A/N: Here's another Harry/Gambit story. I couldn't stop thinking about this plot so I decided to write it. Please read and review! ~Dark Disaster
Disclaimer: I don't own anything recognizable.
Betrayed
Pairings: Harry/Gambit, Bill Weasley/Fleur Delacour, Luna/? ---Poll on my profile page
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Thump, Thump.
What?
He was alive.
Emerald green eyes opened. Curled the fingers of his right hand. Then his left. Then his feet. Now arms and legs.
He was alive.
Harry groaned as he pushed his battered body off the ground and looked around. There were dead bodies everywhere. Most of them wore the black robes and the Dark Mark of Voldemort's Death Eaters, but not all of them.
He started walking towards Hogwarts when he saw a blonde blur rushing towards him. He had his wand out and a curse on his lips before he realized who it was. Luna.
"Harry! Thank Merlin you're alright! I was afraid the Horned Snorlack had killed you for good." Luna cried out throwing her arms around him in a desperate hug.
"Nah you know me Luna. If I can survive the killing curse two times, a third one isn't going to do much damage." Harry remarked slightly sarcastic.
"Old Snake Face is gone for good though right?" Harry asked just to make sure. The past few hours since coming back from King's Cross Station after he had let Voldemort kill him were hazy and he couldn't remember much.
"Oh most definitely. Voldemort destroyed the Horcrux when he shot the Killing curse at you and since that was the last one he was mortal. I used Fiendfyre to burn what was left of his body after your duel just to make absolutely sure he wasn't coming back." Luna reassured him.
"How…how many did we lose?" Harry asked hesitantly. He was afraid to know, but at the same time he needed to put faces to the dead bodies that littered the once pristine school grounds.
The smile fell off of Luna's face. "A lot of people died, Harry. Mad-Eye, Kingsley, Fred, George, Charlie, Percy, Tonks, Remus, Seamus, Dean, Cho Chang, Emmeline Vance, Professor Snape, Professor Sprout, at least half of the Aurors that came to help and a quarter of the sixth and seventh years." She said.
Harry's heart sank to his stomach. Not Tonks and Remus. Teddy was an orphan now.
"McGonagall's Headmistress now and Madame Pomfrey is using the Great Hall as a makeshift Infirmary to treat the wounded." Luna explained.
"Ron, Hermione! Thank Merlin you're alright." Harry cried out echoing Luna's earlier statement. His two best mates were alright.
"Yeah we're alright." Came Ron's odd reply. Hermione didn't say anything.
But Harry ignored them because at that moment Bill woke up. "Bill, how are you feeling?" Harry asked softly.
"Hey Harry. I'm okay considering Greyback tried to take a chunk out of my face." Bill laughed hoarsely.
Harry felt a smile stretch over his face to know that at least two of the Weasley boys had survived before remembering that there were four who wouldn't be coming home.
"Don't worry Harry. Madame Pomfrey says I'll have a scarred face since magic doesn't seem to work against werewolf-inflicted wounds, but at least I won't have to worry about turning into a hairy beast on the full moon." Bill said trying to lighten the tense atmosphere.
Harry let out an involuntary chuckle. It had finally hit him that the war was over and he could finally have the life that he wanted.
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Harry sent up a quick prayer before he slowly opened the thick Ministry sealed envelope. He and what remained of the seventh year Gryffindors were about to find out the results of their Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. The war had been over for a few months now, and while everyone was ecstatic something had changed. Harry couldn't quite decide what it was, but he decided that it would be someone else's problem from now on and threw himself into his studies.
He had received a lot of specialized training for the war, but he wanted to be sure he got the grades Madame Pomfrey said she wanted if she was going to accept him as an apprentice. Harry had decided that he had seen enough fighting to last two lifetimes so he was going to do something that would help people and was going to train to become a Medi-Wizard.
Of course he wasn't stupid and therefore had not said a word of this to anyone, not even his two best mates. There were a lot of expectations surrounding the Savior of the Wizarding World and he was planning on shattering every one of them come graduation which, incidentally, was tomorrow.
"Hah! I got all Outstandings for the nine classes I took!" Hermione crowed to no one's surprise.
