Alrighty, let me just start off by saying that I'm terribly sorry for the long wait. However, my schoolwork tends to take precedence over my writing, so I was forced to postpone when my law teacher assigned the term paper and final project. I know I said that this chapter was going to be up sooner because it was already written, but then I looked it over and decided it was just plain dull. Also, J.K. said something – I won't say what – that has now made my story officially AU (that got me upset for a few days, till I realized that I already knew this would be AU, so no harm down). Regardless, I present you with this chapter, and chapter four as an apology. Enjoy! My final thoughts and thank yous are at the bottom of chapter four.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, nada, zilch, nil (at least in regards to Harry Potter) except this plot. However, I would gladly trade J.K. Rowling this plot for hers (then I can make sure that Harry and Hermione do end up together laughs maliciously).
The Grass Isn't Always Greener
Chapter 3
"But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me"- "Unwell" – Matchbox 20
"Where were you born?"
"I don't know."
"Who were your grandparents?"
"I don't know."
"Did James Potter have any siblings?"
"I don't know."
"Who was Lily Potter's best friend?"
"I don't know."
Madame Pomfrey had by now become rather exasperated, as this sort of questioning with these sort of answers had been going on for nearly a half-hour. She could understand if the child did not know the answers to a few of the questions, but to not know any? It was like the child knew absolutely nothing of his parent's past, and that was really all she could test him on. The DNA tests had already proved that he was biologically Lily and James's child, and the wizardry version was 100% accurate – it would pick up a fake in a second. However, his medical, both physical and psychological, tests were not nearly as encouraging. Aside form the various injuries he had had when he arrived, the boy also suffered from anemia, malnutrition, and starvation, although it was obvious that he had been forced to experience them in a harsher degree for a longer amount of time in the past. Plus, there were burns and various scars that he had obviously received many years early, and form the way they were seen, the nurse could only fear that he had been horribly abused as a child. Not to mention there seemed to be neural trauma, and she couldn't quite pinpoint the cause. Yet, it was his psychological tests that were the most disturbing. For a sixteen-year-old boy, his mind was horribly overloaded. He was greatly stressed, and obviously traumatized from events that she could only begin to imagine. A psychiatrist (for they did have them in the magical world, and they were every bit as frustrating as those in the muggle world) would probably grow rich working through all of this child's problems, and yet after hearing them would probably have to see a psychiatrist as well.
"What do you know?" She asked, trying her hardest to keep her emotions under control.
"Umm, li-little things." Harry responded, trying to think about how to describe things. "I know my mother had a sister. Her name is Petunia, and she married Vernon Dursley, and they have a child – Dudley."
"Two children," Pomfrey corrected without thinking. "They also had a daughter – Margaret."
"Really?" Harry was surprised, and a bit disgusted. It was bad enough having one spoiled Dursley in the world, did there have to be another? Although, he mused, maybe through some form of luck she had turned out nice. Not likely, but better then thinking the worst of her right away.
"Yes, I heard about it myself." The nurse eyed the boy oddly, but let it slide – the child may have not existed in his world, so she couldn't expect him to know. "Do you know who the Marauders were?"
"James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and" making a small face while he said it "Peter Pettigrew."
"Good, now we are getting somewhere. What were they're animagus forms?"
Harry shot her a shocked look – saying he was surprised that she knew was an understatement. He was absolutely floored.
"Umm, James Potter became a stag – Prongs." Madame Pomfrey smiled and nodded, and Harry let out a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding. She hadn't been surprised, so obviously knew it all. "Sirius Black was a dog – Padfoot, and Peter Pettigrew was a rat – Wormtail."
"What about Remus Lupin?"
"He's a werewolf, and so he didn't have an animagus form. He did however have a nickname – Moony."
"Excellent. Now, what year did your parents start Hogwarts?"
"I don't know." Harry replied, a bit embarrassed. These were things that he should know, but he had never remembered to ask.
Madame Pomfrey sighed wearily. This was going to be a long day.
Harry felt like he was flying, high above the land and trees. However, there wasn't a broomstick in sight.
He knew what type of dream this was, he'd had them before. The number had grown increasingly over the summer, but that made sense. If Voldemort was out in the open, why not take advantage and attack?
Harry knew that he should have worked harder on Occlumancy. That would have stopped these dreams, and prevented Voldemort from ever toying with his mind again. Especially since Harry knew he could never get useful information from them again, no more dates of attack or anything like that – Voldemort knew about the connection, and made Harry only see the attack itself, not what led up to it.
