Thanks for all those encouraging notes. I have decided to continue with the story but I will do it on my own terms. Some parts of this chapter have been pinched off Knowledge is Power, while the rest is of my own creation. Read and tell me what you think about it.
Remus Lupin, a sickly yet handsome looking man that looked to be in his early thirties, stood with his hands buried deeply in his tattered brown coat as he watched the football game being played out before him. He was chewing the inside of the scarf wrapped around his neck anxiously; this looked to be shaping up to be one of those "close ones" that were bad for his heart and health.
The rather cold weather was usually a good deterrent for anyone who wanted to spend their Sunday mornings outside, but for Remus, the temperature didn't matter. What mattered to him was watching his adopted charge give it his all to win his side the championship.
His charge was none other than the hero or rather, the anti hero, of our story. His name was Harry Potter. Those of you, who wonder who this Harry might be, relax. I will tell you all in good time. For now, let us sit back and watch the exciting football match.
This is what brought them to the here and now. At the age of eight, Harry had taken an interest in football and had asked to join the local team so he could play. Remus, believing that an active lifestyle would be beneficial for the boy, didn't hesitate in allowing Harry to play for Highbury United, the closest team to their home.
Harry had taken to football like fish to water. Scarcely had a day passed when Harry was not practicing it. Even while studying out of books, he could be seen fiddling with one. By fiddling, I mean doing stuff like balancing it and other tricks. Remus had shaken his head at this. Playing football was alright, but it was starting to become an obsession. He would have to think of ways of curbing it. Let's cut to the chase and bring you the match live.
Harry was playing at the right flank. It was his favorite position as he considered himself to be an expert in crossing. His coach was convinced that Harry would be better off as a center forward, but Harry would not even consider it. Right midfield was where he belonged and where he would stay. The coach reluctantly agreed.
This was the make or break match. The ninety minutes were almost over and it looked like the game was heading into extra time. These kids might have been good, but there was no way their legs could run another half an hour. The kids needed a miracle, and they were counting on Harry to deliver.
Harry received a long pass from the center back. He controlled the ball on his chest and went diagonally to the penalty box rather than going to the corner flag and delivering one of his trademark crosses. The defenders saw him run diagonally towards them and went out to reach him. They hadn't forgotten the way he had curved the free kick right past the goal keeper to equalize. Unfortunately for them, they hadn't underestimated his ability, but they had underestimated his cunning.
As soon as he saw the defenders running towards him, he started mulling over his options. There were only two, actually. Pass or score. It was how to score that was the real problem. Nevertheless, he dribbled past one defender to find two others blocking his way. Unfortunately for them, this had left the center forward unmarked. Knowing this was his chance, he backpedaled to the lip of the penalty box with the three defenders in hot pursuit. Uttering a quick prayer, he lobbed the ball over their heads.
The defender's cries of jubilation turned to wails of frustration when they turned around just in time to see the center forward airborne and in the trajectory of the ball. He had timed his jump perfectly as the ball, with a satisfying thud went past the helpless goalkeeper.
The moment of stunned silence ceased as parents, siblings and players of Highbury United alike erupted in loud cheers. The game was practically over now! That had to have been the last play! The tin ceiling of the underground area rumbled as the cheering, stamping and screaming of the onlookers shook the very foundations of the small, shed like area they were all crowded in to shield themselves from the cold.
Before Remus could understand what was going on, Janine, a single mother to one of the other boys on the team grabbed both his cheeks in a strong grip and planted a large wet kiss right on his lips that lasted for a good few seconds. If Remus wasn't so stunned by her forwardness, he probably would have opened his mouth to allow for the tongue, as things were though, he was slightly surprised, to say the least. God bless single, hot, football mothers.
Shaking out of his daze, Remus was able to see Harry running back to his position so they could kick off again, leaving his team mates behind to continue celebrating. The sight of Harry eying him from his position with an amused expression was enough to properly fluster the man.
Janine offered a lift to Remus and Harry, but the offer was met with a polite refusal. She left with her own son, looking a little crestfallen that Remus had rejected her offer. Harry observed this and made a mental note to quiz Remus. It could form the basis of a few class insults.
The first thing he did after reaching home was to locate his iPod and listen to music. Nothing made him unwind more than music did. He could just sit back and think. Think about the past, present and future. Remember days gone by and days yet to come.
He never liked thinking about that night, but his mind often drifted to the incident when he listened to music whether he wanted to or not. His parents had died that night, and moved on to the next life, but he was still alive, a fate he believed worse.
Bellatrix Lestrange. The name caused him a wave of hate washed through him. The woman, along with nineteen of her terrorist friends had attacked his home in an effort to locate their missing lord during the last great Wizarding war. The woman was a Death Eater, or rather, a servant of the Dark Lord Voldemort, who believed that one's purity of blood should dictate their status in the Wizarding world, often committing atrocities and crimes against humanity to get their point across. He didn't see the logic behind such an ideology.
