AN: Okay, more having fun with alternate universe travel!
This is much like Facets, but it during OotP. Which means that I get to play around with angsty-Harry! Or Harrys in this case. All gender-swapped characters have names similar to their original counterparts. I also like writing fluffy scenes, as you can probably tell.
Enjoy the completed one-shot, and please leave a review.
Disclaimer: Last time I checked I am an American, sarcastic, and fun-sized. Nice try, but I know that I'm not JK Rowling.
Title: Faces
Word Count: 2K
Summary: Interacting with a version of yourself that's from a parallel universe was proving to be very confusing. Circa-OotP Canon ships.
Dolores was giving Dumbledore the stink-eye throughout the day. 'Let them come,' he had said during the meeting. 'They're students, and Hogwarts' doors are always open.'
Students, she inwardly fumed. They may look like those brats, but for all we know they could be a part of his army. She paused at the beginning of what looked like a lengthy monologue, and glared at a passing student.
The girl looked remarkably like Potter. She had the same awful hair, the poor eyesight, and wore the same arrogant look. Dolores grinned when she caught a look of fresh scars and blood on the girl's hand.
Female Potter looked over her shoulder once she walked past, and returned the glare. Just try, the half-blood seemed to dare.
"Old bat," Halley hissed. Her hand still throbbed when the wound opened when she was writing her essay for Transfiguration. She stomped down the halls of Hogwarts, thinking of the many ways that Umbridge could suffer.
It was an ongoing game during the DA meetings—one that eclipsed over the popularity of How to Get Daria Malfoy Expelled. Her favourite entry so far was from Gabriel Weasley. His suggestion was to charm the walls around Umbridge to mimic words of criticisms against the ministry. The more angry she would get, then the words would become insults aimed at her and her horrible collection of cats.
Halley would have to ask Hector Granger if such a spell did exist, because she wouldn't mind casting it as of lately.
"Brooding?" Rory Weasley asked. She strolled next to her best mate, her red plait swinging behind her.
Halley ignored her. She tried to walk faster, but Rory's long legs caught up quickly.
"Now you look more pissed than usual," she continued.
Harry chucked a pillow at Ron's head. "I do not!"
Ron ducked with the ease that five older brothers gave him. "Seriously, you're starting to remind me of Snape. Will you be wanting black, billowy robes for Christmas?"
"Shut up…"
"Or a lack of hair care products?" Ron's smile was becoming infectious. "I hope that you're not picky, mate."
"I am," said a voice behind Harry. He looked around to see himself—or rather herself, her facial expression just as morose as his. "What's with you Weasley family and you attempts to lighten our spirits?" Halley asked dryly.
"Because we give a damn," Ron said. "And you're a git when you're moody." He stared at both Potters look of worry. "Bloody hell, now I got two of you to worry about."
"This is bloody worst," Ron decided.
"No kidding," his counterpart agreed.
Malfoy and female-Malfoy were arguing it out in the middle of the hallway during passing time. It involved something to due with…well; he didn't know what they were arguing about. A large crowd of bored spectators was watching. The resemblances between the two were eerie at best, and Ron was having a hard time deciding which was the biggest prat.
"So, girly ferret?" he asked Rory.
"Destroys my self-esteem whenever she has a chance, absolute coward, and keeps going on about 'Proper Pureblood Witch Behaviours". Does a stupid flippy-thing with her perfectly gelled hair. Masculine ferret?"
"More or less the same, doesn't do the flip." Ron made a face at imagining that. "I think I don't want that stuck in my head," he said.
She shuddered. "They don't share much of a difference in looks. Bit disturbing."
"Want to grab some elevenses?" Ron wanted a desperate change in conversational topics. He couldn't get the image of the Malfoy he knew strutting around the halls in a pair of high-heels. He was going to need a Memory Charm.
Many of the teachers after the alternate universe incident refused to think back on the two sets of Weasley Twins.
It still made Snape feel quite ill.
"I'm sorry," Ron said for the fifth time. "It's so bloody weird seeing my best friend as a girl."
"Really, Ror—Ron," Halley said as she idly thumbed the planner that Hector made. "I don't mind it much that you call me 'Harry'." She looked up, and fixed her glasses. "And how do you think I feel at seeing my best mate as a bloke? It's weird for everyone."
Quidditch practice was a confusing mess as of late. Angelina was clashing techniques with her other self, Andrew. It proved to be harder to practice with the double amount of people with very similar skills. Harry had already lost count on the number of times that he flew into Halley.
He stayed after practice to groan in the shower about his new collection of bruises. When he was finished getting change, he overheard some arguing outside the changing room.
"Why do you keep looking at her like that?"
"Michelle, I don't know what you're talking about."
"You know what, Gabriel Weasley. And I don't like it."
"She's a friend! I can hang out with other people besides you, you know."
Harry awkwardly poked his head out the door, and tried to make himself conscious as he tried to leave the scene. He lurked beneath the bleachers, watching the feet of Gabriel Weasley and Michelle Corner argue it out.
"If you wish to be with her, then fine! Go snog her!"
Harry froze in mid-step. Great, he was theoretically dragged in the conversation even more.
"In case you haven't noticed, I'm with you and not her!"
The shouting escalated, and the wooden beams vibrated as Corner stormed off. Harry was able to reach the end when Gabriel jumped down to the ground. The redhead was grumbling about annoyed words, and paid no attention that he noticed Harry. Then Gabriel saw him, and there was a very awkward silence.
"So, girls?" Harry said in a way to ease it.
"Of all people it has to be you!" Gabriel threw his hands up in the air. "Just for the record, I never even kissed Michelle Corner!"
Snape's worst nightmare was now true.
Two arrogant Potters.
Two blithering Grangers.
