Disclaimer:
I solemnly swear that the literature and works of the Harry Potter Verse belong to JK Rowling, Bloomberg and Warner Bros. The only thing I own are the one-shot ideas that popped into my head and whatever OCs I would create for them. This is a work of pure fiction made solely for fun, constructive reviews will be welcomed, flames will be ignored. Any references to characters in real-life or fiction are purely coincidental. If I could make money out of my ideas, it would be nice...
Mischief Managed Damn It!
Title: Untitled John Wick Inspired AU
Posted Date: December 16 2023
Inspiration: John Wick, Hitman 47, Emiya
Tags: Harry as hitman, WBWL, Alive / Stupid Potters, Greater Good Dumbledore, Alive but Coma Amelia, BAMF Susan Bones, Canon Goblins, Character Deaths, Guns Galore, Interference Order of Phoenix
Possible Challenges: Blaise Zabini as Rival Assassin, Other characters as Rival Assassin, Good Sirius Black / Remus Lupin
Pairings (Main): Harry x Susan
Pairings (Possible): Harry x Padma x Su Li
It was absolutely pouring in the streets of Rome, with the people rushing to get to shelter from the rain, a feat that was not feasible as much of the street was open to the elements. For those with umbrellas, it was honestly an act in futility as the torrential rain was accompanied with high winds that blew the rain droplets all over the area, so their legs at least would be wet and cold. With everyone distracted and the downpour being so heavy, no one saw the young woman walking out on the street with a single umbrella and somehow remaining dry despite the rainfall. Sharper eye individuals may notice an odd shimmer around her that appears to repel the water away from her around the umbrella if they paid attention. The woman continued until she stopped on the sidewalk opposite a big hotel that was part of a series of hotels called the Continentals, her eyes looking at the building but her mind was on other thoughts.
Susan Bones had a very turbulent summer after her more turbulent fifth year no thanks to Dolores Umbridge. Aunt Amelia was paranoid over the reappearance of Voldemort and made sure the both of them were safe from possible assassination from anyone. That saved them a couple of times from Aurors who had the Dark Mark, and later people who had been Imperioused to deliver poison through the mail. It all accumulated to high ranking Death Eaters pulling a full on assault on the Bones Manor led by Voldemort himself in order to get rid of the next potential target standing between him and the Ministry. Susan was at Hannah's home that evening and only realised that her ancestral home was attacked when the family elves appeared with Amelia in their grasp, her clothes smelling of fire with burned ends and some open wounds. Helena, Hannah's mother who worked part-time as a Healer, was able to stabilise Amelia and keep her alive, but she slipped into a coma shortly after.
Then as though it was not enough, there were families offering to take her in. Majority were from the Dark Faction hoping to cash in on her vulnerability and possibly the value of a hostage if Amelia woke up, but those from the Light Faction were also trying to get their connections through the Bones Family without interference by her aunt. Helena was able to push back on the offers by being her immediate guardian set by Amelia, but those families were quite pushy, and Susan knew enough of their practices that Helena was in danger of "suffering an accident". And the supposed Leader of the Light, Albus Dumbledore, was not above certain tactics to get what he wanted, and she knew that he had been getting quite problematic with her aunt.
It was as Susan was looking through Amelia's notes to pass the time when she found a name card that Amelia and her late father had kept with a brief description written on it. Susan had the idea of getting Helena to bring them out of the country and to get Amelia in a different hospital until the heat was out. Helena looked at her suspiciously at the specific country but went along with it, and in the nick of time given what her husband had written two days after that the house was burnt down and someone did try to attack Amelia a couple of hours after transferring her out.
Those animals were allowed to walk freely about Britain with no fear of repercussions while the victims were made to suffer because of the laws and inactions from the minister, the Aurors siding with them, or Dumbledore and his group. Susan hated the injustice and wanted to do something about it. And so she was here in Rome, giving the excuse to Helena and Hannah that she wanted some time to herself and walk about, with only the Bones house elf to keep watch over her. But as she stood in front of the hotel, doubt had settled in her gut.
