44I Do Not Own Harry Potter or Black Panther
I've been wanting to do a HP/BP story for a while. I have several ideas, and this was the only one I could make a one-shot, though there is, based on the ending, plenty of opportunity to continue it in the future.
Note: in regards to Shuri's age in this, I have been unable to find a clear answer as to what her age in Black Panther is supposed to be, as I've found three different answers from the director, producer, and actress, that plays her. Just know, this takes place prior to the events of the Black Panther movie.
Sending the heir's to the Wakandan throne to university abroad was a, relatively, new tradition. That said, it wasn't without reason.
The first reason was to give the potential future rulers of Wakanda time in the world outside their borders. This was to allow the heir's to experience the world, to know the truth of the world outside of Wakanda, for good or ill. It also allowed future heirs to experience what life was like without the full trappings of their station, so that upon their return, they could appreciate what they had, as well as the responsibility those privileges gave them.
The second reason was to further the illusion of Wakanda as a poor country, to protect them from a world that would covet their technology. For while the royal family may have the wealth to send their children to university, such a poor nation couldn't possibly have an advanced university themselves.
Of course, Wakanda did have a university, perhaps the finest in the world, but they couldn't allow outsiders to know of it.
Still, Princess Shuri of the House of Udaku, wasn't looking forward to leaving. The eighteen year old was highly intelligent, having already finished her basic education, what the colonizer world would refer to as high school by the age of fourteen. But her father, King T'Chaka, had insisted. Not only was it now a tradition, but her father (and mother for that matter) insisted that it would be good for her. Besides, while her elder brother, T'Challa, has ahead of her in line for the throne, until such a time as he had children, she was her brother's heir. And should the worst happen, and she be forced to take the throne, she needed to have some experience in the outside world. The only reason they had waited so long to send her was the fact that they wished her to be a legal adult in the outside world.
The arrangements had been made for to attend the University of Oxford in England, the same school her brother had graduated from with a degree in Physics. Much like her brother, she would attend the school under a pseudonym, with the belief that anonymity was her best defense during this time rather than bodyguards. While she would be attending Oxford, she would be credited as Shuri Igolide. Only upon her graduation ceremony would her actual name be given. And only the universities dean would be made aware of her true identity.
The young princess was sure she would be bored out of her mind. Already, she had multiple degrees from online courses, as well as the Wakandan University of Bast About the only plus side was that her father had arranged for her credits to transfer to the English university, so she wouldn't be forced to take the basic classes.
Still, she wasn't looking forward to the experience, or being away from her lab in Wakanda.
Shuri couldn't believe how happy she was.
Not so much about attending university, but because she had found love. Granted, it was with a colonizer, and he had no idea who Shuri actually was, but the princess hoped to change that soon. Graduation was in a week, and she had been given permission to explain everything after graduation, which was rare, but after almost two years together, her parents were sure their daughter's boyfriend loved her..
Harry Potter was two years older than Shuri. Having already begun attending Oxford studying various computer sciences, he and Shuri had met after being partnered together in a class they had shared during her first semester. Two weeks later they had gone on their first date, three months after that, Shuri had moved into a small townhouse that Harry had been renting while he attended university.
The older man was quite handsome. With white skin, tanned from time under the sun, a thin but muscular build, dark black hair that was cut short and almost always a mess, and deep green eyes Shuri could get lost in, the princess couldn't deny that any woman that was attracted to men would find him attractive. Added to that was his intelligence. While not as smart as Shuri, few were, and Harry was smart enough to follow her science, even if he did have to ask a question every now and then. And while he focused primarily on computers, Harry read quite a few books, and spoke multiple languages. Including Shuri's native Xhosa, Harry spoke English, German, and French
Harry's talents in the bedroom were nothing to scoff at either, though that was obviously something she left out when discussing her boyfriend with her family.
She couldn't wait for graduation, and the chance to tell Harry the truth. She just knew he would love the labs in Wakanda.
Harry Potter looked around the townhouse, heartbroken.
He had left the graduation ceremony as soon as possible, knowing that it wouldn't be just his heart that was broken...not that Shuri knew it now.
Things had been going so well.
After Hogwarts, he'd managed to get into Oxford. And while he had originally decided to take computer classes just so he knew how to work them, he genuinely loved them, and found himself majoring in several different computer courses.
His father had understood Harry's desire to avoid his business, and the two still kept in touch.
Then he had met Shuri. His chocolate skinned goddess. Harry had never thought to even ask what country she was from. Her accent proved she wasn't English, but Harry hadn't cared. Shuri was intelligent, passionate, and beautiful. He loved watching her work, she got so passionate, and happy. And while she was smart, Shuri was fit as well. She was beautiful, intelligent, and had a body that could make his heart stop.
She was also Wakandan...worse, she was the Wakandan Princess.
Harry's father had never married his mother. In fact, his mother, Lily Potter 'nee Evans, had been married to another man, his stepfather, James Potter. Harry didn't know how or why, but James Potter had adopted him, given him his name and made him his heir. After Lily and James had been murdered when Harry was one, he had been raised by his father.
Ulysses Klaue was an international arms dealer and mercenary. And thus, Harry had been raised by, and around, dangerous men. And even after he turned eleven and began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he still spent summers with his father.
Frankly, it made dealing with Voldemort and his Death Eaters easy. After the people Harry had grown up around, terrorist that were used to their plush luxuries were nothing. Still Harry had gotten tired of fighting, which was why he had elected to attend college rather than join his father's business.
He should have known it was too good to last.
His father was a wanted criminal, and perhaps no one hated the Klaue family more than Wakanda.
