Disclaimer: we don't own Harry Potter or the Harry Potter universe. Those
belong to J. K. Rowling and her wonderful muses.
Chapter Three: Recounting Tragic History
"This is impossible!" Ron declared, pacing the Common Room furiously. The three had just returned from their visit with Flitwick. Hermione was sitting there looking shocked and guilty, Ron was pacing furiously at having discovered that Harry not only wasn't a Death Eater but also actually WAS the Harry he knew, even if he was from another universe. Harry himself was sitting quietly beside Hermione, staring into the fire with a look of deep concentration.
He was in a bad situation. No, he was in a TERRIBLE situation. And to make matters worse, there was no way to get home. He couldn't go to Dumbledore because, frankly, Harry couldn't help hating him after his fifth year. He couldn't go to McGonagall because, though he respected her highly, he knew the professor either wouldn't believe him or wouldn't be skilled enough in Charms to help him. As for asking Flitwick, there was a definite chance that Hermione would get into a large amount of trouble for using a spell that was not only dangerous, but that she hadn't researched as thoroughly as she had first thought. No matter how angry he was at the Hermione from his universe, he couldn't penalize the Hermione here for trying to improve her grade. She hadn't meant any ill will towards him specifically.
That was one thing that had thoroughly infuriated Harry: he couldn't be angry with Ron and Hermione because they didn't know the real him. The second thing that infuriated Harry was that he couldn't start throwing things. But going back to why he couldn't be angry with Ron or Hermione, he truly wished that he could. They had angered him so much at home that he had been at the point where he would have snapped at them again had he been given the chance. But now . . . seeing Ron and Hermione again but strangely less protective was a huge improvement in his opinion.
Hermione guiltily looked towards Harry, wondering if he was angry with her for virtually kidnapping him and stranding him in another universe. Surely his mother was missing him and maybe his friends (if he had them). Who knew? Maybe in his home universe his parents hadn't been so awful to him; maybe they had loved him and were waiting for him worriedly. Maybe He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had been killed, or maybe he didn't even exist! Maybe this Harry knew Hermione and maybe he didn't. He certainly seemed to.
Ron was furious with not only being proven wrong but also having been proven wrong so adamantly. First, Harry, someone who obviously should NOT have appeared out of a Summoning Spell, got dropped unceremoniously in front of him. Next, he was attacked for making ONE crack about some stupid scar on his forehead. Now he found out that there was ANOTHER Harry from ANOTHER universe that had been dropped on his lap and he was expected to keep this from everyone? Sure he could keep a secret but this was dangerous! Shouldn't Dumbledore know about something this big?
"I'm sorry." Hermione said in a tiny voice. Both boys turned to look at her, shocked out of their own musings.
"What?" Harry said, looking a little confused.
"I'm sorry for Summoning you here and putting you in a bad position like this." She continued quietly, fidgeting with the hem of her robes. Her face was a little pink from embarrassment and Ron was shocked to see her not looking at Harry when she spoke to him. Hermione never apologized. True, she never had a REASON to do so but seeing her nervous like this was so unlike Hermione it was uncanny. Harry visibly relaxed and even smiled, a motion so charming Hermione almost melted into the couch. Ron stared at him. The Harry he knew couldn't do that, especially to someone like Hermione.
"It's alright, you didn't know, which, frankly, surprises me. The Hermione I know would never use a spell that she didn't know like the back of her hand." Hermione blushed again, looking down at her lap.
"Well, I was really excited to use this particular spell and I didn't want anyone to find it before me so I . . . I thought it would be okay. I'm sorry." Harry shook his head.
"Think nothing of it . . . but since I AM here and we obviously can't let anyone know about me, maybe you should tell me a little more about your world so that I don't start confusing facts. I'd especially like to know the whole deal with Voldemort and Neville, exactly WHAT were you talking about before?" Hermione shifted slightly. She was much more comfortable now that she was on familiar territory.
"I suppose the most important thing to know is that Neville Longbottom, he's a boy in our year, is the Boy Who Lived. His house was attacked by Death Eaters on Halloween when he was a little over a year old and his parents were put into St. Mungo's because of over exposure to the Cruciatus Curse." Harry's eyes widened slightly. "And he has a scar just like yours, which is very strange." Hermione said, pointing at Harry's forehead. Harry hesitantly touched his bangs and contemplated telling them. Well, it wouldn't make much of a difference now would it? The Dark Lord would obviously have a tremendous dislike, maybe even hatred of Neville, but at least Voldemort's intense focus wouldn't be on Harry. There would be no reason for it.
