So, here's the second chapter of Judgement and the Picaresque Wizard. Before we go onto the chapter itself, I should really answer the guest reviewer who praised me for not portraying Magical Japan as being better than Magical Britain. I should discuss something that I find an annoying issue in many Potterverse fanfics.
One of the more annoying things is the portrayal of Magical Britain as being uniquely backward and ultra-conservative compared to the rest of the wizarding world, with some authors being particular offenders, despite my enjoying their works regardless (*cough* sakurademonalchemist *cough*). To suggest this smacks of some degree of Anglophobia, just as some Hermione-bashing, in my opinion, smacks of anti-intellectualism.
Even before the first Fantastic Beasts film came out and showed how messed up MACUSA was, at least during the Twenties, I was of the opinion that the wizarding world in general was somewhat backward in many regards, and while it would vary from country to country to some degree, there would still be some constants. Attitudes towards Muggles, towards certain bloodlines, and so on. I've tried to portray this where possible in my works. It is my considered opinion, and a repeated theme in my Potterverse works, that magic merely magnifies the follies already present in humanity. It doesn't cause them. And making Magical Britain out to be uniquely backward is disingenuous, especially in light of the revelations about MACUSA from the first Fantastic Beasts film. In my fics set in Japan, often, I portray them as being conservative in their own way, and with their own dark corners.
But on the other hand, the wizarding world does show some surprisingly progressive elements. The president of MACUSA from the first Fantastic Beasts film is a black woman, and women in general have key positions throughout the wizarding world. It's still very much a patriarchal society, but women have had senior positions in the wizarding world for centuries, given the lore.
In any case, I find it better to not make Magical Britain uniquely backward and conservative. It feels more realistic that way.
Anyway, I should point out that, if this fic does get published, it won't be for some time yet. I'm yet to even encounter Kaneshiro, and as Futaba will be a key support character later on, I want to finish her Palace too. In addition, in case this story idea cacks out, I want to play more of Persona 5 so I can get an alternative story up and running. This is the best of my ideas, true, but I have others.
So, with that, I hope you enjoy this...
JUDGEMENT AND THE PICARESQUE WIZARD
CHAPTER 2:
MEET HARRY POTTER
After Harry Potter finished explaining things to the Nijima sisters, they subsided into thoughtful silence for a time. And he found himself observing them in his turn. True, he had done so at the signing, before everything went to shit, but he was now observing them after they'd had a revelation that changed their very paradigm.
Both reminded him painfully of Hermione. That feeling of the pressures of expectation, the authority worship…and yet, the keen intellect, and the willingness to fight. Hell, Sae had used pepper spray on a wizard, and Makoto had a rather large book ready to act as a weapon.
Makoto had a short bob of dark hair, with her eyes being a rich mahogany, a sort of reddish-brown. Despite being in her mid-teens, she had all the seriousness of an adult. Which was a shame, Harry felt.
Meanwhile, Sae was both more serious and yet more glamorous. Even to his signing, she wore a suit that, while it flattered her gorgeous figure, was also quite severe. She had a pendant around her neck of that weird typographical symbol like a pair of 'S' letters(1). Her long, ashen-brown hair was styled rather elegantly, and her face was the epitome of stern beauty. If Makoto was the serious, studious pupil, Sae was the career woman. Despite being only a couple of years his junior (22 according to the file that pompous arse of an Auror had recited), she carried herself as a lot older.
They'd listened to him as he explained the existence of the wizarding world. They clearly saved questions until later. And he was so glad they spoke and understood English. It was impressive enough that Sae's English was fluent enough that she could have been Japanese-American, her voice a sultry, if professional, contralto, but Makoto's English was prodigious for her age.
Eventually, Sae gathered herself. "I need to get this straight in my head. Magic is real. There is a hidden society of wizards and witches living amongst normal humans, and they keep their existence secret through memory modification. You're a wizard, someone who is apparently famous amongst them, if the way that bastard spoke to you is any indication. And said bastard is part of a wizarding equivalent of a Yakuza gang, a gang that was behind our father's death."
"You're taking this well," Harry said, only for her eyes to lock onto his own with a sharp glare. Whether through natural talent or practise, he could see how such a glare would work in her career as a prosecutor.
