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Chapter Text

Oh gods. Merlin. Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks. Harry thought to himself as he paced the Room of Requirement. It had turned itself into a long hall with a deep, comfy couch at one end and mirrors along one side -- perfect for pacing.

He'd felt fine the night before. He'd headed up to Gryffindor tower, pulled out the Marauder's Map and watched Draco Malfoy's dot on the map for the next hour -- like he always did -- before going to sleep. It was only upon waking that he'd realized something had gone horribly, horribly wrong.

Last night, he'd finally figured out where Malfoy was going when his dot disappeared from the map, and he'd had every intention of confronting him about it, but now...now there wasn't any chance of that. Everything was different now, and the whole world was wrong.

As soon as he'd realized it wasn't all some horrid dream, some nightmare or enchantment, he'd headed straight for the Room of Requirement to pace and try, make an effort at least, to figure out what he was going to do. Thinking about it, pacing up and down the hall while occasionally glancing at himself in the wall of mirrors, Harry flashed back to earlier that morning.

***

Harry rolled over, slipped his hand under his pillow for his wand and, upon not finding it, opened his eyes. Without his glasses on, he couldn't see much, but even through blurry vision...the room looked wrong. He reached over to the bedside table and grabbed his glasses. After shoving them on, he found two wand-holsters on his side table and slipped them on -- one on his arm, the other at his hip. He felt his stomach do an uneasy roll and flip-flop as he realized he did not recognize either wand.

He blinked again, and rubbed his eyes underneath his spectacles. Where on Merlin's earth was he? Harry asked himself. The room was small, only two beds instead of the five or six he was used to. There were two armoires, two bureaus, two bookcases and two desks. His trunk sat at the foot of the bed he'd woken up in, and another trunk sat at the foot of the other bed. The other bed was tidily made up, while Harry left his unmade.

Harry continued to look around for additional clues. There were dark blue curtains with bronze trim at the two windows, and a dark blue rug on the floor. There was also bronze trim on all the bedding, and blue shades on the two desk lamps.

"Ravenclaw?" Harry asked out loud. What the bloody hell am I doing in a Ravenclaw room? "And why is all my stuff here?"

After spending the next few minutes muttering out loud to himself, