What if….
By R.D. Wind
The Great Battle ended. Harry James Potter, 18, was officially the savoir of the Wizarding World. The cost had been high, however. Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Ginny Weasley had all been gravely injured during the battle. Ron and Hermione had been with Harry constantly over the past year; assisting with his attempts to find and destroy the Horcruxes of the Dark Lord Voldemort. Finally, it was over and he could rest…
Harry first realized he was in a hospital bed when he began to wake. The constant beeping had a monotone electronic sound, not the normal beeps and tweets of Madame Pomfrey's hospital monitors. It did not matter though, if he could hear anything, then he was alive. He began to stir, causing an increase in the velocity of the beeping. He heard a gasp from somewhere near his bed. He groaned and tried to move. He was sore everywhere, even his hair hurt.
He groaned again before he heard a woman speak, "Harry? Harry honey, please be okay. Wake up now, you can do it… come on baby, please wake up for me…" the voice was soothing and of someone older than he was, but it didn't sound like Mrs. Weasley, he could not quite place who the voice belonged to. "Harry, its mom, come on sweetie, I've missed you, come on now, wake up."
He opened his eyes just a bit. The world was blurry; he obviously wasn't wearing his glasses. He groaned again before he slipped back to blackness. The woman cried as he left her once again.
It was sometime later when he next tried to wake from his slumber. He had no idea how long he had been there. He, again, heard the beeping. The sound registered in his mind as a comforting sound. He groaned. He wasn't as sore as when he had last tried to wake. There were no other sounds as he tried to analyze his surroundings without moving too much. He heard a door open and close. The chair was pulled closer as it scraped against the tile floor. Someone sat on the vinyl seat. Someone touched his hand. He heard a voice that he knew from somewhere. "Harry, it's been so long. You have to wake up now. You have so much to live for, please baby, come back to me. I miss talking with you. I miss having lunch with you and seeing you smile. Your dad is worried. Ron and Hermione are okay, you don't have to worry about them. Ginny will be okay too, I swear. Please honey, come back." He shifted his body, the hand holding his gripped a bit harder to let him know she was there. "Harry? I know you can hear me. It's time to wake now. It's been so very long since you sat up and smiled at me. I miss you."
He wanted to open his eyes; they only moved a fraction of an inch. He concentrated everything he could muster on squeezing the hand that still held his. "That's it, Harry. I knew I reared you to be stronger than this. Fight it sweetie. Ignore everything else and concentrate on the sound of my voice. Please wake up for me."
He concentrated on her words, her glorious words of encouragement which turned to one of a mother scolding her child, "Harry James Potter, I want you to wake up now!" He thought briefly of Mrs. Weasley when she was talking to her set of twins and they ignored her. He opened his eyes, all the way open. The room was a complete blur.
The woman dropped his hand and screamed. He heard the door open and close. Then he heard it open again, but more people entered. A man spoke, "Mr. Potter, are you going to wake up now? Or is this another attempt at simply making us all come see you in the middle of the night?" Harry felt his face break into a smile. He knew that voice. It was Sirius Black.
"Sirius?" Harry said, barely above a whisper.
"Harry? Oh Thank God! We've been so worried!" It was that woman again who sounded like she was crying. He couldn't focus on anyone until his glasses were put on his face. He felt someone's hand touch his cheek. "He's awake….yes… I know! Come down to the hospital quick! The doctor is with him now… yes! Hurry Jim! He's awake! Oh... Jim… bring the camera too." Harry heard a snap then a voice close to his hear, "Your dad is on his way baby. He'll be here in little bit. He says to tell you that he loves you."
That got his attention. He turned to look at the woman. "Dad?" His throat was raspy and his throat hurt. She nodded. "My dad is dead." He heard her gasp. "Who are you?" He saw her turn a ghostly white and heard her catch a sob.
"Harry, I know it's going to be hard to understand this, but there was an accident and you have been in a coma for a very long time. Your dad and I are very much alive, as are the other kids that were in the accident with you. You are the last to wake up."
Harry didn't understand what she meant. What accident? He had parents? He was quiet for a long time. He heard the door open and someone else come in. "How is he?" A male voice asked.
The woman who claimed to be his mom answered, "He thinks you and I are dead."
