Chapter Three: Counterpart
Ron gave the password, and Charles entered Gryffyndor Tower for the first time. He was delighted by what he saw.
"This looks a grand place. And you live here?"
"Harry?" Lavender Brown was the first to notice. Her question was loud enough for everyone else to look up. "There's two of you."
"Um, yes," was all Harry could say, but he was grinning like a fool.
"Permit me," Fred interrupted. "This is Charles Potter. He has the distinction of being Harry's long lost twin brother." He smiled amiably, and said to George, "I believe I have clarified the situation."
"A wonderful job," George admitted.
"Wait a minute. How can Harry have a twin?" someone yelled.
Fred smirked. "Let's see. Same parents. Same birthday. And they look alike."
"It worked for us," George added.
Charles marveled at the number of questions he was asked. Most of them he didn't know the answer to, and some of them he didn't understand at all. Hermione helped out by repeating much of what Professor Dumbledore and Remus Lupin had said. Charles received a great deal of sympathy because of his memory loss, especially from the older girls.
With all of the attention, the afternoon was well spent before Harry and Ron brought Charles up to their dorm room. Harry excused himself to wash and change from his Quidditch robes, and promised to be as quick as he could.
Silence followed as Ron and Charles stared, first at each other then anywhere else. After a few minutes and Harry not returning, Charles broached the subject.
"I apologize for my rudeness. I would have thought that the first person I found myself alone with would be Harry. I am at a loss for things to say."
Ron nodded. "I know what you mean. Harry's my best mate at school, and I could talk all day with him about anything."
"But." Charles added.
"But you're not him. You look like him but you don't act like him."
Charles looked at him curiously. "May I ask how I act?"
Ron looked awkwardly at the floor. "It's hard to say. I've only known you for a couple of hours, but . . ." Then he laughed. "I know how to describe it. You act like Draco Malfoy would if he wasn't such an insufferable git. But don't tell Harry I said that," he added hurriedly.
Charles smiled. "I will not tell him, but I do not understand your reference."
"Um," Ron paused, "Malfoy's always nasty and acts as though he's better than everyone else."
Charles frowned. "You think I am nice but that I act as though I am better than everyone else?"
"NO, um, yeah." Ron shrugged his shoulders. "It's not a good description. It's just like right now. You talk to me not like you're better, but like we're better than everyone else."
"That is curious," Charles noted. "I must assume the reason to be that we ARE better than everyone else."
Both boys began laughing at the joke. As they relaxed, Ron made another comment. "You're different from Harry. You know that. You act like you can handle anything. Harry isn't like that at all. He always worries about things."
Charles nodded thoughtfully. "I was told about him before we met, but they surprised him with my presence. Perhaps that is the difference."
"No it isn't. You're smarter than Harry, too."
"How do you know?"
"It's the way you talk. The words you use. Like when I called Malfoy a git. Harry would have said, 'I don't know what you mean,' not 'I do not understand'."
"Is that wrong of me?"
Ron shrugged. "Hermione likes you because of it. I can tell that already."
The door opened and Neville was standing there. "Harry, Ron, Hermione's waiting for you in the common room. Where's Charles?"
"I am here. It is Harry who is missing."
"Harry has been gone for a long time," Ron noted.
Fred walked into the boys bathroom to see a clean and changed Harry brushing his hair.
"Harry?"
Harry jumped at the noise. "What do you want?"
"You're taking a long time in here. Your brother is getting worried."
A guilty look crossed Harry's face. "I shouldn't keep him waiting."
"Go ahead," Fred suggested. "He's finally having a conversation with my dear little brother. I think he likes talking TO somebody. It's hard not knowing who you are."
"And you would know."
Fred eyed Harry carefully. "I can imagine. It's a gift I have. Can you imagine what it would be like without a brother, much less a twin brother?"
Harry stared at Fred as though he were a stranger. "What are you talking about?"
Fred leaned against the sink next to the one Harry was using. "A couple of hours ago, you were the only person in your own little world. Now you have to share it with someone. It isn't easy. I still find it hard and I've known George all my life." Fred continued in a serious tone. "Harry, from now on, when you look at yourself you won't always be looking in a mirror. Charles isn't only your twin brother. He's you if things had happened differently. That's who George is. He's who I would have been if I had me as a brother."
Harry snorted. "That sounds stupid."
"But it's true. Harry, none of us have known Charles very long, but one thing is obvious. He may not remember his past, but the way he acts shows what kind of past he must have had. I think that's why you're hiding in here."
"I'm not hiding."
"No, you're only spending an hour combing your hair." Fred pulled the comb from Harry's hand. "You know what I'm talking about. Charles may have come here after something bad happened, but before that . . . Harry, we know about the Dursleys. He never met them. He was raised by people who wanted him. Don't hate him because he's the lucky one."
"I . . . I didn't think of that," Harry said slowly.
Fred smirked. "Yes you did. Maybe not off the top of your head, but you saw it." Fred became serious again now that Harry was watching him. "I know you would have rather been him, but think about it this way. Would you have wanted him to be you? Would you rather he was the one that everything happened to?"
"Of course not."
"He's your brother, Harry, and for the first time in his life he needs you."
Harry stared. "He needs me?"
"You're all he has. YOU are all he knows. He's talking to Ron because Ron is YOUR friend. He's here in Gryffindor because this is YOUR house. He has Hermione worried because he's YOUR brother. He needs you, Harry. Don't let him down."
Harry swallowed hard. This was the longest Fred had talked to him without making a joke. But Fred was making sense. He was right about Charles, about Charles being the lucky one except at the end. "I was afraid," he admitted. "Charles seemed larger than life. Even without his memory, he seems better than me."
Fred nodded. "I'll tell you a secret, but you can't tell anyone. I always feel the same way about George."
"But you and George are the same."
"Really?" The Weasley smile returned to Fred's face. "Then it must be my imagination."
"I'm being stupid," Harry admitted. "I shouldn't be jealous of Charles if he's better at something than I am. I should be happy for him."
"Change that to being happy with him and I think you've got it."
Harry smiled for the first time. "Thanks, Fred."
"You should thank George. It was his idea that I talk to you. He says I'm better at that than he is."
Fred walked with Harry back to his dorm and opened the door to hear Ron saying, "It's a good thing my brother Charlie was able to help. We might have been stuck with that dragon."
Charles began laughing then looked up to see Harry. His laughter died to become a smile of happy relief.
"Sorry I took so long, Charles."
"We were worried. I was worried. I thought I had done something wrong."
Harry almost laughed. "You're my brother. How could you do anything wrong?"
"It's Madam Pomfrey's fault he feels that way," Ron said. "She thought it would be a good idea to make it obvious that the two of you were twins. She made his hair grow until it was the same length as yours."
"So you normally keep your hair short?" Fred asked.
Charles frowned. "I do not think so. I think I usually keep it longer. I told Madam Pomfrey that it felt uncomfortable. She told me that I may not remember my past but that I do remember what I like."
"Where to, first?" Ron asked after they were all gathered in the common room. "We still have time before dinner."
"To the pitch," Colin suggested.
"Not now," George told them. "The Slytherins are practicing."
"We don't need to use the pitch," Ron suggested.
Hermione huffed. "If you're so eager to see Charles fly why don't you give him a broom and throw him out the window?"
"That's a great idea," Fred answered and made to run off.
"DON"T YOU DARE."
"They were only joking, Hermione," Harry assured her.
"I wouldn't take your word for it." Hermione and Fred shared identical smirks. "Why don't we visit Hagrid? I'm sure he would love to meet your brother." She paused and looked at Charles. "It feels strange to say that. Wonderful, but strange."
Charles nodded. "Somehow, It feels . . . comfortable. It may seem strange but I do not feel any surprise at having a brother."
Harry smiled in turn. "I know what you mean. I was surprised when I first saw you but . . . I feel . . . I feel as though my entire world has changed. It feels right having you here. For the first time that I can remember, I have a family."
"Oooh, that is so sweet," Fred and George said in unison.
Ron feigned disgust and said. "Harry, if I knew you wanted a family that badly, I would have given you mine."
"Hold on, I'm comin'," Hagrid yelled at the incessant knocking. "Why, Harry, Ron, Hermione, what're ye doing here? I thought ye'd be busy." He paused. "Yer done visiting that boy? What's he like? Who is he? Harry, why are you staring at me like that? And you two, why are ye laughin'?"
