Now, a few of you may have heard about this in my Rising of the Shield Hero story Not Your Kind of People, but if not, well, allow me to reiterate. I've begun a certain game that has been wildly popular, albeit of a quite popular series. It took me some time to get into the series, and in fact, my one attempt at getting into the series before, via an anime adaptation of the fourth game in the series, didn't go well. Plus, I was a bit leery of certain gameplay mechanics.

Yet despite that, I finally bit the bullet and tried it. True, at first, I was still unimpressed, but I persevered...and was thus rewarded. I am currently a good chunk of the way into said game, though I have quite a way to go before I finish it. But now is the time to start considering fics, and I have to thank Arawn D Draven and Dis Lexic for not only tolerating my story ideas, but also getting me onto this game in the first place. I should also thank sakurademonalchemist for getting me interested too with her own crossover Nightmare's End.

And what is this game?

Persona 5.

This is the first of I hope many story ideas set in that game alone. I do have a few, but one of my ideas involves a younger Harry paired with Futaba, and as I have only just finished Madarame's Palace (Yusuke's a fucking creep, IMO: his blackmailing Ann to pose nude for him goes beyond a lack of social skills and into deliberate malice, showing he's beginning to follow in his mentor's footsteps, or Kamoshida's), that idea and others will be some time off. So will this one, but I feel it will be ready sooner.

And what's the pairing?

Harry/Sae.

Now, a lot of you are wondering, why the hell that pairing? But I see the potential in Sae, someone who could have been better with the right influence. Someone who could have prevented her from lashing out at Makoto in anger, and regretting it afterwards. Someone who can bring her humanity forth. Someone who might be able to have her open her eyes and mind to the reality of the world, and help have her as a tenuous ally to the Phantom Thieves.

Anyway, as I have said, this idea won't be out for some time, assuming it comes out at all. I want to finish at least Kaneshiro's Palace before I really get into the nitty-gritty of this idea, but I felt the need to write at least this initial chapter. I hope you guys enjoy my first foray into fics in the Persona series, and the Shin Megami Tensei franchise as a whole...

JUDGEMENT AND THE PICARESQUE WIZARD

CHAPTER 1:

THE WRITE STUFF

Welcome to the Velvet Room.

Oh, do not be alarmed. My looks are doubtlessly rather strange, but I can assure you, I mean you no harm. Once we are done here, you will leave this realm behind, as if it were little more than a dream, like so many other guests. All sorts of guests pass through this realm.

And where is this realm, I hear you ask? Between what you think of as reality, and the realm of ideas, thoughts and dreams. It looks different to everyone. But there is always myself, your humble host, Igor.

But you do not have the touch of destiny about you. You are not a Wild Card, one who subverts fate and thwarts the plans of the mighty and the eldritch. Hmm, what to do with you?

Perhaps a story, then? I know many stories. Ah, but what to tell? Shall I tell you of the terrors of the Dark Hour and Tartarus? Or of the TV World, and a serial killer plaguing the town of Inaba? Or of the worlds where angels and demons clashed, caring little about humanity's fate? Of devils summoned through computer programs?

Ah! I know! I shall tell the tale of three Wild Cards. One was a bastard child of an ambitious politician, who misused his gifts for twisted ends. Another was an unassuming student with a heart of gold which nonetheless managed to get him into trouble.

And the third? Ah, I never managed to bring him into the Velvet Room during his…misspent youth. The stakes weren't quite high enough, alas. His nemesis was indeed a threat, but I am limited in what I can do.

But he would have made a fine Wild Card. Someone who stood for justice, bringing people hope, and changing fate. But he was an often-lonely lad, one who was isolated by his fame. And when his nemesis fell for the last time…he was left adrift.

But he found his niche, and filled it well. I kept an eye on him, even when I had become a trifle…inconvenienced, shall we say? There was a wager, and the other gambler wished to stack the deck in their favour. But this young man, this wizard…he would help shape the lives of others for the better.

And soon, he would be drawn into that group of rogues you may know as the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

That whetted your appetite, didn't it? You've heard of them by now, thanks to that quaint internet you humans created. Well, would you kindly attend to my words? Good. Then we may begin…

Under most circumstances, Sae Nijima would have considered this a waste of her time. The high pressures of the Japanese workplace, especially in a position as prestigious as her own, meant that most of her so-called free time would be spent on things related to her work. It was especially so, not only because she was (at least theoretically) the rising star of the Public Prosecutors Office and its Special Investigations Unite, but also because she was a woman in a very male-dominated (and admittedly somewhat chauvinistic) workplace. And that was without going into those strange accidents, the ones recently labelled Mental Shutdowns by the effects they had on those causing the accidents.

And yet…even her superiors recognised that she needed some variety, some means of enjoyment. Hell, it was the Director of the SIU who suggested this, amongst other people. And in the end, she agreed. Besides, it was a good day out for Makoto. For all that she wanted Makoto to succeed and excel, Sae did recognise she had been pushing her youngest sister a touch too hard lately. She had just started high school at Shujin Academy, Sae's own alma mater, but giving Makoto a chance to enjoy this was a good thing.

