by T.K. Yuy
Prolgue- Introduction to Destiny
It had been three years since the Dark War ended, and things had returned to normal, if there was such a thing in the wizarding world. Of course with the fall of Voldermont, the already famous gained even more celebrity attention. Attention that was, however, not needed.
At 19, Harry Potter was the ever sought after catch. He was no longer the scrawny, glasses wearing 11-year old that had first stepped off the Hogwart's Express into a world he knew nothing about. No, he was quite the opposite now. He was a good 5' 11" tall, and built like an athlete, which was to be expected, being the top seeker for the Cannons. His hair was still wild, and short, the unruley bangs falling over into his eyes, concealing the ever present lightning bolt scar left behind by his first encounter with the Dark Lord. What was surprising about him was the fact that he no longer wore glasses, or any vision-correction device for that matter. His always expressive emeralds were perfect, how and why was a mystery that not even he wished to delve into. All he knew was the summer before his 7th year he woke up and could see the dust floating in front of the mirror… all the way across the room, and with no light coming from the window.
He was also not the same care-free boy he was in the past. After the final battle in his 6th year, he'd witdrawn from everything, concentrating on his studies for the remainder of the year. It had never really bothered his friends, or his Professors for that matter. They all thought that it was his way of dealing with the memory of what had happened. Hermione thought it was wonderful, because she finally had someone to discuss school work with, without a joke being made. Ron let it slide; it wasn't any of his business what Harry did, despite the fact that it had severly dented their supplies of Berry Botts Beans of Every Flavor, Chocolate Frogs, Butterbeer and jokes from Zonko's. The other Gryffindors had dismissed the change, they really didn't know Harry the way that Ron and Hermione did. Dumbledore had made it a habit to watch Harry for those last few months, to make sure that he'd been able to deal with the little things that he had known would be hard to keep a secret from the other students, especially his friends…
When the school year ended, and all the students had begun boarding the Hogwart's Express, Professor McGonagall had stopped Harry, handing him a small brown package with his name written on it, as well as strict instructions for it to be delivered after Voldermont had been destroyed. Harry thanked her and boarded, ignoring the stares and questions of his fellow students. He just tucked it in his chest, and left it there. He didn't need to open it to know what was inside…
When the letter arrived for his 7th year, Harry immediately pulled out his things from the cupboard and went through them. He had his robes from last year, and knew that they would need to be replaced; Dudley had taken the mothballs out of his trunk. His ink stores were dried up, and his potions supplies were lower than they should've been. That was his own fault. When one can't sleep, they move to different means of making themselves sleep, and for Harry, a potion was the only thing strong enough. He found that he would need to restock all of his parchments and folders, as they were worn and faded, and he knew that if he waited until the last minute, it was going to be a mad rush to get it before it was gone. So what did he do? He walked down the stairs, dressed in a pair of tight jeans, a black turtleneck, and a long, grey and black woolen cloak with hood. His wand was in the inner cloak pocket, his galleon wallet tied to his belt. He pulled his cart and Hedwig's cage from the cupboard and placed his trunk and suitcase on the cart. Uncle Vernon and Dudley did not seem pleased with the fact that Hedwig was perched on the banister, or with the fact that Harry hadn't said a word, so they were going to make sure that Harry knew it.
"Planning on going somewhere Potter?" Dudley had asked snobbishly.
"And what if I am?" Harry retorted, not once looking up from the tie he was clasping.
"I'd say you're off your rocker!" laughed Uncle Vernon as he stood up and stalked over to his 'nephew,' "You're not going anywhere until the day you leave."
"Then consider today that day, because I'm leaving."
Harry stood up straight, and as Dudley moved to grab the cart, he grabbed the fat boys shoulder and pushed him back. Hedwig 'rawrk'ed as Uncle Vernon took a swing at Harry's head, and his eyes widened as it stopped, held by Harry's wrist. Dudley again moved to take the cart, and with his free hand, Harry pulled out his wand.
"Petrificus Totalis." he said with a sigh, and Dudley fell to the floor.
"Why you little bastard! You're not sup-"
"Oh shut up you git! I'll do what I want, when I want, and however I want to do it, understand!? I've saved this entire world from the greatest threat, and for what?! To be treated like shit until you get tired of me and finally throw me out? Do you honestly think that I would want to stay here longer than I need to? Hell, I'm surprised I stayed this long! The way my life has been, I almost wish I had died with my parents, because at least then I would've never had to meet you and put up with your pathetic fat arse of a son! For God's sake, what do you think I am, some sort of commodity, the more you hold onto me the more you're going to gain? You're so full of yourselves that you wouldn't know what to do if I were to leave for good!"