She pulled out a name card and examined it under the rain. It was partially yellow from years of being in a dark drawer and slightly worn out from her constant checking, but it was a very well crafted name card with the hotel's name and address on the front, and the name of the person behind it. On this side, she recognized her aunt's writing based on one word, "Sommelier", and when accompanied with her notes and a certain item that once belonged to her father, she got a general idea of whom she was seeking. Being raised by an Auror had taught Susan that the world was not all roses and sunshine despite Amelia's best attempts to shelter her from the harshness of the world. Sometimes the best solutions to certain problems had to be solved outside the laws. And this place was what she needed at this point.
The only thing stopping her was her inner turmoil about what to do. Do nothing and risk losing all to the death eaters, or do something and risk losing all to the messed up society.
What was she to do?
"Susan Bones?"
She snapped her head around to find a pair of emerald green eyes looking at her in curiosity. It took a while to note that the owner was a young man with messy black hair and a stern face, and he was someone she knew from Hogwarts. "Harry Barton? Why are you here?"
"I was going to ask you the same question." The young man glanced between her and the Continental before humming at the card she was still holding. "Then again, I can make a guess. You seek the one called the Sommelier. " Susan blinked at the words, feeling cautiously hopeful for information.
"What makes you say that?" Harry huffed as he walked towards the hotel, startling her to follow.
"The Continentals are, while popular to many people, not as well known as other hotels in the world, especially for someone who has spent their lives solely in the magical world like most of the British wizards. They have quite the expensive price tag that even the Malfoys will baulk at the amount they would need to pay for a night. And the one that we are now making our way to has a certain reputation for the underground of the entirety of Europe." He led them to the front porch that had an overhanging shelter to block the rain, and that was when Susan noticed Harry to be wearing a long weathered coat that was supposedly spelled to repel the rain since it only had droplets on it, and a hat that would have looked odd on others but was good for him.
"You have a card that is technically outdated, but still carries a valid signature that can't be faked with magic. The people involved know about magic and make sure their cards are tamper-proof. You can write something on it, but they cannot remove the magical signature if you wish for safe passage." Susan certainly did not know about that.
"Another thought that came to mine is likely more personal to you." Harry turned to face her at this point. "I heard what happened with your aunt. My condolences to you." Susan's breath hitched at that statement. "But that leads me to the next point. Your eyes have that look of one wanting payback above all else, and you being here tells me that you are seeking the one that handles certain transactions." Susan took a deep breath to contain the possible outburst and think carefully.
"Are you going to stop me?" Harry tilted his head at her query and deceptively calm tone.
"Normal people would say that it is wrong to take revenge, but they won't know what you and many others have gone through based on Britain's issues. And I am quite possibly the last person to tell you otherwise." Harry answered as made sure to place a silencing ward around them, before he nodded at an empty spot. Based on the squeak, he knew her elf was there while invisible somehow. "Your elf companion and friends would want to tell you that it could be wrong, and ultimately it is your choice. I certainly will not tell you what to do, but I will give a warning." He paused before continuing.
"Justice without set cause and done through wrath can only grant you temporary satisfaction. Vengeance will be a poison in your veins that will ruin your life if unchecked." Harry spoke in a tone that sounded like he had recited them many times. "Be certain this is what you want before entering the hotel, because there is no way for one to leave the world they would step into if they are half-hearted."
"How do you know?" Susan asked calmly and no small amount of curiosity noted in her tone. By all accounts, she should be angry and yelling at anyone even thinking they knew how she felt, but Harry Barton had the look and air of one who had actually gone through what she was thinking, and there was notable regret with whatever he had done in that mysterious past of his.
"Trust me, you don't want to know." The young man looked at his wrist that had a watch which had seen many years in its time but was still working. "Are you here for him? If not, this is your only chance to leave and keep what innocence left of your psyche." Susan hesitated at that and looked at the entrance, the image of her aunt in a coma strengthening her resolve.
"Yes, I wish to meet the Sommelier." She held out the name card that started this trip. Harry looked at it closely without touching and hummed.
"As this is your first visit, we should meet the concierge for identification. Follow me." Harry turned and walked confidently to the door, the bellboy who had been watching them now pulling open the door and greeting him. Susan followed suit while thanking the bellboy, her mind now on the young man who she was now walking with, with whatever details she could recall about him.
