Harry Potter Fanfic: A Fighting Chance
Chapter 2
x-x-x-x
London, March 18, 1970
Lord Hadrian 'Harry' James Potter-Black or now, Hadrian 'Harry' James Potrera thought he knew Diagon alley like the back of his hand. However in the past it seemed that he didn't even know his back hand, though he presumed that was because of his lack of proper existence in the past. Diagon alley it seemed had changed a lot in a span of twenty years. The magical war that had started four years ago had still not managed to invoke the level of fear in the normal populace, it seemed, and he knew for a fact that it would remain like that for another one and half years. The magical folk still roamed freely in the alley talking, gossiping and having fun with each other.
Croaker, the old miscreant had sent him directly to his past self with a letter of explanation. Croaker, the future Croaker, wanted Hadrian to gather a job as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor when new term started in September. The Past, or now current Croaker would give his recommendation but the problem remained that Harry was not registered as a wizard in any magical country in the world. He was now trying to find Croaker's contact to create a whole new identity for himself in Knockturn alley.
After several minutes of useless dawdling he finally found the place. Entering the place he was surprised to see an old man simply reading the Daily Prophet. The Old man seemed to be so engrossed the paper he didn't even realize that he had a customer. Hadrian waited for a few minutes however it seemed the old man was simply too engrossed in the entire paper. 'What was on the news today?' Hadrian wondered idly before coughing slightly to get the old man's attention.
The old man finally looked upwards towards him. The old man seemed to be a man in his late forties, early fifties. He had graying blonde hair and pair of dull blue eyes. He was wearing the standard wizard robes. The old man stood up and said "Oh! I'm sorry I did not notice you lad. I must say I am really interested in potions that can make you breathe fire I am afraid….."
"Let us forget about. One of my contacts told me that you can create an entire new identity for me?" Hadrian asked.
The old man nodded as he rubbed his chin with his right index finger. "Indeed I can. However it comes at a mighty high cost. My sponsors are….quite expensive and therefore not many people come here. By not many, I mean one or two people every five years." The Old man replied.
Shrugging Hadrian's hands went to his pocket where he took out a small money bag. The bag contained his entire gringotts vault from the future. Letting a few hundred galleons fall into the desk before him he said "As you can see, I have money in spades."
The old man looked at the huge amount of galleons sitting on his desk with a slight amount of greed before snapping his attention towards Hadrian and asked "Yes, it seems like you do. Very well, my name is Alexander."
"My name is Hadrian Potrera."
Alexander raised an eyebrow as he asked "Potrera? An unusual surname."
"Indeed. I am from a small pureblood family in New Zealand." Hadrian replied smoothly. The truth was Potrera was simply the original name of the Potter house during the roman times. However he doubted anyone knew about it in this timeline.
"Ah. Anyway would you mind waiting for a few minutes? I must bring my tools and other things that will help us forge a new identity for you." Alexander asked as Hadrian nodded. Alexander stood up and went towards the backroom of his store as Hadrian sat down on a chair. Hadrian took that moment to look around the store. A dull black painting design adorned the walls whilst the entire shop seemed to be filled with certificates of forged identities and fake legal documents. After some minutes Alexander entered the room carrying a quill and a legal identification paper.
"I was under the impression that you forged legal documents. I did not know that you simply filled legal documents." Hadrian stated as he saw the lgal documentation paper.
"This is what makes me very successful in my forgeries. They are legal." Alexander grinned.
"And how do you have them?" Hadrian asked.
"My sponsors are people…..with long reach." Alexander replied vaguely.
"Clearly." Hadrian said as Alexander sat down in front of him.
"Now I believe you will use the name you gave me?"
"Yes."
"Very well. Date of Birth?"
"31st July 1947."
"Mother's name?"
"Lily Potrera."
"Father's name?"
"James Potrera."
"Place of birth?"
"The Magical Medical Institute of Wellington."
"Magical education?"
"Auckland Institute of Magical Education."
"Any higher studies?"
"Mastery in Defense Against the Dark Arts in the Everest College of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Nepal. Experienced in handling deadly situations. Unspeakable background."
Alexander nodded as he finished writing through the document. Quickly taking out another paper he copied the information once again and gave it to him and said "This is your apparition license. And now, you are a legal wizard Mr. Potrera."
"I am glad to hear that. And now what is the total cost?"
"250 galleons for the birth certificate. 400 galleons for the educational degrees. 150 galleons for the apparition license. 800 galleons in total." Alexander replied.
"That is….quite the steep price." Hadrian was seriously underestimating the price when he said that. Each galleon was worth 50 Pounds and 800 galleons equaled 40000 British pounds.
"These things do not come cheap."
"Indeed. Very well." After giving 800 galleons to the old man he quickly thanked the man before leaving the shop. He quickly apparated to the main alley of Diagon alley and entered the Leaky Cauldron.
