Doppelganger
Part VIII: Chained
By Krystiana
insanebunny@peoplepc.com
Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't sue. (aka HP and all other characters belong to JKR and whole bunch of other people, blah, blah, blah...)
Warnings: None for this chapter. Slash, of the H/D nature. You should probably also read the previous chapters before tackling this one, or else you'll be MAJORLY confused.
Archive: My site (), FanFiction.net, Noire Sensus (if they should somehow get a hold of this), Schnoogle (eventually). Anywhere else, please e-mail me first. ^_^
This story is in no way related to my other HP work in progress, "The Dark." This is just an idea that has been in my brain for a LONG time, and I finally came up with a way for it to happen. I may not continue it, depending on the response I get. The idea will be quite happy with either becoming an actual fic or staying in my brain. In other words, let me know what you think.
This one took a while, and I apologize. However, there wasn't much I could do about it - RL issues, you know the story. And I bet no one reads this part anyway, so it doesn't really matter.
The four boys had barely left Dumbledore's office when Draco exploded.
"POTTER!!" He spun around on his heel and glared at Harry, clenching and unclenching his fists. The only time Harry had seen him this angry was when the Slytherin had threatened revenge at the end of their fifth year. "How the hell did I get dragged into one of your messes?"
Harry narrowed his eyes. "Malfoy, shut up."
"No." Draco's voice was laced with more venom than usual, and he was actually baring his teeth at his rival. "You arrogant, stupid, moronic GRYFFINDOR! I want nothing to do with this!"
"Screaming at me isn't going to help, Malfoy," Harry hissed back. "You think I'm happy about this? I'm surrounded by Slytherins!" Malfoy tilted his head towards their doubles, who had stopped walking and were watching the confrontation. "They're the ones who have been ripped into a different world, and all you're doing is whining about Slytherins!" He sneered, leaning towards Harry. "This entire idiotic situation is YOUR fault."
"Actually, it's Voldemort's fault." Harry James spoke up, crossing his arms. "And if you want a reason as to why this involves you, too, it probably has something to do with me and Draco... Lu..." Harry James paused, looking at his lover. "My Draco."
"So it really has very little to do with Harry." Draco Lucius spoke in a quiet voice, very contrary to the one Draco himself was using.
"You don't even know for sure that this is the Dark Lord's doing," Draco said. "Even if it IS, the Dark Lord would never have pulled this - whatever the hell THIS is - if he didn't have a vendetta against Potter," Draco snapped.
"That's wonderful, Malfoy," Harry said, walking forward again. "Hate me for my existence. You always have, anyway." They walked in silence once more, only to have it broken again.
"I wonder why we can't we touch anything," Draco Lucius said absently, as if he didn't expect anyone to respond. "Why doesn't our magic work here?"
Harry James reached out and grabbed Draco Lucius's hand. It was solid, and their fingers intertwined. Draco Lucius gave his lover a small smile, squeezing his hand.
Draco was watching them through narrowed eyes. "Are you two a... 'thing?'" he asked.
Harry James glanced at Draco. "If you want to call it a 'thing,' then yes." He smirked. "Does that disturb you?"
"Only because it's Potter," Draco said. "But 'Draco Lucius,' what DOES your father think?"
"My father really doesn't have much to say about it, considering he's dead," was Draco Lucius's short reply.
"Oh... sorry."
"Don't be."
Draco sniffed, shoving his hands in his pockets, looking away from his double. "Since you two are here, I suppose that means we won't be turning into you anymore?"
"And no more crazy mirror tricks?" Harry added softly.
"Hope not," Harry James said. "But what do you mean 'turning into us?'"
"Remember when I told you about running into 'you,' and 'you' told me to 'shove off?'" Draco Lucius asked.
"Yes." Harry James glared at his double. "That's not very nice at all."
"I thought it was Malfoy!" Harry protested.
"Why don't you apologize, then?"
Harry stared at his double in confusion, but finally just shook his head and looked at Draco Lucius. "I'm sorry for mistaking you for Malfoy... er... the Malfoy I know."
"It's all right," Draco Lucius replied, glancing back and forth between Harry and Draco. "But is that how you two seriously treat each other?"
"Since day one, yes," Draco said.
"Doesn't it ever get old?"
"It's not like hating Malfoy is a daily routine," Harry said. "I usually try to avoid him."
"Baiting Potter is fun," Draco said, smirking. "It's great to see his face when someone actually dares to tell him the truth."
"And what is the truth?" Harry James asked, raising an eyebrow.
