Tarnishing Black

by Devon_Pan

Summary:

Would Harry always argue that it's potterluck that he ended up in the marauder era of Hogwarts? Most definitely and not due to his own actions. Would he also argue that he's far too old to go back to school and endure teenagers in puberty? Even more so but thanks to a far less worn down Dumbledore and his sense of whimsy Harry gets to not just experience history but be smack dab in the middle of it. At last he met a handsome stranger in a bar to get him through his misery, who keeps coming back for more. No last name, but that couldn't be a problem, could it? After all, it's just sex.

Dev’s glittery trauma ranking; 2/10 glitterbombs

Notes:

• For PriestessRayven.

Chapter 1: Erised

Harry James potter was a man of Integrity he would argue, he would also argue that his life was a bit of a mess and even while he had always pictured a very clear future for himself he had never achieved it. He had always pictured himself marrying and then having a bunch of kids and hopefully retiring as well and just spending his time like that and then possibly picking up a hobby, maybe making it into a passion project and from that turning it into a profession. He had pictured something… relaxed, something full of family and nice things. A person he loved with everything he had but… it wasn't what had happened.

After the war had been won Harry had become an auror. It had been the obvious choice, not something he had actively wanted anymore at that point but death eaters had still been out and about, England was chaos and everyone… Everyone relied on him. So… he had become an auror, he had thought it would be temporary, it hadn't been. At one point even he had realized that he was kind of stuck in that job and he had put in effort, he always had but he had done a lot. Like he had even joined the hitmages during their training, coming often enough until even rosene had stopped making remarks. He probably had turned into the only auror the hitmages didn't make fun of.

So yeah, Harry was a damn good auror, he had broken some records and just like mad eye moody back in the day Harry had kept hunting for death eaters and other terrorists. So yeah, he had a reputation, one that had also been the reason, he admitted, why it was pretty much impossible to retire… people still relied on him a whole lot.

Maybe he would have been happy if it had just been that, if he had just been stuck in a job he was good at but wasn't actually what he wanted but all the other areas of his life? It had not gone well. He and Ginny had never worked out again, they had tried but it had simply not worked and often times when he had met someone it had just turned into another saviorfetish so no, his romantic life hadn't worked out well either. So no wife or husband at his side and kids? Well he had given his best to be a good godparent, visiting teddy when he had a day off and also helping him with anything teddy hadn't wanted to talk with his grandma about. 

But… that was literally it, he hadn't even accidentally put a bastard into the world, nothing like that and while he had lived alone, spending his days at a workplace he hadn't really wanted to be at? Everyone had moved on. Fleur and Bill had been the first ones with children, Ron and Hermione had not needed long either. Harry couldn't even remember how many weddings he had attended or how many introductions to newborns he had made. Well he probably could but not off the top of his head… there had been a lot. A damn lot and all while he returned every evening to his very empty House, which had turned even emptier after Kreacher had died. 

He knew he lived a bit of a sorry existence, still single, still alone, still stuck in a job he didn't like and all that while his friends were moving on. Ron had quit being an auror, now helping his brother with his prank shop, Hermione was still with the ministry doing changes for the better and the same could be said about literally any of Harry's friends. Honestly? It was depressing and Harry knew it well. He strictly speaking had nothing going for him which was quite outrageous if he thought about who he was, what all he had done for the wizarding world… only to end up with nothing. It made him bitter if he was honest.

Possibly one of the reasons why he had asked to get the mirror of erised when they had come across it in a raid, not like the ministry had minded and harry? Well… he didn't even know why he had done it, spur of the moment, maybe sparing the poor sod who would be inevitably caught in front of it just like Harry had been as a kid.

And this was his reality, 58 with no kids, no partner, a shit job and a whole bottle of firewhiskey while he was sitting in front of the bloody mirror. Just that it was different this time. 

Was Harry still seeing his younger self surrounded by his family? Yeah. Were there the obvious additions of Remus and Sirius in it? Also yeah and some others he missed but that was kinda what made it less enchanting. As a kid it had been everything he had wanted but now? It just represented once again how much Harry had lost. It was infuriating, it was… impossible. Anything in this mirror couldn't become real no matter how much harry wanted it and maybe it was the old ache in his chest, the fact that he still hated how everything has transpired or it was plain and simple the firewhiskey In his system as he raised his wand, pausing for a moment before he rolled his eyes at the fact that it was once again the elderwand, the damn thing had followed him, but possibly a better choice for a priceless artifact with who knew how much old and powerful magic in it. He could summon his actual wand right now or pull it out of the holster it hopefully was still in but he couldn't be bothered. A wand was a wand and maybe the elderwand could finally have a use again.

Hermione back in the day had told him he wasn't very good at thinking, right now he would still rather blame the alcohol as he spoke out the bombarda. He should have at least considered that the explosion of glass shards would be catastrophic but he hadn't and even more problematic? The explosion of magic and somehow all Harry could think of before the world turned black was; shit.

Notes:

and we are back at it again and this time we have an actual male harry which is a rarity for me
once again i have to blame rayven as i was jsut vibing with a harry goes to the time of his parents and changes shit story
and when i was quesitonign what pairing to give him she said orion... and from that oen we derialed so hard
I think this is my most romance centric story ever
jsut as a side note our work in progress title for this story was literally who's your (step) daddy
anyways.. welcome to this madfeast here xD

Chapter 2: 1975

Summary:

Even with 58 harry can still be pretty oblivious but at least he has gotten calmer.

Harry had lived through an armageddon of oddities, it wasn't like many things could surprise him at this point. Like honestly some things he had seen as an auror had even topped his Hogwarts years and most of them he credited to potterluck. He didn't quite understand though why his whole body was aching when he woke up, finding himself in a corner of diagon alley. How had that happened? He had no damn clue. He also had no clue why his clothes had changed or why his bones hurt that badly… well okay he had been caught in a blast but he at least didn't see blood on him which was something.

