SUMMARY

After spending half his life trying to rid the world of Voldemort, Harry Potter finally succeeds. However, the price has been high. Too high. Unfortunately, when Harry risks his life to go back and 'do things right', something goes wrong.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank…

S'TarKan – It was his story that gave me the idea for this story's starting point. Also, if you want to know what kind of Harry Potter my main character is (they've had similar experiences, losses etc), or just want to read a good Harry Potter fanfic, then read 'Harry Potter & the Nightmares of Futures Past'.

The creators of QUANTUM LEAP and SLIDERS – Anyone who's seen either of these shows might recognise elements of both shows central ideas in this story. The situation my Harry gets himself into was indeed partially inspired by the central features of both of these shows.

This website – For providing a forum where people like me can write stuff that people will actually get to see.

J.K. Rowling – They are her characters after all.

CHAPTER ONE – The Future?

Harry gasped as he tried to get to his feet as a feeling of numbness caressed every fibre of his body and everything he saw was a blur.

After a few seconds, the numbness and blurry vision began to dissipate. Unfortunately, as this happened, a new sensation overcame Harry. To say that this new sensation was uncomfortable would have been an understatement. Trying not to yell out in horror or pain, Harry could feel something changing him. His body felt as if it were being contorted and twisted into a new shape. He felt the muscles on his arms shrink while he felt as if some unseen hand was scrubbing his face with a scouring pad. However, to his immense relief, the 'transformation' soon stopped just as suddenly as it had started. Staggering to his feet, Harry tried to gather his thoughts. What the hell happened? he asked himself. And where the hell am I?

Looking around, Harry could now see that he was no longer among the ruins of Privet Drive. Instead, he was in what looked like a hotel lobby. The lobby was empty but it seemed intact. Looks like Tom missed this place, mused Harry as he picked up his wand and began to walk through the deserted lobby. While doing so, he noticed that his jacket seemed a lot looser on him, as if it had grown a couple of sizes. Ignoring this, Harry approached what he reckoned to be a ballroom of some sort, he became aware of a distant voice on the other side of the door.

"Do you, Harry James Potter…" said the voice, muffled by the door.

Harry froze at the mention of his name. "What the hell?" he muttered incredulously as his pace quickened slightly.

"… take Ginevra Molly Weasley…" the voice continued.

He gasped involuntarily. Ginny! But how? She's...

"… to be your lawful wedded wife?" finished the voice.

Hearing this, Harry approached the large double doors carefully. Peering through the glass, he saw a large number of people, all seated and watching a couple standing at a makeshift altar. His eyes widened as they rested upon the couple taking their vows at the altar.

"Impossible!" breathed Harry, for standing at the altar was a beautiful red-head and a man with untidy black hair and glasses. Many conflicting emotions were rampaging within Harry at that point.

He was watching his own wedding.

Harry watched the ceremony for a few minutes, unsure of how to react. However, when the newly-married couple began to make their way down the aisle, he still had enough presence of mind to stand to one side and cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself, which rendered him completely invisible. The doors opened as the wedding party made their way towards the dining room for the wedding reception.

Is this the future? wondered Harry as he watched everyone file past him. One that I've already changed? When he saw his 'other' self and Ginny, he began to think so. He looks younger than me though, Harry thought as he looked at the other Harry Potter. He was indeed a lot younger than Harry, perhaps in his early-twenties, as was Ginny, but they seemed slightly taller than himself. This puzzled Harry slightly but he ignored that for now.

He began to follow the wedding party. Everyone's here! Harry exclaimed in his mind. This is incredible! But how's this possible? Mrs Weasley burned along with the Burrow, yet there she is crying alongside Mr Weasley, who appears to still have all his limbs. And there's Lupin and Tonks, the rest of the Weasleys and…. Hold on, where're Ron and…

"So how're my two favourite little girls?"

Harry turned and saw twenty-something year old Hermione blush as Ron kissed her and the sleeping baby in her arms. Seeing the rings on their fingers and the baby, Harry grinned. "Good for you Ron," he muttered out loud.

Ron looked up and looked in Harry's direction with a confused look on his face. "What?"

Hermione looked at Ron, then in the direction Ron was looking in. "What's wrong?"

"Did you just hear someone say my name?" he asked her.

Harry tried not to curse out loud. How could he be so stupid and not cast a Silencing Charm on himself?

"Ron?" said Hermione, concerned at her husband's stranger than usual behaviour.

Ron sighed and turned back to his wife and daughter. "Sorry. I just thought I heard someone say something. Sounded just like Harry for a second."

"Harry?" exclaimed Hermione, her eyes flicking towards the main table, where Harry and Ginny were sitting, talking to Neville.

Ron nodded. "Probably just my imagination…"

At this point, Harry realised that he should leave now before anyone discovered his presence. He knew that if anyone saw another Harry Potter suddenly appear, everyone would no doubt assume that he was an impostor of some sort, and quite frankly, Harry was not in the mood to be accused of being 'part of a Death Eater plot' at that point. Trying to remain as quiet as possible, Harry, still invisible, began to slowly back away. Unfortunately, luck was not with him at that moment as he turned and walked straight into someone. Staggering backwards a few steps, Harry watched as the person he had walked into stumbled into three other people, sending them into a nearby table and causing several glasses of champagne to smash themselves to pieces on the floor.

Shit! thought Harry, trying not to make too sudden a move. I'd better make myself scarce before someone…

"Finite Incantatum!"

"Ah crap!" muttered Harry as he shielded his eyes from the flash of light that cancelled out his Disillusionment Charm. Lowering his arms from his eyes, Harry saw that half of the room was staring at him in shock while the other half had their wands pointed straight at him. There was an awkward silence. Ah… so much for not causing a scene…

"Um…" said Harry uncertainly, "I come in peace?"