And found a real home in his new one...

The Doctor's Timestream took a hard, sudden, unexpected left turn when he discovered himself parenting a young teen lost from his proper place in Space and Time. It didn't help that each of them was fictional in the other's universe...or that of the pair of them, the thirteen year old boy was the mature one...and he wanted the Doctor to fix that.


A Harry Potter/Doctor Who Crossover

~'.'~

Don't Wake Me Up

Sleepwalking


He took the ordinary packets of flower and vegetable seeds he found on the desk in his room into the garden, placed his godson in a large, TARDIS provided play area already in there and let the dog off her lead after putting Thelma in there with Teddy. He found gardening tools on a shelf and in a little shed near the other exit, to the corridor, he was sure, he found a barrow. He thanked his new friend and busied himself with planting nice things while the ship sang to Teddy, talked to him and kept him entertained.

He was intent on what he was doing and although listening to the ship play with his godson, he still took the time to ask her opinion on where to plant various of the seeds she'd provided. She didn't tell him that the Doctors had thought they were a bit boring from the pictures on the packets and so had never planted this sort. He used several of the decorative grasses, most of which were feathery topped clump types, but the feathery tops were in lots of colors, in many shades within each and displayed in several ways...and some of them, unknown to muggle gardeners, were magical in nature. He gave the seeds of those a 'charge' with his wand before he planted them, ensuring they'd grow properly and display like they ought. He knew he was being watched and not just by the ship, though the eyes no longer felt like Six. There was a gentleness in the feeling of the Doctor's eyes on his back that Sixth had not had.

Finally, he leaned back on his heels and dusted off his hands, looking back over his shoulder. "Oh man... not the idiot in the pinstripes."

"Well, you did tell Sixth me this me was what you'd consider 'a total moron', so when I started inquiring for a more suitable match, and tried to dismiss this me out of hand, I wanted to know why." Eleven eyed him. "The TARDIS agreed that I'm not as bad as all that and paired us."

"Yeah I bet. I'm decent back up at any rate. And better at common sense." Harry sighed. "No matter where you are in this time-stream, you need me most, I suppose. Well, Lady Idris knows best. And at least you don't have that 'pimp-daddy' thing going on."

"Pimp daddy?" There was a revolted expression on the Doctor's face.

"Puce velvet?"

"Oh. That."

"Yeah."

"Pimp daddy?"

"Or maybe just 'pimp'."

"That's not a good impression to give to people, I suppose. You certainly have 'vague' down to a fine art. Who is Lady Idris?"

"Well, I can't tell you how I found out cuz that's an event that happened on next you's watch, so I think I'll let her tell you that." Harry grinned at the startled expression on the Doctor's face and the way his eyes shot up to look at the ceiling.

"OH!"

"Yeah." Harry chuckled. "I call her by name and use the title out of respect. By the way, has anyone mentioned that when something or someone startles this you or after you've run your fingers through your hair, you look like a half-grown, moulting chicken, with a good dash of emu, from the shoulders up?"

The Doctor glared at Harry. "No, nobody's mentioned that. "

"Consider it said."

"Let's not and just say we did?"


Harry laughed at him. "I was really hoping for Eight. Plenty of good common sense and not inclined to wear his outfit so tight that it might be the cause of your thinking failures."

"How's that?"

"Cuts off the oxygen supply to that mostly idle big brain of your's, this go." Harry paused and got to his feet, knocking dirt from his jeans. "Seriously, you're like a Time Lord version of Ron Weasley."

"Oh, come on now!"

"With a good helping of Colin Creevy on the side."

"Oi!"

"And a more than generous portion of Lockhart to boot."

"I am not!"

"Fortunately, there's a cure for that. Just start using your brain instead of ignoring the fact that you've got one." Harry just shrugged. "I've got Teddy to consider. Can't afford you to be behaving like a moron."


The Doctor wanted to whine but he didn't. This lad had been through far too much for a boy his age and had clearly lost patience with some things...he ran an internal check of his synapses and sighed. Okay, maybe Harry had a point.

"Well, I've raised human children before. I guess I can do it again."

Harry stared at him. "More like the other way round, with this you. Last or next you I'd believe it, and the reset would be a good one, but...I don't think you've got the skillset for it this go."

