Chapter 3: Aaron Burr, Sir
Everyone: 1776, New York City
"1776? Wasn't Grindelwald born in 1883?" Terry Boot, a Ravenclaw in Harry's year asked. "Yes, he was... So I am unsure what war would be going on during that time. It may not concern the Wizarding world if we do not know what they are talking about." Dumbledore told his student and the rest of the room as well.
"Not concern the Wizarding world? Then why is you-know-who there? And why is Harry Potter there as well?" Parvati Patil asked. "I mean, we must be there because I'm a magnet for trouble. And anywhere Voldemort goes, trouble follows." Harry said, turning to the Patil twin. "But in that particular time period? I have no clue. It might have something to do with American history. But I know nothing about the topic."
"I believe that something did happen around that time, but I am not sure of what."
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Pardon me. Are you Tom Riddle, sir?
"He looks so nervous!" Hermione said, laughing. "Wow Harry, you seem to be really intimidating him!" This made Harry chuckle. "Wow, if only I could do that in this universe, too!"
Tom Riddle (Aaron Burr): That depends. Who's asking?
"I guess the intimidation goes both ways," Fred said, glancing at George and then looking back over at Harry.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Oh, well, sure, sir. I'm Harry Potter, I'm at your service, sir. I have been looking for you-
"I can't believe you would tell Voldemort you were 'at his service'," Ron said, shaking his head in disbelief at Harry. "Well, I don't really know the Voldemort that the other me knows. He might be different... in some ways..." Harry trailed off, not really knowing what Voldemort could change about his psychopathic ways to be considered "different".
'He seems to be smug about Harry going out of his way for him...' McGonagall thought, thinking about how dangerous it could be if Harry were on the other side of the war.
Tom Riddle (Aaron Burr): I'm getting nervous
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Sir... I heard your name at Princeton. I was seeking an accelerated course of study when I got sort of out of sorts with a buddy of yours. I may have punched him. It's a blur, sir. he handles the financials?
Tom Riddle (Aaron Burr): You punched the bursar?
"Harry! You shouldn't have punched someone!" Molly said, reprimanding Harry like she would her children, though less severe than she would have been to her children. "Sorry Mrs. Weasley, I know I shouldn't, and I'm not sure why I did punch him in the other universe," Harry said, still not wanting Mrs. Weasley to get mad at him, even if she and he disagreed on what he should know and concern himself with regarding the Order and Voldemort.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Yes!
"Well... at least he admitted it."
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): I wanted to do what you did. Graduate in two, then join the revolution. He looked at me like I was stupid, I'm not stupid. So how'd you do it? How'd you graduate so fast?
"What do they mean by 'graduate in two'? There's no way you could graduate from Hogwarts within two years of starting!" "Well, in the muggle world, you have to have more schooling than you do in the wizarding world. Most kids get put into pre-k (Also known as pre-kindergarten) when they are 4-5 years old and schooling continues until their senior year, which is considered twelfth grade when the students are 17-18. So yes, even though students graduate at 17 here and then go on into the workforce, specialty training, or apprenticeship, most are still required to continue schooling until they are 18. 18 is the age that they become a legal adult in the muggle world, instead of 17. Then, most have the choice of either stopping their schooling there or going to a different schooling called college. So far all of the schoolings is like Hogwarts, free but you need to buy your own materials. But college is not free for everyone. Most people have to pay for the amount of time they learn when they are in college. This is a significant difference from the wizarding world because while there is specialty training for some jobs, for most jobs you don't need extra education for it, but in the muggle world, most people frown upon a person who either does not go to college or drops out of college. (A/n: I am personally of the mindset that college is not for everyone, and you can still get an amazing career without the extra schooling.) But some people do so well in their classes that they get a scholarship to go to a college because that college is willing to pay for part of or all of their schooling so that they will be a student there. So when they say 'graduate in two' they are talking about graduating the typical four-year college curriculum in two years instead of taking four years to do so." Hermione rambled on, taking a huge breath of fresh air once she finished.
"Ah. I see, thank you, Hermione," Arthur said with a kind smile.
Tom Riddle (Aaron Burr): It was my parents' dying wish before they passed.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): You're an orphan. Of course! I'm an orphan. God, I wish there was a war! Then we could prove that we're worth more than anyone bargained for…
"You're wishing for a war? That is not what you would wish for in this world, right?" "Yeah, I would NOT wish for Voldemort to come back sooner than he has to if it wouldn't cost any more lives. But I guess I understand wanting to prove yourself to others. Especially if you've just been given a chance to do so." Harry said, starting to think about how when he left the Dursleys, he got his first chance to prove himself to others and gain friends. But in the end, making friends was more important than proving himself academically, as when Harry did his best in class and did as good as Hermione, Ron seemed to blow him off some due to his jealousy. He valued his friendship with Ron more than he valued a good grade on an assignment.
Tom Riddle (Aaron Burr): Can I buy you a drink?
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): That would be nice.