Tom, the barstool of the Leaky Cauldron, it seemed worked in the Leaky Cauldron since 1964. Leaky Cauldron itself remained as it was in the future, smiling at the unchanged place he quickly swept upwards towards Tom and said "I require a room for indefinite number of nights. How much is the rate for one night?"
"Oh that would be 16 sickles and 25 knuts a night with an added fee of 8 sickles for food." Tom replied.
Hadrian nodded as he said "Please book a room for me."
Tom nodded as Hadrian gave him 5 galleons in advance. Quickly Hadrian then went to his other order of business. He quickly apparated to Gringotts and stepped in front of the giant gates of the bank. He quickly saw the hubbub of the entire place as wizards and witches bustled around negotiating with goblins regarding their monetary resources. He quickly fell into a line beside a tall young woman with curly black hair who had her back turned on him. After some moments the young woman reached the front of the line.
"Ah Ms. Black, what can I do for you today?" The goblin asked.
'Black?' Hadrian wondered. As far as he knew there were three black women in this time who could be at the age of the woman in front of him. Andromeda Black, Narcissa Black and…Bellatrix Black.
The woman quickly replied by saying "Fangtooth, I require to enter my vault."
Fangtooth nodded as he asked "Do you have your key?"
"Yes."
"Very well. Toothfang will take you to your vault."
The woman turned around. The woman was probably at the age of seventeen. Her body was tall and lithe in a curvaceous manner. Her curls wandered down to her hips. Her face was light pale and her plump lips were smothered with light red lipstick. But it was her eyes that gave him the indication of who she was. Half lidded eyes. The very eyes that had broken into a bright glee when his godfather had died. Bellatrix Black.
The young Bellatrix simply looked at him for a moment before turning away and following Toothfang. Snapping out of his surprise he turned to Fangtooth and said "I would like to open an account."
Fangtooth narrowed his eyes as he said "Hmmm….this is quite unusual. It is usually muggleborns who come here to open an account and even they do so when they are fourteen or fifteen. You seem to be in your early twenties."
"Yes I am."
"Very well, it is not my position to ask. My friend here Teethfang shall escort you to the account office." Fangtooth said as another goblin who was slightly tall for a goblin wearing the formal gringotts suit stepped up.
"A good day to you, Mr…?"
"Hadrian Potrera."
"Ah Mr. Potrera. Please follow me." Teethfang said as he started to walk towards an office. Hadrian quickly followed the diminutive goblin as they crossed mazes of wizards, witches and goblins. Seeing the hundreds of wizards and witches, Hadrian knew that Croaker said was true.
"In the future I observed that the number of goblins outmatched the number of wizards and witches in gringotts. However, right now they seem equally matched. Did Voldemort really kill off entire generations to the brink of extinction?" Harry wondered.
After some minutes the goblin led him to an office. The goblin opened the door where a small table with chairs on both sides was kept. Teethfang quickly sat on the chair overlooking his and gestured to him to sit down.
Hadrian nodded as he sat down and made himself comfortable. Teethfang quickly brought out a paper and asked "Can you give me any form of verification Mr. Potrera?"
Hadrian nodded stiffly as he gave Teethfang his new apparition license. Teethfang looked at the apparition license in interest as he murmured "Very interesting….."
After some moments the goblin returned the license and then asked "How much money would you like to enter?"
Hadrian quickly brought out his money bag and gave it to Teethfang. Teethfang quickly took it and said "I assume the bag has an extension charm on it?"
"Yes."
"Very well. What kind of vault would you like to have? There is the standard vault. The Family Vault, The Ultra Secure Vault, and the Large Vault. It should be known that you will not receive interest in the Ultra Secure vault and Family Vault." Teethfang told him. Hadrian shrugged as he said "I wish to have a Large Vault."
Teethfang nodded. "Very good. However the cost of opening a Large Vault account is 20 galleons."
"Please take it from the Vault itself." Hadrian replied.
Teethfang nodded. He quickly took out a key with the number 666 on it. "I hope you are not superstitious Mr. Potrera."
Hadrian smiled politely as he said "No, I am not. Thank you for the key."
Teethfang nodded and asked "Is there anyone you would like to name as vassal so that they could access your vault?"
Vassal was any witch or wizard or half human magical being that another witch or wizard could take under his or her wing to give them protection. It was something that his father had done to help finance Remus after Remus's parent's deaths. Vassals in exchange for the protection and facilities given by the master would have to answer to every beck and call of the master. Hadrian shook his head.
"Very well, it was good doing business with you Mr. Potrera. I believe you know the way out?"
Hadrian nodded as he pocketed the key and stood up to leave. He turned around and just as his hand clenched the doorknob, Teethfang's voice cut in once again.
"If you could humor a curious goblin Mr. Potrera, are you related to House Potter by any chance?"
