Title: A Different Path

Chapter: Past, Present, Future

Summary: After defeating Voldemort, Harry was transported to another dimension where everybody is alive and in a war with, yet again, the Dark Lord. Only this time, Harry may not be the boy-who-lived. His twin brother holds that title. Harry/Draco, Ron/Luna, James/Lily, Remus/Sirius, past Hermione/Ron, Draco/Ginny. And maybe more minor couples.

Rating: M

Author Notes: I am not claiming any originality here; I know that this plot has been used many times. Let's all thank the one who where before me.

Also: In this chapter, there will be a switch between first person point of view and third person. This WILL NOT happen in every chapter!

Harry was bored.

While sitting in his chair he lifted his legs on his desk and crossed his arms behind his back. Work was not as fun as it used to be when he and Ron skimmed over auror training and was sent right into the action. In the beginning, there were still Death Eaters trying to take revenge and willing to fight. Now a year and a half later, most were either out of the country or dead. There was other violence, but after the life Harry lived, nothing could quite compare.

Harry's heart jumped when an owl swooped in and landed on his desk holding a purple envelope. Purple normally meant that there was an important case that needed expertise handling. Harry fed the owl and nearly ripped open the envelope in his excitement.

Harry sighed in annoyance. Somebody was actually smart enough to break into Gringotts Wizarding Bank and steal from the goblins. Harry whistled for another owl to send the letter to Robert. He loved cases dealing with money. Harry had a feeling that Robert was stealing the money for himself, but he was too bored to care.

He needed something to do because when Harry got bored, bad things tended to happen. The last time, was when Harry decided to explore the Ministry. He somehow ended up alone in a hallway with an Unspeakable. He wasn't sure how it happened, but he left with his hair and clothes singed and coughing up acid. Even though Hermione was worried and wanted to find out what happened, Harry wasn't quite so willing.

Harry laid back further in his chair and sighed; maybe if he just stayed in his office and took a nap.

"Harry!"

Harry mentally nodded to himself, like that was gonna happen. "Hey Ron, what's up?" Harry stood to greet his friend.

Ron emerged from the fire and wiped the ashes off his clothes and pants.

"Nothing, just getting off work, and about to head home. Mum cooked dinner." Ron grinned. Surprisingly Harry and Ron did not end up partners like everybody thought. Ron was with a woman named Samantha. Samantha was great Auror, the two of them worked well together. So well in fact, that Harry once heard Hermione and Ron in an argument about her. Harry mentally laughed. Like Ron could ever even look at another woman, he always had, and always will be in love Hermione.

Harry didn't have a partner, and that was fine with him. He didn't have a hero complex as he did in the past. The problem was his past partners thinking Harry could do anything and everything on his own, therefore not really helping catch their assailant, or even worse watching Harry's back, because 'whatever spell does happen to get near him, would just bounce off his back, because he was just that powerful'. Harry grimaced. He remembered a time when a tripping jinx, thankfully that was all it was, hit him and the suspect got away. His partner looked at him with a dumbfounded face and said, "I thought you would fly above it or something. That's why I didn't warn you. What happened?" That was the day Harry told the Head Auror that he would rather not have a partner if the ones they assign him with won't help him because they were in awe.

"Harry, did you hear me? Mum is making dinner!" Ron waved his hand in his face. "You're invited; let's go before all the food gets gone."

"Oh no," Harry started franticly shaking his head. The last time he had dinner with the Weasley's Molly kept trying to get him and Ginny together. To say the least, it was awkward. "I can't mate; you remember what happened last time."

"Well this time Ginny is bringing Dean." Ron walked up to Harry and grabbed his arm. Harry grimaced. Part of him felt that she was only dating Dean to make him jealous like last time. Ever since the war, Harry could not look at Ginny the same or any female for that matter. Sure, he loved hanging out with her as a friend, but he lost that deep loving feeling in his stomach whenever he was around her.

"Harry I swear, if I miss out on…"Ron was throwing floo powder in the fireplace and disappeared in the flames. Harry chuckled, some things will never change.

At least the dinner will keep the boredom away and all the other things that goes along with it.

