AN: Late update I know, what else is new. My excuse this time, I got in the dog house with mom after she got a report that I was "glaring menacingly" at my Algebra II teacher. mutters "Oh, how I hate that woman!" Anyway, she forgave me and told me to get high before her class everyday and that I should take up drama. Why? I don't know. And as to how this kept me from writing faster, I don't know that either. I just thought it was an interesting story. Well, Happy New Year everyone. May 2005 bless you all.

Disclaimer: Why the hell do I still write this? I own nothing, except my army of fudge monkeys.

"blah blah"- spoken speech

'blah blah'- Harry's thoughts

'blah blah'- Maethorion's thoughts

'blah blah'- Harry talking to Maethorion

Chapter 3: Illusions

Harry was in a large, dim room. The only source of light was a fire flickering in the grate, which was surrounded by a comfy looking black leather and ebony wood furniture set. The walls were lined with books reaching as far up as the firelight illuminated. The room looked a bit like a combination of Hogwarts library and the Gryffindor common room.

"Come and sit down, Harry."

Standing there, just as he had always envisioned them, were Lily and James Potter.

"Mom, Dad?" Harry asked.

They both nodded. Harry slowly walked forward and Lily wrapped her arms around him in a hug. She was solid.

"On sweet Merlin, it really is you!" After he made the revelation, Harry allowed himself to do something he hadn't done in years. He cried. He cried for the life he missed with his parents. He cried for the world he condemned to Voldemort's rule. He cried for Sirius, for Ron, Hermione, Remus, Tonks, Dumbledore, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Neville, Luna Fred, George, the DA, and everyone else he left behind. He cried until he had no more tears and was left hiccupping with dry sobs in his parents' embrace. Harry pulled back and averted his eyes to the ground.

'Way to make them proud Potter, break down right in front of them. What's your father going to think?!' He was stopped mid-mental berating by a large hand gripping his shoulder gently. He looked up into his father's warm, chocolate brown eyes.

"It's ok, Harry. Everyone deserves a good cry, and you're long overdue for one." Harry felt a rush of gratitude towards his father.

'This is not the same man I saw in Snape's pensive. This is my real dad.'

Father and son went and sat down on the soft, plushy couches and chairs where Lily handed them each a steaming cup of tea with milk and sugar. Harry had done this for other people many times, but he never realized how therapeutic it was. All of the problems in the world seemed less overwhelming and scary while the warm liquid was seeping into him. Once he had regained his composure he looked up. His parents were having a heated, although quiet discussion. About the time he tried to eavesdrop, Lily slammed her mouth onto James's and they quickly progressed into a very passionate kiss. A very red-faced Harry darted his eyes back to his tea cup.

'Some parents are, um, overbearing, mine are just very horny. Nothing wrong with that.'

'hahahahaha! You should have seen your face!'

'Ok you're the reason I'm dead in the first place, so who exactly are you?' Harry mentally asked the voice.

'Turn around.'

Harry turned around in his chair. There was a wispy, iridescent figure of a young man, about 19, standing behind him. It reminded Harry a bit of Tom Riddle's memory down in the Chamber of Secrets.

The young man was tall, broad shouldered, and imposing looking. He was dressed in black dragon-hide boots, long and loose black slacks, and a black silk battle tunic all under long, firm, black battle robes. He had a hard-set tan face and full, pink lips. His eyes were a cool, indifferent emerald green contrasted with bright violet flecks in the irises, and his long, raven locks were pulled back into a loose ponytail by a piece of black leather. The thing that intrigued Harry the most about the apparition was his forehead. The smooth, sun-kissed skin was marred by a lightning bolt scar, mirroring Harry's own.

'I…I still don't understand.' Harry mentally stammered, 'Who are you?'

'I am you.' The apparition stated.

'What?...How?' Harry stuttered out

'We are one and the same, I assure you. I was sent here to help you.'

'Well, you're doing a marvelously fine job. A right gem you are. You're sent here to protect me and you wind up convincing me to commit suicide! Well that's just fan-bloody-tastic!'

'I am you, you convinced yourself.'

'ARGH! This is confusing! Is there something else I can call you so that I don't have a bloody identity crisis?' The ghostly figure seemed to ponder this for a moment.

'Maethorion'

'Maethorion?'

'Ok, that's weird.'

'Now, why did you convince me to commit suicide?'

'There are certain things that need to take place.'

'How do I know you aren't working for Voldemort?'

It was Maethorion's turn to be caught off guard.

'What!!?'

You heard me. You get into my head, convince me to commit suicide…'

'You mean you didn't already want to, in the back of your mind?'

'That's not important! My point is, you get me to try to kill myself and then you come to torment me in my afterlife. That sounds exactly like something that sick and twisted bastard would do!'

'I am not an image from Voldemort.' Maethorion spit out vehemently.

'How do I know that?'

'BECAUSE YOU WERE OCCLUDING!' Maethorion shouted. He was visibly shaking with anger and frustration with his past self's unwillingness to see the truth, no to mention the strain of maintaining his semi-corporeal form on this plane. His multi-colored eyes were flashing rather dangerously.

