Upon returning to Dumbledore's office, Harry and Ginny sat down in a pair of conjured chairs opposite Dumbledore as he sat at his desk. He didn't talk for some time, preoccupied as he was examining the now blackened pieces that remained of Ravenclaw's Diadem. After waving his wand over the pieces a few times, the Headmaster sat back and steepled his fingers in front of him.
"Well, where next?" he said.
Harry and Ginny glanced at each other. The cave or the shack?
We know what to expect at the cave.
I'm still not sure about this. We can't send two people like when I went with Dumbledore, the boat only recognises one adult witch or wizard at a time.
But we have no idea what happened at the Gaunt Shack. And that Horcrux nearly killed Dumbledore. We can't rely on just being strong enough to fight that curse.
Harry sighed aloud. Alright, we'll go to the cave first then. Maybe we could find a house elf to take with us?
Harry, Hermione would kill you. Besides, we should be strong enough to not need one.
"I take it you have come to a decision?" Dumbledore said, startling the pair out of their mental conversation.
"Oh, sorry about that, sir. We're just so used to talking telepathically now, it seems strange to talk aloud to each other," Ginny said sheepishly.
"It is of no matter, Mrs Potter. Seeing a bond like yours is truly remarkable. I couldn't even pretend to understand what it must be like."
"We think we know where to look next," Harry said, returning the conversation to the Horcruxes. "Although, we're not sure if it will still be there, but we have to check."
"Indeed?" said Dumbledore. "Do you have a plan for how to continue if it is not there?"
"Not at this point," Ginny replied. "We would have asked Kreacher, but you said he was dead in this world."
"If it is lost, we will have to do our best finding the other Horcruxes and then hoping we can track that one down. It is a very ornate locket, so hopefully people will recognise it," Harry added. "Either way, we'll probably have to find the cave before we can just go. I don't know where it was, you took me there directly from Hogsmeade. Apparently, Tom Riddle visited it as a young child and took two of the other children down into the cave, terrifying them in the process."
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes slightly, his eyes distant.
"I may know of the place," he mused. "Allow me some time to check before we go though. Your experience there will be invaluable, I think."
"Will it take you long?" Ginny asked.
"I hope not, but one can never be sure about one's time," he said, blue eyes twinkling slightly. "There are always a great many people here at Hogwarts wishing to speak with me about some matter or other of great importance. I hope not too long though, this will be my priority."
"And you'll promise to wait until you can take us?" Ginny said sharply, eyes narrowed. "We know what to expect."
"It would be very foolish of me to go without you two," Dumbledore said, smiling benignly.
"Yes, it would," Ginny replied. "But you died in our world from a curse you didn't expect."
Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, "I had understood that it was Mr Potter's world, not yours. You have always lived here."
"We both remember both worlds," Harry said quietly. "It all sort of blends together."
"Most interesting," Dumbledore said. "Either way, you have my word that I will do no more than find the correct location without you both along to help me. For now, however, I suggest you head back to your families. They will no doubt be worrying if you don't return soon."
He indicated the fireplace behind them, and the small pot of floo powder on top of it, "This fireplace is connected to Headquarters only. There is no need to state your destination."
Nodding their understanding, Harry and Ginny stood and walked back to the fireplace.
"We'll see you later, Professor," Harry said.
"Hopefully quite soon," he replied, blue eyes twinkling slightly.
I hate the floo. Harry grumbled to Ginny.
Aww, come on. We can floo together, then I'll catch you at the other end.
It might be a bit tight.
I prefer to say cosy.
Grinning at each other, they both stepped into the fireplace, Harry wrapping one arm around Ginny's shoulders. Ginny wrapped her arm around his waist before throwing down the floo powder with her spare hand. They disappeared from Hogwarts in a flash of green flames.
After some rapid spinning, they both tumbled out into the kitchen of Grimmauld Place to find Molly cooking up a storm for lunch.
