Chapter 3
When Harry woke the next morning it took him several moments to decipher which of the events he remembered were real and which were just part of a dream. He sat and rubbed his eyes before feeling for his glasses and putting them on. As his vision swam into focus, so did his memory. He smiled as he thought about what had happened yesterday. Sure, this wasn't what he and Hermione had been expecting when they stepped through that portrait in Dumbledore's office but, he had to admit, it was a nice surprise. He parents were alive, as were Sirius and Ron. He had all the family he had ever wanted and he also had a brother. Though he had yet to meet Matthew, he was sure they would get along brilliantly. Harry had never really considered what it would be like to have a little brother, but now that he sat and thought about it, he didn't think it would be bad at all.
He turned his gaze towards the bed where Hermione was sleeping. After she had drifted off in his bed the night before, Harry had thought it best for him to sleep on the couch rather than waking her up to move to her own bedroom.
He frowned slightly as he looked at her. This thing with Ginny might prove to be a problem. He would have to find out a way fairly soon to end that "relationship" before it started to cause any problems between himself and Hermione. He shook his head slightly; perhaps he could talk to his dad (Harry smiled to himself as he thought of his father), surely if James knew that he wasn't the Harry from this world, he wouldn't make him marry Ginny. Even as he thought the plan, however, Harry knew it wouldn't work. From what Ron had said, James hadn't accepted that his own Harry didn't want to get married, so why would he let this Harry get out of it.
He sighed deeply. He would find a way, he would.
Just then there was movement from the bed as Hermione stirred awake. Harry smiled and moved to sit by her. She was so beautiful, even first thing in the morning. Her eyes fluttered open and a smile crossed her face as she saw him.
'Hi, you,' she said lightly. 'What are you doing in the girls dorms?' Even as she said it she looked around and realised where they were. She smiled as she remembered the previous day.
'Morning,' Harry replied, 'I think we should get up, I don't think it will help the hiding of our relationship if mum finds that we slept in the same room.'
Hermione sat up suddenly, looking worried. 'W-w-where did you sleep?' It wasn't that she didn't want to be close to Harry or anything, but, regardless of everything that had happened, they had actually only been together officially since the day before. She shook her head slightly at the thought that this time yesterday they were waking up in the Hogwarts dormitories 21 years ago.
Harry smiled and gestured towards the sofa where a blanket and pillow was half falling onto the floor.
'Oh Harry, you let me have your bed. You should have just woken me up.'
Her boyfriend grinned. 'But you looked so cute snoring your head off.'
She looked horrified for a moment before seeing the look of mischief in his eyes and she just pushed him in the arm lightly before climbing out of bed. She realised that she was still wearing the clothes of yesterday and was about to go get changed when there was a knock on the door and Lily walked in.
'Oh good, you're both here,' she said, assuming that Hermione had joined her son in his room recently. 'I just wanted a word before breakfast.' As she talked she moved to make the bed, not noticing Harry stuff his blanket and pillow down the back of the couch.
'It's just that I think it's best for now not to mention to anyone else who you are. We don't want anyone to take it the wrong way and think anything that's not true.'
Harry looked at his mother, confused. 'What do you mean?'
Lily looked up from the bed she had finished making, slightly flustered. 'Oh, never mind that now, you two had better go get some breakfast because we're going to Diagon Alley today,' and with that she walked briskly from the room leaving Harry and Hermione with looks of pure horror on their faces.
They looked at each other, speechless. Diagon Alley? No! They couldn't go there, not today… that was where all this started… that was where Ron died.
They raced downstairs and into the kitchen. 'MUM NO!' shouted Harry, slightly louder than he had anticipated. 'We can't go to Diagon Alley, not today!'
Lily raised her eyebrows at her son. 'Why ever not, Harry?' she asked, as calmly as though he had not just come running downstairs in a panic.
'Because...' but Harry paused, noticing for the first time that Mrs Weasley was in the room, looking at him suspiciously. He tried his best to calm his voice down, 'because I have a potion I have to finish for homework - time sensitive,' he added.
Molly raised her eyebrows. 'Can't you just do it another day?' she asked, looking slightly annoyed.
'No,' Harry replied, looking at his mother, hoping that she would be able to tell something was wrong and take his hint. 'It has to be today.'
Lily surveyed her eldest child. 'Okay then sweetheart, we'll just do your school shopping another day.'
Harry's shoulders slumped with relief and he heard Hermione let out a breath beside him as they went to sit down at the breakfast table, beside a confused-looking Ron.
Harry was just buttering his first slice of toast when there was a noise at the door behind him and he heard his mother say, 'Matthew, dear, there you are. Come and sit down.'
Harry spun around in his chair to catch his first look of his little brother. His first impression was that he could not look any less like himself. Matthew had dark red hair like their mother, though it was much redder than the orangey colour associated with the Weasleys. He also had his father's eyes, which were a hazel colour, and he was slightly taller than Harry thought he himself had been at that age. Matthew also wore no glasses and had a thick book clamped in his right hand.
Harry smiled at the sibling he has never known and said, 'Hey Matthew.'
The younger boy slammed his book on the table and shot a glare at Harry. 'Don't you 'Hey Matthew' me.' A shocked look spread across Harry's face. 'How many times have I told you and Ron to stay out of my room and stop with all the stupid pranks?'
Ron snorted to Harry's left, 'What's the matter, Nerd Boy? You not appreciate our little surprise?'
Lily shook her head from her position at the sink. She knew what was coming.
Matthew was shouting immediately, 'YOU PUT GLUE, GLUE! IN MY TOOTHPASTE! YOU COULD HAVE KILLED ME! GLUE IS TOXIC, YOU IDIOT!'
Ron grinned in a way that Harry found infuriating, before he answered, 'Yeah well, you shouldn't have tried to trip me up yesterday morning.'
Tears were starting to fill Matthew's eyes, 'For the last time, I didn't try and trip you up, I banged into you accidentally.'
'Yeah well, Nerd Boy, that's what you get for having your nose in one of those stupid books all day,' Ron spat.
Anger burned in Harry's stomach. Ron was being completely unfair and was just sitting there smirking while his little brother had tears welling up in his eyes. He couldn't just sit and listen to this. 'Ron, you're out of line. I think you should apologise.'
His redheaded friend gasped and opened his mouth to argue before remembering that this was not the Harry he knew. This Harry did not know the way things worked around here. He would have to teach him. Instead of shouting, Ron just shut his mouth and started shooting daggers at his friend with his eyes.
Matthew looked at Harry, worried. He was up to something. He never stood up for him against Ron. What was going on?
It was Lily who broke the silence. 'Ok, I know. Why don't you go and play Quidditch after breakfast. It's a lovely day out there.'
The three boys' spirits immediately picked up and Harry quickly finished his piece of toast before heading upstairs to get changed.
He was just attempting to do something with his hair ten minutes later when Hermione and Ron came in.
'Hey guys, are you...' Harry never got chance to finished his question, however, before Hermione gasped loudly and ran over to him, grabbing hold on his face and pulling back his fringe.
'Harry, its gone!' she gasped.
'What is?' he asked - he was very confused by now and slightly worried.
She looked at him straight in his eyes. 'Your scar!'
His eyes widened immediately before he dashed over to the mirror that sat on the dressing table in the corner of the room. 'Oh my God!' he gasped, rubbing his eyes as though he didn't believe what he was seeing. He spun on his heel to face Hermione. 'It's really gone,' he said. His expression showed nothing but shock for a moment before a grin broke across his face and he ran to his girlfriend, picking her up and spinning her around. 'It's gone, it's gone, it's gone,' Harry chanted excitedly, hopping from one foot to the other.
Hermione smiled widely.
'Erm...guys?' came Ron's voice suddenly from by the door. The couple jumped as though they had forgotten he was there. 'What the hell is going on?'
Harry grinned at his best friend's confusion. 'In our world Voldemort tried to kill me as a baby but failed, and all I was left with was a lightening shaped scar on my forehead. But it's gone!'
Ron frowned slightly but Harry didn't notice. 'But,' Harry continued, 'I assume that mustn't have happened in this world or my scar wouldn't have disappeared. Right, Ron?'