Hadrian's hands clenched the doorknob. Of course a goblin would recognize the relation between the names. Goblins took things like these very seriously. However Hadrian knew that he could blow his cover over. Goblins were cunning and shrewd individuals no matter how kind or genuine they seemed to be. Revealing his true nature would result in him owing a Secret Debt to Teethfang which was something he did not wish to have with a goblin. A Secret Debt was something much alike to a Life Debt. But instead of saving a person's life to gain it, it entailed entrusting someone with a closely guarded secret and the person gain a favor from the man for entrusting him or her with the secret. That was something he did not wish to give to goblin.
"No Teethfang. I am not related to House Potter in any manner."
With that he left the office.
x-x-x-x
After gringotts Hadrian decided that he would simply go to Hogsmeade for the rest of the day. Once again, Hadrian was pleasantly surprised to see a large number of children, wizards and witches roaming around. It so happened that it was a Hogsmeade weekend and the magical village was sprawling with Hogwarts students from third year to seventh year.
Hadrian was currently sitting over a small lump of snow that overlooked the area that in some months, the Shrieking Shack would be made. Hadrian smiled as he thought about the Shrieking Shack. It was of course the place where he found out about the truth about his godfather and truly got to know him. Now he was here, in the past. Now he not only had the chance to see Remus and Sirius again, he also had the chance to meet his parents. He could see the marauders in their golden era.
Suddenly Hadrian frowned. Talking about the Marauders, what would he do about Peter Pettigrew. After the Second Civil War of Magical Britain he had delved into the histories of many of the death eaters. Peter Pettigrew no matter his faults, had saved him in Malfoy Manor. Peter Pettigrew it seemed was a half-blood child of a muggle father and a pureblood mother. His father unlike Snape's father was receptive of magic however his family wasn't so Peter and his mother was not welcome at his paternal family. Apparently Peter and his mother had been extremely close but when he was in sixth year, a fight had started between the Aurors and Death Eaters in which a stray cutting curse from an auror can pierced Peter's mother's spine. When Hadrian had first read that in the future, he had grimaced quite guiltily. Shoving all the blame on Peter in his teenage years was something he should not have done. He did not even try to understand Peter and when he had first read that piece of information he understood where Peter got his courage and drive from to join the Death Eaters. Peter's muggle father it seemed after hearing about his wife's death quickly went into shock and died leaving Peter an orphan. Hadrian sighed. Perhaps he could try and steer Peter away from leaning towards the Death Eaters. Yes, that was what he would do. He would prevent Peter from joining the Death Eaters.
Taking a few calming breaths he quickly felt that something was amiss. The air had gotten still and the atmosphere had become much colder. Then all of a sudden the screams began. The screams seemed to be coming from the main square of Hogsmeade. Sighing Hadrian apparated to the Hogsmeade Square.
What he saw in front of him was pure carnage. Eleven or twelve death eaters were raging the square to the ground using fiendfyre and death curses. Fingering his wand he quickly stepped forward and said "The people of Hogsmeade would really appreciate it if you stopped destroying the main square."
The first death eater whose mask preventing him from being recognized looked at him and said "And who are you to demand anything from us?"
"Who I am is of no consequence and is not related to this matter. Please, I request you to stop before I am forced to make you stop." Hadrian replied calmly.
"Oh so you think you can stop us eh big boy?" A second death eater jeered.
"I do think I am capable of defeating some miscreants who like to rage havoc on defenseless citizens and students." Hadrian shot back.
The second death eater snarled as he brought up his wand and shouted "Avada Kedavra!"
The familiar green color of the death curse shot out from the death eater's wand. However Hadrian paid it no mind simply sidestepping the spell.
"Well looks like its fun time." Hadrian thoughts as he jeered "Is that all you got, big bad death eater?"
One of the death eaters simply shot a dark curse at him in reply. Harry simply sidestepped again. The death eater howled in anger as he quickly fired curses repeatedly in succession. "Uro! Onis! Chorus Flamma!"
The three fire curses quickly came at him in quick succession however Hadrian looked at them in disinterest. Seemingly to all other bystanders it looks as if Hadrian had been fried to death. The death eater simply laughed in glee as the seemingly dead body of Hadrian fell to the ground.
"Hah! He spoke a good game. But he was all bark and no bite at all!"
Suddenly one of the death eaters fell to the ground with his head decapitated. All the death eaters whirled around and saw Hadrian yawning whilst leaning against fountain and twirling his wand.
The death eater who 'killed' Hadrian quickly shouted "How! I killed you?"
"Haven't you incompetent fools ever heard about the duplication charm? No? I thought not. Anyway I have other things that I must attending to. So please I do not wish to play around. Glacius!"
A beam of deadly pointy ice shards shot out of his wand as they pierced the bodies of two death eaters before the others managed to dodge them. Hadrian quickly spun around as he quickly whispered "Depulso!"
