A/N Hello everyone. This plot bunny has been dying to get born and I'm very excited about it. Eventually it will become a Harry/Draco pairing, so if that's not your thing, then stop reading as there will be other slash relationships going on as well. It's just the nature of this fiction as you will find out. But it's not all sex. The plot will be really good, I think. So I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and make no money (sadly) from the writing of this fiction.

Into the Portal

Harry looked up from the sink of dishes he was currently washing, eyeing the Dursleys as they went about their normal Saturday morning activities. Vernon sat reading the newspaper at the breakfast table, full from the meal Harry had just cooked. Dudley was watching television while Petunia scuttled around upstairs, making beds.

Today was Harry's seventeenth birthday and, as usual, it went unrecognized by his relatives. Harry was now unprotected by the wards Dumbledore set for him long ago. He was now an adult. In a few short hours the Order of the Phoenix would arrive to escort him to a safe location. They would also be taking the Dursleys to a safe house for the duration of the war.

But the Dursleys didn't know this. The Order had thought it best to not give them advanced warning in case they tried to foolishly flee on their own. So Harry played along, as if it was a day like any other, yet knowing it was the last 'normal' day the Dursleys would have - at least for awhile. It was most likely Harry's last normal day as well, as he didn't plan on returning to Hogwarts. He had to continue the search for the Horcruxes.

Petunia came hurriedly down the stairs, a pinched, angry look on her face. "That bird must have gotten loose in your room. It's making such a racket. I'm not opening that door. You go take care of it right now," she snapped.

"Fine," Harry sighed, drying his hands in a dish towel and tossing it next to the sink. "And it's an owl."

"Don't get cheeky with me," Petunia replied, shaking a finger. "Take care of it!"

Harry climbed the stairs, wondering how Hedwig could have gotten out of her cage. He had already packed up that morning and taken care of all her needs. As he approached the closed door to his bedroom, it sounded as if there was more than just a loose bird inside. It sounded… windy?

Harry remembered that he was no longer an underage wizard and pulled out his wand, placed his hand on the door knob and turned it carefully.

A bright light immediately hit his eyes, making him recoil from the door. He fell back against the upstairs wall, shading his vision and trying to figure out what was going on his room. It was then a small figure appeared in front of the light, gingerly approaching Harry.

"Master? Master Harry Potter?" it said.

"Who are you?" Harry asked. It became clear that it was a house elf, but he couldn't be sure which one, not with that light in his eyes. The elf stepped out of the room and Harry looked him over. No, he had never seen this one before. But it was smiling excitedly.

"I found you!" the house elf exclaimed, jumping up and down and clasping her two hands together in joy.

"Do I know you?"

"I'm your elf, sir."

Harry shook his head. "Sorry, but, I only have one elf, Kreacher. You are definitely not him."

"What's all that noise?" Vernon shouted from below, too lazy to make the climb.

Harry scowled in the direction of the stairs. "Nothing, I'm taking care of it."

"You better do it soon," his uncle replied.

Harry turned back to the elf. "Listen, just tell me why you are here because you can't stay. Did the Order send you to fetch my stuff?"

"Order, sir?" the elf replied, confused.

Harry looked beyond the elf into his bedroom. The whole wall where his window usually sat was a swirling mass of light. "What is that?"

"That's the doorway, sir."

"I've never seen that before," Harry replied taking a few steps into his room. "Let's see, there's port keys, apparition, and floo travel. What do you call this type?"

"It's old elf magic, sir."

Harry laughed. "Really? Elves only?"

The elf appeared suddenly nervous. "Not exactly, sir. You can use it too. You must come through the portal with me, Harry Potter."

"Portal? Portal to where, exactly?"

"Confound it, boy!" Vernon's voice shouted. "Cease that noise, now!"

Harry shut the door and locked it. "Hurry and tell me."

The house elf's face crumpled in sadness. "Harry Potter must come with Tally. Tally will be in grave danger if Harry Potter does not come."

Harry grew suspicious. "Hang on. Who sent you?"

"Tally was not sent. Tally came on her own."

Harry ran a hand through his messy raven locks, sighing. He remembered how frustrating it was dealing with Dobby second year. House elves could be very stubborn.

"Look, Tally, loads of people are in danger right now and I don't have time to deal with this. You still haven't told me where this portal goes or anything else."

Tally sat on the floor, placing her thumb in her mouth and began to sob. "It was an accident, sir, an accident! My M…M…Master was riding his b…b…room…" She sobbed even louder.

Harry sighed. Something terrible must have happened. A flying accident? "Is your Master… alive?"

Tally shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I tried to save him, I tried so hard. Master flew into a tree. His head was hit too h…h…ard."

"I'm sorry," Harry said in sympathy. "I don't know what I could possibly do to help. Who was your Master?"

Tally's big eyes grew wider. "Y… y…ou."

Harry sat speechless a moment. He wondered if it was possible for house elves to go mad. "As you can see, I'm perfectly fine."

"Noooooo…" Tally wailed. "The other you, the other Harry Potter."

"Wait, hang on, did you say the 'other' me?"

Tally nodded, forlornly.

