This is a take-off of the story To Have a Second Chance, however, it can be read as an individual story, but reading the first will make it a bit easier to follow along.
Disclaimer: do not own Harry Potter
He sat against the wall and pulled his knees to his chest. He had thought he knew Hogwarts well, but in this reality, four-year-old Harry Snape had no idea where he was. Now, he was completely lost and Snape was probably looking for him. What if no one ever finds me? It was a childish thought, but it brought tears to his eyes. Cursing his childish instincts once more, Harry began crying softly, burying his face in his arms.
"There now, child. What happens to be the matter? Are you lost?" Came a voice from above.
Harry looked up and saw Albus Dumbledore. He stopped crying and simply stared at the man. Dumbledore seemed to recognize him.
"Harry, did you get separated from your father? I'm sure he is very worried about you. Come, let me return you to him." Dumbledore held out his hand for Harry to take.
"Headmaster, you have to understand, I'm not from here!" Harry explained, standing up. "I'm Harry Potter, not Snape!"
Dumbledore had a pensieve look on his face.
"You have to believe me, sir!" Harry insisted. "I was at some bar, and I must have fallen asleep after drinking so much, and when I woke up, I was in some kid's bed. And then Snape . . . and Sirius is alive . . . and Hogwarts and . . ." Harry realized he wasn't making any sense, so he said, "I have no idea what happened, but I have to get back to my reality. Surely you can help me?"
"Harry, hush," Albus said. "You're talking utter nonsense. Let's go to my office and sort this confusion out."
Not knowing what else to say to make Dumbledore understand, Harry reluctantly followed the Headmaster. Once in his office, which turned out to be down a hall, up a stairway and around the corner, Dumbledore had Harry take a seat in front of his desk. Sitting down himself, Dumbledore started talking.
"Let me just cut to the point. You see, before I died in your universe, I had been working on an experiment. Creating another world that would offer everyone who truly wished it a second chance. You know, a second chance at starting over and making better choices. Choices that would have changed how fate worked out."
"Wait, if this reality gives everyone a second chance, where are my parents?" Harry asked.
"Well, if Severus had been given a second chance at making things right, along with the rest of the Marauders, that friendship he had with your mother would have grown stronger, and he would have been the first to propose to Lily. This could have been the case in your old reality too."
"Then, where is she? I didn't see her yesterday. And if Snape's my dad, where's James?"
"I see you're not to be distracted. Tom Riddle, if given a second chance still craved power. Like you, James Potter sacrificed himself to kill Voldemort and rid this world of him before you were even born. However, he died in the process, though he is seen as a hero. Lily, on the other hand, whether given a second chance or not, died of a hereditary disease a few months before your second birthday. Some things in life are just destined to be." Dumbledore looked sadly at Harry. Harry pondered over this new information.
"So either way, I still would have never met my parents. That doesn't seem fair."
"Look at it this way Harry. You have the chance to experience a life free of Voldemort, with a father and uncles who love you, aunts, Aunt Petunia specifically, who adore you, and you can still have the friends you did in your other reality." So Aunt Petunia had a second chance as well. Who knew she would have wished for one. Maybe he could get used to this world. By the way Dumbledore was talking, there was no way out.
"There's one thing you should know about this world, Harry. No one can know that this is an alternate universe. My guess is that you know because your magic is so powerful it enabled you to keep your memories. If anyone else were to find out, it would disrupt their magic, bring back their alternate memories, forcing them to switch realities and everything would return to normal. And I'm sure you don't want to go back to that depressed man in the bar, now do you?"
Harry shook his head. That was definitely the last thing he wanted. To live in sorrow and regret of all those who passed in the war.
Harry vowed that he'd never reveal the alternate reality. He didn't want to miss out on the chance of a happy childhood, loved and cared for by an adoring parent.
No one will ever know of the second reality.
No one . . .