"And where would you go!? Hm, tell me that!! Where would you go, you have no money, we're your only family, besides that NON EXISTANT Godfather of yours! If he cared so much, why didn't he take you away in your 3rd year at that damned school? Why do you put up with us if you hate us so much? You could've left us, years ago!" screamed Aunt Petunia.
"I stayed because my mother trusted you! It was by her last will and testement that I come here, not by Dumbledore's! Sirius had been condemned for a crime he did not commit, and in such couldn't look after me. They couldn't raise me at Hogwarts, because it's not a place to raise children, but more over, my MOTHER THOUGHT YOU WOULD SEE PAST HER 'ABNORMALITY' AND UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH SHE LOVED YOU AND NEEDED YOU!!"
In his anger, Harry had forgotten that he was holding his wand, which seemed to amplify his emotions 10 fold. His eyes were now glowing, and there was a wind picking up throughout the house as he whirled around and waved his wand up the stairs. All of his belongings came flying down, and one by one started to disappear, only to reappear as one small wooden box, latched with a lightning bolt seal, and he shoved it into his trunk. Hedwig landed on his shoulder, and he moved to the door, finding it locked. He growled deep in the back of his throat and pointed his want at it. ("Alohamora!") The door flung itself open and Harry walked out, cart in tow and Hedwig now perched on top of it. He started down the walk way, and once at the end of the drive way, held out his wand and the Dursleys' had to shield their eyes from the flash of white light that burst from it. When the light died down, Harry and all of his belongings were gone, and for the first time in her life, Aunt Petunia cried for him.
Now he may have seemed to just vanish, but in reality he had called the Knight Bus, and was now seated in the back of it, stroking his owls feathers as they made their way to the Leaky Cauldron. To Harry, being out of that house was wonderful, and Hedwig didn't seem to mind either.
He had immediately gone into Diagon Alley, and to Gringotts. He took out some money, and then went back to the Cauldron. Of course, being who he was, Tom was more than happy the rent him a room until school started again. Harry then made it a point to collect all the things he would need for his return to Hogwart's and then started researching the 'Secure Wizard Homes' adds in the Daily Prophet. He never wanted to go back to the Dursley's, and as far as he was concerned, never would.
His 7th, and final, year at Hogwarts had been rather uneventful. Why wouldn't it be, with Voldermont destroyed, and his archrival gone, what was there to go wrong? Yes, Ron and Ginny were keeping the Weasley legacy alive with all their pranks ("Fred and George would be so proud! Half the Slytherin table ate the Ton Tongue Toffee!"), and Hermione was always ready to think of some new spell to try, or potion to concoct, but it wasn't the same as arguing with Malfoy. There was no one to send steely-eyed glares at across the Great Hall, no one to fling potions or spells at, and certainly no one to occupy his every thought. No, Draco Malfoy was no longer at Hogwarts… how could he be? He was dead after all.
But everything went smoothly for Harry, and he graduated second in his class, Hermione being first of course. He had received the House Cup for the Gryffindor Quidditch team for the 4th year in a row, and everything was perfect. Too perfect… Even though he had been planning on buying a little house after graduation, he hadn't really looked into it, and although Sirius had said he'd be more than welcome to stay with him, Harry didn't want to. He loved his Godfather, no doubt about it, but he didn't want to be around people. It was so strange to him, that he didn't want to be near people, when he had been isolated and neglected most of his life, but if that was the way he wanted it, than that was it. He found himself taking the offered place as head Seeker of the Cannons.
"You know, for the first time in my life, I think things are finally going the way I want them to."
~TBC~
AN: Please note that this is meant to be a little background, and is only to give you an idea of where the story will really start. Think of it as a voice over/flashback type thing. Currently, Harry lives by himself, in a small apartment, and is the Cannon's Seeker. The first chapter will start of with that in mind. Oh, and just in case it doesn't make sense, here's how I figure ages.
6th Year- Harry's 16, defeats You-Know-Who
7th Year- Harry's 17, Graduates and takes the Cannons offer (I'll explain in Chapt. 1)
1st year as Seeker- Harry's 18, lives alone in apt.
2nd year as Seeker- Harry's 19, and his popularity/celebrity has gone through the roof with his Quidditch standing. (where "At 19, Harry Potter was the ever sought after catch…" comes in)
If any of this is too confusing, please either note it in a review, or email me. I'd be more than happy to answer your questions. And this is my first Harry Potter fic, so please, be gentle. I'm a Potterholic baby, so don't expect perfection with all the little details.
T.K. Yuy