Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of the Characters in this story, with the exception of James
Black, who is freelance fictional character hired specifically for this role.
Warning: This chapter contains actual historical references which, under certain
circumstances, could be considered as educational, but probably not.
Chapter 6: Not What It Seems
Harry awoke with a start. He was having the strangest dream, and had just realized that it was not a dream at all. To confirm this, Draco lay in his bed, just six feet away, a pillow over his head to shut out the morning sun. 'Father' had set out fresh clothes for him to wear, and Harry quickly dressed. As he went to leave the room, he heard a knock on the door, opening it to find Lucius Malfoy standing there. "Good Morning, Harry," he said, "I now know one difference between you and Dudley." "Not really, Sir," Harry replied, "If not for the present circumstances, I'd be just like Draco. I'm notorious for getting up late." As they exchanged smiles, a gleam appeared in Lucius's eyes. "I haven't done this in a while, Harry, you might enjoy it."
"Draco," his father called, "time to get up." Draco mumbled something and clutched the pillow more tightly around his head. Lucius pulled out his wand and waved it. The bed sheets and the pillow disappeared and, at the same time, a small dark cloud appeared over the bed. With an appropriate rumble of thunder, it began to rain. Draco screamed as the cold water hit him, and jumped out of bed to get away from the storm. Lucius waved his wand again and the cloud vanished, the now dry bed was freshly made, and Draco was dressed in his school robes, ready for class. "You had to do that," he sneered at his father. Harry was doubled over in laughter. "Sorry, son," Lucius said, "I was merely trying to entertain our guest." Then Narcissa walked in, "Oh, Draco dear, You are up on time and ready for a change. What a pleasant surprise." Harry, in a word, two words actually, lost it.
"Never, never tell anyone about that," Draco said for the hundredth time. "Draco, I've already promised but, if you don't stop threatening me, I will never stop laughing," Harry said. As they approached the Great Hall, they noticed Cedric Diggory walk by. "We play his team on Saturday," Draco said, then asked Harry, "how good are you at playing keeper. Harry admitted that he had never played that position and, because of the tournament, had not practiced very much this past year. "Nothing personal," said Draco, "but I hope you're gone before the weekend."
Breakfast was an ordeal for Harry. All of the students wanted to ask him questions. Most were of no great matter but Vincent Crabbe, never known for his quickness, asked, "How are you, Harry?" It was a simple question, but the way it was asked made Harry think. "I don't know," he said, finally. "That," said Vincent, "is a good answer." Harry made a mental note never to judge a book by its cover.
"What are you doing here, Weasel," said Draco, with his usual sneer? "Stuff a sock in it, Git," said Ron. As Harry looked up, Ron said, in a sneer that was a perfect imitation of Draco, "So, I'm supposed to be your best friend." "Yes," said Harry, trying to smile, "I guess I should introduce myself, I'm Harry Potter. When he held out his hand, Ron ignored it. "What is it they call you, from where you come?" he asked. Embarrassed, Harry answered, "the boy-who-lived, but you don't have that here." "No," said Ron sarcastically, "we do have the boy-who-died, but that's not the same, is it." Then Ron turned and walked away. 'What is this,' Harry thought, 'some kind of game?' Then he noticed everyone watching him, waiting to see what he would do. It was a game, and now Harry knew how to play. "You really are a Weasel," he shouted at Ron, "running around like you're top dog when all you are is a red-haired worm. Ron turned around and smiled, "Quidditch pitch, midnight, bring your wand." Pansy Parkinson, who had come up behind Harry, slipped her arm around his waist and said, "We'll be there, Weasel, don't worry," and gave Harry a kiss on the cheek. Harry, thinking back to his first year, added, "and this time, Ron, please show up." The remark struck home, and Ron Weasley stormed off, his face as red as his hair. On impulse, Harry put his arm on Pansy's shoulder and returned her kiss. "Why, Harry Potter," Pansy said, smiling.
When Pansy asked to escort Harry to their first class, Draco merely snorted, and excused himself. Harry began heading toward the front doors, she asked where he was going. "I'm sorry, I thought our first class was Care of Magical Creatures," he said. Pansy's smile disappeared. "He's not here," she said softly, "We have extra Defense Against the Dark Arts instead. Harry felt a chill. Dumbledore had said how all the students knew someone who was dead or missing. He was fitting in better than he had wanted.
Lucius Malfoy was an excellent teacher. Having practiced the Dark Arts, he knew the subject perfectly, and knew what to teach. He called on Harry repeatedly, both to show the class how much Harry knew, and to show Harry what he was missing. When Lucius began discussing the three deadly curses, Harry impressed everyone when he mentioned how he had broken the imperious curse when it had been placed on him, in his own world. Lucius cut through the voices of surprise and said, "Tell everyone how you did it." And for the rest of the class, Harry became the teacher, with Lucius interrupting to clarify, or expand upon, what Harry had said.
Transfiguration was next, and Professor McGonagall was as strict as Harry remembered. She ignored that fact that 'Harry Potter' was in her class, except to ask him if he was at the same point in her counterpart's class. Harry would have sworn it was the exact same lesson he would have had if he were home.
After lunch, Harry went for a walk by the lake. As he came in site of Hagrid's hut, with all the windows shuttered, he heard Pansy coming up behind him. "He planned on coming back," she said. Harry started to ask, "Is he..." "We don't know," was the reply. "Do you understand what its like, Harry," Pansy continued, "you should have noticed all the missing faces, but when you go back, they will still be there, and everyone will be all right." Pansy began to talk more softly, "But for those of us, here, they will still be gone. I'll never see Gregory Goyle again. Or Lee Jordan, Even though I hated the way he announced the matches. Or that boy Justin, who always smiled. Or my parents..." Pansy stopped at what she had said. Harry understood immediately. She had just told a secret she didn't want anyone to know, didn't want to talk about. "I do understand what it's like," he said to Pansy, "When I was one year old, Voldemort killed my parents. All I remember is a green light and my mother screaming." Looking straight in her eyes he said, "I still have nightmares about that." Pansy kept her eyes on Harry, "Voldemort killed my parents because they chose to follow your father, Del's father. You should know that." Both of them felt strangely calm, as though relieved of a burden. Pansy expressed it best when, during their walk back to the school, she stopped him and said, "I'm glad I met you, Harry, I've found a kindred spirit."
As they approached the school, Harry noticed a young boy, hair as black as his, sitting on the steps. He didn't know the boy, but there was something familiar about him. "Who is he," he asked Pansy? She answered, "James Black, first form, Gryffindor. His father is the Minister." The boy heard his name mentioned, and stood up. "You're that Harry Potter, aren't you," he said more than asked, "Why do you want to know who I am?" Harry smiled, "In my world, your father is my godfather. In fact, you are named after my father, James Potter." The boy nodded thoughtfully at this. "We should be friends," Harry said, holding out his hand. "Harry," Pansy said, pulling his hand away as she quickly whispered into his ear. Harry thrust out his hand, saying, "Truce." James Black smiled and shook his hand. "Truce," he responded. In this world, Harry now had one friend in Gryffindor.
As they went inside, Harry looked at Pansy, and thanked her. She said he was welcome and squeezed his hand. They stood there just looking at each other, smiling, until Draco said, "Don't start kissing again, people are starting to talk." Laughing at their own embarrassment, they turned to look at Draco who was also laughing. "I'm supposed to show you Slytherin House, since you've never been there," he said to change the subject. "Yes, I have," said Harry, smiling at Draco's (and Pansy') reaction. He told them about how he and Ron had used Polyjuice Potion and followed Draco to the common room. "Harry Potter," muttered Draco, "you are full of surprises." "And I would like to here some more of them," said Professor Snape, standing in the doorway.
"Should I be missing Professor Binn's class," asked Harry as Snape escorted him from the hall. "Why, Harry, didn't you get enough sleep last night," Snape replied. As Harry jumped, Severus laughed, "it was a joke, Harry." "I'm sorry, Sir, I was surprised. In my world, you don't have a sense of humor," Severus laughed again at Harry's reply, and said, "To be honest with you, Harry, I don't have a sense of humor either but, unlike my counterpart, I don't let that stop me." Harry looked up at the professor, smiling, "was that a joke, Sir?" Again, Severus laughed, "You're learning, Harry, learning is always a good thing."
At this, the professor walked up to the door to his rooms, asking Harry to join him for a talk. At first, they talked about the professor. Harry explained how Snape was in his world. Severus then explained why he was different. With all of the Potters dead, he had no cause to hold a grudge. But when Sirius Black asked him to help Remus Lupin, he devised the perfect revenge. He developed a cure, thus causing his two enemies to be eternally and "publically" grateful to him. "Unfortunately for my plans, Remus was so grateful at being free of his curse that we, and Sirius, became good friends. I was so popular for a while, that it was my voice of support that gave Sirius his current employment."
When he finished talking, he listened to Harry express his surprise at the turn of events. Then he asked, "Do you mind if I change the subject, I want to tell you something that will scare you." After receiving a nod of the head, and a curious look, Severus said, "Your parents, the Malfoys, love you very much." Harry laughed, "why should that scare me?" Severus smiled sadly, "They love you so much that, except for the present circumstances, they would have given you to the Dark Lord to become a Death Eater." Ignoring Harry's stunned look, he continued, "Do you know why he loves you? Because you admire him, you emulate him, you want to be just like your father, and you would have gone, because you love him.
"But things are different, now, that's what you are thinking, I see it in your face, and you are right. Now, he is fighting against this evil, and teaching others to fight it as well. And when the war is over, His children will be respectable citizens, and, should they choose to enter government service, might end up in an influential position in the ministry, maybe even the highest position. What would you do, Harry, if you were Minister of Magic.? No, not as Harry Potter, as Dudley MALFOY."
Harry tried to fathom what he had been told. But Severus was not done yet. "I know you've only known them for a little while, Harry, but it is obvious they have had an effect on you. From what Albus told me about you, last night was the first time that you had ever been part of a family. I know Narcissa would immediately take you under her wing, and she will gently correct you, and make you explain yourself, and ask you to consider this point or that, until you finally learn to see things properly. Of course, properly means her way. That is why she loves Lucius, he already agrees with her and can argue some points better than she can. And to top all of this, they have two wonderful boys who know how to behave, to act Properly. She is truly a loving mother. Tell me, Harry, if you had to choose, would you choose your principles or a mother's love. Dudley had neither. His choice was easy."
"You can stop now," Harry said. "No, Harry," said Severus, "The lesson isn't over yet. You should have been in History class, so we will discuss history. Did you ever here of a man called Joseph Goebbels? He was a family man, a loving wife, six loving children. They went on picnics, to the beach, all of those things parents do in their spare time. On the other hand, he was also the Minister of Propaganda for the Third Reich and, under Adolf Hitler, orchestrated the greatest mass destruction this world has ever seen. A particularly gruesome part of it is still remembered very strongly, it is commonly called the Holocaust. I know you have studied muggle history and you know what I am talking about."
Now it is the end of class, any questions." Harry did have one question. "Sir, I appreciate you telling me this, but why are you telling me, after all, you married ..." "Narcissa's sister," Snape said helpfully, "who, by the way, agrees with me about fighting the Death Eaters and their leader. That is why I told you, Harry. I saw a chance to stop any influence Malfoy might have on you. It could only hurt you when you return, especially if his counterpart found out you had a weak spot.
I apologize for destroying your vision of a family, but it wasn't real. I know they were giving you what you wanted, but, then, everything has a price." Harry nodded slowly, and got up to leave. "I suppose I should thank you professor," he said. "No you should not," Severus answered, "I have in turn, destroyed all your happy feelings, diminished your self-esteem, forced you to see supposed friends in an unfavorable light, gave you a history lesson, and deprived you of a good nap." Harry forced himself to smile at the reference to the class he missed and asked if there was anything else he should know before he left. "Never give up hope, Harry, you may yet experience life as part of a real family."