Chapter 3: Truths and Secrets
Harry blinked his eyes open in a blindingly white room, with a dab or two of green, black and gold.
He groaned. He had a headache worth being a world record, and his mind was spinning.
Then a voice shook him from his reverie. "You shouldn't get up," It was a woman's voice. "Fate did a number on you."
Harry turned his head to look at a beautiful, ageless (yet she didn't seem young. At least not in years…) woman, who wore cloth that was as if made of silken gold. Her eyes, too, were a disconcerting liquid yellow, and her hair flowing flaxen. "…Fate…?" He muttered, not comprehending.
The woman, who was unweaving a tapestry, smiled softly. "She brought you here, of course. And sent you over to the world you woke up in."
Harry gathered his bearings. He inhaled sharply. "Fate," He said simply, finally recognizing what it meant.
"Oh, did someone call for me?" Another woman soon appeared from he only doorway in the room. She was dressed in shades of emerald, and like he golden lady, everything else was the same colour. "I heard my name!"
The golden lady looked at her. "You really shouldn't make fun of the poor boy, sister," She said. "He has had enough adventures for a lifetime."
Harry agreed. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like Fate did.
"Oh, and yet his life hasn't ended, has it, Time? I say that as long as someone's alive, they get to live according to my rules." The green lady said triumphantly. Then she turned to Harry. "There's only one reason that I called you here, you know?"
The boy-who-lived was not starting to like her even one bit. "And that is?" He asked dryly.
Fate smirked. "You cannot tell the truth to anybody. At all. That would just help in unravelling the fabric of that particular world faster than it is already unravelling, and cause it to collapse it itself."
Harry felt a pang of fear for the inhabitants of that particular world. "…What would happen to… the people in that world?"
Fate's smirk was vicious, and Time's smile apologetic. The latter spoke this time. "They shall disappear one by one, and no one will notice except one person in the world."
"Can't you- Can't you, I don't know, stop it?" The Potter child cried out hysterically.
"No. But we found that your… ah, brother, would be the one who had to go through this dilemma, and Fate has an inclination towards your character," Time muttered the last part very quickly. "So she decided that she would use a bit of your talent for trouble and drop you into that world so that you could take your brother's place instead."
Fate cackled at Harry's look of absolute bafflement. "You were the only one free, kid!" She sneered, changing personalities. "Don't flatter yourself. You're not my favourite. There're are tons of other universes out there with better heroes than you. I love playing with their lives even more!"
Harry felt pity, suddenly, for the victims of Fate. He knew how it felt. Unfortunately. "Well, what do you want me to do?" He snapped. "I've already told Hayden."
The woman in green snorted. "Do you know who's sitting next to you, kid? Pay attention to names the next time around, will you?"
And Harry, realizing what she meant, scowled, red blossoming on his face. Time, once again, smiled apologetically, then waved her hand, and Harry disappeared.
Suddenly, Harry was in his room, hands adjusting his suit jacket. He frowned, stilling. He really was… er… back in time, then?
Semele popped her head into his room. "Come on, Harry, Grandpa's going to be here any moment!"
Harry nodded at her, then shook his head to clear it before Hayden ultimately read his confusion and 'not-being-this-world's-harry-ness', deciding to follow her.
Hayden was waiting downstairs. "Hey, Semele." He said softly, just like before. And then he turned to Harry. 'Hey, Harry.'
Harry was ready this time. 'Hi, Hayden. How're you?'
Hayden looked at him strangely, and Harry wondered if he'd said something wrong. But then Hayden shook his head and smiled. 'Great, actually. What about you? Did Semele annoy you anymore than usual?'
Harry grinned.
But before he could reply, Semele punched him lightly on the shoulder. "I know when you guys are talking in your mind, okay, and it's not fair!"
Hayden chuckled.
The fireplace flared green and Sirius appeared, Orion in tow, the latter looking uncomfortable and suspicious. "Tommy's with Cissy and Draco. He wasn't feeling so well," Sirius answered the Potter family's curious looks.
Then Orion saw Hayden, and instantly headed over to him, for the first time relaxed in Harry's presence.
The fireplace coloured green again, and the minister of magic (In this world, apparently) stepped out.
Harry managed to stop his growl this time.
However, his irritation must have been palpable, because Hayden sent him another curious look.
"Good day, everyone. I hope you are well?" Coming back in time really did not make this version of Tom Riddle any less alarmingly charming.
Everyone (Adults) replied back in the affirmative, and then the hosts led the guests to the dining room.
There was idle talk as soup was served, the adults catching up with each other and talking of the latest news. Then salad was served, along with the main course, mashed potatoes with steaks served in white sauce and steamed vegetables on the side.
Of course, it was only a matter of time before twinkling eyes (At least they weren't red…) turned to face the children. "And how has life been treating you all?" He asked pleasantly. "You three are starting Hogwarts in September, if I'm correct?"
Orion and Hayden nodded brightly. They seemed really… hero-worshipping the man, if Harry was right in the interpretation of the expression.
"Which house do you aim for? It is exciting that you do not know yet, isn't it?"
Hayden nodded. "I'm hoping for Gryffindor, really. But Slytherin might not be so bad. Uncle Sev's the head, after all."
Harry stilled. Uncle Sev?!
Hayden turned to look at him again, and Harry realized he'd just spoken through the mind bond.
"Well," Riddle Jr. smiled. "I'm sure you would do well in both. Of course, my wife would be delighted if you ended up in Gryffindor. Minerva has always has a soft spot for Potters being lions."
The table laughed. Harry felt like banging his head against the table. He was almost not surprised anymore. But thinking of Professor McGonagall as a Riddle?!
"What of you, Harry?" Tom Riddle's attention was now on him. Just great.
The Chosen One smiled weakly. "Gryffindor." He muttered. Much to his confusion, his family (including Sirius) looked at him in bafflement.
"Oh? That's good. And, Orion," The man to whom Harry owed countless curses (Though a different version) turned to the Black heir. "Which would you pick?"
"I guess Slytherin or Gryffindor for me too." He shrugged.
His father chuckled. "It might as well be Ravenclaw, with how much this kid reads!"
Orion blushed beet red.
Lily took this as her cue to divert the conversation. "Talking of Hogwarts, how is Minerva and Edward?"
Harry was grateful to the interruption, but who the hell was Edward now?!
The minister smiled. "My family is fine, as usual. Edward is spending a bit of time with a friend before his NEWT year, so he couldn't come, and Minerva was busy with Hogwarts business."
And, continuing upon the thread of conversation, the rest of the time whittled away.
That night, when the rest of the family was asleep, Hayden not having questioned him (Perhaps he had acted fine), Harry lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, and mused upon his problems.
He wondered how his friends were feeling in the other world. Were they looking for him, or had they just chalked it up to his trouble-attracting syndrome?
He sighed. Well, at least he would be going back once this dimension collapsed. That was what Fate had implied, right?
Harry yawned. His life was doomed, he thought. With Fate pulling strings? That woman was seriously too unhinged to be right for the job…
Here. A chapter for people to read. I hope you have fun!