Author: Obsidian Kitsune
Title: Pity The Child
Rating: PG-13 for now, I'll change as needed.
Genre: Harry Potter
Type: AU- Drama/Angst
Premise: What if the prophecy concerning Harry and Neville had played out a different way? How would have Harry then grown up, raised by his real parents, and not the Dursleys? Were his parents really the perfect couple?
Authors Note: The whole idea was taken from the song "Pity the Child" from the musical Chess. If you've never seen it before, I'd suggest it, it's really quite good. Though this idea was based on the song, the story itself is NOT following the musical itself, as it wouldn't really fit in the Potter-verse, lol. I just really liked the song ^_^ It could also fit Severus Snape a bit, if you play around with it, but that's not here. As stated above, this is an AU FIC!!! As in, if people flame me informing me that what I have written is not how things went, well, duh! I'm not following JKR's storyline, hence AU.
Disclaimer: If I was JKR do you really think I'd be writing fan fiction based on my own set of books??? I rest my case. Now never ask again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chapter 2:
In a large, well appointed room, in an equally large, wealthy manor, a young boy sat on his bed reading. Books were his escape, his way of getting out of the stressed atmosphere that pervaded the house. In them, he could ignore the sounds of the fighting couple downstairs, the sounds becoming the noises of battles against dark wizards, dragons, and goblins. As long as he stayed out of it, and didn't expect anything from them, he was safe.
But even he couldn't ignore the sound of a large vase crashing against the wall. With a growl, Harry Potter grabbed his brand new racing broom- the Nimbus 2000, and went to his large window. Throwing open the glass, he mounted his broom and left his room via the window. Besides books, flying was his only other escape from his quarreling parents down below. Outside the open air felt wonderful on his skin. He did a few laps around the grounds, idling wondering what his parents were arguing about this time. Once when he was younger, he had found some pictures of his parents from before he was born. They had looked so happy and carefree. Sometimes, in the dark of night, he wondered if he was the cause of their unrest. His parent's friends, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black were quick to kick that theory out the door though, when he had brought it up. Still, he wondered sometimes.
He idly flew down to the first story bank of windows, looking in to the dining room which is where he thought his parents had been arguing. He was right. His father was yelling, it seemed, facing his mother with one hand upraised, holding a parchment. Harry was surprised, James Potter didn't usually yell, he was horribly hen-pecked by his wife Lily.
Curious, he flew in closer, hoping to see what was in his father hand, without being seen. Squinting his eyes through the lenses of his glass, he could just make out green ink, and the word Hogwarts.
It was his Hogwarts acceptance letter!
Now Harry was mad. It was one thing to forget about his birthday, he was used to that. But to keep his letter from him? Now that was just criminal. He flew back to his window and inside, quickly dismounting from his broom. He didn't bother looking in the mirror, as his hair was a lost cause as it was. By now the ruckus downstairs had calmed down, and he couldn't hear anything. Squaring his shoulder, Harry left his room and headed down to the dining room.
By now both his mother and father were giving each other the silent treatment. James had an uncharacteristic look of triumph on his face though. Walking through the double doors Harry stopped an equal distance from his parents and addressed them.
"Has my Hogwarts letter come in yet, Mother, Father?"
He didn't let on that he knew it was already here and that they had been fighting over it. His father turned to face him, his face, so similar to Harry's own, breaking into a grin.
"Ah, Harry! Good morning to you, son. Yes, your letter has arrived for you, here." James handed his son his Hogwarts letter with a flourish. Lily, who by this time had turned back to the two men in her life, snorted delicately. She didn't agree with sending her only son to Hogwarts at all, she's rather he went to Beauxbatons. It was far classier then that drafty castle that was Hogwarts.
Harry scanned the letters contents, noting the required items he had to bring, and what was and wasn't allowed. He grimaced, noting that first years weren't allowed brooms. So much for Padfoot's birthday gift then. Hoping to get a second opinion he showed the line in his letter giving the bad news.
"Hey dad, you're friends with Dumbledore, do you think you could do something about this?"
James scanned the rule, and frowned confusedly. "How is that a problem, son? You don't have any broom except for the old practice broom. Surely you don't want to bring that? There are better ones at the school you can use until you get a real broom."
"Dad, I have a broom, it was Sirius' and Remus' birthday gift to me. Today. Remember?"
Both his parents blinked, then went slightly pale. They had been so busy fighting that neither had remember the reason why their sons Hogwarts letter had come that day. It was his birthday. Their son was now eleven. James cleared his throat and tried to play it off, as if he hadn't forgotten.
"Ah, you do, do you? I had thought they were going to wait until later today to give it to you…" He trailed off, a bit unnerved by his sons unbelieving look. Lily didn't even bother trying to play off their faux pas. Her son was almost a stranger to her now. She didn't understand him, and didn't bother trying anymore.
"Uh huh. Of course Father. So, can you do something about that? I don't want to leave my Nimbus behind."
"Afraid not Harry. That rule is for safety reasons. You'll just have to wait until your second year to bring it. A Nimbus you say?"
"Yeah, brand new model, the 2000. I'm going out now to try it. Are we going to Diagon Alley later to pick up my stuff? I have to get some new robes, and potions ingredients. I've got everything else already I think."