The red-head looked extremely uncomfortable for a moment before muttering 'No' and changing the subject quickly. 'I'm going to head outside see you both down there.' With a nod from the others he turned and left the room quickly. He paused outside the door and closed his eyes remembering Lily's warning from the night before, that he mustn't tell them about Voldemort or what else had happened just yet. He took a deep breath before moving to look for Matthew.
'Ok, Harry is seeker of course and Matthew is chaser. Hermione can be on Harry's team and play chaser and I'll play seeker on Matthew's team. Normal rules, mount your brooms. FLY!' At Ron's words the group all lifted off the ground, Hermione looking a little awkward but trying her best.
It turned out that in this world Sirius had installed a pretty much full size Quidditch pitch in the backyard of Grimmauld Place and had half a dozen spare brooms for them to play with.
Harry was amazed as he watched his younger brother play. It appeared that Matthew had also inherited the Potter talent for Quidditch and from the general talk, Harry established that Matthew played on the Gryffindor house team as a chaser.
Ron's skills had also considerably improved from their own Ron's. He was much more natural and confident in his abilities and Harry learned he had been playing as keeper on the school team since their second year at Hogwarts. Harry assumed that this was because he had had a lot more practice growing up, which seemed probable if he was around James a lot.
However, Harry discovered very quickly that Ron was not only more skilled in this world but also much more aggressive. There were several times when he had decided that ramming into someone else with his broom would be a more effective method of acquiring the Quaffle than intercepting it, and by the time they decided to take a break 45 minutes into the game, Harry was aching considerably.
'Wow, that was great fun!' exclaimed Ron, as they all took swigs of pumpkin juice that Hermione had thought to bring outside with them.
Harry frowned slightly but said nothing; he instead decided to change the subject. 'Hey Matthew,' he started, 'you're really good out there.'
His little brother beamed at the compliment and Harry could tell that he was the type of boy who craved his big brother's attention and would do anything to impress him.
'Thanks Harry, that pitch we persuaded Mum and Dad to build at Godric's Hollow has really helped improve my game, and to think Hermione wanted a pool,' Matthew grinned at the girl widely.
Hermione, however, felt confused. Why would she want to have a pool at the Potter's?
Her question, unfortunately, was interrupted by a voice joining them.
'Hey guys,' said Ginny brightly, 'can I play?'
Ron scowled at his sister, 'No way,' he snapped, 'you're not welcome here.'
Ginny raised her eyebrows at him before smiling smugly and walking over to Harry. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek. 'Well, I think that I am quite entitled to spend time with my fiancé if I want to, Ronald.' She said the words with a mocking tone and glared at her brother, obviously pleased with herself.
She didn't notice Harry's shoulders stiffen slightly at her touch or Hermione flush and slip off back into the house, looking distraught.
Ron's face flushed red and anger flashed in his eyes. 'Well then in that case,' he spat, 'I don't feel like playing anymore.' With these words he turned and stormed off towards the house.
Matthew sighed and muttered something about going to see if Ron was okay before disappearing.
Ginny looked around after they were gone as if checking to see if they were really alone before smiling and throwing her arms around Harry's neck and kissing him deeply.
Harry's eyes widened at the red-head's behaviour, and for a moment he was even too shocked to stop the kiss. However, she pulled away quite quickly and sighed deeply, 'Oh Harry,' she said, 'I don't want to do this anymore. I hate this pretending not to get along just so that Ron doesn't get angry.' She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples slowly. 'Can't you just tell him that you really want to be with me too? He's the only one who won't accept it, he still thinks that our parents are 'forcing' us to be together rather than that they really know we want to and just can't tell Ron.' She paused again and ran her hand through her thick red hair. 'We love each other, Harry, and I just want to tell him and let him deal with it.'
Harry blinked at her several times. He didn't really hate her. He wasn't really being forced into marrying her. He loved her. 'Erm...I...err,' Harry stuttered.
Before he could say anything else however Ginny spoke again, 'I know, I know, you don't want to ruin your friendship with him, it's just hard.' She wrapped her arms around his waste and rested her head on his chest with a sigh. 'I guess it'll all work out in the end.'