A/N: This seems to be AU Harry Potter, but any Fanfiction is. This is post Hogwarts and is indeed Harry Potter ...
Another popup window flashed to the foreground as his search for answers on the internet continued. The computer whined out another irritating bit of music that sounded like the music they blare over department store and elevator speakers.
"Blast it!" He said angrily. With one fluid motion, the software engineering manager of MacroCorp closed the offending advertisement and the beeps and buzzes cut off. "Why is it that everywhere you go these days, a pornography ad pops up and opens twenty more windows on your desktop?!"
"Hey, Scott, calm down." Scott Walker's officemate said calmly. "What is it you're looking for anyway?"
Scott turned and sighed. "It's my fifth wedding anniversary today. I'm trying to find this particular ring that Annie was gawking over at Friedman's Jewelers last year."
Mike Anderson's curious smile slipped into a sympathetic frown almost imperceptibly as his friend of three years explained what he was up to.
"Scott, you and Annie haven't been husband and wife for the past six months."
Scott's face fell at the comment and he sighed quietly. "I-I know ..." He said in defeat. "I guess I'd forgotten ... I just saw her the other day, Mike. She's looking good. I guess being single agrees with her, eh?"
Mike crossed the room and put a comforting hand on Scott's shoulder. "Hey, I know it hasn't been easy on you." His face was full of concern for the depressed man in front of him. "You can't keep denying that she's gone, man."
Scott nodded curtly and shut down his machine. "Listen, I'm going to skip the rest of the day, it's only another half hour or so ..."
"Hey, why don't we get Jim and hit Hooters tonight?" Mike said with a grin. "I hear Marcy is going to be working tonight."
Scott laughed at the far away look that crossed his friend's face. He'd been pining over Marcy for close to a year now, ever since the three friends had run into her during their lunch break.
"That's ok, why don't you and Jim enjoy yourselves." Scott said with a laugh. "I think I'm going to head on home and read something."
"You need to get out more." Mike said with a hint of irritation in his voice. "You've turned down every invitation we've extended to you for the past eight months. We just don't want to see you waste away anymore, you need to get out there and try to forget."
Scott shook his head and sighed. "I'm not ready to go anywhere just yet. Well, maybe I'll hit the bookstore and pick up something new since I've run out of any fresh reading material around my apartment."
"Well, since you've clearly not gone out and gotten this yourself and tomorrow is your birthday and all ..." Mike said with a grin. "Happy birthday early!" He pulled a bag from somewhere behind his desk and handed it over.
"How many times do I have to tell you ..."
"'You don't have to get me anything for my birthday' ... Yeah, yeah, I know." Mike said as his eyes rolled into his head. "Too bad, now open the damn thing and get to reading like you planned!"
Scott smiled and reached into the decorative sack. After passing the several layers of colorful tissue, he pulled out a boxed set of books. "The Harry Potter series?" He said with a look of disdain on his face. "You know I don't like witchcraft!"
"This isn't like that, Scott." Mike huffed in frustration. "Listen, it's about a boy who ends up saving the world from an evil wizard. Not unlike the Lord of the Rings, which I have to say fifty readings of is a little bit obnoxious."
"It's a story about friendship and the trials of life!" Scott retorted with a laugh.
"This story is the same thing then, only set in present times." Mike returned with a grin. "So, it should be right up there with that relic of a story Tolkien gave us."
Scott laughed. "Ok, ok. I'll read the blasted series!" He smiled in defeat and looked towards his friend. "Thanks for the gift."
"No problem. Now get out of here and enjoy the weekend with your new series."
Scott walker tucked his new books under his arm and grabbed his suit jacket as he left the room. Being department head had its privileges and one of the better perks was being able to take off early on Friday afternoon. Within a few minutes, he was down the hall and riding the express elevator to the ground floor. The security guard waved to him as he left and he quickly found his car in the parking lot.
A very uneventful drive to his apartment ensued and just after an hour passed, Scott was dressed in a particularly worn pair of sweat pants and a rumpled T-shirt. There was nothing but court shows and news on at the moment so the television remained silent. With a sideways glance to the box of books he'd just received, Scott sighed and removed the plastic wrap.
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." He read aloud. "Why is the U.S. such an idiotic country? From the description, this is definitely supposed to be about the Philosopher's Stone." Dreading what else was edited to suit the ignorance of the American populace, he opened the cover of the book and began to read.