"In my world, I'M the Boy Who Lived. Voldemort's been after me my entire life. He gave me this scar," Harry tapped his forehead with the tip of his wand, "when I was a little over a year old after he murdered my parents." Ron and Hermione stared at him, obviously surprised by this bit of news.
"Erm, well, in our first year Neville followed Professor Quirrel into this secret passage and managed to save the Philosopher's Stone." Hermione said a bit nervously. The topic of Halloween didn't seem to be a pleasant one for her either.
"I did that in my first year as well." Harry said calmly. "Actually, the three of us: you, me and Ron. We're best friends in my universe you see? You figured out that the Philosopher's Stone had to be under a trap door. So you and I took turns playing a pipe to lull Fluffy, Hagrid's three- headed dog to sleep while we slid down the trap door. Then you told us we had to relax when we got trapped in Devil's Snare." Harry had to smile at the memory. "Ron made fun of you a little because you were so shocked that you forgot that witches can create fire." Hermione and Ron exchanged incredulous looks. "I was the youngest Seeker of the century, so the next task of capturing a flying key was alright until the keys started attacking me. Anyway, then Ron played a large-as-life chess game where he had to sacrifice himself so we could go on. After that Hermione figured out a riddle for a potion to see something called the Mirror of Erised, where the stone was hidden." Hermione and Ron were completely lost though they continued listening to Harry.
The thought of doing something . . . like saving the Philosopher's stone from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, or at least assisting in it, was setting Ron's mind spiraling. He was friends with a famous person in another universe, probably THE most famous person aside from Merlin. And this Harry was most definitely telling the truth. He was staring Ron in the eyes, a slight amusement apparent as he stared at him. At Hermione. As if they were all friends. Not better than them, actually FRIENDS.
He wasn't at all like Neville.
"What else did we do? What about second year?" Harry sat back, surprised by how excited Ron looked. He didn't remember his Ron being happy about the dangerous expeditions the three of them had undergone. Ron nearly died because of the troll and the chess game: why was this Ron so excited to hear that he had nearly been killed?
"Well," Harry began as he tried to sum up the year, "Ginny was possessed by the diary of Tom Riddle, who was Voldemort's sixteen-year-old self, we used a Polyjuice Potion to spy on Malfoy, we proved Lockhart to be a fraud, I killed the basilisk and Hermione was petrified." Both Gryffindors stared at him, mouths hanging open. "Oh, and Nick's Deathday Party . . . and meeting Argog."
"Who?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Hagrid's pet spider. He was framed for moaning Myrtle's death by Riddle." Harry explained calmly. "Argog and his family nearly ate Ron and me." Ron's eyes were wide and his face was so pale he was in danger of fainting.
"S-s-s-spider?" Ron squeaked. Harry nodded, glancing amusedly at Hermione when she didn't hide her grin.
"Don't laugh. We're talking about millions of spiders the size of buses and cars." Hermione stopped grinning and Ron made a soft whimpering sound.
"Er, well, Neville snuck into the Chamber of Secrets after Ginny." Hermione said quickly, slightly embarrassed. Ron perked up at the change in topic.
"Wait, did you say that the diary had You-Know-Who's fifteen year-old- self? And HE was the one that possessed Ginny?"
"He was sixteen." Harry said calmly. "And yes, he was forcing Ginny to do those things." Ron grew increasingly angrier as Harry spoke.
"Then my sister was framed! She was suspended and nearly sent to Azkaban!" Harry's eyes widened with shock. Ginny had been suspended? She had nearly been sent to Azkaban? Why hadn't he thought of it before?
"Harry?" No answer. "Ha-rry!" Ron waved his arms wildly in front of Harry's face, trying to bring his attention back to earth. This was the second time Ron found a wand between his eyes.
"Ron, you never know when to keep your mouth closed and your hands to yourself." Hermione muttered under her breathe. Ron glared at her in disbelief (he was at wand point and she was making JOKES?!) and Harry was fighting to hide a grin as he pulled his wand back.
"Sorry," Harry said casually as he sat back, relaxing. "It's an old habit." Ron stared at him for a long moment before shaking his head.
