A/N: I am very concerned, as it seems some of you are losing interest in the worlds that Harry and Tonks are going to. I hope that I am wrong, but if I am right then tell me and I will shorten their world trip. I will only give an overview of the worlds missed instead of a play by play so to speak.
Sorry that it is late in coming, but I have been busy. My wife has been on me about getting the next chapter in my original novel done, so I had to work on it a lot to make her happy.
Egyptian Flame: Thank you for reviewing and I am sorry if the worlds are confusing.
Cycla: Thanks for reviewing. I tried to make it seem as real as possible so people would think he was home. I am glad to see it worked to some extent. Also I tried to have Ron be as in character as possible, and to me he wants to be a famous hero. I am glad that some agree with me.
Kkenny: Thanks for reviewing. Well I think this world is a bit different, but than again I am crazy, so I might be wrong.
Tabitha78: Thank you for reviewing, I am glad to see you got back to reading. I know you been busy, but it is still nice to have your views again.
Silverscale: Thanks for reviewing this story as well as my other one.
Faraway: Thank you
Locathah: Sorry sometimes my grammar checker tells me to change things and I do without thinking about how they sound. I am sorry and will try to be more careful. Thanks for reviewing to tell me.
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Recap
Harry looked at the timer and smiled. "So it is. I guess we shall go them Blue Beard." Harry said with a smile on his face.
Dumbledore didn't seem to get it at first but then smiled once it hit him. He watched as Harry hit to the button and the vortex appeared in front of him. Harry and Tonks both said their goodbyes and vanished into it.
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Chapter Twenty-Six: Reverse World
Dumbledore sat in his office looking at two empty seats in front of his desk as a watery bluish vortex appeared in his office.
A second later two figures came out of the vortex and landed on his floor. Dumbledore stood up from his desk and looked down at them. "Hello down there." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes, as he helped them to their feet.
"Thank you professor." Tonks said as she started to brush off his bum and to smooth out her robes.
"Miss Tonks and Mr. Potter what an unexpected surprise." Dumbledore said as he watched them both smooth out their robes.
"So what's the crisis on this world?" Harry asked curtly, as if he was growing tired of the worlds he was forced to go to.
"Crisis Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked with a confused look on his face. "To what crisis do you refer?"
"You will have to excuse him professor. We have been having a run of bad luck as of late, and Harry here is a bit frazzled from it all." Tonks said as she shot a menacing glare at Harry.
"I see Miss Tonks. Well then it might be best if you and Mr. Potter both sat down and explained to me exactly how it is you came to be here." Dumbledore said with a smile as he returned to his own seat.
Tonks did as Professor Dumbledore asked, but Harry just stood by his desk. Then Harry pulled out his necklace from under his robes. "If you would look at this it would explain everything sir. Then maybe we could get to what is happening around here."
Dumbledore took the necklace in his hand and like all those before him got an expression of understanding on his face. "Now I understand." Dumbledore said as he handed the necklace back to Harry. "I assure you that you're visit here shall be a quiet one. The students are all still on holiday at this time. Voldemort and his Death Eaters have all been vanquished from this world. In fact Harry it was your double that killed Voldemort."
Tonks and Harry both looked shocked at this news. Finally it seemed that they would have a peaceful time together.
Harry looked at Dumbledore intently. "Professor, when did my double kill Voldemort on this world?"
Dumbledore looked at Harry for a moment as he thought about his question. "I guess it was only a month or so ago. Your double was attacked and he managed to kill him, after a lengthy battle."
"Did Ron and Hermione help him?" Harry asked wondering if they were alive on this world after watching Ron get killed on the last one.
"Miss Granger did assist your double I believe along with Miss Weasley. Though who is this Ron you speak of?" Dumbledore asked as he looked at Harry.
"Ronald Weasley! You know Ginny Weasley's older brother!" Harry shouted a bit enraged that Dumbledore of all people could forget him.
"Mr. Potter, I assure you that shouting will do you no good. I may be old but I can hear just fine. I am afraid that I do not know any Ronald Weasley though." Dumbledore said as he closed his eyes trying to concentrate on his thoughts.
Harry fell back into his chair with a thump. 'Why doesn't he know Ron? Unless Ron never had a double here. Maybe something happened that he was never born.' Harry thought as he looked at Dumbledore. Harry pulled out the timer and was once again shocked. "Tonks am I seeing things here?"
