Another chapter in my view of "what if" Harry Potter story. This one will FINALLY finish up the intro kinda ( you'll see) it will also go into the money that these player get payed and service time and free agency. I'm just a fan so I'm bound to get things that will be wrong when its up to all that, but it is how I see these teams working with agents and whatnot. Anyway enjoy and please leave constructive feedback
Harry's POV
Well after the presser its finally time to get to turn my attention to this three game series against the Tigers. This whole thing so far has been a circus but Daph and I talked about it going in how local press will go crazy that one of their own is back after a long time away. I get to my hotel room and the first thing I do is throw the "throwback" Rays hat that I was wearing on the night stand and start to unpack and turn on the TV. I flip through the channels passing the news and ESPN as I do just cause I know that it would be about this series, and that is the last thing I want on my mind right now. Just then my cell rings and I see it's the team's security so I answer it confused. "Sorry to disturb you Mr. Potter, but a Mr. Snuffles is down here asking permission to come up is that ok?" He asks and I smile "of course Jake he's my Godfather from now on while we are here please just pass him through same for a Mr. Moony and a Tonks." It was one thing I forgot to do is set the pass list to have Sirius and Remus on so they didn't get stopped by security again. As I hear Sirius knock I smile a mile wide as it really has been too long WE talk for a whie about how his life has been in England and how I have been able to adjust to America. For me the biggest thing was even though the Americans knew what I was able to accomplish they still treated me like I was just another normal wizard. I think that I played baseball at a high level helped immensely.
"So Prongslett how are thing really going this year so far. I know that you signed that big deal during the off season but what does all this mean?" Sirius asked as much as he has learned about baseball there is still stuff like the financial side of things that goes over his head. You see I signed my last year of arbitration for 10 million USD. In British pounds that's 7,264,850 GBP and in to galleons its 1,458,805 G. that was a raise from my previous year of 7 mill. In the first three years I was being played 604,800 then in the first year of arbitration I was able to have the MLB agree that I should be paid 5 mill for the next year, and then as I just mentioned my last contract was for 7 mill. As I told him this I also mentioned that it has also painted a target on my back.
"See here ole dogfather with this being my final year of team control if the Rays start to do poor, then look for them to trade me because they think that there is no way I'll resign in the offseason. They could have sent me down in the first few years of my contract to gain an extra year of team control but it just hit too well and out played anyone they brought in to attempt it." He nods finally getting that I am going to do everything in my power to stay in a Rays uniform for as long as possible. Finally, Remus walks in and we enjoy my day off before one of the biggest series in my life starts tomorrow against those guys from Detroit.
Daphne's POV
Now that the press conference is over and the players are settled in to the hotel I start to walk out tword the alley to go back to my childhood home when I hear my phone ring
"Your dime my time" I give my traditional answer. I learned early being Harry's agent that just saying hello got old fast with how quickly he was moving in the minors and then in the majors getting different sponsors.
"Hey Daph its me. Can you meet me at the DoubleTree and we can grab a bite. You will need to be my guide here for the day before we get to the park" My best friend Dove Cameron said. Yes, that Dove Cameron she and Harry dated for a little bit a few years back and we hit it off. While that relationship didn't last Harry, her and I became great friends. Their split was more because when you have two people who are working all the time it normally ends bad, however Harry made sure that Dove always had tickets to his games if she wanted and likewise we had tickets to Dove's shows in New York if we were there. So I walk over and meet her for an early dinner. We laugh and head to a restaurant that I have been to just a few times. As our food gets ordered Dove asks me the question I feel I have had to answer since the Rays announced the series bing played in England.
"So Daph, how are you and Harry doing. I know he isn't looking forward to this but how are you with it all." I look at he , take a deep breath and say "He's happy that he gets to spend time with his Godfather and honorary uncle again without the time change messing them up. I am luckier that my dad has allowed me to stay focused on the job and not push and intrude on my life. You know Harry had it tough before he went pro. Im more concerned if one of his old friends shows up. Harry picked some really serious songs to walk up to you know." I show her the four songs that Harry and the Rays' audio coordinator shared with me. Her eyes grow and she looks to see if im joking. I shake my head and he just sighs "He's planning on a confrontation between them and it could go south. You guys know I will be there for you no matter what happens."
I nod because even though Dove might not know everything she knows enough to relize that this is going to be harder on Harry than he is letting on. We have always left wards on the tickets we leave at will call for Sirius and them but I saw Harry's list again and while he added Tonks and his godson Teddy. There was Hermione Granger and Family and Ron Weasley and Family. I was surprised that he actually added the names to the pass list but I guess he did when he was feeling nostalgia with coming home and thinking of their "great" days as gryfs. Anyway Dove and I finish dinner and I walk up to he hotel room and couldn't wait for the game the next day. If there was something about baseball its that the game is different every day you go out to the ball parks.
Hermione's POV
As I sit in my parents lounge im completely gob smacked that Harry is not only in the Country but is playing a muggle sport FOR A LIVING! I was sure for a while that we would finish our 8th year together and then enter wither the ministry or for me I would go to University. Now I see that he fled to the States like a coward wait until I get my hands on Black and Lupin I thought that they truly didn't know where he was but there is no way now that they didn't know, I wonder if he was struggling to make it to whatever this game is about.
"Honey wasn't that boy one of you friends from Hogwarts?" my mum asked
"Yes he was. I thought that after the battle we would go back to school then he would go to the ministry while I tackle the laws and drag the community into the 21st century" I say frustrated that after recovering their memories that I decided to instead of working in law after university I became the assistant Transfiguration professor. My dad feels the same always mentioning that they shelled over 31 GBP a year and that as a senior professor I would be making 46,000 (9236 Galleons 16 sickles and 3 Knuts) a year. I mean for peats sakes Ginny said that the sports person for the dreaded Prophet makes almost 1.5x that.
"Well dear it's a good thing we got tickets to Harry's game tomorrow. Some bloke I was working on asked if I liked the sport and offered me his box seats since he has to be out of town this week." My dad just says nonchalantly. I mean how can he just say it like that.
"Dad you are just mentioning this to me NOW?!" I shriek I mean not it was that but can you blame me my so called friend is in town and my father just so happens to have tickets to his game or is it match I really need to read up on this sport before tomorrow.
"Well darling if you would have gotten an owl we could have told you sooner, but to be honest all it says is that it's a team called the 'Tampa Bay Rays v. Detroit Tigers' how were we to know an old friend of yours was on one of those teams" My dad counters and I just have to sigh as he did make a good point. Regardless now I get to see Harry Potter again for the first time in five years and my stomach started to flutter like there was 1000 butterflies in it. Oh no not this again I thought these feelings were long gone
Well here is another chapter of this wild story. Now before I get it in the comments yes there was a little Hermione bashing but it will be for the better that this is done now than later on Trust me. Next chapter will be the game and the meet up of some 'old friends' Im finishing this as No Hitter between the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians just finished and I just want to congratulate Carlos Rodon on a fantastic No Hitter