The stench of bacon filled the kitchen, but it would not be for Harry. With a spatula slabs of bacon descended onto three plates, next to where fresh omlets lay
''Hurry it up!'' Vernon demanded, from the table on the other side of the kitchen. ''It's almost 9:30!'' Petunia and Dudley looked rather impatient.
If this was three years before, then he would have meekly said, ''Yes, uncle.'' But he wouldn't give his uncle the pleasure. He didn't deserve it.
Harry served breakfast. He lowered dishes of bacon and eggs on the table. They didn't wait a second and began pigging away, eating so quickly that bits of egg dribbled from their lips and stuck to their chins.
Disgusting. He turned his nose up at them.
''It's rude to watch people while they eat.'' Petunia said sharply.
''I wasn't watching.'' He said quietly and without his usual bluntness.
''Go get us some coke!'' Vernon demanded.
Harry went to the fridge and brought a bottle of coke over to the table.
Vernon gave him a look. ''You ain't using your head today, are you? Are we meant to drink from the bottle? Go get us some cups.''
Harry gazed at his uncle, violent thoughts crossing his mind. He could use the plate as a weapon and strike it against his face-
''Well?'
It was only a thought. Harry felt more pathetic than he had in a long time, as he brought three glass bottles to the table.
''There we go.'' Vernon spat. ''Wasn't hard, was it?'' He then turned to Petunia, whose hair was as blonde and thin as Dudley's. ''Pet, turn the telly on.''
The TV switched on. The news was playing. The news anchor mentioned that Superman had been spotted in the country.
''Superman is so awesome.'' Dudley said. ''I wanna see him, dad. Can I see him?''
''Now, your father can't just take him to see you.''
Dudley screwed his face up. ''Why not?''
''We'll be staying far away from him.'' Vernon said with finality. ''He's an oddball, we don't meddle with oddballs. A whole lot of them overseas.''
Not wanting to be anywhere near the rest of his family, Harry left the kitchen, stepped into the bathroom and gave himself a once over in the mirror.
Even if three years had passed, things had not changed.
A yell echoed in the bathroom, over the sound of glass shattering. Blood dripped from his fist, leaking down onto the shards of glass on the carpet.
The mirror reflected a shattered image.
Harry brought his fist to his face, sharp pain coursing through his arm. He really had returned to his old self.
Once gathering himself, Harry sat down on the toilet, head low. He heard muffled voices downstairs, but paid them no mind.
This must have been a bad dream that he would wake from soon, but if that was the case, then why could he feel pain?
He hissed. ''Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. Why is this happening? Why, why, why, why?'' He took a deep breath and tried to think.
Superman was in the country. That was odd. Why would he be in England now of all times?
Harry got up from the toilet and walked out of the bathroom. At the staircase Vernon was speaking with a stranger
''What'dya want with Harry?'' Vernon asked.
Then a voice he recognized, asked, ''This is very important, Mr. Dursley. I have to talk with your nephew.'' Harry felt his heart skip a beat.
He raced down the stairs, ignoring his uncle's presence entirely. Harry watched Superman, his voice stuck in his throat.
''Are you Harry?''
He swallowed. ''Yeah.''
''Come with me.'' Superman said with little warmth.
''Come with you where?'' His tone was accusatory.
Superman folded his massive arms across his chest. ''I said come with me.'' His face was hard as stone.
''And I asked where?''
Superman looked down at Harry's bloody fists. ''What happened?'' His tone was also accusatory.
''Does it matter?'' He said heatedly.
''It does, Harry.'' Superman said. ''I've been asked to bring you to the police station.''
The cell that Harry was forced into was small with no windows or light inside, there was just a table surrounded by black walls and darkness. At the table, he had been told not to move, his hands in handcuffs.
''You still haven't even told me what I did!''
Superman looked at him calmly. ''I think that you know what you did. The sooner you admit to it, the better. The police asked me to question you because they thought you would be more forthcoming.''
'You're the last person I'd be forthcoming to.'' He said venomously.
''I'll say what I said before,'' There was a lack of kindness in Superman's face, ''The sooner you admit to it the better.''
''Then tell me what I apparently did!'' Harry yelled. ''Actually, I don't care about that. Do you know who I am?'' He didn't wait for an answer. ''Harry Evan's. I'm sure you know that name. Lily Evan's.''
Superman hardly blinked. ''The sooner-''
''Just admit you know who I am!'' Harry cut him off. ''I want you to admit it.''
''I know who Lily Evan's is.'' Superman finally said.
He leaned over the table. ''Say you know who I am.''
''I would like to know how you know so many things.'' Superman said suddenly.
''Does it matter?'' He asked coldly. ''I just want you to admit it.''