And in truth, Sae also wanted to come anyway. She was glad her sister and others had badgered her to come. Because it meant meeting one of her favourite authors.

Hadrian Agnew(1). You wouldn't call him a literary author by any means. His books weren't particularly deep or meaningful, at least not deliberately. He wrote in the style of a rollicking good yarn, about underdogs and outlaws fighting against an unjust system. One recent accolade had claimed him to be the next Maurice Leblanc or EW Hornung(2), albeit with a touch of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams.

His first book came out about four years ago. And in those four years, he had gained something of a following. Despite Sae's profession, she had to admit, these books were enjoyable, a form of escapism that couldn't even be called a guilty pleasure. After all, there was a difference between fantasy and reality, too.

Hell, at times, she wished she was one of the heroes, fighting against the oppressive forces of the world through trickery and theft in the name of justice. But she knew for a long time that such a thing was dangerous, and indeed, justice was a laughable concept. Even before her father was murdered in the line of duty and in the name of justice, she knew this. Reality, life and society were cruel. Best to do what she could to make things better as much as she could, at least that's what she told herself.

Still, she and Makoto had been left at the back of the line. And Akechi had given her his books to have Agnew sign. And the signing time was almost over.

And just as they reached him, the translator said, "No more, I'm sorry. Time's up."

"I beg your pardon?" Makoto asked.

The man looking at them looked oleaginous and insincere. "Sorry, but you'll have to go home."

A throat was cleared, and then, in English, the author in question said, "I can sign the books of these two, thank you. I haven't quite got carpal tunnel syndrome yet."

"Mr Agnew, I…"

The author shut the translator up with an unimpressed look from his emerald eyes, and then returned his gaze to them. Sae gave him a smile. "Sorry about that," she said in English.

"Not at all. I got this guy foisted on me because I'm new to Japan, and I don't know much of the language. The publishers are the ones who foisted him on me, the original one fell ill or something," he said, jabbing a thumb at the translator, who looked unamused. "So, may I ask your names?"

"I am Sae Nijima, and this is my sister, Makoto. We also have books for a Goro Akechi?"

"The Next Detective Prince? Why didn't you say so?" the translator simpered towards them.

"What, that pretty boy who looks like he should still be at school?" Agnew asked. "I actually met the original Detective Prince in some place called Inaba. Naoto was a good sort. A bit reserved, but…well, never mind."

As he signed the books, asking only how exactly to spell their names (specifically Sae's and Goro's, as he seemed to know enough about the language to know there were certain nuances in spelling in English letters), Sae observed him. A tousled mop of black hair framed his features. Emerald eyes were perhaps the most striking feature in that moderately handsome face. A faded scar, in the shape of a lightning bolt, marred part of his forehead, albeit hidden partly by his fringe. She wondered idly where it had come from.

But his eyes, his emerald eyes, they told the real story. Even though he was only maybe a couple of years her senior at most, his eyes had seen much. He might put on a façade, a persona, a mask to present to the world at large as Jungian psychology may put it, but there was pain behind that gaze. It was like that she saw in some ex-coppers, or army veterans. Not from the JSDF, they didn't often see action, but veterans from other countries. She knew of an Australian army veteran who had settled in Japan who had a similar look.

His phone trilled, and he answered it. Meanwhile, Sae got something of a bad feeling. An instinct that something was wrong. "Hello, Luna? What's wrong?" His eyes widened. "What?!"

And that's when things took a turn for the worse. Sae had barely noticed that the other fans had been ushered out…by men in dark suits and sunglasses. She had thought them security personnel, but now, she wasn't so sure, especially given the staff looking nervous. But then, the translator snatched the phone from Harry's hand. Harry looked set to protest, only for his eyes to narrow when he saw the stick being pointed at his face. No, not a stick. A wand. "…I should have guessed."

"Stupid British wizard," the translator sneered, sounding more like a stereotypical Yakuza thug than the sycophantic aide he had been before. "All that talk of the Boy Who Lived beating You Know Who, when you're just a punk kid. Still, we got more than one prize that fell into our lap today, boys." He looked to Sae. "Your daddy caused us quite a bit of trouble for a fucking No-Maj. We'll be sending you to Hell to join him before…"

The only bit of warning Sae had was that Agnew had pointed his palm at his would-be assailant. Suddenly, said assailant was flung through the air to crash into a bookshelf, and the wand was snatched out of the air by Agnew, who pointed it at the others, sending jets of light at them. Sae grabbed Makoto and dived for cover. "Sis, what's going on?!" Makoto hissed. "What did they just say about father?"

