Harry Potter:

From Ashes to Ashes

Chapter Three: Choices

"What was that Harry?" Sirius asked as he shut Harry's door.

"It's him! I know it!" Harry was pacing, trying to calm himself, get a grip, yet using all he had to not stop Ron this very moment.

"Harry, I know this is all happening very quickly. Two days ago you were at war with that mad man masquerading himself as Ron, but-"

"No!" Sirius's eyes widened and his head tilted down involuntary at the sound of conviction in Harry's tone. Sirius's hand went to his face unsure of what just happened, it had felt as if Harry had hit him, although never coming close. All he could do was look up questioning as Harry went on, not noticing Sirius's actions as he paced quicker. "You don't get it Sirius. Ron invited Voldermort in! Sought him out. He wasn't tricked, he chose! That was why he was so damn powerful."

"What?" Sirius crossed his arms shaking his had. "No. No sane man would do that, it had to be grief, loss and pain, those are all-"

"Yes, it started out that way, but he knew what he was doing. I betrayed him in his twisted mind. We all did." He said those last words slower, quieter looking away, then looking back up at Sirius as if finding his thoughts again, he went on. "Hermione was killed in an accident..." He stuttered, but only a moment, "An accident, that may have been avoidable sure, but not on purpose. It was her ego, her unwillingness to not put a stop to some magics!" Harry balled his fists. "If she would just stop being so damn persistent on learning is more important then safety!" The air grew cold has Harry paced, the air coming out of Harry's and Sirius's month turned to white mist.

"Harry? What is going on?" Sirius breathed out as he started to shiver. "Are you doing this?"

Harry stopped a moment, noticing his magic was reaching out, fueled by anger, grief and frustration. Closing his eyes, relaxing and finding his center Harry become the ruler of his emotions and magic once more. Heat quickly returned to the room. "Sorry," he breathed under his breath as he sat down at his desk.

Sirius just watched him a moment, before clearing his throat, "Harry, that is some power you have. I can say I've never seen such power from, anyone of this age. It, vibrated off you, you..."

"I know." His eyes looked up and for a moment Sirius saw a blazing red, but then the green of his lost mother once again took hold. "It came at a price. Twice now. I'm not the go lucky lad I was when you knew me." He sighed looking at the ceiling, "No, war is all I've known. Expect for three short years. I had a family, future, and a daughter. Ripped away because one person couldn't deal with his own loss." Harry's hand came down hard on his desk. "Bastard! That selfish Bastard! He is better off dead! I should kill him now and just be done with it!" Harry hung his head, breathing hard, yet trying to slow it.

After a few moments of silence, Sirius stood, taking Harry in his arms. "It's okay my boy." He could feel Harry letting go, allowing Sirius to be the 'grownup' for a moment. "I can understand how you feel. Voldermort took my family, took your mother, father, my closest and dearest friends. But there is a difference between righteousness and revenge. Your heart will only become dark if you allow it my boy." His voice got low and very steady as he spoke next. "Revenge is the quickest way to a dark heart."

Q Q Q

The house was dark as Harry lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. It was wondrous how this 'Harry' had so much. Here Harry lay, in a soft bed, looking at the stars as if it were a clear night with no ceiling, instead of a storm outside with a roof protecting him. He smiled to himself, how often he had dreamed or even wished for such a thing, and now he had it. He wondered, if there where other Harry's out there that had this life, or even his old one. Or was he the only one? He let himself smile, if only briefly, at the thought that maybe in one life he was raised with his parents who stilled lived and had a normal life.

Sighing he tried to close his eyes, but every time he did, Sirius's words came back to him. "Revenge is the quickest way to a dark heart." He didn't want revenge. He only wanted to stop a Dark Lord from rising...right? He sighed, siting up he walked to the window, his eyes tracking the rain and shadows it offered. London had it's own beauty, something that you couldn't really understand without living it, but when it rained, it took on a whole new air. Old even. Yet, somehow, just as beautiful. Almost as if you where watching two different cities laid over one. "Two different cities..." Harry breathed out as he looked down a moment, as if everything was coming into focus.

"Two worlds, two cities, yet the same. Ron, is going down the same path, yet why? Hermione didn't die in this world, so...what would make him..." His voice trailed off as he started to pace again, the moon streaming in, the only light to illuminate his room. "Hermione left Ron...why? Why did they brake up? They married in my world...what was different?" A soft glow seemed to invade upon the moonlight. "I died. That must be the reason, but not the reason alone...he still wants her." He shook his head, "Even I can see he's still into her, his jeal-" He stopped, looking up. "That's it, it's not sorrow that turns into revenge, but anger into jealously." Harry crossed his arms as heat was starting to surround him, his eyes slowly raised to the mirror. He was glowing, eyes aflame, even heat was raising, moving his hair as if a small breeze started. He closed his eyes, and reopened them, the heat was gone. "What the?" he breathed out softly.

