Alternates
Chapter 2
A Whole New World
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Hermione Granger pulled her unconscious friend on her lap and shook her shoulders gently while the rest of the Weasley family looked in from the bathroom doorway.
"Is she ok?" Ron Weasley asked, concern filling his eyes.
"I think she just fainted. I'll take care of her, you guys go downstairs and keep her food warm." Hermione informed. Once the doorway was clear she pointed her wand at her friend. "Enervate."
"Bloody hell!" The girl on the floor replied with a gasp as she touched herself.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at her friend. "H.J. are you ok?"
H.J. looked up at Hermione and shook her head. "I don't think I am...I just...what's my name?"
Hermione couldn't stop the startled laugh that escaped her throat. "What kind of question is that? Did you bump your head when you fainted?"
Harry saw this as a good way to get information without looking too dim-witted. "I think so...I'm just a little confused. Just...tell me my full name."
"Your name is Hariel Jade Potter."
Hariel nodded her head and stood. "And I'm a girl..."
"Of course you're a girl!" Hermione said with a chuckle as she stood as well. "Are you sure you're ok? I think you mother would kill me if something was wrong with you and I didn't inform her right away."
"My mother?" Hariel asked.
"Yes...well lets go downstairs. We only have half an hour to get to the train, you haven't eaten breakfast yet and your Father should be bringing the Ministry car to pick us up pretty soon." Hermione said pulling Jade out the bathroom.
They went downstairs, passed the portrait that Hariel expected to be screaming, but it was silent. This confused her to no end, and it was even more confusing when she was sitting at the breakfast table. Mostly everyone that she knew to be dead was alive and talking, it seemed that no one had any war scars.
"You ok H.J.?" Ron asked as he watched her pick at her food.
Hariel looked over at him and smiled. "Yeah sure I'm great."
"Nice outfit Hariel!" Fred and George said in unison.
Hariel looked down and realized she was still wearing a tank top and shorts. With a red face, she pushed away from the table. "I should go and change."
Ron wrapped his cloak around her and glared at his brothers. "Keep your eyes to yourself." He warned as Hariel ran from the dinning room.
The twins laughed at flung some eggs over at Ron. "Don't worry..."
"We think of her..."
"As a sister..."
"Like Ginny." They said.
"Ok everyone! Lets make sure everything is packed, James should be here in a few moments." Mrs. Weasley said as she used her wand to move all the dishes into the sink, as the teens ran up the stairs to do last minute packing.
"Has anyone seen my purple boots?!" Ginny Weasley asked as she ran down the stairs, looking panicked.
"Oh those were yours? I put them in Hermione's trunk." Mr. Weasley said.
"Dad!" Ginny exclaimed in frustration as she ran up the stairs to Hermione's room.
During the hectic packing and looking for things misplaced, James Potter, and Sirius Black walked into the house laughing at a prank that had pulled on Remus Lupin.
"Just think of his face when he opens his desk!" Sirius laughed.
"I know it will be funny for me, but you're the one who has to go home with him." James chuckled.
Sirius seemed to pale when he realized that James was right. "Dammit Prongs! You planned this!"
"Of course I did! Would I be a true Marauder if I didn't?"
"I'm going to kill you!" Sirius yelled as he lunged forward. James took off up the stairs and locked himself in the safest place against Sirius.
"Dad!" Hariel screamed in shock as she looked at the man standing across the room from her, leaning against the door with a lopsided grin on his face. He was everything Hariel saw from the pictures. He was handsome, and he had large wire framed glasses on. He was tall and broad shouldered, and his hair stuck up in every which way. He was alive...her father was really alive. She didn't want to believe Hermione when she had mentioned her father picking them up, she thought for sure that if she hoped it was true, her hopes would be crushed, but obviously that was not the case. It seemed that in this world her parents were alive.
"Sorry to barge in on you like this Bambi, but your godfather's on a rampage." James replied as he pushed away from the door.
Hariel found herself smiling at her Father, elation hit her as she realized Sirius was alive as well. "What did you do to piss off Paddy?" It was a little weird to be talking to her Father, but since she was stuck here for the time being, she might as well make the best of it.
"Just a small little prank on Moony...it might affect Padfoot's sex life..." He trailed off with a laugh.