"Don't forget your food!" Harry could barely make it out the door and grab the floating food because he was laughing so hard. The door slammed behind him, but he could still hear the joyous laughter sounds coming from inside. The food was divine as always. Ron was right, with Dean by Ginny side, Ms. Weasley didn't interfere. Harry was beginning to suspect that she only wanted grandchildren and didn't care which fellow gave it to her. As long as he was married to Ginny first, of course! Ginny on the other hand, kept giving Harry the look.

Harry, still chuckling, started walking to the apparition point. Dinner itself was a rambunctious affair. Everybody was having conversations with anybody. People reaching over limbs to grab the last piece of biscuit, or maybe that was just Ron? The only person who wasn't there was George. Since the war ended a year and a half ago, Harry maybe only saw him three times. He barely came to family functions. He stayed in the joke shop and nobody knew what he did. When Harry arrived at the apparition point, while trying to get a hold of his food, he apparated. His mark was just off; he landed a few blocks from his house.

Harry sighed, the night was cool and clear, the perfect night for a stroll with a loved one.

"Stop it. Don't ruin a good night." Harry murmured to himself. He continued his stroll when he suddenly felt a pulling tug in his stomach. Harry rubbed his stomach in bewilderment. He was about to shrug it off and blame it on the food when the tug came again, only harder this time. Harry dropped his food and doubled over in pain. He looked around the street, trying to spot his attacker. Soon Harry was on his hands and knees, keening in pain. The last thought he had before the blackout was that,

"I guess the consequences of my boredom from early came after all."

Harry woke and found himself floating above the great hall in Hogwarts. He looked down at his body and it was transparent.

"No way, no way did I die! This can't be death? Where is the train station?" Harry looked down and saw children sitting at four long tables and a line of smaller children in the middle. He frowned, it looked like the first night of the school year, but that can't be happening. Suddenly his body started floating lowing to the ground.

"Hello! Can anybody see me?" Harry yelled but nobody turned to look at him. Children were talking amongst each other. Harry looked up at the head table and saw Dumbledore and Snape.

"Oh, I must be dead." Harry sighed. "Dumbledore? Professor Snape?" Neither looked towards Harry when he called out to them.

Harry's body landed on the ground and he got a look at the children's face. He had to do a double take because he knew all of them. Some were dead like Colin Creevey and Vincent Crabbe but others were alive today like Pansy Parkinson and Seamus Finnigan.

The tug in Harry belly started pulling him to a small boy. When Harry got a good look into his face, he was shocked to be staring at himself! He was slightly different because he wasn't wearing glasses and he didn't have a scar.

"Harry Potter!" Harry turned and looked at the hat the same time the other younger Harry did. The tugging sensation in Harry's stomach became so unbearable until he was forced to float closer and closer to the other Harry until he was in his mind…

"Are you sure this is going to work."

"It has to."

Slytherin!

Looking back, I probably should have seen it coming.

But I'm just a wee bit shock. Can you blame a bloke? I mean seriously, a Potter in Slytherin. How in Merlin's name did this happen?

I slowly rise from the stool and grip the old dirty hat in my hand.

'Hey! Be gentle' the hat says in my mind. I could give a rat's ass if I was gentle with it at this point. If I could get away with it, I would crush it under my shoe. But seeing as I have so many eyes in front of me, including Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore I don't believe that's a great idea. The Great Hall is silent as I place the hat down and slowly walk to the Slytherin table. Unfortunately I have to sit next to Malfoy. He stares at me with wide eyes and his mouth is slightly open. Guess the rich snob didn't learn any manners. I'm afraid to look at my twin brother. I can picture Terry's face right now. His brown eyes would show nothing by betrayal and sadness. I couldn't blame him either. We were suppose to be in Gryffindor together! He, I and Ron were suppose to be the pranksters were like our dad, Sirius, and Remus. I took a glace over at Ron and wasn't surprised to see a frown on his face. He probably already considers me to be a dark lord or something. Ron can be dense like that sometimes.

"Terry Potter!"

The Great Hall forgot about me and turned their attention to the Boy-Who-Lived. I smile as I watch my brother lift his head, square his shoulders, and promptly trips over his feet trying to walk to the stool. He can be clumsy when he's nervous. The hat was barely on his head before he yelled,

"Gryffindor!"

