Carmel, ch. 1/?
Disclaimer: All the HP characters copyright J.K.R.- the others were born out of my own insanity.
European Galleries is a real place in Carmel, CA. No- they do not have a back room with wizarding world artifacts, so don't go there and bug them.
Harry let his thoughts drift as the sounds of the waves drifted up to him from the shore. He'd been in California for three years now- he'd left England a month after he'd defeated Voldemort on his eighteenth birthday. He hadn't seen Ron and Hermione since the day he left; they were sad that he was leaving but completely understood his desire to escape the attention he was getting for being The Boy Who Saved Us All. They had written each other of course, trying to stay involved in each other's lives, but the time between letters became longer with each reply. He was sad that they had grown apart, but he knew these kinds of things happened to even the best of friends when school was finished and everyone began to start their own lives. Ron and Hermione had gotten married the previous summer, so technically they hadn’t grown apart, but Harry always knew he was a bit different and would eventually need to go his own way.
Harry savored the smell of pine and eucalyptus in the salty air as he headed back up Ocean Avenue, turned left on San Carlos Street, and headed back to work. He loved his choice of home, the town was absolutely beautiful, everyone was friendly, and no one knew about his history. He had taken his mother's surname, Evans, upon his move to the United States. Birth certificates, identification, and other necessary papers were easy enough to forge with his magical abilities, so Harry was now a legal citizen in the eyes of the muggle government; just a man who owned a small art gallery in the popular tourist town of Carmel near Monterey. The wizards of the area, however, knew that European Galleries on San Carlos Street had a back room where the nice English boy Harry Evans sold antique as well as modern magical artwork. Carmel was quite a hotspot for Californian witches and wizards, not San Francisco or Venice Beach as one might think because of the areas' reputations. So here Harry was, selling art and living life.
“Have a nice break Harry?” Amber, one of Harry's two employees, asked cheerfully as he entered the door.
“Yes. I took a walk down to the beach,” Harry replied. Amber didn't miss the undertone of melancholy in his answer. In fact she hadn't missed the aura of melancholy that had been surrounding Harry for nearly the past month. She had only known Harry for about a year, but in that time she had come to cherish him as a person and a friend.
“Hey, do you want to come with the rest of us up to San Francisco this weekend? We're gonna hit up all the regular clubs- you look like you could use a good time. Especially after that fiasco with Jeff.”
She's right, Harry thought. I haven't really had any fun since Jeff... Jeff had been Harry's first real lover- until he tried to get Harry's roommate Brianna into bed. Bloody wanker. It's not like Harry had no experience, but it seemed that everyone at Hogwarts who expressed any interest was interested in The Boy Who Lived, not Harry. Even Ginny to an extent. Harry couldn't forget how she acted around him in his second year. Sure, she grew up by the time they actually were a couple in sixth year, but he could never forget that her crush had started before they even really knew each other. Oh, and that whole internal genitalia thing.
After Ginny, Harry had decided to explore the feelings for other boys he'd been having for years but never really accepted. He would sneak furtive looks at the other boys in the showers after quidditch practice, or when he passed snogging couples in hidden hallways, or when they were lecturing about shrivelfigs in Thursday afternoon Potions class. Wait, what?? I did NOT just think about Snape!
“Sure, I'll go. You're right- I do need some fun. Who's coming this time?” Harry stopped that Snape train of thought quickly. I'm already screwed up enough as it is... no need to think of HIM in that way.
“Oh, you know, Alison, Matt, James, Seth... and I think Seth is bringing his new boyfriend- what was his name? I think it started with J...” Amber tapped her forefinger against her bottom lip and looked off into space while trying to remember Seth's most recent conquest.
“Was it Jake?”
“No.”
“John?”
“No.”
“Joe?”
“No...”
“Well I don't kn-”
“Blaise! It was Blaise! Yes, that’s it,” Harry loved Amber, but sometimes she could be a bit frustrating.
“Are you sure it is Blaise- I mean- you said it started with J...”
“Yes it's Blaise. Blaise Johanson. I remember now. That's why I said J- his last name.”
Harry released a breath he didn't know he was holding; he did not want to run into Zabini- even if it was on his own turf. Sodding Slytherins. “So when do we leave?”
“I figure we can apparate around nine on Friday and have enough time to meet everyone for a quick bite before we hit the circuit. I'm so glad you're coming! Everyone's been telling me to drag you with us the next time we went. They really miss you, Harry. That bastard Jeff isn’t worth sulking over for a month. Is anything else wrong?”
“No, not really. I guess I'm just in a rut or something. It'll be good to get out of the house and dance my arse off,” Harry gave the automatic response to appease Amber. He hated when people asked if he was okay. Truthfully, he didn't know why he'd been in this mood for so long. Liar liar pants on fire... Merlin that inner voice was annoying! You know exactly why you've been depressed. You feel alone. You have friends, but no one REALLY knows you. You need a mature person to share your life with... and all your little encounters have been fun, but not fulfilling.
“Okay then. We're on for Friday. Bring Brianna too; we haven't seen her in awhile either,” Amber interrupted Harry's inner monologue, “Oh look, it's nearly three! Can I take my break now?”
