A Chance that changed it all

Knowing the Past

Disclaimer : I don't own any of the following characters. They are the property of J.K.Rowling.

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He just stood there in shadows watching as Harry walked into the book store. He smiled on seeing his happy face. He wanted nothing but to run and hug him, take him for trips and spend time with him. But he knew that doing so would endanger both of them and was rational enough to refrain from doing so.

He had managed to save him not once, not twice but thrice from the hands of Death Eaters and Voldemort. Even then, he wasn't sure that he would be able to do so again. With Voldemort, the ministry and the Order running after him, he couldn't risk it. He was a death eater, but one with a heart, not heartless monster like the rest. 

He could still remember the day he had met Michael [ Harry's Father]. Few seventh year Slytherins were bullying him by constantly pointing out how he didn't really belong to Slytherin and how he should act to keep up the Slytherin pride. Michael, who was returning from library, had stepped in and stopped them.

From that day on wards, Michael looked after him and treated him like his younger brother. Through him he had met Katherine Potter [ or Katie as Michael fondly called her], who also took it up to herself to look after him, irrespective of the house rivalry.

But during his fifth year, he finally joined Voldemort, due to the peer pressure he had been subjected to. At first, it felt great to finally earn respect from fellow Slytherins and be treated as their equivalent. But after few months, he was forced to kill muggleborns and those who opposed Voldemort.

Witnessing murder of Michael's family proved to be the last straw for him. Michael's parents had always showered him with love whenever he stayed with Michael. It was terrible to watch them die. Michael had survived only because he was at Hogwarts at that time.

After several sleepless nights and drowning himself in guilt, he decided to confess his crime to Michael, who was in his seventh year at that time. True, at first, Michael was shocked because of his heinous crime, but controlled his emotions and started persuading him to leave the dark world.

It was not like he needed persuading to do it. He was more than ready to do it, but the problem was Voldemort. Voldemort didn't allow his followers once they joined him. For him, once a follower, always a follower. Every death eater had two options either live with it or don't live at all.

He soon realised that leaving Voldemort wasn't as easy as it seemed to be. He only had one option that is to end the reign of Voldemort while being a death eater.

So, by the time he graduated from Hogwarts, Michael had completed his post graduate degree in ancient and foreign languages, while Katie had completed degree in spell invention and had published several books about them. She had instantly acquired a job in Department of mysteries.

Michael, unfortunately, wasn't so lucky. Though he passed his NEWT's while straight O's and had acquired best grades while obtaining his degree, he wasn't fortunate enough to have a permanent job. Opportunities seemed to be eluding him.

Katie hadn't told her family about Michael. She was scared of rejection from them. Potters' weren't as close minded as the Blacks', but still had some standards which each and every member was supposed to follow. Katie knew that they wouldn't mind whether her suitor was pure blooded or not, but what they would mind was the house to which he belonged and whether he had stable job or not. They had a long legacy of being Gryfindorrs and hence preferred that house over everything and a stable job would ensure that Katie wouldn't face financial difficulties after marriage.

He tried to convince Katie to come clean to her family and tell them everything about Michael. After several tries, she relented but wanted some time before doing so.