Candidate Future
Chapter 1
Day 1
The first day in office he thought to himself was the most boring day on the planet, Harry sat facing his very empty office a photo of the twins on his desk and his laptop was the only noticeable thing. Harry looked up as their was a knock on the door Harry smiled at the man standing in his doorway, "Leo what can I do for you." Harry said to him.
"Just checking in, he'll be here shortly, he wants to meet the staff officially again." Leo said Harry removed his glasses rubbing at his eyes before returning them to his eyes. "You have a photo up already." Leo said.
"Just the boys." Harry said to him.
"May I?" Leo asked pointing at the photo Harry shrugged nodding his head. "How old are they?" Leo asked.
"Eleven, they are pretty pissed that we moved out here." Harry said to him.
"New Mexico is a lot warmer than Washington at this time of the year. Did you get them into a good school?" Leo asked.
"St. Mary's." Harry said to him.
"Private school tell me how does a single parent afford that?" Leo asked Harry laughed.
"I have some money put away for a rainy day." Harry said to him.
"Yeah right, maybe your tell me the real story some day." Leo said to him Harry snorted as Donna put her head around the door.
"The president is in the oval." Donna said to them.
"Shall we." Harry said standing grabbing his jacket.
"Where is the twins mum?" Leo asked.
"That's an incredibly personal question Leo." Harry said to him.
"You think that the press won't get a hold of the story." Leo asked Harry laughed.
"I'm betting they'll get hold of some story but I only read the enquirer." Harry said Leo chuckled. "Leo I am a happy gay man, I have plenty of skeletons in the closet Leo none of which can hurt the boys me or the president." Harry said to his boss as they approached the office. "Mrs. Laningham we were requested." Harry said to the secretary.
"Yes you were his waiting for you." the woman said.
"I just love this office." Harry said to Leo who laughed as they entered the room.
"Ah my chief of staff and his deputy finally show up, having a problem finding my office gentleman." Bartlett said to them.
"No sir we were playing twenty questions about the twins." Harry said to him.
"Ah well I just wanted to check in with you all and find out how we are all doing." Bartlett said to them.
"My office is kind of pokey sir you want to swap." Harry said to him with a smile.
"I wouldn't mind but I am sure that the secret service would." Bartlett said.
"Damn and I had some cool ideas for designs, tell me sir how do I get in to this office on my own again." Harry said Leo groaned as the president went into a long explanation before dismissing them all Harry stayed behind while the others went back to their offices. "Sir when Abe talks to you call for me I'll answer your questions." Harry said to the man.
"What the hell do you mean by that?" Bartlett said as he walked out of the door.
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Half hour later Harry was walking back into the office, Jed Bartlett looked perplexed to say the least by what had just happened Harry closed the door behind him, "Sir you wanted to see me." Harry said to the man.
"How did you know about the painting?" Bartlett said to him.
"I'm a wizard sir, a famous one at that." Harry said to him with a smile on his face.
"Famous?" Bartlett said to him.
"I defeated a dark lord it comes with the territory." Harry said to him.
"They have those?" Bartlett said to him.
"One at the time mostly but on the odd occasion we have more than one, I defeated the worst in over a century in 1997." Harry said to him.
"You worked for me in 97 I don't think that's true." Bartlett said.
"My younger self did." Harry said. "A little after the final battle I was involved in an accident that propelled me back in time to the year the twins were born." Harry said.
"So you brought your girlfriend with you?" Bartlett said.
"Sir would you like a drink, I think you might need one." Harry said the man laughed shaking his head. "I was pregnant with them when I arrived sir." Harry said the man promptly sat down. "In the wizarding world men can have children I am their mother in the sense I gave birth to them." Harry said to him with a smile.
"The husband?" Bartlett asked.
"Alive, I couldn't get involved because of the effects on time, my sons don't go to school here they are at school in Salem a boarding school for magical children." Harry said.
"Your really from New Mexico though right?" Bartlett said.
"Godric's Hollow in Wales the boys were born here in New Mexico." Harry said to him.
"Do you love the boys father?" he asked.
"Yes sir, his my soul mate its been hard not to be near him." Harry said to him.