"Oh, there you both are," she huffed. "Lunch will be ready soon, so I suggest you both go wash up and then you can bring the others down too, please."
"Yes, mum," Ginny said, surprisingly meekly before dragging Harry forcibly from the room. She is in a bad mood. I wonder if something happened?
No idea. Maybe we can ask Ron.
After a quick stop to wash their hands, the two wandered around looking for Ron, Hermione and Rose, who seemed to spend a lot of time together. Instead, they only found Ron, idly reading a Quidditch magazine on his bed.
"Where is everyone, Ron?" Ginny asked.
"Well, Hermione has gone off to help do some research or something for the Order as usual, and I think Mrs Potter took Rose out to do some general shopping," Ron said.
"Oh, well, its lunch time," Ginny said.
"Ah, finally! Is mum still on the war path?" Ron said, as he bounded up and followed Harry and Ginny back downstairs.
"She seems to be. What happened?"
"She remembered that we're all a part of the Order now. And she found out that I sprained my ankle on my last mission. As if that is even important! I just tripped! But now she's mad again because we're not all being good kids and staying home."
Ron sighed as they neared the kitchen. "And, well, that's what has her worked up. And Rose isn't helping, demanding to be allowed in on meetings. She's the only one who isn't yet."
"Rose isn't a Weasley," Harry said carefully.
"Yeah, but you know mum," Ron scoffed. "If you live under her roof and look alive she'll try to baby you. It's a wonder she doesn't tell Dumbledore off for fighting You-Know-Who."
Harry snorted at the mental image of an irate Mrs Weasley scolding Dumbledore for 'putting himself in danger'.
"So, is the Quidditch still running here?" Harry prompted, changing the topic as they walked into the kitchen.
"Yeah, sort of," Ron said before launching into a long description of how half the teams were disbanded due to a lack of players and those who did play weren't that good. "Honestly, a family match is probably more competitive than some of the matches this season," he grumbled as he munched half-heartedly on a sandwich.
"Don't Death Eaters like Quidditch or something?" Harry asked.
"Nah, 's not that," Ron said. "Too many of the good players aren't pureblood so they've run away. It's weird going to Hogwarts now days, you can meet heaps of 'em. Great if you want anything signed if they're in the mood."
At that point, the floo flared up and Lily and Rose stepped through.
"Oh, hello Harry, Ginny!" Lily said sounding tired. "Good to see you're both back."
"Hi, mum" Harry replied, stumbling slightly over the unfamiliar words. "Hi Rose. Where did you both go?"
Rose perched on the chair opposite Harry as Lily carried a few bags upstairs.
"Just out for some clothes and stuff," Rose said nonchalantly. "We still have to do shopping despite the current world. And mum knows all about muggle shopping so we don't have to rely on dad trying to shop for us."
"That could be interesting," Ginny cut in grinning.
Rose rolled her eyes, "Yes, but I want to have something wearable, if it's all the same to you," she said primly. "Anyway, enough about boring shopping, what'd you two do with Dumbledore? Mum was not real happy that you went."
Harry and Ginny glanced at each other.
"We can't really say," Ginny said carefully. "Just that it's important to ending the war."
Rose narrowed her eyes.
"I'm not a child you know, I can be told things," she huffed. "And, it's obvious it's to do with ending the war or Dumbledore wouldn't be here so much. What is it, you're both fighting battles to help or something? You both seem like you'd be powerful enough to fight Death Eaters."
There was a crash of china and they looked around to see Mrs Weasley standing above the shards of what had been a cup of tea, looking furious.
"I don't think it is appropriate for you to be fighting Death Eaters, Ginny," she practically growled. "You're doing well now, yes, but let's not forget, you've been nigh on catatonic at home for years since Harry died."
Yeah, mostly an act for you, mum.
"We're not fighting Death Eaters," Harry put in sharply, frowning at Rose for stirring trouble. "We're helping with a research project for the most part. We're not expecting to meet anyone face-to-face for a while yet."