"I couldn't find the regular camera, so I brought the video camera. Here, I'll set it up and then we can explain it all to him." Harry heard someone fumble with something; the sounds merged into the still constant electronic beeping. "Harry? Wake up and look at me, its dad." Harry opened his eyes toward the sound. "That's it! Wake up, come on now, we have so much to do! I need your help at home and you are here lying around in a hospital bed." His voice carried the hint of a smile, as did his face. Harry stared into his own face; only the man had dark brown eyes to Harry's green ones.
"Dad?"
"Yes Harry! Your mom always said you would come back… God, how I've missed you…" Harry felt himself being raised into a hug by the man. "I had almost given up. It's been so long since I have heard you say my name." Harry felt the man's tears running down his shoulder. Harry did not have the energy to hug him back. Then the man released him.
They looked at one another for a long time. Harry trying to understand what had happened. Did he die during the last battle? Was this someone's idea of a joke? Was he in Heaven? He looked at the woman who was now sitting on the other side of the bed, holding his hand. She too was crying. "Where am I?" he finally asked them.
It was the man that answered, "You had an accident just after graduation. That was almost a year ago. You are in the hospital, a long-term care facility, in Dallas, Texas."
"Why am I not in London? Why not St. Mungo's?"
"Saint what?"
"St. Mungo's Hospital, in London England."
"England?"
"Yes, England, you know Great Britain? Where is Dallas...Texas?"
"In the United States. We live in London, Texas, not London, England."
"No, no, no, I was reared by my Aunt and Uncle in Little Whinging Surrey, ENGLAND!"
"What Aunt and Uncle, dear?" She asked.
"My mum's sister, Petunia and her husband Vernon. They have a son, Dudley."
"Petunia and Vernon have a son nicknamed Dudley. His real name is Miles. But you were not reared by them; you just stayed there while we were at school. You have lived with us since you were born, Harry. We are your parents. And you have always lived in Texas, son."
"No I haven't. Don't say that!" He pulled away from them and leaned against the pillows. "Where's my wand?"
"Wand?"
"Yes, my magic wand. Where is it?"
"Broken in the accident?" She suggested, her tone was her best attempts to placate him until he was better.
"Oh, I'll have to go to Diagon Alley and get a new one then. Never safe to be without a wand."
"Okay dear."
"What about Ron Weasley?"
"Ron grew up next door to us. He's your best friend, other than Hermione."
"Where are they?"
"At home I expect. I didn't wake anyone else. I'll let them know in the morning."
"What about Ginny?"
"She was in the accident too. She woke up a bit ago though. She's been moved to a Rehabilitation Hospital near London."
Harry put his hands in his face. He was so confused. Nothing made sense anymore. He felt a hand gently pull his arms down. He looked up into the faces of the two people that he loved but did not know. "What's wrong love?" She asked.
"It's all jumbled."
"Tell us what you can remember."
"My parents were killed on Halloween night when I was just over a year old." He saw them exchange looks. "They were murdered by Lord Voldemort, but he couldn't kill me. That's how I got this scar." He lifted his long hair up to show his forehead.
"That scar came from when you were eight years old and tried to jump a ramp with your skateboard; Ron has a similar one if I remember correctly."
Harry ignored the man. "Anyway, Hagrid picked me up after the murders and took me to Professor Dumbledore. He then gave me to my aunt and uncle. They made me live in the cupboard under the stairs." He shuddered. The adults exchanged looks.
Her hand was touching him again. "Dear, we are very much alive. I don't know a Voldemort, but Mr. Hagrid is the custodian at your school. Mr. Dumbledore was your High School Principal, until the end of your Junior year." Harry looked at her, the shock clear on his face. "Go on, though; tell us the rest of it." She urged; resisting the desire to scream at the thought that her son didn't know her.
Taking a steadying breath he told them about living with the Dursleys, growing up with Dudley. How Hagrid had come and taken him away from that life, to live at Hogwarts. He told them about learning Magic, assuming they would be proud of him. He talked about Voldemort and Tom Riddle, Wormtail, Lupin, Pettigrew, Sirius, the Weasleys, and Quiddich. He talked until the sun was coming up and the light filtered in the windows. The two people watched him. He could see their concern. He told them about the Death Eaters, Draco Malfoy, Professor Snape, and the death of Dumbledore. He spoke of the Horcruxes, the quest to find and destroy them. He told of the eventual death of Voldemort. It was then that his story ended.
