AN: So there was a decent enough response to the last chapter, enough to get me to write another chapter out to see how it goes. Hope you continue to enjoy and leave a review. I will admit I did go off on a bit of a ramble in my AN at the end, but that's what I tend to do from time to time.

Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

( - )

(Last Time)

"…" Harry paused as he heard that, his green eyes flickering around all the hopeful and nervous faces around him, his mind suddenly moving a mile a minute as he tried to make sense of everything that was happening. "I… I don't know. I don't know what's happening? Why am I in bed? Why are you all here? I… I…"

"It's okay Harry, just calm down and relax. For now you need to rest, then after that I will explain everything to you." Dumbledore replied calmly, his blue eyes twinkling as he smiled down at Harry, his smile far warmer than Harry had ever remembered it. After all Dumbledore he had known had been distant at best, only speaking to Harry when he wanted something. With Dumbledore unlike so many others having never quite fully trusted Harry, and he had certainly never held Harry in as positive a light as he seemed to right now.

"O-okay." Harry eventually replied, his voice coming out a bit thick as he looked around at all the eager faces around him. He had no idea what in hell was going on right now, but what he did know was that he was no longer in Azkaban, which was something at least.

( - )

Chapter 2

( - )

(In Number 12 Grimmauld Place, with Harry)

"So Harry. Ron and Hermione both tell me that you've been having some trouble with your memory." Dumbledore said gently as he sat in a chair by Harry's bedside, Sirius Black sitting in the chair next to him, whilst both Ron and Hermione were in chairs of their own on the other side of Harry's bed.

At present they were all in one of the bedrooms on the upper floor of Grimmauld Place. In one of the bedrooms that had been traditionally set aside for the immediate family of the 'Ancient and Noble House of Black'. Which during the time the last of the Black family had lived here, meant that there was a room for Mr and Mrs Black, Sirius and Sirius's younger brother, Regulus. With the rooms on the second and third floors of the house being for visitors.

The room Harry was currently in was the bedroom that had once belonged to Sirius's younger brother and known Death Eater, the late Regulus. Perhaps ironically it was also the room that Harry had taken over for himself when he had first moved into the house himself, not long after his seventeenth birthday. The master bedroom having been too big for Harry's taste, whilst Sirius's bedroom had been too small.

That being said, this was not the room Harry remembered, not only was it still decorated in Slytherin colour like it was before Harry had moved in. but it was also impossible for it to be the same room he remember, after all Grimmauld Place had been completely burned to the ground nearly six months ago by Ministry Aurors.

Who, after a several week siege following the second and final fall of Voldemort, had eventually brought the defensive wards and protections around the house down, and invaded it so as to take Harry into custody. Suffice to say he had not gone quietly, and more than a few Aurors had lost their lives, with the house itself and much of the surrounding neighbourhood, which by that point the Aurors had already evacuated, having burned down in the ensuing battle.

"Harry." Dumbledore's gentle voice sounded again, making Harry twitch slightly as he was forced out of his memories. His emerald eyes jerking away from his surroundings and instead to the three wizards and a witch that were surrounding. The others having all been sent out so as to not overwhelm him.

"Ermm, yes." Harry replied after a few minutes, his eyes flicking around as he saw the concerned faces all of those present were giving him.

This was especially unnerving as he knew for a fact that two of the people present were dead. Sirius, a pale, gaunt man with shoulder length blonde hair, had been kissed by Dementors at the end of Harry's third year after all and Dumbledore, the wizened, bearded old Headmaster of Hogwarts, had been murdered in Harry's seventh year. Killed by one of his Professors, the Potion's Master and double agent/ spy, Snape of all people.

As for the other two, well Harry knew that both Granger and Weasley were alive, or at least they were as far as he knew. After all, although they had both disappeared along with the vaunted Boy-Who-Lived only a few months after Dumbledore's death, they had returned whole and healthy roughly three years later, just in time to spark off the rebellion that would see Voldemort fall from power.