''I'm disappointed.'' Superman admitted. ''You are the last person I would want my son to be. Your mother passed, but that gives you no excuse.''
Harry sat back and slumped in his chair. ''You came here because you're embarrassed.'' He stated. It was a fact.
''I am embarrassed.'' Superman said. ''And ashamed that my son turned out to be such a...''
''Such a what?''
''Such a monster.''
All anger and resentment faded from Harry, and he became a mute. For the next hour he didn't respond to any of Superman's questions, only staring at him in blank silence.
''I'll be back soon.'' Supermans lips were set into a firm line. ''We will finish this later.''
Superman left Harry alone in the room, which was pitch black and ice cold. It was quiet, and even the voice in his head refused to talk.
The door creaked open and a single stream of light leaked in, but it was not Superman who entered, but a tall man dressed in a trench coat and wearing sunglasses.
''Hello, Harry.'' The man strode on over and sat opposite him. ''Long way from home?''
Harry didn't do as much as look at him.
The man continued. ''By long way I mean from another time.''
Harry's blue eyes flicked to him. ''What?''
The man took his shades off, revealing his inhumanly black eyes. ''That caught your attention, didn't it?''
''What are you?''
''An observer, if you will.'' The man said. ''And I've been watching you since you landed.''
Harry had so many questions, but he decided on the most important one.''Where am I - what is this place?''
''Where are you?'' The man queried in return, ''You're where you've always been, the only difference is that you've been sent back in time.''
'I guess I already knew that.'' He said weakly.
''I watched your conversation with your father.'' The man said pitifully. ''I'm sorry about that, really. Because you two met under different circumstances, he must have seemed like a totally different guy.''
''It just confirmed what I already knew.'' Harry told him with an edge. ''I was almost stupid enough to believe it would be different though.''
''Like I said, I'm sorry.'' It didn't sound like false kindness. ''You mortals are cruel, selfish and arrogant little creatures.''
''Yeah, I know.'' He agreed readily.
The man clasped his pale hands together on the desk. ''Because I feel so bad, I have an offer for you.''
''What offer?''
''I'll let you go. You'll get, say, a half an hour head start before anyone notices.''
He shook his head. ''No, wait. Can't you send me back?''
The man sighed. ''No can do. I'm not even sure what happened, but time travel is almost impossible. You're an anomaly. You were given a one way ticket; there's no way back.''
He had one last question. ''And what about my powers?''
The man shrugged. ''Even if you were sent back in time, you should have kept them still. There's no telling if they'll return.''
Harry gritted his teeth. He slammed a fist on the table.
''So are you going to take the deal or not?''
''This is real, this isn't a dream.'' He said dully.
''No, afraid not.''
Even if Harry didn't accept the deal, the handcuffs slipped off his wrists.
''For the next thirty minutes you'll be pretty much invisible. You can do whatever you want without being noticed. The timer starts when I leave the room. Good luck.'' The man rose from the table, sliding his glasses on. He exited the room, leaving the door open on his way out.
For a while Harry sat there and pondered if he should even run, but knowing every second was valuable, he got up and rushed out of the room. As he did, two police officers stood by his sides, but they didn't notice him, like he was invisible.
Now, he certainly did not have 30 minutes.
Harry ran to the edge of the hallway, took a right, then pushed through the emergency exit. He didn't stop his run. He didn't know where he was going, but anywhere would be better than than the police station.
The people on the street didn't seem to notice him. Didn't even look at him or register his existence. It really was like he was a ghost.
Even if Harry didn't see Superman when he left the station, that didn't mean he had left, and even if he had, he must have been nearby.
Time passed in a blur. He wasn't sure whether it had been thirty minutes or two hours, but once he brushed shoulders with a man who muttered, ''Watch it,'' he knew his time was up.
If Superman was looking for him, then there would be nowhere Harry could hide, was what he thought as he ducked into an empty building through the back door. Superman was faster than pretty much anything in the universe and his senses were heightened to inhuman levels.
As he stormed up the staircase, the black tile steps creaked and groaned as if they were about to crumble. Once he nearly reached the top, he heard it.
Footsteps. They were quiet, as if whoever was there was being extra cautious.
Harry fell into a full blown sprint, and without as much as looking back, barged through a door, to the rooftop, so high up his stomach went. They were at least 60 feet in the air.
Not long after Superman walked through the door and onto the balcony, cornering him. There was nowhere for Harry to run now.
Harry backed up until he was at the very edge, just an inch away from dropping to his death.
''Come any closer and I'll jump.''
Superman did stop, looking rather unimpressed. ''I didn't think you would use a tactic like this.''
