Chapter 4: My Shot
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): I am not throwin' away my shot! I am not throwin' away my shot!
"Oh, my Merlin! What is that dancing?!"
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Hey yo, I'm just like my country, I'm young, scrappy, and hungry, and I'm not throwin' away my shot!
"This seems like a very upbeat song, compared to ones that may come down the road." A Hufflepuff said, insightfully. "Yes, it seems to be his 'I want' song that is commonly used in movies or musicals that talks about what the character dreams of in life," Hermione said, ever the know-it-all.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): I'ma get a scholarship to King's College.
"Is King's College a prestigious school?" Sirius asked, having not ever heard about it. "Yes, it was a prestigious school for the time that it was around." "Wow, he sure does have big dreams for his education." A Slytherin said, impressed.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): I probably shouldn't brag, but dang, I amaze and astonish. The problem is I got a lot of brains but no polish.
"Huh? What do you mean by 'no polish'? You're like- filthy rich!" A random student said, flabbergasted that the other Harry wasn't as rich as the one in their universe. "What do you mean? I'm pretty much broke, I don't have much money at all." Harry said, confused, what was this person talking about?
"What? Harry, you know that's not right. James came from a large family fortune, and he and Lily made sure to put a lot of money into a trust fund for you until you turned 17. The main family vault adds a stipend to the trust vault every month for you, so it's almost impossible to run out of money." Sirius explained, now wondering just why Harry didn't know this about his family, and just how much he truly knew about the Potter family.
"What? But- my Aunt and Uncle always said that I should be grateful for them because they fed and clothed me completely out of pocket, they never said anything about money." Harry said, his eyebrows scrunched together in thought.
"We'll have to talk about this later, as well," Remus said, stopping the conversation for now.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): I gotta holler just to be heard, with every word, I drop knowledge.
"You know you're starting to sound more like Hermione than yourself, Harry." Ron joked, dodging the incoming punch from said Gryffindor.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): I'm a diamond in the rough, a shiny piece of coal, tryna reach my goal my power of speech, unimpeachable.
"You seem to have quite the influence over the others in your group, Harry, you're already turning out to be a good leader!" Tonks said, giving him two thumbs up.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Only nineteen but my mind is older.
A couple of people in the room shivered at the creepy image of Harry that flashed on the screen.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): These New York City streets get colder, I shoulder every burden, every disadvantage. I have learned to manage-
"These must be flashbacks from his past, he seems so defeated…" Lavender Brown said, pity in her voice. Harry barely managed to hold himself back from rolling his eyes. He hated when people pitied him. He wasn't weak, and they shouldn't treat him like he was.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): -I don't have a gun to brandish. I walk these streets famished.
Mrs. Weasley shook her head, 'That boy was always unusually thin…' she thought, making an internal note to serve Harry more food than she normally would, hoping that would help the problem some.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): The plan is to fan this spark into a flame. But damn, it's getting dark, so let me spell out my name. I am the H-A-R-R-Y we are meant to be!
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): A colony that runs independently.
"This must be what Harry is standing for in the other universe," Hermione concluded, remembering what Harry said to Tom Riddle. "Yes, though it's more political than I had thought," Harry said, trying not to show how intimidated he would be if he were to be put on the spot to talk about politics, which he hadn't paid much attention to since Voldemort was still lurking around.
"Harry's also 19 in the other universe, so this could also be another difference that we should keep in mind for later," Professor Flitwick said.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Meanwhile, Britain keeps shittin' on us endlessly!
"What? When has the minister- you know what, never mind. Let's just keep watching to figure out what exactly Harry is talking about," Ginny Weasley decided, thinking about how exactly the current minister was in politics.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Essentially, they tax us relentlessly. Then King George turns around, runs a spendin' spree.
"King George? Where have I heard that before?..." Harry mumbled, he and Hermione trying to connect the dots between what muggle history they had learned about before coming to Hogwarts and who other Harry could be referring to.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): He ain't ever gonna set his descendants free-
"This man seems quite cruel, with what we have heard about him so far," Kingsley Shacklebolt said, to which a lot of people agreed.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): -so there will be a revolution in this century.
"That's quite ambitious, young man. Are you sure you'll be able to start a revolution?" Emmeline Vance asked, trying to assess just how dedicated Harry could be. "Uhm, no offense, Ms. Vance, but I don't know… I mean, I can't tell what I'm thinking in that universe." Harry said shyly, expecting severe repercussions for speaking out against an adult.
"Yes, that makes sense, I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like that, Harry." Harry was shocked at how easily she let it go but didn't know what to say, so he just went back to looking at the screen.
