Alternate Universe; Yellow Brick Road

Chapter four: Stop the World I Want to Get Off

The social worker named Alex shuffled his official forms and waited for his colleague to finish checking the fostering papers and permit. Never had he been assigned to such a brat as Draco Malfoy.

There were recovering drug addicts with better temper and hardened criminals who were more respectful. No this one was definitely the worst so far.

Benjamin Topper cleared his throat. "Ms Rolling, there seems to be a small error here on form three-B paragraph five: 'Reasons for fostering'. Could you check it for me?"

Jo held out her hand and willed her heart to slow down, her research had been thorough but the document she had copied from Neil's patient files had been smudged slightly. Maybe Draco hadn't charmed the dates correctly? Perhaps she had read something wrong because she was so preoccupied with being caught- if anyone, even Neil, found her she would be questioned. Draco would be hauled away to a distant home and Neil would most likely be stricken off for being so careless with confidential files. She couldn't bear the thought of him giving up the job he loved so much because she had gotten Draco to magic open the lock.

"I see nothing out of the ordinary, Draco specifically requested me to foster him- I know his mother quite well."

Mr. Topper chuckled. "It was actually the spelling of his father's name, Mayfly- is it a mistake or were his parents not married?"

Draco's temper flared. "They most certainly were!"

Alex decided to divert what was to surely be Draco's next rant. "Well that's fine then only a clerical error, easily fixed," time to make an escape "every thing seems to be in order wouldn't you say Mr Topper? Super, thank you very much for the tea Ms Rolling nice to meet you we'll see ourselves out."

He lingered at the door waiting for Benjamin who was slower to leave. At the doorway he also paused. "Ms Rolling?"

And they were so close

she thought. "Yes?"

"I realise you must want to be rid of us but could you give me a signature for my girl? She's a big fan of yours."

She almost giggled with relief and signed merrily:

To Louise, your daddy is lovely- from J.K Rolling

.

Ironically, the green room was the only one of her guest bedroom's that was suitable to sleep in. The other's being only a mass of painting pots, ladders, and sheet covered furniture.

The McMurry home was large to say the least.

Upon his father's death eighteen months ago Neil, the only surviving son, had inherited an estate he had never expected to be entitled to. But grief stricken over his brother's death in military service and his father's death of a broken heart he had not seen fit to do anything to the crumbling structure. Instead he had handed it over to Joanne who, in turn, employed people to redecorate for her- she had no time between writing, reading, sleeping, and being a full time mum to redecorate and run a mansion too.

Draco came back from inspecting the view of the garden and the woods further off. They stood facing each other; both amazed by the oak-panelled walls. She turned to go.

"Mrs Rolling?"

He stalled but then looked her straight in the eye. "I would like to thank you for being so amenable to what has been rather an awkward situation I have put you into."

Joanne translated that as meaning, 'Ta for being such a sport'. It was really rather sweet of him compromising his anti-muggle belief system for her.

"You are very welcome, Draco," she said softly.

Hesitating for only a moment more, she drew him into what she knew to be an unwelcome but badly needed cuddle.

After a moment she let go of his rigid body and bid him goodbye.

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Stonewall was like any other Muggle comprehensive school on English sands. The architecture was sixties style and both teachers and students loathed Monday mornings, but people have said that you should never judge a book by it's cover and here that rang true.

For while there was rubbish in the shrubbery, and the chain link fence that ran eight feet high around the site's parameter was falling down, the people in the school were alright. Especially, once Harry found his old friends.

Kind of his.

For example, Malcolm looked exactly as he had done last summer, yet acted so differently.

"That's Edhall, teaches sport, he's a perve. Saunders, French, a complete git. And Miss Teal; she's great but looks like the Wicked Witch of the West. Then, there's Browns; stay away at all costs, unless you got physics... Have you?" he asked, not looking away from the fat teacher walking across the terrace from their bench.

Harry checked the lesson plan someone gave him. "I'm doing philosophy, French, and oh bugger- physics."

"Ooh unlucky!" said Malcolm, then cackled. "have fun Brownie's a sod."

