Harry Potter and the Fate of Destiny

Chapter 1

For most reading this you'll automatically look at the title and assume that the main character is Harry. I hate to burst your bubble but I'm not Harry. I'm not from the UK even. I didn't even know the story of 'Harry Potter' until I transferred over to his school. 'Hogwarts' until my 'fifth year' as the magical Brits like to say.

I can't say I really liked him or his annoying friend Ron when I met them. He (Harry) was rash and inconsistent. He drove me up the wall on how he had so much 'power' and yet was an absolute idiot. To my chagrin I was sorted into the same house as him and his half-wit friend. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

My name? You probably won't find me mentioned much, if at all. I preferred to stay in the background. I won't even be listed as an acquaintance of Harry Potter. That's okay with me though.

I'm David Lammings.

You haven't heard of me huh? Didn't think so. I didn't marry any of the Brits. I didn't even stay in England for my whole life. I was only there for a while before returning home. But while I was there I did fall in love. But, her heart belonged to another. So, I figured I'd help her. But again, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Eh? Just shut up and start from the beginning? Okay, okay, I guess monologue went out of style years ago anyways.

"Hurry up David!" Professor Flitwick chided me as we crossed the platform to 9 and three quarters.

I rolled my eyes at the cheery professor but didn't say anything. He was a nice guy and all but much too eccentric. At least he wasn't as eccentric as the Headmaster of "Hogwarts". That guy I thought was crazier than a 'coon.

"Okay, so we made it. Now what?" I asked my instructor.

"You'll board the train and when you arrive you'll go to your house."

"So I'll be in Gryffindor right?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Just remember to address your professors with respect."

"Of course professor." I agreed.

"See you at the feast!" Flitwick said, spun on his heel and vanished with a 'pop'.

"Why didn't he just take me with him if he was going to do that?" I asked quietly.

With a shrug I found an empty compartment at the back of the train, put up my trunk and shut the door, preparing to take a nice long nap.

Not five minutes passed before my nap was so rudely interrupted by a ginger haired teen.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" He asked.

Apparently, my appearance unsettled the red haired boy. Behind him was a wild black haired boy with a distinct lighting bolt scar.

"Does it really matter?" I asked rhetorically, ignoring his language.

Personally I can't stand cursing. I think it makes you sound like an idiot. But if you want to sound stupid be my guest.

The red haired boy's frown devolved into a snarl and I wasn't sure what I had done.

"It's apparent that you have a problem with me. I don't care, but if that's the case go somewhere else."

"The other compartments are all full." He mumbled.

"Is that my problem?" I asked dryly.

"Ron, honestly, do you have to be so rude?" A soft; almost exasperated voice asked as she entered the compartment.

I felt my heart stop. She wasn't the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, true. But she had a...a radiance that I was drawn too. She had soft brown eyes and eccentric hair. Her eyes shimmered with knowledge and I was hooked. She was amazing!

"Hello." I croaked out.

"Hello. I'm Hermione Granger, and these are my two friends. Ron Weasley and Harry Potter."

Potter...Potter...that name sounded familiar. Oh yes, Flitwick said that he was some local celebrity or some such.

Why was he hanging out with that...Ron idiot?

Whatever, enough paying attention to stupid stuff. More focus on her.

"I'm David...David Lammings." I mumble in a rush.

"Are you okay?" She asked in concern as the two boys put up the trunks above.

"Y-Yeah." I feel my face slightly flush.

Let me get this straight. I've never been girl savvy. I've usually ignored them. Mainly because people around me have an IQ at least 95 points below mine. Mine is a solid 220 IQ. But on the flip side I have a terrible terrible time talking to people. I just don't relate to them. Give me a lab and I'll be happy. Put in a party and I'll want to kill someone...Okay, not literally but still...

"So what house are you in?" Hermione asked me.

"Gryffindor, and you?" I asked.

"The same."

"So uh...what are you interested in?" I asked politely.

Please let her have a brain!

"Just about anything not related to Divination." She said in a voice that I recognized all too well.

It reminded me of me and what I thought of one of my past history teachers. I choked back a laugh.

"So what are you working on right now?" I asked as I noticed a quill behind her ear and a bit of parchment sticking out of her pocket.

"Just an ancient Rune formula." She said.

"Could I take a look?" I asked curiously.

She smiled and handed me the parchment.

I scanned the paper and my eyes widened. She was either really sharp or she had outside help! This was easily NEWT level!

"You did this?" I asked in as level a tone that I could.

She nodded slightly, seemingly nervous.

"You my dear lady are my new best friend." I said happily.

At that the red haired boy; Weasley I believe snapped and struck at me.

I was unprepared to be attacked but I still managed to move just enough that it was just a grazing blow across the cheek.

He hit like a tank too.

"What is your problem?" I demanded as I drew my wand.

My wand was fairly long. Eleven inches made of American Crossfire talon and Ironwood. Good in all categories but being of the Crossfire core...well quite a temperamental wand. It won't obey others...at all. I had quite a bit of trouble with it too to be honest.