Lily nodded, briskly taking the note from her son's hands and scanning it herself. "All right then, I have to pick up some things myself, I'll take you later. Do try to make sure you are presentable though, son." She fingered his flyaway locks, a faintly disapproving frown on her face.
He ducked out from her hand, heading for the door. "Yes Mother. Thanks. I'll be back in a bit." It wasn't like he could help what his hair looked like, after all. It was just like his dads, same as his bad eyesight and his looks. He went back up to his room to grab his new broom, pondering as he went. Maybe he should grow his hair long, like his Godfather Sirius? It just might be manageable, and would certainly drive his mum nuts. She hated Sirius' hair, and constantly nagged him to get it cut. Grabbing his broom he left again, going downstairs to exit the house properly this time through the door. He paused by the dining room doors again, hearing his parents arguing about who had forgotten his birthday, and whose fault it was. Snorting and rolling his eyes he continued to the large double doors. Before he could open them though they opened by themselves, allowing his two favorite people into the foyer. Sirius and Remus, both laden down with some packages.
"Hey Kiddo! Happy birthday sport!" Sirius dumped the packages he had been carrying into Remus's hands to his tolerating sighs, and picked Harry up and spun him about in a big hug. From behind the pile of packages Harry could here Remus add in his birthday greetings as well. Finally Sirius let down a breathless laughing Harry, fondling ruffling his hair. "How have ya been kiddo? Did you like your first present?" He nodded to the broom in Harry's hands.
"Yeah! It's great! Thanks a lot, you guys, it means a lot to me. Oh! I got my letter today!" He grinned up at his Godfather and his mate, though his eyes clouded over again a moment later. "Though I didn't know I had until I heard them arguing about it." By his inflection, they both knew who they were. Both he and Remus shared a glance, and Remus grimaced softly in annoyance.
After a moment of awkward silence, Remus put his stack of presents down on a chair in the foyer, and gave his own hard hug to Harry. "So Harry, ready to go to Hogwarts?"
Harry nodded, grinning as he went to sort through the various wrapped parcels. "Yeah, though I think it was a close call. Mum still wanted me to go to Beauxbatons for some reason. Dad won that time though. So I'm going to Hogwarts come September 1st."
Remus snickered and thrust his palm out to Sirius. "Pay up. You owe me now Padfoot!"
Sticking out his tongue in a very childlike gesture, Sirius did as told, digging ten sickles out of his pocket. "Well, I'll win next time, mark my words Moony, I will win next time!" He said this in his best evil man voice, causing Harry to double up with laughter. Sirius went and took the stack of presents off the chair while Remus pushed the still giggling Harry into it.
"Happy Birthday Harry!" They both chorused together, Sirius placing the parcels about Harry. "Well Harry, what are you waiting for? Open up!"
The trio spent the next few minutes happily tearing into the gaily-wrapped gifts, with Harry exclaiming over every new item opened. This was, quite possibly, the best birthday he had had in awhile. After the gifts had been opened and thank-you's made, they retired outside to test out Harry's broom. While playing, Harry expressed his idea to Sirius about growing his hair out. Both he and Remus thought it would be a bit of fun to see Lily's reaction to her longhaired offspring. She did, after all, tell Harry she wanted his hair presentable for when they went to Diagon Alley.
When Lily and James finally emerged from the dining room, it was to the site of Remus and Sirius standing with a longhaired Harry in front of them. They charmed his hair to grow a bit, and now he could keep it back in a neat tail, without a bit of it sticking out.
Lily frowned a little, pursing her lips, but she really couldn't say anything, as he was quite neat and presentable. She decided to later have words with Sirius though, as he undoubtedly was the one who influenced her son to do such a thing. Smoothing down the planes of her robe she surveyed the smiling, happy group, and offered a small tight smile of her own.
"Hello Sirius, Remus, I hope you are both well?"
"Yes, quite well Lil's, thanks for asking." Sirius, quite unrepentant for his influences on Harry, gave her a wide sunny smile, though inwardly he was upset with both her and James for the treatment of his Godson. Remus settled for a simple nod to the twain.
"We're both well. We came to drop off Harry's birthday presents, and to talk with James."
"I see. Well, Harry and I are off to Diagon Alley to pick up his school supplies. Will you both be staying for dinner?"
"We'll see. For sure we'll be here to see Harry when you both get back."
Lily nodded, stepping forward to collect Harry from Remus and Sirius. "All right then. Come along, Harry." He dutifully stepped up beside his mum, and giving a last smile to his Godfather and Remus, followed her to the fireplace which had the flew connection. With a swirl of green flame and the shouted command of "Diagon Alley!" they were both gone.
Almost at once the pleasant smiles on Sirius and Remus' faces disappeared as they rounded on James Potter.
"So, Prongs. Forgot Harry's birthday again?"
"Really James, he is your only son, how could you do that? Once upon a time, you were so excited to be a father, what happened?" Remus spoke, disapproval dripping off of his every word.
James stepped back a few paces, hands help out in front of him as if to ward off his two friends. Sirius and Remus looked at each other, and nodded once. Each one taking an arm, they hauled him into the dining room for a serious talk of priorities.