Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, unfortunately :(

AN - So this is a AU story canon up to the end of HBP, but from there on it goes off in a very different direction to JK's novel. When the story begins Voldemort is dead, however despite heavy loses on both sides, his followers have not been defeated or disbanded so are still a very real threat.

Guardian

Three days.

Three damn days they had been stuck in the hospital wing with only sporadic visits from Dumbledore to break the monotony. Apparently, even after nine days out cold, the two of them still needed more rest to recover. Harry thought he was going to go mad with boredom. He couldn't remember being this inactive since, well ever. His time had always been filled with chores, ridiculous adventure and more recently the need to stay alive. Sitting down and taking a break for any real length of time just didn't happen. Since the day he turned seventeen he had constantly been fighting, constantly been on the move, never stopping for more than just a few hours to get what little sleep his brain would allow him. Worst thing was that although the wards around there beds that been stretched to now include most of the infirmary, they still hadn't been given there wands or any of their stuff back so he felt entirely defenceless.

Luna being Luna didn't seem to understand the problem. She flitted in and out of the wards as she pleased but never made an attempt to leave the hospital wing. When he had asked she had just smiled in her usual way and enquired what the point would be. "Betraying Dumbledore's trust will just make things harder for us." She had said when he pushed her for an explanation. And although he could see the logic it infuriated him.

He had used the semi privacy they had been given, because you never knew with Dumbledore whether he was listening in or not, to get as much out of Luna as possible. From what he could gather stepping through the veil had sent them to another universe or dimension or whatever, and here Voldemort was very much alive and kicking. His worry about having counter parts had been shot down by Luna, who declared he was being stupid. "There can't be two sets of us Harry that would never work. We're clearly dead in this world." He continuously asked how she was so sure they were where she thought they were. But she constantly told him that "It feels different here. The magic balance is different, the air is different and most importantly the nargles are definitely different." She would pause then before making sure to look Harry dead on in the eyes and add in a serious voice, "And they've all gone. All of them. Neither of us have any anymore." And for Harry that seemed to settle it, they were in an alternate dimension, some parallel universe where he had the fun job of topping Voldemort yet again. Oh joy!

Right now however his priority was getting his damn wand back and getting the hell out of the infirmary. He truly hated hospitals and just wanted to get stuck into some good old fashioned death eater slaying. However he also knew that the information Dumbledore was drip feeding them about this world during his visits was invaluable. The headmaster may not have realised it but the simplest of things he said gave Harry a mountain of information about this new world. So far he had learnt that Voldemort had taken only a ten year vacation here instead of the fourteen year one he took in Harry's home world. He also had a greater grip here, was much stronger. Most importantly it seemed that the prophesy was common knowledge to all, and was thought to be a joke as both children who could have fulfilled it were murdered as infants. Luna had been correct in at least Harry's counterpart was dead here.

It was late afternoon when Dumbledore came and joined them.

"I believe it is time that you come and meet some of the others. If you are indeed able to help us with Voldemort, as you claim, then it is necessary that you become familiar with those in the Order. This world is different to yours in many ways, no doubt allies and enemies may differ. It is wise that you are informed to the best of your ability." He told the two of them.

"And by introducing us they might stop nagging you so much and questioning you." Luna added.

"Quite," Dumbledore chuckled, smiling fondly at her. "We shall take the floo from here directly to Grimmauld Place. As you both familiar with the place it should make you more at ease." He walked over to the fireplace and waited for them to follow. "I shall go first and ready everyone for your arrival. If you could leave a minute and then come through I would very much appreciate it." Taking a handful of powder he threw it in the fire and stepped in declaring his intended location.

As he disappeared Harry turned to Luna. "Tell me honestly Luna, what are the chances of me knowing anyone on the other side of that floo?"

"Oh you will most likely know who almost all of the Order are, but actually know them? Know who they are? We are in a different universe Harry. They are not the same inside, no matter how similar the outside looks."

"What about what you said to Dumbledore the first day, about us not being the first to come through?"

"Would you be the same person if you found yourself in a new dimension, in a strange new world where you were all alone?"

"That is what has happened to me."

"No it's not, you're not alone. You have me." Luna replied calmly, "You'll always have me," and before Harry could question her further she had stepped forward with some floo powder and was away.

AN: Sorry it's so short. I've been really struggling with where to end this chapter and this just felt like the right place.