I don't own Harry Potter or Charmed.
DZ2's Abandoned Harry Challenge.
Plot: Abandoned by his family for his sibling, Harry is taken away to be raised somewhere free from a life of Hogwarts and manipulations, but, as it always must, eventually his demons catch up with him.
"Mike! I'm coming in!"
Micheal Potter; Boy-Who-Lived and Heir to the Most Noble House of Potter, bit back a groan at the voice calling through the door, not wanting to dislodge the gentle fingers combing through his hair just to talk to him.
"Mike. The Minister has arrived and is- oh" his father's voice trailed off awkwardly. "I wasn't aware you had a friend over" James pointed out accusingly as Michael opened his eyes to stare at his father warningly..
"It's probably the Wrackspurts, Mr Potter" the dreamy voice responsible for the amazing scalp massage responded innocently. "The mansion is rather infested with them. I suspect a hive".
"Wra- of course Ms Lovegood, I'll get right on that after I talk to my son" James ground out as Micheal forced a polite smile onto his face. "Alone" he pressed when neither of them moved, the annoyance dripping from his voice.
"I trust my manager with this. You can speak freely around her" Michael countered simply, hiding the smirk that his father's visible anger brought about.
"The Minister of Magic is here to see you" James forced out, disgust clear on his face. "He's waiting for you in the main sitting room".
Michael nodded curtly, "Please tell him I'll be down in a moment. I wish to freshen up first" he replied politely.
"Actually. I'm more interested in finding out why Cornelius cited the reason for his visit as having more information in your search for Harrison" James corrected coldly, the look in his eyes showing Micheal exactly what he thought about the idea. "I wasn't aware you were even searching for him after all".
"It must have slipped my mind Father" Michael lied slowly as he sat up, hearing Luna's hand falling to her lap as he gracefully climbed off the bed and stretched. "But of course you can understand my desire to meet the brother you so kindly abandoned years ago?" he asked innocently, catching his father's flinch from the corner of his eye.
"Of course" James echoed coldly, turning and stalking out of his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.
"Well that went well" Michael muttered under his breath, grabbing his wand and casting several cleaning spells on himself to at least make it look like he had freshened up. "Luna?" he asked slowly, turning to face his blonde girlfriend.
"I'm not letting you go to America alone" Luna denied without prompting, "There might be Nargles there".
Smirking slightly, Michael pressed a quick kiss to the corner of her mouth. "America?" he asked slowly as Luna skipped over to his wardrobe and started going through it.
"California" Luna confirmed, tilting her head as she paused, "I cannot See much else. Someone powerful is blocking me".
That made Michael pause, halfway through the wand movements to transfigure his singlet into a proper shirt, causing it to disintegrate as he turned to stare at Luna in shock. His girlfriend was one of the strongest Seers since Morgana Le Fay herself (A matter of much pride for Michael), and the idea that someone could block her Sight was rather nerve-racking for the raven-haired Wizard.
Something soft hit him in the face and Micheal quickly caught the black shirt before it hit the ground, blinking down at it then glancing up at Luna in confusion. "I like that shirt more" his girlfriend said in way of explanation, making him shrug before sliding it on.
"What… what if he doesn't like me?" he asked slowly, causing Luna to pause as Michael' stomach tied itself into a painful knot. "I mean I'm the reason he was sent away, because James and Lily didn't want to have to raise a bastard squib as well as the Boy-Who-Lived" he reminded her, "What if he blames me for it?"
Michael had only been three went Harry had been taken, sent away for not only being a squib but also for being James' bastard son born of a drunken one night stand. His parents had promised his younger self that Harry would return when he was older, that he was living as a Muggle with his maternal Aunt outside London.
But he wasn't.
A thirteen year old Michael had used his Muggleborn friend, Hermione Granger, to find out where his Aunt lived. He had then gone there with Hermione, Luna, and Neville, hoping to be able to meet Harry just one time, long enough to refresh his fading memories of his older half-brother. He remembered Harry being overprotective, he remembered him looking like their father, but with brilliant green eyes. (He also remembered how much Lily had hated Harry's eyes, knowing that he wasn't her son yet still looked like he was)
But when they got there, Petunia slammed the door in their faces the moment he had given his name. It was only when he opened the door magically (Being the Boy-Who-Lived meant he could use magic freely, one of the only good things about the title), that Petunia confessed that the 'Freak's' biological mother had shown up to claim him the day after he had been dumped on her doorstep.
He had gone home, and using a surprising show of intelligence, innocently asked his parents if he could meet Harry. But they lied… they told him they have visited before Micheal' birthday and Harry had claimed he wanted nothing to do with them.
When he confronted them on their lie, a lot of secrets started coming out. That was the day that Michael had started hating his parents.
Jumping as a hand slipped into his own, Michael smiled uncertainly down at the concerned looking Luna. "Just thinking" he apologized softly, squeezing the blonde's hand and beginning to lead her from his wing of the mansion and down to the sitting room where the Minister, and no doubt his parents, would be waiting for him.
And waiting they were. Lily had a dark look on her face and a disapproving one in her eyes that she turned on him the moment he entered the room, James refusing to look at him with a scowl etched onto his face. "Ah Cornelius!" Michael greeted faux-happily, more than willing to use his celebrity status and his people skills to get what he wanted from the cowardly and abysmal Minister.