"What lessons have you got?" Harry asked, looking at Malcolm, who was sprawled over the other end of the bench watching him.

"Err... Chemistry... English...Art...and Business, I think. I only do 'em cause they're all doss lessons."

So nice didn't make him smarter.

The rest of the day Harry spent getting introduced to nearly everyone in the place, it seemed like they all wanted to know him.

"You Harry Potter?"

Malcolm butted in. "Yer, he is. Now clear off. He ain't interested and you got a boyfriend Vicky."

She stalked off.

"Is she yours then?" asked Harry.

Malcolm surveyed him and then chuckled. "Na, no girlfriend."

From then, a series of girls came up, giggled, went away, and came back again to make sure he was still Harry Potter. There were Guy's in Burberry hats, who spoke deeper than their voices would allow since not one of them had hit puberty yet, older versions covered in jewellery he recognised the names of. By the end, he felt like an exhibit parroting "Hi, I'm Harry Potter. I'm famous, yes be my friend." Superficial groupies.

But determined to make amends with some people from his childhood, he kept an open mind and eventually got rewarded for it.

"So, you Comies mate?"

"What?"

The tall blond repeated, "Are you Malcolm's famous friend that he won't shut up about? He's been spreading it about that you're Harry Potter: Wizard extraordinair."

He hadn't done magic! He hadn't given them any reason to think he was hiding something!

"Wizard extraordinair?" Harry repeated, faintly.

Sitting down, the boy's blue eyes studied Harry's green. "Yer, like the books, you know. Bet you're sick of that joke."

He almost melted with relief in his seat. "Heh, sure. I've heard it lots. Where do I know you from?"

The face was familiar somehow...

"Would it help if I screamed my head off at you then ran out a filming studio door?"

Harry sat up. "You're the guy who had Malfoy's job!"

Blondie laughed. "Thought that might help. Name's Tom. Tom Falcon"

He shook the hand.

"Harry Potter."

"So, I've heard. Where'd you spring from? Last I knew you were a figment of Jo's imagination."

"It's true what they say. Memories haunt you." Which made Tom laugh again, then he stopped suddenly.

"Here comes more adoring fans. Wanna go?"

"I'm already gone."

They moved sharply to get lost in the crowds moving class.

"Em 'n' em?"

"No"

"NO! You're nuts eh... ok then Brittany?"

"Nice legs but no"

"Holly Valencia? Snowpetrol? Greendays? WESTENLIFE!"

"No, never heard of them. Maybe and hey, what do I look like? Yer sister?"

"Ha! Harry's a girl!"

He put the back of his hand on his head. "Ahh, primary school flashbacks!"

They choked on their fish and chips trying not to spit the food out, the past couple of hours had been relatively the same.

Tom went to the same school, since he had left, been kicked out of, or refused to go to all of the others in the area. They were in the same year and had physics together. Tom told him that he had been acting since he was a tot and made him swear not to tell his first job was a Pamperz nappy advert ('Mummy wow I'm a big kid now!' Harry had teased.), worked on the HP films for five years, liked rap music, fishing, and Chelsea football club. He lived the other side of the city with his mum; Joy and three brothers- Ashley 'in the army and away at the moment', Chris who owned a night-club 'he's looking for staff if you need a job', and Jonathan the oldest 'who just got married and hates his boss'.

"It's insurance or stockbroking or something like that. I don't think he knows himself. Mum's always getting on his back about supporting Jane and Melissa- she's his kid. Na, they drive me up the wall. Basterd's all three of them, Ash nicked my Americans Pie video last month. It's my favourite!"

"Never seen it"

"What, never? No way." He tossed the chip papers in the bin for them and turned to Harry. "If you're not doing anything tonight you can come round. Help me tear up Ash's room and watch it with me. What you say?"

Harry smiled. "Great. I'd love to get slaughtered by your brother with you."

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It could surprise some people to know that Draco did know the meaning of hard work. He was a Slytherin, devoted to achieving his aims after all, but that required sacrifice and he wasn't about to do that for something he wasn't interested in. He was a Slytherin not a sucker.

"When I said 'no' I meant no now leave my hair alone!"

