Chapter 2 - Meet the Potters
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling actually gets paid to write this stuff. I don't, so guess what? I don't own Harry Potter.
Author's note: I've been obsessed with this plot for a very long time, I'm glad I finally got it on paper. It's surely not one of my best works but I hope you'll like it.
This is set in the early 80s in a country (doesn't matter which one) which is having some political problems.
The plot is loosely based on actual happenings in my country in those times.
Dedicated to all those who in times of need stand up for what they believe in.
Sorry, sorry for taking so long! From now on I won't give any deadlines because I know I can't respect them.
Here's the 2nd chapter, hope you like it.
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"Harry! Come down please!" his mother's shouts echoed around the big house.
"Coming." Came his reply from the shower.
It was a big house - it was enormous and everyone in the district knew whose house it was; it was the Potter's house. The Potter's were part of the Red political Party, that it they formed part of the coalition which was governing the country at the moment. Approximately four years ago, the Potter's party had won the election but needed another party with which to form a coalition. They had chosen the party headed by the Malfoys, and since then they governed the country.
The Potter family was a small family, it consisted of James and Lily and their 21-year old son Harry. Harry had just graduated from college and was preparing to enter University; he was not interested that much in school but his parents insisted on him to continue his studies saying that that way he would have more chances to find a good job. Harry was more interested in sports and other hobbies like cooking but he didn't want to disappoint his parents, so he always tried to act in a way that he thought would please them. They had done many things for him, he knows that with his father being in government it was difficult for them to take care of both the family and the country. But he never felt second important. His father was always working a lot but he always had time for him.
Life was as you call it 'great'! Everything was going perfectly - he had a loving family, good friends like Daraco Malfoy and he was going to enter a University (even though he didn't know how he would manage this since he was sure that he had literally sucked in one admittance test).
"Harry?!" he heard his mother's shout again.
"Coming mum!" he called again from the shower. He turned the water off and grabbed a towel and went out from the shower. While getting dressed he looked at his face in the mirror. 'Life is great' he repeated to himself, but his eyes betrayed his thoughts, and the mask he kept around his parents came crumbling down. There he was, Harry Potter, son of the country's most important politician. People thought that he could have it all, money, success, even girls; and yet sometimes he felt like he had nothing. Even though he had a family that loved him and good friends, he wasn't happy. His heart desperately wanted to do things that made it happy but he always chose the ways that he thought would make his parents happy.
It had started quite innocently when at school he didn't know which subjects to choose, his father had told him that he thought Social Sciences helped a lot in understanding society. So he chose that subject and he ended up liking it very much. From then on he always asked his parents opinion but instead of trying to see what he, Harry, wanted; he just went with what his parents wanted. It was a mistake - he had realized that now, but he was too used to it to back out - it became like a dug, he knew no way out of it. He never blamed his parents for it - he had started the whole thing - his parents were too good to him, he could never place such a blame on them.
As he went out of the bathroom to go downstairs he couldn't help but look around the house once more; this was not the house he grew up in, they had moved here only a few years ago just after his father had formed his coalition, in fact Harry thought that this was just one of the many advantages to have an important father. As he entered the kitchen he found his mother looking at him with an almost angry look on her face.
"Sorry mum, but I was in the shower."
Her face softened immediately. She was a really good mother; she was always there for him and his father. Many a times he had the feeling that if it wasn't for his mother's support ,his father would have never made it in politics or anything else for that matter. She was the family's column of strength, faith, courage and love; she held the whole unit together.
"Sorry Harry, I didn't hear you answer. I wanted to ask you if you could go to the market place for me."
"Yeah sure, what do you need?"
"Ah, you're a saint Harry, here this is the list," she said as she gave him a piece of paper. He picked up some things he was going to need and left.
As he walked through the mysterious roads of the city his mind wandered again to his dreams. He always dreamt of doing things no-one expected from him, like playing football or opening a restaurant; but these were just dreams. He had never talked to anyone about them, he was afraid they'd laugh at him.
At school he always played football and his team won the school championship each year that he played with it. As for cooking, it was the only subject he had ever been really good at. For the other subjects he either had help from his friend Draco or he managed to just pass them. And to think that he had chosen cooking by accident! One time they were urged to choose an extra curricular subject that was not sports and he forgot to choose, so they put him in the class which had less students in it - cooking.