'But I can't Occlude.' Harry stated in a small voice that was tinged with a hint of sadness. Maethorion seemed to deflate as he blew out his anger and rubbed a hand across his suddenly weary face.

'You're not going to trust me until I explain this are you?' It was more of a statement than a question.

'No, I'm not.'

'Very well.' Maethorion sighed, 'Severus has only taught you Occlumency through clearing your mind, yes?' Harry nodded.

'Wait did my future self just call the git Severus?!' Maethorion continued with his little explanation.

'That is one of many techniques to Occlumency. The technique you used was exactly the opposite. You filled your mind and being so much with one memory, one emotion that there was no more room for Tom, nor any useful information for him.'

'Sirius's death?' Maethorion nodded somberly.

'It is a very difficult way of Occluding, but possible. Severus is a natural Occlumens, Occlumency is like an instinct for him. Like you and riding a broomstick.' Maethorion explained nonchalantly.

Harry could understand that. He and Ron had tried to teach Hermione how to fly, but he couldn't explain how he made the broomstick obey him. It just came instinctively to him.

'Why are you…'

'I can answer most of your preliminary questions in a little while, but for now, I think you need to pay attention to them.' Maethorion said, gesturing towards Lily and James. Harry turned back around to find his parents breaking away from each other, both of them flushed and breathing rather hard.

"Sorry about that, son." James apologized, "Just something about this place, you know." Harry didn't know, but that really didn't matter.

"So, where is this place?"

"Purgatory," Lily answered.

"'Purgatory?!"

"Yes, Purgatory. I'm fairly certain that my sister raised you up Catholic, correct?" Lily sneered.

"Yes, but I always thought that Purgatory was supposed to be painful."

"Yes, er, well it is, but you're not entirely here are you?" James injected.

"I'm not following."

"You're in a coma." Lily told him.

'I can't even kill myself right.' Harry thought dejectedly. "So, I'm not really dead?"

"No" James said simply.

'Not yet anyway.' Maethorion added.

"Harry, we need to talk to you." James said very seriously. "When you were a baby, Harry, we put a spell on you."

'A spell?!?'

You know, a spell. What they're teaching you at Hogwarts. You wave your stick around a say some funny Latin words.' Maethorion interjected amusedly.

'I know what a spell is. I was wondering what kind of spell.' Harry snapped hotly back at the smirking apparition.

"I'm sure you are wondering what kind of spell we placed on you." James continued as if he hadn't been interrupted by his son and his son's furure self mentally butting heads.

"Yeah, actually. I was." Harry interrupted. James shot him a scowl.

"I mean…yes sir" Harry corrected in a meek voice.

"We put a power-blocking spell on you." James told him.

'What?!'

"You were a very powerful baby. Too powerful." Lily explained, "The amount of power you possessed would have killed you."

"The spell we placed on you was strong, but it wouldn't last forever."

"We had counted on being there to re-enforce and re-apply the spell until you were old enough to handle the spell on your own."

"Obviously that didn't work out."

"So, the spell has just been growing weaker and weaker?" Harry questioned.

"Exactly. It should fully wear off in a couple of days." James told him.

"So, what kinds of powers did I…ARGHHHHH!!!!" Harry started off, but he felt an intense flash of pain, worse than any he had ever felt before, mid question.

"Oh, dear. It seems like you time here is up. You had better get back." Lily told him.

"But…"

"No 'but's', Harry. It's not yet your time." James countered. Harry sighed.

'This is a battle you will not win, Harry.'

'I know.'

"Tell Sirius I love him and I miss him." Harry requested mournfully.

"Don't worry kiddo. He knows." James assured him, ruffling Harry's hair. And with that, Harry faded from the room.

James and Lily slumped down on the couch.

"Damn, I thought that brat was never going to leave. What did you do to him, love?" James asked looking over to Lily, who was gradually making her way on top of James.

"A Cruciatus cruse with an amplifier." Lily answered before proceeding to nibble on James's ear, causing him to moan in pleasure. A slight cough brought them out of their exploration of each other.

"WHAT!" James snapped, frustrated that he was, once again, having to wait before getting some of Lily.

"Anything in particular you want me to do?" Maethorion asked.

"Just make sure the brat stays on the correct path. Can't have him straying can we?" James ordered before turning his hungry brown eyes back to the woman who was currently straddling him. "And Harry,"

"Yes, sir?' Maethorion answered.

"Don't screw this one up." James warned him, hinting at severe punishment accompanying his failure. Maethorion nodded before disappearing from that plane.

"Now, where were we?" James playfully asked Lily (who was planting kisses everywhere on him except his mouth) eying her like she was his prey.

Harry was lying in a bed. He could feel several tubes around him. He felt what he thought was a clothespin on his left index finger. A steady beeping noise could be heard throughout the room, along with some steady clicks and a slight roaring sound, like the breathing of one of Hagrid's creatures.

'Where am I?'

He half-opened his eyes, amazed by how much effort it took. He was in starched white room, on he recognized as belonging to a hospital.

'Probably St. Mungo's' Harry thought to himself, dejectedly.

Suddenly, Maethorion's semi-corporeal form appeared in his line of vision, his voice sounding in Harry's head, almost like a whisper.

'Go to sleep Harry. You're safe now.'

And Harry did just that.