The great hall erupts with applause. I am the only Slytherin standing to applaud for my brother. Again I don't give a rats ass about that either. Terry snatches the hat off his head and runs for Gryffindor's table but before he gets there, he turns and looks at me. It seems like our stare last an eternity but we communicated something that only twins can. An understanding. Terry turns and sits at his table while all the Gryffindor's continue to cheer and pat him on the back.

I can't help the smile that's on my face. I should have never doubted my brother. He will always have my back and I his. Since the day we was one years old, Terry has had my back. When he protected me from Voldemort and bounced the Avada Kedavra back. Well at least me and Terry joke that he protected me. Nobody really knows what happened that night. The only evidence was that Terry got a scar going vertical starting just above his eyebrow and stops right below his right eye. Because I didn't get any type of scarring Terry jokes that he took the brunt of it to take care of his little brother.

"Weasley!"

I snapped out of my daydream at the call of my friend's name. I'm sure he will definitely go to,

"Gryffindor!"

Again I am the only one at the Slytherin table to rise and applaud. Only this time somebody yanks on my robe and pulled me down.

"Listen here, you snot nose little brat. You stand up one more time for somebody in Gryffindor house and I'll make sure you never be able to stand again." Stated the large hairy pimpled face boy. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yep" I squeaked. I am by no means a punk. The ugly pimpled face boy was just lucky I didn't have any more friends in line. Or maybe I was lucky Weasley was the last person in line. It all depends on the way you look at it.

Malfoy snickered behind his hand and I glared at him. Malfoy only snickered some more. Maybe I could write a letter to dad and he could get me out of Slytherin.

Malfoy was forgotten when Dumbledore stood to make his speech. Dumbledore was like a grandfather to us.

Suddenly the food appeared…

"And what if it doesn't work?" the woman whispered.

"Then we are doomed." The older man replied.

Harry gasped as he was yanked out of the other Harry's mind. He was shocked at what he was seeing, hearing, and feeling. Surely there was no way something like that could happen. Harry scratched his head and looked down to notice his body was still transparent but only this time he wasn't in the great hall but in Dumbledore's office alone.

He floated around to see if there was anything different about Dumbledore's office, but everything was the same. As he got closer to the desk, the door to the office opened and in walked Dumbledore himself with a much older other Harry. Harry floated out of the way as Dumbledore walked and set behind his desk. The other Harry glared and crossed his arm.

"Hello?" Harry whispered. The two other people in the room still couldn't see him. Harry sighed in frustration and anger. He only slightly fought the tug as it brought him into the mind of the lookalike Harry…

I trusted this man. He was like a grandfather to me. I trusted him.

"Harry please take a sit." Dumbledore gestured to the chair in front of his desk.

"No." I held firm and instead continued to stand. I looked into Dumbledore's eyes and only saw sadness. That angered me more.

"Please." Dumbledore rubbed his eyes and he suddenly looked older. "I hate this as much as you do, my boy."

"Then how could you ask that of me! I wouldn't stand a chance, let alone actually succeed." I barely contain my yell. My throat is hoarse and I can feel my eyes begin to water but I refuse to cry in front of him.

"The order needs your help," Dumbledore begins, but I cut him off.

"And I want to help. But that? I can't be a spy! Nobody would believe me. I would die on my first night by either Voldemort or one of his followers. You are sending me to be death!" I couldn't contain myself. I yelled at Dumbledore. I actually yelled at him.

"It's a hard decision but with carefully laid plans you could succeed." I shake my head at his nonsense and turn towards the door. "Harry I need you, Terry needs you." I stop and slowly turn around.

"How could you bring him into this?" I whisper. I practical ran to his table and slam my fist down. "Stop trying to manipulate me!"

Dumbledore didn't even flinch, "I'm sorry, but you have to understand. You are 17 now Harry, an adult. The order needs another spy. Professor Snape cover may be comprised. In order to win this war, we must have somebody on the inside. You want to help, help with that." I took a step back at the strength in his face and the power from his voice. Dumbledore is the leader of our side. He would not lead me astray on purpose. I can't believe I am actually considering this.