"So what happened in third year?" Ron asked, trying to change the focus from his current embarrassment. He was still uncomfortable having someone he had never considered a threat to his ego suddenly making him feel like an out-right fool. The only ones who could do that now were his mother, Malfoy and Longbottom. As of now, Harry was the number one ego- bruiser on Ron's list. Now that Ron thought about it, it really made no sense. He didn't have any such list! And Harry wasn't a threat, he was just annoying! A tiny voice in the back of his head that sounded suspiciously Hermione-ish cackled scornfully at his denial.
"Well, in my third year . . ." Harry stopped, pushing back the wave of grief he felt when thinking about Sirius. Thinking about what had happened. Thinking about what his stupidity had resulted in. "In my third year, there were a lot of dementors." Harry said simply.
"Dementors?" Hermione asked curiously, trying to prod Harry to continue.
"Yeah, I don't really want to talk about them." Ron opened his mouth but Hermione gave him a look. Ron HATED that look but he knew better than to speak now.
"Alright, then what about your fourth year?" Harry again stared at the wall.
"Cedric was Hogwarts' champion but he died when Voldemort came back." Harry said briefly, gazing mournfully at the floor. Ron again opened his mouth but Hermione glared at him. Ron growled in frustration.
"Will you tell us what happened LAST year at least?" Harry stared blankly at the wall before glaring coldly at him.
"No, I won't tell you what happened last year." Ron, again, opened his mouth to yell that not telling them was stupid, but this time it was Harry's look that made him shut his mouth. The look of utter fierceness and tremendous sorrow terrified him to the bone. How could someone so young have a look so absolutely sad?
"Er, well, anyway . . . I guess . . . we should get to bed." Ron said nervously. Hermione was about to speak but Harry stood up abruptly, grabbed his photo album and hurried to the dorms, crawling immediately into his bed. He forced himself not to think about Sirius, instead concentrating on wicked thoughts about his first day of school in this alien universe. He couldn't wait for morning!
Author's Note: For those curious to know who is co-writing this with me, her penname is Rose69. She's the best: catches all of my mistakes and helps me plan ideas (usually during Philosophy and History ^_^;;). Also, thanks to Geminia, star2003, Laterose, lime and Ashlee for reviewing the last chapter. Please review and tell us how we're doing!
Chapter Three: Recounting Tragic History
"This is impossible!" Ron declared, pacing the Common Room furiously. The three had just returned from their visit with Flitwick. Hermione was sitting there looking shocked and guilty, Ron was pacing furiously at having discovered that Harry not only wasn't a Death Eater but also actually WAS the Harry he knew, even if he was from another universe. Harry himself was sitting quietly beside Hermione, staring into the fire with a look of deep concentration.
He was in a bad situation. No, he was in a TERRIBLE situation. And to make matters worse, there was no way to get home. He couldn't go to Dumbledore because, frankly, Harry couldn't help hating him after his fifth year. He couldn't go to McGonagall because, though he respected her highly, he knew the professor either wouldn't believe him or wouldn't be skilled enough in Charms to help him. As for asking Flitwick, there was a definite chance that Hermione would get into a large amount of trouble for using a spell that was not only dangerous, but that she hadn't researched as thoroughly as she had first thought. No matter how angry he was at the Hermione from his universe, he couldn't penalize the Hermione here for trying to improve her grade. She hadn't meant any ill will towards him specifically.
That was one thing that had thoroughly infuriated Harry: he couldn't be angry with Ron and Hermione because they didn't know the real him. The second thing that infuriated Harry was that he couldn't start throwing things. But going back to why he couldn't be angry with Ron or Hermione, he truly wished that he could. They had angered him so much at home that he had been at the point where he would have snapped at them again had he been given the chance. But now . . . seeing Ron and Hermione again but strangely less protective was a huge improvement in his opinion.
Hermione guiltily looked towards Harry, wondering if he was angry with her for virtually kidnapping him and stranding him in another universe. Surely his mother was missing him and maybe his friends (if he had them). Who knew? Maybe in his home universe his parents hadn't been so awful to him; maybe they had loved him and were waiting for him worriedly. Maybe He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had been killed, or maybe he didn't even exist! Maybe this Harry knew Hermione and maybe he didn't. He certainly seemed to.