Horcruxes don't count as face-to-face, do they?
They don't need to know that.
Mrs Weasley hummed noncommittally, not looking any happier as she turned back and repaired the broken tea cup.
"Have you talked to Hermione then?" Ron said. "She's good at research, as you should know, Harry. Its partly thanks to her that you're even here."
"Remind me to thank her for that," Ginny murmured.
"We may need to get Hermione later. But hopefully, we'll be able to do most of what we need from just knowledge of our old world," Harry said to Ron.
"They surely won't be that similar, will they?" Rose put in.
"The similarities are surprising actually," Harry mused. "There are some major changes of course, but a lot of small things are the same. Neville being the Boy-Who-Lived here is probably one of the biggest differences that I can't explain. In my world, Tom went directly for me, being a half-blood like himself. So, I can't explain why he went for Neville in this one."
"Well, how did he find you?" Rose asked. "We were hidden under the Fidelius charm here."
Harry thought back to what he's alternate self knew about this world, "Who was our secret keeper in this world?"
"Sirius, of course," Rose said. "Who else would mum and dad trust enough?"
"They picked Pettigrew in my world," Harry said quietly. "Sirius thought it would be safer because nobody would suspect it."
"We nearly did the same in this world," said a new voice. James walked into the room, looking weary.
"Sirius suggested we make the switch, but Lily wouldn't hear of it. Peter didn't show his colours until the second war was started, and lost us a safe house. Remus, Sirius and I still haven't quite come to terms with it yet. We used to have him around for dinner to play with you two kids," James said, then sighed, rubbing his eyes. "He was a traitor in both worlds, then?"
"Yeah, only it worked out worse in our world," Harry said. "He framed Sirius for your death and got him locked up in Azkaban for 12 years."
James blew out a long breath of air, looking rather blankly at the table top.
"Well," he said, "Guess it probably worked out better overall in this world for more people."
"Not for Neville," Ginny pointed out quietly.
"No, not for Neville, I'm sorry," said James. "But, we must take the chance Neville gave us now. Riddle is so focused on taking down Dumbledore, convinced the prophecy has been fulfilled that he won't know to look out for you, Harry."
"Will the prophecy still apply to me?" Harry said, surprised James knew of it.
"Unfortunately, Dumbledore thinks so. Or hopes so, it's hard to tell. Your mum isn't happy about it, I can tell you. She was all for taking you away from the war now that you're here. It took Dumbledore some fast talking to reassure both of us enough to let him take the two of you off to do whatever it is he thinks will help win the war."
Harry just nodded numbly. His mother didn't want him fighting. That wasn't something he'd ever had to think about before.
Welcome to my world, Ginny said wryly.
There is something that confuses me about this world. I have all my memories, but some close to…well, my death, are foggy. Why was it just me that went after you in the Chamber?
Ginny leaned instinctively into Harry, pulling some comfort from their touch. Well, you were always my best friend even then, so its natural you noticed I was missing so early. Neville didn't go because he just wasn't around, if that's what you're wondering. It wasn't the job of the Boy-Who-Lived to save me in either world, Harry. It was just you, doing what you thought was right. And, knowing you'd do it even without being someone important, makes me love you all the more for it.
Harry tucked an arm around Ginny's shoulders, pulling her into his side, and drawing circles idly on her shoulder. Sorry for bringing up bad memories.
's fine.
"We'll help you get through this, Harry" James said, startling Harry who had forgotten he was there. "Your mother and I. We'll help you face the prophecy however we can."
Harry smiled brilliantly, "Just being here for it this time, that means the world to me, dad."
A/N: Here we have chapter 12. Again, I make no claims about being a fast writer, so thanks to everyone sticking with the story. This is mostly filler after last chapter. I'd hint where the next chapter is going, but this one didn't go anywhere like I was expecting, so who am I to say?
Hope you enjoy this addition to the story.