What they had done during that time Harry honestly didn't know, he knew Dumbledore had given them some kind of mission to carry out before he died, but the Headmaster had never deemed it necessary to share what it was with the rest of the Order. Or at least certainly not with Harry, who by that point had only just joined up officially, only a six months or so before Dumbledore met his end.

But what Harry did remember though, was seeing the pair of them during the Battle of Hogwarts. In fact he had crossed wands with both of them during that battle, duelling both of them at the same time for a part of the battle. Not that they had been able to finish their duel, as that last battle had been carnage and they had been swept off it he tide of battle the same as Harry.

That being said he had heard that they had both survived the last battle. He had seen their pictures in the Daily Prophet along with Longbottom after the final battle had concluded. The three of them all basking in adulation whilst he was holed up in Grimmauld Place trying to escape the purge that had quickly followed Voldemort's fall.

Still, despite him knowing that these two had were still alive. He also knew for sure that neither of them would be looking so worriedly at him, nor treating him with such genuine concern.

Even before he had turned traitor he had never been close to either of them. Their relationship had been amiable at best, little more than acquaintances and grudging allies in their early years at Hogwarts, after which it soured following the death of Sirius until they hadn't even been on speaking terms by the end of their school careers. Sure they occasionally worked together while fighting for the Order, but there never been any love lost between them.

But still this slight distaste they had each held one another in had very quickly changed after he had betrayed the Order and had killed, or enabled the deaths of so many of their friends, family and allies.

In fact by the end they had held nothing but hatred in their hearts for him. Whilst he had merely resented them, especially after he was thrown into Azkaban whilst they were treated like heroes.

He had seen that himself during the last battle. He hadn't been the only one fighting to kill back then after all. Harry's lips quirked upwards at that thought, thinking of it now, he did wonder if the wounds he inflicted on the two of them ever properly healed. He might not have been able kill them in the battle, but he had certainly been able to maim them both.

It was pretty nasty and spiteful thought, but then again Harry had built up a lot of resentment to those who had a hand in his downfall and subsequent imprisonment in Azkaban.

"Okay, and what do you remember?" Dumbledore pressed calmly, his lined, aged face filled with concern. It was a look that the other three all shared, as Sirius bounced his leg up and down nervously his dark eyes fixed on Harry, whilst Hermione gripped his hand in her own hands quite tightly and Ron sat very tensely.

Harry paused as he heard this, his mind moving a mile a minute as he pondered what he would say next. Honestly he wasn't exactly sure what was happening, but what he did know was that he could feel his magic running freely through his body, and that whatever was happening was real.

After all he was experienced enough and skilled enough to be able to tell the difference between illusions, dreams and reality. Plus he also remembered the magical phenomenon that had occurred before he woken up in this strange place, this alternate world, even if he wasn't sure what it was or how it had occurred.

"I know your names; Albus Dumbledore, Sirius Black, Ron Weasle.y and Hermione Granger. I also know bits and pieces about you. Like that you're my Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, and Sirius is my godfather. And also that both Ron and Hermione are in Gryffindor…" Harry trailed off, his eyes swivelling around checking for their reactions.

Dumbledore was nodding, but looked slightly concerned all the same. Sirius meanwhile just grinned, and nodded his head in relief. Hermione and Ron though shared a nervous look.

"Yes that is correct. But do you know who you are?" Dumbledore pressed on, his tone as calm as ever, even if his blue eyes had lost their usual twinkle.

"Yes, I am Harry Potter, the son of Lily and James Potter." Harry nodded his head abruptly, he was at least sure that was true, and judging by the fact they were not at his bedside he was also pretty sure his parents were dead here too, wherever here was.

"Yes, and how old are you Harry?" Dumbledore asked next.

Harry opened his mouth to answer that, only to then pause as he looked round. Honestly he didn't know how old he was, both Ron and Hermione looked to be in their teens so he assumed he was a teen too, his body certainly looked less mature than he remembered it. Despite that though he did not know his exact age, or even what the month or year was.

