Harry Potter was glued to the television screen. Oh, he had to be careful about it, because he technically wasn't allowed to watch television at all, and certainly never had the privilege of picking what channel to watch. Dudley could spend as long as he wanted watching television in the mornings, getting toast crumbs all over the sofa while he lounged around and enjoyed a second breakfast like an overweight hobbit. Harry on the other hand could only watch it covertly, so he tidied and dusted the lounge room extra slowly when the "Pokémon" cartoon was on in the mornings.
Harry wanted a Pikachu of his own for a pet. He knew they weren't real – he wasn't an idiot. They were just little make-believe cartoon creatures. But he so wished it all was real. He would have a little friend with him always, to cuddle and care for. It would be ready to fight to protect him when Dudley and his friends started bullying him at school or chasing him on the way home. And if he needed to hide it, he could tucked it safely away inside a Pokéball. He thought he might quite like a toasty warm Charmander with a flame on its tail for those cold winter nights shivering on the camp bed in his cupboard, with the horrible thin blanket that never kept him warm enough. Or perhaps a Squirtle to make water for him when he was thirsty, like when he got locked up for two whole days after the "incident" where he somehow ended up on the roof of the school kitchens. He honestly thought he was going to die of thirst, with nothing but a lone hidden orange and two cached water crackers to sustain him for both food and drink the whole time.
Most of all though, he wanted a Pikachu, just like the trainer Ash had. It couldn't warm him, or make water just like magic. But it would cuddle and love him, and he could cuddle and love it. And it would care for him, and protect him. Like no-one in his life ever protected him. It would attack those who tried to hurt him – and they would never dare to try and punish him ever again. With a Pikachu riding about on his shoulder he wouldn't have to ever be afraid or alone any more.
*pokemonpokemonpokemon*
The day Harry learned that magic was real was a revelation. And Hagrid was completely sympathetic to Harry's wish to have a pet like a large yellow mouse that could shoot lightning, or a tame fire-breathing dragon all his very own. Sadly, Harry had to make do with an owl, which was at least a very intelligent owl that would sit on his shoulder. Hagrid promised he could visit his hut any time to meet some "int'restin' creatures", which was very kind of him. The joy of learning that magic was real and he could leave the Dursleys' to go to a school for wizards was eclipsed only by the moment when he realised that magic could do anything.
It took Harry a while to refine his ideas about magic, but the initial moment of revelation came in Flying class with his fellow Gryffindors, and the Slytherins. Harry's broom jumped immediately into his hand, but a lot of the other students' brooms didn't. He saw Hermione's broom roll over uncooperatively as she eyed it dubiously, and Neville's terrified face matched his totally unresponsive broom. Madam Hooch gave a pep talk about how you had to be firm with your broom, and as Harry looked around the class he realised that the people with brooms in hand were the ones who looked keen to fly, while those who were uncertain (or like Neville, terrified) were the ones with the most uncooperative brooms. That couldn't be a coincidence. In that moment Harry realised that magic was all about how much you wanted things to happen. It was just like when he'd wanted to be away from those bullies in primary school with all his heart, and ended up on the school roof. Or when he wanted, more than anything, not to have to wear that disgusting old brown jumper of Dudley's with orange bobbles on it, and it had shrunk so small a doll couldn't wear it. Harry stood there in Flying class, and realised that he hadn't needed special words or gestures to cast spells in the past, and you just as obviously didn't even need to be holding a wand to do magic.
YOU ARE READING
The Very Best by BrilliantLady
FanfictionThis fic was inspired by two challenge prompts by Crystal M. Key on fanfiction dot net; firstly that belief makes anything possible, and another where Harry has a life goal of becoming a Pokémon Master. She also kindly served as beta for the draft o...
