Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Alfred A History
The morning after the robbery had taken place, Harry found himself on the dreaded room service duty. With the VIP lounge closed for cleaning, Harry’s cushy job had been momentarily taken away.
As he walked away from the food cart and held the steel breakfast tray in one hand, Harry braced himself for what he could possibly encounter in room 201. He had not, however, been expecting arms to violently fling out and grab him in a warm embrace. Confused, Harry simply patted the fluffy woman on the shoulder and looked around for someone to call her off. In the room Harry saw the doctor, Thomas Wayne, standing off to the side smiling softly at him.
“Your breakfast sir,” the Alfred persona took over in an attempt to escape the Weasley-esque hug.
The man had the audacity to simply take the tray from his waiter’s hands and leave his wife rocking back and forth in another man’s arms. Dr. Wayne disappeared into the back room and reappeared moments later carrying a baby instead of a tray.
With the entrance of the baby, Mrs. Wayne finally let go and moved back to look at Harry with shining eyes.
“You saved my baby, and I don’t even know your name!” she gushed.
Harry wasn’t sure it was a good idea for someone that hysterical to know who he was, but he simply cleared his throat and said, “Alfred ma’am.”
Mrs. Wayne wiped her eyes and relieved her husband of the baby. Holding him up, she introduced her baby, “Well Alfred, this is Bruce. We would be honored if you would agree to be his godfather.”
Harry’s mind flashed back to his own godfather, and the few memories they shared. “I would be delighted Mrs. Wayne.”
Dr. Wayne stepped forward to his wife, “This brings us to the other thing we wanted to ask you. Our Butler retired last month and we need a replacement. We had planned to interview candidates from his family on our trip. However, we would like to offer the position to you.” Mrs. Wayne smiled happily at the idea.
For a moment, Harry was tempted to take them up on that offer. That thought passed however, with thoughts of his friends whom Harry had left behind. He knew they were at school, but Harry couldn’t imagine leaving without making sure that his friends were doing well. Though they had shared no contact in the months Alfred had been alive, Harry needed closure.
“I’m sorry, I can’t,” Alfred’s smooth voice came into being; “I have responsibilities here.”
Harry hated seeing the light go out of the Waynes’ faces at the news.
“Is it the money?” Mr. Wayne implored, “We can afford to pay you more than your current income.”
“No, nothing like that,” Harry sighed, “I just have… family matters.” After all, his friends were the only family he knew.
Mrs. Wayne looked up at her husband and stepped back towards him, taking her newly born baby into her arms. Mr. Wayne looked around awkwardly before reaching into his pocket. Out came a little white card with tiny writing on it. He handed this card to the man he knew only as Alfred.
“Well, I guess that’s all I can say on the matter, but here is my business card. Martha and I will be in London for the next two weeks. If you change your mind, call this number.”
Harry smiled at the generous couple and took the card. “Thank you. I must be going now.” Alfred bowed to the Waynes and Harry swiftly walked down the hall with his cart full of silver trays.
AAH7AAH7AAH7AAH7AAH7AAH7AAH7AAH7
After work, a pep talk was needed to allow Harry to walk back into the Leaky Cauldron and allow magic back into his life for more than just tough stain removal. It took several false starts and pacing past the same door, to the extent that a passer by might have wondered if the strange man was trying to invoke the magics of the Room of Requirement. And that would only be if the average passer by had known about that magical room, and if they could in fact see the door of the ‘Cauldron.
When the door finally opened, Harry had only to walk swiftly through the pub and sit on one of the end barstools, hoping to hear the news.
“…New book out, he finally regained his memory. I heard…”
“And then I told her, ‘Susan, you have got to go to St. Mungo’s with that yeast infection! They are very discreet’…”
“…Newest sensation. I don’t know what has gotten into teenagers these days…”
“…That werewolf protection registry, best idea the ministry ever had…”
“And they call it ‘Music With Rocks In,’ it’s the oddest thing…”
“Well, with the exchange rates, I may just take my gold out…”
“…If Gladrags is good enough for my great grand-hag, then it better be good enough…”
“… I wouldn’t put it past Dark Lord Luscious to revoke his protection…”
‘What?’ Harry wondered, ‘I just defeated a dark lord and another has already taken his place?’ He leaned forward to take in the comments of two ministry workers having a drink in the far corner.
Eavesdropping on one particular conversation taught Harry more than he ever wished to know about the progression of Dark Lords. Apparently, the void created by the long running Voldemort, was large enough for several Dark Wizards to battle for dominance. This fight included poisonings, on the part of ‘The Prince of Darkness,’ and severeal burglaries credited to ‘Darth Ank’ and ‘Darth Oke’ though that appeared to have mainly been a ‘get rich’ scheme.
He who won out had been Lord Luscious, who sounded remarkably like the elder Malfoy. The public’s casual attitude toward him spoke volumes about his type of Dark Lord. Instead of fear, he mongered political support. Everyone had always suspected bureaucrats were dark minions, so it came as no surprise. What was shocking was that the banks had come under the Dark Lord’s reign.
As talk turned to banks, the sickening truth of Harry’s sudden bankruptcy was finally explained. The goblins had rebelled. Siding with the rich Dark Lord was only good business sense. Siding against Lucius Malfoy in anything, be it broom development or politics, apparently led to financial ruin. Suddenly, harsh thoughts about the Order and the Weasleys came hauntingly back. As did memories of the one gold Galleon in the Weasley family vault and the fight between Arthur Weasley and Lucius Malfoy at a bookshop so long ago.
With dread creeping into his mind, Harry became desperate to find out what had happened to the Weasleys. Catching Tom’s eye, Harry laid down the payment for his single butterbeer and strode out of the grimy little pub.