"But why can't I tell my family, if not the Order? I don't want them thinking I am a traitor like Wormtail." I slump down in the chair and bow my head.

"Their emotions has to be real. It will be difficult for people to believe that the brother of the boy who lived would betray his family."

"What else would I have to do?" My whole body is trembling. I don't know if it's from fear, anxious, anger, or raw power.

"Not much. Some pieces of the puzzle are already in play. You are a Slytherin and best friends with Draco Malfoy. That is a start. With some rumors, people will think you are jealous of Terry and joined sides with Voldemort." I hate to admit it, but this is true. I never really had many friends during my seven years at Hogwarts. Either classmates in Slytherin didn't trust me because of my last name or classmates in the other houses didn't trust me because I was a Slytherin. Me and Terry got along great, but the feelings weren't mutual between Draco, Terry, and Ron. Ron didn't help matters; he could be a git sometimes. I was always trying to break up a fight between them and was always stuck in the middle.

I promised Terry though, that I would always be by his side, whether he knew it or not. I couldn't stop the single tear from sliding down my face. As I finally looked up to the man I considered my grandfather.

"Fine."

"Then it has to work." Lily sprinkled more salt onto an outline of a star.

"Indeed." Dumbledore replied.

When Harry regained conscious, he was outside in the woods. He hated to admit it, but he felt renewed anger towards Dumbledore again. Never speak ill of the dead be damned. Dumbledore was a manipulative old man, even in this dream world…or wherever he was.

Harry noticed that his body was more solid than normal but he could still float. He looked around the woods, waiting for his lookalike to appear. He assumed he was going through the other Harry's memories. After nothing appear, Harry started looking around the forest. He didn't know where he was going but he knew it was in the right direction. Harry floated until he was in a clearing and saw two people. One person was lying on their back and the other was crouched over him.

"Hey!" Harry yelled but again neither body noticed him. Even in his more solid form he was invisible. Harry floated closer and noticed that the two were speaking to each other. Harry was shocked to see the person lying on their back was the other Harry and he was beat up pretty bad. His head was bruised black and blue and his shirt was bloody. The other person crouched over him was putting pressure on the lookalike chest where the blood was coming from. Harry looked at the other person and knew it had to be Terry, the boy who lived. He also looked like Harry, but he had a scar going down his right brown eye. As he got closer, he willing let his body get pulled….

"I'm so sorry." I wish he would stop repeating that.

"Stop saying that. You didn't do anything." I try to keep my voice even; I don't want to worry him.

"I didn't believe in you. I should have never believed those lies!" Terry chocked back a sob and continued putting pressure on a wound that was killing me slowly. We don't know what the spell was or who fired it. It could have been a Death Eater that either accidently hit me or did it on purpose because of hatred. Or Merlin forbid it was a member of the order.

"Dumbledore can be pretty convincing, trust me I know!" I try to make light of the situation, but Terry didn't laugh.

"Why couldn't you tell me, why would he-" Terry glared at me and roughly wiped his nose with his free sleeve. "I thought you were a traitor." Well yea, that was rather the point. For a whole year I was a spy, and a damn good one if I do say so myself. But Terry wouldn't want to hear that.

"It had to be done. To win this war we had-."

"But we hadn't won!" Terry yelled. "I missed you. I needed you by my side, with me." Tears were freely running down his face. I can't stand to see my brother cry, never could, never will.

"You need to leave, before someone comes." I whisper. I don't want him to see me die.

"No. I can give a rat's ass. I won't leave you. Never again." Terry presses down harder on my wound. I don't have the heart to tell him it won't work.

"Hey, that's my line." I smile at him. "Please-" I cough and tried to keep the blood down. "I'm just glad that you believe me."

"Of course I do. I don't need no stupid pensieve for that." Terry actually cracked a smiled. I attempted to smile back.