He groaned as he got up, slightly confused as he looked around. Something was different, he couldn't quite pinpoint it but something was massively different. But it could also be credited due to the fact that he didn't visit diagon alley that frequently. It was still a bit of a turmoil when people saw him, especially kids. The older generation had partially calmed down but kids? they could be glad that he adored children, Otherwise he would have throttled them a long time ago.

He groaned again, slowly making his way over to weasleys wizard wheezes. He could at least complain to Ron about how his day went. Maybe get a painkiller while he was at it as well. He knew Ron had more than just a big assortment stocked for whenever one experiment went wrong with his brother.

For a moment Harry was very much considering that he had forgotten the outline of Diagon alley because… the shop wasn't there. At the same time… a prank? But no, that would be stupid. Why would they hide the whole shop? Nonetheless, he stepped closer, staring at the suddenly far more normal looking facade of a… bag shop? Why by merlin would they do that? 

Harry shook his head slightly before he stepped inside but.. it wasn't an illusion, this wasn't weasleys wizard wheezes and honestly? He could only stare at the woman that greeted him and asked what he wanted before he turned around heading outside again.

Did he have a concussion? It was possible, right?

He took another deep breath, pinching his nose bridge until he realized that his glasses were gone. Which in theory could explain the situation aside from the little fact that he could see without issues and this? This Was alarming.

He needed a moment because… well he was used to an assortment of incidents and in theory maybe he had been gone longer than he had thought. There Had been incidents like that, people showing up three months later at an unknown location with a lack of memories. It happened during a quidditch world cup as well. Maybe he had Been gone even longer? It still didn't make sense but he beelined towards the boy waving the daily prophet, his hands going through his pockets but not finding anything at all… he didn't even find the moleskin pouch around his neck which was also highly alarming but even then it didn't stop him from peeking at the newspaper to look at the date. It was the 25th of July, which was fair, still the same day as he remembered… just… that the year was wrong. Massively wrong, namely 1975 and this… this was problematic.

He could freak out right now, he probably should as well but… it wasn't like it was his first time travel experience. He didn't remember it being possible to go that far back in time but… Well… freaking out right now would be of no help. He needed a plan and one that was effective. But who should he even go to for help? 

He stood in his spot for far too long, merely staring in front of him. He reflexively pulled out his wand when the paperboy waved the prophet in front of him. Which in theory was a relief that he at least still had his wand… just that it was the elder wand which shouldnt surprise him at this moment but… what actually caught his attention? The picture on the frontpage; dumbledore.

Dumbledore… was a smart man, at least he had been and now he was again as he was alive… which very much did make sense if Harry was stuck in 1975. Even if all of this was just a hallucination or a form of a magical induced coma Dumbledore was probably the best bet he had. 

From the date he knew it was summer break and this meant he couldn't just go to hogwarts… obviously he couldn't but even apparating to hogsmeade wouldn't be of much use. Meaning he had to write a letter to the man, possibly waking up in the meantime but he would take it as it came. The issue with writing a letter? He obviously didn't have an owl with him and as he had already found out? He didn't even have a dime.

It was a wild idea, a very wild one and one possibly probably idiotic but… he went to gringotts. He didn't have a key but he did know the goblins could also verify a claim to a vault through blood and well… he wasn't certain it would work but in theory he might still have a claim to the potter vault And if he did? Well it wasn't like they would miss a handful of galleons for the letter and for room and board. Also it was him in the end who would inherit it and he wouldn't mind missing a handful of galleons. It would be fine.

He sighed pinching his nose bridge again and trying to get over the feeling of not having his glasses on as he beeliend to the bank. Maybe he would have luck with that… or just wake up. Waking up would be appreciated as well, very much so.

He barely stopped when he saw himself in a puddle on the ground and he probably should freak out at this point, actually freak out but.. his features had changed: his bone structure sharper, very much distancing him from being a carbon copy of his father, his hair brown instead of black and more curly than just an untameable mess and hazel eyes instead of his familiar green. He didn't even know if he should be glad that he still had his scars but at the same time? Maybe this was a good sign, maybe he had just temporarily switched his positions with someone from the past? Maybe that was reversible.. if someone knew? Probably Dumbledore and therefore even more of a reason to keep going. Who knew maybe the man.. or possibly boy because damn he looked young, might have a vault at gringotts himself? Harry would gladly pay him back in the future.

Notes:

i decided to psot the seocnd chapter already to give yall a proper taste of whats awaiting yall
Gotta say its quite fun to write a harry that in the muggle world is very close to counting as a senior citizen
and who has worked for 40 years as an auror.
You jsut have somoene fa rless freaked out

Chapter 3: Peverell

Summary:

Harry visits Gringotts

“Could you… repeat that?” Harry stared at the goblin, calmly blinking and reminding himself that panicking would do him no good right now, quite the opposite.

The goblin Scowled “you have been identified as peverell, no first name. We can grant you access to the peverell vault.”

Was Harry good at history? No. Did he still know that the Peverell main branch had died out a long time ago? Yeah. The potters alone were still connected with the peverells but again… the main branch? It was dead, had been dead a long time ago and even more so? Why did he not have a first name? A first name was-

 alright. He had to calm down. 

He swallowed the incoming panic down and took another deep breath “then I would like to visit the vault.”

The goblin still glared at him, at least one thing hadn't changed; the goblins still sneered at him… or rather possibly all humans And mages. This was familiar and he could live with it.

He could also live with the fact that it was still a rollercoaster and he tried not to think about the fact how far they went down either. The Peverells were an old family.. and he possibly should question why there was still a Vault and why it hadn't been distributed To any of the other branch families like… the gaunts or the potters. It didn't make sense but he was on the way to a vault which was good..  he might get a bit of money.

He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to focus on the feeling of the rapid drive instead just to clear his mind from his banging thoughts and then he shook it off, trying not to falter when the goblin opened the door for him.

The first thing he felt? Relief. There was money in it and he scooped up a handful right away, hesitating when he saw the raised podium in the middle, a simple piece of parchment on it. His wand once again in his hand as he slowly stepped closer. The letters glimmering up and changing before settling…which made it even more creepy that the spell still worked after all these years.

