A/N - This is the follow up to The Exchange. I hope you enjoy it.
Reunited.
bitter wind whipped around Ron Weasley, but he failed to notice the cold as he moped around the graveyard in Godric's Hollow. He knew it was dangerous to be hanging around in the open, but he just couldn't help himself. Every so often he just found himself in the graveyard where he'd last seen his best friend. He just couldn't help but revisit the last place Harry Potter was seen alive, and hope and pray that somehow he was still alive out there.
It had been nearly eight months since the fatal day when the dark had lured the Order into a trap and snatched Harry. What had originally been planned as a rescue mission for Hermione Granger had turned nasty when she revealed her true colours and announced to the world she was the daughter of Severus Snape, and working with the dark. The resulting skirmish resulted in Harry vanishing, with more than a couple of people witnessing him been taken by Hermione.
Although Harry's loss wasn't all the Order sustained that day. Several people were killed at Godric's Hollow, including Ron's brother, Percy, and in the months since then their numbers had dwindled significantly. Part of their dwindling numbers was due to people abandoning the cause as they felt the war was already lost without Harry, but most of the damage was coming from the increased attacks from the dark. Although at least now the Order knew how their secret locations were known by their enemies, it was clearly Hermione pointing them in the right direction.
However that wasn't all that Hermione had done, and since Harry's kidnapping it had come to light that all the Horcrux research Hermione had been in charge of was missing. As were the couple of Horcruxes the Order had found, which Hermione had convinced them to hold onto until they could destroy them at the opportune time. Clearly it had been her way of keeping the Horcruxes intact and it had always been her plan to take them with her when she'd helped fake her own kidnapping.
So now the Order were without their saviour, without the Horcruxes they'd found and without the other research Hermione had supposedly done. Victory looked impossible, but despite the odds, and despite the fact the Order was a shadow of it's former self and the remaining members lived in the shadows of Wizarding Britain, afraid for their own lived, Ron refused to give up hope. And the reason he refused to give up hope was because Ginny had heard Hermione tell Harry that he was a Horcrux, and she'd also heard her tell him that they had no plans on killing him as they weren't going to do anything to destroy the Horcrux inside of him. So despite how bleak things seemed, Ron still had hope that Harry was alive and as long as Harry was alive there was still a chance, no matter how slim, that the light might prevail and the dark would fall.
Comforting himself with the thought Harry was still alive and all was not lost, Ron came to a halt at the graves of Harry's parents, James and Lily. Bending down on one knee, he removed some dead flowers from on top of the graves and quietly promised the tombstones that he would do everything in his power to find Harry and save him.
"Well that's not very reassuring is it, Weaselbee?" a voice drawled from behind Ron. "You have no power."
"Malfoy," Ron hissed, drawing his wand and whirling around to face a smirking Draco Malfoy.
"Good to see your eyesight is still working," Draco retorted with a roll of his grey eyes. "But seriously Weasley, how stupid are you? Did you honestly think no-one would spot you wandering around in the open? Isn't the Order supposed to be in hiding?"
"This isn't my first trip here," Ron said, unable to stop himself from boasting about how he'd escaped the dark's notice on numerous occasions. Although he knew that there was no getting away now and there wasn't a cat in hells chance that Draco would leave without either killing him or taking him in as a prisoner.
"We know that as well," Draco replied with a low chuckle. "We know everything, Weasley. In case it escaped your notice, we're totally in charge now. We rule the world."
"Yeah, only while you have Harry imprisoned with you," Ron retorted. "What's going to happen when he escapes? Because once he's free, the whole world will rise up against you. Enjoy it while it last Malfoy, because the dark are never going to be victorious in the long term."
"I guess we'll just have to wait and see," Draco retorted with an unconcerned shrug. "Now, are you going to come quietly, or should I just end your miserable existence here and now?"
"Whatever you do, I won't come quietly," Ron warned, twirling his wand around in his fingers. "If you want to fight, bring it on."