Q Q Q

Sirius knocked on Harry's door, but after hearing nothing he let himself in. Unwilling to lose Harry again if something had happened, but also aware he needed to make sure he had not hallucinated the past day. Harry sat on the floor, papers all around him on the floor as books, open, floated around him as he studied their contents. "Harry? What is all this? I knocked but..." His voice trailed off as he also found himself concerned for his son.

Harry sat there a moment longer before sensing Sirius. He turned and looked up at him. "Sorry, I was listening."

"To the books?" Sirius asked as he tip toed through the room, taking a seat at Harry's desk.

"What?" He was still studying his book as Sirius was trying to gain his attention. Harry stopped looking up and truly seeing Sirius, waving a hand. The books fell to the floor, shutting. "No, no. I mean, I was, but no, I was listening to Ron."

Sirius raised an eyebrow, "Ron?"

"Yes. This may be a different world, but his DNA is the same. I can listen whenever I want, well, with proper quite around me. I can keep the connection a lot longer and do it more often then when I first started." Harry stated matter-of-factly.

"Son, how could you get such a thing without a bug?"

Harry laughed, "Bugs are only so usefully, easily killed, and everyone knows to spot them. I use his blood." Harry shrugged and started picking up the papers.

"His what?"

"I know, it sounds bad, but lets just say, war is hell. And nothing that Voldemort did compares to what Ron did." He paused a moment, "Will do."

Sirius watched him finish cleaning up and sit on the bed, unsure of what to say. "Your telling me you know it's him? Or you want it to be him?"

"Oh, it's him. What I'm not sure about yet is, why. Hermione died in my world, set him off. Here it has to be jealously, anger, want. Twisted." He pondered a moment then looked at Sirius. "Why did they brake up? They married in my world, and seemed rather happy. Although," Harry chucked, "I always thought they were odd together. Good pair yet not. I loved Ron, but I also thought she would be better off with someone a little closer to me." He noticed Sirius raised an eyebrow. "No, no, I mean smart, er, no that's not right. It's hard to put my finger on, what I'm saying is, I died, but why should that matter? They loved each other."

The room was quite other then Hedwig's cooing, which seemed very loud in the silence. Sirius sighed as if coming to a decision. "Harry, you and Ginny did date the year before your...death." Harry looked up at him. "However, it was new, and during a time when Hermione was dating Ron." He shook his head, "However, in my time-line, you and Hermione where going down a path that would lead you together, not apart." He paused a moment. "Hermione was going to brake up with Ron regardless, and Ginny was great, but something was always missing between you. I realize this was not your world, but can you tell me you couldn't see yourself with Hermione?

"Well..." His voice trailed off.

Sirius touched his shoulder, "My boy, you didn't have a father growing up, my Harry did. It was fortunate for I saw these things, as all good parents do. Yet bad, for his survival instincts was no where as strong as yours." He sighed, "My Harry knew of both worlds early in life, and fame was something he enjoyed, a bit to much. Don't get me wrong, he was a good boy and a wonderful wizard, but I can see how different you are. And although I can see how hard your life was, I can see him in you and you in him. One thing that is true is your love for Hermione and her love for you. It's more then friendship."

"No, Hermione and I were just very close she never..."

"Really? Let us look at this. When you died here, she died as well, but she found a way to moved on. She didn't let grieve destroy her, she knew you wouldn't have wanted that. But son, it was her name you called out that moment, not Ginny's." Harry sat there stunned, he loved Ginny. "I know you loved Ginny, but you each made slightly different choices that led to your outcomes. But your death here was enough for Hermione to ask herself what she wanted, I'm guessing. I can't know for sure, but she changed that day, and Ron knew it. I think he knew why, even if not voicing it."

Silence filed the air, "When did they brake up?" Harry asked, slicing through the void of sound that had surrounded them.

"Two years ago." Sirius stood, walking over to the window and peering out. "Until know, Ron seemed fine, if not a bit down, but fine."

"When did he get his job?"

"Six months ago. Hermione set it up, she wanted to help him." Sirius turned to face Harry. "Why?"

Harry nodded. "He's been biding his time. That sneaky bastard." Harry got up grabbing his wand.

Sirius grabbed his arm, "Wait, where are you going?"

Harry smiled, "Don't worry, I'm off to do some research. I ran into Draco, and for once I'm going to listen to him. I have a feeling that your right, the added security over Hogwarts and this world, not a good idea. I think someone has a whole other purpose in mind." Sirius let go. "I told you, Ron is way worse then anything Voldemort could do alone. This time, I'll stop him before I'm no longer powerful enough." Without another world Harry was out his door, leaving Sirius to wrap what had just been said around his head.

"You are different son, war torn, but also are only hope." Walking to the door he vowed to help him however he could, but would not lose him again. Closing the door behind him, he left a cooing Hedwig to clean the room. Who, just looked around, ruffled her feathers and quickly went to sleep.