"I'm not. Leaving aside the ludicrous nature of such a revelation, even if you did show us a spell, there's the fact that my sister and I were nearly murdered by these criminals. Yes, you fought them off, working to save us and the bookstore staff, and I'm grateful, but then, I have been told that we would have had our memories tampered with instead of being trusted to keep our mouths shut."
"Wizards and witches in general don't have a high opinion of those without magic. Here and in America, they call people like you No-Majs, for 'No Magic', while back in Britain, they call you Muggles."
Makoto scoffed. "Seriously? What kind of word is Muggle? But Sis is right. Our father was a high-ranking detective, we know the need for discretion."
"And they don't care, Makoto," Harry pointed out. "If I wrote about my childhood, and believe me, I was tempted, they'd come down on me like a ton of bricks. Besides…I'm not sure I'd want to."
"A painful topic, your childhood?" Sae asked, her expression softening a little.
"You heard what that thug called me. The Boy Who Lived, all because, at the tender age of one, I survived an instant death curse when my parents didn't, sacrificing themselves to save me from a wizarding terrorist. That thug called him You Know Who, but he called himself Lord Voldemort."
Makoto chuckled. "Voldemort?"
"Oh, don't worry, I thought it ridiculous too, but better that than his birth name, Tom Riddle. Still…he was a dangerous man. People thought he died when he tried and failed to kill me, but he managed to cling to life. I was sent to live with relatives, unaware that I was famous…though undeservedly so."
"I see." By now, Sae looked contemplative. "…I know that Britain had a rash of terrorist attacks during the 80s and late 2000s. They were blamed on the IRA or al Qaeda. But this…Voldemort is now dead?"
"For good, I hope. I made sure of it. I didn't know I was a wizard until I was eleven. It didn't take me long to learn that, as magical as the wizarding world is, it has some pretty dark corners, and some are in quite plain sight. And even after I stopped Voldemort…well, things didn't have a fairytale ending. I was forced to leave Britain not long ago after…a debacle with my daughter." On their looks, he clarified, "Adopted. But I love her as if she was my own. That phone call I got was from a friend of mine who was babysitting her at the hotel. They'd just fended off an attack from that same Yakuza group. Thankfully, Luna Lovegood is very creative, and very protective."
"Luna Lovegood? Is she your…?" Sae left it up in the air, seemingly curious.
"…If you mean spouse or lover, then no. We tried it for a time, tried to make it work, but it didn't work out. But we remained good friends. I have few of them I can trust these days." Harry grimaced, thinking back to the debacle involving Andromeda Tonks and Teddy. How he'd never see his godson again. The harsh words exchanged.
After a moment, he said, "Anyway, your father was murdered by these bastards. They probably left you alone because there was little point. Today, you just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. There are people back home I pissed off, people who'd pay good money to have my head on a platter delivered to them, along with my daughter. You two were, as far as they were concerned, collateral damage. Whereas me…well, an old friend of mine said I had a saving people thing. I got lucky in that he got cocky and was distracted by you two, but that gave me the chance to fight back. So, sorry about getting you two involved."
Sae shook her head. "As you said, Makoto and I were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Had it not been for chance, it may have been others who were there. As far as I am concerned, you personally have nothing to apologise for. Though I personally would be asking some very hard questions of your publisher for setting you up."
"The Aurors are already. One of the staff members was being leaned upon by that Yakuza group due to gambling debts and a huge loan," Harry said. "Cowardly bastard betrayed me, no better than Wormtail." On her look, he said, "Peter Pettigrew, the man who betrayed my parents' location to Voldemort. He was called Wormtail because he could transform into a rat. You know, with what the tail looks like? Anyway, I'm going to ask contact my agent and a good lawyer to see if they can get the contract annulled for that and shift to another publisher. Hopefully, they can find a translator as good as the one this one was."
"I can vouch for the fact that the translation is quite excellent. I read both versions for practising my English, and Makoto does so too," Sae said.
"Well, your English is pretty good, both of you," Harry said. "I'm still relying on a phrasebook and a smartphone translator app for anything that isn't katakana. Anyway, that's the short version. I've only recently come to Japan, I was here mostly on a holiday, and got persuaded to do some book signings. I took my daughter to Tokyo Disneyland and other places. I was kind of hoping that I wouldn't have to deal with any such bollocks, but I guess the universe took it as a dare."
