Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters apart from a very select few, but they are so the best ones anyway.
Chapter three – Confusion, The
Silence.
Utter silence.
A few seconds ago Albus Dumbledore had been completely convinced in the man before him, and his sincerity, but the last answer to the last question had sent him reeling. The boy had clearly stated that they were only allowed eight questions, and Dumbledore had agreed. He had promised that he would, and he was not about to break that promise.
Sirius Black however, had no qualms about it, and so, was about to break the promise.
"Then who are you?" the handsome man was standing over the raven haired teenager and seeming oblivious to the frantic headmaster trying to push him out of the way.
As a last desperate attempt to stop Sirius from forcing him to break his promise, Dumbledore simultaneously cast a silencing spell, a binding spell and a summoning spell. The silencing spell shut whatever Harry was saying up, the binding spell had Sirius on the floor and the summoning charm made the bottle of veristinium appear in his hand.
Luckily no one in the room could lip read.
He quickly administered the antidote to the young man before him, waiting a second for the potion to take effect. All in all, he didn't have to wait long because after a few seconds of waiting the raven haired teenager started to laugh and laugh and laugh.
"You ever were one for dramatics weren't you Professor Dumbledore? If I didn't know you better I almost wouldn't have been so certain your very last question would be one that would confirm everything. But it seems that in all the universes, Albus Wulfric Percival Brian Dumbledore is a constant" green eyes sparkled as they looked at the headmaster condescendingly.
"I believe that that was the eight questions permitted?" he looked at Albus for confirmation. Albus nodded.
"Indeed. I do hope you come and visit us soon! Do send a post card and give us a ring if you find a telephone! Goodbye" And Albus propelled Harry out of the office and slammed the door just in the startled boy's face.
"What was that?" he muttered to himself softly, glancing behind at the closed door. (A/N: a bored author who just decided this chapter was pissing her off and decided to randomly end it. Nah, really, it actually is)
"What was that Albus?" the headmaster looked over to his oldest (and still living) friend and smiled a secretive sort of smile, blue eyes twinkling brightly behind his half moon spectacles in a way that would never be changed.
"Just a little test Minerva, no fear" no one in the room looked remotely satisfied by this answer. Until the door blew open and Harry Potter stood scowling in the doorway. He sent a scowl at Dumbledore, and no one but the old headmaster saw the laughter in the young man's eyes.
"Marks?" Dumbledore smiled at the child.
"Full. Of course. I didn't expect anything else... Mr Potter" Harry nodded and slowly lowered himself onto the chair he had previously occupied.
"Why thankyou sir. I am flattered"
"Quite alright Harry, quite alright" green eyes twinkled in a way reminiscent of a certain headmaster before they turned to the other confused occupants of the room.
They looked at him with varying amounts of suspicion.
He grinned and raised his left hand before waving at them.
They looked at him oddly.
Had he been in their position he would have looked at himself oddly. But he wasn't in their position, they were in their position, and they didn't know who he was.
His mind was getting sidetracked.
Just a bit.
He stopped waving.
"Um... hi?"
Dumbledore coughed, but everyone in the room knew that he was trying not to laugh at the stalemate they and Harry had somehow created. Harry sheepishly lowered his hand and looked around the room as if he was a small kid, avoiding the eyes of the adults. None of them had missed the sudden mood change in the teenager.
"Now then, I do believe that introduction's are in order. Harry, I would like to introduced you to Sirius Black, he is an acclaimed auror and one of the best friends of one James Potter. James Potter, who is also an auror and married to the wonderful Lily Potter. Lily Potter, who is a part of the Obliviation unit at the ministry and also mother to Gypsy and Cody Potter. Cody Potter, although not currently here, fourteen years of age, twin to Gypsy. Gypsy, although not currently here, fourteen years old, god daughter to Remus Lupin. Remus Lupin, werewolf and best friend to Sirius and James Potter. Whom you know. Everyone, I would like to introduce Harry Potter to you" there was silence from everyone in the room, apart from Harry, who was gazing at Fawkes in apparent amusement.
Dumbledore noticed this and motioned towards the phoenix.
"And of course, Fawkes the phoenix, my faithful friend and companion who has been with me for as long as I can remember" he paused and looked at Harry for confirmation, the young wizard gave it "in whatever dimension I happen to wander into" at this Harry smiled. It was not a happy smile.
"I don't think that you'll quite get the chance headmaster, things might get a little, hot in this universe by the time I'm done with it" his emerald eyes suddenly began to shine as the teenager fought back laughter.
Everyone else was looking at him oddly.
"That was sarcasm"
They continued to look at him oddly.
"Aww! Leave me along! What'd I ever do to you?!"
Odd looks didn't leave.
Harry laughed.
Gypsy was pacing. Her long legs carried her back and forth from one side of the room to the other, again and again. Her black hair was trailing behind her as she made a sharp turn and followed the route she had been taking for the last twenty minutes. Sitting down near her, Cody sighed.