He smiled slightly now, fate had brought him to that subject, because it turned out he was really good at it. Just as he arrived near the market he spotted Draco talking to some people and quickly went to meet him. Draco Malfoy was the son of the man who made a coalition with his father - Lucius Malfoy . They had been friends at school since before he could remember then what happened 4 years ago only made them better friends since they were passing through similar experiences.
As he approached Draco, he saw that he was shouting at the people he was talking to. After a couple of seconds these left and he approached Draco, as he came close to him he could hear him say "stupid morons".
"Well that just confirms that the previous conversation was not a pleasant one eh?" Harry told him.
Draco turned suddenly at his voice, it was clear he did not realize he was being watched.
"Harry, man what did you do that for? You scared the hell out of me!"
"Sorry, but from where I was standing it looked like you scared the hell out of them," he said pointing at the direction in which those 'stupid morons' had went.
"Yeah well they were getting on my nerves." At Harry's inquisitive look he continued: "they're just extreme supporters of my father's party. They believe everything he says and think that what the others say is nonsense and that it's insulting my father." He rolled his eyes while saying this last part.
Now Harry never understood politics, he never even tried; it was too much of a complicated mass in his opinion. But he thought that it was important that his father's supporters believed him. When he voiced his opinion to his friend, Draco looked at him strangely than said, "I always forget you don't care about politics. Of course it's important, it's just that they exaggerate a bit, that's it."
It was obvious to Harry that Draco was trying to change the subject and his next question confirmed this.
"So Harry what are you doing here?"
"Oh just need to buy some stuff for Mum," and with that they both went to the market. As they were looking around for the stuff on his mother's list a couple of gurls passed by and Draco let out a whistle.
"You have to admit that they were really gorgeous."
"Draco don't start with this again; 'oh this one is beautiful' 'look at that one Harry', why don't you just talk to them instead of trying to set me up?"
"Well Harry, now that you're asking; it's because I don't need one."
Harry actually stopped and turned to look at Draco who had this huge smirk on his face. Now this surely was news to Harry, since when had Draco find himself a girlfriend? Draco seemed to be reading his mind.
"I've been going out with this amazing 20-year old for three months and I've been dying to tell you."
"Three months? Why did you wait so long to tell me?"
"Well actually it's because she wanted me to keep it between us but I finally convinced her that you wouldn't tell anyone. So I told you."
"Well tell me something else about her like what's her name or where is she from?"
"I'd rather not, I don't want you looking around for her and steal her from me," he said with a wink.
While looking at Draco now you could tell that he was really beaming. He generally kept an emotionless or sarcastic expression on his face because his parents raised him up telling him not to show any emotions that people could then use against him. But now he was actually beaming, the difference between the Draco shouting at those two before, that Draoc worried about politics and this Draco here was tangible.
"Wow mate, you look like you could fly. I'm happy for you."
And even though he truly meant what he said he couldn't help but feel jealous of Draco. It was obvious that he had found that someone special that everyone wants. That someone special that he wanted too but it seemed that this wasn't happening anytime soon and therefore he couldn't help but feel jealous, he didn't want to admit it so he quickly change the topic.
"So Draco, do you know when the acceptance letters will come?"
"They should be coming in a couple of days; why, you're worried?"
"Actually yes, I'm worried about one of the admittance tests, I don't know if I passed it."
At this Draco stopped, "Harry you do know that if you don't pass an admittance test you won't be admitted?"
"Yes I know, that's why I'm worried! I mean what if I don't pass? What if I don't enter University? My parents would be so disappointed!"
"Don't worry Mr. Potter, I'm sure you'll do well," came a cold voice from behind Harry; he saw Draco tense and knew immediately who it was. Lucius Malfoy. He turned and saw him standing there looking superior with his long blond hair and his walking stick.
"Draco, you do know that our maids can do the grocery so that you don't need to come in here like any other citizen."
"Yes father."
"And you Harry, for ages I've been telling your mother to get a maid."
"I know Sir, but I think she loves to work around the house."
"Of course, well what is this nonsense of not entering University?"
"I'm just not sure about one of the admittance tests."
"Oh well don't worry about it Harry, everything will work out as it is supposed to. I'll make sure of it, it is of utmost importance to have you in University; better you than people of other ideals."
Harry did not understand what Mr. Malfoy meant by this but he didn't give it any thought. Meanwhile Draco's face had clouded, he looked almost livid. He thought that it was best to change the subject and to get out of there. So after the formal goodbyes were said to Mr. Malfoy, they paid for the grocery and left.
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So that's the second chapter, what do you think? Leave your comments,
Thanks,
marija