Tom Riddle (Aaron Burr): While we're talking, let me offer you some free advice. Talk less.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): What?
"It's like the opposite of our universe! Here you barely ever talk, but there you talk to anyone who listens!" Ron says while laughing, but this causes Remus to frown. He never seemed to notice it before, but Harry was always more of a quiet kid.
"Hey Harry, why ARE you so quiet?" Hermione asked, not noticing the way Harry seemed to stiffen up at this. "Uh, nothing, really. I guess it's just in my nature to be quieter." Harry stuttered out, sounding like he wasn't even sure himself if this was the truth.
McGonagall decided to share her experiences as well, "You never ask questions in class, either. Unless it's just my class?" She asked her fellow Professors, "Come to think of it, Mr. Potter, you've never asked questions in my class either." Professor Flitwick added, which the other Professors nodded to as well.
This just made Harry even more nervous. And since he was still laying on Sirius' and Remus' laps, they could tell. "Harry? Why don't you ever talk?" Remus asked quietly, not wanting to cause Harry any more stress. "Well- if other me is so talkative because of his upbringing, I suppose it would also be because of my upbringing," Harry mumbled out.
Remus sent the rest of the adults in the room a look that said 'Leave it for now, we'll bring it up later.'
Tom Riddle (Aaron Burr): Smile more
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Ha
Tom Riddle (Aaron Burr): Don't let them know what you're against or what you're for.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): You can't be serious.
Tom Riddle (Aaron Burr): You wanna get ahead?
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Yes
"Now it's starting to get a little creepy…" Tonks whispered to those around her, turning her hair a slight green in the process.
Tom Riddle (Aaron Burr): Fools who run their mouths off wind up dead.
"Why did that sound like a threat?" Molly asked worridly. "Mother, I'm sure we'll find out by the end of this whether or not you-know-who harms Harry or means anything by that." Charlie reassured Molly, not noticing the way Arthur held his wife closer to him, comforting her.
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): Yo yo yo yo yo! What time is it?
"Hahaha! Blaise definitely isn't that loud in our universe!" Theodore Nott nudged his fellow Slytherin while saying this. "Yeah- well, I doubt I'll ever be like that," Blaise said while smiling at his friend.
Across the room, Aida watched her son with slight regret in her eyes. Blaise certainly never looked at her like that. Not after her third husband, at least.
Blaise Zabini, Fleur Delacour, and Ron Weasley (John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, and Hercules Mulligan): Show time!
Tom Riddle (Aaron Burr): Like I said…
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): Show time! Show time! Yo!
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): I'm Blaise Zabini in the place to be! Two pints o' Sam Adams, but I'm workin' on three, uh!
"Oh my Merlin! Harry! You're blushing! At Blaise!" Hannah Abbott, a girl in Harry's year, said in a squeaky voice while other girls around her starting exchanging money at seeing their Harry blush at her comment.
Ron looked at his friend in confusion. Why hadn't Harry told him about his crush on Zabini? I mean, yeah, it was weird for Harry to like another guy like that, but he can't exactly say that. And Harry could never like a Slytherin. But still! He told Harry about his crush on Lavender. He would think that would show Harry that he could tell Ron about things like this.
Hermione just grinned cheekily at Harry's blushing face, it getting redder by the minute as Blaise also started blushing. Hermione knew about Harry's crush on a couple of people, as well as how he was currently dating Blaise. Harry told her this a while ago, but she also knew how Ron would react to it, and respected Harry's request to not tell Ron about it.
When Harry looked up from his lap and made eye contact with Blaise, he froze. But Blaise just raised an eyebrow as if to say 'Do you want to say anything?' When Harry shook his head, Blaise nodded and sat back in his seat, turning back to the screen.
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): Those redcoats don't want it with me! Cuz I will pop chick-a pop these cops 'till I'm free!
Fleur Delacour (Marquis de Lafayette): Oui, oui, mon ami, je m'appelle Delacour! The Lancelot of the revolutionary set!
"Ah! It is me!" Fleur said, excited to see her alternative self. Bill squeezed her hand as she came onto screen and introduced herself, sharing a glance with Fleur and loving the childish excitement that was on her face.
Fleur Delacour (Marquis de Lafayette): I came from afar just to say "Bonsoir!" Tell the King "Casse toi!" Who's the best? C'est moi!
Ron Weasley (Hercules Mulligan): Brrrah brraaah!
"Ronnikens!" The twins called out as their brother came barging into the pub and on screen.
Ron Weasley (Hercules Mulligan): I am Ron Weasley. Up in it, lovin' it, yes I heard ya mother said: "Come again?"
Fleur Delacour and Blaise Zabini (Marquis de Lafayette and John Laurens): Ayyyyy
Ron Weasley (Hercules Mulligan): Lock up ya daughters and horses, of course, it's hard to have intercourse over four sets of corsets…
"Ron Weasley! You're lucky I don't wash your mouth out!" Molly said, pointing her motherly wrath on her youngest son, even if it was the other version of him that said it.
