchanter

[lupins_girl2006]

James and Lily's house in GH can not be rebuilt (I think). Just thought I'd get that out as the first thing.

It is not just that the house was hit by a curse, but it was hit by a Dark Magic type of curse.

George's ear can't be regrown because it was cursed off by Sectumsempra. Though the house in GH was hit by a really powerful Killing Curse, which would be fixable upon regular situations, the curse this house was hit by is more complex. The killing curse always killed the victim, yet Harry survive. This causes the curse to behave differently than a regular killing curse. At least, that's what I believe.

I think, even if the house could be fixed, the witches and wizards of the town would not be happy that the house was kept destroyed. The house could mean a lot to the witches and wizards of the town. To them, it would probably be a reminder of what happened that day. As the years pass, if the house was rebuilt, then the story behind it would be lost in the history books. It's like saying you're going to add a room to Elvis Presley's house. It just doesn't happen that way.

Also, I think Harry would want the house to stay destroyed because I think he would think it would be an insult to his parents memory.

That's just my two knuts though.

~Allieatrix

[Karaley Dargen]

What's wrong with Grimmauld Place? Harry already inherited a house from Sirius Black, and a very nice, big house at that (though one that required a bit of cleaning). If you want them to live in Godric's Hallow, then you should explain what Harry did with Grimmauld Place, because though he is rich, I don't see Harry as the kind of person who would buy another home when he already has perfectly good one.

"Yes," said Dumbledore. He did not ask Harry why he had not confided in the Dursleys. "Our problem," he continued to Harry, as if there had been no interruption, "is that Sirius also left you number twelve, Grimmauld Place."

"He's been left a house?" said Uncle Vernon greedily, his small eyes narrowing, but nobody answered him.

"You can keep using it as headquarters," said Harry. "I don't care. You
can have it, I don't really want it." Harry never wanted to set foot in number
twelve, Grimmauld Place again if he could help it. He thought he would be
haunted forever by the memory of Sirius prowling its dark musty rooms
alone, imprisoned within the place he had wanted so desperately to leave.

The only reason they go back there in DH is that they don't have anywhere else to go. And even if he is getting along with Kreacher and everything by the end of DH, I'm not sure he'd like to live in Grimmauld Place – where Sirius hated to be, where Sirius ran away to Harry's dad from, where Sirius was so lonely and got so desperate that he ran to his own death in the end.. And, what should not be forgotten, a house built for pureblood maniacs and dark wizards. This is not just something ideological, it has also to do with convenience.

Would you like to live (and raise your children) in a house where there's a portrait of a homicidal maniac screaming bloody murder every time someone makes a noise? a) children make a lot of noise, b) Walburga Black's influence on them probably wouldn't be too good.

Then there are the Elf heads, and all those creatures and curses and whatnot they maybe haven't been able to remove during ootp. I'm sure lots of things (like the portrait) can't be removed in that house, else why would they leave for example House Elve's heads on the walls?

And then imagine you do manage to make the house a place where a family can live in, but one day your five-year-old child finds a box you didn't find under a floorboard or something, and is cursed/killed... I know that speaking for myself, I would never want to take such risks; if I didn't have children yet when moving in, I'd move out as soon as the first was on the way. There is no way you can make sure that you detected and removed every curse/dark object/creepy thing.


Having spent great parts of the past years fighting against dark wizards, I'm sure Harry would just like to get them out of his mind for once, and not want to have to deal with that kind of thing in his home.

You argue that one should explain why he shouldn't live in Grimmauld Place, but in my opinion one should rather explain what reasons he has to go there.

There are a lot of things you can do with an empty house, and I'm sure there are many wizarding charities that would be more than happy to accept it as a permanent loan. (and I think Harry is the type to give to charity, too..)

Sorry for that rant. back to topic <.<

First I thought that it would be very much like Harry to want to live (and JKR to make him want to live) where his parents lived. He's sentimental and nostalgic like that. However, the thing about the "shrine" has made me think. As others said before, he wouldn't rebuild the house on the same spot and thus remove all the things others wrote there etc. and the general shrine-ness of the thing. Btw I do think it would be possible to rebuild the house. It never actually says that it couldn't be rebuild. How do you imagine that working, the bricks just won't stick? I think there's a difference between regrowing cursed-away body parts and rebuilding a house...

I don't think it would bother him to have that shrine (which os not only to him, but to his parents too, and I think he'd like that) in the same city, a few streets away, but I think if he moved to Godric's Hollow, he would want to live in the same place his parents lived. Else it's not significant and.. well, important enough, but just another house. Maybe he has the same neighbours they had and buys his food in the same shop, but how much would that mean when it comes down to it?

Actually, I can see Harry and Ginny moving somewhere completely different. Maybe Harry has the vague idea about moving to GH, but Ginny makes him see reason (that he can't live in the old house) in a nice way, so he accepts it, she says "you know, I always thought xytz was nice, and Ron and Hermione would live close too, wouldn't it be nice if our kids could play together? And it's all safe and everything" and Harry says "sure sugarlove, if that's what makes you happy" and they move to some other city. Harry can still apparate to GH every day if he wants to...

[ginnygirl16]

Hmm...I think I'll put my two-cents in.

Actually, I can see Harry and Ginny moving somewhere completely different. Maybe Harry has the vague idea about moving to GH, but Ginny makes him see reason (that he can't live in the old house) in a nice way, so he accepts it, she says "you know, I always thought xytz was nice, and Ron and Hermione would live close too, wouldn't it be nice if our kids could play together? And it's all safe and everything" and Harry says "sure sugarlove, if that's what makes you happy" and they move to some other city. Harry can still apparate to GH every day if he wants to...

I agree with you, completley. As it says in DH: The ruined house was left in this state as a monument and tribute to Lily and James. Therefore, no matter what Harry wanted, in the end he wouldn't build a home there. Like Tim said, the idea of living in a house where his parents were murdered would be morbid, and quite frankly I think I would be scared of even going in there.

Concerning Grimmauld Place: I don't know if Harry and Ginny would live there. The idea seems rather cliched, and I think that no-matter how much work they did, it would always have that creepy atmosphere around it. He wouldn't not use it though either. Maybe he would donate it or else sell it. (Though, I don't think he would sell it, seeing as it is practically the only thing he has to remember Sirius by.)

They would likely move somewhere totally different. I always pictured a small little cottage out in the country. I have a feeling that Harry would want to get away from the busy life of the city, and get to somewhere where he can relax (finally). Does that make sense?

Another note: JKR names almost all of her buildings. (The Burrow, Grimmauld Place, Malfoy Manner, Shell Cottage). Perhaps you could name their place something. Of course you could go with something ordinary like Rose Cottage, or then again you could go with something with more meaning. Oh! And Harry needs a big field so that he can play Quidditch with his kids

~ginnygirl16~