Thank you for the reviews. They are always encouraging. this next chapter is a bit short, but it answers some questions, so I hope it is satisfying.


The next morning, Harry woke up to find Ginny next to him in bed. It had been a long time since he had slept next to another body, even his father as he had grown out of seeking his father at night whenever he had a nightmare or wasn't feeling well. Well, in the Second Chances Reality that is. Harry felt a bit awkward and rolled out of bed.

He found his way around the bedroom easily, finding his clothes and changing in the attached bathroom. He moved around quietly, not wanting to disturb Ginny in her sleep. Harry wondered what he would do from this point. If he couldn't find his answers at Hogwarts, where would he look then? Harry hoped he could get some answers that would tell him how to resolve his situation.

Harry walked downstairs and into the kitchen. He remembered his way around the house well thanks to his visits with his Uncle Sirius.

After making some morning tea, he realized he wasn't alone. Ginny was now awake with a pink bathrobe on. She leaned on the kitchen counter smiling at Harry.

"Feeling better?" Ginny asked. "You woke up before me. I didn't think that you'd get up so early after yesterday. You had such a long, rough day.

"I did," Harry answered. "But I feel a lot better. Thanks to you, and Hermione, and Ron. I don't know where I would be without you guys." He set a cup of tea in front of Ginny and poured himself another cup.

"Thank you, Harry," Ginny smiled, lifting the cup and breathing in the smell. "And you'd probably be dead without us."

"I might as well be," Harry laughed.

Ginny took a small sip of the tea, Harry following her lead. The tea was sweet with a bit of a tang, just the way Harry liked it. Though when he was younger, he liked it extra sugary.

"I'm going to investigate the situation at Hogwarts today," Harry informed Ginny. "That'll give me something to do and keep my mind off other things."

"Very well. As long as you are home before six tonight. If you're not, I'm sending Ron out after you."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be home by six."

"Don't be late. And no going to any bars. I don't want you turning into something you know you're not. Alcohol is dangerous, you know. It's not the answer to our problems in life."

"I know, Ginny."

Harry remembered a time when he was fourteen and had had a nightmare. It was late and he hadn't wanted to disturb his father. He realized his father had left out his Guinness beer after having a glass himself. Severus was usually pretty good about not leaving things out. Harry was usually pretty good at leaving things alone. However, it was too tempting and he drank two bottles of his father's beer and woke up with a horrible headache. It was the only incident Severus had ever taken a belt to his son. Lucky for Harry, it had only been eight strokes over his shorts.

"Just remember – six o'clock. You are forbidden to even step foot in a bar," Ginny smirked.

Harry snorted at the commands. He finished his tea and moved around the counter. Ginny moved as well and wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and leaned in. Awkwardly, Harry tried to return the kiss. It had been so long since he had kissed a girl passionately. Technically, he had never really kissed a girl since he left this reality.

It was awkward, but it seemed to satisfy Ginny who pulled back and smiled at him.

"I'll be waiting for you," Ginny said. She turned and took her cup of tea back upstairs with her.

Harry took a deep breath and breathed out heavy through his mouth, blowing out the air. He felt warm and a bit shaky from the kiss, probably his teenage hormones acting up inside him. He shook the feeling away and finished getting ready to head to Hogwarts.


Harry made a straight shot for the headmaster's office. He remembered Hogwarts pretty well, he had gone to school twice there. Harry smiled at the idea. Walking through the halls reminded Harry of his times with his father and Sam and he felt an overwhelming sadness take over him. He pushed the feelings down, unwilling to be distracted by the rush of emotions. Two other aurors were investigating Hogwarts as well, so Harry's presence wasn't suspicious to anyone. He told the gargoyle at the entrance that he was an auror investigating and needed entrance. The gargoyle obligingly moved. Once he was there, he looked for Albus Dumbledore's portrait.

Albus's portrait was of him standing in the headmaster's office wearing blue robes and a matching hat. Fawkes, the phoenix, sat on a perch in the background, grooming himself. Albus smiled at Harry as he approached his massive portrait.

"My second visitor of the day," Albus greeted. "What brings you here, Harry?"

