Harry finally quieted as Pomfrey walked towards him. "Potter, I hear you've been suffering from... mental distress. How are you feeling today?" asked Pomfrey. To Harry's relief, she didn't seem particularly unpleasant. He decided he would just tell her the whole story. As he lay down and she began to examine him, he poured out everything that had happened. He felt as if he were speaking from a distance, and began to get the giggles again. But by the end of the story, tears slid down his face. Pomfrey frowned at him and shook her head. "I think it's best if you stay here tonight, Potter. The only physical problem I can find with you is the bump on your head from your altercation earlier. If you aren't feeling more... yourself tomorrow, I'm afraid I'm going to have to transfer you to Saint Mungo's." said Pomfrey. "Saint Mungo's! You think I'm completely nutters. Why doesn't anyone believe me? It's a crazy world! Couldn't magic...isn't there any way that something like this could happen?" Harry asked. "I'm sorry, Potter, but I'm afraid not. Now, why don't you lay back and have a rest, and we'll see how you're doing in the morning." said Pomfrey. She smiled a small, unsure smile at him, and walked away.
Harry lay in his bed at the infirmary, staring at the ceiling. No one was going to help him. He would have to figure this out on his own. Harry was positive he wasn't crazy; he knew the world he'd lived in for the past 16 years, and this wasn't it. He just had to figure out what had happened, and then what he could do about it. He was leaning strongly towards his theory was that it was some sort of scheme by Voldemort. Maybe he was in some sort of "virtual reality" world that only seemed absolutely real. If that was true, then the people around him weren't real, they were some sort of complex artificial intelligence or something. But they seemed so human. They just didn't seem like the humans he knew.
Harry considered Pomfrey. She didn't seem much different from the Pomfrey he knew. Maybe a bit more mellow, but nothing drastic. Why was that?
After an hour or so of thinking, Harry closed his eyes and attempted to fall asleep, wishing that somehow this could all turn out to be a dream. Or that by some miracle, he would find himself rescued when he awoke. At the moment, he didn't have any better ideas than to slip into unconsciousness and hope for the best.
Harry awoke what seemed like minutes later to see Neville, Malfoy, and Pansy Parkinson hovering over his bed and whispering. "Oh, he's awake!" Pansy suddenly exclaimed. Harry squinted up at her. "Don't tell me, let me guess. You're one of my best friends, right?" asked Harry, reaching for his glasses. Pansy looked worried. "That's right, Harry, we're all your friends. Do you remember us? Oh, that Weasley, if he's caused you some kind of permenant mental damage I'll..." said Pansy, looking furious. Harry couldn't help but laugh a little bit as he saw this Slytherin girl, Draco Malfoy's girlfriend, becoming outraged on his behalf. She looked at him, startled, then looked at Malfoy. Malfoy sighed. "Well, are you, er, feeling any better, Harry?" he asked. Harry looked at him for a moment, feeling tired in mind and body. "Feeling fine, Malfoy." he said, flatly.
"Erm, hey, that's good." said Malfoy. He looked uncomfortable. "You should be uncomfortable", thought Harry, "you're checking in on your worst enemy, here". Harry looked at Neville. "So. I guess it's up to you to stop Voldemort, huh?" said Harry. Malfoy gasped. Pansy's eyes widened. Neville seemed briefly taken aback, then puzzled. He frowned slightly. "Yes, it kind of looks that way... Harry, I mean, did anything really strange happen to you lately?" he said. "Besides being mysteriously dropped into an alternate reality? Not a thing." said Harry. Pansy, standing quite close to Malfoy, looked distressed.
"Yes, yes, I'm crazy. And the crazy fellow needs to get some rest. They're transferring me to Saint Mungo's in the morning, you can all come and gape at me then, right? Please, I want some peace and quiet." said Harry. "Saint Mungo's?" asked Neville, a strange, dark look in his eyes. Neville's parents... "I don't know what they're going to do with me. Look, I appreciate you stopping by, but I really am tired. So I'll see you later." said Harry. He took his glasses off, rolled over, and shut his eyes. After a few moments, he heard his three "friends" walk off.
Harry thought about Neville, and what the new, evil Professor Flitwick had said. He hoped the Neville he knew never felt like they just tolerated him out of pity. If he ever saw him again, he'd try to make him feel more at home.
Harry hadn't realized he'd fallen back asleep untill he awoke that evening. It was dark outside. The dim lamps by the beds in the hospital wing were glowing. Harry reached for his glasses.
"Good to see you, Harry." said a semi-familiar voice from behind him. Harry started, looked over, and then started again. Snape was hovering near the bed, his hands behind his back, a small, bizarrely friendly smile on his face. He leaned forward and nodded.
Harry was staring at him, mouth open. Snape pulled a seat up by the bed and sat down, ignoring Harry's expression. "Harry, I've been told you have been a bit troubled. Care to tell me what's on your mind?" said Snape. Harry wasn't sure whether he wanted to burst out laughing or bash himself unconscious with the bedside lamp. He was going to have to get used to this kind of madness untill he could find his way back home. Harry tried to pull himself together, and looked at Snape.
"Well, Professor, how much have you heard?" asked Harry. "Neville told me you said something about an alternate reality. Madam Pomfrey said you were very disoriented and felt that everything you knew had changed. And according to Flitwick, the Headmaster is quite displeased with you for your distress over this matter." said Snape. The way he said "the Headmaster" made Harry think that this Snape did not think highly of this Dumbledore.
