A/N: This fanfic is brutally direct about illegal activities - so you've been warned. Rates M for a reason: crude and harsh language, graphic and violent scenes (no smut lmao), and plenty of illegal activities so if you aren't comfortable reading this don't. Especially if you don't enjoy a criminal Harry with no worries about a war that never happened in this AU. Also read my other grand AU fanfic: The Art Of Power which features a muggle born Dudley, an escaped Grindelwald and the fight for victory!
Disclaimer: Kill the imposter! All hail JKR! (Crowd breaks into a chant.)
ONEtheempireofevilandsin
This is it. So that brat was good for something.
I have him now thought a girl with ridiculous amount of bushy hair. Her Head-Girl badge gleamed with pride, authority, and a "Yours truly, Hermione Jean Granger: Head-Girl Detective."
Now of course it didn't really say that, but the record breaking student was known for sniffing out trouble and ending it - with incredible wits and alarming power. The muggle-born troublemakers called her Batman, the purebloods called her a nosy little mudblood, and everything in between called her "a younger but bitchier Mcgonagall." But no matter the variety of name calling, everyone knew she was a force to be reckoned with. Everyone. From normal troublemakers that threw dungbombs and parties to the students partaking in the every once in awhile illegal activities to the few shaping up to be career criminals. They all knew to not to mess with the Bat.
The Bat was in Hogsmeade, trying to catch her prey that always seemed to get away. Breaking into a run Hermione lifted up her wizard robes to allow better mobility and speed. He can't get away. He can't.
Hogsmeade was somber and unwelcoming, dark and gloomy, despite its usual cheery front. It's a wonder what sunlight does thought the girl. The town was known for its bright picturesque look, but like all things, the darkness came out at night.
The wizarding town was old, which probably had something to with it. And with the leering drunks stumbling out of the pubs, the erie yellow glow coming from the old windows, the dark side roads slowly crawling into the night, and the winter chill exuded it. The gloom. The goose bumps and chills. The curious feeling that it was literally attracting the underbelly of the wizarding world. The world of crime.
But Head-Girl was not dissuaded, she never was when it came down to him. It was personal. It was more than that though; it was of an obligation and loyalty brought out from her late friend, one of the most unbreakable forms of loyalty there is: duty as a true friend.
Hermione took a huge breath before muttering under her breath. "Reducto!"
A solid beam of blue light hit the entrance door with a resounding crack and boom. Snap and bang. Or quite frankly it resounded a "Muthufuckuh I know your in there!"
It shattered the door off of Hogs Head. Jagged pieces of the door still remained on the rusty hinges, but the spray of sharp pieces of wood and hellish splinters consisted of the rest of the door.
This place needs a makeover anyway Hermione coldly thought as she strolled right in. Guilty is charged. "Harry Potter. You are coming with me. Out off of school grounds? That's one offense. Drinking? Another offense. But let's see what your really doing"
The young man in suspect, with vivid green eyes and short black hair, seemed shocked by the spectacular entrance but instantly the flicker of surprise was gone. He took his time standing up, carrying the air of man who was irritated at an interruption that screamed things below him. That he - sadly - had to deal with. Like she was an annoying pesk he had to take care of before returning to his book. This infuriated Hermione even more as she clenched her wand, wishing that she could send a painful curse at him. Her knuckles were white.
Wishing upon wishing upon pretty pleases and "Just give me a reason fucker, I urge you too."
"Hermione Granger! Always one for the dramatics!" He said. "I didn't know you guys had authority out of Hogwarts but if you do, then you nosy guys do. Who am I to argue about the nonexistent standards at Hogwarts. But we'll get to that later -"
"We will get to it now." Her voice left no room for argument. Bastard. Maybe she could get a suspension tonight. Eoww, that made her grin.
Harry Potter seemed to be dismayed as his posture instantly deflated. "Well Hermione at least greet my friend Fletcher here." He gestured at a man at least 40 years old, who was completely inebriated. "Mundugnus Fletcher - Hermione Granger, Hermione Granger - Mundugnus Fletcher."
Screw him. Hermione ignored the middle-aged man that reeked of alcohol, criminal enterprises, and a newly minted graduate from young adulthood moving on to bum hood, and walked up to the Boy Who Lived And Saved and said, "Do you want me to get Mr. G?" A threat.
A threat that should be avoided tonight thought the boy.
Mr. G was the school officer for the Department of Magical Enforcement and Harry did not need that now. Especially if what he heard was true: his name was popping up to bigger departments. "Heavens no Mione -"
Fuck you. "Don't call me that. At least respect that. It's Ms. Granger Potter and your coming with me now!"
She really is a stuck up piece of shit. Harry's eyes grew cold as the slight ghost of a cocky smile flashed on his face. He pulled out his Working License and a scroll of paper in a flair of cocky smoothness. "Well Ms. Granger I actually have a signed permission form to be out on nights to work. I am a working man as you may know. Signed by my Head of the House. Here, this is my license to work and this is my schedule working at Hogs Head - are you going to pay for that." He gave a slight nod to the destroyed doors.
This isn't possible. This is - this is - this is … Why?! Hermione snatched the papers from his hand and glared at them, as if to burn the contracts off to give her permission to drag him to justice.