Finally after a few moments of silence Harry closed his mouth and shrugged. "I don't know. I don't know how old I am, I'd say a teenager, maybe fourteen or fifteen…"

"You're fifteen Harry." Sirius said gently, his smile slipping off his face now.

"Right ok, so I'm fifteen." Harry nodded, before he looked back to Dumbledore. That confirmation at least roughly gave him the year it was. It was after fourth year, likely the summer holiday going off of his surroundings. Which if things here were like they were for him when he was this age, then Voldemort had been reborn after the Triwizard tournament, and the Daily Prophet had been slinging mud at both Dumbledore and Longbottom throughout the summer holidays. Both the papers and the Ministry going out of their way to deny the Dark Lord's return, despite all evidence to the contrary.

"So yeah I do have some memory issues. I know I'm a wizard and that I go to Hogwarts. I know my parents are dead and that Sirius is my godfather, I also know that he spent some time in Azkaban…" He had inferred that last bit from how gaunt Sirius looked, having been a resident of Azkaban he could easily recognise another, it ended to leave its mark, not just on the mind, but on the body too. "On top of that I remember spells and lessons at school, and some of the things that have happened. I remember Voldemort!"

Dumbledore sighed as he heard that, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers as he did so, before he gave Harry another gentle smile. "Ok Harry, it seems that you might have a case of hopefully temporary, selective memory loss. So Ron and Hermione here are going to tell you all about your last four years at school and everything that has been going on. They'll try and fill in as many blanks as they can. If you have any other questions I will also happily help."

"Ok, but sir." Harry began, hiding his distaste at addressing another in such a deferential way. "Why am I having memory troubles? And why am I in bed? Did something happen to me?"

Dumbledore let out another deep sigh as he heard that, before he looked at Harry sadly. "I am afraid Harry that two Dementors attacked you and your cousin Dudley near your Uncle and Aunt's home nearly two weeks ago. It appears that both of you were kissed. You however managed to survive the kiss, though not without scars it would appear, the slight memory loss you seem to be suffering, it likely to be a side effect from the attack. Your cousin meanwhile, well, I am afraid your cousin was not so lucky."

Harry nodded as he heard that, lowering his head as he did so. Not that he really knew or cared who this Dudley was. Though he was interested to hear what had apparently happened to him, and that this version of Harry. After all he had already come to the conclusion that this was not time travel, everything was too different. On top of which this Harry had apparently not been sent to the orphanage by the Durlseys like he had.

"Yeah I mean it must just be a Harry thing. I mean you're a survivor aren't you. You survived the killing curse as a baby, Quirrel in first year, a bite from a Basilisk in second year, a horde of Dementors in third year and the Triwizard tournament and a duel with You know Who last year." Ron said bracingly, giving Harry a bracing pat on the shoulder as he did so.

Harry froze as he heard that, his mind whirling as he digested everything Ron had just said.

"Ron! Don't be so insensitive!" Hermione snapped loudly, her voice pitching as she noticed Harry suddenly tense, after which she rounded on her red haired friend. Almost immediately beginning to lay into him about his emotional immaturity, tactlessness and thoughtlessness. Which in turn turned Ron's ears red as he began to retort, both of them soon descending into a bickering match.

"Yes well, as I said I will leave Ms Granger and Mr Weasley with you for now, to help fill in any gaps." Dumbledore said quickly, sending an amused look over at the arguing duo as he did so, before he stood and looked to Sirius. "Come along Sirius, you can visit Harry later. For now let him talk with his friends."

Sirius grudgingly nodded at this, before he stood up. "I'll come up and see you later Harry. For now just try to relax. I am sure this whole issue with your memories is just temporary, and that it will sort its self out soon."

Harry nodded at that, sending both Sirius and Dumbledore a confused, lost look as the two left the room, leaving the 'partially amnesiac' Harry to the tender mercies of his two best friends.