"Second visitor?" Harry questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I will not give up my visitors' confidentiality, but yes, you are my second visitor today," Albus said. "I do enjoy having company, it gets lonely in this office sometimes."

"Oh, well, I just have a question that I was hoping you'd be able to answer."

"Ask away, my boy."

"It's about the . . ." Harry glanced around the room to make sure it was empty. The current headmaster wasn't there. "The Second Chances Reality."

"Ah, yes, my creation," Albus smiled happily. "What about it?"

"Is there any way to get back to it?"

"I wouldn't know," Albus sadly shook his head.

"What!?" Harry exclaimed. He could feel his temper rising. Would he never return to the other reality? Was it impossible to do so? "You created the world! How do you not know – did you not think about the possibility that someone would screw up and need a way back. . ."

"Listen to me, Harry," Albus scolded. "I do not know because I am a portrait with limited memories from my passed away self. However, there is another portrait that I had created for this specific situation. It is in the potions master's quarters, hidden away so it could only be found when it was needed."

"Oh," Harry felt his temper leave, feeling foolish for getting angry in the first place. "So, I just need to find that portrait?"

"And you will have all your answers," Albus's smile returned.

"Why in the potions master's quarters?"

"Because I figured if anyone were to remember this world, it would have been some of the more powerful wizards. Like The Chosen One. There is also a portrait in a few other homes and places I will not mention, as they have nothing to do with you."

"But if you thought I would have the chance of remembering this world, why Snape's original quarters?"

"Because I had an odd feeling that you would have a better relationship with Severus Snape. I was sure Severus would use his second chance to make up with Lily. Am I correct in my assumptions?"

"You are," Harry answered proudly. "He became my father."

"Isn't that wonderful!" Albus's eyes twinkled in the portrait. "Then it is convenient for you that that portrait is the nearest one that has your answers."

"Thank you, Headmaster," Harry said, turning to leave.

"I'm starting to see more how Severus was your father," Albus smiled. "He always refused to just call me Albus."

Harry snorted then left the office and walked down to where he remembered Severus's quarters to be. Hopefully, it wasn't different in this world.

As Harry walked down to the dungeons he thought about who else may have wanted to speak to the headmaster. And why. As he came upon the potions master's quarters, he realized that the door was ajar. Whoever had talked to the headmaster before must be looking for the same answers. This person must know about the alternate reality. That person was already inside.

Harry pulled out his wand and slowly opened the door further. He cautiously stepped inside.

The living room was a disaster. Couch cushions had been thrown on the floor, the couch itself moved aside at an odd angle. The two armchairs were flipped over. Portraits on the walls were shoved aside and some were just torn off the wall.

Harry remembered that Albus didn't specify where this portrait was hidden. This person seemed to have gone on a rampage.

Harry moved deeper into the rooms. The small dining table was flipped upside down, the two chairs on either side of it pushed back. It was a fancier dining table than his father had in the alternate reality. Harry remembered that the time frames were different in the two realities.

In the kitchen, every cupboard was opened. Plates and cups were removed from the empty cupboards and scattered throughout the kitchen. Drawers were opened and silverware were mixed up inside. In the study, drawers in desk were rummaged through, papers flown all over the floor. Books from the shelves on the wall were knocked off.

Harry moved on to the bedroom. He realized that there was only one bedroom in the quarters. He glanced inside to see it just as messed up as the rest of the place. The bed was stripped bare, blankets thrown on the floor, and the mattress had a huge gash in it. Pillows were thrown off the bed. Portraits on the walls were once again shoved aside or torn off the wall. Drawers in a dresser were opened and the closet had been rummaged through, clothes were still falling off the hangers.

A loud bang came from the potions lab. Harry ran out of the bedroom and into the lab.

"Hello, Harry!" Came a cheery voice.

Harry saw the headmaster's portrait in a deep, large square hole in the wall. Another portrait was on the ground. Harry noticed the lab was in a lot better shape than the rest of the apartment, this person must have found the portrait quickly in here.

This portrait was just of Albus's head. He was wearing something purple, probably robes, and a matching lighter purple hat.

"I do love company," Albus continued talking. "What brings you here?"