Scott was unaware of the amount of time that had passed since he'd picked up the first book but he found that he was unable to put it down. "It's not Snape, you dolts! Well, I guess that their age makes it difficult for them to see what's really happening ..."
The birdsong that was carrying on outside was the only indication that time had indeed passed much more quickly than Scott had anticipated. He got off the couch and stretched gingerly, letting out a groan of pleasure. "Gah! I can't believe I read the first three books already!" He straightened himself and looked appraisingly at the remaining four that still lay in their cardboard housing. "Looks like Goblet of Fire waits till later."
With a few wobbling steps, Scott made his way to his bed in the other room and collapsed in a heap. Within minutes he was sound asleep with the thoughts of broomsticks and trolls racing through his mind.
He didn't make a sound as he looked up the two steps that separated the sunken living room from the dining room in his small apartment. The woman in front of him was smiling seductively and with a raised hand, beckoned for him to join her.
Scott rose from his seat on the couch and walked over to his beautiful wife. His hands slid up her silk-laden sides and he could feel the soft skin under the smooth fabric of her nightgown. His hands made their way to her hips and with a groan of pleasure he pulled her into him, her arms encircling his neck as she smiled sweetly.
He looked into her deep brown eyes and watched as her long, curly, brown hair cascaded over her shoulders. He smiled and inched his face to hers.
Scott snapped awake to the sound of the telephone and grumbled. "Why does the phone always ring at that point?" He cursed as he lifted the receiver.
"Scott?" The woman's voice asked on the other end.
"Annie? Is something wrong?" He asked with concern.
"N-no ..." She replied nervously.
"Ok. What can I do for you?" His tone changed to a more business like one that caused him to grimace slightly. "Sorry, I was just taking a nap."
"Oh, I'm sorry I woke you." She said hurriedly. "I can talk to you later if that's ok."
"No, that's fine, I'm up now." He sighed.
"I was just wondering what you were up to tonight." She said quietly. "I was a little lonely is all."
"Annie, you know what today is." He said softly. "I don't think it'll be a good idea for us to do anything tonight. We'd just end up right back where we were six months ago and I don't think either of us wants to relive that pain."
"I know you're right, Scottie. I just wish things were different."
"So do I, Annie, but you know that I can't give you children and that's what you wanted." He rubbed his face in an attempt to clear his mind. He looked at the clock and sighed. It's already been eight hours?
"I-I know, Scott. Well, I'll let you go then." Annie said quietly.
"Goodnight, Annie." Scott replied and after she mirrored his goodbye he heard the dial tone blaring over the handset. With a sigh, he hung up the phone and crawled out of bed.
Scott found himself in front of the bathroom sink splashing cold water on his face and looking himself over in the mirror. His reddish hair was starting to show signs of gray and since he'd started shaving again, the wrinkles of old age were starting to display themselves. His piercing blue eyes roamed across his features and he couldn't help but wonder why it felt it was the first time he'd seen himself.
In his thirty-five years of life, he'd always felt like there was something wrong with him but he could clearly recall the changes he went through as he grew into the man that was standing in his bathroom. Ignoring the pangs of low self-esteem that started to cloud his mind, Scott pulled out his toothbrush and set about his nightly routine.
A few minutes later after he had replaced his electric shaver in its cradle, he walked back to the living room and slipped on his shoes. Scott grabbed the garbage bag that he'd set next to the door earlier, grabbed his keys, and set out for the dumpster across the street. He'd just tossed the bag into the metal container when the strangest feeling came over him.
He scanned the darkness quickly as he felt the apprehension and fear build in him. Scott was never one to admit his fears but for the past five years he felt as if something were watching him from the shadows. He'd first felt the queasiness when he moved in with Annie after their wedding. He had been in the back lot looking at the stars twinkling down at him when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. That same feeling was giving him goose bumps at this very moment and with a hurried step and a desperate sense of awareness, Scott made his way back to his apartment and unlocked the door. He looked at the building across the street and glanced along the rooftop before stepping nervously through the door and locking it securely.
He didn't bother to turn the lights on and went directly to a window. There wasn't anyone out there and the feeling he'd just experienced died away as quickly as it had arrived. There was a clatter down the road as a small group of teenagers kicked a tin can into the gutter but nothing else moved or made any sound.