Tonks took the timer and looked just as shocked as Harry did. The timer wasn't counting down towards zero like normal. Instead it was counting up from zero. "Harry what can this mean? Why would it be counting up instead of down?"
"I have no idea. Maybe it got broken on the last world." Harry said as he looked at the timer in disbelief.
"I take it that something is wrong?" Dumbledore said as if trying to get a better understanding of what was happening.
Harry looked like he was about to explode, but tried his best to remain calm. "Yes Professor you could say something is wrong! This is our timer, which I assume you heard. Normally it counts down to zero so we know how long we are stuck on a world. However for some ungodly reason that blasted thing is counting up from zero! That means we have no idea when the next portal is to open!"
"I see." Said Dumbledore as he looked at them for a moment. "Will the portal not open on its own when the time comes?"
"No, professor Harry has to hit the button to open the portal. That is why this is so disturbing. If we can not fix the timer, then we will be stuck here." Tonks said as she looked down at the floor.
"I have to see Remus and Hermione! Their doubles built this thing maybe they can fix it!" Harry said as he stood up and looked at Dumbledore.
"I will send for them for you. In the mean time the hour grows late. Maybe you and Miss Tonks would care to retire for the evening?" Dumbledore said as he stood up.
"Harry we might as well try and get some sleep. We wont be able to do anything until they can look at the timer." Tonks said as she smiled and winked at Harry.
Harry knew this Tonks well enough by now to know that sleep was the last thing on her mind. "Perhaps you are right. Professor would it be okay if we used the dorms in Gryffindor tower, since there are no students here?"
"By all means Mr. Potter. I will see too it that Dobby come get you as soon as Remus and Miss Granger arrive here. Though I fear it may not be till morning since it is getting late." Dumbledore said as he looked at Harry and Tonks.
Harry and Tonks bided Dumbledore farewell and made their way to Gryffindor Tower, after receiving the password for it. Once they were in the common room Harry sank into his favorite armchair in there and Tonks squeezed in beside him.
Harry looked at Tonks for a moment, but his thoughts were still rambling around in his head. There was something weird going on here but he just couldn't figure out what it was. "Tonks on the last world when I was asleep, what did you do?"
Tonks looked at him for a moment as she thought about what she did. "I stayed hidden away in here most of the time. I came to check on you a few times, but Madam Pomfrey said that you were to sleep. Other than that I didn't do a lot, why?"
"No real reason. I just think that there is something weird about this world. I don't know why but something tells me that the timer acting weird because of this world. I just can't figure out for the life of me why." Harry said as he sat looking at the fire that erupted in the fireplace as they came into the common room.
Tonks kissed Harry and then smiled at him. "How about we check out the beds for clues?"
Harry watched a bit out of it as Tonks jumped up off the chair. "Tonks I am sure there aren't any clues there." He said not fully paying attention to what she had been referring too, because he was lost in his own thoughts.
Harry snapped out of his thoughts as Tonks pulled him out of his chair. "Come on Harry let's go to bed." She said as she winked at him and then she took off for the boy's dormitory. She knew well enough that Harry couldn't go to the girl's dorms, but she could go to the boys.
Harry slowly started towards the stairs still a bit lost, and then it hit him what she meant. It literally hit him in fact as Tonks threw her robes at him before racing up the stairs. Harry reached down and grabbed her robes and then took off up the stairs after her.
By time Harry found which dorm room Tonks had gone into he found that she was already in bed covered up to her neck. "That was quick!" Harry said as he looked at her.
Tonks laughed as she pulled back the covers to show that she still had her bra and panties on. "Come here Harry." She said giving him sad puppy eyes. "On the last world you slept for a whole day, and I was left to fend for myself. Now we get a chance to be alone for a night, and I think I have earned it."
Harry tried to look at her, but he couldn't stand the sad puppy eyes she was giving him and the pouting lips were just too much. He undressed down to his boxers and climbed in under the covers with her. "You know I can't say no, when you give me that look."
Tonks giggled as she kissed him on the cheek. "What look?" She asked innocently as she kissed him on the lips.
"Never mind," Harry said quickly in between breaths.
It was a few hours before they finally fell asleep for the night. The next morning Harry woke up to find two trays of food on the bed beside the one Tonks and him shared. Harry nudged Tonks to wake her, but she was sound asleep.