"Death it is then," Draco cackled as he threw a hex at Ron and the two wizards began to duel.
For nearly ten minutes the pair went toe to toe, with neither quite able to get the better of the other. However, Draco had far more confidence of being the ultimate victor as while he was content to toy with Ron and let him think he had a chance of defeating him, Ron was battling for her life and giving everything he had. And sure enough as the duel continued, Draco began to gain the upper hand and the fight seemed over when Ron backed away from the blond and fell over a gravestone, sending him tumbling onto his back.
As Draco loomed above him, Ron closed his eyes, fully expecting not to open them again. But after a minute he was still lying with his eyes tightly closed and when he opened them he found Draco frozen above him, poised to strike. Not sure what was going on, he jumped to his feet only to find himself frozen to the spot.
"Oh boys," Hermione Granger called with an amused laugh as the witch appeared from behind Ron and situated herself in between the two frozen wizards. Waving her wand she released Draco from the spell that had frozen him in place.
"What the hell," he grumbled as the spell he'd been in the middle of casting when Hermione froze him missed the mark as Ron had now moved.
"You were going to kill him," Hermione answered with a shrug.
"And since when did you have a problem with that?" Draco questioned. "You've wanted to kill him since the day you met him."
"I have, but sometime there are other ways to deal with people rather than just kill them," Hermione replied. "Sometimes killing them is a mercy, when you can cause them so much more pain by keeping them alive."
"Ah, a bit of torture," Draco declared, his grey eyes lighting up in excitement.
"Not the sort you mean," Hermione chuckled, affectionately patting Draco on the arm as she leaned closer to him and whispered something in his ear.
"That is perfect," Draco cackled as Hermione pulled back, a devious smirk gracing her lips. "You're going to love this, Weasley," he said, grinning at the frozen red-head.
In his frozen state, Ron was in no position to question just what was in store for him. Not that he was really sure he wanted to know as it was clear that whatever was going to happen to him was going to be far worse than his death, otherwise Hermione never would have stopped Draco from killing him. And he was certainly in no position to put up a fight as Draco grabbed hold of him and the pair vanished into thin air.
The apparition broke the spell on Ron, but he was very much in Draco's grasp the entire time and Ron was unable to fight back as when they landed, Draco pushed him so he was off balance. Stumbling, Ron almost fell head first into a stone wall, but he was saved by Draco grabbing the back of his jacket. However, once Draco had hold of Ron he swung him around so his back slammed into the wall and before Ron knew what was happening shackles had twisted their way around his wrists and ankles.
"So now I'm your prisoner," Ron sneered as Draco stepped away from him. "I won't tell you anything, Malfoy."
"I doubt you know anything useful to tell," Draco snorted. "Not that I'm the one holding you prisoner. I'm merely delivering you."
"Delivering me to who?" Ron asked. The obvious thought was Voldemort, but truth be told Ron couldn't think of any way he could be of any real interest to The Dark Lord.
"You'll find out soon enough," Draco chuckled as he headed towards the door, and leaving Ron to wonder just what was in store for him, he exited the small cell and never looked back.
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Left alone, Ron had fallen into a fitful sleep, but he kept jerking awake, remembering what a mess he was in. He didn't know how much time passed stuck in the cold, stone cell, but every time he woke up he wondered if it would be the last time. After what felt like a couple of days, Ron once again jerked to alertness, but instantly he knew he was no longer alone in the cell. He could feel another presence in the room and as his eyes adjusted to the dark, he could see a figure sitting across the room.
"I can see you," he choked out, trying to sound braver than he felt.
"Good," the shadowy figure replied.
"Harry?" Ron questioned, hardly able to believe that not only was his friend still alive, but that the dark had allowed them to see each other.
"Hello Ron," Harry said as around the cell lights flickered to life, casting a pale glow around the small space.