 

Welcome master of death

 

The issue? There was a quill next to it and if Harry was still twelve? He would have definitely grabbed the quill and answered but he wasn’t twelve, He was 58 and has been an auror for 40 years. No matter what and no matter in what kind of messed up situation he was in? He would not under any circumstances ever write onto that paper. by merlin soggy balls he wouldn't even mention it to Dumbledore. The man had literally cursed himself because of his curiosity. He wouldn't nope. Never.

He glanced around one more time, noticing a few more items deeper into the vault but he shook his head just pocketing the galleons he had snatched and then turned around to leave. nodding at the goblin but not saying a word to him as he moved back to the wagons, pursing his lips very much during the drive and his hands playing slightly with the coins in his pockets.

Could he possibly have gotten some answers with the parchment? Sure. Could he also get himself cursed or possessed? Yeah. Honestly? It wasn't even the worst part. Literally the one thing to always pay in mind was to not converse with sentient magical objects. A book that wrote back? Or even just a parchment? Bad. 

He remembered a specific case just twenty years ago where a series of magical diaries had popped up on the marketplace, one that answered their writer which obviously had given him chills and ginny had absolutely refused her kids to ever get one which was a good idea as the diary had been made by a niche terrorist group and just by merely writing on it had locked the kids that used it into a magical binding contract. It had been an itch and a half to locate the fuckers behind it and find ways to break it so no. Harry would pretend the parchment didn't exist, he knew better now. He was a seasoned auror and talking parchments were possibly the thing that gave him the crepes the most. Never a good idea especially in his present situation. He would not meddle even more with magic right now… at least not like that.

He couldn't leave gringotts fast enough his time, practically beelining for the exit as soon as the wagon had stopped again and he had to admit he was more than just relieved that the post was still at the same location and paying for paper and a pen was actually far cheaper than in his own time. Inflation was a bitch.

He shook his head for a moment, leaning over the counter and stopping himself from tapping the quill on the paper before he started writing.

 

Good day or possibly evening Albus,

 

I'm quite certain this letter might be a bit of a surprise as it most definitely comes a bit early. I must say I find myself in quite the predicament and one that requires a far more brilliant head than mine to solve. I must deeply implore you to grant me a meeting as quickly as possible. 

And for old times sake I do have to ask do you actually see cozy socks in the mirror of erised?

 

Best regards,

Peverell

 

He had hesitated especially when it came to signing the letter but.. what was he even supposed to do? Harry Potter was not the way to go and apparently he was missing a first name. Also again the Peverell line was dead and what Harry actually wanted from this letter aside from the obvious meeting with Dumbledore was make his old headmaster be curious enough to actually entertain him and not just in a month. Goddamn Harry needed help and yeah he did pay extra for the post serviced fastest flyer because he would be damned if he had to wait a week.

Notes:

the parchment is pretty much part of my own amusement
as it does provide some answers at leats about Harry identity right now
and I do think some of you will have figured out who ahrr yis or rather why he is like thta now
buut I jsut found it uttelry amusing to have something here that provides answers and harry jsut goes the othger way because hell to the fucking no

Chapter 4: Dumbeldore

Summary:

Harry is keeping himself together.

The leaky cauldron has been as usual… well aside from the fact that Harry wasn't famous here but he had gotten a room and dinner and this was well enough. Honestly? The not famous part was.. nice.  It did remind Harry slightly of some of the travels he had made, some to so dang remote wizarding places that they hadn't been familiar with his face at all, sometimes not even his name which had been quite nice.

It hadn't helped much when it came to sleeping though because well.. he hadn't slept. For about an hour he had stared at himself in the mirror, trying to understand what was going on and just to make sure he had tried several spells that would stop any enchantments on him but to no avail. It was.. disturbing but at the same time… looking different? Not the worst thing that had ever happened to him and if it had at least taken away his scars? Well then he would have maybe even liked it a damn lot but at the same time… his scar didn't mean anything yet and at least it was still the washed out lightning bolt on his forehead, just because he was in the past it hadn't suddenly activated the horcrux again… which to be fair didn't make any sense either but he was used to a lot.

Sleeping had mostly just been him turning around in the bed. He had refrained from screwing in his pillow or from having a complete mental breakdown and if everything went well? Well he would just have another wild story for his friends and maybe it wasn't as dramatic as it could be… it at least gave him a bit of a vacation.. a vacation with death eaters still running around… one with Voldemort lurking around the corner. Bloody hell… it didn't help with the sleep thing.

His head was hurting the next morning and even if he knew he should, he couldn't really stomach the idea of breakfast, merely staying in his rented room and trying to stay calm about the whole situation.

Did he almost curse fawkes when the bird appeared in his room? Yeah. Could anyone blame him? No. Had he cursed the phoenix? Nope, so it was all good anyway. Had he expected a letter? kind of. Had he expected fawkes to thrill and then vanish with him in a sea of flames? No. But was it also the quickest way to dumbledore? Yeah and honestly? Nothing could stop his rival to this place or rather time… well maybe the protkey in his fourth year.

“I can't quite remember making your acquaintance before, Mr Peverell.”

It was… a bit off to see Dumbledore. Well not just a bit, he admitted he had talked to the man more than just once as well.. with his portrait to be precise, so seeing him in the flesh was surreal in every single way but at the same time Harry had traveled in time, he had become someone else and nothing made sense so seeing dumbledore… it didn't quite throw him as much for a loop as he would have ever expected “not yet, albus. I have to say it's a bit strange to have you address me that formally. I do think my boy wouldn’t seem to be appropriate anymore but Harry is still very much what we settled with over the years."

The principal's eyes were twinkling just like they had before.. he did look slightly younger but the man wasn't even a hundred yet so practically youthful. Harry did see himself as quite youthful himself and he was just close off 60.