"I know you don't, but others might-"I cough again only this time I can't stop the blood from coming out of my mouth. Terry tries to wipe the blood from my chin, but as soon as he lets go of my wound blood seeps out of it. He looked confused on what to do. "I need for mum and dad to believe me Terry. I need for them to believe me. Do you hear me?" I demand attention and Terry only nods at me. "Show them the pensieve. Show it to everybody. I don't want to die and leave a legacy of lies and betrayal." I chock back a sob but I can feel my lower lip quivering. "You will win this war Terry. By any means necessary. Even if that git Ron has to be by your side. I did what I had to do; now it's your turn."

Terry clinched his eyes closed and turns away from me but continues to nod.

"Let the world know, that I am the boy who died so that you can be the boy who lived." Terry's whole body was shaking and sobbing. My body was doing the same. "Nobody could break us apart. Not Ron, not Draco, and I'd be damned if be Dumbledore."

Terry swiftly turns and lays his whole body on top of mines. We are both shaking and crying but I can hear him whispering, "Yes, yes, yes."

"Do you think it worked?" Lily backed away from the star and looked at Dumbledore.

"We must give it time." Dumbledore replied.

"How much time?" Lily paced around the circle and ever so often glanced at it.

"Patience my dear." Dumbledore grabbed Lily's shoulders and whisper, "you made the outline of the star perfect. It will work."

"It has too. The order is waiting. What should I tell them?" Lily looked up at Dumbledore with trustful eyes. Dumbledore smiled. Lily was one of his most trusted allies. Even after the death of Harry and the memories from the pensieve resurfaced, she never doubted him.

"Bring all of them in here." Lily walked out of the room. While in his time alone, Dumbledore thought about their new plan. Whatever happened tonight would change the rest of their lives. The door reopened and people started filing in the room all careful not to touch the star.

"Well?" Moody growled. Dumbledore turned his attention to him.

"I wanted you all to be here to witness the one who will help the boy who lived defeat Voldemort." Only some of the people shivered at his name.

"But nothin is happenin." Moody said.

"Please Moody give it time, this is ancient magic and it will not be rushed." All the familiar faces around him murmur and talked amongst each other. Dumbledore walked to James and asked, "How is Terry." James did not looked Dumbledore in the face. After Harry died and James saw the memories, the trust between the two diminished.

"He is fine. He is with Ron and the other boys." James did not looked at Dumbledore when he replied.

"Why did he not attend?"

"I don't know Dumbledore, maybe he did not want to be in your presence." James sneered.

"James now is not the time." Remus put his arm around James shoulders and walked him away from Dumbledore without a backwards glance. It's been about 6 months since Harry's death and still James would barely talk to him. Dumbledore didn't know what Remus was feeling. Some days Remus would talk to him but other days they were like strangers. Also, whatever James was feeling then so was Sirius. Dumbledore looked over to find Sirius glaring at him.

"Hey look!" Dumbledore was surprised and happy that Tonks could announce that without tripping and ruining the outlined star. Said star was glowing on all five sides and the grains of salt was slowly starting to rise in the air. It felt like everybody simultaneously took a step back. The books on the selves started shaking and some fell off. The table and chairs were rattling.

"Is this suppose to happen?" Molly yelled. She didn't need to yell, but the power in the room required it. Nobody answered her as they all watched to witness what they had done.

Suddenly a bright light filled the room and chanting could be heard. Dumbledore didn't know where it was coming from or why. The light became so bright that Dumbledore couldn't see anybody let alone his own hand if he put it in front of his face.

As soon as the bright light appeared, it disappeared. Dumbledore looked around to see if everybody was safe. The other people in the room was doing the same thing. Some people, like Moody, was patting their bodies to check to make sure all their limbs were there.

Dumbledore looked back at what used to be the outline of a star and found a body lying in its place.

"He's so young." Somebody whispered. "How could he help us?"

"Age is only number. As evidence shows with Terry overpowering Voldemort when he was just a baby." Dumbledore stated.

Just as Dumbledore was taking a step to the child, the boy groaned and lifted his head and his green eyes looked directly at Dumbledore's. Dumbledore took a step back in shock.

"Harry!" James yelled.

Note: This is not a bash Dumbledore story. In some chapter's somebody's gonna look bad because people make mistakes. This is probably just a bad chapter for him.

Sorry if it was confusing. Over time, things will be explained.

Hope you guys liked it. Also, as you can tell, I'm in need of a beta.

Thanks!