He couldn't see where he was – none of the land looked familiar, although that was understandable, since he had never seen much of the country anyhow. There was a village up ahead, and Harry knew in the pit of his stomach that that was where he was headed.
The lights were on in one of the houses, the one Harry was being moved steadily towards. He could hear the screams growing ever louder, children's cries among them. It made him sick, but he couldn't do anything.
None of the lights were on in the surrounding houses; all occupants appeared to still be asleep. Must be a modified silencing spell, Harry figured miserably.
Harry's feet finally touched the ground less then a metre from the front door, and although he was finally permitted to walk, a force still pushed him forward, making him enter the home in front of him.
Everyone in the house seemed to be crowded in the living room. Which made sense – Voldemort liked for his victims to watch others suffer, and feel that they were trapped with no means of escape. It wasn't a large party of Death Eaters accompanying him tonight – just five, although more could be searching.
Harry's eyes were beginning to scan the room when the waves of unrelenting pain began to course through his body. It was the result of the Cruciatus curse being directed at one of the victims. A girl somewhere around his age, he figured judging from her screams.
Harry collapsed to the floor in pain. His body thrashed wildly until the curse was finally lifted, and even then he lay on the floor, panting and desperately wishing to awake. It wasn't until he heard another scream – this time filled with terror and fear, not pain – that he pulled himself off the floor.
When he got a look at the victim, Harry immediately felt like he was going to be sick. The girl was laying on the floor, her mother trying in vain to wake her. Harry could tell from where he stood that she was dead – he'd seen lifeless bodies often enough to know. However, that wasn't what had sickened him. It was who she was.
Harry knew that girl. Remembered her from the Sorting, from their classes.
It was Susan Bones.
There was the shout of one more curse, straight from Voldemort himself, but Harry awoke before he could witness it.
And he wasn't alone.
"Bloody hell, boy, are you alright?" He knew that voice, although it was more tired. Must be close to the full moon, he reasoned.
"Remus?" Harry asked weakly, his voice raw from screaming. His eyes were still shut – the after affects of one of these dreams were never pleasant.
Remus gasped, and although Harry couldn't see him, he had taken a step back. "How did you know my–"
"Out of the way." Pomfrey said, cutting off Remus. The nurse came to Harry's bedside and began casting various spells to get his status. After a few minutes, Harry dared to open his eyes, and found the nurse staring at words that were being spelled out in the air above him. Harry couldn't read what the words said, but, although the image was blurry, the nurse's face betrayed something was wrong.
"What happened to you?" She finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper. He'd never seen Madame Pomfrey act in such a way – it was quite unnerving.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, very confused and very tired.
"There are traces of the Cruciatus curse in your body. Yet, you've been lying right here."
"It was just one of my dreams." Harry said, his voice displaying his displeasure at them. "I get them often enough, there's nothing you can do." Harry's eyes suddenly went wide, as if just remembering an important detail he had unfortunately forgot, and he shot into a sitting position. "Susan Bones! I almost forgot! You have to send someone to her house – the Death Eaters are there – her mother could still be alive!"
"Calm down, child." The nurse said, pushing Harry back so that he was lying down. "You need rest. It was just a dream."
"No, no it wasn't. I see – I see what Voldemort does," there were gasps of surprise from the two occupants. "And I just saw him kill Susan Bones – someone has to go to her house right away. Someone could still be alive, and you could catch some of the Death Eaters."
"That's impossible." Remus said, reluctantly moving closer. Harry went to argue, but Remus held up a hand to indicate for him to stop. "Susan Bones was Amelia Bones' daughter." Harry nodded, as Remus paused. "They both, along with the rest of the family, were killed seven years ago. There was no way you could have just seen them die."
"Then what did I see then?" Harry asked, fear tingeing his voice. He knew what he'd seen, and realized just then what was happening.
"It must have been the Bones family of your world." Remus said. "After all that's happened, I wouldn't be surprised if this was true. I don't know how you can see what Voldemort does, although judging from the state of your scar," Harry reached up and felt it, then hissed in pain – it was raw and red, he was sure, "I'd say it has something to do with that."
Great, Harry thought, his mind filling with frustration, not only can I see what Voldemort's doing, but now I can't send anyone to help.
The nurse saw Harry's look of despair that was being written upon his face, and turned to Remus. "Best go fetch-"
"Already going," he said, before she could finish. Harry heard his steps leaving the ward, and couldn't help but wonder who he'd gone after. Although, he wasn't given much time to mull it over, as Madame Pomfrey took charge in the way Harry always remembered.