Now he whined.

"Yeah. Thought so."

"I need tea."

"Yeah. A few liquid metric tonnes of it." He taunted, wondering how far he'd have to go before the Doctor's ego switched over and his self-respect re-engaged. He also asked the ship that question, got laughter and watched the expression on his host's face change.

"Oh. You think I've lost all of my self-respect and my ego is a cover?" He sighed, mentally swatting at his sniggering timeship. "Okay, I guess I can understand that."

"More than that, you need to show me that this you deserves my respect or this will never work. Just to be clear, you don't have it or my trust...so. That's where we stand."


"So, still dodging regeneration?" Harry asked him a few days later, watching in satisfaction as half a herd of badly endangered bopti vene drank the sweetish Regendering Potion left out for them and abruptly became the other gender. Their tenders noticed in shock, with cries of joy as the mostly female herd suddenly discovered they had mates...and it was the breeding season so most of them were in heat. Instincts in the new males took care of the rest. One male could breed up to fifty females, though, so there was going to be several caught and taken to other herds.

The Doctor huffed as he finished analyzing the potion Harry had used. "I like this Body." He told Harry. Then he glared at the results of his scan. "I can't duplicate this." He added, pouting.

"You don't have the final ingredient...magic...to add to it." He paused, then grinned at his new partner. "You like looking like a half grown, moulting, startled hen every time you run your fingers through your hair?" Harry asked, snickering as he spelled fertility charms onto the females. "Well, I guess it takes all sorts."

"Oi." The Doctor just sounded tired. "You want next me, don't you?"

"Yeah. If you'll recall, Six did try to skip this you." Harry nodded. "Have to admit that I'd prefer the next one, younger looking but much more mature. I'd also prefer you actually use your zero room this time instead of doing it in the console room and then trying to fly. Never really wanted to babysit an infantile Time Lord...that's you, in case you were wondering. There's a difference between helping and being a busybody. Hell, I am really tempted to find Six and ask him to try again...got along with the Coat better...leastways you knew what you were doing, back then. Mostly."

"Aargh!"

He took the Doctor's wrist...like he would if leading a toddler...the Doctor glared at Harry not having missed this...and apparated back to the TARDIS while the herders and the real 'assistants' were busy with the breedings. "Volunteering as a breeder's assistant to an endangered species that is compatible with the males of many species and has no males of their own...dumb, Doctor. Good thing for us I had an alternative that could be formulated to produce male breeders that would father male offspring once in five breedings."

"You didn't tell them that."

"Of course not, I'm not that great at potions, but getting males in a good number from the females in that herd should make them happy without us resorting to acts of bestiality to help them out."

"That wasn't in the plan, no."

"What plan? Gotta engage your brain to make a plan to start with and as far as I can tell, you still haven't done that, this body."

"Oi."

"Get in there...I need to retrieve Teddy and feed him."

The Eleventh sullenly opened the TARDIS door and watch Harry retreat into the bowels of the ship before sighing and heading for the zero room, finally giving in. He'd nearly gotten them into something rather obscene in nature and it was the nature of this form to continue to do more stupid things. Best to get it over with, he thought, closing the door behind him and engaging the seal. There was already clothes in there, not his either.

Harry put them in here shortly after arrival. He wants to be the first face next you sees... His timeship told him. The other option is a seven year old. This is why I wanted him here...not because this you is a good fit with Harry Potter...because you are not in this body, but because Next you would become an unhealthy obsession to a very, very little girl. This is not good. You had your chance at a good partnership and instead of cloning Rose and sending one there and keeping the other here you. did something completely...idiotic...so no, you don't get another chance like that. Not in this body, not after I stopped her aging so she could pace you through the years. I told other you though and I removed Donna from him, leaving only you...his body's genetics were already self-correcting. My coral will produce a capy of me, not a new TARDIS, except for extreme youth since the other you will be a First there. Rose be fine with him and with me instead of left holding a shattered bond and a shattered life.

I saw to that!

He winced at this and finally just nodded, pretending he didn't catch the 'Ungrateful little snot' comment from his irritated ship and allowed regeneration to take him off and remake him.


