The courting

Chapter 22. Dates and headlines

Harry POV

I was kind of sad today. From my 100 suitors, 35 hadn't responded, and 5 sent date choices that wouldn't fit my restrictions. I was really sad about that, because quite quite a few of them were on my favorite list.
And Neville was depressed too, now that Charlie had to return to Romania. They decided who would plan what, and after the council meeting two days ago on the 30th of December, we found out that their marriage needed to be published by a newspaper, that was tradition. 

We were all searching for a small newspaper nobody ever heard of, so we wouldn't attract a lot of attention, but hadn't found one yet.
Hedwig flew in my room and gave me the Daily Prophet. The headline shocked me.

"HARRY POTTER ISN'T THE CHOSEN ONE!"
"PAUL MCBETH IS OUR SAVIOR"
"HARRY POTTER DEAD!" 

Finally! I would be able to leave the house without fearing to me recognized, because everyone believed Dumbledore. But now more people would involve in the war, being scared.
At least most creatures stood behind us, and we had enough companies and shops in our hands. 

But who was this Paul McBeth?
The article stated that he was born on the 29th of July 1980, so he should have been in my year at Hogwarts. And there stood that he had been in Gryffindor, but I had not met any Paul in the dorms, nor in the common room.
I, however, knew that a boy named Paul that looked a lot like him had been in Hufflepuff, but in Lunas year. (Luna was born 1981, because she was in Ginny's year, stated in the books). 

Dumbledore was using another boy for his wicked plans. The young man was practically dead. "What are you reading?" a depressed Neville asked me.
"The Daily Prophet. Did you know, Dumbledore replaced us?" 

"It was time for him to do that. But now many people will see it as a good idea to follow him, we need to hit back." And I got an idea." I know how. We will need to wait until the end of the month, but then Dumbledore will want to hide under a rock!" I told him and grabbed some paper to write two very important people.
"But don't forget, tomorrow you will start going on dates." Neville remined me.

The next days

I had arrived on my first date this morning. I would stay until 12, then I would go home again, and leave at 3.30 pm for my next date.
Many suitors had a picnic in different locations planned, even though it was January. This man had too.
"Hello Harry" greeted Jeremy when I arrived at the beach in Australia. He lived here, and wanted to show me the beach he grew up with. 

We walked to the place, where he had put down beach towels, a cooling bag and an umbrella, while Neville was following us under the invisibility cloak. "So, Jeremy. I am sure I asked you that, but I forgot. What do you do for a living?" I asked when I set myself down on one of the towels.
"I am a tour guide here, I show tourists the caves and the magical nature of Australia." he answered and pulled out some breads. "Would you be able to live in England and find there a new job quickly?" I asked. 

That was an important point for my suitors, that they were able move from one into another country, because I didn't want to raise my children in a country where war is rising.
"Yes, the company I'm working for has many offices around the world. I would have to ask for a transfer, but I won't be unemployed for one minute." That was good.

I was with Shawn walking through the woods, he we were on our way to the waterfalls to go swimming.
He was a doer, not a thinker, that I learned quickly. We reached the waterfall and he jumped in heads first. "Come in, Harry!" he said and I slowly dipped into the water.

The water was cold, but not too cold. "And, how is your family?" I asked, to get a talk going. He was suddenly behind me and tore me through the water.
"Stop asking questions, we came here to have fun, not to talk." I would stay until 12, but then he was eliminated. I liked to talk, and if he didn't and was always fooling around like now, we wouldn't work out.

Andrea and I were slandering down diagon ally, he was taking me to a small café next to Gringotts. He came from Italy, so the thought of taking me to drink a coffee.
"And when the fights will truly start, will you fight?" I asked him after we ordered. What a mistake. "In the front row." He was lying, I could see it in his eyes. And that went on for the whole date.

Please stop!

A/N: I know I am late with updating, I am just having a writers block and trying to overcome him.

MeineKeime