Both of Harry's grandfathers had fought in World War II, on opposite sides. Harold Evans had been a British pilot in the RAF, while Fritz Klaue was a Colonel in the German army, in charge of a special forces unit. Fritz's unit had attempted to infiltrate Wakanda, and while he failed, after the war he told Ulysses about the country. And while his father didn't have the same prejudices as his grandfather, Ulysses had told Harry about Wakanda, as well as his own history with the country.
Ulysses had first worked primarily, as a mercenary before he got into arms dealing. He had been hired to infiltrate Wakanda and steal vibranium from them, in part because of the knowledge he'd gained from his own father. The mission had failed, and Ulysses had been branded (literally) a thief by the Wakandans. Later, now holding a personal grudge due to his branding, and being hired to do the job, Ulysses had bombed the Wakandan border and successfully stolen a quarter ton of vibranium.
While Harry didn't hate the Wakandans, based on what he knew of them, he didn't care for them either. He found their actions hypocritical.
Harry knew what their King T'Chaka looked like, having been shown pictures of him, and his heir T'Challa, by his father. He also knew of the Dora Milaje, the bodyguards and elite soldiers of the Wakandan royal family. So when he had recognized T'Chaka and T'Challa, along with a woman that appeared to be T'Chaka's wife and several women that had to be Dora Milaje, Harry had been nervous. They didn't appear to be watching him, which was good, but he had no idea why they would be at Oxford of all places.
Perhaps T'Challa was meant to be a speaker, he was an alumnus of the university after-all, though he wasn't dressed to speak if that's what he was there for.
It was only when Shuri was presented with her degree, and named not as Shuri Igolide, but Princess Shuri Udaku, that Harry realized the awful truth. His girlfriend, the woman he had planned to propose to that night...was a part of the Wakandan royal family.
That realization, was the death of Harry's dreams.
Her family and his were mortal enemies.
He quickly wrote a note and used his magic to pack up his belongings. Before he left the townhouse, he put the note on the bedside table, and set the ring he had purchased to propose to Shuri on top of it.
Leaving the house, tears falling down his cheeks, Harry felt he was leaving his heart behind him as well.
Once he was several blocks away, Harry pulled out his phone and called his father.
"I didn't think I'd be hearing from you until tomorrow," his father greeted him in German, without a hello. "How was graduation?"
"Bitter." Harry replied back in the same language.
"Your girl said no then?" his father asked, sympathy clear in voice.
Harry snorted. "I didn't ask...She's the Wakandan princess."
Ulysses was silent a moment, probably digesting the news his son was telling him. Eventually he said, "I'm sorry son. I know how much you love her."
"Doesn't matter now does it?"
"Harry...There's nothing I can say that will make you feel better. All I can say is to take some time, figure out what you want to do no and don't rush into anything. I would suggest taking a vacation, between what Lily and James left you and what I give you, you should be able to afford a nice trip. Take one, relax, get your thoughts in order."
"That sounds like good advice."
"I may be a shit human being Harry, but I do love you, and I am sorry."
Shuri couldn't wait to introduce her family to Harry, but she couldn't find him.
She wondered if he was mad at her lie, and had told her parents she would meet them at the restaurant they had reserved, after she stopped at the townhouse to see if Harry was there.
What she found was heartbreaking.
All of Harry's things were gone. It was only in their bedroom, that Shuri found a small ring box on top of an envelope with her name, that Shuri felt any hope...only for it to be dashed as she ignored the box to open the letter.
My Love,
Words cannot express how much a love you. I had hoped that tonight, you would accept my proposal and become my wife. We would move someplace were we could live our lives, raise a family, and be happy.
The world though, it seems, it no so kind.
Looking back, I can see we were both to blame. We never gave names of family, discussed what our families did. We were just so focused on each other, on how much we were in love, that we both ignored this important information.
If it were just about my mother and stepfather, there would be no worries. Lily and James Potter were, to all my knowledge, good people. My father however, for all that he is a great father, is not a good man. And his father before him is perhaps worse, I wouldn't know as I never met my grandfather. Now I know you, you would say that it doesn't matter than my father and my grandfather were bad men, that I am a good man...that you love me. At least I hope that is what you would say
Were it only the fact that they were bad men, perhaps I would have the courage to stay and tell you in person, to stay with you despite the sins of my forefathers. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. You are the Princess of Wakanda, and I am the son of Ulysses Klaue, the grandson of Fritz Klaue, who have both committed terrible crimes against your nation.
I can't, and won't, defend their actions. I don't know anything about Fritz except what I've been told, so even if I wanted to defend him I couldn't. But my father...for all his faults, I love him. I cannot say more than that.
I love you. For good or ill, I believe I always will. This ring...I bought it for you. It's yours, to do with as you wish. You can keep it, give it away, or even destroy it.
Personally, I hope you keep it, but I know I now have no say. All that's left is an apology, for what it's worth.
I know that I will have broken your heart, especially by leaving the way I have. That is something I have never wished for, or wanted. It is the only regret in my life at this moment, that I have done so. You may never forgive me for it, but still, I am sorry.
I love you,
Harry
Shuri could feel the tears falling down her cheeks as she finished reading the letter. Sitting on the bed she and Harry had spent so many hours loving each other in, she picked up the box. Opening it, revealed a simple, but elegant and beautiful ring. The band appeared to be white gold, with two small diamonds framing a larger diamond. The inside of the band had an inscription in Xhosa. Translated, it read, 'The woman that holds my heart'.
Covering her mouth couldn't stop the sobs. As she collapsed into the bed, her last conscious thought was that she would have told Harry Yes, no matter who his father was.
The Dora Milaje found Shuri three hours later, after she failed to show up at the restaurant, asleep on the bed, with no attempt to hide the fact she'd been crying, ring and letter clenched to her chest.
I like leaving it here, as the future is very open ended, and open to interpretation. And while I am posting this as complete, feel free to PM me if you would like to write a fic about what happens next.
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