Why I changed my name

Well, for my story to make any sense, I need to clarify that I'm somewhat of a celebrity in my country. I think even internationally people have heard about me, though I'm not too sure about it (fortunately the people who know about me also tend to be technologically a bit behind the curve, so you don't find too many of them on the internet).

Anyway, unlike many celebrities I never actually wanted to be famous - I always just wanted a quiet life, to be treated normally, have a loving family - that's basically the dream.

The worst is that I don't even have anything to say when it comes to my fame, it pretty much started out from something my parents did. I know, when you say 'celebrity' most people think of rockstars and actors or something, but that's not really my situation.

My homecountry had a bit of a terrorism problem, which you might think you understand from reading about terrorism a bit in the newspapers from time to time, but it's something entirely different when you live near it. People were scared. People were forced into the ranks of this terrorist group, they could choose, either join or die tortured and with the knowledge that you also sealed the death-sentence for your entire family. It was a pretty fucking dark chapter, that you can believe.

Well, my parents were scared aswell. They were young, still in their twenties, and were targets of this terrorism just like everyone else (maybe even more so, because my mother was an educated woman from a minority of the population). But unlike the other people they didn't back down. When asked to join and or not to oppose, they fought back, when attacked the kept on fighting, and when threatened of getting them, their family and all friends murdered, they still didn't back down.

That's the kind of people they were.

Were, because reality sadly isn't as fantastic as fiction, and reality doesn't care for its heroes. Shortly after I was born the danger became too much, they had to go into hiding, but the defense against terrorism is only as strong as the weakest link, and the weakest link in this case was a friend who caved in under the pressure. Looking back I think he was simply scared for his life and hoped that the protection offered in return for his betrayal would allow him to survive this whole mess, but I guess I'll never know. Anyway, they were found and executed.

Now, without parents I had to grow up with some relatives. But the damage was already done - my parents, their opposition to the terror in the country had given the people hope, and the death of one of leaders of the terrorists around that time only helped this sentiment. Their name, my last name, it was known all around the country, as a symbol of hope to fight against the fanatics killing the people and poisoning our nation.

So, pretty big name to live up to, right? Well, there's the thing I regularly do, but feel bad about: I disguise myself and introduce myself with a pseudonym, so people don't recognize me on the streets. I know it dishonors my family a bit, and I tried for the first 18 years of my life not to do it, but the stares I received from everyone simply grew too much to handle.

And that's why sometimes I use the last name of my godfather instead of my own, and introduce myself as 'Harrold Black' instead of 'Harry Potter'.

But yeah, what else is a person supposed to do in a situation like mine?