"Your going to let him know you work here in the white house though right?" Bartlett said.
"Yes sir, I was hoping you'd allow me a day or two to go tell them that I am alive before someone I know spots me on CNN." Harry said to him.
"Of course, two days would that be good." Bartlett asked.
"Yes sir." Harry said to him.
"Harry you should never be ashamed of what you are, if you had told me I would have supported you, these last three years you have become like a son to me and to Abby your sexuality is not now nor has it ever been an issue for us nor is the magic." Bartlett said to him.
"Sir you can't tell the other staff, the world is not ready for us to come out and say the truth." Harry said to him. "And for the record I love muggles." Harry said to him as he stood up again. "And sir I have come to see you and Abby being a part of the family the boys love you." Harry said shaking his hand. "Though they'll deny it if you ask them." Harry said to him Jed laughed. "Sir thank you." Harry said to him.
"You welcome Harry." Bartlett said to him as he exited the room smiling at Delores as he left.
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The funny thing about being in the white house senior staff is that you have to take a plane everywhere magic is a big no, no for transportation, when they touched down in London Harry was exhausted he had been up a couple of days and the drive was not something he was looking forward to. When he turned up at the Burrow late evening he looked like he was ready to kill over and sleep, Harry knocked on the door and stepped back the door opened a short while later Molly Weasley stood in front of him staring.
"Hello Molly can I come in?" Harry asked the woman then chose to hug him hard around the waist.
"Harry where have you been its been three years." Molly said.
"Eleven actually." Harry said to her. "I had a time accident, I was pregnant with twins at the time and I am tired so I'm hoping that I can stay tonight and explain all along the way." Harry said to her she laughed as she let him into the house. "You staying here in the UK?" she asked.
"Nope I work in Washington." Harry said to him. "I have to be back in the office day after tomorrow." Harry said to her.
"Why come back then?" Hermione asked angrily as they entered the living room Draco was sitting on the couch.
"Harry where the hell have you been." Draco said. "And why come back now?" he asked.
"My face is about to be plastered over the muggle news network and likely the wizarding one as well, I thought you might want to know before that happens that I am alive." Harry said to him with a smile. "I had a little accident with a time turner which I couldn't undo, I was pregnant and I did have to stay out of the way of history." Harry said to him with a small sad smile. "The twins are at Salem they started this year." Harry said to him.
"What are they called?" Draco asked.
"Troy and Kaden, their a perfect mix of the two of us, and the reason I haven't come sooner is I am and have been very busy for the last three years." Harry said to him.
"What the hell kept you busy?" Ron asked.
"Two children and a campaign can do that." Harry said as the news paper owl came into the room. "You mind not reading that for a second you can read it after I tell you what I have to say, the paper will spoil the fun." Harry said to Molly who put it down without looking at the headline.
"What kind of campaign?" Hermione asked.
"Presidential." Harry said to her.
"McIntyre?" Hermione asked.
"Bartlett." Harry said she gasped Draco looked confused. "I am the deputy white house chief of staff as of this afternoon." Harry said to him. "That's why I didn't come back straight away, the twins would love to meet their dad but we have a life back home we have friends and I have a duty to the president of the united states of America I can't let go." Harry said to Draco taking his hands in his as he sat down.
"You have a duty to me to our bond to our family." Draco said angrily.
"I have both… Draco what we have is forever… what I do in the next four years will be my most important duty in my life… I have a chance to make a difference to this world… I have duty to represent the wizarding on the muggle stage I have the ear and respect of the president I can't I won't give that up I'm sorry." Harry said to him. "If you all want to be a part of our lives then you have to accept that we aren't coming back to England for a while at least four years." Harry said to Draco who nodded. "I have a big house you can move in with me it gets a little lonely without the boys there." Harry said to him.
"Your choose that over me?" Draco asked.
"Your never know what its like until you have sat in one of those offices, Draco I love you but there are something's more important than love." Harry said to him. "Come with me, we can be a family." Harry said to him Draco leaned his head against Harry's chest. "They really want to know there father, we can bring them home for the weekend you can get to know them properly." Harry said to him.
"When do you leave?" Draco whispered.