As he walked away from the food cart and held the steel breakfast tray in one hand, Harry braced himself for what he could possibly encounter in room 201. He had not, however, been expecting arms to violently fling out and grab him in a warm embrace. Confused, Harry simply patted the fluffy woman on the shoulder and looked around for someone to call her off. In the room Harry saw the doctor, Thomas Wayne, standing off to the side smiling softly at him.
“Your breakfast sir,” the Alfred persona took over in an attempt to escape the Weasley-esque hug.
The man had the audacity to simply take the tray from his waiter’s hands and leave his wife rocking back and forth in another man’s arms. Dr. Wayne disappeared into the back room and reappeared moments later carrying a baby instead of a tray.
With the entrance of the baby, Mrs. Wayne finally let go and moved back to look at Harry with shining eyes.
“You saved my baby, and I don’t even know your name!” she gushed.
Harry wasn’t sure it was a good idea for someone that hysterical to know who he was, but he simply cleared his throat and said, “Alfred ma’am.”
Mrs. Wayne wiped her eyes and relieved her husband of the baby. Holding him up, she introduced her baby, “Well Alfred, this is Bruce. We would be honored if you would agree to be his godfather.”
Harry’s mind flashed back to his own godfather, and the few memories they shared. “I would be delighted Mrs. Wayne.”
Dr. Wayne stepped forward to his wife, “This brings us to the other thing we wanted to ask you. Our Butler retired last month and we need a replacement. We had planned to interview candidates from his family on our trip. However, we would like to offer the position to you.” Mrs. Wayne smiled happily at the idea.
For a moment, Harry was tempted to take them up on that offer. That thought passed however, with thoughts of his friends whom Harry had left behind. He knew they were at school, but Harry couldn’t imagine leaving without making sure that his friends were doing well. Though they had shared no contact in the months Alfred had been alive, Harry needed closure.
“I’m sorry, I can’t,” Alfred’s smooth voice came into being; “I have responsibilities here.”
Harry hated seeing the light go out of the Waynes’ faces at the news.
“Is it the money?” Mr. Wayne implored, “We can afford to pay you more than your current income.”
“No, nothing like that,” Harry sighed, “I just have… family matters.” After all, his friends were the only family he knew.
Mrs. Wayne looked up at her husband and stepped back towards him, taking her newly born baby into her arms. Mr. Wayne looked around awkwardly before reaching into his pocket. Out came a little white card with tiny writing on it. He handed this card to the man he knew only as Alfred.
“Well, I guess that’s all I can say on the matter, but here is my business card. Martha and I will be in London for the next two weeks. If you change your mind, call this number.”
Harry smiled at the generous couple and took the card. “Thank you. I must be going now.” Alfred bowed to the Waynes and Harry swiftly walked down the hall with his cart full of silver trays.
AAH7AAH7AAH7AAH7AAH7AAH7AAH7AAH7
After work, a pep talk was needed to allow Harry to walk back into the Leaky Cauldron and allow magic back into his life for more than just tough stain removal. It took several false starts and pacing past the same door, to the extent that a passer by might have wondered if the strange man was trying to invoke the magics of the Room of Requirement. And that would only be if the average passer by had known about that magical room, and if they could in fact see the door of the ‘Cauldron.
When the door finally opened, Harry had only to walk swiftly through the pub and sit on one of the end barstools, hoping to hear the news.
“…New book out, he finally regained his memory. I heard…”
“And then I told her, ‘Susan, you have got to go to St. Mungo’s with that yeast infection! They are very discreet’…”
“…Newest sensation. I don’t know what has gotten into teenagers these days…”
“…That werewolf protection registry, best idea the ministry ever had…”
“And they call it ‘Music With Rocks In,’ it’s the oddest thing…”
“Well, with the exchange rates, I may just take my gold out…”
“…If Gladrags is good enough for my great grand-hag, then it better be good enough…”
“… I wouldn’t put it past Dark Lord Luscious to revoke his protection…”
‘What?’ Harry wondered, ‘I just defeated a dark lord and another has already taken his place?’ He leaned forward to take in the comments of two ministry workers having a drink in the far corner.
Eavesdropping on one particular conversation taught Harry more than he ever wished to know about the progression of Dark Lords. Apparently, the void created by the long running Voldemort, was large enough for several Dark Wizards to battle for dominance. This fight included poisonings, on the part of ‘The Prince of Darkness,’ and severeal burglaries credited to ‘Darth Ank’ and ‘Darth Oke’ though that appeared to have mainly been a ‘get rich’ scheme.
He who won out had been Lord Luscious, who sounded remarkably like the elder Malfoy. The public’s casual attitude toward him spoke volumes about his type of Dark Lord. Instead of fear, he mongered political support. Everyone had always suspected bureaucrats were dark minions, so it came as no surprise. What was shocking was that the banks had come under the Dark Lord’s reign.
As talk turned to banks, the sickening truth of Harry’s sudden bankruptcy was finally explained. The goblins had rebelled. Siding with the rich Dark Lord was only good business sense. Siding against Lucius Malfoy in anything, be it broom development or politics, apparently led to financial ruin. Suddenly, harsh thoughts about the Order and the Weasleys came hauntingly back. As did memories of the one gold Galleon in the Weasley family vault and the fight between Arthur Weasley and Lucius Malfoy at a bookshop so long ago.
With dread creeping into his mind, Harry became desperate to find out what had happened to the Weasleys. Catching Tom’s eye, Harry laid down the payment for his single butterbeer and strode out of the grimy little pub.
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