Twelve's manner was sober as he got changed, sighing as each item he put on fit like a glove, the choices were clearly his, just delivered by the boy. He finally stood tall and watched the seal release, then the door popped open and he strode forth. He was still rather tall and lanky, but not so rail thin has he had been. He had some actual muscle on him, this go.

He also understood and totally agreed with Harry's position, this body. The boy didn't want to have to be an adult to a man well over twelve hundred years old when he himself was only thirteen and already responsible for a real baby. That had been pretty much what last him had done...or tried to do. Six had been entirely correct to try to avoid last him. He looked in the kitchen and smiled a bit as he watched Teddy toss food at Harry and nail him with a bit of strained peas right in the center of his forehead.

"He's got a good aim."

"He does indeed. It's getting better all the time, too." Harry paused, looked over his shoulder and grinned, "Much better." He told him. "This you is good with kids and teens. I can trust you now."

"Good." The Doctor patted Harry on the shoulder, then babbled at Teddy, grinning as the baby answered. The Timelord dumped the peas and handed spinach with a dash of what he called 'baby spice' in it...TARDIS made, to him instead. "Try this. The TARDIS will supply babyfood that's customized for this particular baby."

"Works. Thanks, Lady Idris."

"Thought you said you found that out on this me's watch?"

"Did...on DVD, though."

"Oh, yeah, forgot about that bit. You know you can't stop things?"

"Yeah. Can deal with them when they hit though, right?'

"Yeah. Oh...auto-edit. Right."

"I ratted that critter out to Six, he told the Council...it's been dealt with by other Time Lords, in the right time and the right way...just not you."

"What?"

"TARDIS eating monster...apparently, they had a predator. As you can imagine...your old council didn't care for that notion."

"No, nor do I."

"So, he let me explain about the Banishing charm and the Hallows, then tell them what I knew about that particular problem...and about one other. They dealt with both on Sixth's watch. Not you, them. Also told them if they'd sent the Master to Skaro instead of you...and I think they might have redone that bit. Told them that unless they wanted you actually using the Moment during your Ninth's tenure, they might want to deal with that."

Twelve stared at him as new memories woke, overwriting what he thought he'd known. "Still stole it."

"Yeah. Still shunted them into another universe too...only, I might have mentioned Pete's world...and since Idris had the coords..."

"Colony...a nice, safe colony in a place with no Daleks. All the looms, a new Schism opened there on parallel Gallifrey, reapers under control and a first body alter-me in place."

"Yep." Best part, with you here, they can get back, just not you. But you should be able to talk to yourself and ask for a Rose clone."

"Yes. I could."

"If you don't, you're still an idiot."


He sighed, looked up at the ceiling and made a silent request...he still needed her, it seemed.

"One more chance, new body. Come on, Lady Idris. It's either her or River and I don't care for the Bet Midler wanna-be. She tricked him into it anyway. Or you could make him wait for Clara...she's another of the same sort. Plus that would keep his kids from being identical on both sides of the void, but I think I'd insist he go find her and fix the internet thing now instead of later. His now, I mean. Cuz he really does adore Clara."

"Potential mates are not items on a menu, Harry."

"For this you, they are."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Wow. And Clara is like but unlike Rose and isn't going to be comparing this me to other, prior bodies?"

Harry grinned, that was always a point with the Doctor. "No."

"But...I want Rose."

"Then?"

"I want Rose. I need Rose."

"It needs saying...out loud so you can hear the words resonate, out loud so she can tell what you're thinking...non-telepathic her, right? So you have to say it. Some things are not true until spoken. True things, once spoken, cannot be unsaid. Needs saying...badly needs saying."

"I love Rose." He immediately felt what Harry meant by some things resonate when spoken.

And the universe responded. Across the void a new-old thing listened to her new-old vortex as it spoke of new-old messages from a distant universe. She cloned Rose as she slept, sent her original body deep into the past, to the Cyberbattle, slipped her into a deep sleep so she wouldn't wake until it was time...and in her natal universe her old-new self brought Rose the long way through the varied dimensions of herself...into the Doctor's present.

And Rose began to wake...thinking it was the weirdest dream she'd ever had.


~tbc~