Harry decided to let her sleep, as he quickly ate his breakfast. After a quick shower Harry made his way down to the common room. It was quiet without all the students being in it, so Harry sank gladly into his favorite armchair. He had hoped to have one of his dreams or visions involving Blade last night. However that was not to be, and so he sat there trying to figure out his problem on his own.
"Harry?" Came a familiar bossy female voice that effectively brought Harry out of his musing.
Harry jumped at the voice, and could fell bumps form all over his body from fright. "Hermione! Are you trying to kill me? You about gave me a bloody heart attack."
"Sorry Harry." Hermione said as she ran up to him and hugged him tight. "Professor Dumbledore owled saying that you needed my help, but he didn't say what it was that you needed."
Harry hugged Hermione back and then pulled away from her when she said about Dumbledore's owl. "So he didn't tell you anything that is going on?"
Hermione looked terrified as Harry asked his question. "No, Harry he didn't. What is wrong? Why did he summon me here to help you?"
Harry motioned for her to sit. "You best sit down, this could take a while." Harry waited for Hermione to sit down, and then he took his place in his favorite red armchair. He then started into his whole tale, and how it was one of her doubles that created the timer he used.
Hermione looked scared, excited, and disbelievingly as she looked at Harry when he finished telling his story. "Harry," She said warily.
"Hermione I am still Harry, I am just not the Harry you know from this world. Trust me when I say that you and me have been friends on almost every world I have been to." Harry said as he smiled at her.
"I do trust you, but what do you mean almost every world?" Hermione asked with a small smirk on her face.
Harry looked at the floor for a moment and then at Hermione again. "Well when I started out I went to a world where your double seemed to hate me. I don't know why she did, and I am sure I will never know, but that isn't important. What is important is that on every world since then you and I have been friends. That's why your double helped Remus create the timer to get me home. That is also why I knew I could ask for your help once again."
"Harry I will help you as best as I can. You said that Remus and I created it? Why would Professor Lupin and I work together?" Hermione asked as she looked at Harry with awe inspiring brown eyes.
"Well on other worlds Remus is one of our good friends. After all he was one of my dad's best friends." Harry said as he looked in her eyes.
"One of your dad's best friends? Harry how do you know your dad?" Hermione asked with a sincere look on her face.
"Hermione like I said I have been to a lot of worlds. That and the Remus of my world told me a lot about him." Harry said trying to answer her question as best as he could.
"I didn't mean it that way, though that does answer it. What I meant was, not many people on this Earth know their parents. There are a those that have them and still know them like Ginny, but most don't." Hermione said with a tear in her eyes.
Harry was more confused than he had been when he first started to talk to Hermione. He could understand why his double might not know his parents, but why wouldn't most people. Unless Voldemort was worse on this world and killed a lot more people, but if so how could his double kill him. Harry knew the Voldemort of his world was strong, and he didn't expect he could beat him without some extensive training. "Hermione do you know your parents?"
Hermione smiled at Harry. "Yes I meet them a few years ago."
Harry was really confused, which seemed to be a trend since his arrival on this world. "Hermione haven't known them since birth?"
Hermione now looked as confused as Harry felt. "Since birth? Harry you don't understand this world to well."
"I am lost Hermione." Harry said as he looked at her, but before he could say anything else Tonks came down the stairs.
"Wotcher Harry. Why didn't you wake me?" Tonks asked and then saw that Hermione was there. "Morning Hermione."
"You looked so peaceful sleeping there Tonks I couldn't bring myself to wake you. Did you eat?" Harry asked as he stood up and made his way to Tonks.
Tonks hugged him tight and then looked at him. "Yeah I did thanks." She then looked at Hermione. "Has Harry explained our problem to you?"
Hermione stood up and looked at her for a moment. "Yes he has, and I was just about to explain a bit about this world."
"Oh, well I might as well hear it too. I like to learn about the new worlds we go to." Tonks said as she sat down beside Harry in his armchair.
Hermione gave them a questioning look, but then it returned to her normal expression of bewilderment. "We aren't born like you seem to believe on this world. When we come into existence we are old and feeble. From then on we grow younger until we die, by disappearing."
"What! You mean you live your life in reverse?" Tonks asked in a very shocked tone.
"For us it is a normal life, but to you it would be like that." Hermione said as she looked at them.
"Wait! Hold up! If you are relatively born when you die, then that is why no one knows Ron!" Harry said in excitement as he jumped to his feet.
"Harry you lost me, Hermione do you know what he is ranting on about?" Tonks asked trying to understand what was happening.
