Wow! I have never gotten such an overwhelming response for a story! I thank all of you for reading this and taking time to review it. Your reviews encouraged me to put this chapter up so quickly. I hope I don't disappoint you!
Please read author notes!
A/N: this is a very short transition chapter. You see, although Harry has left the wizarding world, the entire issue is left un resolved and so this story is mainly about Harry eventually forgiving (sorry to disappoint you if you don't like the idea of him forgiving everyone) the wizarding world. But it is a story of the path that leads to forgiving. However, Harry is not planning on forgiving the wizarding world, or ever setting foot into it again. And it will be a long time before he is forced to face a wizard again. Sorry about this being so short- I promise the next chapter will be longer (I hope anyway!)
A New Life
David Barnes walked up to the college administration building and followed the signs advertising night classes. He greeted the receptionist, "I'd like to sign up to take night classes." He said. Ten minutes later he exited the building as a registered student, tuition fully paid. He'd registered to take refresher courses and GCSE and A-Level prep courses.*
Then he went and got a new drivers license and bought a car. He spent the rest of the day driving around looking for an apartment and a job. He knew he could live off his bank account, but he really didn't want to have too much time on his hands because he knew he would just dwell on the past.
The second day of searching yielded an apartment that was an easy commute to the night school building and to a number of businesses. He applied for jobs at a number of businesses, but most wanted people with degrees. He finally found a menial labor in an assembly line job at a plant that made drills called Grunnings. He absolutely hated it, but it was a job that kept him busy. He was promoted to floor supervisor within two months. Then he was promoted to a desk job after six months.
It took a year for him to get enough schooling under his belt to take his A-Levels. By that time, he was an assistant vice president to the company. He quit, amid protests from a number of people and started going to University full time. He graduated in three years, then he went to medical school.
David had started dating a woman named Kathryn Taylor (who had taught one of his night classes) while he was in his second year at the university. They married when he started medical school. Kathryn's parents were worried about him being able to support their daughter while he was going to school full time. They, Kathryn included, were ever so surprised when he revealed how wealthy he was from an inheritance he had received. They bought a house first thing (paid in full) and settled in to married life.
His colleagues at the medical school found David not to be the typical struggling medical student. He seemed self assured and never had to cut down on classes to work through school-consequently he could take classes year round and compacted his schooling. He was married and had a house. In his second year of medical school his first daughter was born.
They named her Courtney Samantha Barnes. She had blue eyes and red hair, blue eyes from her mother and red hair from grandmothers on both sides. The year he completed medical school Kathryn gave birth to their second child a boy with black hair and green eyes (Kathryn couldn't figure out where those genes came from). David delivered him himself because they couldn't reach the hospital in time. They named him Michael Wayne Barnes.
*Thank you to reviewer She-who-shall-not-be-named for explaining the British education system to me somewhat. I'm still not sure how the adult education system works (are there even drop-outs in Britain and can they start back school later? I don't even know) but at least now I know the name of the tests.
A/N continued: If you haven't already guessed it, yes David is Harry (why else would I be writing about him?) So here is a timeline for both me and you to keep the dates straight.
2005-Harry 25, leaves wizarding world
2005-2006- becomes David Barnes, night school, works at Grunnings
2006-2009- university
2009-starts medical school, marries Kathryn
2009-2016- medical school (is seven years long enough? Well it is in this story.)
2010-Courtney born
2016-Michael born
2021-where we rejoin story in chapter four (chapter three will pretty much be to introduce Kathryn to you and see Harry/David as everyone else sees him now). 18 years have passed-Harry/David is almost 41 years old, Kathryn is 39, Courtney is eleven (see where Harry is going to be forced to face the wizarding world again?) and Michael is five.
Oh and about him working for Grunnings- I thought it would be amusing and I might someday write more about the experience of working along side Vernon, but certainly not any time soon. Hmm I think I should have Harry buy the entire company of Grunnings….
Again, thank you so much for your support and enthusiastic reviews!