Chapter Fifteen – Opposites Aren't Always The Same

Once everyone had departed to their opposite worlds, Hermione looked down at what she was wearing. Having to swap clothes with her evil twin, she now looked like she was made for the night. Black clothes clung to her skin. Little was left to the imagination as much of her pasty skin was exposed. Her twin had done her hair so that the edges were black and her face now resembled what she looked like in this world. Hermione had probably gotten the worse end of the deal as Harry and Ron had just stayed in jeans and a shirt remaining black. Harry's hair was black anyway so with the end result he looked very dark. Ron's however was still flaming red, but coordinated well with the dark clothes they were wearing. The things they all had to change drastically however were their attitudes. Hermione, Harry and Ron who had always been out to help, suddenly found themselves having to torture any thing that came their way. They were the most respected people in their world, and it was the same in this world. However the reasons were different.

The trio stood looking at each other, and Hermione took a deep breath. This was dangerous. She voiced her concern to the boys opposite her.

Ron wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulders and replied in a casual voice. 'When is anything we ever do, ever not dangerous?'

Suddenly a voice echoed throughout the house. 'Lunch's ready'.

'I wonder how different everyone is going to be?'

'Ron, you can't go giving us away, neither can you Harry. Anything could happen.' Hermione began rambling. 'Nobody will realise that people can switch worlds like we did, and could kill us. They might think, if we don't act like how we're supposed to, that we're not who we really are, and might be impostors.'

'Herm, chill. Everything will be okay.' Ron said.

'Don't call me Herm. You know I don't like being called that.'

'LUNCH. IS. READY.' Molly Weasley shouted up the stairs.

'Guess we've gotta face the music.' Harry mumbled, as the three friends made their way downstairs.

When they entered the room, all three pairs of eyes widened. There in the centre of the Weasley home, where flowers or ornaments used to sit were skulls and potions lying around.

'What is wrong with you three. Why aren't you sitting down?' Mrs Weasley asked at the teenagers.

The trio didn't say anything instead choosing to sit down at the already laid table, and began serving themselves the food presented in front of them.

Molly glanced at the three children sitting at her table and frowned. They were very quiet. Too quiet, and that always meant that they were up to something, something that would undoubtedly lead them into trouble.

Taking a piece of sausage and just before placing it into her mouth she looked up and spoke out loud.

'So. What are you three up to now?'

The three looked up and glanced at each other. Daring to dart looks with worry and anxious expressions written into their faces.

'Um. What makes you think we're up to anything uh.' Ron said glancing at Hermione. 'Mum?'

'Oh I don't know, the fact that for once in your lives you're all very quiet, and why are you looking so nervous?' She answered.

'No reason, it's just been a very strenuous day, Mrs Weasley.' Harry said.

Mrs Weasley nodded her head, as if she believed him. However she always trusted her instincts and they were rarely wrong. She would give them the benefit of the doubt, but like a mother she would keep her eyes open.

Once they had all finished the meal, which had been just as good in this world as the other, they decided to go outside to have a look at the world they were now in.

When they opened the gate of 'The Burrow' they were shocked to see that the environment was nothing like what they were used to. Instead of the blossoming flowers, which ran throughout the garden, they were given the site of deadening buds. The grass had turned a slight dull brown, from the lack of care, nutrients and water. Gnomes ran wild throughout the garden, however when spying the trio making their way out into their new home, they quickly scurried back into the bushes, their wide eyes peeping through the leaves of the brown shrubbery. One unfortunate gnome who hadn't witnessed the teenagers continued to roam the garden.

Mrs Weasley came out to see if they had wanted extra pudding, however upon spying the gnome she whipped out her wand and aimed it at the still naive gnome.

'Expelleramous' she shouted. The teenagers expecting to see a silver light to exit her wand to throw the gnome away were thrown from their expectation when an orangey greenish light sped out and destroyed the gnome. The gnome that had been standing there moments before, was now gone, and in his place was a pile of ash, smouldering from the heat.

Hermione who was very passionate against cruelty to house elves, believe that the concept should apply to all magical beings. Seeing the poor, little, defenceless being burnt to a crisp, made her gasp. She had to turn away as the image, which had been imprinted into her mind, replayed itself over and over again. Tears leaked out of her eyes as she tried to keep them in. She quickly started walking away slowly breaking out into a jog and then into a flat out run.