Hariel's bedroom door bursted open and an angry looking Sirius stood in the doorway. "Paddy!"
Sirius's anger subsided as he looked at his Goddaughter. "Hey Bambi. Prongs you cheater! You know I can't stay angry with Hariel here!"
James let out a deep laugh and Hariel rolled her eyes at the two and threw more of her possessions into her trunk. Because she wasn't used to her body yet she had kept her bra and panties on, and slipped into a pair of hip hugging pants and a green tank top. It seemed that most of her clothes were form fitting and girly. She would need to figure out how to work the bra clasps, and other maintenance for her new body.
"You guys...do we have enough time to get to the train?" Hariel asked, knowing that the question would stop the arguing pair. They both looked down at their watches and their eyes widened.
"Only 12 minutes!" James exclaimed.
After that announcement, everyone hurried down the stairs and out the door, piling into the ministry limo and pulling off quickly. James drove the car like a man possessed and when they pulled up in front of the train station, they only had 6 minutes to get on the train.
"Ok, me and Padfoot have to be back at the ministry in a few minutes. Don't behave yourself, get good grades, and get in lots of trouble." James replied as he pulled his daughter into his arms. "I love you." He whispered into her ear.
Hariel had dreamed of the day that she would hear those words come from his mouth. Tears filled her eyes and hugged him back. "I love you too." The same actions were repeated with Sirius, and then she left, hurrying through the crowds of people and going through the barrier to platform 9 3/4. After dropping off her trunk she got onto the train and began looking for her friends.
As she went through the hall she felt someone encircle her waist and she was pulled into a hard body. She looked up in shock and saw Slytherin robes and blonde hair, which only meant one person. "Draco." Hariel said.
Draco Malfoy looked down at the girl in his arms and let out a chuckle. "How you doing babe? Nice summer? Do you have an answer for me?"
Hariel rolled her eyes and put her hands against his chest to pull away, but it was at that moment that the train lurched forward and she fell against his chest. She was confused, she knew that in the old world they had feelings for each other, but how were they in this world? Were they already dating? "It was...interesting...and what am I answering?" She answered not sure how their relationship was.
"Oh come on El, make this year easier for me. Why won't you just say yes?" Draco asked.
Hariel was confused and didn't know what the blonde meant. "What are you talking about?"
Draco tightened his arms around her. "Will you finally agree to going out with me?"
"What?! Um...do you need the answer right now? I mean...I need more time to think about this." Hariel said in shock, so in this world Draco wanted to date her as well. She wasn't complaining, she just didn't know what was expected of her. Draco did seem different from the one in her old world. This Draco seemed to be more taller, and more...mysterious. He was very intriguing to say the least, he held something that her old Draco didn't have.
Draco didn't seem the least bit deterred. He smiled at her and it was then that her eyes caught his teeth. He had fangs! "Well, I'll see you at the Feast. This year I'm going all out, you're going to have to agree sooner or later." He let her go and walked away. Hariel shook off her confusion and continued her search for her friends. She found them a few minutes later and sat down next to the window.
"Are you alright?" Neville Longbottom asked.
"I'm fine...just had a run-in with Draco."
Hermione and Ginny turned to Hariel with smiles on their faces. "Did you do it?" Hermione asked.
"Do what?"
"Did you agree to be his girlfriend?" Ginny asked.
"No. Should I have?" She asked trying to feel out how they felt about this.
Hermione and Ginny exchanged confused looks. "Well...you said that you would accept him this year..."
Hariel's eyes widened. "Yeah I know but...I just want him to work a little harder...I mean...he has been really rotten to us before." She explained, hoping that the last bit was true in this world.
"She has a point!" Ginny replied.
"Yes...but you know that after he came into his Vampeela heritage, he's been after you, and you know he won't hurt you." Hermione responded.
Vampeela? What the hell is that? Hariel wondered. But she knew better than to ask, since it seemed that she was supposed to know all about this already.
"Vampeela?" Neville asked. "I've heard you guys talk about it but no one has every explained."
"Well in the summer before our 4th year, Draco came into his Vampeela heritage. It's basically what happens when someone is born with Vampire powers and Veela powers. Just like a Veela he has a soulmate, but he doesn't seek them out by smell. This is where his Vampirism comes in, he finds his mate by blood. He can sense who has the blood that appeals to him the most. He needs blood to survive, so he is given blood pouches until he can take blood from his soulmate. His soulmate's blood is the only thing that can make him whole...which is why he needs to be with Hariel." Hermione explained.
