A Prelude of Things to Come
…
It is said that Harry J. Potter, born to James and Lily Potter on the 31st of July, 1980, lived his life in constant conflict and strife. After the death of his parents by the hands of the Dark Lord Voldemort, he grew up believing the gift of magic was nothing but a fantasy. Being left to his aunt, her husband, and their son, Harry's pain was unending. His relatives unrelenting in their pursuit in crushing his hopes and dreams due to their hatred of anything they saw as "unnatural".
However, on his 11th birthday, he received a gift. He was given the right to enter the magical world of wizardry, of which he truly belonged to.
Not long after, he attended Hogwarts, a school meant to train young witches and wizards, to teach them the sacred arts they had been blessed with.
For the first time in his life Harry experienced joy, conjuring spells, brewing potions, riding broomsticks, and was even able to snag a couple of friends, those being the genius that was Hermoine Granger and the ever "talented" Ron Weasly, along with a few others down the line.
For a time, Harry was happy.
It didn't last long
For every year he stayed connected to this mystical world, the more he seemed to attract the dangers that came with it. Soon enough, he was faced with the same evil that took away his parents.
Day after day, month after month, year after year, the danger grew closer, until the ones he came to love began to fall. Friend and foe alike, death followed him.
Then, just like that, the evil was slain.
Tom Riddle, the great Lord Voldemort, was no more. His followers soon after.
The day was saved. The man responsible was no more.
Of course, the people Harry loved who fell could never be brought back.
Not his mother. Not his father. Not his godfather. Not his friends. Not even his mentor.
But he lived on.
With Ron and Hermoine by his side, and his wife Ginny, Harry lived the rest of his days, not quite in peace, but in blissful content.
This… is not that story.
At least, not quite
...
Our story begins on a somewhat grey, yet still undeniably pleasant, afternoon on a grassy plain overlooking a gorgeous lake. Although, for the three men who stood* in waiting near the lake, the state of the weather didn't necessarily matter in this case.
* Actually, for two of the men, "standing" should have been replaced with sitting, since that's what they were doing.
Now, to say the two gentlemen sitting upon the wooden bench underneath a great oak were a bit anxious was a horrible understatement. At this very moment, both men, one tall and one short, were here on a clandestine mission to meet with one of the greatest hero's this side of the British Isles. This particular meeting was of grave importance as well, for the fate of all magic folk, from the purest of pure-bloods to the lowliest of squibs, rested in their sweaty palms. Of course, who else had this kind of weight on their shoulders if not the Unspeakables.
"B-beautiful, ain't it?" asked Daniel, the short one, in order to break the suffocating silence.
"Agreed," replied Nathan, the tall one, in his usual monotone.
"W-we should come back here and have a picnic sometime, wouldn't you say?"
"Definitely,"
"Yes, maybe with a couple of those muggle games they're always advertising on the t-telly,"
"Like what?"
"Well, there's this one I saw, right, where both you and I would have to throw these, I think, colored satchels into this piece of board with a bullseye on it. Whoever makes it closer to the middle gets more points."
"Oh?"
"Yes, and I believe whoever makes one into the hole that's in the middle of the bullseye gets the most."
"My goodness."
"Right? I say, what these muggles lack in decency they more than make up for in creativity."
"Agreed."
"Right."
"..."
"..."
As one of the few organizations in all of magical Britain who had legal reign over any and all types of magical research, experimentation, and/or investigation, it was their duty to uphold the sanctity of their realm, be it from alien forces or from within their own. However, from time to time, they themselves found some trials best left to more experienced hands, especially if those hands belonged to heroes like the person they were expecting.
If only said hero would show up.
"Excuse me, s-sir," the shorter of the cloaked Unspeakables squeaked, calling out the third man who stood by the oak, "a-are you sure he received our missive?"