( - )

(Outside the room, a few minutes later)

"So what do you think Albus?" Sirius asked Dumbledore quietly as the two men left Harry's room and quietly began to make their way downstairs, both of them ignoring the muttering coming from some of the doors they passed as they did so.

No doubt it was either the Weasley children once again 'subtlety' trying to listen in on conversations that they weren't privy too, all whilst they continued to try and clean the musty, dark and gloomy old house under the ever watchful eye of the Weasley matriarch. That or it was the mangy, old House Elf, Kreature, lurking about in the shadows pilfering trinkets that were destined for the bin, muttering all the while about mudbloods and blood traitors besmirching the house of his mistress.

"He seems in good spirits." Dumbledore replied calmly. "Hopefully the issues with his memory are as you said before, only temporary. In all honesty though we may never know the full reasons for why his memories have been damaged like they have been. But so far I can only hypothesis that it might be due to an instinctive reaction from his mind as it attempted to shield him from the horrors of what happened that night. Which, if that is the case, mean that his memory issues may just be something that will hopefully fix itself with time."

"You don't think we should take him to St Mungos then? You know have a healer check him out?" Sirius asked worriedly.

"No, for one the treatment of the mind is incredibly difficult, even for someone well versed in the mind arts. Also, the mind arts are not as simplistic as some people believe, it isn't just like opening a book and reading a person's mind. It is incredibly complicated, and requires a lot of finesse, and even then it can very easily go wrong." Dumbledore replied with a sigh, and it was true, there was a reason why Lockhart and the Longbottoms were permanent residents of St Mungos after all. Damage to the mind wasn't something that could be easily fixed with just a wave of a wand, there was no quick fix, not even using magic. It wasn't like a physical wound or malady, something visible, tangible and easily dealt with.

"On top of that with Cornelius and the Ministry acting out like they are, and Lord Voldemort and his supporters still lurking in the shadows hiding his return from the greater public and manipulating proceedings, I honestly would not feel happy having Harry in a place as insecure as St Mungos, or with having the knowledge of his affliction widely spread." Dumbledore continued, thinking on how the Ministry would have a field day if it came to light that Harry truly was mentally disturbed like they had been claiming all summer.

On top of which he didn't want anyone other than himself, or someone he had absolute trust in, going into Harry's mind.

"I suppose." Sirius replied after a few moments of silence, the look on his face telling Dumbledore that he was not entirely happy with his decision, but would trust him for now. "But if the damage doesn't look like it is going away then I would still like to call in a healer, someone we trust, just to check him over."

"Poppy Pomfrey has already checked him over Sirius, as have I. But still I will take your concerns into account going forwards. However as I said before I would like to take a wait and see approach. I am still hopeful that this affliction is just temporary and that his issues with memory loss will sort itself out in the fullness of time." Dumbledore replied, his tone quite firm now as he drew a line under the conversation, he was done discussing this for the time being. "Besides once he gets to Hogwarts I will try and arrange some Occlumency lessons. Hopefully ordering and disciplining his mind will help him to recover faster."

"Ok, we'll wait and see." Sirius nodded, the two of them descending the staircase into the kitchen now as Sirius escorted Dumbledore to a fireplace from which he could floo back to Hogwarts.

( - )

(Several hours later)

There was a grim look of concentration on Harry's face as he stood in front of the large window in his room, alone for the moment as both Ron and Hermione had left only a few minutes previously. The two of them leaving Harry alone at his polite request so that he could get a bit more rest before dressing and going downstairs for dinner.

Not that Harry was planning on resting anytime soon, not when his mind was whirling with everything he had had just learned. Already he was drawing on his Occlumency to order and catalogue everything he had just learned, his exceptional skill with the art allowing him to analyse and breakdown everything he had just learned quite easily. Of course it would have been even easier if he had access to a pensive, but unfortunately they were very rare and expensive, and something he did not have access to at the moment.

