CHAPTER ONE

Harry Potter was sitting on a bridge over the Thames, contemplating his life and why he deserved such hardships. The sun had fallen over the horizon and stars were peeking out through the dark. Harry came to seek their council.

Even after the war Harry always found problems on his doorstep. Tension was present between him and Ron because he refused auror training, and just today he had walked in on Ginny, his girlfriend of two years, cheating on him with Zacharias Smith. On his living room couch. Not theirs, his. Harry wasn't too upset about it, his relationship with Ginny wasn't filled with happiness like he expected; the whole situation just proved his point: there was no one on Earth who could love him.

Just then a falling star flashed within the sky he was looking at, and the Gryffindor made a quick wish. As he open his eyes, he saw a figure wearing a thick black cloak in the corner of his eye, the cloak covered the figure's face. "You look like a guy who could use a butterbeer, want to join me?" It didn't muffle his clear tenor voice at all.

This triggered Harry's paranoia, "I don't travel with strangers, especially ones with their hood up."

"I would hope not." Harry could hear the smirk in his voice, and saw it as the man lowered his hood. With a quick scan Harry saw white blonde hair, lighter than a Malfoy's, high cheekbones on an otherwise soft face and eyes so blue and colorful that Harry could only compare them to a muggle supernova. "Come on, we'll go to the Leaky Cauldron, I promise not to bite."

Taking a chance, Harry decided to follow him and together they walked silently to central London where the Cauldron was located.

Harry walked in, letting the warm air and smells of shepherd's pie and steak roll through his nostrils. He watched as the mysterious man as he ordered a couple of butterbeers for the two of them, and then pretended to be aloof as he elegantly walked back to the table Harry claimed. It was silent, until the man broke it.

"So, do you want to talk about it?"

"Do you do this often?" Harry asked. "I mean, do you just pick random people off the street and talk about their problems?"

"I don't know." Harry was taken aback by his strange honesty. "It's my first day in London, so I'm not sure what my habits are just yet." But he soon assimilated it into the man's strange personality.

"Hmm. Where did you live before?"

"Nowhere you know real well, thought I might find some adventures here."

"If you're looking for adventure you've certainly come to the right person." Harry mumbled.

"You know... Sometimes it's easier talking to a stranger, I'm all ears."

"My girlfriend of two years is cheating on me. In my own house, too. I guess she just wanted me to catch her. I'm not sad about her necessarily, I just doubt I'll ever find the right one." Harry told him despondently. "And you don't seem to recognize me, but I'm ridiculously famous here. How do I know if someone wants Harry, or just Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived?"

"Harry Potter, I'm talking to the Harry Potter? No bloody way." The man responded sarcastically, raising Harry's opinion of him and his mood.

"Exactly. Everyday that's all I hear, and it's only because I killed someone." Harry took a long drink from the contents in his glass and scowled at patrons of the pub.

"People want to have hope, someone to look up to, and I'm guessing you're the one for them. My advice? Ignore it, and don't do anything to make it worse."

"It's not like I go looking for trouble it's attracted to me like a teenager drunk on amortentia."

The man chuckled, then yawned. I'm bloody tired. Do you know of any good hotels around here?"

"You just got here, yeah? Why don't you stay with me at my place? Got any bags?"

"No bags, got nothing, and I will gladly take you up on that offer."

"Well," Harry said, standing. "Shall we go?" And the duo exited the pub and Harry apparated them to Grimmauld Place.

Harry supposed that it was this kind of attitude that got him in trouble, but he couldn't just ignore that gut feeling that was telling him to invite this man into his home.

It looked like his wish was coming true.

AN: Welcome to chapter one of my very first story, at least on the interwebs. Favorites, follows, and reviews are very appreciated, but not necessary.