“Oh... sure,” Harry didn't even notice that she was out of the door before he even got the words out. He was too consumed in his thoughts.
European Galleries is a real place in Carmel, CA. No- they do not have a back room with wizarding world artifacts, so don't go there and bug them.
Harry let his thoughts drift as the sounds of the waves drifted up to him from the shore. He'd been in California for three years now- he'd left England a month after he'd defeated Voldemort on his eighteenth birthday. He hadn't seen Ron and Hermione since the day he left; they were sad that he was leaving but completely understood his desire to escape the attention he was getting for being The Boy Who Saved Us All. They had written each other of course, trying to stay involved in each other's lives, but the time between letters became longer with each reply. He was sad that they had grown apart, but he knew these kinds of things happened to even the best of friends when school was finished and everyone began to start their own lives. Ron and Hermione had gotten married the previous summer, so technically they hadn’t grown apart, but Harry always knew he was a bit different and would eventually need to go his own way.
Harry savored the smell of pine and eucalyptus in the salty air as he headed back up Ocean Avenue, turned left on San Carlos Street, and headed back to work. He loved his choice of home, the town was absolutely beautiful, everyone was friendly, and no one knew about his history. He had taken his mother's surname, Evans, upon his move to the United States. Birth certificates, identification, and other necessary papers were easy enough to forge with his magical abilities, so Harry was now a legal citizen in the eyes of the muggle government; just a man who owned a small art gallery in the popular tourist town of Carmel near Monterey. The wizards of the area, however, knew that European Galleries on San Carlos Street had a back room where the nice English boy Harry Evans sold antique as well as modern magical artwork. Carmel was quite a hotspot for Californian witches and wizards, not San Francisco or Venice Beach as one might think because of the areas' reputations. So here Harry was, selling art and living life.
“Have a nice break Harry?” Amber, one of Harry's two employees, asked cheerfully as he entered the door.
“Yes. I took a walk down to the beach,” Harry replied. Amber didn't miss the undertone of melancholy in his answer. In fact she hadn't missed the aura of melancholy that had been surrounding Harry for nearly the past month. She had only known Harry for about a year, but in that time she had come to cherish him as a person and a friend.
“Hey, do you want to come with the rest of us up to San Francisco this weekend? We're gonna hit up all the regular clubs- you look like you could use a good time. Especially after that fiasco with Jeff.”
She's right, Harry thought. I haven't really had any fun since Jeff... Jeff had been Harry's first real lover- until he tried to get Harry's roommate Brianna into bed. Bloody wanker. It's not like Harry had no experience, but it seemed that everyone at Hogwarts who expressed any interest was interested in The Boy Who Lived, not Harry. Even Ginny to an extent. Harry couldn't forget how she acted around him in his second year. Sure, she grew up by the time they actually were a couple in sixth year, but he could never forget that her crush had started before they even really knew each other. Oh, and that whole internal genitalia thing.
After Ginny, Harry had decided to explore the feelings for other boys he'd been having for years but never really accepted. He would sneak furtive looks at the other boys in the showers after quidditch practice, or when he passed snogging couples in hidden hallways, or when they were lecturing about shrivelfigs in Thursday afternoon Potions class. Wait, what?? I did NOT just think about Snape!
“Sure, I'll go. You're right- I do need some fun. Who's coming this time?” Harry stopped that Snape train of thought quickly. I'm already screwed up enough as it is... no need to think of HIM in that way.
“Oh, you know, Alison, Matt, James, Seth... and I think Seth is bringing his new boyfriend- what was his name? I think it started with J...” Amber tapped her forefinger against her bottom lip and looked off into space while trying to remember Seth's most recent conquest.
“Was it Jake?”
“No.”
“John?”
“No.”
“Joe?”
“No...”
“Well I don't kn-”
“Blaise! It was Blaise! Yes, that’s it,” Harry loved Amber, but sometimes she could be a bit frustrating.
“Are you sure it is Blaise- I mean- you said it started with J...”
“Yes it's Blaise. Blaise Johanson. I remember now. That's why I said J- his last name.”
Harry released a breath he didn't know he was holding; he did not want to run into Zabini- even if it was on his own turf. Sodding Slytherins. “So when do we leave?”
“I figure we can apparate around nine on Friday and have enough time to meet everyone for a quick bite before we hit the circuit. I'm so glad you're coming! Everyone's been telling me to drag you with us the next time we went. They really miss you, Harry. That bastard Jeff isn’t worth sulking over for a month. Is anything else wrong?”
“No, not really. I guess I'm just in a rut or something. It'll be good to get out of the house and dance my arse off,” Harry gave the automatic response to appease Amber. He hated when people asked if he was okay. Truthfully, he didn't know why he'd been in this mood for so long. Liar liar pants on fire... Merlin that inner voice was annoying! You know exactly why you've been depressed. You feel alone. You have friends, but no one REALLY knows you. You need a mature person to share your life with... and all your little encounters have been fun, but not fulfilling.
“Okay then. We're on for Friday. Bring Brianna too; we haven't seen her in awhile either,” Amber interrupted Harry's inner monologue, “Oh look, it's nearly three! Can I take my break now?”
“Oh... sure,” Harry didn't even notice that she was out of the door before he even got the words out. He was too consumed in his thoughts.