Harry Styles and the One Thing: a Harry Potter/One Direction Fan Fic

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

~ Harry ~

Just one more day, I thought. One more day until I'm eleven. For most kids, birthdays were something to celebrate. It's much different for me and the other kids at the Holmes Chapel Orphanage. Here, birthdays are disappointments. That one day once a year when your chances of getting adopted get smaller and smaller. I've grown up here my entire life, so I'm used to the feeling.

I looked up at the small window beside my bed. Judging by the amount of light filtering in through the old, thin curtains, it was dawn. The clock on my nightstand read 6:24; time to get ready and head down to breakfast. I lazily rolled out of bed and shook my roommate, Rodger, awake. Like every other morning, he cursed and swore until I finally dragged him out of his bed. He's only lived here for two years and has no intention of getting adopted.

I threw on a plain white tee and khakis, splashed water on my face, gave my teeth a quick brush, and ran a hand through my curls before heading down to breakfast. Sure, I could've taken a comb to them, but I wasn't going to get adopted, so why bother?

Like always, I got to the dining hall just as the old grandfather clock chimed 6:30. I was the last to arrive, except for Rodger who always turned up late. Breakfast consisted of oatmeal, milk, and small talk, which for once I didn't participate in. I mostly sat there, stirring the oatmeal slowly with my spoon and contemplating what the small, gooey lumps inside might be. I had only eaten three small spoonfuls when Mrs. Jones, our caretaker, told everyone to quiet down and pay attention.

"Harry Styles," she began. Oh no, I thought. Not the birthday speech. The birthday speech was loathed by all the children here. Every year on the day before our birthday, Mrs. Jones would give a speech in front of all the other children about how disappointed she was that we weren't good enough to get adopted and that if we kept this up we'd be stuck here forever. I was one of the oldest children here so I had received some of her worst speeches.

"Harry dear, today might just be your lucky day." My heart skipped a beat. Was she really being nice to me? Wow, that's a first, I thought. "A young couple strolled in today and asked if there were any nice young lads up for adoption." A smile started to appear on my face, growing larger with every detail. I'm going to be adopted! I thought this would never happen. "I was very hesitant to recommend you, but at the same time you have been here the longest so we really want to get you out of here." Even though she said that last part a bit rudely, I didn't care. I was too happy to care!

"Now if you've had enough to eat, go back upstairs and make yourself presentable! I don't know how many times I've told you that if you're going to grow out your hair like that, you have to manage it!" I didn't need to be told twice. I practically jumped out of my seat and flew up the creaky, wooden stairs. I was finally getting out of here!

I changed into my best clothes that I had saved for a moment like this. This was the first time I'd ever worn them, though. I even washed and blow dried my hair! After I finished, I only had three minutes to spare before there was a knock at the door. Mrs. Jones silently escorted me down to her office where a young couple, probably in their mid-twenties, was waiting. They were both good-looking and had bright, sweet smiles. They had also dressed nice for the occasion. The woman had on a lovely red suit with a matching floral hat while the man was wearing a nice brown jacket with matching trousers and black dress shoes.

"Hello Harry," the woman said in her sweet, friendly voice. "My name is Clara Smith and this is my husband Adam." I shook both of their hands and they led me into the empty office. I sat across from them at Mrs. Jones wooden desk, putting on my most charming smile.

"It's very nice to meet you Harry," Mr. Smith began. "We've always dreamed of adopting a son. You seem like such a perfect young lad." I felt my face grow hot and for the first time, I was blushing. I wasn't used to compliments; they're very rare to come across here at the orphanage. I managed to get a thank you out in between grins.

They continued to ask me questions about my life and we were really starting to get along. After about fifteen minutes of conversation I was sure I had found my new mum and dad. That was, until Mrs. Smith brought up the topic I had hoped to never discuss again.

"Well, Harry, I'm very glad we got to meet you today. The more I think about it, the more I realize that your parents' death was actually a good thing." I had gone completely rigid in my chair. The last traces of a smile vanished. My hands were clenched into fists under the desk. As if on cue, the light above Mrs. Smith's head shattered. She gave a small squeal as bits of glass rained down on her head.

"Must have been a faulty bulb," Mr. Smith chuckled. Both of them dismissed the incident, which had left me slightly baffled, but still angry. Did I just do that? I tried to shake the thought out of my head, but for some reason I was convinced the broken light was my fault.

"So anyway," Mrs. Smith began again. "Where were we? Oh yes, we were talking about your parents!" My face was growing hot with anger and my nails were digging into my palms. "Just think about it! If your parents wouldn't have gone out and got themselves killed, we would have never met! You would have never had the chance to be in such a perfect family!"

The next thing I knew, Mrs. Smith's chair collapsed and she fell to the floor with another squeal. Mr. Smith flashed a puzzled look in my direction, which gradually became a glare as he realized that, somehow, I was doing this. He gave a knowing glance in Mrs. Smith's direction and I could tell she was starting to get the idea. She turned back to me, a hint of fear in her eyes.

"So... let's change the subject now! What's your favorite thing to eat, Harry?" It's a little late for that, now isn't it? I thought. There is no subject that could cheer me up now. A small drop of blood had fallen from a cut in my palm and my vision was clouded with anger. It was like a fire burning inside of me, I could almost smell the smoke.

Wait, I actually could smell smoke! I heard Mr. Smith' panicked yelling and Mrs. Smith's horrified scream as I realized that somehow I had just set her hat on fire. I smirked with amusement as Mrs. Smith screamed and waved her hands in the air frantically while Mr. Smith cursed and pulled his own hair out trying to think of what to do. His eyes eventually found Mrs. Jones' large, glass flower vase, threw the flowers out of it, and dumped the water over his wife. The fire had gone out and she had stopped screaming, but she was a wreck. Her makeup was running and a hole had been scorched through her hat. Both of them flashed horrified glances at each other and at me.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Mrs. Jones shouted as she stormed into her office. She gasped as she took in the scene. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get the smirk off of my face! "I am so sorry, Mrs. Smith! Why don't you go into the bathroom outside and clean your face? I'll be in in a minute!" The Smiths walked swiftly out the door, visibly shaken. Mrs. Jones strode across the room to me, obviously infuriated. She grabbed me by my curls and threw me against the wall.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU THINKING, BOY? YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN HER KILLED!"

"I didn't do it, I swear! One second we were sitting there and the next her hat burst into flames! She deserved it, too! The way she was talking about my parents..." Mrs. Jones slapped me so hard that she left a red imprint of her hand on my cheek.

"You had the chance to get the family of your dreams! You could've gotten out of here for good! But no, you couldn't behave yourself long enough for them to sign the papers! I hope you understand that you're never getting adopted, Harry Styles. Never," and for the first time, she was right.