At that I stunned the boy.

"What is his problem?" I asked.

The black haired boy glared at me and didn't say anything while Hermione looked like she was arguing with herself.

"You do excellent work." I said before I handed back the parchment.

As much as I like her, I don't care for her taste in friends.

She smiled at that.

"Really?"

I nodded.

"Perhaps I could show you some of my work sometime?" I asked.

The boy with glasses looked like he was about to explode but Hermione put a hand on his and he quieted instantly.

Interesting. Looks like he respects her decisions. At least to some extent.

After that Harry unstunned his friend and the four of us fell into an uneasy silence. I took the time to nap again. Jet lag does that to one after all.

However, when we arrived at the school and Delores Umbridge started her speech I paid close attention. It got very...interesting to say the least and I didn't like one word of it. She seemed to be trying to place martial law on the school and me being the 'freedom fighter' I was well...it just didn't settle with me very well.

I did admittedly gain a bit of respect and disgust for Harry during the first defense class. One of the most boring classes I've ever had to waste time on.

I really wanted to talk to Hermione again but she was always around those two ignoramuses.

Hogwarts wasn't easy for me. I didn't volunteer myself for discussion so I was mostly ignored by the teachers, including Severus Snape.

The other students in Gryffindor either really annoyed me or didn't interest me. Lavender was a gossip fanatic as was Parvati, then we had 'Fan-Girl' Ginny, for the boys we had Neville, Ronald, Harry, and the two hellions Fred and George.

Yeah, I thought you might think that. I could only stand Neville. The others were just a pain in the neck. Of course Hermione was in a league of her own.

Okay, so I had a really big crush.

It was during defense class that I learned how... 'courageous' Harry really was as he was soon shouting at Delores Umbridge. Idiot. Take her down with logic and cunning. Works a lot better. Takes more courage too.

Watch me work Potter and eat your heart out, oh wait you had already had to head to Mcgonnagall's office.

"Excuse me Professor." I raised my hand respectfully, even though I hated the woman myself.

"Yes Mr-" She trailed off.

"Lammings Ma'am."

"Oh yes. Continue Mr Lammings."

"I'm not from Britain but I've been to some pretty dangerous places. I could really use some knowledge in protecting myself when I'm not in England. Would you be able to show me how to protect myself when I'm outside of this fine country?"

"Like from what?" She asked curiously.

I've got her; hook, line, and sinker. She didn't realize that I was playing her. I couldn't believe it!

"I was near a site that was attacked by an American Crossfire." At that the class looked at me quizzically, Umbridge included.

"An American Crossfire is a breed of dragon that's about as nasty as a Horntail." I explain.

Or rather more so. Some 'brilliant' mind thought it'd be interesting to breed a new type of dragon for America. Horntail, American Spitfire, and five or six other breeds. Nasty piece of work. At least the Magical Government had found uses for it though.

"I went to Romania and there were Vampires there." I added with a shudder.

Okay, I'm making parts of this up as I go. I've never seen a Vampire, or even been to Romania but she doesn't know that.

"Could you show me how to protect myself against monsters like those? Not all places have such a great government."

I got her. If she said no she'd look like an idiot, but if she said yes she'd have to actually teach something.

Either way, I won.

"I'm sorry Mr. Lammings. If I taught you all that It'd take the majority of the year and I have a curriculum I have to adhere to."

Okay, maybe she was smarter than I gave her credit for.

I nod woodenly at the teacher and she continued her lecture. While she did so I felt a note be passed into my hand from Lavender Brown who sat next to me.

"Don't read it until after class." She whispered.

I didn't make any sign of acknowledgment but I stuck the note in my robes.

Once class ended and I had some free time I opened the note and read. It was written in a neat form, with tiny words.

Meet me near the lake after classes are done. Hermione Granger.

I nodded to myself and found myself eagerly awaiting the end of classes.

Once the classes were done I made my way to the lake.

"You came." Hermione smiled as I sat next to her.

"Yeah. What's up?" I asked politely.

Her eyebrows raised at the American Slang.

"Hey, I'm a 'Yank' as the English like to call me." I said as I raised my hands defensively.

She smiled lightly.

"I asked you here because you seem to use that head of yours in an almost Slytherin way. Furthermore you don't seem to like Harry and Ron. What side are you on?" She asked directly.

I shrugged.

"Side? I don't have a clue what you're talking about. I'm not involved in the politics of this school, or country. I just do what I think is right. I see a wrong? I'll try to right it."

Her eyes gleamed with something I couldn't identify.

"Have you ever head about house elves?"

Sadly, I had not been warned about 'S-P-E-W'

"Vaguely. Not enough to do or say anything in regards to them." I shrug.

"They've been enslaved to do their masters bidding! They're abused and-" Thus begins an hour long interval that had nothing to do with why she originally called me over for.

However, I managed to listen and make the right noises long enough for her to get back on track. (Only after I agreed to at least learn more at a later date.)

"So, you tried to get us a better class in a very cunning way." She began again.