His parents had been ambushed by the death eaters in their own house. Believing the threat of the Dark Lord over, they had ventured outside. They had returned to find that their house was teeming with death eaters. No one knew what happened but the corpses of the sixteen death eaters arranged around their own had explained succinctly. Only four death eaters had survived, out of whom three still remained at the site of the carnage, bound by anti apparition jinxes and the like. They had started singing as soon as the aurors showed up. The name Bellatrix Lestrange was uttered in connection to this gloomy business. She was the only one of the group who wasn't caught.
All three death eaters were apprehended and sent to the harshest prison in the Wizarding world, and even though they had failed in attempting to locate their master, they had succeeded in destroying his family. It was said that Bellatrix Lestrange was so scared of the Potters after she'd seen what they had done, she simply killed them from behind and ran away, not even willing to stop and check the house, or whatever had remained of it.
The guilt often ate away at Harry. He knew it was completely illogical, but he couldn't help it. Every breath he took, every thought he had, every experience he lived through was only allowed to come to pass because his parents sacrificed themselves for him. He was living a normal life and his parents had to pay the price for it.
His occupation with Bellatrix and his mission to avenge the death of his parents was the reason he had pressured Remus into teaching him and helping him understand his parent's school texts, his father was the reason he had Remus accelerate his learning in muggle schooling, his mother was the reason he played football and trained every week - he needed to keep fit after all.
No one but himself knew the reasons for him wanting to learn and become as powerful as he could - Remus probably suspected, but he never confirmed it. True, knowledge was power and he told Remus he thought as much, but power without a purpose was pointless. What was the point of becoming as powerful as one could be if you had no reason to utilize said power?
Harry finally cast his mind to more current affairs.
Such as the letter addressed to him sitting on his desk.
The letter had been delivered not an hour ago by a brown barn owl, signifying that it was obviously from the Wizarding world, as owls were the preferred method of mail delivery. He only needed to look at the wax seal that sealed the letter to know its purpose and who it was from.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the most prestigious school for learning magic in Europe. It was seen as a great honor in Wizarding society to be accepted to said school, but Harry didn't see it. As far as he could tell, nearly every magical child in Great Britain who was able to wield magic, even in the slightest, was accepted. Regardless, if he wanted to ever attain the freedom he required to avenge his parents, he would need to graduate from the school, and graduate well.
"Got your letter then?" a voice said from his bedroom door, causing Harry to stop listening instantly and jump slightly in surprise. He had been so lost in thought he let his uncle sneak up on him, well, it wasn't too surprising, he had been quite the prankster while at school apparently, according to his father's journals.
Harry turned to Remus with a scowl on his face. "No you idiot," came the typically sarcastic reply "it's my copy of Playwitch."
Remus let out a bark like laugh at that "So you can't get the real girls" He clucked his tongue and said, "and have to make do with flimsy paper. Poor Harry, there must be somebody who likes scrawny and ill tempered kiddies."
Harry visibly winced. "I really wish you luck with Janine. I suppose she spread her legs for you 'coz there was no one else left in the world?"
Remus didn't seem to be paying attention though. "Do you really want to go to Hogwarts? If you don't then I can home school you, you know."
Harry just shrugged "I'd much rather continue my home schooling," he said "unfortunately, the Ministry wouldn't recognize you as an official tutor, especially for someone who's an heir to a wealthy pureblood line," he finished with a shake of his head.
"Yeah, I know. Also on account of my 'furry little problem' as your father used to call it."
"That too. Tell me, I'm curious, how exactly do they sort people into different houses?"
Remus pretended to think about it. "I would love to tell you how, I really would, but I don't think I can trust you with information like that. I'm sure your teeny little head will explode."
Harry groaned. "Quit the risqué jokes. Now. They hardly become a middle aged man like you."
Remus looked affronted. "Middle aged? Me? How dare you? I'm still in the flower of my youth."
Harry laughed. "That explains why I never see you in the company of women."
"That is because I gave up my social life to care for you. I sacrificed everything for a heedless young lad like you."
Harry waved all that aside. "Lay off the topic now. We'll come back to it later. I got the results from Salem. They wish to offer me a scholarship."
At the mention of Salem, Remus turned serious. "Don't do it Harry." He said. "You know that we still don't know anything about schools in the US. Better stick to good old Great Britain."
Harry raised one eyebrow. "And?"
"And I and Sirius will need some companionship." Said Remus, looking sheepish,
"Speaking of Sirius, where is he?"
"Oh, out there somewhere."
Right on cue, a handsome man entered the room. "Somebody called the hottest man in the world?"
Harry and Remus stared at each other and said in unison. "I am right here."
