Disclaimer

I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to the author; J. K. Rowling. Only my imagination is my own :)

Beta Reader

Thanks to my brilliant beta reader and her patience with editing this chapter. Your help is always much appreciated, A Fire in the Attic!

A/N

The next chapter is finally published :) I hope you enjoy! ... and sorry for the lateness!

CHAPTER TWO – UNLIKELY REUNION

The silence was deafening. Only the sound of rustling leaves, happily chirping birds and a nearby stream, disturbed the otherwise noiseless spring morning.

Harry could see veiled pain and the confused shaking of his godfather's head. The other man looked pale, even worse so than before the full moon.

Harry stood unmoving, at a loss of what to do. He knew nothing of this world, as he was quite sure it was not his own.

"That's impossible," the werewolf started agitatedly. "Simply not possible."

Harry met his eyes, the raw agony causing him to take a step back. Something was wrong. Terribly and undeniably amiss. He took a deep breath, calming himself by putting his mental walls up. For the first time since he awoke, he went through everything that had happened logically, hoping to find an answer to his current predicament. After a couple of minutes, which felt more like hours, he finally realized: There's only one explanation, but I've never believed they truly existed.

"Alternate dimensions…" he whispered quietly.

Harry shook his head determinedly, waking himself from his stupor. How he came to be in this world would have to be dealt with later, once he got his bearings. He raised his head slowly but surely, meeting expressions he was sure were mirrored in his own facial features.

They were looking at him in denial, veiled pain, and hope. He could see the all too familiar ghosts of a difficult past flicker across their faces, reliving agonizing memories.

What happened to the Potters of this world? Harry wondered silently. What happened to me?

After what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was a mere five minutes, he got to his feet again.

Suddenly aware the raven-haired boy had moved, his godfather and the werewolf straightened up, watching him warily.

Harry closed the distance, putting his hand on the black-haired man's shoulder, his emerald eyes meeting grey ones.

"Sirius, I believe we should get moving." Clear green eyes shifted to the werewolf. "It wasn't a coincidence you found me, was it?"

Sirius Black watched the eerily familiar face with new bewilderment. The young man in front of them could have been a carbon copy of his best friend. JAMES! The name screamed silently in his mind, the pain again lividly alive. Sparkling emerald eyes caught his, and then he knew without a shadow of doubt. Lily's eyes, his baffled mind thought in wonder.

This young man was his long lost godson.

New joy spread like wildfire in his chest. Harry! Oh, James, your son! Sirius's gaze returned to Remus, who looked battered by the years. He saw the same excited elation in the werewolf's shining eyes.

This is Harry, James's and Lil…

Their synchronized chains of thoughts stopped dead.

Sirius saw the same realization dawn on Remus's face.

LILY'S SON.

Everything changed on one Halloween night several years ago. Lily Potter, née Evans, walked through the charming town of Godric's Hollow, amazed by the illuminating lights and sparkling snow falling slowly to the ground. The depressing thoughts of meeting her sister were long forgotten. The chill of the autumn wind suddenly brought with it a new smell. Smoke. She raised her head; red hair dancing in curls down her shoulders, her eyes following the direction of the smell.

A glowing light, laced with dark smoke, filled the air. Lily's heart stopped momentarily, her breathing erratic. A chill, which had nothing to do with the coming winter, marred her bones. It froze her in place. A second later she ran towards the red light, faster than she had ever run. Dread filled her, threatening to overwhelm her completely.

Her feet came to a stop before her new home. Flames licked the windows on the second floor. Without thinking, considering what she was doing, or listening to the voices calling to her, she rushed into the burning house. Lily called out for her husband, while searching frantically for him and their son. The smoke caught in her throat, making her cough and making her eyes swim with tears. But most of her tears had nothing to do with the suffocating smoke.

The door to their bedroom opened abruptly. On the floor laid a handsome young man with messy raven hair, his glasses askew.

Her feet found their way to her loved one. Shocked in terror, she fell to her knees beside him and placed a shaking hand on his chest. No heartbeat. Her teary eyes found James's glazed ones, once so full of life and mischief, now forever still.

Her heart broke.

She sat beside her best friend, the man who would forever hold a piece of her heart. He was gone. Her mind, though clouded with grief, suddenly made place for a new fear. A fear which overshadowed everything.

Harry!

Lily got to her feet in a split second, rushing to the crib.

He was gone.

The young man's words slithered through Sirius's consciousness. Right, we're here for a reason. He gathered himself, following the expressions and movements of his godson with amazement. Merlin, he's just like James! Shaking his head, he locked eyes with Harry.

"You're right; we should get going. The Order will want to meet you!"

Sirius found himself unable to avert his eyes from the raven-haired boy in front of him. He never thought he would see him again. Not after that fateful Halloween night sixteen years ago. Moving towards him, he was flummoxed as he realized - Harry had called him Sirius. How was that even possible? He had not seen Harry since he was a one year old baby, not able to remember anyone. Yet, Harry did.

"Is something wrong?" the young man inquired.

"No," he said, deciding to prod his realization later.

"Take my arm."

Harry did, knowing all too well what was coming. He hated Side-along Apparation, nearly always stumbling to catch himself from falling upon arrival. The sight of the place he awoke, a peaceful meadow and surrounding forest, became a blur of crashing colors. He caught the werewolf's eyes before disappearing, tired and sad, as they often had been. Yet somehow he knew he would follow right behind them.

The three men reappeared in an empty hallway, which was quite dark, but still remarkably familiar to Harry. Grimmauld Place.

So, it's the Order's Headquarters in this world too, he noted. Without thinking, he started for the dining room, and the two Marauders followed closely behind him. If they felt any surprise by Harry's familiarity with the place, he didn't notice it.

When his hand touched the doorknob, he stopped, standing completely rigid and unmoving. A cold chill lingered on his back, refusing to leave. It had been utterly mind-boggling and painful, and still was, to meet Sirius and Remus again. In his world they were dead, like so many others he had loved. A recent scar resurfaced, threatening to freeze him solid. The war was over, but the losses weren't.

Will they ever be?

A treasonous tear made its way down his chin. Quite suddenly he felt embarrassed. Crying his eyes out was not an option in front of the Order. If he wanted to not make a complete fool of himself, he'd have to get a grip. He was not a child anymore, never had been really, and did not want to be treated as one.

With the courage only a Gryffindor possessed, he opened the door determinedly.

A dozen faces turned to look at the newcomer.

He knew most of them; some weren't alive in his world. Some he'd never met. His feet felt like lead, resisting his steps forward. Emerald eyes scanned the room and stopped dead when they found the same ones in a beautiful red-haired woman.

Lily, his frazzled mind supplied. Merlin, mum!

A/N

Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a review; they are always appreciated!

The next chapter is written, but awaiting editing; it should be published during the coming Month :) I'll do my best to publish it on schedule!

For those of you who read my TMI-fanfic Lucy, the next chapter will be published as soon as it has been edited. Sorry it has been a while since the last update!

- Elysia