Fleur Delacour (Marquis de Lafayette): Wow
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): No more sex, pour me another brew, son! Let's raise a couple more…
Blaise Zabini, Fleur Delacour, and Ron Weasley (John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, and Hercules Mulligan): To the revolution!
'He seems so happy to be included…' Katie Bell smiled sadly, she knew of Harry's relationship as she caught them in a- well- compromising position in one of the corridors past curfew one time, and she knew of Ron's homophobia, even if Ron didn't want to admit it to himself that he didn't like seeing two men or women together.
She hated how the boy who lived, the person who is supposed to be oh-so important in the Wizarding world, can't even find himself a good set of friends due to his fame. Well, Hermione isn't a bad friend. It's mostly the youngest Weasley son who makes the group not work.
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): Well, if it ain't the prodigy of Princeton college!
Ron Weasley (Hercules Mulligan): Tom Riddle!
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): Give us a verse, drop some knowledge!
Tom Riddle (Aaron Burr): Good luck with that: you're takin' a stand. You spit. I'm 'a sit. We'll see where we land.
Fleur Delacour and Ron Weasley (Marquis de Lafayette and Hercules Mulligan): Boooo!
"Hah! I hate to laugh- because it's you-know-who, but it was a pretty good burn!" Justin Finch-Fletchley said, still laughing at Tom Riddle's smug face and the group of friends looks of playful offence.
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): Riddle, the revolution's imminent. What do you stall for?
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): If you stand for nothing, Riddle, what'll you fall for?
"That's… actually a good question. You can't necessarily stay so neutral that you don't believe in anything. At some point, you'll have to take a stand. That can either be fighting for what you believe in or you accepting defeat from someone. But if you're so neutral that you don't believe anything, then both sides could come after you, since you would be able to be on either side easily." Alastor Moody said ensightfully, which surprised most people, as they either forgot he was there, or hadn't realized he could think things through so thoroughly.
Blaise Zabini, Fleur Delacour, and Ron Weasley (John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, and Hercules Mulligan): Ooh. Who you? Who you? Who are you?
Blaise Zabini, Fleur Delacour, and Ron Weasley (John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, and Hercules Mulligan): Ooh, who is this kid? What's he gonna do?
"You guys seem to be overwhelming other Harry," Luna whistfully noticed. She had been silent the whole time, content just sitting next to her father and watching what was happening, but seeing her friend (even though he's technically her friend's alternate universe counter part) becoming that distressed at Fleur, Ron, and Blaise's questions in the video, she become slightly protective.
"You shouldn't gang up on him like that." She continued, scolding them for their other version's actions. "It's okay, Luna. I'm sure they didn't mean to. And plus, they aren't the people in the video." Harry said, which was enough for Luna to stop and be content sitting and watching again.
"Now that the video is over, can you tell us what about your upbringing caused you to be so quiet and not wanting to ask questions?" Sirius asked as people starting to stand up and stretch, taking a break from sitting down, as well as start talking about what they think will happen next.
"Well… I guess it could be because my Aunt and Uncle didn't want me to ask questions." Harry said, his voice quiet, almost whispering. "What? Did they tell you to not ask questions?" Remus asked, sharing a concerned look with Sirius. Once Harry nodded, Remus continued, "Harry, that's not normal. Your family should encourage you to ask questions and explore, not the other way around."
"I guess they just didn't want to have to deal with me or my questions. I mean, I was just thrust upon them. They didn't have a choice in whether or not they wanted to raise me." Harry said, getting more confident in his answers.
"Didn't Dumbledore talk to them about raising you? About Hogwarts and all your schooling?" Sirius asked, getting more concerned just what went on in the first thirteen years of Harry's life before he meet Sirius in his third year. "No, he left me on their doorstep with a letter about me and Hogwarts, explaining everything. But I've never been able to read the letter." Sirius and Remus started fuming at this. How could Dumbledore leave a one year-old on a doorstep outside in the freezing cold all night?
Remus composed himself before asking, "Did your relatives ever do or say anything about not wanting you living with them?" "I mean, yeah. They wouldn't let me do the same things as Dudley, my cousin. I would only get Dudley's old clothes and their scraps from meals for dinner. They also made me sleep in the cabinet under the stairs, because they needed a bedroom for guests and Dudley needed a second one for his stuff. Well, that was before my Hogwarts letter came. After that, they moved me into his second bedroom." The two Marauders were shocked at how their brother in all but blood's son has been treated. And they knew nothing about it!
"Harry… you've got to understand how wrong that is, don't you? They should have never kept food from you or treated you worse than your cousin." Remus said, seeing as Sirius was too mad to say anything helpful at the moment.
"Alright! Everyone, I think it is time for us to continue on to the next recording!" Dumbledore announced, interrupting their conversation. "We'll continue this later, alright Harry?" Remus said, with no room for compromise in his tone. "Al-alright." Harry said, now anxious to get this over with.
Published: 2/23/2023