And too many bloody Weasleys were taking over the castle.
Life was indeed hell.
"How did the Yule Ball go?" inquired Hector Granger.
Hermione looked up from her Charms essay, curious. "What brought this on?" She followed his gaze to Rory Weasley who was conversing with Ron over a game of chess. "Oh," she said. "I take it that yours was just as bad?"
He nodded grimly and set his quill down. "I try to leave hints, but she is just so…" he let the words dangle freely in the air.
Hermione looked over wistfully at Ron and admired the deep look of concentration and intensity that he often had when playing the game. It was quite impressive seeing two very brilliant players trying to beat each other.
She wished that she were on the receiving line than some pieces of marble. "Obtuse," she decided on. "I can dress up in lovely robes, wear makeup, and he still never got a hint."
Hector sighed. "We just have to admire the ones who challenge us, don't we?"
The less used to describe the complexity of the DA meetings lately was probably better.
Harry, Hermione, their counterparts, and the Weasley family were serving Christmas at Grimauld's Place. The atmosphere was dark due to Mr Weasley being in the hospital, and Harry was under the impression that he was being possessed by Voldemort. Halley was selfishly glad that she wasn't getting the visions or the headaches, but it didn't stop the guilt that she feeling the same as Harry.
She wrapped her arms around her knees sat very still on a couch in the dusty parlour. It was late at night and everyone else was busy were either cleaning, worrying, or doing homework. In a way, the solitude wasn't helping as she thought it would. I'm not possessed, she thought in a morbid mantra. I'm not possessed, Voldemort won't try to posses me, I'm not possessed, Voldemort won't try to posses me…
"Hey," Gabriel sat down next to her. "How are you holding up?"
Halley turned to look at him, now suddenly feeling very tired. She let her shoulders slump. "I dunno. Shouldn't I be asking you that question?"
"You look worst than everyone else," he said softly. "Halley, do you want to talk?"
She raised her head from her knees. "That I'm going to become the next Dark Lord or that when we get back I'll be gong mad?"
They met each other in the eye, and Halley saw many emotions blazing under their dark colour. "You're not mad," he insisted firmly. "Are you blacking out? Are you losing your memory? Do you have no idea where you are at times?"
"I…" Halley thought about it, and flushed as she remembered something important. "I'm sorry," she said. "I forgot."
"Good for you," said Gabriel. "Glad that some of us can."
Halley thought that she heard something. The sound rumbled under her and came out near her head. She stirred against whatever it was, enjoying how warm it felt. It even smelled nice: leather from a Quidditch kit and the vague flowery smell underneath that reminded her of the Burrow…
Halley opened an eye, then two, and felt her mouth drop. She was sleeping with Gabriel. He was laying on the couch, his feet falling over the other armrest, an arm draped around her and the other trailing the floor. And Halley was tangled with him.
She could remember talking to him the other night, and then everything went to a fuzzy darkness…It must be early in the morning now, and the last thing either of them needed was of anyone to see this.
Halley tried to extract herself, but the arm at her waist began to twitch. She froze and could see slits of brown as his eyelashes fluttered. "Good dream," he muttered and went back to sleep. She exhaled a sharp breath and started to extract herself again. Unfortunately, it wasn't working so well.
Taking a new action, Halley decided to jab him in the shoulder. "Wake up," she said. She did it several more times just to prove her point. But like all Weasleys, Gabriel was hard to wake up. At first he would mutter something incomprehensible, he would move a little, and then he would begin to stir awake. "Gabriel."
He opened his eyes, closed them, and then opened them again. "Bloody—" He fell off the couch
Gabriel wiped some butter off his elbow, scowling. Ginny smiled strangely at him. "Setting a new record?" she asked in a whisper.
He nodded jerkily.
"What brought is on?"
He looked around, hoping that no one was paying attention. Halley was idly picking at her food, and she looking at any direction but him. He blushed again.
"At least you didn't had the urge to jinx him," Ginny said. She angrily stabbed her eggs with her fork. "He's a git lately, but…have any thoughts of making him feel better?"
"Don't wake up in a compromising position," he suggested.
Sirius cleared his throat. "Halley, sadly there are some blokes out there—"
"You taught me how to defend myself," Halley quickly interrupted. She raked a hand through her short hair and looked around the mostly empty kitchen. "Believe me, I now know what to do if the need comes."
"Knee him?" Harry guessed. He winced after saying that. Sirius looked at him warily. "What? It was the first thing that came to mind, and I don't want her to practice it on me!"
"Do you think she'll like this?" Ron asked. He showed Hector what was inside the box.
Hector peered inside and was very surprised. At least something good was happening in Hermione's romantic future. "That's rather nice of you Ron." He looked up at Ron, surprised at how tall he was. Of course the Weasley girls were of impressive height, but Gabriel was on his way to surpass them, and Ron managed to beat them all.
Ron let out a sigh of relief and his ears turned red. "Thank Merlin! I thought—you know? I can't just get her books because I don't know if she read those, and she doesn't like Quidditch, so…"
Hector briefly wondered about the Christmas present that he bought for Rory. "Do you have any idea that you would like a bracelet?"
"A bracelet?"
"I'm telling you," Sirius added some more coins to the growing pile. "Gabriel and Halley will get together at the same time as Harry and Ginny."
Remus recorded this in on a piece of parchment and looked at Tonks. "Maybe earlier? What do you think?"
"If you saw the look on the poor boy's face," she said with a cheeky smile. "I give those two a few months for it to happen, and someone needs to push any form of Ron and Hermione together."
Remus smiled for the first time since the moon cycle ended. "They're worst than Lily and James during our Seventh Year."
"Nah," Sirius added. "Those two had years of build up, Ron and Hermione are going to happen in about a year, I tell you."