Not that hard given that he was oddly enough one of the more infamous and controversial individuals to ever set foot in Hogwarts, especially the fact that he was the sole heir of a family clan that was decidedly hostile to British families, used the bank from Switzerland to keep the money instead of Gringotts, and had outperformed a good number of the students including Damien Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived and supposed protegee of Dumbledore. He also got into certain situations with said person over the years and had to deal with some of the nastiness like the Triwizard Tournament that he got forcefully drafted into when someone decided to enter his name. He cleared his name through the use of an oath, eyewitnesses and Veritaserum while telling everyone to cheer on Cedric, something that won over the others for his honesty and focused their anger at Damien who basked in the notion of being in the tournament.
But perhaps the most shocking detail about Harry Barton was that he used to be a scion of the Potters before they gave him up supposedly on grounds of being a Squib. Him returning to Hogwarts and refusing the Potter name for the sorting was certainly a major eyeopener, even more so when they tried to bring him back only for him to properly cast himself out of the Potter family to ensure they could not drag him back.
As Justin and Hannah put it crudely, it took Iron Quaffles to do that without hesitation, and oddly enough it brought respect from the darker faction with several members being decidedly cordial with Harry if not friendly.
"Excuse me." Susan blinked to find that in her thoughts, they had made their way to a woman at the concierge booth. "Is the Sommelier in?" The dark beauty looked at them before focusing on Harry.
"I have never known him… Not to leave." The woman spoke in a low tone before glancing at Susan. "And you are?"
"Susan Bones." The young woman answered while straightening up.
"You might want to show her the card." Harry motioned to her. Susan reached into her pocket to pull out the card for the woman to look at.
"Ah, I see. One of your relatives knew the previous Sommelier." The woman looked at her with a rather intense look in her eyes before turning to Harry. "Are you staying for the night?" Harry nodded firmly. "Very well, I shall have the staff prepare your room for the evening. Will she be with you as well?"
"No, I am merely trying to find the Sommelier." Susan replied to the woman who nodded once. A snap of her fingers brought the bellboy to the table.
"Prepare a single room for Level 3 VIP within 30 minutes." The woman firmly ordered the bellboy who nodded once and moved quickly to fulfil said orders. The woman turned back to Harry and Susan with a small smile. "The Sommelier is in the chamber, your room will be prepared by the time you are done previewing his wares. We hope you enjoy your stay with us, Mister Barton." Harry thanked her and after a hasty one by Susan, they moved past the booth to go towards the section with a few doors lining them, Harry seemingly knowing the way with confident strides.
"You have stayed here before?" Susan asked as a way of dealing with the uncomfortable silence between them.
"With my mentors and guardians. They had business with some of the people here." Harry answered as he checked each door.
"Why did you come here?" Susan knew why she was there, but Harry Barton was an odd person that people were still trying to figure out. Padma Patil and Su Li seemed to make it their mission to find out more about him.
Harry glanced at her with the corner of his eye, as if to gauge the reason for her query before he answered.
"The little dark lord problem in Britain is really getting out of hand, and with Dumbledore's crew not doing much to contain them, I would rather have security of my own. And the old man himself seems determined to control me despite me not being with the Potters at all." Harry then turned on his heel to go down the next corridor, prompting her to catch up. "I suspect whatever went on in the Ministry before summer broke got people riled up. And I know that the dark wizards have been trying to find me for some time, whether to force me into their ranks or to eliminate me. And between us, I would rather not be under anyone's orders."
"I see." Susan was struggling to consider what else was in Harry's past and what to say, and ended up speaking the first thing at the top of her head. "I am not sure if this place is secure for underhanded business. I mean, anyone can come in." Susan made that observation, but Harry chuckled at her words.
"You were distracted while walking, but there are wards similar to Gringotts's Thief's Downfall placed at every entrance around the first few levels, along with monitoring spells and mundane cameras hidden but watching. And you will be suicidal to even think of killing anyone here." Susan could only stare at him with a slightly open mouth while they stopped at a door. "Ah, here we go." They entered the room, and briefly Susan wondered if perhaps he entered the wrong room as this was filled with different bottles of wine. Sure she recognized them to be very expensive brands that Amelia would certainly love to indulge if she was in the mood to relax, but not quite what she had in mind.