Dumbledore smiled as he gestured towards the seat in front of him “I think I would appreciate a bit of an explanation, Harry.”

And harry? Well he laughed as he took his seat “I think this is the first time I owe you one. I hope you have been well. It's good to see you like that, quite calming in my current disposition. It's also very much appreciated how quick you got back to me. I do think I'm far calmer than in my youth but the situation has been quite unsettling.”

“Maybe I can help?”

“That was what I've been hoping for. As much as I do like being the one with the answers… It is a bit of a problem right now with how many I'm lacking as well. So let's get straight to the point; My name is Harry James Potter and to me yesterday was still 2039.”

Dumbledore actually stared at him for a moment before he sat up straighter. “I do think it was wise to contact me.”

Harry hummed “to make the issue even more complicated; according to the goblins my name is Peverell, just the last name. I don't even possess a first name and my appearance changed… quite drastically i would say so.”

“It’s..  a curious case.” The man was stroking his beard, a hint of fascination in his eyes. “From what we've gathered time travel to such a long ago point in time should be impossible without severely messing up not just the timeline but also the body of the traveler, even just five days aged someone five centuries."

Harry crossed his arms as he leaned back “I did get younger but I wouldn't say that anything harmed me per se.”

“I do have to ask the obvious question, did you do anything specific before you came here?”

“Oh, well… I might have blown up the mirror of Erised." 

And dumbledore stared at him for even longer this time "you.. destroyed the mirror of erised?”

"Most certainly, albus. Long time overdue. It's quite the dangerous artifact in my opinion, did rob me of some nights in my youth.”

“May I perchance see the memory of that?”

“Nattualy, albus. I presume you still have your pensieve over there?” He stood up, almost too confidently walking over to where he remembered it being placed a long time ago, causally getting His wand out.

“Harry? I think you have my wand.”

Harry turned around half-hazardly grinning “I probably should have considered that there couldn't be two elder wands around. My apologies but the bugger is persistent. I don't actually think I can give it back.”

Albus looked even more intently at him “is there a possibility..  That you are in possession of a number of magical items?”

And Harry's lip twitched up slightly “you mean the deathly hallows? I collected all of them… Mostly by accident. Actually albus, you gave me two of them so strictly speaking I would say you are to blame for this.”

“Quite curious” the man hummed but without further hesitance stuck his head into the pensive.

Notes:

I do have to admit in this story i genuinly enjoy the compositon of havign these two old guys be together

Chapter 5: Identity

Summary:

Albus comes up with an explanation and also uncovers the next problem

Harry didn't quite wish to see his own memory again and instead he turned around, slowly approaching Fawkes' perch. He hadn't seen the phoenix in quite a long time either and merely extending his hand led to fawkes jumping on it. Fawkes was still beautiful and seeing a phoenix that close up? Harry had never quite appreciated it back in the day, he had never really been able to comprehend how special it was and hearing the soft thrills was quite soothing in this situation. 

Harry didn't even turn towards albus when the man surfaced, instead still carefully letting his fingers wander over Fawkes head, he could hear albus walk around the room, a soft hum on his lips and quite a lot of time passed, So long that harry helped fawkes back onto the perch and Wandered over towards one of the shelves just to look at the trinkets and try to figure how many Harry himself actually had or could even identify… which was a surprising amount to be honest. He had never thought he would have that much in common with albus.

“Harry? I have a hypothesis.”

“Oh?” He turned around, making his way back to the seat in front of albus desk “let me hear it then.”

“It's not like I can guarantee that it's the truth but… you are the master of death and strictly speaking there is not much of an answer as to what it entails but you tried to destroy a truly powerful magical object and from what I can determine the magical blast should have killed you.”

Well… did Harry want to hear he had died? No… was it something foreign to him? Not quite. He had died once before and came back alive so possibly just a thing of his.

“Now we are getting to the speculative part of this. The mirror of erised shows us our deepest desire so.. What did you see?”

Harry's lip did twitch again “my my albus. And that after you have never told me what you actually see. I saw my family… my parents quite a few people that have died.”

“May I presume that they are alive in this time?”

Harry paused for a second "you are quite correct about that.”

Albus was stroking his beard again “the elderwand is quite a special wand… there is a possibility that the magic from the mirror or just from your wands interfered and while you should have died it instead pulled you towards what you desired.”

“And the change of… well who I am?”

“We might have to assume that Harry Potter has died. The deathly hallows belonged originally to the peverells, there are still speculations that they actually were the creators of them as well. Maybe it reduced you to that. There is a possibility that you didn't enter this time as Harry potter because he died but as what remained… the master of death and therefore a peverell.”

Harry hummed as he leaned back “it doesn't sound completely insane at least. I have worked with worse."

Albus hummed “that does bring up the issue that I am not quite certain how to get you back.”

“well… “ Harry hesitated before the realisation settled in, sitting up a bit straight “my heart's desire? It wasn't exactly to meet all of them, it was to not have them be dead.. what if I just .. am here to change it?”

Albus' eyes narrowed slightly “altering the timeline is a dangerous endeavour."

Harry shrugged “if you are correct then I'm not Harry Potter, I'm not someone who traveled through time, I'm peverell and in that case.. Why shouldn't I interfere? I'm just another person in 1975, free to act as I please."

“You could undo your birth.”

“I'm not Harry Potter though.”

“You know what I am implying, Harry."

“Put it to a test then. We can change one small thing. If I change something now then it would affect my memory as well wouldn't it?”

“In theory or just let you feel the impact.”

“Let's test it then.”

“Harry…”

But he just shook his head “if I'm supposed to exist here and just watch all of this happen I'm refusing. I rather get ripped apart by the universe or whatever but I'm not watching while Voldemort slaughters half of Britain.” He let out a deeper breath “when I was eleven Hagrid picked me up from my muggle relatives. Albus swear right now that if Harry James Potter is with a muggle relative that you will send Hagrid with the first letter or even if the first letter isn't accepted then right the second one. We were blasted by literally hundreds of letters. This wouldn't change much.”