A slight sigh left Harry's lips at that thought, before he closed his eyes and once again thought back on everything he had just learned.

For the last three hours or so both Ron and Hermione had been filling Harry in on everything that had happened to the three of them over the last couple of years. With Harry himself occasionally pitching in with his own comments when he recognised events from his own life that had been similar, much to their pleasure as they obviously saw this as a sign that his memories were not all gone, and that they may be returning.

They obviously weren't of course, because he wasn't the Harry they knew, but despite that he still let them believe that they were. Especially since it would be far more beneficial for them to believe he was fully recovered, than for him to have people looking over his shoulder or keeping an eye on him.

Harry's lips curled upwards into a faint snarl at that thought. He hated being micromanaged or being watched. He valued his independence far too much to allow himself to be under anyone's thumb, or to be observed. Call it the consequences of growing up in system and then being sorted into the House of the intelligent but socially inept, but Harry liked his privacy.

Still he was glad he had had the opportunity to speak with Weasley and Granger. The information they had passed on had been as fascination as it was worrying.

Honestly he had been genuinely surprised by just how similar the events they spoke of were to the ones Harry knew to have happened in his world. Only when he had lived them, he had never been so heavily involved, no it had always been Longbottom, Granger and Weasley in the thick of it.

Instead he had been more of a periphery character, aware of what was going on, but very much doing his own thing. After all he had far more important things to be doing, such as learning as much magic as he possibly could, seeking as much knowledge as was available, and trying to bed as many girls as he could. You know, living his life in the world's foremost school of magic to the fullest, whilst also enjoying his time as a young, charismatic, hormonal teen.

He had certainly not been the Boy Who Lived. No, that had been Longbottom's shtick. Nor had he been the selfless, brave, foolishly reckless hero that his two 'friends' purported him to be. Still he had no reason to not believe their tales, not when he had seen the truth reflected in their eyes, and heard their earnest tones.

Harry shook his head at that thought, his calculative green eyes opening as he then looked out over the small park in front of Grimmauld Place.

This version of Harry, this alternate version, he had obviously lived a very varied and exciting life. One that had a lot of similarities to the life Neville Longbottom lived in Harry's world, only the other version of Harry seemed far more competent, or lucky, than Longbottom had ever been.

For one this Harry didn't need to be saved from Professor Quirrel in their first year like Neville had, and had instead stopped him and Voldemort from stealing the Philosophers Stone all by himself, or at least in the end he did. This Harry had still needed the help of Ron and Hermione to make it through the stone's defences and to where it was hidden.

On top of that this Harry had ventured into the Chamber of Secrets himself and killed the Basilisk inside with a sword of all things. You know, as oppose to telling a teacher and then getting the help of the entire Hogwarts staff to help destroy the creature and rescue Ginny Weasley like Neville had. On this point though Harry thought Neville had the better of it, or he had at least had the more sensible idea.

Most noticeably though from what the two of them had told him, was the difference in the events from third year.

Like in Harry's world Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban to protect Harry, and like what happened in Harry's life he had broken into the Gryffindor Common Room to try and find the Death Eater Peter Pettigrew, which of course led people to the belief that he was trying to kill the Boy Who Lived.

Unlike in Harry's world though Sirius had not been kissed at the end of the year, as although Harry, Ron and Hermione had confronted him in the Shrieking Shack which again had led to his eventual capture courtesy of the greasy shit stain, Snape, they had also apparently saved him from the Dementors using a Hippogryph, and a Time Turner.

As oppose to just letting him be executed like Longbottom and co had obviously done, or at least he assumed that much as he had never really discussed his godfather's death with them aside from making it clear he wasn't happy. Nor had the three really mention him to Harry either, apart from telling him that Sirius was his godfather and had been innocent.

They had certainly never eluded to the fantastical tale of daring and adventure that the alternate version of Harry and his friends had apparently done to rescue Sirius.

