Sorry, I just saw that I accidently deleted this chapter… must have been about an hour after I posted it when I changed the chapter title. Sorry. But now it's up again...

Chapter THIRTEEN

Harry wasn't sure how but he remembered the exact path he had gone all those years ago when he went walked towards his own execution. He could almost see Ginny kneeling beside an injured girl as he walked passed her on his way out of the castle. He remembered Hagrid's dark and silent hut before he had reached the edge of the forest, the exact spot he was now standing on with Jack. Back then he had been alone, ready to meet his death, and their had been a swarm of dementors gliding amongst the trees. They weren't there now; they weren't even guarding the wizarding prison anymore. He remembered fumbling with the snitch before he had figured out the riddle and pressed his lips against it. He remembered the metal shell break and the small black stone that had been hidden within.

Harry glanced over at Jack, again the man seemed to understand the pain he was going through, the weight of the situation, without really knowing a thing. Back then he had been accompanied by ghosts, now he had flesh and blood by his side. He smiled at him, but neither said a word as Harry began to lead them deeper into the forest.

As they walked Harry remembered the words spoken by Remus and his parents as they walked with him, their promises and how proud they had been. He knew the exact spot he had been heard by Yaxley and Dolohov. He could almost see Voldemort and the Death Eaters when they reached the clearing and nearly jumped as he heard the sound of Jack's breathing just behind him, so lost in his old memory was he that he had completely forgotten about him.

"This is where I found out I couldn't die." Harry told him, forcing a smile. He pointed to a spot in the centre of the clearing. "That's where I waited for him to kill me. And this" He pointed to a spot no more than two or three feet away from him "is where I dropped the resurrection stone." He walked over and kneeled down, feeling the ground until he felt the familiar jagged edges of the stone against his fingers and picked it up. "And this is the stone. I will explain what it does when we get back to the hub. Now I just want to get out of here."

As soon as they reached the end of the anti-apparation ward Harry told Jack to grab hold of his arm and hold on as if his life depended on it. He had and seconds later they were standing in the apparition area of St. Mungo's. To be honest the inside of the hospital didn't look too different from the one he went to with Mary, although the illnesses and injuries the witches and wizards in there sported were more notable. A muggle, for example, wouldn't calmly be sitting in the waiting room with his severed arm across his lap or with a bird leg sticking out from underneath her robe instead of a human leg. Strangely enough Jack didn't even seem surprised or intrigued by the odd cases in front of him, instead he looked expectantly at Harry.

"I couldn't come to this world without seeing my best friend." He explained as he led them through the waiting room and towards the lift onto the fourth floor and the long-term residents' ward. He knew Ron really shouldn't be there but in an mental hospital but being a war hero had given him some special treatment and in Harry's opinion that was perhaps the only good thing his, Ron's and Hermione's fame had gotten them.

When he walked into Ron's room he distantly registered that Jack stopped and waited in the door rather then go inside as Harry fell on his knees in front of Ron's unresponsive body. He briefly wondered who had moved him to the armchair but didn't give it much thought as he stared at the shell of his friend. His eyes might as well have been made of glass from the life he saw within then. He forced a smile

"How are you, mate?" he asked. "You wouldn't believe the things I have seen and done since I last was here. I went to a different universe; can you believe it? Just like I told you I would. Even fought an alien or two." Nothing, as expected, but Harry continued talking anyway. "Right, you wouldn't know what that is. It's a muggle thing, I guess. Aliens are other life forms from other planets. I don't know if they exist in this universe, but I can't see why they wouldn't… like humans some are good and some not so good. Never actually met a good one, but I have been told they exist. One even saved the world a few times, I'm told." Harry took a second to think up something else to say. "Right, I quit the auror department before I went universe jumping, am working for an alien hunting organisation in the other universe now."

"Who are you?" An all to familiar sharp voice yelled from just outside the door and he saw Jack turn to look at whoever had yelled at him. Harry stood up too and walked over to them. There, glaring at Jack, was Ron's baby sister.

"Hello Ginny." Harry greeted and he wasn't the least bit surprise to see her drop her bag before she threw herself at him, her arms holding him around the neck in an iron grip.

"Harry." She whispered into his shoulder and he was surprised to find her stomach flat and not swollen with a baby inside. When she finally let go and looked at him she had tears in her eyes. "You are really here." She smiled. "You're back." She added and Harry didn't have the heart to tell her he was leaving again although he knew he should.

"How are you Ginny?" He asked, carefully. "Last I heard you were pregnant."

"I lost her." She said with a quivering voice. "Not even something climactic, it happens." She added putting on a brave face. "I think Dean was relieved actually. You wouldn't have been, would you?" She asked.

"Ginny." Harry said with a mix of pity and warning. She didn't back off.

"We belong together Harry. You know we do. You went through a tough time after the war, we all dealt with it differently. But we need to move on with our lives. Ron would have liked us together. Fred too."

"Ron isn't dead." Harry said firmly. He didn't like it when Ron and Fred were clumped together.

"I know, that's not what I meant. Harry, we could be happy together. I know you love me too."

"Maybe if Ron and Hermione… maybe things could have been different but I don't see you that way and Dean does. He isn't relieved, I know him. He wouldn't be, he loves you." Harry told her… he really did love her too, just not the way she wanted him to. He still found her pretty, beautiful even, but she reminded him too much of Ron, of how he failed him and Hermione. "You are like a sister to me." She ignored him and pressed her lip against his. He let her, he didn't move a muscle until she let go and took a step back. "I have to go."

