Author's Note: Sorry, this one is just a smaller, transitional chapter. Hopefully the next one will be larger. Also I thought the Omake at the bottom was a funny idea, so I wrote it up. Just FYI, it's non-canon. You'll see what I mean.

9 months ago:

Harry walked into the largest electronics store he could find. He walked out with several video game systems and every video game he could get his hands on.

As Harry left, the salesperson did a happy-dance at the size of the commission he just made.

If the salesperson had been a little more observant, he might have noticed Harry carry the boxes to the exit of the store before disappearing with a crack that sounded like a car backfiring.

6 months ago:

Walter knocked on Harry's door. "Harry?" he asked. "Harry, are you in there?"

There was no verbal response, but Walter could hear the electronic noises that indicated Harry was awake and playing a video game.

Walter opened the door and entered the room. Harry sat on his bed, completely focused on the television screen in front of him. Cheery music played from the television speakers while images moved around on-screen. Walter supposed the piece of plastic in Harry's hands had something to do with the screen, but he didn't know what or how.

Or, come to think of it, "why".

Walter cleared his throat.
Without turning around, Harry asked, "yeah?"

Walter said "A customer brought in a cracked vase. I told her we could fix it."

Harry nodded. "I'll take care of it. Let me just finish this level."

Walter replied, "That's what you said two days ago. The customer will be coming back this afternoon and I still don't have the vase repaired."

Harry blinked. He hit a button on the controller, and the images on the screen immediately froze. Harry turned to Walter.

"I'm sorry," Harry said, "I guess I have been a bit spaced out. What was it you wanted me to fix?"

Walter sighed, not wanting to repeat himself. "Come on downstairs, Harry. I'll show you."

Harry followed Walter down the stairs.

3 days ago:

Wensley's eyes had opened as large as saucers when Harry donated his stock of researched video games. Wensley's parents had been... less than thrilled.

1 day ago:

Harry told Walter he would be leaving, though Harry couldn't say where or why, or even how long he would be gone.

In a gruff voice Walter informed Harry that the room would be there for Harry when he got back, however long that would be. It was the closest to genuine affection Walter had shown in the years Harry had worked and lived there, and Harry was genuinely touched.

Now:

It was time to go. Harry looked around him one more time at the world he'd inhabited for the last several years. Harry didn't know the exact rules of the new world he'd be exploring, but his time researching the different game systems had taught him, broadly speaking, what to expect. Not the contents of the game, but how the game would be presented and how Harry could best interact with it. With this new understanding in hand, Harry was actually looking forward to exploring the new world and uncovering its secrets.

Harry gripped his wand tightly, concentrated on his bedroom in Gryffindor Tower, and turned on his heel. In between one moment and the next, Harry disappeared from the world.

-OMAKE-

Harry coughed as the smoke cleared from his eyes. There was a rustling sound all around him, as if a thousand sets of school robes were shifting at the same time. As his vision cleared, Harry realized that this was because there were, in fact, a thousand Harry Potters all around him. Their attention was focused solely on a ninja wearing a headband and flak jacket in the center of the clearing in a forest. A similarly-dressed ninja sat on the ground to one side, slumped against a large tree's base.

The ninja at the center of the Harry clones yelled, "You may have learned a forbidden jutsu, but you're still just the nine-tailed fox!".

At this the Harry Potter clones surged forward and attacked the man, yelling out syllables of the attack's name as each clone punched, kicked or threw the ninja in turn. "Har! Ry! Po! Ter! UL-TI-MATE BARRAGE!"

The original Harry could only stare at the clones as they attacked, wondering what the hell was going on. And he had been so certain he'd figured things out...