"Yes. Well, basically, Professor Snape, for the majority of my life, I've been known as The Boy Who Lived. That's because Voldemort, you-know-who, the Dark Lord, etc. tried to kill me as a baby, but..." said Harry. He didn't feel like talking about his mother to Snape, alternate universe or not. "Well, it didn't work! And I got a lightening scar on my forehead, and I came to Hogwarts at eleven, and since that time, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger have been my best friends, Draco Malfoy has been a slimey git, you've been a complete disgrace to the teaching profession, Albus Dumbledore has been a kind and caring soul, and life was what it was. Untill today, that is. See, I took a little nap in the bathroom, and when I woke up, I was in the Twilight Zone. Nevermind, you probably don't know what that is. Well, I woke up in some kind of warped dimension where no one is themselves. Ron hates me, Hermione doesn't know I exist, Draco Malfoy is my buddy, and the world, basically, has bloody ended as I know it! And no one believes it; they think I'm mad, and now they're going to send me to Saint Mungo's. So what do you think, alternate reality Snape?" said Harry.
"Well, I can certainly see why you'd be distressed." said Snape. "What?" said Harry. "If I were in that situation, I imagine I'd be frantic." said Snape. He seemed genuinely concerned. Harry's heart pounded. "You're saying you believe me? You don't think I'm crazy?" he asked. Snape smiled slightly, a thoughtful, compassionate look on his face. It looked far more like Lupin, or even Dumbledore, than anything he could have imagined coming from Snape. "I won't pretend to know what's going on, Harry. But I trust that whatever experience you're having, it is very real to you. And I don't think labeling anyone 'crazy' has ever done much good." said Snape. Harry felt very relieved. At least someone would listen, would take him seriously.
"What do you think I should do?" he asked Snape. Snape thought for several moments. "First of all, I think, for the time being, you should avoid speaking of the matter to Madam Pomfrey, or to anyone whom you don't fully trust. Er, I understand that in your current position, you may have difficulty trusting anyone here, but I think I can safely say that the Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom and Pansy Parkinson of this place in space and time are good, true friends who would not betray your trust. I'll have a talk with them, see if I can help them not to panic about your situation. Outside of them and myself, I think it's best if you don't speak of this to anyone else at the school. Try to go with the flow for now. Harry, I hate to encourage you to be decietful or anything..." said Snape. Harry let out a snort of laughter at Snape's new found decency. "Sorry. The Snape I know is just about your total opposite. I can't believe someone as nice as you even heads Slytherin house." said Harry. Snape now laughed. "Slytherin house? Is that what the other me heads? It must truly be another world. Here I'm in charge of Hufflepuff." said Snape. "HUFFLEPUFF!" cried Harry. He doubled over laughing. Madam Pomfrey walked over. Harry tried to get a hold on himself. "Visiting hours are nearly over, Professor Snape. Harry, are you quite alright?" asked Pomfrey. "I'm fine. I'm sorry. I... Snape told a great joke, that's what happened." said Harry. "One with the punchline 'Hufflepuff'?" asked Pomfrey. "Er...yheah." said Harry. "Just under nine minutes." said Pomfrey to Snape, and she walked away.
"Right, Harry, now if you continue to share your predicament with Madam Pomfrey or to the school at large, I fear you may indeed be placed in Saint Mungo's. I don't believe that would be in your best interests." said Snape. He looked carefully at Harry. "Alright...but... what do I do to get home? To put things right? I mean, what the hell is this place? I was thinking maybe Voldemort could be behind it, what if he did it all to make me think I was mad, or to take me away from my life so I couldn't defeat him?" said Harry. He also wondered, "What if you're not even real at all and this discussion is complete bullocks? Or you and the others are Voldemort's minions in disguise, playing some kind of game with me?", but he kept those thoughts to himself.
"I'll try in any way I can to help you figure out what's happening. I'm sure your Godfather will as well. Have you gotten the chance to contact him yet?" said Snape. Harry froze. "Harry?" said Snape. "My... Sirius? Sirius Black?" said Harry. "Yes. Are you alright?" said Snape. "Sirius is alive?" said Harry. Snape's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, Harry. Your... the other Sirius is..." said Snape. Harry leapt out of bed. "I have to see him. Now." said Harry. "Harry, please, you must calm down." said Snape, reaching out for Harry's shoulders. Harry stepped away, snarling. "I SAID I WANT TO SEE SIRIUS! NOW!" he hollared. Pomfrey came back into the room. Snape looked from Harry to her and back, helplessly.
"I WANT TO SEE MY GODFATHER! I'M NOT CRAZY!" screamed Harry.
The next thing Harry knew, he was waking up the next morning with restraints on his arms and legs. It took a moment for Harry to remember everything that had happened. He was in the Twilight Zone, but he didn't give a damn anymore. Sirius was alive. All Harry wanted was to see him. He twisted against his restraints, then shut his eyes and lay still. He had to be calm. Just for a little while. He had to convince them he wasn't insane. Just enough so that he could get to Sirius.
Harry tried to push away the emotions that the thought of seeing Sirius brought, and put on a facade of calmness. After a few minutes, he called for Madam Pomfrey in a voice he hoped sounded normal.
After a moment, Pomfrey walked. And to Harry's utter and complete amazement, by her side was Sirius.