"Quiet, Makoto. If you want to be useful, get a book, as heavy as you can carry. If nothing else, you can use it as a shield or bludgeon," Sae said in an urgent whisper, before fishing out her own weapon: a can of pepper spray. Not illegal to carry in Japan, but she had a permit, just in case. When one of the thugs got close to them, albeit with his attention on Agnew, she leapt out of cover and sprayed him in the face, before getting back into cover.

Makoto, bless her, had rallied wonderfully, and was getting a hefty book ready, a rather large atlas. But soon, the noise ended. Then, Agnew cleared his throat. "Umm, Sae, was it? I've put paid to these idiots. That includes the one you maced. If you're all right, I need you to tell the staff it's okay to emerge."

Sae did so, keeping her hand ready on her can of pepper spray. Agnew looked harried, the wand he had taken in one hand, while his other hand held another. He looked at them, concern writ on his features. "We're okay," Sae said. "A little shaken. Makoto, could you please tell them things are okay?"

Makoto nodded. As she hurried over to the staff, trying to reassure them, Sae stalked over. "…And what the hell was that?"

Agnew looked down at the unconscious faux-translator, before sneering and kicking him in the gut viciously. "Contractors, no doubt with the local lowlifes. Look, hopefully, you'll get a proper explanation when the authorities arrive…"

They didn't. Sae and Makoto were taken away in police cars. Not under arrest, but the officer had made it fairly clear that refusal was not an option. She had merely been asked for her statement, refusing to leave Makoto alone for one second with these people, as they didn't quite seem like cops. Oh, they had the attitude, but there was something about them that had her wary. Like this was Men in Black or the Nasuverse or something.

And there was also the fact that Sae hated being on the other end of an interrogation table.

After their statements were over, they were left to stew, only for her to hear an argument outside the door in English. "…Let them know about what happened to their father. It's only right." This was Agnew's voice, and he sounded aggravated.

"They are No-Majs, and as such, the Statute must be…"

"FUCK THE STATUTE!" Agnew roared. Then, a little more calmly, he said, "Obliviate the staff if you have to, that's fine. But these two deserve to know. I'll take responsibility for that, and for their silence. You told me Miss Nijima is with the SIU at the Public Prosecutors Office, she should know what discretion means, and so should her sister. Besides, these bastards tried to murder me and kidnap my daughter. Your people dropped the ball, and innocent lives nearly got lost. Japan's not impressing me, especially not with the way the Aurors are acting."

"That was an unfortunate oversight, but you have made many enemies back home. Did you think they would really do something so blatant?"

"The Death Eaters took over Britain while the rest of you sat around engaged in onanism. So yeah, they would. I just thought I'd have more of a grace period. I'm shifting hotels, and I don't intend to tell you which one. Those wankers better be punished."

"Well, such a blatant breach of the Statute cannot go unpunished. Japan has one of the highest conviction rates in the world, and our Ministry has emulated that rate."

"I dunno whether to be impressed or horrified. My godfather was wrongly imprisoned, and in Azkaban. Anyway, I'll talk to them."

"Fine. Then on your own head be it."

The door opened, and Agnew came in. He sat down on the other end of the table, looking harassed and harried. He also had their books, which had been taken away for now. "Sorry about that," he said. "They don't think much of people like you."

"People like us?" Sae asked.

"Didn't they call us No-Majs?" Makoto pointed out.

"Yep. The Japanese tend to take after the Americans in many regards…including the magical side of things." He took out a wand and waggled it meaningfully in his hand. "Yep, wizards are real, and your father fell afoul of a wizarding Yakuza clan. And if it weren't for me, your memories would've been erased."

Sae blinked. Wait, what? "Stop talking nonsense. Magic isn't real! And our father…"

"It is real, and your father was murdered by real scum. Anyway, hopefully, you'll be free to go, but I owe you two a proper explanation, or at least part of it. The name I publish my books under is a pseudonym, partly because my real name is famous in certain circles. You heard that thug call me the Boy Who Lived. So…allow me to introduce myself properly. The name's Harry Potter. Good to meet you…"

CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:

So, Harry's met the Nijima sisters, albeit under fraught circumstances. But who is this daughter?

Now, how their father died is never stated, AFAIK. Quite a few people have linked his death to Shido and his conspiracy, but for this fic, it's something else.

1. Harry's chosen pseudonym is a reference to 'David Agnew', a pseudonym often used by BBC script editors when doing substantial rewrites to scripts that the original writers didn't want to credit with their name. For various reasons, this pseudonym was used to prevent any problems. Aside from being used on two Doctor Who stories, The Invasion of Time (actually written by Anthony Read and Graham Williams) and City of Death (actually written by Douglas Adams and Graham Williams, albeit based on David Fisher's The Gamble with Time…and for a time, was known as The Curse of the Sephiroth, and not THAT one), it was also used, fitting for this fic, on an episode of a crime drama called Target.

2. Maurice Leblanc is the author of the Arsène Lupin books, and gives his name to the café Sojiro runs. EW Hornung, the brother-in-law of Arthur Conan Doyle, is the writer of a series of books about gentleman thief Raffles.