"Tomorrow evening I have to be back in the office Wednesday." Harry said to him.
"I guess I need to pack." Draco said.
"And I need to sleep." Harry said rubbing his eyes tiredly.
"Lets get you settled into Ron's old room so you can sleep the inquisition can continue in the morning Draco your welcome to stay with us tonight you and Harry can get reacquainted." Molly said to him with a smile.
"I'd like that." Draco said.
"I have been up for nearly two days you know that nothing is happening tonight." Harry said to him the man laughed as they walked up the stairs.
"I will contact James and Lily let them know his home, we can tell him tomorrow." Molly said to her husband.
"He just walks back in like nothing happened." Ron said annoyed.
"For us its been three years for him its ten, Ron he was a prodigy before he left and a war hero that's nothing compared to what he is now, you can't expect him to remember everything he comes from a different time line god knows what has changed this time around that didn't happen in his timeline. He needs time." Hermione said to him.
"His going back to the US he doesn't care about us or what happened." Ron shouted Harry walked back down the stairs having heard most of what had been said.
"Your wrong about that Ron, I care, hell the last eleven years I cared to much, I had to think of you as being dead to me just to get through the day so don't you tell me I don't care you sorry son of a bitch. You have no idea what I have been through as person or for that matter what I have had to do just to get some sleep at night, I love you all as family but you ever question my motives again I'll knock you on your as you self righteous bastard." Harry stalked over to him ranting as he went at the red head who seemed shocked at the out burst. "I gave up my life for the damn cause I through myself into a war that I had no business being in, I gave up my damn child hood for a war that I should never had to fight in the war and neither should any of you but we did and I left, I grew up because I had to I make the choices I do daily so people like you can go to bed safely at night knowing all is right in the world when it isn't." Harry was currently shouting at his friend.
"Hello Harry." James said from behind him.
"So that changed." Harry said as he was hugged.
"I saw you on the news." James said Harry laughed.
"Before or after the inaugural?" Harry asked.
"After, you were standing on the white house lawn." Lily said to him. "Molly said you would be in bed when we heard you shouting we guessed you weren't." Lily said to him Harry rubbed his eyes as he loosened his tie.
"You know I am wearing the same cloths I wore yesterday right and that I haven't slept in nearly three days." Harry said to her. "I got on a plane twelve hours ago, I haven't seen a bed in a few days and need to so can we go home sleep and talk in the morning." Harry said.
"Why did you get on a plane when you can apparate." James asked.
"I work for the president I need to take muggle transport." Harry said to him. "If your coming with me tomorrow afternoon your need to do likewise." Harry said to him with a smile the man shook his head chuckling. "You died where I came from, I never knew you so I am hoping that you come with me." Harry added.
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Day 3
The beeper on the bedside table went of at six much to his annoyance, "Do you have to go?" Draco groaned as he turned over.
"Yeap I have to get up sorry honey go back to sleep." Harry said to him kissing the blonds cheek as he walked into the bathroom Draco heard the shower start up as Harry went about his morning routine with casual ease.
"How do you do this everyday?" Draco called from the bedroom.
"Its easy when you get used to it, honey can you read the message to me." Harry called.
"Some guy called Lyman moaning about the VP's access to some guy called POTUS." Draco said to him. "Who the hell are these people and what kind of name is POTUS." Draco called through the door Harry opened it with a goofy smile.
"Its not a name it's a title." Harry said.
"What's it stand for?" Draco asked.
"VP is vice president POTUS is president of the united states." Harry said to him. "Lyman is the VP's chief of staff and a pain in the ass and my biggest headache in the history of my political career which is the understatement of the century." Harry said to him with a grin on his face.
"You mind if I join you?" Draco asked.
"No not at all." Harry said to him. "You ready for the twins arrival?" Harry asked.
"I can't wait." Draco said to him Harry laughed as they stepped under the shower. "You think you can wrangle a tour?" Draco asked.
"I think I can work something out." Harry said with a smile. "Drop by I'll get you on the list." Harry said to him.
Ten minutes later the two of them were in the kitchen Harry dressed in a fresh suit and tie munching on toast as his parents and mate were eating a full English.
"What time do you expect to be home?" Lily asked.