The man stared at him but sighed “it's on you” and then he fetched a paper with a flick of his finger and started to write it down and wandlessly started to cast a spell on it.

Harry leaned back, so far not ripped apart.

Dumbledore leaned forwards, staring at him intently “how many letters did you get before Hagrid picked you up?”

“Hundreds.” Harry grinned “I take it that I'm free to act as I please."

“We might be… in a parallel universe, we might be in a world of your creation..  this might be all in your head and created by magic."

Harry grinned even more, his teeth almost bared “and this is my free ticket. I'm gonna end Voldemort, not just end him. I will destroy that bastard."

Albus hesitated “I would normally not condone this hut.. I see your point and Voldemort is a threat.”

“Don’t worry, Albus. I know exactly what to do… well partially, I do have to locate a few objects first.”

“Didn't you forget something, Harry?"

“Did I?”

"You have no identity here.”

“I'm peverell… I would prefer being Harry Peverell, adjusting to a different first name sounds like quite of a hassle.”

“We should start by creating Harry Peverell then. I would say homeschooling? Say.. how old are you?”

"Currently 58.”

Dumbledore chucked “you don't look a day over 18.”

 “I find internally screaming instead of actually screaming does wonders to eliminate frown lines.” 

 “I do fear it will be a bit of a task for you to convince everyone of that, especially if you're going job hunting. Do you remember your o.w.ls and n.e.w.t results?”

Harry blinked at the man “I have to admit I never finished my n.e.w.ts there were some circumstances… namely voldemort actually."

“How about it, Harry? I just let you take the test here. Having a physical copy of your exams would still allow me to pretend it didn't get properly worked in. There is a lot more wiggle room. I do have… a bit of an influence on the ministry after all. You might have to take official testing again in the future but I could at least vouch for you.”

Harry wrinkled his nose “it has been… some time but in theory I should be able to at least do my o.w.ls” he wasn't a bad wizard, he had gotten even better over the years. It should really not be that hard.

Notes:

famous last words.

Chapter 6: Failed

Summary:

Harry overly confident took his exam and now has to live with his results.

Harry had overestimated himself… by a lot. Even albus had simply stared at the mostly empty papers for quite some time… an embarrassingly long time. To be fair Harry was great at his job and honestly defense against the dark arts had been ridiculously easy but… well…

Albus was still stroking his beard “Harry… I have an idea. If you want to live in this time you need to at least have your o.w.ls but you have quite a youthful face and if we are working together on bringing down voldemort then this might even be an advantage.”

Harry's eyebrow rose up “what do you have in mind?”

“Attend school here.”

“...albus I might look quite youthful and I would honestly argue I am as well but even if you put me in seventh year I fear I won't be able to pretend to be a teenager.”

“with some of your results I fear seventh year is not gonna work out at all.”

Harry pushed his lip forward “honestly? I think far more subjects I could study by myself. Take history of magic for example binns quite literally wouldn't be of help anyways. I would just need time to study."

“And you can do that best at Hogwarts with access to the teachers where you can ask questions.”

“Albus I can not imagine going to school again.”

“From what I've gathered I would presume you would be fine with many subjects in self study. Potions is a disaster though.”

Harry rolled his eyes “not my fault. We had a horrible teacher.”

“How about it, Harry? We are hiring you as a student tutor.”

"Meaning?"

“You would assist the defense against the dark arts teacher with grading homeworks, answering questions for students, possibly even helping out in some lessons. It would stop you from being one of the peers and you attend classes where it's actually required.”

Harry raised his eyebrow even further.

“I would say you would profit from attending the fifth year in Potions. Herbology might be useful for you in six years as merely studying books will be quite futile and transfigurations might be helpful if you attend a few classes in seventh year."

Harry… didn't want to be a student in any capacity if he was honest.

“It would work out well, a homeschooling wizard whose education has been lacking in some areas while pretty much attaining mastery In defense against the dark arts. Hogwarts was willing to give you the opportunity to catch up on some of the topics you've been lacking with. Mentioning that you are above typical Hogwarts age would also help.”

“I don't know, albus…”

“I can also provide you with a living wage.”

“Why do I have the feeling you just want to keep me close at this point?"

Albus smiled, a twinkle in his eyes “I say we would both profit from it. Also what I wouldn't give to attend hogwarts again as a young student.”

“I'm not quite that young anymore, Albus.”

“Above typical Hogwarts age.”

Harry let out a deep breath "you are quite sold on the idea, aren't you?”

“Most definitely. I'm looking forward to working with you quite closely.”

Harry sighed again “I guess… “

“I can even provide you with a hiring bonus.. a stipend I would almost say and lucky for you I do have a friend where I do know they are currently desperately searching for a new renter for a small apartment in London.”

Maybe Harry should have suspected that albus would not be that completely calm with it. He didn't know Harry, he didn't know Harry's past as well and in theory he should just be glad that albus was that willing to help him and strictly speaking? If Harry did a lot of studying he might be able to quickly get out of the school's setting. Hogwarts did have one of the best libraries and one that would very much help him get to a place where he could take the exam. He had already learned most of it in the past, it should be easy and it wasn't like he was still the savior of the wizarding world which did mean he wouldn't be able to just get a job by merely showing his face but… it also meant he wasn't forced to become an auror again… bloody hell. He wasn't an auror anymore and there was no reason at all for him to go back to it! Maybe he should actually put effort into taking these exams he could… he could become anything!

And yeah… he didn't have cash and honestly? He didn't really want to enter the Peverell vault again. He didn't even want to tell Dumbledore about the parchment. By merlin, albus had quite literally poisoned himself with a cursed ring, who knew what could happen with albus being even younger? 

“I do appreciate your help, albus.”

The man smiled “no time to lose. I can imagine a hotel room might drain you quite quickly of your reserves. Let's get you settled in and then we can meet again and talk about the specifics about how we take care of Voldemort. All in due time.”

Harry slowly nodded “I do have to sort my mind… There are quite a lot of things I have to take into account especially with how some things should be different that early on. There is.. a lot to consider.”

