Author's Note: So I found myself with time on my hands and saw all the attention this was getting. I thought since everyone seemed so into it I'd write more for it sooner than planned.
Summary: Harry James Potter was the symbol of hope for the Wizarding World in these dark times. He was what the people needed, what was craved. So what does this have to do with the mysterious Evan Alec Crouch nee Black? Easy the people's hero didn't exist, he never had. Inspired by Fallen and Le Strange But True by DZ2. Wrong Boy Who Lived. AU.
Review Answers:
DZ2: The answer to your question lies just below I assure you. Thanks for your kind words but without you this would have been a One-Shot.
Need to know something, or you don't get something? Check the bottom of the chapters for notes on changes or things I think are important for readers to know.
Harry Potter: No more than Fiction
Chapter Two- Why can't I feel?
Draco and Harry made their way from the compartment as the train came to a full stop. The students flooded the hall as they rushed to get off the train. Harry hadn't seen Hermione or Ron since the cup, he'd stayed at the Leaky Cauldron from then until that morning. He looked for them but he couldn't spot them in the crowd rushing off the train. Figuring they were already outside he said his goodbyes to Draco and said he'd sit with him at the feast, before he exited the train himself. He was puzzled when he still didn't see the two outside but quickly spotted Luna and Neville over by a carriage with Cho Chang. They waved to him eagerly and he walked over to them to greet them properly.
"Hey Neville, Luna. How was your summer?" He asked sprightly.
"Well I was supposed to attend the World Cup but I had a funny feeling the morning we were to leave, so we didn't go. Good thing too with the attack and all. Are you alright? I saw you were there." Luna said concerned for her friend.
"I'm fine Hermione and Ron found me quickly and we left before things got bad." Harry said to reassure the girl.
"I heard from my Gran that the Dark Mark was cast over the area. Seems like a warning to me, like the Death Eaters are mobilizing." Nevile added.
"Yeah I don't know. Maybe. Hey have either of you see Hermione or Ron, I didn't see em on the train." Harry questioned.
"No. I haven't seen them since before school let out. I did hear that Professor Dumbledore asked a few students to come to school early. Maybe they're part of that lot?" Neville offered.
"Perhaps. Do you guys have any room in your carriage? I mean if not I can find another, I was just wondering." Harry replied.
"We would but we already said Cho and her boyfriend could ride with us, sorry Harry. But we'll see you up there." Luna said giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.
There carriage took off up the hill towards Hogwarts and just as he was going to begin to walk, another carriage passed him a ways and then stopped. He looked at it curiously and then a familiar voice called to him.
"Aye Potter! Your not going to walk all the way up are ya? You can always ride with us." Draco's voice called from the carriage.
Harry was tired and beginning to get hungry, and if he could skip a long hike he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He jogged over to the carriage and climbed in putting his shrunken trunk in his pocket. That's when he notice it wasn't just Draco. Granted when he said us it should have click in Harry's head. But it hadn't. Next to Draco's left was a boy with dark skin and darker hair, and on his right was an ethnic girl with a pug like face and black ebony hair. The other boy smiled at him broadly while the girl regarded him with caution. Harry supposed he could understand that. After all he was an outsider to her. She hadn't met him before and he had been invited into her space.
He smiled at her and offered his hand.
"I'm Harry Potter, nice to meet you." He said.
"Pansy. I don't quite know what to make of you yet Potter. Draco has decided your worth befriending. That in of itself is impressive, plus with your various magical achievements. I don't know how I feel about you yet. I need to observe a bit I think." She said finally.
Harry nodded his acceptance at the analytical and logical girl before facing the other boy.
"Your Blaze Zabini right? Son of Alexis Zabini, the black widow?" Harry asked awed.
"Yes. Mother is currently on her seventh husband. I don't think he'll make Yule personally." Blaze replied with a smirk.
"I think your mom is amazing. I've read all about the Black Widow who amassed a fortune by marrying and tragically out living six Husbands." Harry said in awe.