"I got 4 Outstandings and 4 Exceeds Expectations." Came Ron's voice. Now that was a surprise, but then again maybe being harped on by Hermione for the last seven years had rubbed off on Ron so that he actually managed to learn something.
Harry just studied his results in stunned silence. Was the Ministry mistaken?
"Harry what did you get?" Hermione asked, before snatching the paper out of his hand when he didn't respond in two seconds.
The smile slid of Hermione's face.
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to present you with your results for the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests.
Potions- O
History of Magic- O
Care of Magical Creatures- O
Arithmancy- O
Ancient Runes- O
Defense Against the Dark Arts- OO*
Charms- O
Transfiguration- O
Divination- O
As your involvement in the Final Battle against the Dark Lord has shown, it is fairly obvious that you have an advanced grasp on the knowledge behind the skills learned in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Your practical test, as well as the Final Battle, demonstrated this without a doubt, and the answers on the theory portion of the test were Mastery-level answers. Therefore we are pleased to inform you that you have received 10 Outstandings, a feat accomplished only by two other wizards in the past three centuries. Our sincerest congratulations,
Madeline Aulbright
Head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority
Harry smiled to himself as he realized this meant he got the grades Madame Pomfrey required to accept him as an apprentice.
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Fashback
"Madame Pomfrey?" Harry asked quietly.
"Mr. Potter? Its only the first day of classes, are you already injured?"
"No Madame. I do have a question for you though." Harry replied smiling.
"What is it?" the Medi-Witch asked giving her favorite patient her full attention.
"How did you become a Medi-Witch?" Harry asked.
Madame Pomfrey studied him for a long moment. "That's not a question I'd expect coming from you Mr. Potter."
"I know everyone expects me to become an Auror and marry Ginny, but no one thought to ask me whether I've changed my mind. The only time Professor McGonagall has asked me what I want to do with my life I told her an Auror because I didn't know that there were other options. Now I know I don't want to spend the rest of my life fighting when I've done that practically my whole life." Harry replied eyes dark with anger.
"And Miss Weasley?"
"I don't know if that's what I want anymore."
"Well, Mr. Potter, you can apply to St. Mungo's to work with a group of Healers in a particular field, or you can apprentice to a specific healer where you will study with them for two years, learning the general healing arts and then take your certification tests with the Ministry as a general Healer. Usually by that time you know if you want to concentrate on a specific field and then you would go on to apprentice for another year or two with a specialist in that field or you could get a job as a general Medi-Wizard." Madame Pomfrey replied.
Harry contemplated what she told him for a few minutes. "Would you consider taking me as an apprentice Madame Pomfrey?" he asked.
Madame Pomfrey looked startled for a moment and then studied him. "Is there a particular reason you would want to apprentice with me?"
Harry looked sheepish. "Well for one you're the only Medi-Witch I know personally and I know you wouldn't treat me any differently for being the Savior and all that crap. Plus Hogwarts is the only home I've ever known and I would do anything to stay here as long as possible." Harry answered honestly.
The Medi-Witch grinned. "Then I'll have you know I expect you to get Outstandings on your Transfiguration and Charms portions of the N.E.W.T.S and at least an Exceeds Expectations on your Potions portion. If you get those grades I'll take you on as an apprentice and if not I'll help you get an apprenticeship with another qualified healer." Madame Pomfrey said sternly.
Harry flashed her a brilliant smile before darting forward and giving her a hug. Laughing he called out a "Thanks Madame Pomfrey!" before darting out the door.
Poppy only shook her head. "Potters."
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*SMACK*
Harry was startled out his memories when his face snapped to the left, his face stinging where Hermione's hand had slapped him.
The common room fell silent.
"What did you do that for Hermione?" Harry asked in shock his hand coming up to cradle his stinging cheek.
"What's your problem Potter? Everyone knows I'm the smartest witch in this entire school! If it wasn't for me you would be failing every single class you've ever taken! If it wasn't for your dumb luck you never would've survived to see your seventh year let alone the Final Battle!" Hermione screamed.
Funny how a room can fall so silent that it almost seems noisy.
"Now I suppose they're just going to name you Head Auror without making you go through training when I deserve to be Head Auror!" Ron chimed in.