"I've really got to get over this fear of the dark bit ... Werewolves and vampires ... Right." He huffed as he opened the refrigerator and pulled out a soda. If he thought he was wide awake when his ex-wife called, he was absolutely bouncing with all the extra adrenaline that was coursing through his veins now.
The television brought little solace to him and he looked to the books that were waiting for him to read them. "Goblet of Fire it is." He said with a smile. The hours slipped by him again and by the time he realized he was hungry he realized that he'd read the fourth book and made a good dent in the fifth. Not willing to put the book away for long, Scott grabbed a T.V. dinner and after a few minutes in the microwave an empty plastic bowl was adorning his coffee table.
The sixth and seventh books went quickly the next day and he could only sit and stare at the now completed series that was sitting before him. He had to admit that the Harry Potter series was something completely different than what he'd expected and found that he longed for more.
"There's got to be more." He said with a sigh. Within moments he was on his computer scanning the net for any glimpse of rumors to the continuation of the series. He met dead end after dead end as interviews with the author all indicated that the seventh was the final book in the series and she was working on other projects not related to the Harry Potter line.
"Well, there is fan fiction." He said with a grimace. Pictures of overweight, nerdy fan boys writing about how they found a way into their favorite series flitted through his mind. Invariably, the stories would involve them having sex with the oversexed heroines that ran rampant through comic books and video games.
After a few minutes, he'd come across a few promising sites and shortly thereafter was engrossed in some of the best amateur writing he'd read.
The weeks and months went by but a nagging feeling kept hounding his every thought and every move. It felt as if something was missing from the top of his spine, somewhere around the back of his neck, and he was very disconcerted. Scott knew this wasn't anything physically wrong, but more like there was a large part of his life that he was missing.
The stress these new feelings brought to him, coupled with a large project that had just been finalized and shipped off to be implemented had drained his emotional and mental resources to the point of madness. He found himself in a vegetative state in front of his computer reading more and more fan created stories and a familiar longing overtook him.
This particular night, Scott found himself on the phone waiting for the only person he'd ever confided in to pick up, which to his relief happened on the fourth ring just as he was about to hang up.
"Hello?"
"Andrea, Hi!" Scott said with a smile plastered across his face.
"Scott? How have you been? I haven't heard from you since you and Annie split! Why so long, Mister?!" Andrea replied with a laugh.
"I just got caught up in the whole Potter-mania thing." He said with a laugh. "Excellent, excellent series. The books are much better than the movie as is always the case."
"I'll say! I still can't believe she's not writing anymore!"
"I know! I've been consoling myself with fan fiction of all things ..." He laughed at the groan on the other end of the line. "There is actually some really well written stuff out there. I read this triad of stories about Hermione having a memory charm put on her and Voldemort fooling Harry that he'd actually killed her. She was actually in the States living a lie ... That was one wonderful story ..."
"That sounds kind of weird." Andrea said with a laugh.
"I'm not saying you should run out and read the stuff. But it's something to keep you in the spirit." He laughed.
"So is anything else on your mind? It can't just be books ... God knows I'd kill you if all you did was talk about what you'd just read every time we've talked."
Scott was silent for a few minutes as he mulled the possibilities over in his mind. "You know how I'd get restless and just look at a map to decide where to go next?" He asked finally.
"Yeah. Didn't you do that when you moved to Colorado?" She asked.
"Indeed I did. You listen well." Scott chuckled. "Well, I'm starting to feel that urge to get away again, like I don't belong here anymore."
"Don't tell me you're going to be moving away again." She said exasperatedly. "Good lord, I need a phonebook just to hold all the different addresses you've lived at, not to mention the change in phone numbers!"
"Don't worry, I'm not going to move right away. I'm just going to take a vacation for once." A grin spread across his face. "And I haven't moved around that much."
"Ok, let me guess then, you've been reading Harry Potter and watching all the movies. A sudden urge to read all the fan fiction you can find ..." He could almost hear the wheels spinning in her head. "London it is."
"You know me oh so well, my dear." He barked out with a laugh. "I'm working on getting my passport now but it's taking forever."
"Well, you know how the government likes to keep you in line ... Literally." She retorted with a sigh. "Listen, Scott, be careful out there, ok?"
"I know, all the terrorism and such going on. Don't worry, I'll let you know how it went when I get over there ... I'll get you a butterbeer from the Leaky Cauldron, how about that?"