Harry was getting impatient and he rocked nervously. "There is only one me. I'm right here and I'm fine."

"In the other world… the other…" Tally spoke, gulping for air.

"Explain quickly," Harry gestured. The Order was due at any time and it sounded like he had a nutter of a house elf on his hands.

"Through there," Tally pointed at the swirling wall of light, "goes to the other world."

"What? Like a different planet?" This was getting crazier by the minute.

Tally shook her head. "No, same planet. Different…world." She was having a difficult time explaining.

"Time travel? Did you time travel?" Harry asked, trying to make sense of it all.

"No, time is the same. Today is Harry Potter's seventeenth birthday. Same in that world. But… but… my Harry is d… d…ead," she wailed with fresh tears. "Please, sir, you must come with me. If they see you are dead, they will kill Tally. They will kill…"

Harry's mind was spinning. There was another world with another him in it? His mind went back to some science fiction muggle movies he had seen. "Is it some kind of parallel universe, then?" He remember one movie where people were living simultaneous lives in different parallel dimensions, but there were some differences in each of the dimensions.

Tally looked confused. "Tally doesn't know those words, sir."

"So… where you're from, I just died? On my birthday?"

Tally nodded, sobbing.

"And this portal goes there? To that other dimension?" Harry had never heard about this magic. It must have been highly illegal. The Ministry surely wouldn't want people hoping around through various dimensions, meeting their other selves or escaping from trouble.

"I was suppose to watch over you, sir. Tally was responsible for taking care of you," she cried. "They will kill me when they find out. I must bring you there so they will not know."

"That's impossible, Tally. I can't just disappear into another dimension with you. I have my own life here and people who are depending on me. Perhaps you can stay in this world. I can find a place for you if you are too scared to go back."

Tally looked at the portal and back to Harry, weighing her options. She had not been set free by the family, so she would be breaking a very sacred law to an elf. She would be breaking her loyalty. She shook her head. "Tally cannot stay, sir. Your father did not free her."

Harry stood, his body tense. "What? What did you say?"

"Tally cannot stay."

"No, not that. You said my father. My father is alive in your world?" Harry's heart hammered in his chest.

"James Potter is not alive here?"

Harry shook his head. "And… my mother?"

Tally nodded. "Yes, your mother lives too."

Harry let all the air out his body and began pacing. Merlin! What would it have been like to grow up with his parents? This other Harry, this dead Harry, got to experience everything he always longed for. Hugs, kisses, birthday wishes - everything the Dursleys never gave to him.

Harry stopped pacing and faced the watching elf. "How about Sirius Black? Is he alive?"

"Yes, of course, sir," Tally replied, surprised that so many were dead in this world.

"Gah!" Harry huffed. It was perfect over there! Perfect! Everything he had always dreamed of. He began pacing again, casting glances at the portal. His mind began thinking things… things he shouldn't have been thinking. The other Harry was dead. There was a Harry vacancy - a Harry vacancy in an ideal life.

And here? What was here? Voldemort? Horcruxes? Death, death, and more death?

But… they needed him here. He couldn't just abandon them. Not when they all expected him to defeat Voldemort and win this war.

Oh, but the temptation was great, very, very great.

But… what if… what if he went for just a day or two? Surely they wouldn't miss him for a few days? And he'd be safe from Voldemort and his ilk. They surely wouldn't know where he was. He could leave a note for the Order.

The thought of spending his birthday with his parents, just this once, was so overwhelming. He couldn't think of a better gift to himself. Why shouldn't he have this little trip? Didn't he deserve a little happiness after all?

"Tally? What if I came for a few days? I can spend time with my parents and I'll help you soften the blow of the accident. I'll make sure they don't blame you somehow."

Tally jumped up, happy. "Oh, Harry Potter would do this for Tally? Harry Potter will come?"

"Yeah, I think I will. I just have to leave a note for some friends and grab a few things," Harry replied.

"Harry Potter must not tell your father what happened. Harry Potter must pretend to be the other," Tally stated, urgently.

Harry sighed. "I'll pretend for a bit. But, Tally, they are going to have find out after I leave." He put his hand on the elf's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll work something out."

The elf strangely didn't seem concerned with that. "Harry Potter must hurry."

OOOOOOO

Harry found himself in a forest, standing next to Tally and staring at his other self, face down on the ground, dead. The lights from the portal went out behind him, startling Harry a bit as he looked at the macabre sight. "Merlin," he muttered. "Why didn't I wear headgear?" Dried blood was caked onto dead Harry's hair. It was very disconcerting to see oneself dead.

"You didn't like it, sir. Tally always said to wear it, but you didn't listen. You said it was too hot."

"What are you going to do with the body? They'll want a funeral later."

Tally waved her arms, causing a whirlwind of sticks and leaves to swirl above before landing in a pile on top of the body. "Tally will return later and fetch it, sir."

Harry shivered at the thought. He looked about. "Where are we? Are we near Godrics Hollow?"

"No, sir, we are just outside of London."

"London? Don't my parents live in Godrics Hollow?"

Tally shook her head. "No, sir, not for a very long time."

"Oh, I see, they moved to London. All right, then, let's go."