"What do you mean deserve?" Harry asked still in shock from Hermione's outburst.
"If you had died like the good pawn you are supposed to be I would be able to be Head Auror as your best friend and Hermione would get a top position in the Ministry and we wouldn't have to deal with you ever again. Instead we have to watch as you become the next Dark Lord!" Ron yelled, raging against Harry's very existence.
"For your information I'm not planning on becoming an Auror and it will be a cold day in hell before I let you pathetic fools get anything or go anywhere by using my name." Harry snarled before storming out of the tower leaving behind two fuming fake friends.
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"How dare those two pathetic excuses for human beings try and use me to further their own ambitions which they obviously can't get on their own!" Harry raged to himself as he stormed down the castle stairs. "Am I really that despicable that my supposed best friends would want me dead?" Harry asked softly to himself.
Harry paused to consider this before deciding that Ron and Hermione were just jealous good-for-nothings. Only his seeker reflexes allowed him to catch the vial that flew out of Ginny's hands as they collided into each other.
"Oh Harry! I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." Ginny apologized as Harry helped her up.
"Its okay Ginny, I wasn't exactly paying attention either. What's this?" He asked holding out the vial to her. He was surprised when she snatched it from him a scared look coming into her eyes.
"It's a potion Mum sent me for…for female problems." Ginny said, blushing.
"Oh." Harry said articulately, cheeks flushed red.
"Actually Harry I wanted to talk to you about, well, about us." Ginny said.
Oh no. Harry could already tell where this was going. "Not now Ginny. I just got into a fight with Ron and Hermione and I'm not ready to get into another discussion just yet." Harry said hoping to end a fight before it even started.
"But Harry it's been almost three months since the Dark Lord's defeat and you still haven't proposed to me!" Ginny said, stomping her foot.
"Look Ginny I'm tired and not in the mood for this. I want to make sure I have a career before I even think about settling down with a family. We'll talk about this some other time." Harry said dashing down the stairs towards the dungeons hoping that she wouldn't follow him.
A shriek of outrage assured him that he'd gotten away this time.
"Dear Merlin I hope that wasn't Amortentia in her hand." Harry said to himself. "Not even Ginny's that desperate to become Mrs. Potter, is she?" He paused to consider his own rhetorical question. "Please tell me she isn't that desperate. No, not Ginny." Harry said to himself as he continued walking. However from now on I'll ask Dobby to make and deliver my food personally and I won't accept anything to eat or drink from Ginny. Just in case.
He had realized earlier that year that he wasn't in love with Ginny, not the way she wanted, but she was still a good friend and he didn't want to lose that friendship over a teenage crush.
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Harry gave the password to the portrait guarding the Slytherin Common Rooms and headed to find his boyfriend. Some of the Slytherins sitting in the common area gave him a small wave or nod which he returned before heading up the stairs to his boyfriend's room. Luckily his boyfriend was now a Prefect and had his own room.
The rest of the school hadn't been surprised when the majority of the sixth and seventh year Slytherins and about half of the fifth years had joined the Dark Lord's side during the battle, but what had surprised them was that the other half of the fifth years and the younger ones had decided to fight with them against the Dark Lord.
His boyfriend was one of the seventh years who had chosen to fight against the Dark Lord, one of the reasons why they had first become friends and then lovers.
Harry was smiling as he entered Blaise's room until he understood what he saw. Then he didn't even demand an explanation just whirled on his heels and stormed out of the Slytherin dormitories his magic whipping around him and leaving several stunned Slytherins.
Harry threw himself on the bed in Snape's quarters. Harry thought this might be the only safe place for him as he sobbed bitter tears of betrayal. First his two best friends, then another friend, now his boyfriend. Who was next in line to betray Harry Potter, The-Idiot-Who-Actually-Thought-People-Cared. Harry cried himself to sleep.
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Snape studied the sleeping boy and shook his head at the idiots that resided in Hogwarts. He and the Potter spawn still didn't get along all that well and even if he had survived the Final Battle Snape doubted they would have become friends. There was too much bad history between them to become more than teacher and student.
