Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters in this story, except PJ.

Author's Note: This is going to be different than my others, but I hope you enjoy just the same. Please tell me what you think.

New World

Chapter One: Father and Son

Green eyes filled with angry tears as he looked into the darkness surrounding him. He clutched his five-year-old son to his chest in desperation, holding onto the only thing that seemed real and alive. He had had to go. It was what was best for him, best for his son. PJ shifted in his father's embrace, burying his face further into the blood-covered shirt in his uneasy slumber. Harry sat on the cold Earth and rested his head on top of PJ's and cried silently. It was finally over and it left him cold and empty. But he couldn't give up, he had to go on, for PJ. And that was exactly why he found himself here, in this strange place that was so dark and quiet. There was nothing left for him where he had been, PJ deserved to be normal, and he deserved to forget. The bliss that came with a clean slate was truly wonderful. "Welcome to the rest of our lives PJ, welcome to our new home."

Harry forced himself to his feet. This New World was very dark. Or did it only seem that way because of the ache of his body? He really didn't know. The long gashes on his back forced him to straighten in pain. His back felt heavy, his whole body felt heavy. He needed to find shelter. Where on this world would he find shelter? He thought of Hogwarts. But there was always the possibility that he would be recognized, even though he knew he didn't exist on this world, he and PJ wouldn't have been able to come if he did. He staggered as he began to walk, his legs crying out to stop, but he didn't listen. After a few minutes of walking over the smooth, flat ground in the field he found himself in, he heard noises. A large, dark, form loomed before him. What was it? He approached slowly, tightening his fist around the wand he carried. Cattle? Harry nearly smiled at himself as he looked at the sleeping animal. There were dozens of them around him. He was in the middle of a field of cattle. He didn't know much about livestock, but he knew to be careful where he stepped.

He saw lights in the distance. A farmhouse perhaps? He moved toward the lights, determined not to succumb to his injuries and collapse.

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The house was dark except for the porch light that had been left on. How convenient! He raised a shaking hand to the door, shifting PJ so that he could knock. The sound was hollow and quiet. He didn't have the strength to strike harder. Surely no one heard that, he mocked himself. But as though by magic the door opened. A woman in a white nightdress stood before him with a flashlight in her hand. She had gray hair streaked with white that was loose around her shoulders and she looked at Harry and the bundle in his arms in something akin of alarm.

"Come in, please." She said, concern evident in her voice. She led the way into a room with a large plush brown leather couch and turned on the light. Harry flinched at the sudden brightness and found himself being pushed toward the couch. He sat down on it and fell into the back, letting the weight of his son to push him further into the cool leather. The women rushed out of the room. Harry's eyes were heavy now too and he had to force them to stay open. He looked around, there were pictures all over the walls. The pictures looked back at him, frozen in times long since passed. Young boys riding white ponies and carrying ropes. The pictures were still, transfixed, paralytic. Harry was almost surprised when he realized that the woman was a muggle. It had been so long since he been in a muggle home, it really felt like another planet. But it was, wasn't it?

A moment later the woman reentered with what must have been her husband. He was tall and gangly with gray hair and bright blue eyes. They both approached him cautiously. Harry couldn't blame them, he was covered in his own blood.

"Maggie why don't you go fetch a basin of warm water and a washcloth, as well as the peroxide." The man said to Maggie who rushed out of the room. Harry was again surprised, he didn't have an accent of any kind, he reminded him of a TV news personality… those people never had accents. "Hello?" He said cautiously to Harry.

"Hello." Harry replied his throat horse and pained.

"Are you both hurt, or just one?" the man asked. It hurt too much to talk, Harry just shook his head no.

"Only me."

The man nodded in understanding and stood. He walked to a chest beside the door Harry had entered the room through and opened it, pulling out what looked like a very warm blanket. He spread the blanket on the chair beside the couch, it was the same make as the couch, equally as plush and inviting.

"My name is William." He said as he approached Harry again and held out his hands. Harry reluctantly shifted PJ into the man's outstretched hands.

"I'm Harry, and that's my son, PJ." He said as he watched William carefully lay PJ in the blanket and wrap him in it.

William smiled, "Pleasure."

At this point Maggie reentered the room again, with a large basin of water, a brown bottle, a couple of washcloths, and a towel. William helped him stand as Maggie spread the towel on the couch where he had been laying. Then William sat Harry on its edge and began to remove his shirt. Maggie made a startled sound as she looked at the crisscrossed cuts along his chest. William laid him gently down on his back, very aware of the cuts he had seen there as well. Harry began to loose consciousness just about then.

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It was dark again, he realized. Why was it dark again? Ah, his eyes were closed. But they were so heavy. He felt a weight on his chest, his chest was tight, hard to move, but this weight was external. Something was on his chest. He strained to open his eyes. A mop of ink black hair was in the way. He sighed in relief. PJ was the weight on his chest. He turned his head. He wasn't in the living room anymore, he was in a bedroom. The bed was large, probably a full. The room had the same décor as the other. There was a window, it was light outside but the curtains were drawn.

He shifted his weight. PJ's light blue eyes fluttered open and looked into his father's green ones.