Sae nodded in commiseration. "I am sorry that you had to deal with such a thing on what was meant to be a relatively relaxing holiday, Mr Potter. Or would you prefer Mr Agnew?"
"In private, call me Harry. You'll forgive me if I call you Sae instead of Miss Nijima, but your sister is here, which will make things confusing, and while I try to be courteous with people, I prefer to refer to them by their given names, Japanese etiquette or not. Besides, I hate being called Mr Potter. One of my teachers called me that when he truly meant You Little Bastard, for no reason other than he hated my father and had a thing for my mother."
"Very well," Sae said, conceding that point a little reluctantly. Then again, the Japanese system of etiquette and honorifics was deeply engrained into their culture. "But you also have my thanks. Firstly, and most importantly, in resolving the situation quickly to save us and the bookstore staff, in spite of this…Statute of Secrecy. There's often conflict between morality and the law, especially as we live in a litigious society. And secondly, you have our thanks for signing our books, despite the signing coming to an end. Despite the characters being…criminals, they are endearing and engrossing, and entertaining as well."
"A bit of alliteration there?" Harry asked with a slight wry smile.
Sae scoffed. "Accidental alliteration. In any case, I have enjoyed your books, as have Makoto. We have very busy lives, I with my work at the SIU, and Makoto has just begun high school. Sometimes, we need some escapism, and something that's a bit different to the usual fare you get from light novels here, especially the isekai stuff. Goro Akechi was the one who recommended them to me, and it's one of the few suggestions outside of his detective work that I never regretted taking. Your stories gave both of us some much-needed cheer in our darkest moments, Mr Pot…I mean, Harry. I'd wondered at the true character of Hadrian Agnew. I'm not disappointed. Quite the opposite. You are vulgar and irreverent, true, but your actions today proved what you are."
Harry had to admit, he cringed a little. Praise for heroism tended to do that. But by the same token, he also knew it was sincere. Despite her reserved nature, Harry also got the feeling she tended to be somewhat frank.
God, she was so much like Hermione in some regards. That same straitlaced nature that never quite went away. The tendency to speak her mind, to not suffer fools gladly.
"Yeah, well, don't sell yourself short either, Sae. You and Makoto kept your cool pretty well, given the situation. And you maced that idiot with your pepper spray. As much as what I hear about the Japanese legal system disturbs me a little, the sad thing is, I've seen worse."
"Hmm. We heard your argument with the Auror earlier," Makoto said. "Your godfather ended up in…Azkerban?"
"Azkaban, the main wizarding prison of Britain. Not a good place to end up. It's in the middle of the North Sea, and used to be guarded by soul-sucking demons who are basically the living embodiments of chronic depression, and I wish I was making that up. My godfather was accused of betraying my parents to Voldemort, and of killing the real traitor, who faked his death. My godfather died before he could be exonerated, though he was out of prison by then."
"But why wasn't he exonerated?"
"The government at the time was even more corrupt than it was now. Lots of bribery and nepotism," Harry said with a bitter laugh. "It's a little better now, but not by much. And honestly, he was the white sheep of the family. I'd say black sheep, but…they were a nasty sort. I thought one of his cousins was a decent woman, but…well, let's just say that in some ways, she was as bad as the rest of them. And my godson paid the price. I can't see him or talk with him, not without her giving me grief."
"I see. That sounds like a long story, but I think none of us have time to waste. Your daughter must be worried, and Makoto and I would like to go home. Assuming the DMLE, as you call them, don't need us anymore?" Sae asked.
"As far as I know, they don't. Of course, it goes without saying that you shouldn't speak of what happened. I'm sure the Aurors will give you a cover story to stick to. It'll probably be close to reality. A Yakuza group with a grudge attacked the bookstore. That being said…" On an impulse, he pulled a pen and notebook from his pockets, and jotted down his name, number and email. "Here. I don't want this ending up on social media, okay? But if you need to talk about what happened, send me an email or a text. You two are new to this world. I mean, some strange shit has happened in Japan before. I mean, I heard about the serial killer terrorising Inaba when I was there, and Naoto hinted something supernatural happened, and there's that weird crap that happened at some place called Iwatodai that I only heard a few things through Luna, but…if you need someone to talk to, just contact me."