"I like you Potter. Your a nice change from the normally goodie goodie people from your house. The ones that won't even be seen talking to us, let along riding up with us or eating meals with us. Draco said you'd be joining us for the feast?" He inquired.
"Yeah. I mean if no one minds and it's allowed of course." Harry replied.
"There isn't a rule anywhere that says you have to sit with your house at meals. No one will mind you being there once they see Dray is cool with you being there. He runs the house so what he says goes." Zabini said.
"Besides even I think your far more interesting than we first believed. I'd like nothing more to observe you for a bit longer." Pansy said.
"Well than I'll certainly sit with you. It's got to be more pleasant than sitting with Hermione and Ron. They've been icing me out since the cup." Harry responded.
"That's because they're dead weight Harry, just like I told you. They want nothing more than to ride your coat tails to fame and money. The minuet they heard of you possibly doing something dangerous or dark they started to freeze you out, their manipulators." Draco said trying to reinforce his point.
Harry just looked at the ground and nodded. Accepting what Draco said as fact was hard when these were the only friends he had when he first came here. Thinking those people could be gone or might not have existed at all hurt. It hurt far more than he'd admit. Pansy eyed him as if she knew what he was thinking and offered him a small sympathetic look.
"It doesn't mean that it's painless when you actually experience it. It still hurts when they actually begin to turn on you. That's what Potter's feeling. Am I right?" She asked looking at Harry.
"In a nut shell yes. There have been things over the years that haven't made sense. Hagrid being sent for me. Hermione being in THAT bathroom and the troll miraculously showing up. The way Hermione pep talked me into the chamber to face Voldemort. How Ron knew that I needed help the summer before second year. How he had the perfect answer ready when the barrier shut down on us. The fact that they both assumed when the petrified students began appearing that I'd step up. How Hermione solved the mystery about the Basilisk and it was expected that I'd save Ginny Weasley apart from me only meeting her once or twice. Even last year with Hermione just happening to have the answers to all our problems wrapped around her neck all year.
This past summer when Molly Weasley told me she'd received extra tickets to the world cup box office. She said the Minister had invited them all out of his own pocket, but he seemed surprised to see us there. Combined with the fact I had just given Molly my vault key that summer for school stuff. I don't think it's a coincidence that Ron and Ginny got new cauldrons and robes the same day. What about the tickets I heard about those a couple days later! It could all have been a set up. All of it, I'm starting to think none of it was real. They weren't ever my friends. The only ones who seemed to truly care were the twins and Ginny. How can I know what's truth and what's fiction?" Harry ranted angrily as hot tears poked his eyes.
"Oh Harry! You let a Weasley hold your vault key? You need to get to Gringotts as soon as you can. The Weasleys were disgraced when Molly stole money from the Perverell family. It's a high crime of theft from an Ancient and Nobel House. If she'd been convicted she'd be in Azkaban right now!" Draco exclaimed.
"Is that the reason for your families feud?" Harry asked.
"In part yes. The Malfoy family consider the name Weasley lower than dirt because of the trickery Molly used. She is said to have used the money she stole to build that horrid home of hers. The Malfoy family was close to the last batch of Perverell. My grandfather was the god father of the last known descendant." Draco replied.
"So do you really think they would still from me?" Harry asked. A heart broken look crossing his face.
"Not Arthur even Father says he's honorable. But his Banshee wife? Definitely. Ron Weasley? He's been trying to get his paws on your fame and glory since first year, so yes. The others I don't think would do something like that. Just those two. If you can prove it they'll share a joint cell in Azkaban for stealing from an Ancient and Nobel House as well as the biggest Celebrity in our world. They'll never see the light of day again." Draco replied.
"But then the whole family get's dragged through the mud. No if I'm going to do this I need to be smart. Talk to Arthur and explain. Maybe he'll relinquish them from the family. If he does I can have them prosecuted without further damaging the family's reputation." Harry pointed out.