"Tonks since we got here I felt like something was very wrong. Especially after the timer started to malfunction. If I am right, which I hope for Merlin's sake I am not. Then we are in for a rough ride. Come on we need to see Dumbledore!" Harry said in a hurry as he bolted out of the common room.
Tonks looked a bit confused but got up and ran after him with Hermione behind her.
They made their way to Dumbledore's office pausing briefly to give the password to the Gargoyle. They then raced up the stairs to his office.
"Come in." Came Dumbledore's voice from the other side of the door before Harry even knocked.
Harry pushed open the door and ran in. "Professor, please tell me do you know the prophecy of my life?"
Dumbledore motioned for them all to sit down and then looked at them for a moment. "Yes, but only because my younger self came to tell me about it. I will not learn it for many years for myself."
"What else did your younger self tell you?" Harry snapped as he looked at Dumbledore.
"Nothing Mr. Potter. I would not allow him to tell me any more of the future than was necessary." Dumbledore said in a matter of fact type of way.
"If I am right then we are in for some major trouble within the next day or so." Harry said as he looked around the room.
"Harry what are you thinking?" Tonks asked as she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I think we are reliving a nightmare Tonks. If I am right we are on a world ever much like the one we left. That means the whole time we spent on the last world will be replayed here only to us it has already happened. To the people of this world it hasn't because it is their future, but it is our past!" Harry said as he continued to look around the room.
"Are you sure?" Tonks asked Harry, which it seemed that Dumbledore and Hermione both were eager to hear it as well.
"I can't be a hundred percent sure, but I am willing to bet that I am right." Harry said as he stopped looking around the office. He then looked at Dumbledore. "Professor just in case I am right, you need to get the Harry of this world into hiding! You need to get him to the safest place the Order has."
Dumbledore looked at Harry for a moment and then grabbed a quill and parchment from his desk. "I will owl him to get ready for transport."
"No! You can't trust the owls they may be intercepted. Have Fawkes at the message to him, that way no one will intercept it." Harry said quickly.
"Fawkes? Harry I am not sure why you want me to use Fawkes, but I trust you enough to know it is for the best." Dumbledore said as he quickly wrote his note to Harry's double. He then attached it to Fawkes and sent it on its way.
Everyone waited around for Fawkes to return. A phoenix could deliver the message a lot faster than an owl could. A half hour later when Fawkes returned Harry's concerns became bluntly clear, and he was sure that he was right. Fawkes flew in and was a dark shade of blue.
"Oh my what happened to you Fawkes?" Dumbledore asked as he looked at his once red phoenix.
"Just what I thought would happen." Harry said in a know it all sort of way. "My double didn't take kindly to being told about going into hiding. Though on the last world…"
Before Harry could finish his statement Dumbledore's hair turned a dark shade of blue just like Fawkes. Dumbledore was holding a letter in his hands from Harry's double, as everyone in the office burst out laughing except for Harry.
"What is so funny?" Dumbledore asked still not aware that his hair had changed colors.
"Sir, now I am absolutely sure what is happening here. Also you might want to check your hair, it is a bit blue." Harry said as he looked at the perplexed Dumbledore.
Dumbledore conjured up a mirror and then promptly started to laugh. "It would seem that Fawkes was not the only victim of your double's wrath."
"I assumed as much professor. He did the same thing on the last world; only he did it in person and not by letter. This does confirm my theory, and I fear the worst is yet to come. Death Eaters are going to attack this school looking for me. You need to get everyone out of here! I do not want anyone in this castle when they strike." Harry said as he held back his laughter.
"Harry are you sure that is wise? Like you said if they come into existence at their death, then that means Ron will be in the Great Hall during the battle." Tonks said as she looked at Harry with concern in her eyes.
"I know Tonks and I will be here to get him. Once I have him I don't want to worry about any one else being here. I will get him out of here and to a safe house in Hogsmeade. Once he is there he will be safe." Harry said with a look of determination on his face.
"Harry I wont allow you to do this!" Hermione said, which shocked most in the office, as they all but forgot she was there.
"I agree it is far to risky to allow you to do that." Dumbledore said with the same look of determination that Harry had.
"Harry I am staying with you. I know what happened last time and I can help you." Tonks said as she stood to stand by Harry.
"Don't worry Tonks I will not kill her this time. I am only going to get Ron and get out. The Aurors that will come into existence will be able to fend for themselves, so I know they will get out." Harry said as he looked at Tonks.