Hagrid's eyes goggled when Harry stepped from around the corner of the hut.
"He's like me, Hagrid."
"Well I'll be." Hagrid stared in amazement, then caught himself. "Ye might as well come in and explain yerselves. This has to be one heck of a story."
"If he offers you something to eat," Hermione whispered to Charles, "be polite but don't take it."
The five sat round, and Harry explained everything he knew, and Charles confirmed what he could. Hagrid poured tea for everyone and offered some homemade cookies. Charles took one out of curiosity and nibbled it carefully, regretting it instantly. As they became comfortable, Charles asked a question that had been nagging at him.
"Hagrid, I was told that my," he looked at Harry, "OUR parents sent me away for my safety. But it does not seem right."
"Ye have to understand those times, Charles. They were dark days and getting darker. Yer parents were on You-Know-Who's list for some time, and he had already done in more powerful wizards than they were. They couldn't part wit both of ye, that would be too suspicious. It makes sense that they'd sneak one of ye away, just in case."
"But why were we not reunited once the danger was over?"
Hagrid noticed Harry's sudden frown, and that Charles did not notice it. "The troubles ain't over. Some say they're beginnin' again. You-Know-Who . . ."
"Voldemort," Harry said suddenly, and everyone except Charles unconsciously winced. "They didn't tell you about him, Charles. Did they tell you what happened?" Charles shook his head, as a feeling of dread overcame him. "He killed our parents. I know Dumbledore told you that. Then he tried to kill me but . . . something happened. Our mother cast a spell on me as she died, and when Voldemort attacked me, his curse backfired and almost killed him. Almost. That's how I got my scar."
Charles nodded, looking at Harry in a new light.
Hagrid cleared his throat. "Tha's why they never came for ye, Charles. No one knew about ye, and ye were safe. Ye had no family to go back to. And those muggles they stuck Harry with ain't no family by my book. If ye ask me, ye had the better end of the deal. When ye remember, ye'll see I was right."
"Then what happened to me?"
Hagrid shrugged. "I guess the folks who had ye raised ye like their own. No reason to do otherwise. Until whatever happened that made ye come here. At least I'm guessin' that's the way it was."
"We'll have to wait until you remember," Harry said, and both boys smiled sadly.
"Are you hungry?" Hagrid asked. "It's almost time to eat."
"Definitely," the chorus responded.
As they reentered the school, Colin came running up to them, almost breathless. "I finished it," he said to Harry. "You only have to sign it." He handed him a framed photograph and a quill.
Harry smiled as he saw three names already on the picture. He added his own and handed the quill to Ron, then Hermione. He handed the picture back to Colin so that the first year could make the formal presentation. He needn't have bothered because all Colin did was say, "here," and hand the photograph to Charles.
"This is the portrait you took?" Charles asked and Colin nodded. "We are moving?"
"One of the fifth years showed me how to develop it so it would do that."
"Thank you, Colin, but I need your quill." He took the quill and signed his own name. "Now I will know which one in the picture is me."
The small group entered the Great Hall to be met by sudden silence. Almost all of the students had gathered early in the hope of seeing their mysterious guest, and now the wish was fulfilled. Charles Potter stood in the entrance with Harry Potter at his side. Everyone could see that they looked identical.
In the initial silence a voice was heard. "Cor. There's two of them."
"That was Malfoy," Harry said, looking up to his brother. "Don't worry. You'll hate him."
"This is too good to let pass," Fred said loudly as he walked up.
"I wonder if they'll let you both play seeker," George added. "After all, they let both of us play beater."
Fred grabbed Charles by the arm. "Come with us."
George grabbed his other arm, and they escorted Charles to the Gryffindor table, stopping only when all three were standing on top of the table itself.
"Oy. Quiet," Fred called out needlessly.
George then made an announcement. "We are proud to present, in the most embarrassing fashion, the newest member of Gryffindor."
"The twin brother of our very own seeker," Fred shouted, "Introducing Charles Potter."
Both twins then jumped off the table. Charles stood there, blushing furiously, as almost everyone applauded. The applause died down as Albus Dumbledore's voice was heard.