"Any time between five and midnight probably." Harry said to her she stared.
"Your joking right?" she asked.
"No I was serious when I said that." Harry said laughing as he kissed his mate before walking out the door. "I'll see you later." he added.
"Jesus he'll be dead in a year let alone four." she said to them.
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"Donna how the hell did I get Josh Lyman paging me at six in the morning I thought I made it clear not to give him my pager number Jesus are you trying to kill me already?" Harry asked as he walked into his office with a cup of coffee. "Why the hell did this end up on my desk?" he demanded.
"No don't answer that I know already, I need better coffee, Donna get me some coffee for the senior staff meeting." Harry said.
"Coffee coming up… Leo says the president would like to see you before staff meeting?" Donna said.
"Is he in?" Harry asked.
"His waiting for you." Donna said.
"Coffee dear god coffee kind woman." Harry said Donna chuckled as he walked out of his office.
"His expecting you." Delores said to him as he knocked on the door he walked in a moment later Leo was sitting with Bartlett as he walked into the room.
"Leo you look good, good morning Mr. President you wanted to see me." Harry said to him.
"We were just discussing your press coverage." Leo said to him.
"How long have you known I was a wizard?" Harry asked.
"Since the day I met you, I know your boys don't go to school here in DC as well." Leo said.
"You didn't say anything why, you could have gotten your first choice in here instead of annoying me by getting him in the VP's office, you know he paged me at six this morning because he doesn't get enough time with the president." Harry said to them Leo laughed the president stared. "I know I wasn't your first choice sir, hell I am half the age of both of you but I do know you got the right guy, I'm not half as embarrassing as that idiot down the hall." Harry said.
"Harry you're here because I want you here, Josh is the VP's chief of staff you're the POTUS deputy you got more power than he does." Leo said.
"Sir its not about power, I shouldn't have been second choice I should have been first and I would have told you that you had a better running partner standing right next to you than Hoynes. You took the VP as someone who could get you more votes you took the easy way out with all due respect that decision is going to bite us all on our asses." Harry said to him.
"You don't know when to toe the line." Jed said to him.
"Sir you hired me because I am damn good at my job, its my job to tell you that when we go at this in four years time you need that man as your running partner not Hoynes, Leo can get you elected Hoynes will cost you a presidency." Harry said to him. "The work we do in the next eight years is what is going to be our legacy, your legacy sir and I just alienated most of my family so I need to know we can do that and I need to know that I backed the right horse when I joined your staff." Harry said to him Leo gaped at him.
"Your right your massively out of line but your right." Jed said.
"Sir I am always right, it comes with the IQ of 216 PE teachers." Harry said Leo chuckled Jed laughed. "Until I went home I thought you were the closet thing I would ever I get to a father, I respect you and that annoys most of the staff my parents and mate are alive and what I do in the next eight years with you sir had better be worth it I have two sons who want to be proud to say I worked for you." Harry said to Jed who laughed.
"Who says I want a second term." Bartlett said to him.
"You can't walk out on a job half done you never quit and you don't know the meaning of retirement, this is the last job your ever have sir why not make sure we do a damn good job and get the next democrat elected into this office." Harry said to him.
"What would you have me focus on?" Bartlett asked.
"Education equal rights just to name to." Harry said to him.
"Woe equal rights I am a religious man Harry I can't go out…" Bartlett said.
"Sir I should point out that I attend church every Sunday, now look up Genesis and tell me which part of it said that god created everything, then you go tell me the part where it says homosexuality is wrong then tell me how dumb that sounds." Harry said. "1 in 4 people are gay sir it's a statistic sir, forget that for a moment but people who aren't married don't have the same rights as people who do. We need to show the world that we are an accepting nation, plus the republicans will hate us for it and that's always good." Harry said to him.
"Harry you know that I don't care about your sexuality…" Jed said to him.