Movement in the corner drew her attention to a young man dressed in the hotel uniform coming from another room and pausing at the sight of them. Harry had stepped forward and started to speak to him in what sounded like Italian to the staff whose expression cleared up and nodded while pulling back the curtain he came through from. Harry turned to her and motioned to follow him before he entered the room. Susan slowly made her way to the entrance, and with a nod to the staff member, walked through before stopping a few feet inside to look at the rows of muggle weapons available in existence.
Now this was what she was thinking.
She turned about her spot to find Harry pausing briefly in the middle of the room to allow a man dressed in what would be considered a sommelier's uniform with the badge hanging around his neck to show he was the expert for the wine selection for the hotel, along with a second badge that appeared to be the logo for the hotel pinned above his breast pocket but curiously, it had a musket beneath it. The man continued with his work and turned around without reacting to their presence, likely knowing of them coming for him.
"Good afternoon, Mister Barton. It has been quite a while since your last visit." The man addressed Harry with a notable British accent before looking at Susan. "And I see you brought a guest. A new buyer, perhaps?"
"In a manner of speaking, Sommelier." Harry answered. He turned to Susan while the man came forward. "Do you wish to go first or shall I?"
"Erm?" Susan looked around helplessly. "I think you should go first, I have no idea what to do." Harry nodded as the Sommelier stopped behind the booth.
"So what can I do for you this evening? I suspect it is not a social visit." Harry stepped forward with his eyes moving about to catch everything within his sights.
"I would like… a tasting." Harry paused before lightly nodding. "Some of your recommendations you would make for my mentors, but with a dash of the magical touch." The Sommelier hummed while his eyes briefly gazed at Susan. "She knows about magic, she also has a card from her late father sent by your predecessor." The man looked intrigued, prompting Susan to pull out the card again for him to look at.
"Ah, I see. You are the daughter of Edward Bones." The man nodded slowly as he considered the card. "I was there as an apprentice when he came for his tasting. He favoured the British brands and fancied himself as a secret agent. A little dramatic with his handling but skilled enough to deal with menaces." The Sommelier handed the card back to her with a nod. "My teacher was saddened at his passing, he was one of his favourites." Susan nodded, feeling numbed by the admission that her father came to this place to get the weapons. "Your aunt as well has quite a taste for the range capabilities. I do hope she recovers soon." The Sommelier then returned to Harry.
"Let's get started, shall we? Occasion?"
"Mostly casual, but there are a couple of five star social events coming up." Harry answered. Susan kept silent but frowned at the meaning, knowing he was doing double meanings. Five Star social events could mean high profile events that would suggest high profile targets. And based on her own interactions and the current state of the world, there were a good number who were in the high echelons of society and happened to be Death Eaters.
"I believe you have prepared your suits of choice?" Harry nodded at his query. "In that case." The Sommelier walked to the shelf that held different types of pistols.
"Your previous mentors have a fondness for the German variety with the odd American, but your frame and adventures suggest you are more of the hit and run type with the odd strength, so I would wholeheartedly endorse the Austrian and some of the British customs, like the Walther PP and the Glock 17, Second Generation." The man reached to grab the stated weapons and returned to place them on the table for Harry to peruse and handle. Harry picked up the Glock and tested the grip and moved about with the weapon while shifting his arms. Susan watched him aim the weapon while moving his arms in different manners as though he was imagining himself in the situation he needed to use it, and put it down briefly to do the same with the Walther PP, even doing something to unhinge something from the handle to check before pushing it back in, an action that had the Sommelier nodding at his motion and Susan blinking at the familiarity the young man showed in his handling.
"Recontured Grips. Flared Magwell for easier reloading. And I do recall your appreciation for the custom porting." The man continued describing his wares as he brought out other items that apparently work with the weapons as Harry looked at them, picked one up and attached it to the gun. "They also allow for the increased magazine sizes to grant you more rounds to fire, and if required, a little room for etching your runes."
"You are a wizard?" Susan blurted out when she heard that. The Sommelier raised an eyebrow at her.
