Short Stories and Oneshots

He Had It Comin'

Author: GhostIsReading

Platform: AO3

Type: Harry Potter

Harry will never forget the scent of Polyjuice potion, so when he smells it on the breath of a man he takes action.

~

Harry hated his luck sometimes. He sighed and looked at the prison cell he had found himself in. It was dank, dirty and smelled something horrid. He wouldn't have even been in this mess if it wasn't for the blasted Goblins that had decided to cash Harry's debt, for destroying the bank and stealing a dragon, by sending him back in time. They didn't say what for, or give him any papers or well anything that would have helped him when he first arrived. He had been so disorientated when he arrived that at the first waft of Polyjuice potion he had reacted on instinct and attacked the man.

"Director Graves!" People had shouted in fear, rushing to the fallen man that Harry had struck down with a strong stunner.

"You are under arrest." Harry was grabbed roughly, his wand snatched from his hand and magic restraining cuffs were harshly closed around his wrists. "For attacking the Director of Magical Security."

"Polyjuice!" Harry shouted as he was dragged away. "He's taking Polyjuice Potion!"

"Shut up." The Auror who was dragging him by his arm hissed sharply. "Director Graves is an upstanding citizen. I think we would notice if he was an imposter."

And that was that. Harry had been in this cell ever since. Being in prison was so boring! There were no dementors in the American Prison, which by the way Harry found out that he was not only in a different time but on a different continent when they made him sign his confession, a confession that they wrote for him. He had signed it because, well, he didn't really have a choice.

The document was written on parchment stamped with the MACUSA seal and the date: July 31st, 1926.

The Goblin bastards had sent him back in time by nearly eighty years! It was the year 2000 when they had snatched him up from Diagon Alley for their little trial about his actions against the bank. Harry never got the chance to offer to pay for the damages that he had wrought, they merely told him that they were going to send him back in time. They didn't say why, or where, or even when they were going to send him. Merlin, the only reason Harry agreed to do it was because they promised to clear Ron and Hermione of all charges. So of course, Harry agreed. Now he was stuck in the past in a prison cell in America. Bloody Potter Luck!

Bored out of his mind, Harry turned to the prisoner in the neighboring cell. He couldn't make out his/her face. They were curled up, their face buried in their knees.

"What are you in for?" he asked.

"I killed my husband." They rasped. "He had it coming."

"Why, what'd he do?" Harry couldn't help but ask. His curiosity had always been a weakness for him. It was the right thing to ask as the other prisoner sat up and crawled closer to the bars between their cells.

"I was at home, making dinner." They began, their voice was whispery and Harry had to lean in closer to hear them properly. They must not have spoken in a while. "I was minding my own business, doing it the muggle way like my ma taught me."

"I like to cook the muggle way too." Harry interjected. It seemed that whatever the Goblins had used to send him back in time had really messed with his impulse control.

"In storms my husband Wilbur in a jealous rage." The other prisoner continued as if Harry hadn't spoken. "And he was raging and roaring 'bout how I 'ad been screwin' the milkman. He was crazy, he kept on screaming, 'You been screwin' the milkman'. Over and over, he screamed." They were practically pressing their face into the bars between their cells now. Harry could just make out their crazy brown eyes through their matted dark hair. They paused and with a smirk finished with: "And then he ran into my knife. He ran into my knife ten times."