However, after Harry apologized for the Pensive incident Snape had resolved to do all he could to make sure that Potter survived to have a life after Voldemort. So he had trained the boy extensively in Defense Against the Dark Arts, taught him some of the lesser dark spells, helped him get up to an adequate level in Potions and give him some physical combat training.
Of course one of the reasons why he gave Harry extra training was purely selfish. With Dumbledore dead he only had to answer to one master, Voldemort, and he was trying to ensure that Harry defeated the Dark Lord so that he could be free from both of his 'Masters'. Of course Snape really hadn't expected to survive the battle, but just knowing the Dark Lord was dead was enough for him.
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Harry awoke with a headache, dry eyes and a cramped stomach. Apparently crying yourself to sleep does not leave you feeling refreshed in the morning. So he lay there contemplating what to do. Blaise was cheating on him, Ron and Hermione hated his guts and Ginny was more than likely considering drugging him into marrying her. Can my life get any more screwed up?
Harry really should learn not to tempt Fate by thinking such things because the moment he did Dobby popped into the room looking distressed. Now what?
"Master Harry, Master Harry. The Headmistress says you must go to her office immediately. There are Ministry people wanting to talk to you." Dobby said distressed that his Master was being summoned by Ministry officials.
Harry wasn't exactly thrilled either. Please don't tell me they are going to try and control my life too.
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The Ministry was trying to control his life. Harry really wondered why he couldn't have just let Voldemort kill him because at least he would have a choice in his life, or death for that matter, instead of finding out he was being dictated to.
"Now Mr. Potter this is really for your own good. By becoming an Auror you'll show people that you have no intentions of becoming the next Dark Lord and since your friend Ron Weasley wants to be an Auror as well you won't be alone in the training program. Just think with your experience in the war you'll breeze through the training program without a problem." The official, whose name Harry didn't care about, said condescendingly as though he were talking to a child or an idiot. "You did say you wanted to become an Auror Mr. Potter and I think that Mr. Jordan makes an excellent point. This way you'll be safe from any Dark Supporters out for revenge." Professor McGonagall said looking at him over the top of her glasses.
Why didn't anyone ask him what he wanted to do now that he was alive after the war? "I understand your reasoning Mr. Jordan, Headmistress. I just need to make some adjustments and I'll give you my official answer tomorrow evening if that would be acceptable." Harry said looking for all the world like he wasn't being forced into something he didn't want to do.
"Excellent Mr. Potter. I'll be back tomorrow with the official documents, but let me be the first to congratulate you on a wise decision." Mr. Jordan said before Flooing back to the Ministry. Harry didn't say anything to McGonagall as he walked out of her office.
When he got down to Professor Snape's quarters he called for Dobby.
"What can Dobby do for great Master Harry?" the house elf asked looking ridiculous in mismatching neon green and pink socks and a royal blue sweater with a Golden Snitch embroidered on it.
"Dobby can you pack my things and bring them down here?" Harry asked pacing around the living room.
"Dobby is doing what Master Harry wants." The elf said before vanishing.
"What are you planning to do brat?" Snape asked from the chair in his portrait.
"I'm going to Grimmauld Place to pack up a few things that I want and then I'm getting the hell out of England. I'm not going to let anyone control my life, not after I've sacrificed so much to make sure I don't have a prophecy hanging over my head." Harry snapped, incensed that people thought they had a right to make his decisions for him.
"Did you remove the tracking spell on your wand like I told you to?" Snape asked.
"Yeah I did and I'm going to stop at that shop you told me about in Diagon Alley." Harry replied. "It's about time you listened to me, brat. Take my books and Pensieve while you're at it." Snape said.
"But, Professor…"
"Don't but me brat. I'd rather they be with you then with someone who would just trash them. And clear out the Potions room as well. Now that you're at least adequate with Potions you can use those ingredients. I don't want them to go to waste." Snape said when it looked like Harry was about to protest some more.
"I'll take care of them." Was all Harry said.
"Dobby is here with Master Harry's things." Dobby said apparating into the room with Harry's trunk and Hedwig. Harry quickly packed away the things Snape told him to take into his trunk.
"Thanks Dobby. Can you take me to Diagon Alley and then take my things to Grimmauld Place?"
"Master Harry is not staying at Hogwarts?" Dobby asked, tears gathering in his eyes.