"Harry?" Ron questioned again when he could see the figure in his cell.
Harry was sitting on an overturned box, his wand in his hands. However, he didn't look quite like the boy Ron knew. He was dressed in a smart black suit, rather like the ones Draco Malfoy favoured, paired with a pale grey shirt and smart black shoes. His usual messy hair was brushed neatly and parted in the centre, his black, round rimmed glasses were missing and rather bizarrely, so was the lightening bolt scar on his forehead.
"It's me, Ron," Harry confirmed with a chuckle.
"I'm not buying it," Ron said with a shake of his head. "You would think with Hermione on your side, you could do a better job at pretending to be Harry. So where is the real Harry, locked in some other cell somewhere?"
"I am the real Harry," Harry replied. "Or should I say, I'm the Harry you know."
Before Ron could question what exactly Harry meant, he began to reel of facts and anecdotes that pretty much proved he was who he said he was. Ron might have been tempted to say that Hermione had just told him what to say, but he provided several pieces of information that Hermione wasn't privy to. By the time Harry was finished, Ron was in no doubt that he was faced with the boy he'd befriended at eleven years old.
"I take it you believe me, now?" Harry questioned with a chuckle.
"Yes, I believe you," Ron conceded reluctantly. "But there is something still not right here. What did you mean when you said you were the Harry I know? Why do you look different? And why aren't you locked up like the other prisoners?"
"In reverse order, I'm not locked up because I'm not a prisoner. I look different because I can finally be myself. And I may be the Harry Potter you and everyone else knows, but I'm not the real Harry Potter. In fact my name isn't even Harry."
"I don't understand," Ron muttered, looking at Harry and seeing nothing but a confusing stranger.
"Which is why you're here," Harry explained. "Hermione is getting married in a couple of weeks, and I intend to be there as myself. So I felt it was time that I showed myself to what was left of the Order. Everyone's been looking out for someone we could snatch and reveal the truth to, and it worked out perfectly that it was you that Draco found. I can't think of a better person to deliver the news to the rest of the world."
"I still don't understand," Ron snarled. "Stop toying with me and tell me what the hell is going on. All this grandstanding is giving me a damn headache."
"I learned that from The Dark Lord," Harry admitted with a chuckle. "I did always say he liked to grandstand."
"You said it was his weakness," Ron said.
"And it can be at times, but it's not a weakness for me, at least not here," Harry replied. "You're chained up and at my mercy. I can talk as long as I want, and take as long as I want to get to the point, and there's not a thing you can do about it."
"I can stop listening," Ron muttered as he tried to pull on his shackles to see if they would break.
"They won't give," Harry said with a dismissive shrug of his shoulders as he rose to his feet. "And if you don't want to know the truth, I'll leave. I'm sure we can grab someone else to tell my story, and I can let Draco come down here and torture you."
"Wait," Ron called as Harry reached for the door. He knew he was falling into whatever trap Harry was laying for him, but he couldn't help himself, his curiosity had to be sated.
"Do you want to hear my story, Ron?" Harry asked, slowly turning back around.
"Yes, I want to know who you are," Ron admitted.
"My name isn't really important," Harry said with a shrug as he retook his seat on the overturned box he'd been sitting on. "The truth is, I've been playing Harry for so long that the name has sort of stuck with me. Not the Potter part though. I'm going to drop that and revert to my proper surname."
"Which is?" Ron asked
"Snape."
"Snape," Ron repeated in a loud, shocked voice. "No way. You're lying."
"Why would I lie?" Harry questioned. "Severus Snape is my father, and Hermione is my sister. My twin sister actually. Now do you want to know how I ended up playing the Potter boy?"
"Yes," Ron reluctantly admitted. The more Harry was talking, the more repulsed Ron was becoming, but the more intrigued he was also becoming.