The boys knowing how sensitive Hermione was about magical beings should have been expecting her to react the way she did. However with the sudden change in how the spell was presented and the effect of it, sent them into a whirl of thoughts.

They snapped out of them as they noticed Hermione had left their side. Harry had already started out after her. However Ron felt he should stay after his mother shouted a command after them.

'What is wrong with Hermione?' She asked after noticing Hermione had run off after tears ran down her face.

'Um… She's been a bit weird all day, I don't really know why.' Ron said hoping that that answer would suffice his slightly scary mum.

'Ah' Molly said, understanding that it was probably a girl's problem. Maybe that was why they were all acting strange today. Her mood must have rubbed off onto the boys.

Hermione ran through the garden and slumped against a dying tree. She clamped her eyes shut, but the tears still managed to slip through. She wrapped her arms around her body and gently rocked herself. It was a useless way of comforting. Hermione knew why she was upset, other than what she had just witnessed, she was just in shock with how different this world was. Her research and understanding led her to believe that this world would be almost the same, but the objects that were the same would be different. However this world was completely different, it was no way near anything similar to what she had expected.

She had to remind herself why she was doing this. Why was she putting herself through such torture and pain? Through her hazy and messed up mind, one image stood out clear. Harry. Harry was the reason she was doing this. And Harry was the reason she would do it again and again. Harry who had depended upon no one, asked for nothing, but deserved everything. That was why, and she needed to remember that. This was no time to become selfish; this was the time for Harry. And she would be damned if he didn't get that.

The object of her thoughts soon was in front of her, leaning down to look into her hazel eyes, which held deep determination. He plonked himself down by her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Hermione sighed, leaning against his chest, her mission pumped through her blood. She could feel her pulse, everything pulsating the word Harry, Harry, Harry, throughout her mind and body.

'You okay?' Harry whispered into her hair.

'Yeah, I'm fine. It was just a bit of a shock to see that poor little gnome destroyed. You know how I get when things to do with cruelty happen to little things. I just don't like it.'

'You don't have to justify yourself to me, Hermione. I like that you are such a caring person. That's one of the many qualities that made me like you so much.'

'Thanks Harry, that means a lot to me.' Just then Ron had appeared in front of them.

'You okay there Ron?' Harry asked seeing his friend look a bit out of breath. Ron nodded.

'We need to sort out our story or something because I always seem to end up having to explain some situation or another to…um…my mum. The only thing is she is nothing like my mum. She is mad, and scary.'

'Fine then, do you fancy sorting this out now?' Hermione said, her tears subsided and a calm look had rested upon her face.

'Oh sorry Hermione, are you okay?' Ron asked just remembering that Hermione had been crying moments before.

Hermione rolled her eyes, 'Yes Ron, I'm fine you don't need to worry about me, either of you. I'm fine, now lets get this story sorted.'

'Hang on, you two, shouldn't we talk about the spell Mrs Weasley did. She performed the expelleramous one, except it wasn't silver, it was orangey greenish, plus it didn't disarm the gnome, it destroyed him.' Harry said after recalling the earlier events.

'Well maybe it has something to do with the fact that the intended target was a gnome. Maybe they are weaker and destroyed instead of being disarmed?' Ron said voicing his opinion.

Hermione shock her head, 'No, it can't be that. Gnomes hold centuries of magic and are just as old as wizards. Plus there is the fact that the colour of the spell was slightly green and orange. We all know what that means don't we.'

Harry and Ron glanced at each other; Hermione picked up on this and shuck her head again. 'Honestly, what would you do without me. Spells as we know, are classified due to their danger and the reasons they are used. Healing spells using the colour of blue. Disarming spells usually the colour of silver. However harming spells such as the death curse, and many others which cause pain, are the colour of green. Now this spell, held the colour of green, which is obviously a spell which we avoid a lot, and it being greenish gives me the impression that it is dangerous and should not be used.'

'Yes but why is a disarming spell which we know about classified as dangerous here?'

'Well maybe it's to do with the fact that the expelleramous spell is used a lot in our world, and we classify it as good. Remember it's the opposite here, so the expelleramous spell here must be used a lot and classified as evil. Which is what we are over here.' Hermione said carrying on here commentary.

'Merlin, this is so complicated. I don't think I'm ever going to understand all this opposites and similarities between everything. What on earth did we let ourselves in for?' Ron mumbled.