Albus hummed “quite so I have to assume.”

“Say albus? Did you trust Fawkes' judgement? Or why did I get so much leeway?”

“Quite so, quite so. Phoenix's are fantastic tellers of one's character and the rest we will see in due time.”

Who was he to complain? Right now his mind was actually still just full of the fact that he was an ex auror and no way in hell would he ever become one again. Not this time. If he had known that the quickest way to get out of his job was to blow up the mirror of erised he would have probably hunted for that artifact a long, long time ago.

Notes:

"slightly above typical hogwarts age" i think its my fabvorit thing about this
and for anyone who was caught off guard how easy dumbles tkaes all of it
he is ltierally planning to watch harry and keep him as close as posisble
he is ceetian harry is not a danger due to fawkes
but now he has a very good excuse to watch him from up close and keep an eye on him
and we succesfully gave harry a foot in hogwarts
I decided against stating how much dumbels pay shim because well.. have you looked at house prices in 1975?
i do nopt in any way want to make claculations for inflations in the magical world
and I think far too many reades would be too sutkped by seeing the numbers sooo I decided to avoid it lol

Chapter 7: Mood

Summary:

harry isn't handling everything that well.

The amount of money Dumbledore had left him had seemed ridiculous little but… the world was cheap, incredibly cheap. Inflation hadn't just hit the muggleworld hard during the passing of time but also the wizarding world. The apartment he had gotten was quite small, pretty much just a bedroom and an area that included a kitchen and living room and even a couch… most of it left behind by the former tenant who apparently had died in a recent incident… Harry did assume Voldemort automatically but he wasn't one to complain in this case. There were only a few things he had to purchase like new bedsheets and filling his fridge… well the cupboard with cold and freshness charms but it would do. It was.. nice.

He had to purchase a few clothes and a lot he just took over from what the former owner had left behind… which was a lot, not all of it Harry's style or even fitting but he made do. He was quite confident he could get through the remaining time until September with what he had and if push came to shove he would enter the peverell vault again.

Dumbledore and him had been in constant contact as well, quite a few letters and the days passed… and… Harry's birthday had arrived and with it… well… It was horrid.

Before Harry's mind had been full with the far too many things he had to do. He was still mapping out which Horcruxes already existed and where some could be located and which ones might be in different locations. It was a lot but his birthday? It just… hit.

Normally on his birthday he had a celebration, which in theory was a small circle but in reality had been big. There were the masses of weasleys at this point that alone said that it wasn't a little party but a big one and Harry had more friends than just them… so… waking up in an empty apartment in the middle of London and the only person Harry was the closest to being friends with was albus dumbledore? It was… depressing.

Sure, Harry missed them all but at the same time he was pragmatic enough that he knew that what he was doing was for their sake. He could make sure that the war never broke out, Hermione and Ron could have a peaceful schooltime in the future… they could finish school without going back. Neville's parents wouldn’t end in the hospital… Molly would not lose her own family… there were so many people he could save if he just ended voldermot now and this was.. well this was worth it. He would see them again. 

Sure.. it was kind of hard… it was hard to not turn to his friends right now for help but at the same time? He had not properly done that in years. All of them had their own lives, their own families and Harry had been the outsider… he had been the one who pretty much only had his job and it had been fine because that had been his reality but… still… it was.. difficult to put into words. He missed them but he was old enough to know that what he was doing would be good for them… and if him being lonely now meant he could assure a far happier upbringing for everyone then he would do it. He would get through it.

He was… 59 now and this meant… he wasn’t a child, he wasn't a doorstep, he was a man with a mission and everything else? Well he would figure that out as he went through it.

Still… his empty apartment hurt and this was why he picked through the money he had left, taking only a bit and then he left to get to diagon alley. 

Drinking himself stupid on his birthday? He had earned that at least and over the years he had found more than just one place ranking above the leaky cauldron for that purpose. Harry had made a lot of acquaintances over the years even to his own humor; draco Malfoy. Not his closest friend by any means but… in accord with him and with him not having any privacy at all when he went into the public harry had very much appreciated finding these small more exclusive pubs.. if one could even call it pubs. The one thing Harry knew about them? They provided privacy. It was frowned upon making a fuss about anyone and in theory Harry knew that it was more of a pure blood location but honestly? He knew he would get his liquor there and very much not getting hassled by… bloody hell he didn't even know but the location was familiar he had visited there over the years far too often. It was something he knew.. and a place he could just drink. They.. had good drinks.

Harry didn't even know why he didn't just settle on something like the leaky cauldron but like… he didn't even know. He was in a mood, just in a mood and it was bothering him and it was pickling under his skin and he was still trying to run away from the fact that he would just… Well… he wasn't Harry Potter anymore. He missed his friends.. he missed his godson and yeah he was being weird but could anyone blame him?

He sighed, only far too late realizing that this was literally a test if he could cross the age barrier. He was 59 but .. his body? another thing he didn't know and couldn't sort out and… he groaned out, just somehow getting through the door and beelining towards the bar. He hadn't been stopped so… well… good.

He shut his eyes for a second trying to pretend that the barkeeper was just new… and not that the ones he was familiar with simply… well… they were too young to even enter the locations. Goddamnit.. he was a mess. Maybe alcohol wasn't the smartest move but he was already here.

Notes:

I know you all have been waiting for this lol

Chapter 8: Stupid

Summary:

orion is frustrated.

If he were not the Lord Black of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House Black, Orion would be screaming in the middle of Diagon Alley but he was and therefore that was not an option in any capacity. 

Orion for the most part was a calm man, he was also quite skilled at ignoring things around him, something that by definition had kept him sane through his marriage .. It was a necessary thing to just .. ignore everything around him but even he could only bear so much of his wife screeching over dinner. 