"Mike! It's good to see you!" Cornelius replied quickly, looking flustered as he glanced over at Michael' parents. "Take a seat, I have good news for you".
Sending the Minister the same smile he had sent his father earlier, Micheal led Luna over to the empty loveseat and sat, the picture of patience as his insides twisted and writhed. "We found young Harry" Cornelius declared, not bothering to lead into as he beamed and looked between the four of them expectantly.
"Where?" Michael exhaled, unable to stop himself from fidgeting nervously.
"San Francisco" Cornelius admitted, "A small town in America. I have his address here, and I took the liberty of arranging for a portkey to America" he continued with a smug tone of voice.
"And that's why I'm endorsing you as Minister" Michael praised simply, taking the folded piece of parchment from the beaming man. "Now, if you'll excuse me Minister, I have a portkey to catch".
"Here we are", the guide the American Ministry had assigned them declared, pulling the car over to the pavement. "1329 Prescott Street" the beautiful woman continued, "Oh uh, it's that one" she corrected when she noticed Michael studying the house they had stopped in front of. "There's nowhere to park" she explained with a shrug.
Nodding in understanding, Michael slowly climbed out of the car and instantly had a Luna clinging to his arm as she copied him. "I hate cars" she hissed as he wrapped his arm around her waist.
"Now. There are some quick rules I need to go over" the guide began as they stood on the pavement. "The first, most important one being that all members of the Halliwell Coven and all properties owned by them are protected by the American Society of Magic's 'Albion Decree'" she explained. "To paraphrase, it means that if you raise your wands against a member of the Halliwell Coven, then they can legally respond in any way they consider appropriate. They could permanently bind your magic and as long as they have prove you started it they'd get away with it" she finished with the ghost of a smirk on her face.
"I understand" Michael agreed instantly, fully willing to hand over his wand if he had to. "Does this mean that Harry's not a squib then?" he asked slowly, knowing that he wouldn't have been warned if his brother wasn't a member of the Coven.
"The second rule" the woman said, ignoring his question, "Is that what the British Ministry declares as Dark isn't classed as such in America. Meaning Wiccans, Gypsies, Werewolves are all equal members of our magical and mortal society" she said simply.
"So Harry's something the British call Dark then?" Michael realised, the woman merely raising her eyebrow at him in response before her eyes flicked to something behind him with a confused look.
Half-turning, a groan slipped past Michael's lips as he recognised the five people that climbed out of the black SUV like the one that he and Luna had ridden in. "I take it you know them?" the guide asked curiously, "Because I was only made aware of just the one person".
"I know them" Michael admitted coldly as the five of them crossed the street to join them. "What are you doing here Father? Mother?" he demanded, "And what is he doing here as well, he has no business being here" he added as he glared at his Headmaster.
Michael had lost all faith in the man when he discovered it was by his suggestion that his parents got rid of Harry. Add to that the way he loudly supported equality and creature rights, yet continuously insured the opposite. The way he preached second chances for everybody but those who deserved them. And the way that he treated the Muggleborn at Hogwarts, and Michael could barely stand being in the same room as the man.
"Michael Sirius Potter! You will show the Headmaster some respect!" Lily scolded instantly. "And you didn't think we were going to let you just run off to America did you?"
"I had hoped" Michael deadpanned, "Now if you don't mind, Luna and I have an appointment. A private appointment".
"We're coming" his Godfather, Sirius corrected instantly, dragging a sheepish Remus forward. "I never got to even say goodbye. I'm not letting this slip past me".
"I don't think you have a say in this Mike" James ordered, "Harry's my son too and we will be seeing him".
Fighting off the urge to sneer at the man, Michael instead turned his back on him and returned his attention to the guide. "I'm formally protesting this, even if I don't get a say" he informed the woman seriously, absently hoping that she'd 'forget' to give them the same warnings as she gave him.
The woman just nodded, the scowl in her eyes obvious as she turned and started leading them down the pavement. "It's okay" Luna whispered in his ear, "You're allowed to be nervous".
Michael forced a smile onto his face as he glanced down at his girlfriend. "My stomach feels like it's full of rocks" he admitted weakly, glancing over at her pale Godfather who was walking even with her, "At least I look better than Sirius though" he added earning a half-hearted glare from the trembling man.
"Yes this was a good idea" Luna assured him as Michael opened his mouth to ask that exact question. "Even if he kicks everyone out, he'll still contact you" the blonde promised as he ran a hand through his short black hair.
As they walked down the street, Michael found himself faltering as he realised their destination was the house that seemed to be throwing a party. Maybe it would be best for him to come back another day? He didn't want to crash a celebration with bad news. It was hard enough for him to be finally meeting Harry, he didn't want to think about how he would feel if eight complete strangers crashed a party to interrogate him.
"Excuse me Ma'am?" Remus asked slowly as they stopped in front of the beautiful manor, "Is today a bad day? I'm sure we could always come back another day".
The guide just shook her head with a smirk, "You're here to find your 'long lost son' right?" she asked as she sneered in James and Lily's direction. "I think it's only fitting that you'd show up today of all days" she declared as she turned away and strode up the stairs, leaving them nothing to do but follow her.
"What- what day is it?" a nervous Michael whispered to Luna, the sad-looking blonde hanging off him arm without her usual skipping step.
"It's Harry's birthday".