One death eater was quickly thrown to the spear held by a Roman in the statue of the Roman Invasion of Britannia in the fountain. The spear pierced the death eater with a sickening crunch.
Another death eater quickly sent a dark curse at his direction Hadrian deflected it and quickly whispered "Fumos!"
A smokescreen quickly enveloped the area as the death eater starting throwing curses at random areas in hysterics. Hadrian decided it would be best if he took them out of their misery as he quickly cast a 'Diffindo' at two of the death eaters before he heard the sickening crunch of the two of the death eaters dying. That was half down and another half to go. He quickly saw one of the death eaters spotting him and aiming his wand at him. Quickly Hadrian used an 'Alarte Ascendare' to catapult the death eater into the sky as he quickly used one of his signature fatal spells at the death eater "tonitrua"
An arc of lightning burst forth from his wand. When the death eater fell down to the ground he was already dead. As the smokescreen started to disappear he quickly pointed his wand to the broken items on the ground and whispered "Animatione."
Suddenly all the broken objects rose to the air as they shot out towards the death eaters. Some of the death eaters tried to stop them but their reflexes were too slow as the remaining five death eaters fell to the ground dead.
When the Hogsmeade villagers and Students cleared the fog they saw the dead bodies of twelve death eaters gurgling at the ground. Hadrian was simply standing before them. Suddenly the cracking sound of apparition was heard as aurors arrived on the scene. The lead auror was man with whom Hadrian was very well acquainted with in the future. Alastor Moody.
Moody quickly looked around for the death eaters before he saw the battered dead bodies of his enemies with a young lad in his early twenties standing over them. Moody quickly barked out orders to secure the perimeter to his aurors as he hobbled towards the man and asked "Are you responsible for this, young man?"
"Indeed I am, auror." Hadrian replied calmly.
"What's your name then?"
"Hadrian James Potrera."
Moody looked at him in interest before waving it off and asked "Were you the one who killed these death eaters?"
"Yes."
"Well, it seems you know your spells then. However for clearance matters I must inspect your wand."
Hadrian shrugged and nodded as he handed his wand over. Moody quickly cast a 'Priori Incatatem' on Hadrian's wand as the spells he had used started to surface over the wand.
"Well I recognize all the spells except the spell with the yellow lightning." Moody said as he observed the spells.
"That's Tonitrua. It's a spell I made." Hadrian replied.
"A spell that you made yourself? Impressive young lad. However I do not think you are from around here are you?"
"No. I am from New Zealand. Came here to find a job." Hadrian replied. He knew that this was opening he was looking for. Alastor Moody and Dumbledore were two very close friends who fought for the British Magical Army in the European Magical War against Grindelwald. Moody would obviously tell Dumbledore about him and could provide him with the opportunity to get into Hogwarts as a professor.
"A job you say? With talents like yours I am wondering why the Oceanic Dueling Committee isn't running over their own asses trying to hire you?" Moody chuckled.
"I may be good in dueling but I have always been one for teaching. Enjoyed it a lot when I took it as an intermediate in the Everest College of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Nepal." Hadrian shrugged dropping even more hints of his wants and qualification.
Moody looked at him with thinly veiled curiosity as he said "Hmmm….do stay in Britain. We may need you for the testimonies for the deaths of these death eaters. Where will I be able to find you?"
"Leaky Cauldron. Room no. 27." Hadrian replied.
Moody nodded. After sometime Hadrian simply apparated to his room in Leaky Cauldron and sat down as he called it a day.
x-x-x
Moody's POV
As soon as the young man apparated away I quickly went towards the bodies to inspect the damage on the death eater's bodies. Three of them were killed by the cutting curse. Two of them were killed by ice shards meaning the ice charm. Another death eater had been banished straight into the witing arms of a stone spear of one of the many statues in Hogsmeade. Another death eater had electrical residue all over his body meaning he died from the special curse of that Potrera. The remaining had been killed by being shot by miscellaneous items using the animation charm. While the cutting curse and some unknown death curse were nothing new in the battlefield, I was intrigued by the use of the banishment charm and the animation charm the young lad used in battle.
The lad was a fighter no doubt. He was aware about his surroundings and had banished a death eater towards the spear knowing that it was there. The animation charm was used in a very imaginative manner. The lad had used simple spells that were taught in school to dispose these death eaters.
Hmm….The lad had said he wanted a teaching job. He also mentioned an intermediate at Everest College in Nepal. If I am not mistaken that is the premier magical school for the magical population in the Indian subcontinent. An intermediate means he took a mastery in something.
Albus is always going on and on about incompetent defense professors. He's already filling for the new defense professor this year who seemed to be afraid of masses and quit during the middle of the year. Well, it seems I have got a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor to recommend to Albus for the new session…..
End Chapter