"Here, drink this." Madame Pomfrey said, shoving a smoking blue potion into Harry's hands. He eyed it cautiously. "It will heal you of the after effects of the Cruciatus curse." Harry still looked at it cautiously – it looked far too much like one of Snape's potions to set him at ease.
"It won't kill you." Madame Pomfrey said, impatience evident. Seeing Harry make no effort to drink it, she tipped it back against his mouth and forced him to swallow.
Harry felt like gagging, but of course did not. He would not want to offend the nurse, especially since she'd be the one taking care of his food for a while, and it would be far too easy for her to slip a fever-inducing potion into his soup.
Madame Pomfrey stood there for another minute, then went back to looking over the various output from the scans. Harry considered going back to sleep, but before he could someone arrived at the ward's door. He couldn't see them clearly, but Madame Pomfrey still left him to speak with him, making the scans disappear at the same time.
There was hushed speaking before Madame Pomfrey walked away and into her office, and two figures began walking towards him.
Harry couldn't see who they were, although the one looked like Remus again. Must have fetched who he was supposed to, Harry thought, as he reached for his glasses to see them clearly.
"No, no." Harry heard a woman's voice say. His hand was batted away as the woman reached for his glasses. She seemed familiar, although all he could make out was the red hair. One of the Weasleys, maybe? The hard plastic frame of the glasses was set on his face before he could ponder this any further.
Harry had to blink a few times to get used to how sharp things were appearing. The curtains were still drawn, and he was right – one of the people had been Remus, who was now sitting in the chair next to his bed. However, when he turned to see whom the woman was, he screamed.
Actually, it wasn't much of a scream. His throat was to dry and sore is muster enough sound for one, and it ended up turning into a dry cough.
Green Eyes. Bright green eyes.
She looked almost exactly like his mother in the pictures. Sure, she had a few wrinkles, and her eyes weren't as bubbly and joyful, but that could be expected. Everyone else looked older, she would to. That is, if she was still alive. Yet, she was sitting there, right in front of him, and this didn't feel like a dream. This had to be some sort of alternate universe. Hermione would be shocked – she had quite confidently told him that there was no such thing as alternate universes. Yet, if this was all real, he had proof looking right at him.
"Shhh, you shouldn't scream like that," the woman said to him. Remus was still sitting calmly, so apparently he wasn't concerned, although his face appeared a bit tense.
"Where am I?" Harry finally asked, eyeing both Remus and 'Lily', keeping track of their movements. He wasn't a fool; he knew he had to be careful. This could all be some sort of elaborate trap.
"The hospital wing, at Hogwarts." Remus said, eyeing Harry. He wasn't going to risk Harry trying anything. "Surely you know that. I'm sure your…dimension has one of these too."
Harry nodded. "So, I was right. Dumbledore did send me to an alternate dimension?"
"Didn't you know?" 'Lily' asked. Harry paused, and then slowly shook his head, his eyes watching her curiously. He had supposed, although had not been sure. "Oh, this must be awful for you. You must be so confused."
Yah. Harry thought. I suppose confused works. "Are you my mother?" Harry suddenly blurted out to end the moments silence after 'Lily''s comment.
"I think so." Lily said slowly. Remus wouldn't take his eyes off Harry, and Harry figured that he must also have his hand wrapped around his wand just in case. "My name is Lily Potter." Harry's heart jumped – this was his mother! He'd always wanted to meet her, and if she lived, that meant his Dad did too. "But I don't have a son named Harry."
Harry felt his hopes shatter. She wasn't really his mother – he had never even been born. Her last name proved that she had married his father, but obviously something had happened after that. "Does that mean that my father, umm… James, is dead?" Harry asked, his voice shaking as he said this.
Lily's eyes teared as she nodded, and Remus' seemed to have gained a cold face of fury. Harry himself felt sad, although he knew that he had no reason to be. After all, he had never known his father, so it wasn't like anything had changed in that way.
"Didn't James die in your world too?" Remus asked.
Harry nodded. "About a year after I was born." He didn't want them to know that his mother had died then too, or why.
"Did he die because of me?" Lily asked in a whisper, her voice shaking much like Harry's had earlier.
Harry was shocked at this question. Why would his father die because of her? Both his parent's deaths had been his fault; Voldemort had killed them to get at him.