The "sir" in question didn't so much as blink in response, intent on finishing the article the Daily Prophet recently published concerning the disappearance of a certain notable member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
"Um… e-excuse me, sir!?" Daniel called out again, this time raising his voice slightly, "Are you sure he received our-"
"He'll be here." stated the third man, cutting off the intolerable ninny who seemed hell bent on straining his already paper thin patience. Finding where he had left off, it was clear to him that the evidence pertaining to the whereabouts of this person was practically non-existent, if the outlandish inquiries The Prophet was spouting was anything to go off. Seriously, who vacations in Tasmania, of all places?
"But sir," spoke the taller of the two ninnys still sitting on that insufferably stiff bench, "We have been waiting here for over an hour now. Is there any chance he-"
"Enough," the sir barked, the proverbial line he had placed for those who evoked his ire now thoroughly snipped, "I understand your concerns, gentlemen, but I must insist. This hero of yours justhas a tendency to keep others waiting, though I'll admit no fault to his own. So just… be patient."
Neither Unspeakable looked all that pleased with the man's answer, but they nonetheless kept quiet, mostly because they wanted nothing more to do with the other man. Not that said man minded, finally able to finish his actical.
Just then, as the last few lines on his paper came to view, a thunderous roar was heard. For a slight moment the man, along with the two frightened Unspeakables, sat upright in alarm, wondering how a bloody dragon had found its way to this meadow, only for a dark shape to suddenly appear from behind a nearby hill. The shape itself was familiar, but the man had never seen this particular model before. Its body was slim and sleakish, its black polish shimmered in the midday sunlight, its mighty roar ever present. It flew with the speed of a hippogriff and the grace of a fairy.
Yes, what had been flying above his head was your standard automobile that had been charmed to hover above the very ground it was destined to forever be chained to.
"Hmph, finally." the man said, unimpressed.
As it neared, the faint sound of some angelic voice was heard, its voice becoming louder and louder as the car came closer, until it was almost defining. After a minute more, the vehicle finally touched down to the earth, its landing smooth and without fault, just a few yards away from the oak.
Daniel and Nathan were both mesmerized by the sight. Sure, flying cars were nothing too special, especially nowadays, but this one was different, they could feel it. For one, no car they'd seen could produce such a mighty roar, nor could the others fly with such grace. The charm-work must have been something else, too.
And that singing. My, it was amazing! Fantastic, even! The men swore that even the muses themselves would scoff in envy.
As Daniel and Nathan became more and more enticed with the flashy show being put on, the man standing by the tree had become ever increasingly fed up. Though he had to admit, the music was superb.
Just when both Unspeakables believed it couldn't get any better, the door to the vehicle swung open, revealing the driver, though more importantly, the hero they had been waiting for.
"H-Harry P-P-P-," Daniel tried to say, his stuttering getting the better of him.
"Potter," finished the third man in mild disdain.
Making his way from the car was none other than Harry James Potter, the so-called Boy-Who-Lived and savior of all magical Britain, now all grown up. Standing just an inch over six feet, the lean young man wore a well put together ensemble of dark jeans, a pair of decent Oxford's, a dark henley shirt, a well-fitted suit jacket, and, to top it all off, a pair of circular shades, not unlike his iconic glasses he wore as a kid. His hair had been cut short, no doubt to keep that bird's nest under control. Lastly, while slightly faded, a lightning bolt shaped scar could still be seen on the man's forehead, the man no longer caring to hide it.
"Hi there," Harry greeted with a warm smile, not a few feet away from the now standing Unspeakables, "Sorry about the wait. Traffic was insa-"
"Oh my g-goodness!" Daniel practically shouted, cutting off Harry in the process, "THE Harry Potter! Right in front of me no less!"
Not a moment later, Daniel was in front of Harry, shaking his hand and spouting endless greetings and salutations, unbothered by the tardiness of the hero in question. Nathan, on the other hand, was still in awe of the man's entrance, thanking every god and/or goddess out there for being blessed with this assignment.