"As you may know, Dad was once pretty friendly with Lily Potter," Harry began. "And even though they were on different sides of the war, he still had some affection for her, so when she died, he felt as though he owed it to her to check on her son. After all, the real Harry was just dumped in the muggle world by Dumbledore and forgotten about."
"That isn't true," Ron spat. "Dumbledore was protecting Harry from people who would take advantage of him."
"He was keeping him out of sight until he needed him," Harry countered. "If Dumbledore had really cared about Harry, he would have given him to a family who wanted him and who would have loved him. Instead he gave him to the Dursleys, who couldn't give a crap about him. And he just left him to it. After all, if he'd bothered to keep an eye on Harry our little plan wouldn't have worked. He would have known I was an imposter."
"What about that old woman?" Ron asked. "She was a squib, and she kept Dumbledore up to date. She would have noticed the switch."
"As you said, she was a squib, she didn't even realise when Dad and Lucius messed with her memories," Harry retorted with a shrug.
"But why? Why are you pretending to be someone you aren't, and where is the real Harry?"
"All very good questions," Harry said with an approving nod. "The idea came about when my parents went to check on the real Harry and my Mum remarked that he looked a lot like me. The idea snowballed from there, and the adults decided to use Dumbledore's neglectful behaviour to strike at the heart of the light. So from an early age, I learned how to be Harry Potter and when the time came, I took his place with the Dursleys. With Dad at Hogwarts we knew that if the worst happened and I was discovered, he could protect me. But no-one ever discovered the truth. Everyone was only too happy to believe that I was the real Harry Potter."
"And where is the real Harry Potter?" Ron questioned. "I suppose you lot killed him, did you?"
"No, he's not dead," Harry replied. "He's living in a different country under an assumed name. He's got something Dumbledore never gave him – a family who love and want him. He doesn't know who he really is, or what he's supposed to be destined to do. He's just a normal wizard, living a normal life."
"If he's out there, we can find him," Ron threatened.
"Do you honestly think we would let that happen?" Harry scoffed. "We know where he is, Ron. There's already a contingency plan in place, and if The Dark Lord feels that the real Harry's location is threatened, he will be moved. And if he feels as if the real Harry can be used against him, he'll destroy him. If that happens, his blood will be on your hands, Ron."
"Don't make me the bad guy," Ron snarled. "If anything happens to Harry, it'll be on your heads, not ours."
"If we were going to do anything to Harry, we would have done it before now," Harry pointed out. "He's safe as long as the Order keep the hell away from him. And speaking of the Order, I want you to give them a message from me."
"I'm hardly in a position to give anyone a message," Ron spat, rattling his shackles.
"You will be," Harry retorted with a shrug. "Why do you think I let you live, Ron? I knew this would break your heart. I knew it would destroy you to know that everything you thought you knew was a lie."
"I'm not destroyed," Ron retorted, even though his heart was in shreds and he felt Harry's betrayal far worse than he'd felt Hermione's.
"You never had a best friend, it was all an act," Harry spat nastily. "I never really liked you, Ron. Hell, you annoyed the life out of me. I could never wait until I got a break and could be with my true friends."
"You mean Malfoy," Ron sneered.
"Yes, Draco is my true friend," Harry replied. "And now we're going to be family. So I'm going to let you go Ron, and you can spread the word. Harry Potter isn't here any more. He can't save you. You're on your own, and next time I see you, I'll be standing with my family. I'll be standing with the dark."
Knowing that the message would break the light once and for all, Harry rose to his feet and began making preparations for Ron's release. It was time for Ron to go back to the Order and let them know their saviour was no more. They'd been played for fools twice over and the dark well and truly had the upper hand. It was now impossible for the light to triumph as the real Harry Potter was missing, and the wizard they thought was their saviour was a traitor. The wizard they'd pinned their hopes of victory on had turned out to be a loyal supporter of the dark, and now there was no-one left to save the wizarding world from the darkness that Voldemort and his Death Eaters were about to rain down on Wizarding Britain.