"Whoa Potter. That's some pretty Slytherin thinking there, are you sure your in the right house?" Blaze asked with a grin.
"The hat did say I'd have done well in Slytherin." Harry replied flippantly.
"So why the hell did you go to that house? It's day the hat was right. What could have possibly happen in the span of a few hours to completely put you off the idea?" Pansy asked.
Draco at this point looked at the floor not meeting his friends eyes.
"What you do mate?" Blaze asked Draco pointedly.
"He gave me a very bad first impression of those who go in to that house. He was cocky arrogant and narcissistic. I thought that going to Slytherin was the worst possible outcome at that point in time. Maybe I was wrong." He paused looking at the three around him. "Maybe I'd have made actual friends if I hadn't been put off by one bad seed." Harry concluded.
"Hey! I got a lot better as the years passed." Draco said indignantly.
"I wasn't referring to you this time Draco, I was mentioning Tom Riddle." Harry replied.
The three Slytherin students shook at the name. As if they had some sort of sour taste in their mouths. The carriage stopped moving and the four stepped out and proceeded inside the castle. Not all students were at their own houses table. Harry saw some Hufflepuffs with the Ravenclaws and the like. So he calmly followed Draco to his table and sat down beside them. Surprisingly only one student, an upper year, seemed put out by his presence. Only a glare from Draco silenced any comment that would have came from him. He was there about five minuets when opposite from him Blaze and Pansy rose and were going for their wands until a look from Draco made them back down. Draco turned and Harry looked behind them and standing there was Ronald Weasley.
"Harry mate. When we didn't see you arrive with the rest off the House Hermione was worried she took off down the trail to look for you. What are you doing with those slimy snakes?" Ron asked a disgusted look coming over his face as he mentioned the Slytherin students.
"Well Weasley. Before you interrupted us and caused us to loose our appetites with that mug of yours. Potter and I were about to enjoy some pleasant conversation with Blaze, Pansy, and maybe Greengrass and Nott while we ate dinner. Now could you please return to your table, some of the younger years are looking a bit green from prolonged exposure." Draco replied.
"Harry why are you sitting with Malfoy, our friends are over at the house table waiting for you." Ron said as he began to lose his patience following Malfoy's insult.
"He isn't your Mate Weasley, not anymore. So leave and go back to your Mudblood." Pansy spit out icily.
"Your going to let her talk about your friend like that Harry? What's going on here exactly?" Ron asked as he began to fear for their cover.
"I can't deny the truth Ron. But I think you know what's going on here." Harry said speaking to Ron the first time.
"So your going to let her talk down to Hermione and sit with them at meals? What, are you a Death Eater in training now? Come on Mate let's cut the jokes and go to our table." Ron tried.
"I'm not your Mate. I can't defend Hermione against something that's the truth. Just go away Ronald." Harry replied.
"Would you like us to remove him for you Draco?" Pansy asked grabbing for her wand.
"I'm leaving. But don't think for a second Harry when I go back there alone that they aren't going to start gossiping about why. I can't protect you from rumors and such about if your going dark!" Ron yelled at Harry.
"Then don't." Was Harry's low reply.
With that said Ron stormed away from the Slytherin table just as said Head of House made his way down from the head table. His black beady eyes focused at the lion in their mist. He glanced at how closely he was sitting with Draco and the others before making a decision.
"Good evening Draco, Miss Parkinson, Mr Zabini, Mr Nott, Miss Greengrass, Mr Potter. Is everything going alright down here I saw a disturbance." Severus asked.
"It's alright Professor. It was a personal drama. I should have handled it myself and shouldn't have brought it in to your house I apologize for disrupting dinner sir." Harry said. Surprising Severus.
"That's alright Mr Potter. Thank you for taking responsibility for your actions here. Twenty points to Gryffindoor and Slytherin for defusing a particularly dramatic situation. I dare say I look forward to Potions tomorrow Mr Potter. Let's see what else you've learned." Snape said.
"Wouldn't miss it Professor." Harry replied.