"Oh, but where are my manners!?" Daniel proclaimed, finally letting go of Harry's hand, "Daniel D. Wrinkleback, a-at your service! And the gentleman standing behind me is Nathan Rickshaw, also at your service!"
"Hello." Was all Nathan could say.
"Uh, hi." Harry said back, "So I guess this means you guys are here to-"
"Oh! My apologies Mr. Potter! Again, I f-forget my manners!" Daniel sputtered, cutting off Harry once again, "You have no need of our nonsense! You're here for the mission! Here, let me go get the-"
"Whoa there, buddy! Calm down," Potter soothed, worried the poor man would wear himself out before the day's end, "There's no need to rush things along, is there? Let's take it easy."
Daniel couldn't believe his ears or his eyes. There he was, Harry freakin' Potter, on a mission to save every magical being on these Isles, yet still finding a way to stay focused. Even for an Unspeakable, whose job was so similar, this was no easy task. And yet here Potter was, doing just that.
Simply extraordinary.
"Now, let's take it from the top, shall we," Harry then proceeded to take Daniel's hand into his own, giving the man the firmest handshake he had ever experienced, "Name's Harry, nice to meet you Danny."
"...n-nice to meet you, too."
"Now, let's get this over with huh!?" Harry proclaimed, clapping Danny on his shoulder before moving towards the bench, giving Nathan his own handshake.
Extraordinary.
…
"So, someone's gone missing have they?"
"Yes," Daniel replied, happy that Harry felt comfortable enough to sit in between the two Unspeakables, "You see, there was an incident involving our people and someone from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The same department you once worked in, if memory serves."
"Wow, no wonder the press is itching for info."
"Exactly," Nathan chimed in, "While no information has been leaked so far, I'm afraid we can't afford to wait this one out. If anyone outside our departments found out the truth of what happened, our rights to secrecy would be under risk."
"Oh, we can't have that now, can we" Harry chuckled, amused by their canter, "I know how you boys like your secrets."
"Precisely," Daniel couldn't help but agree.
"So, what did happen?"
There it was, the million dollar question. Must have been a dark one too, judging by the men's subtle flinches.
"Well, you see…" Unable to finish, Dan looked to Nathan for assistance.
"I'm sorry to say, Mr. Potter, but we can't release that just yet." the taller man explained, much to Harry's surprise.
"That's right. We can't. Not until you agree to come with us to the Ministry."
"Ah," with a faint chuckle, Harry gazed out to the lake, his smile never leaving his face, "I see."
After a good minute of silence, Daniel and Nathan grew weary of Harry's sudden plunge into quietude.
"Welp!" Harry barked standing up, frightening the two men slightly, "Guess I didn't come all this way to say no."
"...so, d-does that mean?" Daniel inquired, trembling.
"What else, my friend?" Harry answered, clapping his hands together.
"F-f-f-fan-fantastic!" exclaimed Daniel, practically jumping off the bench in joy, "We'll see you at the Ministry tomorrow then?"
"That's right. Just gotta give me enough time to settle in, is all. Haven't really visited all that much since I left."
"Oh, of course! We'll, just, s-see you soon then. It was an honor and a privilege to meet you, Mr. Potter" It was then that both Daniel and Nathan, after saying their final goodbyes, apparated away, no doubt to their Department, singing the praises of Harry's name.
Harry waited a few moments more blowing a much needed sigh, finding a comfy spot on the now unoccupied bench.
"You know," Harry called out, having finally acknowledged the third man, still standing by the oak, "I find it funny how you, of all people, were the one they asked to track me down. I figured they would've gone after Hermoine first."
To the untrained eye, or ear in this case, one would only find a quaint little statement made from one friend to the other. One would have to know there was an unasked question hidden in between in order to see it.
"I mean, it makes sense if Ron wasn't up for it. The only reason he'd come look for me is if he finally found a jinx worthy enough to use on the man that crushed his sister's dream. So would George for that matter."