But we need to sort out your make-up!" Shari wailed. "And the rest of your costume!"

"Why change perfection?"

He threw her hands off him again and moved to put the table between them. "Leave my hair out of this. It's done nothing to you."

Jason and Alan came in the door and watched Shari chase Draco around the table.

"Do we want to know?" Alan asked the other as Shari armed with foundation, whipped passed and through the door after her quarry.

They heard a scream.

"No, I don't think we do."

Jason was worried about his new on screen son, as he had done Tom Falcon. This one was uncooperative, rude, and proud, strong willed and certainly let everyone know what he thought of them.

Jason also had a feeling he was unhappy and trying to hide it. Maybe it was a misplaced paternal instinct, but watching Draco on set struggling to comprehend the simplest technological things for instance- automatic doors- and being hurried from place to place trying to catch up on the lost time he thought he saw the younger becoming very depressed and broody.

"Ah Fudge, how are you? I don't think you've met my wife Narcissa? Our son Draco?"

This took the mick out of Déjà vu.

Draco stepped up and stayed silent; he didn't have a line for another few scenes.

So, he sat down looking bored and mean- to his disgust, he was portrayed as a two dimensional half-wit so the acting never took much thought. Only stand there, say the occasional insult, and swagger off again.

But the day itself was exhausting. The 'alarm clock' woke him up at six in the morning, he washed, dressed in the Muggle clothing Jo had bought for him, went to breakfast, and ate top speed. Travelled with the others who were called that morning to the studio, went to dressing room, then to hair and make-up and done any homework he might have from that Muggle tutor while waiting for someone to come in and yell a list of names and destinations.

"I want a Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Mr Weasley to set 35 for filming, I want a Draco Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy and a Fudge to screen check. I want extras to come with me!" At which they all moved out the door to another hard days work.

"KRUM GETS THE SNITCH- BUT IRELAND WINS- good lord I don't think any of us we're expecting that!"

Draco watched the rest of the scene play out, and then left for the next when Alfonso shouted, "And cut! That's great. Now every one, we'll film the dark mark scene tonight, so I want all involved to run lines."

Draco felt a hand on his shoulder.

"A quick word please," said Jason, who then steered him into a private corner while the team cleared out. "I wanted to see if you were ok."

No Malfoy ever appreciated concern. "I'm fine. Thank you for checking."

The hand stopped him from leaving. "Draco, you were in a completely different world."

"So I was but I assure you it is no concern of yours, you being a parental figure for only entertainment purposes."

He walked away and Jason lost his patience. "Draco Malfoy, come here this instant and answer my question respectfully as I have asked you to!"

There was something in that voice that made him freeze. Normally after a sentence like that was uttered he would reply 'yes father'.

But his father wasn't here and if Draco couldn't get home he would never be there, and he had to spend his time having orders shouted at him with only Muggles and Potter to talk to. And what if he was fired? He would have no income, and he would go back to that Muggle woman's house. And if she got rid of him-

"Draco, I didn't mean to shout."

What ever was in his head, he controlled keeping an expressionless face on him and a like voice. "That doesn't matter. What did you want to know?"

"If things are settling down for you," Jason responded following the lead. "Perhaps the turmoil of the passed few weeks has gone, and you are growing used to such a different pace of life?"

"It was difficult at first but things are better- is that all Mr Ezekiel? I have to meet Daniel."

Draco's face was so blank Jason didn't expect him to be anything more than indifferent but no one got anything with out trying. "No, tell me what's upsetting you."

Draco ruffled his script planning on not saying a thing, when his eyes landed on Harry: [angry] Where are your parents, Malfoy? Out there wearing masks are they?

He ran his fingers round the edge of the paper. "I miss them."

He may as well do it properly, if he was going to do it at all. "Things won't ever be the same now. He can't ever come home again. I can't help mother. She's just too much. She's crying all the time and saying that he'll be back tomorrow or the next day then the day after that when he won't be. Even if he does come back, he won't stay. I... "

He stopped. What had he done?

He had told this stranger everything.

"I need to go."

And before Jason could move, he was gone.

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