The adults had watched and listened for hours his voice stronger than when he had first woke. Stopping only when he needed a drink, or when the CD needed to be changed from the video recorder. Lily was very glad that Jim had brought it with him instead of the regular camera. When Harry finally finished talking, they suggested that he rest. They promised not to be too far from him and they would talk later. They watched as he snuggled down and fell into a deep sleep.
When the door closed, the parents hugged one another for a long time. "He really believes what he told us." Jim Potter said.
"He seems to, yes." She answered, "But it's so hard to understand. I mean, Petunia and Vernon love Harry. He thinks he grew up in the cupboard under their stairs. Vernon practically tore the door off the hinges when Dudley and Harry got stuck in it when they were three years old. I don't think it is even back on now. Vernon was always afraid that they would get stuck again." Jim agreed.
"I know, Lily. And Hagrid, isn't he the custodian? Mr. Dumbledore was the principal, poor man, falling off the roof like that at the end of Harry's eleventh grade year. Mr. Snape was his Chemistry teacher. I had no idea he hated that man that much." She nodded.
"Professor McGonagall, well, that has to be Mrs. McGonagall, the harsh teacher from Jr. High. No one liked her, remember?" He nodded. "At least he remembered that Ron and Hermione were his best friends."
There was silence between them for a long time as they sat in the waiting room. "Do you think he will ever understand that he had a car accident after graduation? He's been in a coma a long time. I mean, is it possible that he will never be our Harry again?"
She thought for a bit. "It doesn't matter if he is or not. Our Harry was a great kid, but so is this one. We just have to get to know him as he is. I'm more worried about what the psychiatrist will say about his ramblings."
"But you have to admit, the story he just told us would make a great children's story. You've always wanted to write a book. Maybe you and he can collaborate on it. Maybe it will help him get it out of his system."
They were met the next morning by Ginny Longbottom, Harry's long time girlfriend, her brother Neville, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Ginny was still in a wheelchair. Ron and Hermione held hands as they followed her to the waiting room to meet with the Potters. The younger group was scared by the facts that Harry had related to his parents, but determined to be strong for their friend.
They talked for a long time that day. Harry learned that Draco Malfoy was a French Exchange Student his senior year in high school, and the two boys did not get along at all. Crabbe and Goyle were linemen on the football team; as were Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan, Oliver Wood, and Teddy Knott. Pansy Parkinson was a cheerleader.
Sirius Black was his dad's oldest friend, but quite alive and married to Dora Tonks, who was definitely not his cousin. Arabella Figg did live down the street and loved cats. Her favorites being Mrs. Norris and Filch. Peter Pettigrew was a nasty little boy that lived across the back alley from Jim Potter when he was growing up. Fred and George were two of Harry's closest childhood friends, but they moved away when Harry was in the tenth grade. Mrs. Umbridge was his elementary school principal, and no, he did not like her. His high school mascot was a Hogwart.
Remis Lupin was Harry's psychiatrist. Madame Pomfrey was actually Nurse Pomfrey who had cared for the boy constantly since his accident.
Jim Potter was an attorney and Lily Potter designed her own line of Charm Bracelets. They met while they attended college at Texas A&M.
It took time, but eventually, he accepted that he was not a wizard and he was a simple human being. He had no memory of the life he led before that 18-wheeler hit his car that night and almost killed all four of them.
Seven months after he woke from his year long coma, Harry James Potter was released to go home: #4 Grimmauld Place, London, Texas. He lived between the Grangers and the Weasleys. The Longbottoms lived across the street. Ginny now walked with only a small limp.
When he was able, Ron and Neville took him to see the saw the car he was driving after graduation. When he got home, the friends showed him the newspaper clippings of the accident, giving him the rest of the information. The pictures clearly showed the lettering on the side of the truck that hit him: VOLDEMORT TRUCKING. The truck was a light green. The newspaper listed the driver as Tom Riddle. He died from injuries he sustained in the accident shortly before Harry woke.
It was almost a year after that when he and his mother wrote the first in a series of books, under the pen name, J.K. Rowling.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone