Attention: AU Harry's name is in italics.
Harry raced the short distance to the Dursley's front door, stumbling slightly on the doormat. His breath came short as he fumbled with the letters on the mat. There was a postcard with a picture of a calm sea and a brown envelope. Where was his letter? He turned the brown envelope over, it was for his uncle, the small black writing said so.
She'd... She'd said that his letter would come today, his birthday. Harry looked up. He could still hear the murmurs of the adults talking, the sound of his cousin shovelling food into his mouth. He opened his mouth as if to say something. Then he jerked back, falling and tumbling into...
Harry's last glimpse of his world was the Dursley's clean wallpaper and neat furniture.
It was hot. The wind drifted lazily, ruffling the heads of the swaying grass.
They were lounging beneath a large tree, Harry leaning drowsily against the trunk, Hermione and Ron bickering halfheartedly.
Shards of sunlight danced across the surface of the lake. Harry half-closed his eyes, watching through his lashed as a tentacle lifted from the water, flinging droplets into the air.
It was only a few days ago when he'd seen the silver stag gallop towards him, when he'd thought he saw his father.
Harry jerked upright, his breath caught, eyes searching through the foliage on the opposite bank.
"Harry?" Ron was looking at him strangely.
"Did you see that?" A flash of dark hair amongst the deep green leaves.
Hermione looked sympathetic. "We know it's hard for you, Harry, but..."
Harry shook his head, "No, I saw someone." He jumped up, "Look!"
Something moved between the trees, moving further into the Forest.
Harry took off running, a painful excitement griping him.
"He's barmy," Ron muttered.
But Hermione had lept up as well. "Someone might be lost in there!" She exclaimed, jogging after him.
"You're both barmy," Ron scrambled after them.
A crash sounded deeper in the forest.
Harry scrambled up from where he'd fallen. He could hear people behind him, closer now. He pressed the Key against his chest, praying for portkey to work this time. The silver ornament swung on its string. He nearly tripped on another root.
"Please stop, we just want to talk!" A woman's voice, sounding worried.
Harry felt light-headed, weak from travelling here. (How, he didn't know.) His legs gave way as he tumbled down again, he was shaking, his vision blurring as he tried to get back up.
"Don't - Don't come any closer!" He hated how his voice shook. He didn't have a wand - he was barely eleven!
The sound of the footsteps stopped. They were above him, hidden by a thick plant shielding the down-sloping path.
"Are you alright?" Another voice.
"Where are we? Where did you bring me?" He demanded, struggling to pull himself up.
A pause, then, "We didn't bring you here," The woman's voice was soothing, "Could you tell me who you are?"
"We won't hurt you. Well, unless Snape finds us here. Then he'll..."
"Stop it, Ron!" A small scuffle.
Harry grimaced, backing away carefully.
Another boy, voice strangely familiar, cleared his throat, "You are at Hogwarts - a magical school. We are students here."
"Oh." His breath fluttered, "So you know my mum, Lily Potter?"
A silence, he could hear furious whispering. He shifted shakily, his hand reaching up to touch the Key again.
"I - We know of her..."
"Hey, can we come down?"
"Don't rush him!"
"Come on Hermione, Harry's dying to meet him."
"Meet whom?" Harry wondered.
The other person cleared his throat. Hermione shushed him.
"May we come down? No wands, I promise." Hermione assured him.
Harry straightened, tensing slightly.
The girl stepped down. She had bushy brown hair, and she was staring at him.
"What?" Harry asked, almost offended.
"Nothing." She smiled brightly at him, "You're Harry?"
Harry moved to nod, then jumped as another person crashed down from the small ledge.
"Sorry!" The boy yelped, "Ron pushed me!"
And he looked just like...
"Whoa, you're identical."
Hermione seemed about to slap Ron.
"Look, we can explain..." The person, who looked so much like Harry, shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Hermione as if for help.
Harry blinked, "Did you use Polyjuice? Then an ageing potion? Is this a stupid trick?" He demanded.
"Harry, have you ever heard of a Timeturner?"
Harry took a step back. "Time - time travel? You travelled through time."
The trio exchanged a pained look.
"Well, no..."
"It shouldn't have turned out this way! The Timeturner was perfectly fine when we used it. It was licensed by the Ministry, it should have been perfectly safe and..."
"Hermione, calm down." It was unsettling to see his duplicate comforting the flustered girl. "It wasn't your fault. Really." He glanced at Harry. "And it wasn't yours either."
Harry tilted his head, "You're me. From the future?"
The other Harry laughed awkwardly, "Yes, I guess. Strange isn't it." He stuffed his hands into his pockets.
"And can you return me to my time?"
"We're really sorry, Harry," Hermione's tone was painfully sympathetic.
She stared at him, biting her lip. "Maybe Dumbledore will know what to do."
It seemed that Dumbledore did not.
"You mean I won't be able to go back, ever?" His voice cracked, and he ducked his head, nails digging into the soft fabric of the conjured couch.
The professor gazed at the boy sorrowfully, "Maybe after some time, my boy. Until then, we should get you settled."
Harry raked his hand through his hair, "I don't want to be settled!" he cried, "I'm not..." He tried to remember how to breathe again, flinched as Hermione patted him comfortingly.
Dumbledore's intense blue gaze was studying him again. "Harry, have you ever had a scar on your forehead?"
Beside him, the other Harry startled. Harry frowned, "What do you mean?" He lifted his fringe, tracing his fingers along the unblemished skin, as it had always been.
Dumbledore seemed grave, "Ah, I see now." And then, half to himself, "This may be difficult, my boy."
Harry left the office clutching a wrapped candy, panic knawing at the edges of his mind.
"It'll be alright. Dumbledore will find a way."
"Yeah, he's amazing."
Harry nodded along, the wrapper crinkling in his palm. They fell silent again.
"What was it like in... your world?" Ron cleared his throat, uncomfortable with the silence.
"It's nice." Harry shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Where are we going?"
The other Harry turned to him, frowning, "How was Voldemort defeated in your world?"
Ron made a muffled noise, Hermione covered her mouth.
"What's a Voldemort?"
The other Harry seemed to be struggling with something, "He is - was the Dark Lord." He shook his head, "Dead."
Harry stared at him and the other boy looked away. Was that... guilt?
Ron was gaping. Hermione pursed her lips, "Harry?"
Harry cleared his throat, "There hasn't been a Dark Lord since Grindelwald." His gaze snapped back to Harry, bright green eyes roiling with thoughts and emotion. Harry took a step back, hands curling.
"And my - your parents? Are they alive." (No Voldemort. How he wished...)
Harry tensed at the question.
"Someone's coming!" They could hear footsteps coming towards them.
"There's a door back there," Ron whispered as they scrambled away.
The door led into a small storeroom. The door shut with whispers of "Stay quiet." And "Be back soon". Harry wondered, eyes straining in the darkness, why he had to hide.
"Ah, Harry, I've been looking for you." Harry knew that voice, from when he would visit...
"Professor Lupin - you're leaving?"
A sigh, "I'm afraid I resigned."
"Why?"
Harry pressed his hand against the cool wood of the door. Remus was a werewolf. He felt exhausted.
The door opened again and Harry blinked as he stepped out.
The other Harry was distracted, holding something silvery in his hand. "Here, put this on."
Harry's fingers slid through the light fabric. He looked up at his counterpart.
"It's an invisibility cloak." He gestured for him to put it on.
Harry sucked in a sharp breath, "Dad's cloak." He hadn't seen it since...
"I hate him." Harry spat, eyes burning, voice full of venom.
"Hate whom?"
But Harry had already jerked the Cloak up, vanishing beneath it.
(This is also posted on Fanfiction with the username "Cobalt Silver Foster"
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Attention: AU Harry's name is in italics (Thanks, Abegail, I love you~)