"Oh, grow up!" She said with a laugh. "I hope you really don't think that those places exist."
"Nah, I know they don't. Well, except for Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Fizzing Whizbees, Jelly Slugs, Ice Mice ..." He admitted with a laugh.
"You know what I mean!" She laughed back.
"Of course I know what you mean, Andrea." He said, still smiling. "I just want to get out of the country and see what's out there. I need time away from where Annie is, you know?"
"I know." She said softly. "Listen, John just got home so I've got to get going, we're taking the kids to Knott's Berry Farm tomorrow and it's a pain getting them to calm down enough for the ride."
"Give Carrie and Andy a hug and kiss from me, ok?"
"Sure thing. Oh, John is shouting 'Hi!'"
"Hi! Back at him. Take care of yourself, Andrea."
"You too, Scott, don't wait so long to call again, ok?"
"I won't, I promise." Scott smiled softly and hung up the phone. He shook his head and looked through the mail that had just arrived. The standard assortment of bills and junk mail greeted him from the pile in his hand but a particular envelope caught his attention. It was rather thick and rigid. His heart began to race and he quickly opened the parcel to find a small, brown booklet with the official U.S. Seal on it.
"Finally!" He said with a wide smile. He grabbed his tickets and double checked the itinerary. "Just in time!" With a whoop, Scott Walker packed his bags and grinned widely as he sat in front of the computer to finish copying his favorite links to his laptop.
Eighteen hours later he found himself cruising through the air on British Airways with a map of London in front of him. Grinning like a child on Christmas morning, he pulled out a printout he'd made the night before.
"Wizarding London ..." He laughed to himself. "I can't believe I'm actually going to run around like an idiot to see if I can find these places." His eyes glazed over as he daydreamed of what he'd find. The travel channel had done a special a few weeks ago on the tourism in London and he had decided to follow their advice for some of the spots he planned to visit. He did hope, in that child-like belief of fairy tale adventures, that he'd find the hidden world of witches and wizards but he knew, like so many others, that he wouldn't.
After storing everything in their proper places, he settled down for a quick nap. Scott was hoping that he'd be able to catch a few hours of sleep while in the air and the prospect of the time speeding by without him to monitor it made him smile.
Time is relative after all ... He yawned and let his eyes flutter closed. In several hours, he'd be standing in a terminal at Heathrow.
He didn't make a sound as he looked up the two steps that separated the sunken living room from the dining room in his small apartment. The woman in front of him was smiling seductively and with a raised hand, beckoned for him to join her.
Scott rose from his seat on the couch and walked over to his beautiful wife. His hands slid up her silk-laden sides and he could feel the soft skin under the smooth fabric of her nightgown. His hands made their way to her hips and with a groan of pleasure he pulled her into him, her arms encircling his neck as she smiled sweetly.
He looked into her deep brown eyes and watched as her long, curly, brown hair cascaded over her shoulders. He smiled and inched his face to hers.
Scott snapped awake at the ding that heralded a captain's announcement.
"What is it with that dream and bells interrupting it?" Scott growled sleepily. He looked out the window and the irritation drained from his mind. The cityscape of London spread out below him and for the first time in his life he felt like he was coming home.
I've never been here ... He scratched his head as the curiosity these feelings brought came over him but was awakened from his thoughts by the voice of the captain.
"This is your captain speaking. We are currently on course to land at Heathrow in just a few minutes. Please return your seats to their upright positions, turn off any electronic devices, and make sure your trays are in their upright and locked positions."
Scott smiled to himself and pulled out his carryon luggage. As promised, within a few moments, the recognizable squeal of rubber on tarmac was heard and the plane slowed down to taxiing speed.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen." The captain said cheerfully over the intercom. "It's an unusually sunny and warm day here in London. The temperature is a nice eighty degrees and the local time is one forty-five p.m."
Scott stretched his legs as best he could and rubbed his face as he listened to the droning of the captain's voice telling them the local weather conditions and other odds and ends. He wasn't particularly interested in anything other than the weather and was looking forward to finding a particular stretch of buildings on Charing Cross Road. The plane settled in the appropriate gate as was announced and Scott made his way to baggage claim for his backpack.
Three hours later, he was in a taxi on his way to one of the most famous places in the Harry Potter world. He smiled goofily as he thought about the vacation he was currently embarking on and within the hour, he had paid the driver and was looking at a bookstore on the famous street.
