Warning this story has an AU/OOC warning so please if you do not approve of a break from canon, choose another story to read. I also warn my grammar is not perfect, ahead of time.

Harry walked down Diagon Alley and towards the back door for the shop, which led to the stairs to the apartments above. Harry marvelled still at how anonymous he had become in the years since the war. He had once been so famous and well known back before he had destroyed Voldemort in the ministry in his fifth year but he had slowly become just another student. Oh he was famous for his quidditch still in school but friends that he thought were friends had been his friends for the fame. Ron had gone off to be with Seamus and Dean as a little click and Ginny had become so busy jumping between boyfriends. Hermione and Neville had remained closed but Hermione was now working abroad in the US and going to a wizarding university there.

As for family he had Remus and the Weasley twins. The other red heads had slowly drifted away from him, Molly and Arthur never fully recovering from the danger their youngest two had been put in by him in the ministry and when those two pulled way, as had they. The twins though remained close, Harry of course being a silent backer in the shop all of these years and he went to have dinner with George once a week. He and Remus were as close as ever though his honorary godfather now taught DADA again at school so he saw him the rare weekend, Sirius having died in the ministry.

As for Harry he had never passed high enough to do NEWT potions and had been unable to do auror training. His friends, the twins mainly, Neville and Luna who was still in school, and Oliver and Katie, tended to think he was a trust fund baby living off of his money. Unfortunately till he turned twenty one he had access to neither the massive Black estate nor some what smaller Potter estate and the trust fund from his parents had run out after school. He could have remained at Grimmauld, the only part of the estate he still had access to but he had not been able to go back there since his godfather died.

His landlord, the greasy haired apothecary who owned the shop below stopped him. "You owe me your rent for the month Mr. Black."

Harry had forgotten it was the first of the month and had spent the last of his meagre savings on the few groceries in hand. "I will have it by the end of the week."

He could have gone to Remus who would have happily given him the money, knowing Harry did not have access to his fortune yet, but he hated to tell the closest thing to a father he had that he was broke. Remus had spent many years almost unable to get work and he had never begged. The twins would have helped him, he never took a share of the business which he was a part owner in, but he had sworn he would never touch it.

The man grabbed him by the arm. "If you don't have the money this month you know I will always spot it to you. Visit me after the shop closes."

Harry cringed at the memory of what he had done last month to pay the bills. "Just give me a few days and if I don't have the money I will be at your door."

The man smirked and nodded his head, heading down towards his shop, sure that the young man would soon be at his door. Harry had surgery to remove his scar and since most of the media reported Harry off jetting around the world, the man seemed to not know who he was, or care. Harry had done actual work for hi a few times, and usually did clean his floors and such, where the last bucks had come from.

As he got into the one room flat he had above the shop which like the shop below stunk of burned cat hair and rotten cabbage, he sagged against the lone chair at his table and looked around his drab little apartment. How the mighty had fallen. He had tried out for the United and made it but had been injured a few months in. He was told to come back and try out when better but the healers said it would be at least a year. What little money he made came from doing odd jobs for the store owners in town and doing some freelance writing for Xeno as well as the prophet.

He looked down at a copy of the quibbler which he had a free subscription to from Xeno. "Maybe this is my lucky day."

He had no work experience and he had no training, and few people would hire him for more then the rare menial job. He had worked in the muggle sector from time to time but the conversion from muggle to wizard money was a joke. He had no idea how Hermione had afforded to go to school but then again her parents were dentists and likely made good money doing it.

He scanned the newspaper and circled ads until he came to one. 'Good looking young house boy needed for widow, help with every day life.'

Harry almost laughed at the image of himself in the mirror when he saw himself. "I might still pass for good looking. And I still have a decent pair of clothes left."

Knowing there was nothing to lose and he would have to pay the rent some way, hoping perhaps for a cash advance if he got the job, Harry changed into one of the few decent outfits he had and tied his hair back. He headed for the townhouse which was not far, on the residential part of Diagon Alley and knocked on the door. He was so nervous he did not even look at the name on the doorplate.

When a little elf appeared Harry took a deep breath. "I have come to answer the newspaper ad for a houseboy."

The little elf motioned him into the house. "You be sitting down in the den and I be getting master. Master be very anxious to meet you."

He was led into the den and as he stood waiting Harry looked at some of his surroundings and he stopped in shock when he came across one of the pictures. It was a picture of Draco Malfoy when he had graduated from Hogwarts eight moths ago. Harry was reminded Lucius' wife was given he kiss, not a spy like her husband, but surely he could not have just answered an ad for the man.

But his answer came from the door when Lucius walked into the room. "Mr Potter, my my I didn't expect someone like you when I put out the ad."