"Thank you, Mister and Mister Weasley for that introduction, but I must correct you on one point. Mr. Potter is not yet a student at this school. In fact, I have not even had the chance to ask him about it. If and when that happens he may be sorted into a different house." He paused as applause came from the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables. "Until then I must ask Mr. Potter to step down from the table as it is not permitted, for students or guests."
Charles stepped down amid friendly laughter and sat next to Harry. "I was not told that I am to be a student here. I thought that was conjecture."
"Dumbledore wanted you to feel comfortable being here before he asked you," Fred replied. "He told me he was planning on asking you, but he did say that the choice would be yours."
"I understand," Charles said in an angry tone. "Publically humiliate me, then ask me if I want more of the same. Is that it?"
"That isn't it at all," Harry said hastily, then saw the look on his brother's face. Ron and Hermione, as well as the twins, were already laughing, as Charles grinned widely. "Well, maybe it is that way," Harry admitted.
"Harry," Charles said sincerely, "I would love to go to school here."
"I think my brothers heard you," Ron said, and pointed at Fred and George who were almost running to the teachers table.
"Be careful what you wish for, Charles," Hermione said cheerfully. "For you will surely get it."
It was Sunday, and Charles awoke in his private room as the sun was beginning to rise. As far as he could remember, this was the second day of his life, albeit an interesting one. No one specifically said it, but it was obvious that they believed he could learn magic. Magic did not surprise him but he felt a sense of pride that his brother thought him good enough to learn.
His Brother. The words felt right. Charles could not picture himself in a world without Harry. With this thought in his head, he rose from bed and dressed in the clothes given him, cleaned from the day before. He performed his morning ablutions and proceeded with difficulty to find the Great Hall on his own.
This early in the morning, the Hall was almost empty. He saw a small group at one of the middle tables, and walked over out of curiosity.
"It's him," a girl his age said when she spotted him, then smiled at him. "Good Morning. Charles, isn't it?"
"Thank you, yes. I suppose I am early to breakfast. May I bother you?"
"No bother at all," a blond fifth year boy said, "I'm Cedric Diggory, Captain of the Hufflepuff team. And that was Susan Bones who said good morning to you." Cedric introduced the rest of the group, and invited Charles to join them. The subject, of course, was Quidditch.
"Do you know much about the game, Charles?"
"I have heard a great deal about the sport but I do not know it. All of my information is one day old."
Cedric looked around at the others then back at Charles. "Have you ever flown on a broom?"
"To my knowledge I have never flown."
"Bring him with us, Cedric," a third year said. "We'll give him a try."
"He isn't a member of Hufflepuff. He's not allowed to try out."
Susan smirked. "I've read the rules. He's not allowed to be on the team. Besides, he isn't really trying out." She paused. "Charles, why aren't you with your brother?"
"I was given my own room. Professor Dumbledore thought I should want time to myself, time to adjust. I thought Harry might be here. It seems that I am an early riser and he is not."
Ernie MacMillan, a second year, nodded. "If they don't have to, everyone sleeps late on Sundays."
"Then why are all of you up and about?"
Cedric shrugged. "Quidditch practice. We only have two players left from last year. We need all the practice time we can get just to pick the new team members. And you are welcome to come with us if you like."
"I should wait for Harry."
"We can leave a message, telling him where you went," Ernie offered.
Cedric laughed. "Ernie wants to get you on a broom, Charlie. Do you know about your brother?"
"I was told he was a natural flyer." Charles hesitated. "I would like to get on a broom. I know Harry was talking about it, but . . ."
"Eat up, then," Cedric said. "You don't have to join us, but if you do you'll need all the energy you can get."
Charles filled his plate and forced himself to eat. He felt a thrill thinking about flying, but he also felt a sense of relief. Everyone bragged about Harry, but he wasn't Harry. The last thing he wanted was for his brother to watch him fail. He considered Cedric's offer a Godsend.
As a dozen Hufflepuffs watched, Cedric handed Charles a broom. "We'll start with the basics. You mount the broom and kick off while leaning forward. The more you lean, the faster you go. You push the front end of the broom in whichever direction you want to go. To slow down and stop, you pull up on the broom while leaning back. Have you got that?"
"I understand."
"Do you think you can do it? You've been watching us for most of an hour."
