Disclaimer: The characters you recognize: Not mine.
Chapter 1 And so it begins...
For five years, he tried to forget. The evil, the vow, and the curse, or was it really a curse? To be stripped of all his powers, to be left defenseless and alone…well he knew the alone piece was just something of his own making. He just felt that he could never fit back into that world. He had to vanish. Disappear and make a new life. Especially now that he was just…
Just what? No longer was he a great promising powerful wizard, but he still believed in the magic. He was not a muggle. Not a wizard. Stuck. Like a squib. Except not at all like a squib. His magic had been bound by a vow and a curse. The curse first to leave him powerless and defenseless to save his own life. But the vow was the promise. The thing in which he was most afraid. The promise stated that his powers would return to save another. The "saving people complex" again. He could not use magic to defend his life but all of his magic would return instantly to save someone else's. He hoped and prayed it would never return. It was too powerful. Too costly. He had felt how strong it had become after Voldemort's defeat. He knew it would be beyond his control. Beyond anything the world would see... And to have them returned so he could save someone? He was most certainly retired from this endeavour.
And so he left. It was much easier than he thought it would be. Harder than he could ever dreamed as well. But it was his choice. His first real choice, his first act of freewill was to leave. No longer bound by prophecy, or demanding professors or a determined headmaster or by friendship. Or by love.
Of course, now they had found him, through the postal system, no less. He grinned at the thought that all the powers in the wizard world could not do what a simple stamped letter could. Admittedly, he was more visible now, with the publishing of his first book.
It had created quite a sensation in the publishing world and the marketing of this "exciting young new writer" had been a bit much for Harry's tastes. Well J.H . Potter's case. He had adopted the J. as homage to his father, James. Most of his friends today didn't even know him has Harry, just J. He preferred it.
The book was a fictional thriller of a serial killer terrorizing a small town. What seemed to set it apart, according to the critiques, was the absolutely chilling description of the villain. "The author surely knows evil." One reviewer had written. And it was so true. After the rights of the book had been purchased for the American Edition, he was asked to be interviewed on the Today show and the interviewer made point to quote this review.
"J., Hedric O'Mallery of Literature Review states that 'The author surely knows evil.' Do you know evil? Do you believe evil exists?"
"Until I was eleven years old, I lived thinking my parents had died in a car crash. I learned the truth of their death, of their murders, at eleven. When an eleven year old, when any child needs to be told of their parents' murder, then yes, evil exists in this world. I had occasion to later confront the man who killed them. I looked him in his eyes, and they were cold and dark. Chilling. I learned much about this man. About his early talents in life and his opportunities before he became what he did. He made a choice of who he was to become and by the time I had my chance to see him, he was a complete dark creature. Not even human anymore really. Evil. I believe the true startling thing about evil though is that it exists in us all. We do really all have the capability to become something inhuman. And to confront this possibility leaves us changed."
Confronting the Dark Lord five years ago had certainly left him changed.
The letter was a surprise but not totally unexpected. Hermione had written to him in care of his publisher after seeing him on a BBC interview show. Her first reaction must have been shock. He was fairly certain she read his book too. Hermione would have read it immediately. The letter was casual, forced but breezy. So as not to make him uncomfortable, he knew.
Harry,
Congratulations on your publishing success! I am so proud of you and your accomplishment. I never dreamed you wanted to be a writer. But I guess we never took much time to discuss our dreams after the war, did we?
Ron and I would love to see you again. We have missed you. We're to be married next spring, and honestly Harry, it wouldn't be the same without you. Could we meet sometime for dinner? Call us at 023 84245487. We would love to have you at our flat (yes, Molly is still scandalized that we are living together) or we could go out to a nice restaurant.
Looking forward to your call. You'll always be our friend no matter what.
Hermione
Chapter 2"You should call her."
"I know."
"But will you do it?"
He sighed. "I don't know."
"Hermione is your best friend, Potter."
"Was. She was my best friend. Everything's changed now, hasn't it?"
"Yes, but if I had a friend like your Hermione. I'd call her."
Harry turned to his friend and laughed. "Drake, you of all people, trying to convince me to call her? You hated her in school!"
"Yes. But like you said, everything's changed."
AN: Reviews and suggestions appreciated. Let me know what you think. Thanks:)