Suffice to say Harry had almost laughed out loud when he had first heard Ron and Hermione's story, only holding off from reacting by using his Occlumency to look like he knew what they were talking about. In truth however, he honestly hadn't believed them at first, but with the evidence of Sirius still being alive and again the earnestness of their words he had been forced to concede that it might indeed have happened.

On top of that though the other Harry had also somehow managed to drive off a large swarm of Dementors with a corporeal Patronus. Which again was pretty surprising, especially since Harry would have been only thirteen years old at the time. That being said, it was also interesting to hear that this other Harry's Patronus had a different form to Harry's own. A stag apparently, one reminiscent of his father's Animagus form.

Harry tore his gaze away from the window at that thought, instead looking around at the room in general, the room both looking so familiar to the one he knew, yet also so different to how he remembered it. The green and silver would defiantly have to go, it was just so tacky. As to would all the Slytherin paraphernalia, he may not be a diehard Ravenclaw, unlike his counterpart it would appear who himself was a diehard Gryffindor, but he at least had enough pride to not live in a room that was dedicated to another house.

Shaking his head at that Harry instead decided to focus on the present. Both Ron and Hermione had given him a thorough explanation of everything he had done at Hogwarts during his time there. As well as often going off into tangents about what they had all done together, including one part about how Ron and his brothers had picked Harry up from the Dursley's by flying car. Or how they had gone to the Quidditch World Cup.

Harry of course played along, using his own memories of similar version of events, or his ability to think quickly to play off that he knew more than he did. Either way he now knew more than enough for him to assume the life of the other Harry. Besides if he did make any mistakes he could use the 'mental damage' from the Dementor attack as an excuse.

Yes already he was making plans for what he would be doing. After all he had practically been given a second chance at life here. A do over of sorts, one which he could use to ensure his life pans out the way he wanted it too. As now if he played his cards right he could have fame, wealthy and acclaim. All of which was certainly better than rotting in a cell in Azkaban.

That being said there were of course some problems with this idea. Not so much in him convincingly taking the alternate Harry's place and manipulating things to suit him.

But more in the fact that he was now the Boy Who Lived, the one who would be targeted by the newly reborn Voldemort and his followers. Harry had once been one of those followers, or at least a follower of his own version of Voldemort. He knew how powerful, cunning and ruthless the Dark Lord was, and how deadly his servants were.

And although the Boy Who Lived persevered in Harry's world, he had no idea what he had done to succeed, or how someone like Longbottom could possibly seize victory from someone of the Dark Lord's calibre. Sure Longbottom had been following Dumbledore's instruction and had had a lot of help, but there had to be more to it than that. Some secret behind his victory?

Yes, and that was another thing he had to watch out for, Dumbledore. Although Ron and Hermione had had nothing but good things to say about the man, the two of them practically worshipping the ground he walked on, Harry knew different.

Dumbledore was of course a very powerful and skilled wizard, and had a level of experience few other could touch. However he was also a human and so had flaws, many of them. One of which was his tendency to meddle. Harry knew he would be Dumbledore would try to manipulate and control him just like how Neville had been.

Not that it didn't turn out alright in the end for Longbottom, but still Harry wasn't so easily played, he liked his independence too much.

On top of that Dumbledore tended to keep things to himself, he didn't like to share his plans or secrets with people. Which of course had been what had partly disenfranchised Harry the last time, which had led to him betraying the Order of the Phoenix.

Yes, Dumbledore was someone Harry would very much need to keep an eye on.

That being said Harry was also aware of what would likely be going off this year too, which meant he had more to be concerned about that a manipulative Headmaster.

For one Voldemort would be lurking about in the shadows, plotting and planning to get his hands on that Prophecy, whatever the hell it actually was, whilst the Order in return would be in turn trying to defend it.