Blaise Zabini, Fleur Delacour, and Ron Weasley (John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, and Hercules Mulligan): Enter me, he says in parentheses.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Don't be shocked when your history book mentions me!
"Still a fame-seeker, huh, Potter?" Lucius Malfoy asked mockingly. "Well if it isn't the infamous rich blonde who can't get enough of himself?" Sirius asked, about to start fighting with the Malfoy patriarch more if Remus hadn't stopped him before he could continue.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): I will lay down my life if it sets us free.
"Harry! You can't possibly think like that in this universe, can you?" Hermione asked, concerned with what she already knew of Harry's self-sacrificing behaviors. "I mean, to win against Voldemort some sacrifices have to be made. That's part of the war. And I'm okay with me being sacrificed so that we could win." Harry shrugged, not noticing the concerned looks that were sent in his direction by many of his friends and adults in the room.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Eventually, you'll see my ascendancy.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): And I am not throwin' away my shot. I am not throwin' away my shot. Hey yo, I'm just like my country, I'm young, scrappy, and hungry, and I'm not throwin' away my shot.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): I am not throwin' away my shot, I am not throwin' away my shot. Hey yo, I'm just like my country, I'm young, scrappy, and hungry, and I'm not throwin' away my shot. It's time to take a shot!
Fleur Delacour (Marquis de Lafayette): I dream of life without a monarchy.
"Do you think one of the differences is that everyone is focused on the politics that come with the time this is set in?" Charlie Weasley asked, "Yes, it seems so. But I still just can't quite remember who exactly King George is." Hermione responded, thinking about how long ago King George must have ruled.
Fleur Delacour (Marquis de Lafayette): The unrest in France will lead to onarchy. Onarchy how you say, how you, oh, anarchy? When I fight, I make the other side panicky. With my, shot!
"I've got it! Now I remember who King George is!" Hermione exclaimed, startling the people who were sitting near her. "He was King of Great Britain from 1760 until he died in 1820. He was widely regarded as a very strict and greedy ruler, and during his rule, he ruled the American colonies from Britain. His strict ruling is what ended up causing the American Revolution where Americans from the colonies revolted against his rule."
"So I'm guessing this is probably set during the late 1700s, and since Harry is talking about a revolution, he must be a part of the American Revolution," Hermione explained to the other occupants of the room.
"Huh, so even in that universe I'm going against some powerful enemy," Harry mused to himself, finding irony in the thought, even when those around him looked at him weirdly.
Ron Weasley (Hercules Mulligan): Yo, I'm a tailor's apprentice!
"Wow, Ron, I wouldn't have expected you to work with clothes and sewing. You don't seem like the type. And you've never shown any interest in it," Ginny said, looking at her brother weirdly.
"Ickle Ronnikins-" "Just wants an excuse-" "To measure people's bodies-" "Without it being weird!" The twins chanted, finding amusement in their little brother's blushing face.
"Fred! George! Stop that now!" Their mother called out, scolding them!"
Ron Weasley (Hercules Mulligan): And I got y'all knuckleheads in loco parentis (loco parentis). I'm joining the rebellion 'cause I know it's my chance, to socially advance, instead of sewin' some pants.
"Your group dynamic seems to be based around the fact that all of you are using the Revolution as an opportunity to get something that you desire out of life," Amos Diggory inspected. "Yes, well, when you don't get given the best cards in life, you tend to take every opportunity you can get to find something good," Harry explained, thinking of his own life from his parents being murdered to the Dursleys abusing him all his life.
Ron Weasley (Hercules Mulligan): I'm gonna take a shot!
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): And but we'll never be truly free until those in bondage have the same rights as you and me.
"Those are wise words, my boy," Dumbledore said with a strange twinkle in his eyes. Blaise just shifted uncomfortably at the compliment, not used to Dumbledore complimenting anyone but his favorite Gryffindors, nor him calling anyone "my boy" but Blaise's boyfriend, Harry.
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): You and I, do or die. Wait 'til I sally in on a stallion, with the first black battalion. Have another shot!
"Racism was also very prominent during this time, as well as slavery," Harry explained, remembering learning about this in muggle history class before he went to Hogwarts.
"That just proves another way Muggles are inferior to Wizards," Antonin Dolohov, a suspected Death Eater stated, causing many people to look at him as if he was stupid. "You mean that discriminating against muggle-borns isn't similar to discriminating against other races? Something that many pureblood wizards, such as yourself, are known to do?" Neville Longbottom asked, finding his courage to speak out.