Usually when Hermione went into "Encyclopedia Mode" Hariel got bored and tuned her out, but this time she was listening with apt attention. She realized how much Draco must rely on her, and she was sure that all she needed was a bit of wooing. "Wooing" ? Oh my god! I've really turned into a freakin girl! What next? Am I going to be oohing and ahhing over the newest eyeliner?
The door to their compartment banged open and Ron appeared in the doorway, his clothes were ripped to shreds and his hair was a weird neon color. The others couldn't stop their bubbling laughter as it rolled out of their mouths. "It's not funny." Ron said in embarrassment as he sat down grumpily next to Hermione.
"What...happened..." Ginny gasped out in between laughs.
Ron turned his glare towards Hariel. "You meddlesome Godfather slipped something in my breakfast and left me a note detailing how he pulled it off in my robe pocket! And then Fred and George managed to throw one of their jellybean explosives at me as the train began leaving the station. I swear those three are going to be the death of me." He said as he leaned warily against the cushion.
"Well...it could have been worse." Hermione said matter-of-factly. At that moment Colin Creevey walked into the compartment.
"Hariel I was wondering if..." He trailed off as he looked at Ron and with the quickness of a rabbit he lifted his camera and snapped off a picture of Ron. "This will look great in the school newspaper!" He said with a laugh.
"COLIN!" Ron roared out as he lunged forward.
Colin cried out in fright and bolted from the compartment. After he was gone Ron sat back down and glared at Hermione. "You just had to open your mouth."
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Hariel said the password that she had gotten from Professor McGonagall, to Dumbledore's office. She knocked on the door and when she was prompted to enter she walked inside and sat down in front of his desk.
Albus Dumbledore looked over his glasses at the young girl, his eyes twinkling as per usual. "Lemon drop?"
Hariel shook her head. "No thanks. Headmaster...there's something I want to tell you, and I know it might sound a little crazy, but...I'm not from this world...I don't know I got here but from where I'm from I was a boy, and the war already happened and Hermione was killed and a lot of other people were killed, my parents are dead and...you get the picture, it's very different from this world..."
Dumbledore looked as if nothing she was saying was out of the ordinary. He popped another lemon drop in his mouth and leaned backwards in his chair. "Did you noticed anything...unusual before you left your world?"
"A mirror. There was a mirror in my room and it showed me everyone who had died..."
Dumbledore nodded his head with a slight smile on his face. "And you made a wish...didn't you?"
Realization began dawning on Hariel and she made a startled sound. "I did...I made a wish for my friends to be with me...and for everything to be ok..."
"And this is the outcome. That mirror is 'The Mirror Of The Living Dead'. It grants a wish of pure nature and pure intentions. The mirror was put in your room for a reason...I'm guessing that my other self, put it there."
"Guessing...but it seems as if you expected this."
"I did...I don't like to gloat, but I am a man of outstanding knowledge...there are certain magical objects that float around our world, and when they are used...it usually has a lot to do with fate. It's your destiny to repeat this war...you hold the key to make sure this world does not end up like yours."
"So what are you telling me? Am I stuck here?"
"Don't see it as being stuck...see it as a new beginning. You get to experience life in a whole different way than you ever have. You get to be with your family and your friends, you get to be with your soulmate." At Hariel's shocked look Dumbledore smiled. "Yes I know all about you and Mr. Malfoy. It is often said that no matter what world or lifetime you are in...your soulmate never changes..."
Hariel leaned back in her seat and let the information that was given to her roll over in her head. "So wait...I have to defeat Voldemort here too?"
Dumbledore's face finally lost it's smile and his twinkle diminished. "I am sorry to say that no matter what, you are the only one to destroy Voldemort. There is a power that you will always hold over him...a power that may change it's demeanor...but it still can be used to defeat him."
"But in my old world...you told me that love defeated him..." Hariel responded in confusion.
"And it does. Coupled of course with power and magic...but love...is his downfall." Dumbledore replied, looking over his moon shaped spectacles and connected his blue eyes with her green ones.