"No Dobby I can't stay in England any longer." Harry replied.
Then Dobby brightened up. "Master Harry just needs to call Dobby whenever he needs help and Dobby comes without any wizards finding Master Harry." Dobby said puffing up proudly.
"Thanks Dobby. I really appreciate it. Goodbye Professor." Harry said as Dobby apparated them out of the room.
"Bye pest." Snape said once the two were gone. He wondered what it would take to convince Hogwarts to move him into the Potions classroom so he could yell at the dunderheaded students Hogwarts was saddled with. Snape smirked, he was going to be a pain in the ass.
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Harry stepped out of Flourish and Blotts several Galleons lighter but happier. He had gone to Gringotts to make sure his vaults were untouchable by the Ministry and to get a card that functioned like a debit card so he wouldn't have to keep going to Gringotts. The card could be used in both the Wizarding and Muggle Worlds, which fit into his plans perfectly. He went shopping to get a new wardrobe and had changed his look. On Professor Snape's advice he had gotten his hair magically lengthened so it could be pulled back into a short ponytail, which incidentally tamed his messy locks, and had added streaks of red and subtle blonde highlights. He had also gotten his eyesight corrected; his right ear pierced which had a simple gold hoop in and a tongue piercing. His scar had faded after Voldemort's death and combined with his new appearance no one had recognized him as Harry Potter.
He finished his shopping, grabbed a bite to eat at the Leaky Cauldron and then Flooed back to Grimmauld Place. He repacked all of his things in the new and larger trunk he bought and packed up the Black library as well as a few other heirlooms he didn't want anyone getting their hands on.
He also used a lot of magic to contain Fiendfyre in order to burn Mrs. Black's shrieking portrait from the wall, which gave him great pleasure, and removed all the old elf heads from the hallway.
Satisfied with the new renovations Harry checked his plane ticket one last time before going to bed.
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Harry awoke to the smell of breakfast, no doubt prepared by Kreacher. By giving the decrepit and nasty old house-elf the phony locket he had earned the elf's undying loyalty much to Hermione's disgust. She had still been heavily involved in campaigning for house-elf freedom and rights. Most people, Harry included, just ignored her.
Harry quickly dressed in a pair of dark skinny jeans, a plain white t-shirt and blue Converse sneakers. He brushed his hair and pulled it into a ponytail before shrinking his trunk and placing it in his backpack along with a book and some snacks for the long plane ride.
He went downstairs and entered the kitchen calling out a good morning to Kreacher before stopping dead in his tracks. Bill Weasley, Fleur Delacour and Luna Lovegood were digging into the food while simultaneously trying to feed his godson, Teddy Lupin.
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked surprised. Please no more bad news.
"Morning Harry," Luna said as she smeared grape jam on her pancakes, "The Blithering Humdingers told me you were leaving England and I wanted to come to."
"Bill?" Harry asked accepting that Luna just knew what he was doing and would do what she wanted to do.
"I don't think you've heard yet Harry, but the Ministry is about to pass the Dark Creature Bill they've been working on. If it passes any Dark Creature would be subject to very restrictive laws and if they break any of them no matter for what reason, even self-defense, they will automatically be Kissed." Bill said, "I was bitten by a werewolf in human form so I don't have the disease, but I doubt the Ministry's going to care. Teddy's a half werewolf and even if he hasn't inherited the curse the Ministry will still probably classify him as a Dark Creature. And Fleur's a part-Veela which makes her subject to the laws as well. I went to Andromeda's to let her know about the law and she suggested I take Teddy to you and have you help us get out of the country. Of course Luna found out about our plans and dragged us here saying that we would all travel together as a family." Bill explained.
A family.
"Can you help us Harry?" Bill asked.
"I'll call the airport and get us four more tickets." Harry said.
"Where 're we goin' 'Arry?" Fleur asked.
"I've always wanted to go to India." Harry said.
"Only if we go to the Taj Mahal." Luna piped in.
Harry smiled as the five unlikely family members jumped in a taxi and headed for Heathrow Airport. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.
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A/N: Hope you liked this so far. Please leave me a review and vote for who you want Luna to be with. ~Dark Disaster