"And I did not partake in the beverage that emits bliss and love. Sadly."
Hermione squinted her eyes at Harry. He was to smart to make a bluff she would shatter instantly. So he had to be sober. Sadly.
Hah, another one-up bitch! Harry's grin grew wilder and colder as he saw this wannabe investigator go mad in the cranium with frustration. You will never get me. I wish I could get that in your thick head.
Hermione shoved the papers back into Harry's arms with the force of a muggle football player and stepped up even closer to the man. "You will be expelled before graduation, that's a promise you fucking loser."
"Hey now lass," slurred Fletcher "That's no way to talk to our savior."
"Ha," laughed Hermione, her eyes never leaving Harry's as she answered back. "The felon standing before us is not responsible for the accidental slaying when he was two. But you love to use that image don't you Potter? Well that image is getting shitted on. I'm not the only one that's on you. Hopefully you'll be in Azkaban within the year and I'll graduate a happy student."
This bitch just made her life hell. She is not going to enjoy the rest of her last year for that. Harry coldly replied, "You were wrong now weren't you? But at least I have permission" he gestured to the contracts "to be out all night." He sneered. "I could be getting into all sorts of trouble, plotting all sorts of illegal deeds. How to build my Hogwarts Empire of Sin and Evil. How to recruit more criminal students, how to gain more illegal galleons by the second." He paused as he peered down at Hermione's face which was growing redder by the second. "How to get everyone hooked to the my services."
He paused as his cold face morphed into a cold glaring face. " Theoretically of course."
He's taunting you Hermione thought. Well two can play at this game. "No wonder Ginny left you. She's better off without this cowardice, this egotistical bullshit. Watch your back little boy. Cause your on the map - going down the route of justice."
Harry let out a long whistle as Hermione strolled away. He watched as she did an impressive display of fixing the door wandlessly and wordlessly, no doubt as a intimidation factor, and looked back to Harry. "Just be careful Harry," she said sweetly and with that, she was gone.
Harry nodded at Fletcher as he stood up. "Your not apparating or you? Good merlin you will splice you head off. And Merlin knows I need you."
Fletcher laughed. "I might be a drunk but I've been a career drunk." He winked. "Gonna get myself a portkey - nice doing business with you, like always."
Harry nodded as the man left the pub. He turned and grabbed a hand-held mirror. He glanced at himself. Cold dull green eyes. Is this who you wanted to be - a criminal, a hated man, a fucking outlaw? He thought to himself rather self-depreciating when the answer hit his conscious. Hell yah.
Harry Potter had a long interesting life. Destroying the Darkest Lord since Grindelwald but losing his family in the same moment probably had a lot to do with the path he's on. But probably the biggest factor was having 2 years of a loving family, losing it to a cruel madman, and then joining an evil family where he lost the loving touch even as a baby his mother figure never even gave him loving touches definitely had to do with it even more. Is this who you wanted to become?
"Draco Malfoy." Suddenly the handheld mirror revealed a different scenery than the cocktail of confusion and misery that was Harry Potter.
"Harry!" A boy with steely grey eyes, a sharp blonde hair to match his sharp pale face, answered back.
The boy was the son of the rich and famous Lucious Malfoy. So he, by default of a surname, had connects. Even to the ones that the criminal Harry hated with venom: the shadowy DeathEaters and their discriminatory ideology on blood-status.
Since the fall of Voldemort they disappeared. The few that weren't in a wizarding prison loved to play hide n seek. But like all games, if you want them, you could seek them. But Harry didn't. He would murder them, and torture them; and he didn't want to pick that fight - yet.
Despite their friendship Draco still retained much of his ideology and Pure-Blood pride, the only difference of now and the past is that the hardened Potter didn't give a shit. Unless of course, the impossible war that all the hidden DeathEaters wanted actually happened, then they might have a problem. Or when Draco used and insisted his ideology which usually ended with fists a-flying, wands a-pointing, and some hours of animosity. But despite everything that said it shouldn't happen; they were friends, almost best friends.
"You were right. What bullshit did you feed her this time?" asked Harry with a huge smirk.
"The truth." The blonde haired boy broke off in laughter. "The fucking truth."
It also helped that Draco somehow managed to become a prefect, now they always were a step ahead of the do-gooders, the wannabe detectives, the teacher pets, the great esteemed Prefect Circle.
"Well?"
Draco instantly sobered up. "Got the package, you?"
Harry smiled. "Knockturn Alley here we go."
The connection between the mirrors was cut off as Draco had to "report his prefect duties." and Harry had to close up shop. Harry whistled to himself as he lonely cleaned the pubs floor, swirling between tables and chairs.
He couldn't wait till he graduated. Now he could set up shop at Knockturn Alley - move onto the Big Leagues.
Unless Granger actually fucks you up. Harry scoffed at that thought, he defeated a Dark Lord with no memory of it. There was no way Hermione Granger, bitch-extrordinare, could beat him when Lord Voldemort couldn't.
Right?
A/N please review: I can take tips, flames, anything and everything. Also check out my other fanfic: The Art Of Power which is AU but follows the more traditional Harry Potter VS Voldemort fanfic genre. REVIEW!