Orion was to a degree even patient he would say… again he had managed to last through the dinner. No matter how disrespectful Sirius had been or how Regulus had stayed silent and no matter how grating Walburga had been the whole time Orion had not left early. He had just focused on his food, the bidding migraine already forming quite significantly but at least his house-elf knew at this point when to provide a potion and subtly place it next to his drink.

Even then he couldn't just.. ignore everything. Honestly? He just questioned why this was what had accumulated in his life. Back when he had still been young he had followed his father's teachings, he had acted according to expectations and he had married walburga… and honestly? Probably the biggest mistake of his life. Not just probably, Walburga was the bane of his existence. 

For a moment he still tried to question where his life had turned like this. Could he have done anything different? Probaly… but he had upheld expectations and what had gotten him that? A wife he couldn't stand, children he didn't know and even more wonderful? The knowledge his wife was not just using a stinging hex for punishment. Where should he even start with that? Not like he had ever been invested in raising his children… it had been the role of his wife, the role of the housewife. He was the lord black that had been… nothing he had been expected to do and honestly? How could he have? It was hard to even stay in the same room with walburga for a prolonged time, the woman had an option for everything and if her voice hadn't been as grating orion would have considered listening more to her but. . Well… it was as it was.

All Orion really wanted was a break, just a simple one, a quick one… just a few hours before he had to go back to the Pitt he called home. Just long enough to not have to face his wife again.. or his children. He couldn't stand any of it.

Orion needed an escape from it all and he needed something more adequate to do… something stupid, not something like going back home and murdering the infuriating bitch that was his wife. A drink was not exactly what he had in mind when he entered the bar though. It was a place he came to quite often, just exclusive enough to provide privacy And assure that what happened there stayed there. Very much the location he went to if he needed to release his frustration and he knew that finding someone to spend the night with wouldn't end on the prophets newsletter. It was discrete enough and even while Orion knew how many of his acquaintances  went there on occasion it didn't erase the fact that none of them spoke about it.

He lifted his head a bit higher as he entered, letting his eyes wander over the inhabitants… quite a lot he already knew.. quite a lot that would just force him into another discussion about politics and orion didn't have the mind for this right now, he just.. he didn't want to go home. He just didn't. He didn't want to deal with any of it. He… wanted to do something. Something stupid, something that would just have it all go away, just a few hours of bliss, a few hours where he wasn’t the lord black, the one ruling over a dysfunctional family that didn't even care for his opinion.

He knew he was ridiculous when he glanced at the boy at the bar…well the man. The man after all was here and this meant he was over seventeen, he was of age and… orion didn't know him. He couldn't even guess which family line he was from and this quite possibly could mean a muggleborn. Why a muggleborn would ever come here? He didn't know but right now he didn't care. He didn't want to care, not about anything… especially not about the state his life was or what a sorry existence it was but… he looked… attractive. A few scars on his hands and that to Orion meant he probably wasn't fresh out of hogwarts and that was good enough 

It would just be that, just something.. fresh..  new… something he wouldn't talk about again… something stupid and not as miserable as going home… and stupid enough. He was approaching a possible muggleborn.. which was very much enough for him.

Normally Orion wasn’t someone who approached someone first, he waited, he let them come to him, he knew of his presence, he knew he looked good and he knew people knew him… he could just sit down and see who would approach him but tonight? He needed to get out of here, he needed to drop this, he needed to let all the frustration remaining underneath his fingers out and doing something he usually didn't do? Quite exactly what he needed.

He didn't ask when he pulled out the chair, merely turning his eyes toward the young man next to him “may I buy you a drink?”

He looked up, hazel eyes… but… the green in them was quite vivid, sparking through far more than the brown.. a hard look… not intimidated, not scared.. not insecure..  calm.

He raised his glass, taking a slow sip and let orion wait before he spoke “isn't that the polite version of can I fuck you later?”

So… distasteful, forward… no etiquette..  but it was different and different was everything Orion craved tonight and so he didn't avert his eyes as he simply asked “so may I?”

The man seemed to contemplate, lifting his drink again and taking another sip… waiting a second before he emptied it “you know what? I had a shitty day.. possibly a shitty week depending on who you ask. Pick up my tab and we can go.”

Again… straightforward… again… not etiquette..  again so.. different and this was why he pulled out a few galleons, putting it on the table and watching the bartender nod and accept the payment..  definitely enough.

The man in front of him slid down from his seat, not exactly elegant… not exactly demure or playful or anything especially as he shoved his hands in his pockets but Orion didn't mind.. he just followed after him.

Notes:

How could I have elft you all wait even longer for this?
and Im not gonna write their smut. I might wirte a few or one smut when they ar ein love
but this right now doesnt interest me especially as Im not really a smu writer.
but yeesss we dop have stuck up Orion who is literally thinkign that sleepign with a possible miuggleborn is rebellious enough
its so fun to have this absoltuel pureblood, blood purist noble dude prance aorund like this
all while he is literlaly younegr than harry which is the funneist thing for me
but yess we are not gonna have them fall in love at first sight
it starts as a one night stand u.u
and one day orion will despair when he remembers their first meeting xD

Chapter 9: Remarkable

Summary:

Not quite what orion expected.

Orion didn't want to open his eyes, opening his eyes meant gathering his things and going back home and for the moment where he still had his eyes closed it was still far away… not an immediate process.

Honestly? He hadn't even planned to fall asleep, it just… had happened. Last night had been… different. Orion was used to getting catered to, a lot of times when someone approached him they had an agenda, Even if it was just that if they met in a political circle He might put a good word in for a promotion for example. A lot of times sex had that kind of underlying intention behind it and it wasn’t like Orion had ever minded that. 

He had touched his wife on exactly two occasions. The first time to make an heir and the second time to make a spare, just like his father had told him to do and then? Well… Orion had found his sexual satisfaction elsewhere… which he was certain was the same thing walburga did.