"Then prove it, sir we have the chance to button down the vote of the gay community with one swift action and sir we want that vote. To many people in this office have done damage to a community who support us and ask for nothing in return than to have equal rights, we have a obligation as a government to provide that, to get it for them. When we abolished slavery everyone thought it was wrong in the US anyway, when we gave black people rights everyone knew it was the right thing to do, its time to give the gay community what they deserve its time we allowed them the right to be acknowledged as a people." Harry said. "Damnit Jed you have no problem with me being gay but everyone else can go to hell because you don't know them, that's a lame excuse we got here now we need to stand up to bat and win back the house." Harry said to him. "We can do this we have the backing we can get the bat rolling on it, we may not get it all done in our time but if we get the dice rolling then it doesn't matter that we leave it to the next guy because we will be remembered for it you will be remembered for it. Do not just say no because its against your religion, sir do it because it is, religion is not the be all and end all of everything I'm lawyer a doctor and a number of other things. In the sixties in England do you know what they would do to a gay man if they were caught?" Harry asked.
"They were given life sentences." Leo said.
"We have come this far sir in our world, now its time to go the extra mile and we can get it done it will be hard but we didn't take these jobs because it would be easy." Harry said.
"You think we can do it?" Jed asked.
"Yes sir I wouldn't be in here risking my job if I didn't." Harry said to him.
"Then lets get it done." Jed said. "Your right about what you said but its what I am Harry its what defines me don't ever forget that." he added.
"I wouldn't sir." Harry said.
"You work for me but one day I can see you in here." Jed said Harry laughed.
"I wouldn't dream of it sir blue just doesn't look good on me." Harry said. "I serve at the pleasure of the president sir, we'll get this done I promise you." Harry said as he walked out of the office.
"He sure is a firecracker." Leo said to Jed.
"You have no idea, his passionate Leo he wouldn't have done that if he hadn't thought it through." Jed said.
"He knows you to well, he challenged you, I don't question why you hired him any more." Leo said to him Bartlett laughed.
"His a great kid." Jed said.
"You think we can get it done?" Leo said.
"He'll get it done." Jed said to him. "We'll never get it through all in one sitting but he'll get it done." Jed added.
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Harry walked into his house at eight that evening he could hear the TV going on in the lounge, Harry walked into the lounge to find his parents and Draco watching the news.
"Something happen while I wasn't in the office?" Harry asked with a smile.
"Your home early." Draco said to him.
"Yeah that happens some days, now if I get called back into the office that happens as well." Harry added to him.
"Your dinner is in the oven." Lily said to him.
"Oh good, I am starving I ate at two this afternoon and that was a salad mainly because CJ forced me to eat." Harry said.
"You kill the VP's chief of staff?" Draco asked.
"No though it was a close run thing, I didn't appreciate getting bleeped at six in the morning though the alarm was set for half six." Harry said to him Draco laughed. "I'm working on something big at the moment." Harry said to him as he entered the kitchen.
"Like?" Draco asked.
"Equal rights." Harry said.
"For muggle gay men and women?" Draco asked.
"Yes for that, we don't get to marry here, when one of us is in the hospital the other doesn't get to decide what is best the family does, its time for a change." Harry said to him as he took the hot food out of the oven he sat at the table. "Oh god this smell good, we have a chef of the highest calibre at work but I love Dobby's food." Harry said as he took a mouthful of the Chinese food on the plate. "No one better than Dobby to cook this." Harry said pulling his tie of his neck.
"You had a busy day." Draco said Harry laughed.
"It was quiet Draco, a day when I get home this early is a quiet day." Harry said to him with a sigh. "Can we not talk about work please I did that for thirteen hours to long." Harry added Draco laughed as he took a fork and poked at Harry's food to get his hand slapped away. "Get your own Dray." Harry growled as Lily giggled from the door way.
"There is a second dish in the oven." Lily said to Draco who rushed to it. "Good day?" Lily asked.
"I think I am about to piss of the republican party for the next four years." Harry said to her she laughed as he explained what he was going to do. "I got you guys clearance to visit the white house when you feel like it." Harry said.
"Sirius and Remus are arriving tomorrow afternoon." James said.
"I have a pretty full day tomorrow." Harry said to him as he continued his dinner.
"They know." Lily said.
"Good, I managed to fandangle the weekend off, I haven't had a holiday in years so I get to spend this one with the family, the boys don't know any of you and I am not happy leaving them alone with strangers to them." Harry said his mother stared.