Ron was furious with not only being proven wrong but also having been proven wrong so adamantly. First, Harry, someone who obviously should NOT have appeared out of a Summoning Spell, got dropped unceremoniously in front of him. Next, he was attacked for making ONE crack about some stupid scar on his forehead. Now he found out that there was ANOTHER Harry from ANOTHER universe that had been dropped on his lap and he was expected to keep this from everyone? Sure he could keep a secret but this was dangerous! Shouldn't Dumbledore know about something this big?
"I'm sorry." Hermione said in a tiny voice. Both boys turned to look at her, shocked out of their own musings.
"What?" Harry said, looking a little confused.
"I'm sorry for Summoning you here and putting you in a bad position like this." She continued quietly, fidgeting with the hem of her robes. Her face was a little pink from embarrassment and Ron was shocked to see her not looking at Harry when she spoke to him. Hermione never apologized. True, she never had a REASON to do so but seeing her nervous like this was so unlike Hermione it was uncanny. Harry visibly relaxed and even smiled, a motion so charming Hermione almost melted into the couch. Ron stared at him. The Harry he knew couldn't do that, especially to someone like Hermione.
"It's alright, you didn't know, which, frankly, surprises me. The Hermione I know would never use a spell that she didn't know like the back of her hand." Hermione blushed again, looking down at her lap.
"Well, I was really excited to use this particular spell and I didn't want anyone to find it before me so I . . . I thought it would be okay. I'm sorry." Harry shook his head.
"Think nothing of it . . . but since I AM here and we obviously can't let anyone know about me, maybe you should tell me a little more about your world so that I don't start confusing facts. I'd especially like to know the whole deal with Voldemort and Neville, exactly WHAT were you talking about before?" Hermione shifted slightly. She was much more comfortable now that she was on familiar territory.
"I suppose the most important thing to know is that Neville Longbottom, he's a boy in our year, is the Boy Who Lived. His house was attacked by Death Eaters on Halloween when he was a little over a year old and his parents were put into St. Mungo's because of over exposure to the Cruciatus Curse." Harry's eyes widened slightly. "And he has a scar just like yours, which is very strange." Hermione said, pointing at Harry's forehead. Harry hesitantly touched his bangs and contemplated telling them. Well, it wouldn't make much of a difference now would it? The Dark Lord would obviously have a tremendous dislike, maybe even hatred of Neville, but at least Voldemort's intense focus wouldn't be on Harry. There would be no reason for it.
"In my world, I'M the Boy Who Lived. Voldemort's been after me my entire life. He gave me this scar," Harry tapped his forehead with the tip of his wand, "when I was a little over a year old after he murdered my parents." Ron and Hermione stared at him, obviously surprised by this bit of news.
"Erm, well, in our first year Neville followed Professor Quirrel into this secret passage and managed to save the Philosopher's Stone." Hermione said a bit nervously. The topic of Halloween didn't seem to be a pleasant one for her either.
"I did that in my first year as well." Harry said calmly. "Actually, the three of us: you, me and Ron. We're best friends in my universe you see? You figured out that the Philosopher's Stone had to be under a trap door. So you and I took turns playing a pipe to lull Fluffy, Hagrid's three- headed dog to sleep while we slid down the trap door. Then you told us we had to relax when we got trapped in Devil's Snare." Harry had to smile at the memory. "Ron made fun of you a little because you were so shocked that you forgot that witches can create fire." Hermione and Ron exchanged incredulous looks. "I was the youngest Seeker of the century, so the next task of capturing a flying key was alright until the keys started attacking me. Anyway, then Ron played a large-as-life chess game where he had to sacrifice himself so we could go on. After that Hermione figured out a riddle for a potion to see something called the Mirror of Erised, where the stone was hidden." Hermione and Ron were completely lost though they continued listening to Harry.
The thought of doing something . . . like saving the Philosopher's stone from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, or at least assisting in it, was setting Ron's mind spiraling. He was friends with a famous person in another universe, probably THE most famous person aside from Merlin. And this Harry was most definitely telling the truth. He was staring Ron in the eyes, a slight amusement apparent as he stared at him. At Hermione. As if they were all friends. Not better than them, actually FRIENDS.
He wasn't at all like Neville.
"What else did we do? What about second year?" Harry sat back, surprised by how excited Ron looked. He didn't remember his Ron being happy about the dangerous expeditions the three of them had undergone. Ron nearly died because of the troll and the chess game: why was this Ron so excited to hear that he had nearly been killed?