Later that night Harry, Remus and Sirius had a discussion on the houses of Hogwarts. Harry learned that there were four houses in Hogwarts namely Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Gryffindor was for courageous people, Slytherin for ambitious ones, Ravenclaw for the clever ones and the rest were sent to Hufflepuff,
"I hope to see you in Gryffindor, Prongslet." Sirius was saying.
Remus interrupted him and said. "I don't think so, Sirius. I think our young friend here has more chances of getting into Ravenclaw. What say, Harry?"
Harry just gave them a bored look. "This sorting thing simply doesn't make sense. After all, you can't expect an eleven your old kid not to be ambitious. Does that mean all of us get drafted into Slytherin? And what about changes in character? You don't remain the same all throughout your life, do you? Everybody changes, sometime or the other. This thing is too melodramatic for my taste. Not to mention stereotypical and artificial. Think I'll go to bed now. Good night."
Silence met this little speech. Once Harry was out of earshot, Sirius said to Remus, "he will be in Ravenclaw. Take my word for it."
The next morning, Harry woke up a little earlier than normal. This was not because Harry was a light sleeper, but because he was hanging upside down from the ceiling, courtesy a timed spell. He looked at the watch. 4 0' clock in the morning. This was Remus's doing, he was sure of it. He swore that he would avenge this. But right now, he needed to post the Hogwarts letter.
Grabbing his still unopened Hogwarts letter, he dashed out of his room and promptly got hit by one of those timed spells. Harry quickly sidestepped an orange flash as another of Remus's timed spells zinged right past his head and into the wall behind him. Harry quickly made his way to Bartholomew's room to have his reply to Hogwarts delivered, before another spell could hit him.
Bartholomew was Remus's delivery owl. He was a fairly large and beautiful eagle owl with dark brown silk like feathers and piercing orange eyes that almost glowed in the dark when the lights were out. The room the owl specifically inhabited was the attic of the house they lived in, which was surprisingly roomy with a small window for Bartholomew to leave and arrive from. His perch was placed next to the window with a tray of water and owl treats nearby.
Once the job was finished, Harry tiptoed to Sirius's room. Stealing Sirius's wand, he cast a locomoter spell on Sirius. As an eleven year old kid, he shouldn't have been able to do this, but he had read a few first year books and knew the theory of the spell. He led the sleeping Sirius to Remus's room and deposited him on his bed. As a precautionary measure, he stole all of Remus's clothes and vanished the ones Remus and Sirius were wearing right now. He also stole Remus's wand so that he could not conjure any clothes. Having hidden all the clothes, he checked the time. It was 5 in the morning. Smiling to himself, he went back to sleep.
Only to be woken up by the sound of screaming. It seemed to emanate from Remus's room. Harry didn't bother to look, choosing to go down stairs and fix himself some breakfast. Soon enough, he could hear the sound of bare feet striking the stone floor. Having put on his best innocent face, Harry waited for the inevitable. Soon enough Sirius and Remus appeared in the dining room. The former had draped a piece of newspaper in a bid to appear somewhat decent and the latter had used his pillow to cover his bits.
"My God! You two are gay? I had been living with two homos all my life? How long has this been going on? Out with the secret, I want to know all about it. Not that it matters, you know. I have nothing against gay guys. Whatever makes you happy."
Sirius and Remus blushed even more deeply, if that was possible. "Wait till I get you back for this, Potter." Growled Sirius, "you really are asking for it. Now tell us where you have hidden our clothes and wands."
Harry was all for letting them run around trying to find their clothes, until he remembered that today he had to go and buy his Hogwarts supplies. With a sigh, he led them to the place where he had stashed their stuff. The quicker he got his wand, the better for him. Especially after the humiliating prank he had played on the two. Sirius's eyes had promised unendurable torture for him.
As you can see, Remus's reaction to Harry winning the Championship is the same as in Knowledge is Power. This is because I found that it was better than the one I had written but was much the same. Also, the football match plays an important part in the chapter because it defines the kind of Harry I am writing about. In the other fic, Harry was more or less alone. He was a genius and didn't trust anybody except himself and maybe a couple of friends. The kind of Harry I am writing about has no such reservations.
Also, many people are telling me how I'm ripping off the other fic. So, I've done two things that will kill this criticism dead.
1) Harry's parents are dead. It is his hatred of Bellatrix that drives him. The problem in Knowledge is Power (Henceforth I will call it KiP) was that Harry was trying to find a way to cure his mother by resorting to Parsel magic. And in my book, Parsel magic is a sort of super power.
2) Sirius will not be in Azkaban. The Potters had died after the charm had been lifted and so the secret keeper was not to blame. Pettigrew is in Azkaban as he was one of the three who was caught. He remains a taboo subject among the marauders.
I want reviews. Bouquets, brickbats, anything. I accept them all. My only request is, please don't compare this fic to KiP. Many people might not have liked the fact that I pinched a bit of KiP. To those people, the only thing I can say is - relax. The next chapter is entirely of my own creations. In fact, some of you might be in for a surprise.
Review it please.