"He's an egotisitcal brat who thinks his little scar makes him better than everyone else."
"Don't assume anything about me, Malfoy," Harry said, surprised by the harshness in his own voice. He quickened his pace and walked ahead of the others.
Harry James stared at his double's retreating back. "You have a twisted version of the truth, Draco."
Draco glared at Harry James and was about to respond, but his double stepped in between the two of them
"Well, Dumbledore told us to view this as an educational experience, and I am," Draco Lucius said. "We get to see what Harry and I would have been like had we not had six years to rub off on each other."
"How is that educational?" Draco sneered.
"It's making me appreciate my life even more," Draco Lucius replied, gripping Harry James's hand. "I'm just going to say that I'm glad I'm not you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Draco snapped.
"Look at yourself," Harry James said. "You act exactly like my Draco did in our first year."
"You haven't grown or changed at all," Draco Lucius said. "I've figured out who I am. You still sound like you're trying to be Lucius Malfoy."
Draco's stare turned icy. "I'm not the only one making assumptions about people." He pushed past Draco Lucius and Harry James, walking ahead of them behind Harry.
Draco Lucius gave Harry James a small smile. "He's not beyond hope."
* * *
"Bellatrix."
"Yes, my lord?"
"I understand you have plans to get Lucius out of Azkaban. May I ask why?"
"I can't bear to see my dear sister in pain, my lord."
"Ah." A laugh. "Then do it quickly, Bellatrix."
"Yes, my lord."
* * *
Harry practically fell into his seat at the Gryffindor table, and was immediately bombarded by questions.
"Who are they, Harry?"
"WHAT are they?"
"They're ghosts, right? Shapeshifters?" That one was Seamus.
Harry simply shook his head and looked across the table at Hermione, who looked back with concern.
"How was the meeting with Dumbledore?" she asked.
"That went relatively okay," Harry said, folding his arms on the table and putting his head down. "Forcing us to all go to the hospital wing together was a bad idea, though."
"Why? What happened?
"Nothing terrible. It was just... weird, and frustrating," Harry glanced up before burying his head in his arms again. "It was like being with three Malfoys."
"Well, they're all Slytherins, so what do you expect?" Ron's voice was harsh and a bit bitter. Harry knew why - he hadn't told Ron what was going on. Hermione had most likely filled him in. He prayed she hadn't told Ron who he had been kissing.
"But where did they come from, Harry?" Neville was asking from a few seats down.
Harry's answer was muffled because his face was still buried. "Another dimension."
"What's that mean, though?" Colin asked.
Harry gave a small growl and lifted his head up. "I don't KNOW," he snapped. "I don't really feel like talking about it right now."
"But-" Colin cut himself off at the look on Harry's face.
The Gryffindors got the idea, and turned away from Harry, but did not cease talking about their mysterious visitors among themselves. Hermione, Ron, and Harry stared at each other in silence for a few moments, before Ron and Hermione suddenly spoke up at the same time.
"Why is he in Slytherin?"
"Will you be all right?"
Harry didn't even blink at them, still staring. "I don't want to talk about it right now."
"Not even to us?" Ron asked.
"Not even to me. I don't want to THINK about it. It's too confusing, especially since we don't have a clue as to how it happened." Harry looked away from his friends, and looked up at the head table. Dumbledore was conspicuously missing, as was Snape.
"Look! They just came in!!" Harry visibly winced at Lavender's exclamation. He let his gaze move towards the hall's doors, and spotted the doubles.
~It's quite bizarre to watch yourself enter a room,~ Harry thought absently.
"He's quite good looking without glasses," Harry heard Parvati whisper to Lavender. Harry closed his eyes, wishing he hadn't come to dinner at all. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to block out the conversation around him.
"Harry, are they-"
"I DON'T KNOW!" Harry yelled, snapping his eyes open. "I don't know ANYTHING, okay?" He stood up and stalked out of the hall.
* * *
The other Slytherins didn't bother questioning Draco about the situation, although it didn't stop them from sneaking curious looks at him. He wasn't doing anything interesting aside from glaring down the table at his doubles, although he did look away from them and suppress a smirk as Potter stormed out of the hall.
Harry James and Draco Lucius had taken a seat on the very end of the table. Their heads were close together, whispering to each other. Neither of them were eating, and none of the Slytherins had dared to approach them. Draco was looking at them through narrowed eyes when he abruptly stood up and walked down the length of the table, sitting down in front of the two of them. They looked up, surprise evident in both their eyes.