"British, am I correct? By your country's rather bigoted laws, I would be a hedge wizard, slightly above the status called Squib but not enough to attend your school. At least in France or Rome, there are other options for people like me." The man smoothly answered her with a nod, before turning back to Harry who had handled the weapons to his satisfaction.
"How about something for the entree?" Harry asked as he placed the gun down back on the table properly. "Fast, ideally with some range to cover a room at the least."
"For that, I would recommend the MP5K." The man took the gun in question from another shelf. "Semi-automatic, fast reload with extended magazine clip. Recoil has been reduced to the point you can wield it with one hand. Helpful in clearing out crowds while dual wielding with a wand." Harry took the weapon and moved it about with his arm, at one point holding it by the hip with both hands and then aiming from the top. "Silencing charms are available if needed, although I think that is the least of your worries if you need it." Susan was feeling very out of depth with the demonstration but it helped to listen properly and to watch Harry manipulate the weapon as the man spoke, mentally cataloguing what questions that she wanted answers for later. And somehow she was being reminded of someone when the man described the weapons.
Harry nodded his appreciation for the weapon and placed it on the table next to the pistols. "What's next?" The Sommelier asked upon seeing his approval.
"I need something… Robust. Precise." Harry spoke slowly as he tried to consider what he needed while looking at the other weapons around them.
"Robust. Precise." The man spoke as if he was tasting the words with his tongue while cocking an eyebrow for the choice, before he twirled to a different cupboard to get something. As he did, Susan came forward to see the selection up close.
"How do you know what to use?" Susan looked at her classmates. "For that matter, why do you even know such a place or types of muggle weapons to use?"
"You know I was not raised by the Potters." Harry answered as he watched the Sommelier check the shelves with a finger slowly going through the collection with a keen eye. "My guardians were the types of people that governments would be hesitant to employ while possibly having a love-hate situation with your aunt."
"Yes, Amelia Bones always has a minor struggle when it comes to those of our professions." The Sommelier interjected smoothly as he found what he wanted and took up a rifle that had a scope attached to it. "She understands the need for us when it comes to matters outside of the law, but has to deal with the repercussions of letting us go without much restraint. At least we have a code of conduct within the Continentals if not the majority of Europe. There is a reason why Britain's Dark Lord problem has yet to break out of their borders other than the darker parts of France and parts of Bulgaria." The man then presented the rifle to Harry who took it up to test the weight and then placed it against his shoulder to simulate his firing position.
"AR-15, 11.5-inch. Compensated with an iron-bonded bolt carrier. Trijicon accupoint with 1-6 magnification." Harry checked the scope and tried out the features with his fingers while listening to the man's description. "Modified to attach silencers and allow different types of ammunition of same sizing. Ah yes." The man snapped his fingers as he thought of something. "As part of the package, all of your ammunition for the guns you take will include standard rounds for regular targets, or modified rounds for dealing out damage against werewolves, vampires, and most of the standard monsters out there." Harry paused to smile brightly at that statement before doing one last check of the weapon and placing it on the table.
"What would you recommend for the end of the night? Something big, bold." The man hummed in appreciation at that.
"That depends on the type of ending you are aiming for at the end of the night. For a more personal touch, may I suggest the Benelli M4?" The Sommelier went to a different cupboard, but instead of grabbing the weapons there, he pulled a lever to make the shelves rotate up until he got to the specific shelf containing the set of shotguns that had a slight sheen to them. The Sommelier looked at them carefully before picking the one in question to place the gun in front of Harry.
"Custom bolt carrier release and charging handle." Harry took up the shotgun and mimicked targeting and reloading the weapon before he set it against his shoulder and then moved it sideways to check the bottom part of the weapon.
"Textured grips, should your hands get... wet." The Sommelier's lips twitched at that bit. "An Italian Classic." Harry aimed about and mock-fired the shotgun before placing it with the rest.
"But if you are looking for something to go with fireworks?" The Sommelier broke the routine and pulled out a catalogue from a drawer to look through, stopping at a page and placing it on the table to let Harry view both a photo shot of the weapon and its details.