"Hold Tally's hand, sir." Harry held the elf's hand and the elf snapped her fingers. Harry found himself standing in front of Grimmauld Place.

"Sirius' place?" Harry asked. "They live with Sirius?"

"Your father and you live in the Black residence, sir," Tally replied, running to the front step. "We must hurry. We are late."

But Harry was frozen in his tracks. Tally turned and stared. "Sir?"

"You said my mother was alive. Was that a lie?"

"No, sir, she is alive. But she lives elsewhere in Hogsmeade."

Harry's face fell in disappointment. "So, my mum and dad are divorced?" He had always imagined them so happy together. "That's a let down. But it's better than being dead, I suppose," Harry said, sadly.

Tally nodded. "Yes, sir, much better. And you could go to school, too, sir."

"I went to school, Tally, even with them dead."

"No, Tally means that divorce lets you go to school, sir."

Harry scrunched his face in confusion. "What are you saying? Only kids of divorced parents get to go to school?"

"No, sir. Purebloods and pardoned half-bloods may go to school. If a Pureblood had a child with a Muggle-born, the child will be pardoned if the Pureblood parent divorces the Muggle-born parent and becomes a servant of our Lord. If they do not do this, the child may not attend school and the Pureblood parent becomes a blood traitor."

Harry sat on the front step of the house, heavily, his stomach churning. Was this elf saying what he thought she was saying? If she was, this was no ideal life he was walking into, it was a nightmare.

He swallowed, preparing to ask the next question. "Is this Lord… is it Voldemort?"

"Don't say the name! Sir must only say 'our Lord'."

Harry put his face in his hands, rubbing his temples. "Are you saying he's in charge? He won the war?"

Tally nodded. "Many, many years ago, sir. You were very small. Then he passed all his laws. We must all live by his laws."

Harry took a deep breath. This was not what he was hoping for. Not at all. But, on the other hand, he was only here to see his parents and Sirius. He'd spend today with his dad and Sirius, and head over to Hogsmeade to see his mum tomorrow. Then he'd leave this world to its twisted fate. He had to get back to his own dimension and make sure this didn't happen there.

Harry's bangs had been swept away by his hands and Tally's eyes opened wide. "Oh, no. We must get rid of that. Master did not have that." She pointed at his scar.

She rubbed her magical fingers over his scar, casting a concealing charm. Then she looked at his hair, adjusting the length longer and making it smoother.

She snapped her fingers and Harry's glasses disappeared.

"Hang on, I actually need those to see."

"Master did not wear spectacles. His father took him to an eye healer when he was four."

"Give them back or I'll be bumping into everyone and everything. Besides, I want to actually see my parents, not their blurry outline."

Tally paused a moment, thinking. Then her face lit up. "Tally knows what to do." She snapped her fingers twice more. Once to make Harry's glasses reappear, and another time to make them invisible but still useful.

Harry could no longer see his glasses on his face, but he could see. He reached up and felt them. "Brilliant."

Just then the front door flew open and Harry stood quickly, pulse pounding. There stood the tall figure of his father, staring at them both. "Where have you been?" he asked, impatiently. "You were suppose to be home an hour ago to get ready for your birthday." His eyes swept over Harry's Muggle attire. "And what are you wearing?"

"Dad?" Harry whispered, emotion washing over him. "Dad!" he said louder, hurrying up the rest of the stairs and flinging himself in James' arms.

James stiffened up for a moment, not use to affection from Harry. But then he relaxed as Harry didn't let go and put his arms about his son. "Harry? What's the matter?"

"I'm just happy to see you," Harry replied next to his ear, not wanting to let go. Gods this felt so wonderful, so right. This is what he missed growing up.

Tally bit her fingers nervously, hoping that Harry remembered to act like the other Harry. So far, he wasn't doing a very good job. She covertly kicked Harry in the calf.

"Ouch!" Harry jumped, turning to glare at Tally, but still keeping one arm around his father. He noticed her worried expression and figured out what her problem was. Clearing his throat, he said, "Sorry, Dad, I suppose I had a close call today. I was out flying and hit a tree. I thought I was going to die. But Tally fixed me up. All the way home I kept thinking that I could have been dead. I'm just happy to be alive and with you again."

James laughed slightly. "You have never been so dramatic, my son." He pulled Harry into the house while Tally scurried in behind them. Then he let Harry go, waving his arm toward the staircase. "Now off with you. You have one hour to bathe and dress before we must leave."

Harry's face studied his surroundings quickly. This Grimmauld Place had been maintained far better than the one he knew. Of course, this one had never been abandoned like the other was. "Leave?" Harry asked, absentmindedly. He was far too fascinated with how opulent the Black family home appeared. He wondered if that horrid portrait of Sirius' mother still hung in the hall.

James looked at him strangely. "Yes, leave. You're birthday party, remember? It's not everyday a boy becomes a man." James grinned with fatherly pride.

Harry couldn't help but smile back. "This will be the best birthday ever."

OOOOOO

A/N Perhaps Harry should have asked more questions before he decided to come? Many more surprises are due for him.

So, I'm anxiously awaiting your feedback to see if I should continue with this. Let me know what you think so far. Thank you.