"You told me father was dead in your world," Draco said. "How did he die?"
Draco Lucius stared back at his double. "You really want to know?"
"Yes, I do. I'd like to be able to prevent it if it ever happens here."
Draco Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Both of my parents were killed by Voldemort."
Draco froze. "What?" His double simply looked at him. "How is that possible? My father is loyal."
"Yes, but Voldemort thought that MY father had done something horrible to Bellatrix, who is Voldemort's favorite. My mother tried to save father, and both of them ended up dead."
"You speak quite easily about your parents' deaths," Draco said, his upper lip curling back.
"It's... not quite as fresh anymore. It was two years ago." A small smile spead over Draco Lucius's lips. "Besides, the bastard who killed them is dead now."
Draco blinked. "But... the Dark Lord was brought back only two years ago. And Bellatrix escaped last year." Draco Lucius shook his head. "Bellatrix escaped the summer after our fourth year. My parents were killed only a week after that."
"Did you ever find out what your father supposedly did to Bellatrix?"
"No."
Draco sat back, digesting the information. He then noticed that Harry James, who had been silent during their conversation, was slightly pale and gripping Draco Lucius's arm. He was about to open his mouth to say something about it when a shadow fell over them.
"I need you two in my office to arrange your schedules and sleeping arrangements." Professor Snape had a cross look on his face. "You may bring your food with you." He turned around and left.
"He's awfully grumpy," Harry James commented as he moved to stand.
"He's always like that," Draco replied. "You're probably against the Dark Lord if he killed your parents, so be careful around Professor Snape. He's loyal to him."
Draco Lucius stared at his twin for a moment before slowly nodding his head. He turned back to Harry James. "Let's go, then." They left the Slytherin table, leaving their food behind.
* * *
The Gryffindor common room was rarely empty, but it was when Harry entered. He decided to use the supper hour to his advantage and use the time to reflect on his day. His mind was racing with a million questions, and he needed to put them in some sort of order.
Harry sat down in the chair in front of the fire, letting out a weary sigh. He attempted to sort his thoughts into something he could deal with, but as he stared into the flames, he felt strangely blank.
"Useless," he spat. He pushed himself off of the chair and stalked upstairs. He fell into his bed with his Quidditch robes still on and the sun still visible on the horizon.
* * *
"Here are your schedules. Let me know if they conflict in some way." Snape passed the schedules across his desk. "It's quite a nuisance to input two new students halfway through the year."
Neither of the boys responded as they took their schedules and glanced over them. To their surprise, they had gotten to keep all of their old classes that they had been taking in their world - only the times had been moved. Most of their classes were, of course, with the Slytherins.
"As for sleeping arrangements, there is not enough room with the rest of the sixth years for both of you. Harry James will be staying with the sixth years, and Draco Lucius will be staying with the fifth -"
"We need to stay together," Harry James interrupted.
Snape shot him a dangerous glare. "And why is that?"
"We just do," Draco Lucius said softly.
"And where do you suggest I put you?" Snape's voice was venomous.
The two boys glanced at each other before Draco Lucius turned his head back to Snape. "We stay in the Eight Room in our world."
Snape's eyes widened. They could practically hear his teeth grinding. "You expect me to treat you two to a room reserved for Slytherin Head Boys?"
"Is the head boy a Slytherin here?" Draco Lucius said.
"No."
"Then we could stay there -"
"Why do you two deserve such treatment?"
"Then stick us both with the fifth years," Harry James said impatiently.
Snape glared at Harry James, not bothering to hide his contempt that he held for every Potter. "Why can't you be separated?"
Harry James was about to jump up from his chair when Draco Lucius reached out and put a hand on his arm. "Harry." Harry James paused and looked over at Draco Lucius, who was shaking his head.
"Well?" The two moved their eyes back to Snape.
Draco Lucius took a deep breath. "We're chained."
Snape stared at them for a moment before slamming his fists on his desk and standing up. "I've had enough of your LIES. No one here can tell for sure if you really are who you say you are, especially since no one can lay a FINGER on you." He leaned over his desk, practically hissing his words out. "I can tell now, that you are both LIES yourselves. A Potter and a Malfoy would not be chained - not to mention NO ONE has been chained for over four hundred years!"
"We know that. We're the first in four hundred and twelve years."
Snape's eyes flashed, but he took a deep breath and slowly sat back down, staring at a spot on his desk through narrowed eyes.
"People can only be chained if they are connected in the first place." His eyes trailed back up to the two boys in front of him. "And you two had that connection. Why is that?"