"The Russian-made RPG-7. Unguided rocket propelled grenade launcher outfitted with a custom grip and scope. Rugged, simple, devastating against all but the most heavily armoured targets. Unfortunately, due to, shall we say "importing issues"? I am not able to offer additional ammunition per launcher. However, with proper target selection, I doubt you'd need any more than one." Susan had no idea what it was meant to do, but just listening to this man describe it made her want to buy it, damn the amount!
"I will take this as well then." Harry tapped on the item in question. The Sommelier nodded while writing a note on what looked like a bill book before tearing off one part to hand over to Harry to check his order of purchase.
"Anything else, young sir?" Harry hummed as he looked at the collection he had obtained before looking up.
"Dessert?" At that, Susan tilted her head in confusion at his word but noted the Sommelier's expression. The man seemed to be grinning at that bit like he was pleased that Harry had asked that question.
"Dessert." The man almost sounded like he was purring as he bent down behind the counter to retrieve a box made of fine wood. He unlatched it and pulled the cover off the top to display the contents in hinged drawers, revealing them to be an assortment of knives and daggers that gleamed under the light.
"The finest cutlery, all freshly stoned and tempered under great heating." The man motioned with his hand at the different types available. "Majority of my wares are made from chromium steel, but we also have ceramic blades for places where metal is unwelcome in some societies." Harry took his time to pick the blades and test them with his fingers. "They also have interchangeable handles for grip and for you to etch the necessary runes for your needs. They can only serve as secondary focuses in the event you lose your wand." Harry flipped the blades about before making his choices and asking for sheaths for some.
"May I borrow the shooting gallery? I need to get some practice for these." The Sommelier nodded at his query.
"Of course, Mister Barton. I trust you to recall your way there. The generic models should suffice for your testing and practice." The man then motioned to the gun collection by the table. "Shall I have everything sent to your room? That's if you are staying for the night."
"I am. Thank you for your recommendations. Payment will be through the same channels." Harry then turned to Susan while stepping aside. "I will leave her in your capable hands, I would need to check on my skills."
"Erm, Harry?" Susan was honestly overwhelmed with everything around her. She knew her dad had a muggle gun, and that Amelia did mess with it a few times, but Susan never really handled a muggle weapon before!
And it was quite obvious on her face that the two males shared a look between them.
"Perhaps she should be given the more magical types, and maybe a starter?" Harry offered a solution to the Sommelier. "Just to wet her taste buds before the main servings."
"Ah I see, she is a virgin." That remark got her sputtering and blushing while glaring at the man and Harry who lightly snorted at his description. Now she knew whom the man resembled, he was like a more suave version of Garrick Olivander!
Wait a minute.
"If you are wondering, yes." The Sommelier answered based on her expression. "Distant cousin, six times removed from our grand uncle's side before he left for France."
That explained so much.
"Right, in that case, I will be in the shooting gallery if you need the practice, Susan Bones." Harry spoke. "Last thing we need is for a novice to accidentally shoot themselves in the foot."
"Indeed, we can't have that." The Sommelier nodded while Harry started to move on to wherever he was going. "Oh, Mister Barton?" Harry paused to turn his head towards the Sommelier who gave a professional smile.
"Do enjoy your upcoming parties." Harry nodded to him, waved at Susan and left the room, leaving her with the Sommelier who lightly nodded to her with a professional smile.
"Well then, my lady." The man waved an arm around his wares to her. "Shall we get started on your first tasting?" Susan took a moment to collect herself and took a breath. This was it, there was no turning back. Her aunt might hate her for this, but there was no way she could just walk away from the injustice that was coming their way.
And at least someone else was there to help her a little.
"Yes." Susan looked back with a firm tone. "What would you recommend for starters?"
Author's Notes:
For some reason, I was recommended the scene from John Wick going tactical shopping on YouTube, and I got inspired to write this out.
I had noted the stories where Filius Flitwick is the goblin version of John Wick and mostly for the wandout challenges. This will be Harry essentially being John Wick in this AU, with Susan taking her first step into the underbelly of crime. Now I just need to consider when to introduce his title as the possible Baba Yaga or the Mage Killer. Any idea what to call him in the underworld? XD