"I have a few questions," Harry said. He looked around the lab, but didn't see anyone. "First, who else has been in here?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that," Albus said. "Confidentiality."

"Alright, what if I introduced myself as Auror Potter who is investigating some suspicious activity here. I need the name of whoever has been here and is asking you questions."

"And I can't give it to you," Albus said. "As you know, the secrecy of the Second Chances Reality is important, and the fewer who know, the better. I made sure that this portrait could not give away too much information, just enough to hint at answers to questions. I could not give you the name no matter what you do."

"So," Harry tried to think of something that would help him out, "can you hint at who this person is."

"I can say that you do know this person very well."

Harry frowned. He knew a lot of people very well. Harry sighed.

"Okay," Harry said, giving up on his previous question. "Is there any way back into the other reality?"

"You were never meant to leave the reality once you got there," Albus said. "Technically, it does not exist right now. Two realities are hard to coexist at one given time, hence why the Second Chances was a few years behind."

"That doesn't answer my question," Harry stated.

"If I remember correctly, I did have an idea before I died in this reality. It had something to do with Severus Snape."

"What?" Harry asked impatiently.

"As I've told you, this portrait cannot give away too much information. That is your hint."

"That doesn't help me!" Harry exclaimed, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Just sleep on it, I'm sure the answer will come," Albus said. "I'm sorry, my boy."

Harry grabbed at his hair and pulled roughly. He had no idea what to do anymore. He needed direct answers, not this hinting at stuff. He closed his eyes for a moment, using his hand to rub at them wearily, lifting his glasses up. He thought for a moment and decided to see if this portrait could answer any other questions he had.

"I feel like I've combined with my alternate self," Harry informed Albus. "Was that supposed to have happened?"

"I never thought much on it before," Albus admitted. "I did know that chances were you would be forced back to this reality, and I figured that your alternate self would just disappear. I guess when you were forced back, you ended up simply combining with your previous self."

"So, if I can never find a way back, will I be stuck like this forever here? Will I have one older, one younger mind in my head?"

"I don't think so," Albus said slowly.

Harry felt an odd tingling. He looked at his right hand that held his wand and realized it was shimmering again. But this time, the static like look had moved up his arm to his elbow. Harry stared at the strange look. It lasted for several seconds before disappearing.

"I believe," Albus said once the shimmering stopped, "that that same thing happened right before you left the other reality."

Harry remembered how Sam's entire body had shimmered in a similar way before disappearing.

"What's it mean?" Harry asked.

"It means you do not belong here," Albus said gravely. "When you revealed the alternate reality to Severus and then combined your two selves, you upset the time continuum. Now, it is trying to correct itself by deciding whether to get rid of you or not. You are not Harry Potter anymore, and you are not Harry Snape. Therefore, you do not belong in either world. The shimmering that took you out of the Second Chances Reality will take you out of this one, too. If that shimmering covers your entire body, you will disappear from all existence."

The portrait began sinking into the hole more and the wall around it began to close.

"My time is coming to an end," Albus said. "Remember what I told you. You will figure it out."

"Wait!" Harry called to it. The portrait was almost completely hidden now. "I don't know what to do! How long do I have?"

"I'd give it a week, Harry. No longer." The portrait was now gone.

Harry felt frustrated. He was just as lost as he was before.

A loud bang echoed through the lab.

Harry looked at the now closed lab door and ran to it. The door was locked! Whoever that person was had stayed in the lab with him and listened to his and Albus's entire conversation. He needed to find that person and stop him.

Harry used his wand to unlock the door and he ran out after the intruder. He noticed that everything was back in order in all the rooms – as if nothing had ever happened.

Harry ran out the opened door and stood just outside wondering which way down the hall to run. He heard a loud scream and ran to his left. He came across a young girl, a fourth or fifth year student, sitting against the wall and shaking, her hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes.

Two other men were running his way and Harry recognized them as aurors.

"Auror Taylor, what happened?" One of the aurors asked.

"Not sure," Harry responded. He lowered himself next to the girl. "Hey, can you tell us what happened? What's your name?"

"Elizabeth," the girl muttered.