Harry James blinked, his expression melting into confusion. "You can't... ask someone 'why' they're in love with someone else." He shook his head, falling back into his own chair. "There's no one reason that you can possibly put into words." His eyes drifted over to the blonde sitting next to him, who was looking back at him with smiling eyes.
Snape was silent for a solid minute. He leaned back in his chair, studying the two of them. "You may have the Eight Room. I'll tell the house elves to clean it up a bit - it's been several years since the room has been used." The two boys seemed to give a silent sigh of relief.
"Meanwhile, go get your brooms. They're still on the pitch. No one could bring them in since no one could touch them."
They stood to leave when Snape motioned for them to sit back down. He leaned over his desk, his upper lip curling back. "Do not think this means that I trust you. I will be watching you two very carefully." He sat back, his eyes narrowing at them again. "Now get out of my office."
* * *
Draco had been trying to get some sleep for well over an hour now, but he kept tossing and turning, kicking his blankets and rearranging them. When he had finally managed to kick every single cover he had completely off his bed, he laid flat on his back, staring up at the canopy.
In his mind's eye, he kept seeing his twin and Potter's twin sneaking knowing glances at each other. He saw their eyes express their feelings for the other, their hands intertwining. He saw himself smiling brightly - something he hadn't done since he was a small child.
His twin's hair kept shortening and slicking itself back, and glasses kept appearing on Potter's twin...
Draco closed his eyes as tight as he could, pressing his palms against his eye lids, trying desperately to get the images out of his head. When he began seeing bright stars in the pitch black, he dropped his hands behind his head and opened his eyes.
Memories of the tail-end of a kiss were floating into his mind, now. He and Potter woke up to their twins' passion, felt it as it as they became aware of themselves again. It was someone else's love he had felt in that kiss.
Draco quickly sat up, breathing heavily. His voice came out in a whisper.
"Fuck."
* * *
Draco Lucius opened the door to the Eight Room, giving it a quick survey. A few pieces of furniture were in different places than they were in their world, but the room was otherwise exactly the same.
Harry James walked in behind him and took in a sharp breath.
"What's wrong?" Draco Lucius asked, quickly lighting a blaze in the fireplace.
"It's exactly the same," Harry James's voice was barely audible.
"It's arranged a bit differently."
"When I... first saw the room, this is what it looked like. When I was waiting for you to..." He paused, taking in a deep breath. "I cleaned the room with Dobby and rearranged it to the way it is now." Harry James peered around the room. "It's the same. Why is it exactly the same?"
"What do you mean?"
"I know that this world and our world are similar, but to the extent of this chair being in the exact same place?" Harry James moved a chair by the fireplace to the side, revealing a large burn mark in the wooden floor underneath it. "Even that burn is still there."
"Why do you think this is so significant?" Draco Lucius asked, crossing his arms.
"If this is a really another 'dimension,' like our doubles said Dumbledore thought, then there's infinite possibilities for simple things to be different." He turned and sat in the chair he had just moved. "There has to be more to it than him being in Gryffindor and me being in Slytherin."
"Harry-"
"Where do our worlds separate? Why are we different?"
Draco Lucius knelt in front of his lover, placing a hand on each side of Harry's face and giving him a small kiss on the forehead. "Can we not worry about it right now? This is something familiar, and we're alone right now, for the first time since we got here." Harry James smiled back at the boy in front of him, leaning forward and capturing his lips in a kiss. It was a long overdue and very much needed kiss - that much was evident as Draco Lucius pulled Harry James onto the floor beside him.
* * *
Harry sat up in his bed with a small shout, blinking sleep away from his eyes, the last remnants of his dream falling away from him.
"Hey, Harry! Who were you dreaming about, huh?"
Harry jerked his head over to his right, throwing the curtains of his bed open to see Seamus getting dressed. Seamus was smirking so hard that it should have hurt his face. "Whoever was in your dream sure was lucky!"
"Why?" Harry asked, gaping at Seamus.
"You were moaning so loudly you woke all of us up."
Harry flushed bright red and disappeared behind his curtains again, hearing Seamus and Dean laughing loudly. He wouldn't dare tell any of them - even Ron - who he had been dreaming about.
~Draco fucking Malfoy.~
Harry groaned and threw his covers over his head.
* * *
When Draco entered the great hall, he instantly regretted it.
"Draco! What's wrong? You look like you didn't sleep a wink!"
Draco glared at Pansy. He hadn't even bothered to put a glamour on the dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. "I didn't sleep," he snapped, pushing past her and sitting down at the Slytherin table. "Stay away from me for the rest of the day."