Antonin Dolohov just ignored the younger man, turning back to the screen.
Aaron Burr (Tom Riddle): Geniuses, lower your voices. You keep out of trouble and you double your choices.
"Just like the Tom Riddle in our universe. He was an amazing student in Hogwarts and never made trouble so that he wouldn't be suspected of his villainous acts," Harry said, to which McGonagall and many other Hogwarts teachers were surprised, how did Mr. Potter know this about you-know-who?
"How do you know this, Mr. Potter?" McGonagall asked, voicing the teachers' thoughts. "Well- Dumbledore will probably explain later, at a better time," Harry said, making all of the teachers look at Dumbledore suspiciously.
Aaron Burr (Tom Riddle): I'm with you, but the situation is fraught. You've got to be carefully taught. If you talk, you're gonna get shot.
"They sure can be intimidating when they want to be!"
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Riddle, check what we got. Miss Delacour, hard rock like Lancelot.
"Okay, Harry, slow your roll, you don't need to flirt with my Girlfriend now," Bill Weasley said, elbowing Harry playfully.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): I think your pants look hot.
"Hahaha! You- you're crying!" Ginny was now crying herself from laughing so much, making Ron huff in exasperation.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Zabini, I like you a lot.
Blaise walked over to where Harry was sitting with Sirius and Remus and took his hand, dragging Harry over to an empty seat where Harry could sit on Blaise's lap, cuddling with him as he kissed Harry's cheek softly.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Let's hatch a plot blacker than the kettle callin' the pot. What are the odds the gods would put us all in one spot? Poppin' a squat on conventional wisdom, like it or not. A bunch of revolutionary manumission abolitionists? Give me a position, show me where the ammunition is!
"Woah, you said that so fast it just sounded like word vomit to me," Justin Finch-Fletchley said, laughing with some of the other Gryffindor boys.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Oh, am I talkin' too loud? Sometimes I get over-excited, shoot off at the mouth. I never had a group of friends before, I promise that I'll make y'all proud.
"Aww, baby, you know you always make us proud, right?" Blaise whispered to Harry, holding him closer than before. "Yeah- I guess so, I just sometimes have doubts, you know?" Harry said, seemingly ashamed of his admittance. "We're going to talk about this more later, alright?" Blaise decided.
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): Let's get this guy in front of a crowd!
"It's so nice to see you all be so supportive of each other!" Mrs. Diggory said, thankful that her son had such nice friends.
Harry Potter, Blaise Zabini, Fleur Delacour, Ron Weasley, and Others (Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, Hercules Mulligan, and Ensemble): I am not throwin' away my shot. I am not throwin' away my shot. Hey yo, I'm just like my country. I'm young, scrappy, and hungry, and I'm not throwin' away my shot.
Harry Potter, Blaise Zabini, Fleur Delacour, Ron Weasley, and Others (Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, Hercules Mulligan, and Ensemble): I am not throwin' away my shot. I am not throwin' away my shot. Hey yo, I'm just like my country. I'm young, scrappy, and hungry, and I'm not throwin' away my shot.
"This seems like it is going to be a treasured memory for Harry in the other universe."
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): Everybody sing! Whoa, whoa, whoa. Ayy, whoa (woo), whoa. Should let 'em hear ya (yeah). Let's go!
Others (Ensemble): Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!
"Draco?!" "What is Malfoy doing there?" Ron asked. He still held quite a lot of prejudice against Slytherins, specifically Draco Malfoy. "This must be when Draco comes into the story." Luna rationalized.
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): I said shout it to the rooftops! Said, to the rooftops! Come on, let's go!
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): Rise up!
"That was a nice thing to do, Blaise," Remus smiled. If Harry thought of Blaise as a part of the family, then Remus would too.
Blaise Zabini (John Laurens): When you're living on your knees, you rise up. Tell your brother that he's gotta rise up. Tell your sister that she's gotta rise up.
"It seems that Blaise helps with rallying up the forces for the American Revolution," Katie Bell sums up, making many other people also connect the dots in their brains.
Blaise Zabini and Others (John Laurens and Ensemble): When are these colonies gonna rise up? When are these colonies gonna rise up? When are these colonies gonna rise up? When are these colonies gonna rise up? Rise up!
"And suddenly this has taken a sort of dark turn."
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory.
"This seems like a glimpse into other Harry's past." Lee Jordan examined, to which many people seemed to lean in to look at the screen closer than before to see what might be also their Harry's past.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): When's it gonna get me? In my sleep, seven feet ahead of me? If I see it comin', do I run, or do I let it be? Is it like a beat without a melody? See, I never thought I'd live past twenty.