"Well," Harry began as he tried to sum up the year, "Ginny was possessed by the diary of Tom Riddle, who was Voldemort's sixteen-year-old self, we used a Polyjuice Potion to spy on Malfoy, we proved Lockhart to be a fraud, I killed the basilisk and Hermione was petrified." Both Gryffindors stared at him, mouths hanging open. "Oh, and Nick's Deathday Party . . . and meeting Argog."
"Who?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Hagrid's pet spider. He was framed for moaning Myrtle's death by Riddle." Harry explained calmly. "Argog and his family nearly ate Ron and me." Ron's eyes were wide and his face was so pale he was in danger of fainting.
"S-s-s-spider?" Ron squeaked. Harry nodded, glancing amusedly at Hermione when she didn't hide her grin.
"Don't laugh. We're talking about millions of spiders the size of buses and cars." Hermione stopped grinning and Ron made a soft whimpering sound.
"Er, well, Neville snuck into the Chamber of Secrets after Ginny." Hermione said quickly, slightly embarrassed. Ron perked up at the change in topic.
"Wait, did you say that the diary had You-Know-Who's fifteen year-old- self? And HE was the one that possessed Ginny?"
"He was sixteen." Harry said calmly. "And yes, he was forcing Ginny to do those things." Ron grew increasingly angrier as Harry spoke.
"Then my sister was framed! She was suspended and nearly sent to Azkaban!" Harry's eyes widened with shock. Ginny had been suspended? She had nearly been sent to Azkaban? Why hadn't he thought of it before?
"Harry?" No answer. "Ha-rry!" Ron waved his arms wildly in front of Harry's face, trying to bring his attention back to earth. This was the second time Ron found a wand between his eyes.
"Ron, you never know when to keep your mouth closed and your hands to yourself." Hermione muttered under her breathe. Ron glared at her in disbelief (he was at wand point and she was making JOKES?!) and Harry was fighting to hide a grin as he pulled his wand back.
"Sorry," Harry said casually as he sat back, relaxing. "It's an old habit." Ron stared at him for a long moment before shaking his head.
"So what happened in third year?" Ron asked, trying to change the focus from his current embarrassment. He was still uncomfortable having someone he had never considered a threat to his ego suddenly making him feel like an out-right fool. The only ones who could do that now were his mother, Malfoy and Longbottom. As of now, Harry was the number one ego- bruiser on Ron's list. Now that Ron thought about it, it really made no sense. He didn't have any such list! And Harry wasn't a threat, he was just annoying! A tiny voice in the back of his head that sounded suspiciously Hermione-ish cackled scornfully at his denial.
"Well, in my third year . . ." Harry stopped, pushing back the wave of grief he felt when thinking about Sirius. Thinking about what had happened. Thinking about what his stupidity had resulted in. "In my third year, there were a lot of dementors." Harry said simply.
"Dementors?" Hermione asked curiously, trying to prod Harry to continue.
"Yeah, I don't really want to talk about them." Ron opened his mouth but Hermione gave him a look. Ron HATED that look but he knew better than to speak now.
"Alright, then what about your fourth year?" Harry again stared at the wall.
"Cedric was Hogwarts' champion but he died when Voldemort came back." Harry said briefly, gazing mournfully at the floor. Ron again opened his mouth but Hermione glared at him. Ron growled in frustration.
"Will you tell us what happened LAST year at least?" Harry stared blankly at the wall before glaring coldly at him.
"No, I won't tell you what happened last year." Ron, again, opened his mouth to yell that not telling them was stupid, but this time it was Harry's look that made him shut his mouth. The look of utter fierceness and tremendous sorrow terrified him to the bone. How could someone so young have a look so absolutely sad?
"Er, well, anyway . . . I guess . . . we should get to bed." Ron said nervously. Hermione was about to speak but Harry stood up abruptly, grabbed his photo album and hurried to the dorms, crawling immediately into his bed. He forced himself not to think about Sirius, instead concentrating on wicked thoughts about his first day of school in this alien universe. He couldn't wait for morning!
Author's Note: For those curious to know who is co-writing this with me, her penname is Rose69. She's the best: catches all of my mistakes and helps me plan ideas (usually during Philosophy and History ^_^;;). Also, thanks to Geminia, star2003, Laterose, lime and Ashlee for reviewing the last chapter. Please review and tell us how we're doing!