"Gyp. Stop pacing, sit down and shut up!" the muttering that had been coming from Gypsy stopped as she turned to glare at her brother. He looked back at her blankly before she suddenly blew up.
"HOW CAN YOU STAND IT!?"
MEANWHILE IN A PLACE FAR, FAR AWAY, THINGS ARE NOT GOING SO WELL...
Severus Snape was in trouble.
Big trouble.
It was not a matter of, 'oh, Severus, that was silly, you shouldn't have done that', no. This was a matter that had somehow managed to get Albus Dumbledore, one of the most renowned wizards on the globe for keeping his temper, to try and murder Snape the second said headmaster set eyes on before mentioned potions master.
In retrospect, it had been surprisingly easy for Snape to anger the headmaster to homicidal intent.
Far too easy.
He hadn't planned on angering the man, but he had somehow managed to, and was still regretting the consequences.
He squirmed.
It was unfair, really. He hadn't planned what had happened, and it certainly hadn't occurred to him that in the course of three seconds, one Harry Potter could disappear so completely and effectively from his classroom.
"Oh friggin bloody hell! Why did I do it?" he was, of course, referring to the boomslang skin.
It was one of the most basic ingredients in any potion, and compatible with almost anything even though it was rare. Severus was not quite sure what had happened, but Albus had made it quite clear that very soon he would be finding out.
The headmaster had been very explicit, for once. There had been no riddles, and no hidden messages.
Severus was going to fix it.
Or else.
"I'll speak to Severus then" at this Harry visibly winced and looked at the headmaster as if he had suddenly sprouted an umbrella from his back.
"Maybe that would be a bad idea" Dumbledore's eyes didn't narrow in the slightest, if anything, the twinkling increased. He frowned, a very obviously fake frown that had Harry subconsciously grinding his teeth in annoyance, and seemed to consider Harry's objection.
"But Mr Potter, why ever not?"
"Yes. That's right you pinged it in one. Mr Potter" Harry said as he scowled, green eyes glittering in annoyance.
"Mr Potter? Whatever do you mean?"
"I'm a Potter sir. I have been since the second I was born. Unfortunately for Snape – "
"Professor Snape, Harry"
"Unfortunately for professor Snape, all Potter's are built in with a trouble gadget that makes us automatically get on any Snape's nerves within the first minute of meeting one another. I doubt that the fact I'm in a completely different world change this adverse affect as in this world at least, I feel Snape's nerves might just be a little tighter, what with the marauders running wild" he sniffed disdainfully.
"We don't get along" his voice was flat as the adults stared at him with varying degrees of amusement and scepticism.
At that they all nodded.
"But I still feel it would be prudent to ask his assistance in getting you home"
"I beg to differ"
"Then you may differ, but I will still be calling in Severus to help you" Harry almost growled.
"I don't need the slimy gits help. For Christ's sake man! Can't you see that? I would rather be with Slytherin himself than with that abomination that has the gall to call itself human!" Dumbledore frowned, but both Sirius and James were grinning to each other. Lupin was looking amused and lily outraged.
"I see you have a history with the man?"
"You see I do. Then you will understand that if he comes within five feet of me it is likely that he will spontaneously combust, accidental magic taken fully into consideration" Dumbledore frowned at him, seeming confused at the hostility Harry was showing towards his favourite potions professor.
"Would you mind enlightening us?"
"Yes I would. What happened between me and that bastard is my business and therefore not yours"
"But if you are going to be treating him like the Severus in your world he will have no idea why this is so, do you not think you at least owe him an explanation?"
"I do not owe the slimy git anything, and I never will. I refuse to work with him and no matter what you say, never will!"
Fifteen minutes later a steaming Harry was sitting in front of a curious Severus Snape.
"I am worried about this, Miverva. There is something Harry is not telling us" Minerva resisted the temptation to tell Albus that Harry hadn't really told them anything, and therefore there would be a lot 'Harry wasn't telling them' but resisted the erg. They had questioned him, and he had given them answers. However shifty those answers might have been.
"I understand what you're saying, Albus, I too find Harry a little... odd" The old man behind the desk nodded absentmindedly, his mind obviously elsewhere. Suddenly Minerva straightened, as if something had just occurred to her.
"Albus! Has any one informed Gypsy and Cody of the... results this meeting has had?" The headmaster looked up at her, his sapphire blue eyes twinkling at the idea of the two troublemakers not being informed.
"Unless Lily and James have informed them, which I do not find probable, I would doubt it sincerely" McGonagall groaned into her hands.
"They'll be going stir-crazy!"
A/N: Wow. I hate this chapter so much. It took me forever to write it (and it's STILL midgity), and I just couldn't think of anything else to add to it. I mean, if I kept on going with it then I really, really would have taken me years to post it.
Life's been a bit hectic lately, as you might have guessed.
Who here hates netball? Well trust me, at the moment, I despise it.
Ok, next chap might take a while (maybe even longer than this one) but I'll post it as soon as I can (Cheers self along) as long as you get your lazy arses moving and REVIEW!!
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