Sae looked at the scrap of paper, before nodding thoughtfully as she pocketed it. "Hopefully, we won't need to, but thank you. I have heard of the incidents in question. Though this isn't an attempt to ask me out, is it?" This last was asked with a raised wry eyebrow.
"Perish the thought," Harry said. "You're a beautiful and intelligent woman, Sae, but…well, I've been burned a few times, and I'd rather be more careful before entering a relationship now. You're also a professional career woman, and I wouldn't force a date on you. I gave you my contact details because you've been through a bad experience today, and I know the magical authorities don't give a damn as much as they should. While the rest of the world isn't ready for magic to come back out into the open, there are some people who have a right to know."
Admittedly, that was justification for his impulsive act. It wasn't necessarily a lie, all of what he said was true, but it was still something of an impulse. But maybe it was because their lives had a bit of a parallel with his own.
Their mother died when Makoto was still a baby, according to that arse of an Auror. Their father died last year in the line of duty, run over by a truck being driven by the same Yakuza group that attacked them in the bookstore. In fact, there was also some guilt about that. If he hadn't ensured they stayed, they wouldn't have been caught up in that mess.
The only person he had to talk about when he first came into this world was Hagrid, and Hagrid, for all his benevolence, was also somewhat one-eyed when it came to things, not to mention simple. Between Hagrid and Ron, his view of the wizarding world was coloured early on, and not in the best of ways. And while Harry and Ron were children, Hagrid was not.
But Sae was an adult, and Makoto seemed serious enough to think on the level of one. They needed a bit more care when having their paradigms shift. And while they were coping admirably, help would be appreciated. Especially as he was told that mental health was not a priority in modern Japan…
After saying his farewells and leaving, he made it back to the hotel, whereupon he was struck by a Harry-seeking missile. "Dad! You're back!"
He smiled as he returned the hug. It had been a while since she learned who her parents really were. It was scary how intelligent she was. Six years old, but thanks to the potions her mother drank while she was still in the womb, she was closer to a high school level, which made parenting interesting. Especially as the potions also had some side effects.
Though not as interesting as that time when she learned who her birth parents were. She wouldn't talk to him for weeks. Hell, it was only shortly before they arrived in Japan that she had started calling him 'Dad' and 'Daddy' again.
"Yeah, I'm back," he said, ruffling her daughter's silvery hair, with the blue tips. He looked up to find Luna. "Any trouble with the authorities?"
"Nothing I couldn't handle," Luna said with a smirk. "I had more trouble with the thugs who came for my adorable little munchkin niece. How about you?"
"Kicked their rears," Harry said bluntly. "Had a bit of help from a Muggle woman, I'll talk about it later." He gently broke off the hug with his daughter. "You okay, Delphi?"
Delphini Hydra Potter, born Delphini Hydra Riddle, nodded. "Well, as much as I can be, Daddy. But…we're fine, right?"
He hoped so. Because whoever got these bastards to act would rue the day they tried to take him on. That, Harry swore…
CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:
So, Harry's discussed things with the Nijimas…but what's this? He's adopted Delphini?
I know that's a trope that I have used quite a bit in my fics lately, and I was a bit wary of reusing it, but it's a good trope to use. One of the central themes of the Harry Potter books is redemption, as well as nature versus nurture. The Cursed Child may not be remotely canonical IMO, but Delphi is an interesting character to use in line with those themes.
What's more, we can see parallels between Delphi and other characters in Persona 5. Futaba, Yusuke, and of course, the Nijima sisters, to say nothing of Akira/Ren/Joker. Adoption, alienation, injustice, that sort of thing.
That being said, her portrayal will be a little different compared to her portrayals in my Harley Quinn crossover Zest for Life, and my Elden Ring crossover Virtus et Scientia. I wrote in that stuff about Bellatrix ingesting potions while Delphi was in the womb to make her smarter, as I wanted her to be on a level, at least intellectually, with her iteration in Zest for Life, though she has the same uncertainty and self-esteem problems as she does in Virtus et Scientia.
I actually thought of her as being a bit like a less creepy and malicious version of Alia Atreides from Dune, along with Yui from Sword Art Online Abridged. She will still have moments where she shows she is very much her parents' child, but she's also a product of her upbringing with Harry.
1. This symbol is known as the 'section' symbol, or §. It's often used as a symbol of the justice system, and Sae wears a pendant version.
