The One That Was to be a Blatant Self-Fulfilment
People took a first glance then quickly looked back to see if their eyes had not been deceiving them. Then they stared as they realized that, no, they were not going crazy. Unfortunately.
What they were looking at, or perhaps who, ignored them completely as they continued along. A small five-year-old girl followed swiftly behind them, clutching the sleeve of her father's expensive, leather muggle jacket.
"Damnit Jaques!" Harry Potter scowled, looking at nothing in particular as he hurried along- talking into a small, silver, muggle cell phone. "I don't care! We need those documents, and don't you dare- I told you, they're in the file marked JP-11! I thought you knew how to work a damned computer? … What do you mean there's something wrong with the computer?! I built it!" Harry paused for a moment to pull his daughter away from a tray of disgusting-smelling dragon livers ("Only thirteen sickles an ounce!")
"Don't touch those, Dria," he said in a softer voice. Then he scowled again. "Of course I wasn't talking to you, you idiot! Oh, hello Julia. Yes, he lost the files again. I know Dad needs them, that's what I've been trying to tell this incompetent- Dria! No! Leave the- Damnit Jaques, just open the damned file!"
He most likely didn't notice people parting for him, staring in shock at his attire- dark blue jeans, a white dress shirt, blue tie, and a black leather jacket, as well as black boots. He looked as though he worked out, with his slim but athletic build. A black helmet with a fire design was slung over his left shoulder, and he was yelling into a phone on his right, while keeping a tight hold on his curious daughter's hand. His black hair was cropped and spiked, and his expressive green eyes were framed by thin silver glasses.
In short: he looked hot.
He jogged up the marble Gringotts steps, his daughter now slung over his left shoulder and laughing shrilly in exuberance, the helmet clutch tightly in her hands.
"Hun, would you- thank you." He let his wife take over at yelling at his French secretary and nodded respectfully at the goblin staring at him from the counter.
He put his daughter down and reached into his pocket, taking out a small black box, which expanded almost immediately to a rather thick briefcase.
"I'd like a currency exchange, please. Half into British pounds, half into wizard currency." The goblin nodded, saying nothing as he eyed him.
Harry set down his phone and grabbed his daughter before she ran off to peer into a door that had just opened. Her greenish blue eyes sparkled.
"Daddy, can we get some ice cream?"
"Sure, love," he said absently, picking up his phone to listen into it for a moment before nodding and hanging it up.
"Can we go to the zoo?"
"Sure."
"And the mall?"
"Wherever you want."
"Can I get an owl?"
"When you're eleven." She pouted as the goblin came back, carrying two sacks. One jingled loudly. Harry placed a weightless charm on the sack containing his wizard money and shrunk it, placing it in his jeans pocket. The other he riffled through before nodding at the goblin again.
"Good day."
Harry left the bank and made his way to the ice cream shop a few streets down, Alexandria bouncing excitedly all the way. He ordered chocolate cone with a cherry on top for Alexandria and a vanilla for himself.
After the treat, they left back to the Leaky Cauldron to reserve the parlor for dinner and then to Muggle London, where a shiny, black motorcycle waited for them. Harry buckled Alexandria into the her custom-made seat and helmet and got on himself. After revving the motor, he took off down the street.
Fifteen minutes later, he arrived at Irish West, the hotel he had reserved a room in. He nodded to the doorman and went inside, Alexandria laughing and waving back at him from over Harry's shoulder.
He keyed open the door to Suite Thirteen and set his daughter down, standing up, on the plush couch. He threw his helmet absentmindedly on a chair and ran a hand through his hair, untying his tie. He went into the next room, where his wife sat at an oak desk, typing at a laptop and yelling into an earpeice at the same time.
"Jaques, we've been through this before. Go to desktop. Then to folders. Then to Affiliates. It's called JP-11. OPEN IT!" She scowled at the screen then looked up and smiled at Harry, eyes brightening. "Harry, where did you get this guy? I swear—Yes, that one. Now print it out." Harry shook his head.
"You know Jaques. He loves doing this. It's his job." Julia raised an eyebrow.
"What, getting yelled at every five minutes?-Jaques? Have you printed it out? Yes? Then fax it to five-five-seven-four-three-seven-six-eight-two-one. Got that? Good. Fax it. Then finish the Van Dortmen document." She sighed as she took off the earpeice, shaking her head. Then she turned to Harry, smiling.