"Oh, Harry…" Hermione whispered, trying not to cry at her friends' words.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Where I come from some get half as many.
"Oh, my! Those poor children!" Molly Weasley gasped, her hands drifting over her mouth in shock. Many people hung their heads in condolence for the children that were lost so young.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Ask anybody why we livin' fast and we laugh, reach for a flask. We have to make this moment last, that's plenty.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Scratch that this is not a moment, it's the movement.
"Another reference to the revolution… hmmm…" Alastor Moody said thoughtfully. He was already coming up with ideas of how this story could continue.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Where all the hungriest brothers with something to prove went? Foes oppose us, we take an honest stand. We roll like Moses, claimin' our promised land.
"That's a lot of soldiers!" Dean Thomas said in awe. He had heard stories of what the first wizarding war was like, but couldn't quite comprehend just how many people participate and fight in a war.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): And? If we win our independence? Is that a guarantee of freedom for our descendants?
"That's a hard part of the war, you never know if in the end, it will pay off, or if in the end, you will win. It's a gamble," Arthur Weasley said, with many of the other adults who survived the war agreeing.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Or will the blood we shed begin an endless cycle of vengeance and death with no defendants?
"Oh, my Merlin!" Molly Weasley called as she tried to get her children to look away from the blood-coated screen. "I think I might be sick…" One first-year said weakly from the audience.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): I know the action in the street is excitin', But Jesus, between all the bleedin' 'n' fightin', I've been readin' 'n' writin'.
"Now you're sounding more like a Ravenclaw," Ron joked, sending a smirking look in Harry's direction, which Harry returned.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): We need to handle our financial situation. Are we a nation of states what's the state of our nation?
"Now, my boy, you are starting to sound more like a young adult every day," Dumbledore said, which got him many weird looks. "While I agree with you, I don't think this is the right time to bring that up," Sirius said, thinking about how little Harry seemed to know about his financial situation, and why that was, which just got him angry.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): I'm past patiently waitin' I'm passionately mashin' every expectation. Every action's an act of creation.
"This has been a rollercoaster. At first, it was uplifting, then it was sad, and now it's uplifting again!" A Ravenclaw student said, in an annoyed voice.
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): I'm laughin' in the face of casualties and sorrow. For the first time, I'm thinkin' past tomorrow!
'There are so many references to depression that it's obvious that Harry feels that way in the other universe, but is he like that in this universe?' That is what Remus was thinking. He hated the thought that his pup felt that way about himself and life, so he would need to add that to the list of future discussions.
Harry Potter and Others (Alexander Hamilton and Ensemble): And I am not throwin' away my shot.
"Harry! Do you know how dangerous being carried like that is?" Hermione said, forgetting that she was talking to the alternate universe Harry. "You could easily get a concussion if you were dropped!"
Harry Potter and Others (Alexander Hamilton and Ensemble): I am not throwin' away my shot. Hey yo, I'm just like my country. I'm young, scrappy, and hungry, and I'm not throwin' away my shot.
Harry Potter, Blaise Zabini, Fleur Delacour, and Ron Weasley (Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, and Hercules Mulligan): We're gonna rise up!
Others (Ensemble): Time to take a shot!
Harry Potter, Blaise Zabini, Fleur Delacour, and Ron Weasley (Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, and Hercules Mulligan): I am not throwin' away my shot. We're gonna rise up!
Others (Ensemble): Time to take a shot!
"Poor bartender…"
Harry Potter, Blaise Zabini, Fleur Delacour, and Ron Weasley (Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, and Hercules Mulligan): I am not throwin' away my shot. We're gonna-
Harry Potter, Blaise Zabini, Fleur Delacour, Ron Weasley, and Others (Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, Hercules Mulligan, and Ensemble): Rise up, rise up!
Harry Potter (Alexander Hamilton): Time to take a shot!
Others (Ensemble): Rise up! Rise up!
Harry Potter, Blaise Zabini, Fleur Delacour, and Ron Weasley (Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, and Hercules Mulligan): It's time to take a shot. Rise up, it's time to take a shot. Rise up, take a shot, shot, shot! It's time to take a shot, time to take a shot. And I am not throwin' away my, not throwin' away my shot!
"They're all drinking so much," Bill said, concerned, he knew just what could happen if you were in a too-drunken state of mind. He winced at the thought of that one time during his seventh year. That detention was not fun.
"It seems that is the end of that video. Shall we take a break before starting the next one?" Dumbledore asked, getting many nods of agreement.
Published: 4/7/2023