Scott scanned over his surroundings, noting the different alleys and doorways, shops and particular assortment of people that were out and about today. Whenever he traveled abroad, he found it best to be somewhat paranoid about his fellow man and so far, this particular practice of his had worked out just fine.
He glanced past a small pub that was nestled between the bookstore and a record store. With a grumble from his stomach, he realized with a sheepish grin that he'd not had much to eat on the flight in. He hiked his backpack on his shoulder and headed straight for the inn, looking forward to a typical lunch in an English pub.
He opened the door and peered through the smoky haze that was floating through the common room. With a final adjustment of his luggage, he made his way to the bar and set his things on the floor.
"What'll it be?" The bartender asked without looking up from the glass he was wiping.
"What's on the menu today?"
"Ah, a Yank, eh?" Without glancing at Scott, the man behind the counter slid a menu his way.
He looked it over and smiled at the parchment that everything was written on. Come to think of it, it seemed to be hand written and not printed. "Nice ambiance." Scott commented from behind the menu. He glanced at the name of the pub and chuckled. "The Leaky Cauldron? I was hoping to find it here."
The bartender looked up curiously. "Aye, that's the name of the place."
"Well, how much for the stew and a butterbeer?" Scott asked with a laugh.
"The price is on the menu." He got in reply.
"I'm sorry, but I've only got muggle money on me." He laughed. "I haven't been to Gringotts today for an exchange."
"No worries. We take all types of currency here." The bartender said with a smile as he put on his glasses.
"Alright then, one stew and a butterbeer then." Scott raised an eyebrow at the look he was getting from the bartender. "You've really taken J.K. Rowling's books to heart, haven't you? Get a lot of fans in here?"
The bartender looked at him with wide eyes and shook his head. "Not many come in, actually." He said quietly. "Oh, right, right. Stew and a butterbeer, coming right up."
A moment later, a piping hot bowl of beef stew was sitting in front of him and a bottle of what could only be butterbeer was in his hands. "Well, let's see if what she said about the taste is true." Scott raised the bottle to his lips and grimaced in anticipation. He was shocked as the most wonderful taste he had ever experienced danced on his tongue and he had a sickly feeling that this wasn't the first time he'd drank a butterbeer. He looked curiously at the bottle and looked up when he heard an excited voice.
"I tell you it's him! These glasses don't lie!" The bartender said exasperatedly.
"You're sure?!" A familiar female's voice replied skeptically.
"I swear it's the truth. I've seen him with me own eyes!"
"Tom, I'll be there in a few minutes, you'd better not be pulling my leg like last time."
The man who was obviously named Tom returned to the bar and glanced at Scott.
"Your name's Tom?" He asked quizzically. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"
Tom smiled at him and let out a laugh. "Aye, I'm Tom."
Scott looked at him and smiled. This is so surreal, wait until Andrea hears about this!
There was a small pop by the door and Scott turned around at the intruding noise. He slid off his barstool in shock when he saw the woman that was standing there. Long, brown hair and deep, brown eyes. The same lips, curves, complexion, literally the same woman from his dreams.
"Hey, alright?" Tom asked as he rushed around the bar to help Scott to his feet.
"I-I'm f-fine." He said while rubbing his thigh. Scott accepted the hand that Tom offered him but didn't take his eyes from the woman who was now hurrying to the two men.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
Scott couldn't explain it but her voice was like ambrosia to him. He felt a familiar heat reach his head and his heart began beating faster than he'd ever known it to.
"I-I'm fine." He said for the second time in as many minutes. "I'm sorry, but do I know you?"
She smiled at him genuinely. "I haven't met you before." She laughed softly and Scott could have sworn that he heard bells ring in his ears at her lovely laugh.
"Sorry." He said after a moment. "I just feel like I've seen you before, in a dream or something."
The woman looked nervously to Tom and he handed her his glasses. Without hesitation she put them on and looked at Scott properly. It was his turn to be concerned as her legs gave out and she fell to the floor.
"Are you alright? You look like you've just seen a ghost!" He held out a hand to help her up but she was on her feet in an instant and pulling him into a tight hug.
"HARRY! IT'S REALLY YOU! YOU'RE HOME!" She sobbed into his shoulder to his sheer amazement.