At the same time the Ministry would continue trying to discredit Dumbledore and the Boy Who Lived, Harry, all the time denying that Voldemort had returned to power. Harry had seen this happening with Longbottom and Dumbledore, though Neville had still had at least some protection because of his grandmother, Augusta Longbottom, fighting in his corner. Harry though doubted he would be that lucky.

That wasn't all that the Ministry of Magic would be doing though. At same time, if things went as they did for Harry in his version of event, the Ministry would also be trying to interfere at Hogwarts. Harry could only hope that that ghastly Delores Umbridge woman wouldn't become a teacher this year like she had in his world.

Honestly the woman had been even more inept at teaching than even Hagrid or Binns, and it was just their luck that she had been brought in in their OWL year. The bitch. He was just lucky he had studied far ahead of where he should be, and was damn talented at magic, as if he had had to rely on her teach he would have likely failed.

There was a reason he had been sorted into Ravenclaw.

That being said, Harry hadn't had much to do with her the last time around. As mostly he just kept his head down and stayed out of the whole Dumbledore/ Longbottom/ Ministry of Magic situation. Not that he was one of the idiots who believed the Ministry and the Prophet's drivel either. But still he was the type of person who avoided conflict where possible, unless of course it would benefit him in some way.

Somehow though Harry doubted he would have that option this time around. Not if he was one of the ones the Ministry was gunning for, which of course meant he would need to put together some plans on how to make the best of the situation. He wouldn't allow himself to be pushed around, at the same time though he just wanted and easy life, he wasn't a fan of hardship, and he hated angst.

Yes, he would need to plan how he would deal with the upcoming year. If he was going to assume the life of the alternate Harry, then he was going to make damn sure that he lived the best life he could. The last thing he wanted was an early death or to be rotting away in Azkaban again.

First things first though he had to deal with this Ministry Hearing on his apparent use of underage magic a couple of weeks ago, back when two Dementors apparently kissed the other Harry after his failed attempt at a Patronus.

So much for him driving off nearly a hundred Dementors in his third year.

After which he would need to look into just what Granger and Weasley had meant when they said they were cleaning up his house, and yes he still deemed the house his, even if this Sirius hadn't died and passed it onto Harry yet.

Suffice to say he found what his two 'friends' said concerning, there was a lot of valuable stuff in Grimmauld Place. Powerful dark artefacts, rare enchanted and cursed jewellery and weapons, and of course the ultimate prize, the Black Family library.

A large, heavily protected room which was hidden behind a secret door on the family tapestry. A room which held nearly a millennia's worth of knowledge. Books, tomes and scrolls that had been collected by the Black family for centuries. Some of which had been brought back from as far as the Holy Lands during the crusades. Whilst other bits had been pilfered from some of the French Noble Houses during the One Hundred Year War. While other grimoires had been rested away from other British Wizarding Families during the Civil War.

Either way it was a vast collection of knowledge, one which needed to be protected and preserved at all cost. Harry had already lost said collection once when he burned the house down, he didn't want to do so again. Especially since he knew more than half of the books in there could be considered dark, just the kind of stuff a self-righteous 'light wizard' would try to destroy.

So yes that was also one of his top priorities, he would need to mitigate the ongoing clean-up efforts and try to salvage as much as he could and then squirrel it away in his trunk. Which reminded him he would need to expand the inside of his trunk to fit everything in their, and also put some protections on it to stop would be thieves from looting it. He always had been suspicious of those Weasley twins, always sneaking around Hogwarts causing mischief. Of course now he also knew the tool to their success, the Marauders Maps.

Harry smiled slightly at the thought of the map. With that and his father's invisibility cloak that the other version of Harry conveniently possessed, there was no end to what he could do at Hogwarts this year.

Sure it would suck having to go back to school, but it was a hell of a lot better than Azkaban, plus it would allow him to lay the foundations for him to come out of this upcoming war the victor.

A loud gurgling sound from Harry's rumbling stomach soon distracted him from this sudden line of thinking. The sound making Harry flush for a moment as he grabbed his empty belly.