"That isn't the point Harry and you damn well know it! I love you and I would rather die than lose you! We are a team and like it or not you are stuck with me!" Tonks said looking as serious as Harry did.
"Tonks I love you too, and that's why I would normally say for you to be in a safe place during this fight. However I also know that you wont listen, and we are partners, so we will do this like we do everything else. We will do this together and when we are done it will be time to leave!" Harry said as he hugged Tonks and then turned to Dumbledore. "Albus you have to make sure that only Aurors come here when the battle starts. I can not risk any of the students or Order members dieing in the process."
"Normally I would disagree with you, but since you know what happens better than I do, I wont. I will get a hold of the Aurors and get them here. Since we know the attack will happen they can ambush the Death Eaters." Dumbledore said as he looked at Harry.
Hermione was sent off to the safe house with Harry's double. Dumbledore then contacted the ministry and had Aurors come to the school. After a lengthy briefing they all knew what they were going to do. They waited for the time to for the battle to begin. Right on time the Death Eaters attacked the school, and the Aurors were ready.
Harry and Tonks waited in the Great Hall hidden away under an invisibility spell. When Ron appeared on the floor, they knew it was the moment to move. However Wormtail and three other Death Eaters entered before they could grab Ron.
"No!" Harry hissed in Tonks ear. "I can't allow this to happen again."
Before Tonks could say anything to prevent Harry from acting, he had his wand aimed at the Death Eaters. Harry sent multiple stunners at the Death Eaters and they all fell to the floor unaware of what happened.
"Tonks get Ron, and put the invisibility spell on him. I have something I need to do!" Harry said as he walked over to the stunned Wormtail.
Tonks ran over and explained everything to Ron as best as she could. She then cast the invisibility charm on him and he disappeared. She then cast it on herself again, as she watched Harry. What she saw made her cringe in horror at first, but for some reason it felt right to her after a moment of watching it.
Harry bound Wormtail up, then he muttered a spell to prevent him from turning to his rat form, and then he revived him. "Wormtail! If you don't grow young you wont be able to betray my parents! I said I would make you suffer last time, but I didn't get to. This time however I will get my revenge! Crucio!"
Peter screamed in agony but as unable to move.
"How does it feel to be helpless? You made sure my parents were helpless to defend themselves and they trusted you!" Harry said as he continued to hold him under the curse.
After a minute he left it go, so Wormtail could speak. "Harry have mercy! I have not done anything! I don't even know your parents." Wormtail cried as he fought the pain still coursing through his body.
"Show mercy! You have never shown any mercy you rat bastard! You don't know my parents and you never will! Avada Kedavra!" Harry screamed as he watched Wormtail stop struggling and lay there lifeless on the floor.
Harry turned away from him and then looked in the direction that Tonks and Ron should have been. "Lets go Dumbledore is expecting us!"
Harry felt Tonks take his hand. "You have Ron?"
"Yes" Tonks said in a low voice. "He is holding my other hand so we don't get separated."
"Good." Harry said as he cast a silencing charm on all three of them. Then he cast the invisibility charm on himself. "We should be invisible long enough to get to the secret passage. We will follow it to Honeydukes where we will meet up with Dumbledore."
They didn't make a sound as they made their way to the statue that hid the opening to the passageway. The invisibility charm wore off as they made their way down the passage, but they were safe. Harry used his map to make sure the passage was clear and then they made their way to Honeydukes.
Dumbledore escorted the three of them to the Three Broomsticks where they would safely wait out the battle at the school. It was three in the morning on August sixth when Dumbledore would finally allow Harry and Tonks to return to the castle.
"Tonks if you remember we arrived on the last world at seven am. I suspect that we will be able to leave here at seven am as well." Harry said as he kissed Tonks in the Gryffindor common room.
"Maybe we should try and get some sleep before we have to leave." Tonks said as he snuggled up against Harry on the chair.
"You can sleep Tonks, I am fully awake." Harry said as he held Tonks close to him. There was something peaceful about him holding her and watching her sleep in his arms. Everything seemed to make perfect sense to him, and no matter how bad the world around him was, he was in heaven with her in his arms.
Harry left Tonks sleep until six am and then woke her for breakfast. After finishing their breakfast they made their way to the Room of Requirements. At exactly seven o'clock Harry hit the button and was pleased to see the vortex appear before him. He watched as Tonks jumped into the vortex and then followed her into it.