"So? How was your day?" Harry laughed and leaned down for a kiss.
"Well, we went bar hopping, then clubbing, then had a dandy time checking out the ladies." Julia scoffed and slapped his arm.
"Harry!" Harry tried to look innocent.
"What? You know my one true love is Dria." She shook her head again, laughing.
"I swear, Harry, you're as troublesome as Jaques!"
"Well, I try," he said with a long-suffering sigh. Julia opened her mouth to say something, but just at that moment, a phone rang. Simultaneously, Harry reached for his cell and Julia reached for her headset.
"Dad?" they said at the same time. Harry put his cell down as Julia started talking animatedly.
"Hi, Dad! Oh, we're doing just fine, thanks. Dria? Oh, she's just wonderful, and she just looks absolutely adorable in that yellow dress Mom sent. Did you get the document? You did? Good, that means Jaques actually did something right. I swear, why Harry puts up with that man…"
Laughing, Harry went into the other room, smiling at Dria who was watching a cartoon. A hoot directed his attention towards the windowsill, where his ever-faithful owl perched.
"Afternoon, Hedwig." He fondly stroked her head. Hedwig hooted softly, affectionately nipping at Harry's fingers. Harry untied the letter from her leg and she flew off to her cage to get a drink of water. Harry glanced at the seal, grinned, and tore it open.
Emerald-
I have heard from reliable sources that you have returned to this part of the world. I am glad you decided to come home. Here's to hoping that you plan on staying. I have also heard, again from very reliable sources, that you have brought your family with you. Ruby is still sore from your leaving and blames you for the fact that she is now responsible for Opal. But she is willing to forgive you if you bring your little one for a visit.
I hope this letter reaches you swiftly. Do an old man a favor and come by.
Topaz
Harry shook his head and wrote a swift reply.
Topaz
You aren't old and you know it. Tell Ruby to stop complaining and that Opal was always her problem. I'd love for the three of you to meet my wife and daughter. Come to the Leaky Cauldron at six, we'll make it a dinner date.
Emerald
(P.S.: If your reliable sources are who I think they are, you better find a place to hide them from me.)
Harry turned to Hedwig, who was already waiting with her leg held out. Harry stroked her feathers and tied the letter on.
"You know who that goes to," Harry said. Hedwig hooted and took off out the window. Harry walked into the next room, where Julia was busy typing at the her laptop. She smiled up at him.
"I take it we're having dinner guests," she said pausing. Harry shook his head.
"You know, I should be used to that, but it still surprises me." Julia laughed.
"Harry, I know you. You're always inviting someone out to dinner." Harry opened his mouth to respond when Alexandria ran into the room.
"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" Harry caught her and lifted her up.
"Yes, munchkin?" She giggled.
"Guess what, Daddy? Duskmon is actually Ko-Ko," she struggled with the name for a moment, "Koichi, and he's Kouji's twin brother, and Takuya said that if Kouji didn't save him then who would? and he has a brother too!, and then Chubbymon showeded up, and he kicked the train Daddy!, now that wasn't very nice at all, and then Koichi turned into a new digimon and got rid of Chubbymon but Chubbymon wasn't really gone!, and now they have to go to the star thingy to save that other lady digimon and Chubbymon said he was going to be there and they have to stop him and save her, Daddy!" She said this all in one breath and when she finished she bounced in his arms excitedly, eyes bright.
"Why, that is so very, very interesting, poptart. So who was who's brother again?"
-
Harry nodded to Tom the barkeep as he passed, Julia looking around in interest and Alexandria cheerfully greeting everyone they passed. Tom came from behind the bar, wiping his hands on a towel attached to his belt. He was smiling his toothless grin at them, eyes bright.
"This way, Mister and Missus Potter," he said, eyes shining. He showed them into the parlor Harry had reserved earlier that day, table set for six.
Only, there were already three people sitting at it. One of them squealed and nearly toppled her chair getting up from it.
"Emerald!" Harry had to take a step back to brace himself as a girl flung herself about his waist.
"Ruby, doll, I'd love to be able to breathe," Harry said, laughing lightly. The girl blushed and let go of him, but her eyes still sparkled in excitement.