Laying with lord black had advantages after all… but last night? Well… it had been different. It wasn't like Orion had cared who exactly his partner had been but… same could be said about the guy he had slept with, the man hadn't even tried to please him.. it had just been… almost raw, almost a touch of desperation or…wanting to forget… just staying in the moment.. a surprising amount of teeth-clashing the sharp pain of it but not caring for it either.. almost primal at times but… also… no catering. The man hadn't even tried to please him. Well he had.. obviously he had but not in the sense Orion was used to. He hadn't actually tried to seduce Orion, he hadn't seductively lied on the bed or done his best to impress Orion..  not even remotely actually. It had just been sex… and Orion..  had to work for it. Also not even close to the other kind of sex Orion was used to where the receiver just laid down and took it… to be fair Orion had never liked that type of sex but he had encountered it more than often enough.

It also… it hadn't been fake… once again the man hadn't tried to impress Orion, hadn't even tried to make himself more appealing, no.. overexaggerated moaning, no sweettalking, no nothing. He had just chased his own pleasure And dragged Orion along Instead of just being used… it almost had felt like kinship, as if they were both just stuck in their own personal hell and using it as an outlet… they had been… on the same wavelength orion almost wanted to say, just an understanding between them.. familiarity in their own plight… 

Orion sighed, very much aware that he couldn’t run away from his responsibilities indefinitely, especially not in the bed of a muggleborn he had just met yesterday. That wasn't quite one night stand behaviour, most of the time Orion had disappeared straight after the act but Last night… it had just been different on a lot of levels.

He paused though because.. he smelled food, the far too fragrant aroma of eggs and onions.. and bacon.. even mushrooms. It was.. something different and very much credited to how small the place was that he had stayed the night in.. an example of poverty but at the same time… it wasn't a bad thing. Somehow..  It made him hungry, a different kind of allure to have his nose full of notes of food, pretty much an encouragement to get out of bed. He couldn't say he minded it but at the same time it was more than just a telltale to get out of bed and leave. 

He finally opened his eyes, not quite in a hurry and taken aback by the fact that his clothes were still on the floor… not even a household? What a miserable existence. He shook his head slightly as he put on his clothes from the night before, casting a simple refresher spell on them to not look Like a total slob. He would just bid his goodbye… with his partner from last night already being awake it did mean it would be simply rude to just disappear so a simple goodbye and then he would apparate.

Still… he couldn't quite.. catch himself when he opened the door of the bedroom. The man from last night was sitting at his table, only wearing a pair of pyjama pants, giving quite a good view of his trained body and the scars adorning it. He had one leg wrinkled up on the chair and holding a cup with both his hands, only looking up when Orion had entered the room. “I've left a plate on the stove if you're hungry.”

Orion blinked “you.. are asking me if I want breakfast?”

The man shrugged nonchalantly, "It's nothing fancy, just an omelette and tea.”

Normally Orion would say no and simply leave but… it did smell good and he was hungry, rather ravenous actually and… if he got home now he probably had to deal with his wife before he could even eat a bite.. it always soured his appetite. 

He corrected his posture as he walked to the stove.. also quite… odd to not get served.

“Cutlery is to your left.”

Still.. weird but yesterday had already been out of the norm.

He slowly set down, hesitating for a moment before he took a bite and It was… remarkable. It was so simple but… it was closer to what he had eaten in his Hogwarts days, hearty , tasteful and not as fancy as Walburga preferred.

The man was still holding his cup, His head slightly tipping backward over the chair. “Good?”

"It's… adequate."

And he laughed, outright snorted “never heard a greater compliment.”

Orion merely raised his eyebrow at the snark but chose to ignore it. He was in a different territory.

“I'm Harry by the way.”

No last name… probably for the better. It had just been a one night stand and even while Orion was evidently still sitting in Harry's kitchen it didn't mean it had to get truly personal. “Orion.”

Harry raised an eyebrow, scrunched his nose but shrugged his shoulders before taking another sip of his tea… completely unbothered by everything.

It was off to..  to just.. eat and not be bothered. Harry didn't talk, his eyes halfway closed, relaxed as well.. unbothered by any of it, merely flicking his finger lazily and to Orion's surprise a cup flew toward his from the cupboard and tea was flowing in from the pot… he most definitely had not expected this young man, this possibly muggleborn, to be that adapt with not just wandless but non verbal magic. It was .. rather unthinkable actually. So maybe.. a pureblood? Maybe not from here.

Orion hesitated for a moment “I haven't seen you here before.”

And Harry's lip twitched upwards “I haven't seen you in my kitchen before either.”

Orion wanted to roll his eyes but refrained “in the bar… in London.”

Harry just hummed “I just moved here I guess I can say.”

Not a clear answer… but alright Harry had also not provided him with a last name.

Orion had to admit the tea was remarkable as well… it tasted far better than at home… which possibly was partially due to the lack of screeching that usually ruined the taste. He did miss his newspaper but .. well.. 

Harry still just sat there, half closed eyes.. just peaceful and in a way it was… the sun came through the window for once and the place was silent… just… silent.

Sure Orion could also lock himself into his study in grimmauldplace but… something about this silence was different… maybe because he wasn't alone in a room but with someone. It just… it was so peaceful.. not something orion had in the last… years… possibly forever… it almost made him hesitant to actually finish his breakfast. 

Harry opened One eye, Glancing at his plate "are you full?”

“Quite.”

And Harry just hummed again.. taking another sip of his tea. Still… just so relaxed.. so unbothered… so calm and so so different from last night. 

Orion glanced down at his empty plates, the almost crude flower drawings on, it seemed so out of place… not silver, not exquisite..  different.

But even them… even while this was remarkable in its own way he had to leave.. it had just been a one night stand and Orion should be grateful for actually having gotten what he wanted. He had been able to blow off steam, a more than just satisfying night and a peaceful Morning and so he slowly stood up. “Have a good day.”

Harry hummed again, lazily lifting his hand and waving “you too, have a good day.”

Orion doubted that very much but at least this morning had been remarkable.

Notes:

and this is where the actula magic happens. the mornign after. Orion cna find sex anywhere with insanely good lover sbut harry? harry has peaceful mornigs with tasty grub u.u