"No, of course not." Harry said, his shocked expression on his face. "You didn't have anything to do with it!" Remus looked a bit surprised, then thankful. That baffled Harry – did Remus think that Lily would blame herself? Actually, Harry noticed, Lily herself looked surprised. Her eyes held pain, that was evident, but now they were tinged with curiosity as well. Both were acting so strange, and Harry felt himself becoming lost, and a bit mad. There was something being kept from him, and obviously something huge, to make them act so odd.
"Um, what's the date?" Harry asked, desperately resisting asking about whatever was being kept from him. He knew that whatever it was, it probably wasn't something that they wanted to discuss right now, and any other topic would be welcome, since it would break the uncomfortable silence.
Remus looked at him curiously, obviously expecting him to press the issue, or at least not change it to such a different topic. However, he was also glad – he didn't exactly feel like opening up that particular can of worms.
"August tenth, 1996." Lily answered. "Why?"
"Just wanted to know." Harry replied, his mind meanwhile making quick calculations. It was August the second when the Death Eaters had captured him, so that left eight days unaccounted for. Harry was sure that Voldemort had tried to kill him on that first day, since Voldemort wouldn't have wanted there to be any chance of him escaping or being rescued, and so that would have been when he transported himself. So, provided there hadn't been any days lost or gained when he jumped to this alternate world, he had spent the last seven days unconscious in the hospital wing. Harry couldn't help but find a bit of pride in that – seven days mostly unconscious was a new record for him.
A heavy silence set over them after that. They all looked like they had questions that they desperately wanted to ask, but knew that now wasn't the best time. Finally, Harry said, "What's going to happen to me? Here, I mean." It was an open enough topic, and they could easily talk about it for a while.
"Well, if you are really who you say you are, and who we think you are, and we will find out, then you're definitely in danger, since Voldemort will come after you." Lily said, her face taking on a more serious look, like a teacher giving a class instruction. "So we'll have to create a disguise for you, probably a different eye color at least. Those green eyes would put you in horrible danger; they would have him after you in a second. And maybe a new name, since any link to us could make things even worse."
"Lily," Remus said, preventing her from saying anything else. "The boy is already in danger. The letter said how Voldemort had been after him for years, so he probably is experienced with the threats and risks. Besides, it won't stay hidden forever, and you will have to tell him soon. I don't mean declare that he's your son, or say where he came from, but it can't make it any worse if you say that he's a member of James's family. Or yours even, although the family history would be trickier."
Harry wanted to ask why it would be trickier for him to be a member of Lily's family, but she cut him off by saying "No, not mine. He knows who everyone is – he would see right through it in no time. We'll leave his name as Harry Potter, and just say that he is a long-lost cousin or whatever. I know James said that one of his cousins had run away some years ago for something or other, and then if anyone demands a link, we can just say that he was his son. No one would know the difference."
"We need to decide on the looks then. We should change the hair color, but I don't think we need to worry about the style. I know James said once that the uncontrollably messy hair was one of the more annoying Potter traits."
"His green eyes get changed first. If we leave them, we might as well send Voldemort a copy of his letter and a recent photo."
"Wait a minute." Harry said. It had been like watching a tennis match, with those two talking back and forth. "What's wrong with my eyes? I mean, I know they aren't very common, but…"
"It's not so much green eyes that aren't common. It's your green eyes, Lily's green eyes, that are rare, in fact I only know of two people, other then Lily, to ever have had eyes like that, and they were both related to her."
Lily shot him a glare after that, and Remus blushed scarlet, a guilty look plastered onto his face. He looked like he was about to apologize before Lily shook her head, signaling for him to stop. Whatever it was he was going to say they didn't want said in front of Harry. He felt a bit annoyed at this, but curious at the same time. Who were the two other people?
"Well, besides that, you will be starting sixth year at Hogwarts in the fall with the rest of the students." Lily said, pressing on. "Unless, of course, there are any problems. I believe we are going to have you sorted again, just to be sure, although judging by what was in your trunk, you were a Gryffindor. Correct?" Harry nodded. "So that is where you will probably end up, but we should double check. In the mean time, after you have a clean bill of health, you will probably live in my flat. It's here at Hogwarts, so you won't be far, and I have a few guest rooms. Not to mention, you would have someone fairly familiar ease you into life here."
Harry just smiled, and nodded again. He figured that he would have to tell them at some point what had happened that Halloween, but what they didn't know couldn't hurt them. Besides, this meant he would have a chance to get to know his Mum. No. Harry's brain harshly corrected. She's not your mother. Your mother died, this is just someone who she could have been. All that's the same is their past.
Better then nothing, Harry thought, and let his mind relax into a state of calm as Remus and Lily continued on.
Well, on to the next one now!!!