The way that Dumbledore was looking at her made her feel as if he was trying to subtly tell her something. It was like he was trying to give her a hint on what to expect, but she just couldn't grasp it.
"So this is how I'm destined...to be a girl, and to once again face Voldemort."
"Think of it as a second chance. A chance to do things differently, and to spare as many lives as you can. I'm sure that the last war was devastating to the Wizarding Population...this is your chance, Hariel, to save those lost lives. Embrace your new life and there is no doubt that you will succeed."
Hariel sat there and closed her eyes. Dumbledore was right, the war was so bad it was as if the Light side didn't win after-all. But because of her wish, she could change what had happened. She could save lives, she could save her friends. The only thing she had to figure out...was how to destroy Voldemort without a full blown war.
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Hariel made her way into the girl's dorm with Hermione and was glad to see her trunk pointing out which bed was hers. She sat down on it and looked out the window with a smile. Her new life...she would have to get used to being a girl, that was for sure.
"So, how was your summer?" Lavender Brown asked as she plopped down on her bed, a magazine lay in her hands.
It was quick as lightening as Hermione instantly began "Girl Talk". Hariel's eyes were wide as she looked at them...this was how she was supposed to act? She couldn't help but gaze at the two as if they were behind a cage in a zoo.
"What about you H.J.? Met any boys over the summer?" Lavender asked with a smile.
"Um..." Hariel started but was glad when a regal looking owl tapped once on the window. She opened it and it dropped down on her bed and gave her a package that was wrapped in cranberry wrapping paper. Before she knew what she was doing she reached out, and scratched the owl under it's chin. "Thanks Midnight." She said...scrunching up her face when she realized that she didn't understand how she would know it's name. But obviously she was right cause the owl hooted in greeting, nipped her finger affectionately and flew right back out the window.
"Open it! I can't wait to see what Malfoy has gotten you." Hermione said with a wide smile on her face.
Hariel opened the wrapper and saw a note attached to a blue velvet jewelry box. She opened the note and red it quickly.
Good Evening Gorgeous,
I saw this and thought of you, hope to hear your answer soon.
Draco.
Short, sweet, and simple, exactly Draco's style. Hariel put the note down, a warm smile gracing her face. Hermione and Lavender quickly grabbed the note to read it while Hariel opened the box. A gasp fell from her lips as she looked at the exquisite necklace that lay inside the box. It was on a silver chain, and rose hung from it, it's stem was sparkling with small emeralds, and the rose itself had a small diamond as a bud and rubies were delicately placed to form the petals. The Necklace must have cost a fortune and Hariel felt a little guilty by having it.
"That is the most beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes on!" Lavender exclaimed.
"Oh H.J. It's gorgeous." Hermione breathed as she watched Hariel trace the rose with the tip of her finger.
"I couldn't possibly keep it." Hariel protested, not removing her eyes from the gift.
"But you have to. He gave it to you for a reason, you can't give it back he'd see it as a insult." Hermione said, trying to reason with her friend.
"I guess you're right..."
"If you don't want it I'll gladly take it off your hands!" Lavender said, looking at the necklace with envious eyes.
It was then that Hariel remembered that in her old world Lavender had turned Death Eater on them. She made a mental note to not trust the girl, and to keep a good distance.
With delicate handling, she removed the necklace from the box and opened the clasp. "Let me help you." Hermione said as she went behind her and pulled her hair from her neck. Hariel clasped the necklace and turned around to Hermione. "Thanks. How does it look?"
"Lovely." Hermione replied.
Hariel got up and looked into the full length mirror in between her and Hermione's beds. I may sound like a total girl but...this really brings out my eyes. Hariel thought to herself as she inspected the necklace.
"Well...I can tell for sure that you will be saying yes quite soon." Hermione said as she sat on her bed and pulled out a book.
"She'd be crazy if she didn't." Lavender replied.
Hariel could see Lavender glaring at her from the mirror with jealousy. "Are you ok Lav?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" She asked with a scoff.
"No reason." Hariel said feeling extremely creeped out. Even though in this world some things are different...it doesn't mean that she is... Hariel turned from the mirror and began getting herself ready for bed, keeping a watchful eye on Lavender the whole time.
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A/N: So uh...did you guys like that? I hope you did, leave a review, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter, bye!!!