Nope, all of that could wait for the moment. What he truly needed to do first was to head down and get himself some proper food, after all the last time he had had a proper meal was nearly half a year ago.

As such he was bloody starving!

With that thought in mind Harry quickly dressed himself in some baggy, worn jeans, a far too large shirt, over the top of which he pulled on an jumper, with him having to roll the sleeves up several times in order for him to be able to properly use his hands.

Seriously, the alternate Harry had terrible taste in clothing. That again was something he would have to rectify, he was not going to walk around looking like a tramp.

After which he then pulled on some scruffy trainers, grabbed his wand from the side table. The dark wood, holly by the looks of it, feeling unfamiliar in his hands, lacking the warm tingling feeling his original rowan wand had had. Not that he dwelt on that for the moment, as he instead shoved it in his pocket and headed downstairs. It was just another thing to add to the list he needed to do, as obviously this wand was not compatible with him for one reason or the other.

Pushing that thought to the side he instead continued on down the familiar hallway. He was looking forward to a good slap up meal far too much to be worrying about anything else, or at least for the moment. After all Molly Weasley always was a damn good cook.

That being said as he left the room and strolled through the hallway and the down the stairs towards the kitchen. He did become aware of just how awkward it might be for him down there.

After all he would be eating with a group of people he already knew, even if most of them didn't yet know him. Most of whom he knew were dead and buried, with some of them having met their end at his hand. Whilst the rest he also knew hated him, and for good reason. Or at least they had the last time he had seen them.

Yes, it would definitely be a little awkward for him at first.

( - )

AN: So yep that's the next chapter what do you think? In all honesty this was fun to write but also a pain in the arse at times. Still I preserved and got it out.

As I said before this Harry is not like the original, he has a different backstory due to Voldemort making a different choice many years ago, with him choosing to go after the Longbottoms instead of the Potters. With this having a knock on effect in regards to Harry's own upbringing as Dumbledore didn't bully the Dursleys into keeping him. Which meant he grew up in an orphanage. Similar to Tom Riddle, only Harry chose to lose himself in books to distract himself from his unhappiness as oppose to terrorising other kids like Riddle.

Either way this is a very different Harry in the canon world. He is pretty much the antithesis of canon Harry. As where canon Harry is selfless, this Harry is selfish, where the other is honourable, noble and brave, this Harry is ruthless, cunning and conniving. That being said although a much darker, more dickish Harry, the Harry in this story isn't pure evil or wantonly cruel. I just want to make that clear, just in case people think he will be overly angsty and edgy and go around kicking puppies.

That being said as I hope I have shown this Harry will also be adaptable too. He is very much a chancer, he is the type to look after number one and will often go along with the flow whilst he looks for opportunities to benefit himself. Of course as has been shown this way of living does not always end well, which in turn will temper Harry. After all one thing I do like to do is develop my characters, I like to have them change and adapt with their experiences. A character should never be static, or at least that's what I think, they should always be mutable, but realistically so.

Similarly there will also be consequences, as literally that is my biggest pet peeve in regards to the books. Like seriously Malfoy, Snape and Umbridge as three examples, they literally have no consequences for their actions. Instead Rowling more often than not tries to redeem them, with very limited success, which kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth in regards to canon. Except Umbridge, I just hate her and feel she doesn't really get any comeuppance, or at least suitable comeuppance.

Other than that I hope you enjoyed the chapter and check out some of my other stories if you have the time.

I know it is still only early in this story, but I think the idea behind it has merit, and that it could be good. I've still not decided on any parings, but in response to some reviews and messages my character won't be asexual or anything, as I love a bit of romance, unusual pairings and taboo relationships. Not that I've got a clue which pairing I will be looking to do yet. Though it probably won't be Cho Chang or Daphne Greengrass as I already have a story with those pairings and I fancy something new.

Either way thanks for reading and I'll catch you later.

Greed720.