''I mean it.'' He assured the man, eyes burning into him. ''I'll do it.''
Superman gave an unexpected answer, ''Well, I won't be able to stop you.''
He hesitated. ''I'm only going to do it if you get close, but I'm not going back.''
''I know that you won't jump.'' Superman said. ''I can see it in your eyes.''
Harry narrowed his eyes dangerously. ''You don't know what's going through my head right now.''
''I'm not a mind reader.'' Superman admitted. ''I came here to England to stop you from causing any more trouble.''
''You only came when I did.'' He said cuttingly. ''Behind everything, behind the super hero act, you're fake.''
Superman sighed, like he was getting annoyed by all of this. ''Come over here.''
He shook his head. ''No.''
Superman took one step closer to him. ''I said come over here!'' He thundered. ''Do you know how it will look if I let you fall?''
''So that's what it is.'' Harry mummured with realisation. ''You only care because it'll make you look bad. That makes sense now.'' He spread his arms apart. ''There's three things that are going to happen now.''
''I said get down.'' Superman commanded.
''I wake up.'' He started, ''I survive because I'm like you, or, I guess I die.'' A feeling of numbness washed over him. ''Honesty though, whatever happens, it'll be worth it. I'm not living like this.'' He began to descend.
Time slowed and then he finally understood; this was no dream, there would be no good ending. Life was not a fairytale, not for him, at least.
Now he would only wait for the inevitable.
''Harry!''
Someone took a hold of his wrist at the last moment. When Harry opened his eyes, he realised it wasn't Superman who caught him, but Clark Kent, in a checkered shirt.
''Get off me!'' Harry screeched, clawing his arms. ''Get off me!''
''It's me.'' Clark said, whose voice was decidedly softer and thicker with emotion than Superman's. ''It's really me. But listen to me, everything that has happened is just in your head.''
He calmed down slightly. ''Who are you?''
Clark pulled Harry up to the roof, holding him by the shoulders, like he would never let go. ''I'm here.''
A woman came floating down, just behind them. She was rather tall, dressed in a dark magician outfit, a perfect match for her long black hair. With a wave of her wand Superman vanished with a pop.
''I know the truth now.'' He rasped. ''I know-''
'Everything that has happened is just in your head.'' Clark said with a sense of urgency. ''Nothing since you got hit with kryptonite has been real. That's what it does, traps you in your head, shows you your worst nightmares. I should know because I experienced it efore.''
''You're lying!'' He barked. ''I know you're lying, I know you're lying.''
Clark wrapped his arms around Harry, and for the very first time, he was seized into a hug.
''I'm sorry.'' Clark whispered into his ear. ''I'm sorry for everything. I should have been there in time, just like I should have been there for you when you were younger. But I wasn't and I'm so sorry.''
Harry felt stiff and a bit awkward now, but did nothing to fight the hug. An unfamilar sensation seeped into his bones; it didn't feel bad at all.
'Everything is in my head?'' He asked, his voice a slow slur.
Clark let go. ''Everything is just in your head.'' He confirmed. ''Nothing is real.''
Harry turned behind him and looked down. ''So if I fell what would have happened?''
''We're not sure.'' The women said, joining the conversation. ''This isn't like a dream; if you die you might not wake up. This world is a set of hyper-realistic illusions, if you die here, then you might die in the real world. The body cannot live without the mind, after all.''
There was a lump in his throat. Was he so close to death? He scrutinised her. ''Who even are you?''
''You can call me Zatanna.'' She answered. ''It's very nice to meet you.''
''She's a witch, or a...sorceress.'' Clark added, ''She's why we were able to get in your mind.''
Zatanna added, ''I tried to tell your father that it would be best if I came in alone, but he wouldn't take that as an answer.'' She shot Clark a look. ''We should leave. Spending anymore time here than necessary is dangerous.''
Harry frowned. ''Why is it dangerous?''
''It's not dangerous for you, because it's your mind.'' Zatanna looked rather serious now, ''Or for me, because I have been through the minds of dozens, but for your father, it's different. One wrong move & he could slip into the depths of your mind and be trapped here forever.'' She shot Clark another look, puncturing every word. ''Which I told him several times, but he refused to listen.''
''And I'd do it again.'' Clark affirmed. ''I know I needed to be here for him.''
Zatannas hard look faded and she cracked a smile. ''And that's why you're one of the most admirable men I've ever known.'' She pointed her wand at them both. ''Tell me when you're ready.''
When Clark pulled an arm around Harry's shoulder, they said, ''We're ready.'' At the same time.
''Relinquere Mentem.''
There was a thunderous crack, then the world around them slowly vanished into a stream of white light.
It was time to return home.