Cedric asked the question as though the answer was obvious. It had its effect and made Charles a little less nervous. He happily nodded, and mounted the broom as he had seen the others do. He kicked off the ground and leaned forward as the broom flew into the air.
Instinctively, Charles leveled off as he reached a point just above the tallest of the three hoops, and stopped to see what he had done. He looked down to see Cedric making a circling motion with his hands. He waved to show he understood, and began to fly around the edge of the pitch. After the first lap, he leaned forward and began racing around as fast as he could. After two more laps he did a quick reverse and flew the other way. He swerved as something flew past him and turned sharply to spot Cedric on his own broom. They both stopped and grinned at each other.
"This is wonderful," Charles told him. "I can see why Harry likes the game so much. I would love any excuse to fly."
"That was a nice reversal," Cedric commented from ten feet above him. "Most of us have to practice a few times to do that." Charles startled at the comment, and Cedric grinned. "Harry's better than you are by a good bit, but he's been flying for a year. You didn't embarrass yourself."
Cedric pointed to the stands. Even at this distance Charles could easily recognize Harry, with Ron and Hermione. They had come down to watch him fly, but they let him do it on his own. Charles smiled at the thought that Harry seemed to understand him. Joyfully, he waved to them. They cheered loud enough that he could hear them from across the pitch. As if to emphasis the point, a camera flashed.
This was to be an ironic point in Charles' life. This would always be the fondest memory he had of his brother, that Harry was there and that he had shared this moment with him. In the back of his mind, Charles noted that Harry was not upset that Charles did not wait for his twin to show him how to fly. Harry looked as though he appreciated and expected Charles to act exactly the way he did. Charles may have read too much into the moment but if asked at that very second if he would want to stay with his brother forever, he would have said yes.
From one of the towers, two figures were watching the events on the pitch with more than a passing interest.
"He's as reckless as his 'brother'," Professor McGonagall said.
Dumbledore smiled. "Perhaps I should take the advice of the Weasley twins and admit him as a student."
"Albus, you can't be serious? We don't know anything about the boy."
"We know a great deal about him, Minerva. We know that he shares certain attributes with our Harry Potter. And I do think that if Gryffindor needed another player you would be more than eager to enroll the boy."
"Nonsense."
Albus smiled as his eyes twinkled. "I remember last year, when Gryffindor had no one to play the position of seeker."
McGonagall smiled in return. "I suppose I may have been a bit hasty back then, but the team was in terrible shape." She watched as the Hufflepuffs let Charles join them in practice. "He makes friends easily. He is similar to Harry in that respect."
"It's the differences that interest me," Albus said. "I've noted several things about him. For example, he knew about photography but he did not know what a camera was. Why do you suppose that is?"
"That's simple, Albus. Where he comes from, they don't call it a camera."
"Then you agree with me that he is not part of this world. When we woke him, and first talked, did you notice the odd thing when we talked with him about magic?"
"He didn't know anything about magic when we talked to him. The portraits were a surprise to him. The same with Madam Pomfrey conjuring a tray to put his meal on. He gave a small shriek when that happened."
"And laughed heartily at his own surprise afterward. I thought it odd that he clearly knew about magic, but did not know what magic could do."
Minerva McGonagall paused as Albus mentioned that. "Yesterday, after dinner, I had Harry give Charles his wand to see if the boy could make a simple change, a match into a pin. Harry's wand didn't work very well, although Charles did have some success when he tried Hermione Granger's wand. He was surprised and delighted that he did anything. He's not as powerful as Harry, but he is not that far behind him."
Albus nodded. "You understand my point. Charles comes from a world where he never learned magic although, somehow, he knew that magic was real."
"His language is impeccable," McGonagall noted. "He speaks like a young scholar. He isn't stupid or ignorant by any standard. There may be a cultural reason why he never studied magic."
"We shall find out in time." Albus gave one last look at the Quidditch pitch and turned to go inside. "I will talk to Charles. If he is interested, I will admit him as a student."
"Be careful, Albus."
"I know, Minerva. But I fear, regardless of his past, he will be with us for a very long time. When he does regain his memory, I want him to have so many ties to us that he will be unwilling to break away."
It was this last statement that produced the irony. Charles would readily agree and, but for a brief moment of doubt when his memories came rushing back to him, he would never regret the choice.