"What happened?" Harry pushed. "Did someone hurt you?"

"I'm losing my mind," The girl said. "I think I saw a ghost. It flew away. Right out that window."

The girl pointed up and all three aurors looked up at the high, glass windows. One glass windowpane was broken.

"Can you describe what this ghost looked like?" Auror Taylor asked.

"I thought it was . . . it looked like . . . But it couldn't be. I don't know, he was wearing a long black cloak," Elizabeth said.

Harry had a sudden thought. A long black cloak? Flew away? Could this possible intruder be . . . Sam? Harry was sure Sam would have met his fate in Japan. But why would the fox run from him? He didn't look exactly the same as he did before, but he was similar enough. Harry suddenly remembered one detail – Sam couldn't mist while he was in human form. He would have had to strip, shift, then mist.

Harry sighed. The girl was too upset to think and remember coherently.

A piece of parchment appeared next to Auror Taylor while the second auror reached down and pulled the girl to her feet, supporting her. Taylor read the note.

"Activity was just reported at the graveyard. Man seen in a dark cloak. Could be the same," Taylor looked at Harry. "Would you like to investigate that, Auror Potter? We'll take the girl to the hospital wing here."

"Sure, I'll go check it out," Harry said.


Harry stood in front of Severus Snape's grave. The tombstone just reminded Harry that he was in the previous world with no more than a week left to live. Here, the man he had grown to love and respect as a father was dead. He couldn't believe the mess he had gotten himself into. Just re-entering this world was a shock enough, now he was damned to die? Harry felt tears in his eyes, and whether it was due to his teenage side or just overwhelming emotions from the entire situation, Harry felt the need to cry. He covered his eyes with a single hand, unsure of what to do. He felt lost and hopeless.

Harry knew he should probably look around for this cloaked man. He had been standing in front of Severus's grave for a while, this man was probably already gone.

Yet, he couldn't bring himself to turn away from the grave. He missed his father. He missed Sam. He missed his uncles. He never got the chance to say goodbye to any of them. If Sam were alive, Harry knew the fox would kill him for destroying the second chance the fox had gotten. In this world, Sam had no one, while in the other reality, he had family.

Harry sighed and finally managed to look away from the grave. He saw something dark out of the corner of his eye. He looked in that direction and nearly stopped breathing.

Leaning against a tree, barely twenty feet away, with his arms crossed stood a man wearing a long black cloak. The hood concealed the man's face, but Harry could tell that the man had been watching him for who knows how long. The man uncrossed his arms when he noticed Harry was looking in his direction.

"Excuse me, sir," Harry called to the man walking in his direction now.

The man pulled away from the tree and bolted.

"Auror Potter, stop!" Harry yelled as he ran after the man.

The man didn't slow. Harry quickly pulled out his wand.

"Petrificus totalus!" Harry shouted pointing his wand at the man.

The man's legs and arms snapped together and he fell to the ground face first. Harry took a second to catch his breath as he walked up to the man. Harry reached down, prepared to turn the man over and see who was causing all the trouble at Hogwarts and the graveyard.

Before Harry could turn the man over, the man spun on his own and grabbed Harry's arm, wrapping his legs around Harry's and knocking him to the ground. Harry grunted as he fell harshly. He wondered how the man broke free of the spell so quickly.

The man stumbled to his feet once more and began to run. Harry quickly stood to his own and leaped at the man, wrapping his arms around the running legs. They both fell back to the ground.

Harry let go of the legs and tried to pin the broad shoulders to the ground. His wand had been knocked out of his hand at some point. The man elbowed Harry in the face before pushing him off. Harry found himself pinned by the larger man. He struggled to throw the man off him, but the man grabbed his wrists and held them above his head.

Feeling too exposed, Harry tried to squirm his hands out of the man's tight grip. His really couldn't move any bit of his body but he tried anyway.

"Stop it!" A familiar deep voice snapped at him. "Harry, stop! Enough!"

Harry froze and gasped. The hood of the black cloak had fallen and Harry finally got to look at the man's face.

"D-d – Se – Professor Snape!" Harry exclaimed.


I know it's short, the next chapter will be longer. I hope it moved things along.