She was fairly short with shockingly red hair, tanned skin, and onyx eyes. She wore a gauzy white dress with silver swirl patterns and black boots. Around her waist was a black belt holding two pouches, a sheath, and a small flute attached to a cord.
"You don't know what you've missed!" Ruby said, black eyes glinting. Harry laughed.
"And I'm sure I don't want to know. Especially if it involves you, a water balloon, and shaving cream." Ruby pouted.
"Darn. And here I thought you enjoyed that 'shower'." Harry shook his head, grinning.
"Well, before I forget my manners, I'd like to introduce you to Julia, my wife, and my daughter Alexandria." Julia smiled kindly at the three. Ruby bowed to her and Alexandria, the other two standing and doing the same.
"An honor to meet you both," said an elderly man. A gnarled staff was held in his weathered hands, dark blue robes flowing around him. His hair was white and just passed his shoulders and his blue eyes like water were unnaturally bright.
The third person, a small girl of about fifteen, stood silently behind them with her hands clasped behind her back. Her hair was jet-black with green tints, also very tanned, and she wore what looked almost like a uniform from a posh private school. Her eyes held all colors and no color at once.
Harry continued, "Julia, I'd like you to meet Ruby, an old friend of mine, her student, Opal, and my esteemed Master Topaz." Julia bowed back to them all, smiling.
"An honor to meet you as well," she said. Then she looked reprovingly at Harry. "And Harry, why didn't you tell me they were Elves?" Ruby and Opal stared at her in open astonishment, but Topaz didn't even blink. Harry did his best to look innocent.
"How did you know?" Opal said, speaking up for the first time. Julia smiled.
"I may not be a witch, but I inherited a power known as Manipulation from my mother." Topaz nodded wisely and Ruby only widened her mouth into an 'O', a look of comprehension dawning her features.
Ver. 2.2 Notes
At Second Glance (Sequel to At First Glance)
At First Glance- Harry's life from July 1995 to 2006
-training from Mages
-defeating Voldemort
-leaving the wizarding world
-going to America
-going "bad"
-going "good"
-going to college
-meeting his soon to be ex-wife Julia Katherine Lendronson (sandy brown hair, blue-grey eyes)
-rising up the ladder of business tycoons until owning the Lendronson and Potter Corp.
(-a computer software/hardware/electronics corporation)
-birth of his daughter, Alexandria Lillian Potter
-raising his daughter
to
-returning to the wizarding world
Slash Version
Harry met a guy (Jason Lendronson) in the States who helped him find work and heal from the war he had just won. They fell in love and started Pendron Inc. after college in the Muggle world (which, years later, expands into the wizarding world as he researches and finds ways to bring Muggle appliances into Wizarding places (CD players, television, etc.). Harry has to reveal his past to him when he gets pregnant; as it turns out, Jason had been agonizing over how to tell Harry that he was a wizard, and so was the rest of his family. Months before their daughter (Sarah Lendronson-Potter) was born he (Jason) dies during a robbery at a small, late-night grocery store. Harry blames himself for his husband's death, thinking that if he hadn't sent him to pick up something so trivial as mint ice cream he'd still be alive. He gets through it with the help of his friends and family-in-law and finds himself thrown back into wizard London while he's there on a business trip for his company to unveil the newest magic-adapted Muggle technology.
OR Jason could have gone toward law enforcement while Harry works with his father in the electronics industry.
OR instead of dieing, Jason is put into a coma and Harry moves from electronics to medicine.
OR Jason doesn't die.
Sarah is born December 24. Jason dies October 31.
"I hate Halloween. Something bad always happens to me or my family on Halloween."
"Come on, it can't be that bad. Maybe you're just exaggerating."
"Exaggerating? How's this for exaggerating: October 31st, 1980, my parents are murdered and I'm named the next hapless hero. October 31st, 1991, one of my old friends was nearly flattened by a troll's club. Same day, 1992, I'm accused of murdering a cat. In 1994, I'm thrown into a competition I never entered in order to bring back a megalomaniac with serious mental issues. In 1996 some lunatic nearly flattens me in a car. October 31st, 2006, my husband dies during a robbery. Need I go on?"
"…No, I think I've got the picture."