"Daddy, where are we?" he asked, voice still laden with sleep, but the fact that he didn't even look around the room told Harry he had woken up before.

"We're safe PJ." Was all Harry said. Then he smiled at his son. PJ smiled back and slid off his father's chest onto the bed next to him. Harry forced himself to sit and PJ moved back to sit in his lap.

"Daddy, where's Mommy?"

"Mommy's gone. I'm sorry PJ."

PJ's eyes filled with tears and he buried his face in Harry's shirt, or rather, the shirt he wore. The hand-me-down flannel shirt reminded Harry of the Dursleys, but he ignored the memories and held his son tightly in his embrace. PJ sobbed into his father's embrace for a long time before he quieted, but he never moved.

"PJ are you hungry?" Harry asked, realizing his own hunger. PJ nodded and Harry lifted his slight form into his arms as he stood. He walked to the door and opened it. Immediately he was hit with the smell of tomato soup. He looked in both directions, identical hallways looked back at him so he decided to follow the smell. His nose led him to a set of stairs and he descended. At the bottom of the stairs he could also distinguish the smell of grilled cheese sandwiches. He walked into the back of the house.

There was no door leading to the kitchen, you just kind of appeared there. Harry looked around. Maggie stood by the stove humming to herself.

"Hello?" Harry said quietly.

Maggie jumped, startled, and turned to him. "Why hello there Harry and good afternoon. Did you sleep well? I bet you're hungry." She said, recovering from her shock quickly. She was a very energetic woman.

"Yes, I slept very well and yes, I'm quite hungry. So is he." Harry replied smiling despite himself.

"Well, lunch'll be ready in a jiff. Does the little sweetie like grilled cheese?"

"He'll eat pretty much anything as long as it isn't green." Harry said with a slight laugh.

Maggie looked confused until PJ turned his light eyes to her, "I don't like green foods, they remind me of bogies."

Maggie laughed right out loud at this, and PJ smiled. Harry was very happy to see PJ smile. Padfoot and Moony's deaths had been hard on him, but to lose his mother too…

"Well aren't you a cute little thing, you're definitely your father's son, but what beautiful eyes." Maggie commented.

"I like Daddy's eyes better, I got my eyes from my Grampa. I want green eyes like Daddy." PJ said, looking at Harry.

"But PJ what would we call you if you had my eyes? GJ?"

PJ laughed at this and Maggie once again looked confused, but she didn't get a chance to ask, as William reentered covered in light brown dust. He pulled off his gloves and smiled at Harry and PJ as he passed to the sink to wash his hands.

"Mmmm, smells good Maggie." He said as he turned off the faucet.

Maggie smiled, "And it's ready so why don't you three sit down and I'll serve."

Two extra chairs had been added to the table. Harry put PJ in one of them, the small boy released his hold on his father only reluctantly but made no outward fuss. Harry sat next to him and put his hand on his son's head, messing up his hair.

"Dad!" PJ whined, moving his father's hand away and desperately smoothing out his tangled locks of black hair. William laughed at the spectacle and then Maggie put the food on the table, a bowl of soup for each and a grilled cheese sandwich.

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They had been staying with William and Maggie for two weeks now. Harry's wounds were almost completely healed without the help of any magic at all. William had taught the two of them how to ride a horse. PJ loved it. Now the four of them were in William's old pickup headed for the only town within one hundred miles, Dark Creek. PJ didn't want to go, he said it was scary, but when he was told they were going there to look at horses they might buy he quickly agreed that his expertise on the matter was required. William laughed at this.

The town was small but busy. At one end of the town a large tent had been erected with numerous temporary stalls all around and a ring in the middle for the presentation of the animals.

They parked in town and walked to the tent. Harry carried PJ, which had become a habit now whenever they were on foot and not in a saddle. Harry wondered sometimes if PJ was going to lose the use of his legs, but that wasn't true. Whenever they were alone he would put PJ down and they would play.

They walked around alone, PJ stopping every farmer with a few horses to find out the animals' names. Harry smiled the whole time, enjoying this time with his son.

Whispering to his left drew Harry's attention and he turned his head to look. A group of people where huddled in a small circle looking at a newspaper. The four people looked nervous and frightened. Harry read the title of the paper, "The Daily Prophet".

He gasped and PJ looked up in alarm. Harry approached them, ignoring everything else. He couldn't help but be curious about the Wizarding World in this new dimension. One of them looked at him as he approached and another hid the paper. He put his hand in his pocket and lifted the wand there out about halfway. They nodded and welcomed him in the group, pulling out the paper again.

Harry read it and paled, then thanked them and went to a nearby bench to sit. PJ sat on his lap looking up into his face.

"Daddy?" he asked timidly. "What did it say?"

"It said that Voldemort attacked a muggle village north of Hogwarts and it was rumored that he was planning on occupying the school soon."

"So he's still alive here?" PJ asked, fear clearly written in his eyes. Harry hugged his son in a comforting manner. "Daddy you have to help!" PJ demanded, "You can't let him hurt anymore people."

Harry looked PJ in the eye. He had wanted to stay anonymous in this world. His fame had cost him so much on his old one.

((A/N: PLEASE REVIEW!!!))