"You are not leaving again, are you?" She asked, frightened. "I won't do it again. I promise. Just don't leave."

"Go talk to Dean and give your family my love." He said before he left the room, Jack falling into step next to him while Ginny watched them go. He ignored her calls behind them as they walked.

As they left the hospital Harry looked down at his watch, there was still time. Jumping into a taxi Harry quickly pulled Jack into the Leaky Cauldron and through the passage into Diagon Alley.

As they stepped through the archway Harry was a little disappointed to find no awe on Jack's face, only a mild interest as he looked around. Though he did seem amused as he looked at the name signs of some of the shops.

"You weren't kidding about the owls, were you?" Jack suddenly asked and Harry saw him staring at the owl emporium.

"Muggles used doves once you know, owls can carry more and they always finds you. Much better than a postman, I guarantee it." Harry grinned at Jack's sceptical nod. The next stop made Jack stop short, the quidditch shop.

"Is that a broomstick?" He asked disbelievingly, as he stared at the window display and the children gawking at it as if it was a racecar.

"It's not a just some broomstick, it's a Firebolt racer." Harry said as he stared at it in awe. "It was just a rumour when I left, seems they finally released it… it's supposed be three times as fast as the Nimbus 5000."

"You're talking broom models?" Jack asked uncertainly.

"They fly." Harry said, amused by his tone, as he looked up at him. "We use them for all sorts of things, but mainly quidditch."

"Qudditch?" He echoed.

"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like — like football in the Muggle world — everyone follows Quidditch — played up in the air on broomsticks and there're four balls — sort of hard to explain the rules. Best sport there is though. I used to play seeker for my house team at school"

"And you play sports on broomsticks. You really took the witch thing to heart." Jack commented.

"We are witches and wizards. Magic is real." Harry responded already knowing Jack would ignore him. He was right. Instead Jack's eyes were drawn to a snowy-white marble building towering over the shops with the words; Gringotts Wizarding Bank' written above the entrance. He also noticed creatures by the doors didn't look too pleased when Harry decided to led him through the bronze and silver doors into the building.

"What did you do to them?" He asked Harry, he seemed amused by the frosty reception.

"Broke into someone's vault during the war, stole their dragon and used it to escape; smashing everything into ruins." Harry said. "Can't say I blame them."

"And we are here because?"

"Figured I might as well get some extra gold when I'm here. You actually get more for it in your world than here." For some reason Harry's words made Jack tense, but he didn't say anything and Harry didn't comment.

After pouring some gold unto his pocket Harry noticed Jack looking at him with interest "It's bigger on the inside and it's charmed, doesn't weigh a thing. See?" He added, allowing Jack to stick his entire arm in and still not reach a thing inside. "You have to think about what you want when you put your hands in or you won't reach anything, at least not what you're looking for." Next time he pulled his arm out he held a few gold gallons in his hand and grinned.

"HA! Wait until the doctor sees this." He grinned widely. "Time lord technology used and invented by humans. Fantastic!" Harry just shook his head and led them out of the vault and into the small carriage waiting for them outside.

When they stepped out of the bank Harry looked o his right and into a dodgy looking alley with an uncertain expression before he turned and walked into it. Unlike the previous alley that had been bursting with life and bright colours this one was dark. Instead of broomsticks, winking manikins and moving floor lamps in the window displays Jack saw shrunken heads, skeleton hands and weapons.

Harry ignored it all as he headed straight for a specific shop just next to a shop sporting hissing snakes in the window. The inside was dusty and full of spider webs, but Harry didn't spare the room as much as a glance as he headed up to the clerk.

"I need information on the glove of life." Harry said coldly to the man, not even greeting him first.

"Harry Potter." The man's voice had a hissing quality to it that would make a lesser man shiver. "Rumour had it that you had went to the land of the dead."

"As you can see the rumours have been exaggerated."

"I see." He said with a wide grin, displaying his blackened teeth. "It will cost you."

"Doesn't it always?" He asked dully. "What do you have?"

"A book." He replied. "But the glove has been lost for decades, have you found it? I have a buyer who would pay a small fortune for it…"

"I don't deal dark artefacts, you know that."

"Always the hero." He said distastefully. "Well not always, I heard you took a tour of the dark side down in the east a few years ago, Hadrian Blackwood. If you change your mind you know where to find me." Again Harry didn't comment and the man seemed to give up. "Wait here."

A minute later the man returned with a small, ancient looking, black book and but it on the counter. "Romanian." The man said when he saw Harry trying to read the cover. "You will have to find a translator… I could help you there…"

"I got it." Harry said. "How much?"

"163 gallons for our hero. Business wasn't going as well as one would think during the war. They just came and took what they wanted, never paid a sickle."

Harry didn't say a word, just put the money on the counter and all but threw the book at Jack as they left the shop. "For you."

"What is it?"

"A book about the resurrection glove. Hopefully it will stop you from even consider using it again. Now, I'm starving."

TBC…

I'm actually really happy with this chapter, what did you think? I know Jack doesn't say too much but this isn't about making him believe in magic. It's about showing him a little bit more what Harry's life was like before he went through the rift/veil.