*The Absolutely Unfortunate Harry Potter*

The Absolutely Unfortunate Harry Potter by Pseudonymous Entity

Summary: Harold James Potter -who much prefers 'Harry' thanks- is the only utterly ordinary member of the great Potter family. He doesn't have political ambitions, or a high IQ. He isn't even tall enough to get the cereal off the top shelf. There's a bitter and vengefull demon living inside of him though. That's something, isn't it?

Characters: Harry Potter

Warnings: ?

AN: A bit of a look into Harry's relationship with his sister

NOTE: Contains a conglomeration of inspiration from three or four novels outside of Harry Potter. Props if you're part of their fandoms.

Ever Yours, Pseu [The clever, magnificent and ridiculously good looking]

"Ten years from now when I turn around, Will I be satisfied when I look back on life

She tells me that I'm lost, I know that she will never understand

I know that I will do it all again.."

-Ten Years

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Once upon a time, Harold James Potter had been everything to Rose-Marie Rene Potter.

As much of a failure as he had always been to everyone else, the moment he walked through the door of her room at Saint Mungo's, or when she was feeling better through the door of her room at home, Harry became a hero. The very best older brother he could be, even if it was only by seven minutes.

Their parents had charged him with making certain Rose-Marie was okay and Harry had fallen into the role easily. When she felt better he helped her get around the house, made snacks for them, put on movies for her to watch and acted out stories for her entertainment, and he made her lunches before he left for school when out parents were off traveling, which was often.

When she was worse he brought he drawings in his notebook of all the people and things he'd seen that day at school and made up stories to keep her mind off all of the tubes, and wires, and beeping machines surrounding her small body on that giant hospital bed. Harry could make her laugh, make her smile when nothing and no one else ever could. He knew the names and amount of all of her medications and the times she needed to take them and had memorized the numbers for all of her doctors.

He still did.

Grandmother Dorea had often said that Rose-Marie had the only bad luck any Potter had had in centuries. And she was right.

But Rose was a Potter and she survived even when the doctors all said she wouldn't. When she started to get a little better their parents started the Heart2Heart foundation, a charity -international charity- dedicated to providing funds and care to underprivileged children the world over suffering heart conditions. And Rose became the face of it. The entire country seemed to rally around her, cheering for her with every successful surgery, the most recent just two years ago. Finally, Rose was healthy enough, strong enough, to do all of the things she'd never gotten to do.

Like go to school and make friends and see the world through her own eyes.

Then it was as if all of the repressed Potter luck hit her all at once. His sister was elected class assistant and study hall monitor, had the highest grades in their year, set school records in lacrosse, archery and chess, and won two countrywide essay contests. The one instance she brought home anything less than a perfect Outstanding the teacher actually came by the house to apologize to her and their parents for not teaching up to her standards.

Obviously, Rose didn't need her brother to take care of her anymore.

And his sister was amazing. Anyone could tell you that and Harry wouldn't disagree. But, the things is, now she knew the truth. Now she saw him as the world saw him, Harry couldn't hide who he was and what he was and how the others treated him from her anymore. She could see it all firsthand for herself.

In a family of winners, record-setters, geniuses, and firsts, there wasn't a day that went by that Grandmother Dorea allowed Harry to forget that he wasn't one of them. And never had been. He wasn't the best or even the second best in anything, he'd never been the first to think of something or to do something in a certain way, and he certainly was not a genius. The only records Harry could boast was twenty-four trips to the headmaster's office in first year, and the highest number of detentions earned on the first day of school.

Honestly, the only reason they hadn't kicked him out of the Academy so they could be done with him was the fact his great great great great whatever ancestor had literally built it and founded it...and his grandmother was the mayor.

His family just didn't know what to make of Harry. He walked around with his head in the clouds, would rather climb trees and sleep through history than worry about his grades or focus on his future and upholding the family reputation. Those things just didn't resonate with him. He just didn't get it. Why should he care what the villagers thought of him? Other than because his grandmother cared, of course.

It was long ago his family had started subtly -and for some not so subtly- suggesting that he start learning more physical skills so he could be a carpenter or work at an apothecary rather than worry about going to university. First off, what was so wrong with that? People at the apothecary got to organize cool stuff and create remedies for people on the spot, and on trash day they got to ride around on that weird truck with all of their old ingredients and herbs to wherever they took them too.

Perhaps ironically, the moment Professor Binns had caught him not paying attention in class the man had decided that Harry himself was the trash, the old and useless herbs and ingredients that needed to be thrown away. Something imperfect and flawed marring the otherwise acceptable state of his world. Rose didn't help when she insisted on 'coming to his rescue' and cleaning up his messes, and 'excusing' his mistakes.

Rose tilted her head, red hair cascading over her shoulder. "You know how Harold is sir. He's just Harold. But maybe I'll convince him to get some glasses."

Laughter. Snickering.

Pansy huffed. "Glasses won't fix stupid." She muttered.

"Or teach him how to brush his hair," Lavender added.

More laughter, this time from the crowd whose eyes were stuck firmly on the Potters and their little family drama. That is what it was like to be a Potter and walk around in the village. You immediately became a source of entertainment, an exhibit at a zoo, with the crowd pressing in their faces against the glass and watching your every move.

Harry winced a bit and lowered his eyes when Rose let out a small cough to hide her own laugh.

It had been a mistake. A real one, not one of those silly ones his relatives became over dramatic about. This was why he'd never allowed himself to care was his family or the public thought of him. This was why he had ignored their comments and their wishes and muttered insults. This was why he'd never bothered with friends. Because caring about someone else's opinion of you, because giving value to their thoughts and measurement of your worth, was a deadly weapon that was very difficult to take back or disarm. Unfortunately for Harry, the only person he'd ever trusted that weapon with was the very person who now wielded it against him as she pleased.

Or perhaps without even noticing.

He loved his sister though and so he forgave her. How could he not? It wasn't her fault she was so brilliant and talented, and that her twin, Harry, was so stupid and useless. He wasn't the smartest person in the room, he wasn't cheerful or charming and he couldn't fake a smile to save his life. Harry Potter was sarcastic, anti-social, a solid liar, and he his moral compass was more directed toward whatever served him best at the moment than toward being actually altruistic or actually greedy. He was honest enough with himself to know he had some selfishness in him, and he was clever enough to understand that being too greedy was a good way to be unhappy. Not that Harry was particularly happier than anyone else.

It wasn't her fault that he had hidden the world's view of him from her or that after seeing it for herself she chose not to blind herself to his faults or to his reputation. Still, she wasn't as bad as the others. She did try to look out for him. The problem with that was, he didn't want her to protect him or rescue him. What he wanted for her to love him again. To look at him, as she once had, and see someone of value again. Perhaps, if he wished for it hard enough, one day he might look into her eyes and see that admiration and appreciation that had once been there.

Until then, he was resigned to being the family screw up and Rose-Marie Potter's only flaw.

Her twin brother, Harry Potter.

PseudonymousEntity

2018

Notes: Thoughts, Theories, Questions, Comments and Limmericks always welcomed

An: COMMING UP: We'll be getting a look at some of the other Potters and Potter relatives soon, some more info about Harry and his life, a great family secret will be revealed, and that demon you've been wondering about? He'll be showing up soon. Then...there's that stranger Harry's been seeing around...

ANx2: Thoughts on Harry's life? On his complicated relationship with his sister and his family?

Ever Yours, Pseu