Pansy blinked, sitting down beside him. She looked at him, considering opening her mouth to say something, but wisely decided against it.
Draco was bad enough on four hours of sleep. She couldn't even imagine him running on no sleep at all.
The Gryffindor table was much calmer and much easier to deal with that morning than it had the night before. Harry was having no trouble at all eating his breakfast since he hadn't eaten dinner. Seamus and Dean were still teasing him about his extremely vocal dream, and even Neville was chipping in a few ludicrous comments. Ron, on the other hand, still looked cross.
At that moment, Harry did not want to think about his double, who was somewhere in the castle...
"Harry, why are they -"
Someone sat down beside him. He looked to his left and noticed a hand on his shoulder, which was quite bizarre since he couldn't feel the hand...
"We should have a talk."
Harry stopped chewing and simply stared at the person sitting beside him. Harry was staring at his own face, and it was sending shivers down his back.
Draco Lucius sat down besides Harry James, earning a gasp from the Gryffindor table. He raised an eyebrow and gave the table a chilling glare.
Harry chewed his food and forced it down his throat. "What... would you like to talk about?"
His twin opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off by a loud voice further down the table.
"Why don't you two eat while you're here?" Lavender said, a flashy smile spreading over her face. She stood up and passed them a few plates.
"Don't mind if I do." Draco Lucius grabbed a slice of the pumpkin bread in front of him and began munching on it thoughtfully.
Hermione stared at the bread in his hand. "How come you can touch food but not people?"
Draco Lucius shrugged. "We don't know. Dumbledore said that it was 'intriguing.'"
"Would you like some bacon?" Parvati offered, leaning over Hermione and giving Draco Lucius a five star smile.
"No, thanks."
"Our bacon's not good enough for you?" Ron said softly, a dark tone in his voice. It was the first time he had spoken since Harry had come down for breakfast.
"Ron, you're being impossible," Hermione said.
Ron opened his mouth to respond, but shut it again. He settled for crossing his arms and glaring across the table.
"You two must be hungry, though!" Lavender said. "I insist you eat some bacon - you probably won't get any at the Slytherin table. They're all greedy bastards."
Draco Lucius narrowed his eyes. "We're Slytherins - don't forget that." He swallowed a bite of bread. "Besides, I don't eat meat."
"But you should," Harry James muttered, looking cross.
Hermione's eyes widened at Draco Lucius. "You're a vegetarian?"
"He's a what? What's wrong with him?" Ron asked. "Is he diseased?"
"Ron, be quiet." Hermione didn't even look at Ron.
Draco Lucius looked at Hermione with a level gaze, something that startled Hermione. The Draco Malfoy she knew had never looked at her like that - as an equal. "Yes, I'm a vegetarian."
"What's that mean?" Lavendar asked.
"It means what I already said - I don't eat meat."
"Why not? Does it make you sick?"
Hermione shook her head at Lavendar. "Vegetarians CHOOSE not to eat meat." She looked back towards Draco Lucius, her eyes full of curiosity. "It's usually because people feel that animals are equals, and not food. It's a very... muggle tradition..." Hermione trailed off, still staring at Draco Lucius.
Draco Lucius gave Hermione a small smile - a smile, not a smirk. "It's by choice, yes, but meat does make me a bit sick."
"Really? Do you know why?"
Draco Lucius's gaze darkened. "Yes."
"Why?"
"It's none of your business." Harry James, who had been studying Hermione during the entire conversation, sat up. "No offense," he added as Draco Lucius elbowed him in the side.
"Maybe I'll tell you another time." Draco Lucius said.
"Why are you over here, anyway?" Ron asked, trying to make his voice as innocent as possible, especially with Hermione sending him warning glares.
Harry James smiled and turned back to his twin. "I've come to ask you the million galleon question."
Harry set his fork down and gave his twin his full attention. "What's that?"
"Why are you in Gryffindor?"
to be continued
End of chapter note: The next chapter will have many answers to many questions, just so you know. Don't get too wrapped up. :)
Review Responses: (Sorry for missing the past few chapters)
Mon2: Yes, Draco Lucius is the rational one... for the most part. ^_~
Dragenphly: Narcissa doesn't know... Bellatrix didn't tell her. :)
CS WhiteWolf: I quite like long reviews, actually. And you're close to what's going on... but if you knew me, you would know that I think the books are quite prejudiced against Slytherins. Ambition doesn't equal evil.