Chapter 02

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Groaning with immense displeasure at the pain in his head, Harry tried to sit up but found he could not move at all.

When he opened his eyes, he found that there were at least a dozen people standing around his bed. "Who are you?" his doppelganger asked.

Harry, utterly confused that he was staring at himself stayed silent.

The Harry standing, his red robes still brilliantly fitting him, smiled slyly. In the confusion no one had noticed him use a switching spell with this imitation. Though he had no idea what was happening he didn't want to be placed in the position the Gryffindor version of himself was now in.

"I… Hermione and I were running a bit late. When we came to the party I wanted to ask something and I found you with her," the strapped Harry said.

"Slytherin scum," the Harry standing at the end of his bed said. "It's no use lying. Where did you come from? You're definitely not just a Polyjuice copy; the potion would have worn off hours ago."

Confused at what was happening the chained Harry lapsed into silence again. Dumbledore was staring at him from beyond the main group, seeming somewhat startled. Tonks was looking at him almost longingly, but keeping to herself. The rest of the group was discussing what they should do with him.

Something was wrong.

All the tests brought the same conclusion - this Harry was the exact same one as the one standing at the end of the bed. How was it possible? Dumbledore had thought of every single spell that was possible and none came to mind.

While everyone was thinking about how there were two Harry's, the one standing leaned over, as if to examine his duplicate and whispered a spell.

Then, taking a step back he threw up his hands, trying to make it seem like he was loosing his temper and walked out. As he had hoped only one person followed him, Tonks. Hermione seemed to be too enthralled in the mystery to even see Harry moving.

"Tonks," Harry said as she stepped around the corner, he was going to trust her because even though this world was different she didn't seem all that different from his Nymphadora. "I need your help."

His wand held out, behind his back

"You're him, aren't you?" she asked as she stared at him. He could see her muscles tightening as her Auror instincts kicked in. She was quite wary of exactly what he was doing and probably understood what his arm was doing behind his back.

Careful not to raise her suspicion, Harry stepped carefully to one side, getting away from the wall. "Yes, I am not the Harry you know exactly. A mistake has been made somehow and now I'm in this world, this dreadful place where I don't know anyone anymore."

"Why did you kiss me?" she asked before he could say anything more.

He faltered. In his world he'd become very close to Tonks and it was hard talking to her like this. "You and I are together in my world. As I said before I very much dislike Granger along with most of the other Gryffindor scum that walks the halls."

Tonks snickered and Harry could see she was slowly and surely falling into his words, it wouldn't be long before she would trust him. "I need to see Snape right away," Harry said. It wasn't quite true, he wanted to do other things to relieve his tension, but was afraid to push too far too fast and loosing the one person he might be able to rely on at the moment. "That's where I'm headed, please don't tell the others. That Harry won't remember his own name until tomorrow, at least give me that long to figure things out."

Cautiously he paused, awaiting a response. It was going against everything that Tonks held close, but then, even in this world she was very attached to him. He wanted her to trust him enough not to tell Dumbledore which was hard for her, so he decided to do something. "Ask me something," he said quietly. "Something you'd tell your lover and no one else."

Concentrating he focused on her as she thought. One thing he had learned after a great deal of study sessions spent with Snape was that he was quite good at Occlumency and didn't need a wand for it. He knew the answer even before she asked, her mind was like an open book even with the safeguards the Aurors had put up. He only did it because he wasn't sure if this world was as close as it seemed, and he wasn't sure if he'd know the answer.

"It's about Christian isn't it?" he asked before she asked the question.

"About the night he made you..." Harry paused, waiting to see if that was enough. It didn't seem to be. "When he asked you to change into Sandra while you two went at it."

Tonks gasped and sniffled. "I never told anyone," she said tears dripping from her cheeks.

Taking the chance Harry stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, waiting while she cried. She never cried long, but he knew the few moments she did she was completely broken. "It's alright," he whispered. "You don't know what happened to him, do you?"

Tonks shook her head against his arm and he smiled inside. It was easier than he'd first thought, he actually like it here a little. People didn't know him here, he didn't have the same reputation to keep up. "Don't ever think about him again, he got his just reward, believe me."

That was it. She stopped crying and her head raised. Harry had already leaned forward into her and locked lips before she was able to say anything. The kiss was more passionate than any he remembered before and he had a hard time breaking away.

"Your quarters, do they have the same password as your third cat?" Harry asked. She nodded. "Good, I'll meet you in them later, I will not be staying in the Gryffindor common room tonight. That place is absolutely detestable."

Leaving Tonks Harry disappeared into the walls, making his way to the dungeons.

"Severus," Harry said as he pushed in the door to the potions room, where the potions master spent most of his time. "We need to talk."

Snape looked up with the most detestable look Harry'd ever see come from the man. It was obvious that in this world the two had not overcome the rift that was between them. "Let's get something straight. What my father did to you was wrong. I am not my father, it's simple. Do you understand?"

Apparently surprised beyond all words he didn't move as Harry stepped right up to his desk. "In my world you and I settled our differences in a dual. I'd be quite happy to pay you back right now if I had the time, however I do not. Now," he said pulling up his sleeve. "would the Harry you know have this?" he asked, revealing the tattoo on his forearm.

It was a mistake, but one Harry had made preparations for. Snape's wand was out faster than he remember him drawing, but his retardo spell had no effect on Harry. "I already cast a charm to throw it off, one you taught me. Do not underestimate me."

Pausing to think of a better plan Snape pulled down his wand and his eyes flickered between Harry's eyes and his hands. "You seem awful powerful for a seventh year student," he sneered.

"Thanks you to you and your training. When I was initiated as a Death Eater you were assigned as my mentor because of the obviousness. There was no suspicion if I were to take extra classes from you. I am Harry Potter. Not the one you know, but your potion assured you and everyone in the room that both of us were the same person."

"Read my mind," Harry growled. "I'll let you in this once to see, you're the only person who's ever gotten in before."

Something in Harry gripped his heart, and quickly he took a step back just before the door open. Hermione's head appeared in the door, "Professor?" she asked cautiously, "have you seen Harry? He seems to have just disappeared."

Snape's grin turned nasty and for a split second Harry thought he was going to be given up. He took another step back so Granger couldn't see him if she turned her head and readied his wand.

"No, I don't believe I've seen Mr. Potter since the Infirmary. Now, please, I have work to do. If I see Mr. Potter I'll send him your way," Snape barked. Hermione turned and the door shut behind her.

"Please," Harry smirked as he took a step forward. He had always relied on his feelings and thankfully they had led him in the right direction in this upside down world. "Call me Harry. Really, I hate the formality of Mr. Potter."

"Potter, sit your ass down and be quiet. If you're lying, and believe me I'll be able to tell, you will not be getting up from that seat."

Obediently Harry seated himself and cleared his mind. He was going to allow Snape access, but not that much access. A meeting of the order, a few training sequences, and perhaps the ritual in which he became a Death Eater.

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