I nodded.

"It's easy to have reckless courage. You just charge. Your friend Harry has that in spades. It takes a greater kind of courage to take the cunning path. You know what dangers lie ahead because you thought it out already."

She frowned thoughtfully.

"I hadn't thought of it that way." She admitted.

"It's hard for us to reevaluate ourselves and our friends." I assured her.

"What do you think of my friends?" She asked curiously.

"You want the honest truth or the politically correct one?" I asked dryly.

She laughed lightly. We both knew that I didn't see eye to eye with her friends.

"The honest truth."

"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you." I warned her before letting her know exactly what I thought of them.

"Ron's an idiot. Reckless, doesn't think, and a jerk. He demeans others and ridicules those better than him. He thinks he's entitled to certain things but never works for it. He disgusts me. Harry...He's a bit better and an interesting case. I can't get as clear a reading on him. He's both very stupid and fairly smart. He's reckless and has a dry sense of humor. He's got agility and power aplenty but seems to think that Draco Malfoy of all people is a rival. Absurd. Harry's admittedly several leagues beyond that girly boy. I don't like either Ron or Harry but that's just me."

Hermione looked slightly upset but nodded in reluctant agreement as tears trailed down her cheeks. I don't know how I managed to influence her so and so quickly at that. Perhaps it's the fact that we're rivals already.

I knew I hurt her with the truth so I pulled her into my arms for a hug. She was sobbing and though she tried to pull away I held her close.

"Sorry, I knew what I said hurt you and I never wanted to do that but it's how I see them. I really don't understand how you three are friends. But, that's your decision."

"Harry saved me." She hiccuped.

This was news to me.

"What?" I asked.

"When I was in first year a troll entered the school and attacked me. Harry and Ron came and saved me." She whispered weakly.

"I can see why you're so loyal to them." I ran my hand through her hair.

"Can you tell me the whole story?" I asked gently.

She nodded into my chest and told me the whole tale.

I thought I disliked Ron before. Now I really didn't like him. The only hero in that mess was Harry and he was a flawed 'hero'. But that was life.

"I can understand why you would befriend Harry but why Ron? He was the one who put you in that position in the first place."

"He came to help."

But was it willingly or because Harry forced him? I found myself asking internally.

"I see. It's good to trust your friends and be there for them. Just...Be careful okay? I've got a feeling..." I trailed off and shrugged.

"A feeling?" She asked.

"Umm..." I mumble.

I really don't want to tell her what I think Ron is doing. I've hurt her too much already.

"Just tell me." She urged.

"I've said way too much already. I don't want to hurt you more."

"You know something." She said flatly.

I nod, not trying to deny it.

"What do you know?" She demanded.

"Please don't ask that of me. It's merely a suspicion right now. It could be me just being hateful towards someone I think is an idiot." I placate her.

I'm what is called an INTJ Rational Type. I like to have a plan A-Z with sub plans 1-200 for each letter. They call my personality the "Mastermind" type for a reason. I see fragments and read between the lines. Makes it almost like I predict the future. But really it's just me seeing what is going to happen next from a logical point of view.

Ron was the current analysis and I didn't like what I saw. But, I had been wrong before. Rarely, true, but it happened. I wasn't about to break up their friendship over my 'predictions' when they could be flawed. I needed more information and evidence. Ron might be a good guy and I just had some bad times with him. I needed to find out about Ronald Weasley.

Yes, my first OC in HP fiction that's been actually fleshed out, he does admittedly bear a few traits of myself. (personality typing and intelligence in particular) but I doubt this guy will really turn out too much like me. He's got several quirks that I'd find annoying myself... He's rather insulting and I don't like to do that for one... He's also very happy with staying out of the limelight. I'd rather take a position where I can get things done. That's a more focused point. He's a bit of a rambler as you might have come to guess and I've been having trouble keeping that from getting insane too...I don't like to do that much either...

Yes, he's American. I already know how much flak I'll get for that. "That's a cliche!"

Yes, I know, I know! I didn't want to really write an OC that just pops out of the UK in fifth year, and I highly doubt I could write a passable Aussie Accent yet either. It'd been really insane if I had him come from say...China or Japan because then I'd have a really tough time with accenting and I'd have to have a major focus on culture shocks.

He does have a reason that he's in the UK but that's parent related mostly.

He will not be a Gary Stu by any stretch of the imagination. He's decently powerful and very intelligent. But he doesn't beat Harry, He does beat Ron but that's not exactly hard... He doesn't get the girl.(Though I guess if you'd rather him get said girl it's possible...*cough via review cough*) He's forgotten in the UK even. He will not under any way shape or form sacrifice himself so that Harry wins against Voldemort. He doesn't even get close to Harry. He merely exists for a couple reasons and they focus on developing Harry, and David's main focus: Hermione.

He isn't perfect. He hurts others even when he's trying to help them. But he makes an active effort to fix the problem...

He uses a fairly 'common' wand type. American Crossfire is a fairly rare used material but Ironwood is dirt common in US wands.