Severus headed back to the head table just as Dumbledore went to stand at his podium. His beginning of the year speech seeming eminent.
"So it has arrived. Another year at Hogwarts has begun and new students have joined each house. I must say that in all my years I haven't seen such a group of young minds staring up at me. This year is one of the first In nearly a century where Hogwarts has just about been filled to it's current capacity. Considering what will be beginning in the next couple months this is particularly problematic. You see Hogwarts has been chosen to host the Triwizard Tournament this year. Two of our neighboring schools will be joining us for the year." He paused and raised his wand. Moving the two tables on either side as far against the wall as possible and conjuring two new tables in the middle. "As such we will be opening the other two dormitories int the west wing for our guests. Please help me welcome our neighbors from Bulgaria. Durmstrang and their Head Master Igor." Dumbledore continued.
A group of large men back flipped through the main doors and began walking toward the front of the room with staffs banging the ground every so often. Their Head Master shook hands with Dumbledore and then the students began to break into a run. They flipped they dashed and finally they landed in their seats at one of the two new tables.
"Is that?" Harry asked.
"It sure is. It's the Bulgarian Victor Krum." Malfoy answered.
"Now please welcome the Ladies of Bauxbatons Academy of Magic!" Dumbledore shouted over the crowd.
Ladies dressed in blue practically floated into the room. A giant woman amongst them. Harry laughed as he saw Ron Weasley and Seamus Finnigan practically drooling over them before Hermione, whom had returned to the castle slapped Ron's head.
"Their Head Mistress Madame Maxime." Dumbledore paused to kiss her hand. When all settled down he continued. "There will be a drawing on Halloween to select competitors for the Tournament, though do to the risk and danger the tasks present the age limit is seventeen. No one under that may enter." He paused and waited for the roar of protests to die down. "You will be competing for the Triwizard cup and ten thousand galleons. But I will go more into that on Halloween. Before we all tuck in I wanted to mention something of great importance. For the first time since Tom Riddle two students have showed the intelligence and skill needed to skip a grade. This student has been made a fifth year as well as a Prefect so I'd like to congratulate Draco Malfoy. He took his final exams for fourth year over the summer and got nearly perfect scores. So it gives me great pleasure to say he is this years male Prefect for Slytherin house." He waited while the Slytherin's clapped for Draco before continuing.
"Now the second student did not sit their exams. Instead they received perfect scores on all third year curriculum. This student did this with Dementors roaming the grounds and a escaped prisoner chasing them. So over the summer it was decided that this student be given the same honors as mister Malfoy. Harry Potter if you could please come up here." He finished.
Harry's eyes shot up and met Draco's. Both boy's were equally surprised but never the less Harry rose from his seat and headed forward. He looked over and Ron looked constipated while Hermione looked shocked and enraged that someone had pout done her in not one but every subject the previous year. He stopped when he finally reached Dumbledore.
"It's a great Pleasure to announce that Harry Potter is a fifth year Gryffindoor and this years Prefect!" Dumbledore boomed.
As cheers erupted around him only one thought stuck.
'Snape gave me a perfect score?'
Author's Note 2: So there is chapter two and lots of stuff has changed. This year is going to be interesting for Harry and co.
Length: This chapter was longer then the last. But don't expect this every time. It depends on a lot of variables.
Draco/Harry's skipping: I thought it would be an interesting twist. I've literally never seen it done and it fits for what I want to happen. Plus can you imagine Hermione's face about now?
Slytherin Harry: Nope he isn't getting resorted, at least not for awhile. I want to explore how his dorm mates are going to torment him awhile before I even consider the idea.
Drarry: Sorry even though it might seem where their headed, it's not. This eventual Tomarry Tom/Harry all the way. Not for awhile though.
Slash stuff: The slash will be explicit! It won't be over run with porn but there are three sex scenes I have planned. They will be properly marked and easy to skip if one desires.
Crouch Jr: He's there, I just didn't mention him with all that's happening.