The other man said nothing. He was too busy rereading the same article over and over again, hoping that Potter would leave before he'd let something slip.
"Neville wouldn't really know where to look. I could see Luna getting sidetracked by her work, Hagrid too. Hermoine though," Harry paused, mostly for affect, "She'd find me, no sweat. I mean, forgetting the fact that she's one of the few friends I left behind, she's the Department of Magical Law Enforcement's best investigator, or so I hear. So tell me.."
Harry turned his gaze upon the man, his smile still ever present.
"Why would it be you, Malfoy?"
Draco Malfoy, at last, met Harry's gaze head on, fully aware of his old rival's carefully hidden agenda.
"Beats me, Potter," Draco replied, his blue eyes staring down Harry's covered ones, "Why don't you ask them when we meet with them tomorrow."
"Oh? You're coming with?" Harry asked in general surprised, his other question left unanswered, "Didn't think Britain's next Minister of Magic would get his hands dirty this early on. What's your angle?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" the Malfoy scion responded, showing the slightest of smirks.
"Ha!" Harry bellowed, wiping away a genuine tear, "Come on, Malfoy! Where's the ole' Slytherin venom!? Don't tell me married life actually softened you up?"
"Piss off, Potter." Draco snapped.
"Screw you, Malfoy." Harry rebuked, standing up in the process.
…
And just like that, the tension between them relented, if only slightly. Harry laughed away, while Draco simply smirked.
"It's good to see you, Snakeskin."
"I wish I felt the same, Potter."
Both men began walking away, with Malfoy escorting Harry back to the deathtrap that was his car.
"Now tell me, why in God's name did you buy that American monstrosity." mocked Draco, "And an Impala, of all things."
"Eh, I found her in a scrap shop just outside NYC. Figured she'd look good after a tune up. Turned out I was right."
"You're telling me you actually fixed that up all by yourself?"
"Pfft, as if. I took her to an auto shop," Harry explained, "Did the charm work myself, though. Fitted her with everything I could think of."
"Oh?" spoke a bemused Draco, hovering a curious hand over the hood.
"Wow! Hold up!" Harry quickly snatched Malfoy's hand, keeping him from touching it, "I wouldn't do that if I were you. She can be… temperamental."
"...I see." Malfoy stated, snatching his hand back from Harry's hold, "Overdid it, did you."
"A bit," Admitted the Potter with a laugh, "Wanna ride?"
"Hmph, I don't see why not." Draco made his way to the passenger side, only to give Harry one last piercing stare beforehand, "However if you get me killed, I'll be sure to haunt your ass till the end of your days."
"Hah, you think that'll scare me?"
Both men hopped into their respective seats, with Harry turning the keys that had been left there.
"By the way, Potter. I must know, what is the name of that angel I heard when you flew in?"
"Uh," Harry thought for a moment, intent on shattering his rival's mind, but thought better of it, "It's… Mercury.
"Mercury?"
"Yes," Harry said, gazing forward, "Queen Mercury."
…
And there it was. The start of something not quite the same, yet familiar nonetheless.
Two rivals, while not friends, are more than they ever were.
Friendships now torn by unforeseen strife.
New mysteries to be solved.
More magic to see.
Good luck Harry.
You'll need it.
These Odd Days
…
Author's Notes
Alright! Hello everyone! I'm the Social Monstrosity, and this is my attempt at a Harry Potter fic.
I don't have much to say as of right now, other than I hope you liked what I have so far.
I didn't want to spoil too much, but I kinda needed to give some sort of summary that'd properly explain what this fic is actually about, so…
This will be your typical Alt Dimension fic, but with my own little twists.
Also, Harry will have a definite love interest, but part of me doesn't want to give it away yet.
Anyway, tha's me. Please favorite and/or follow, and if you could, send me a review, or, if you have a question, send me a question.
See you next time.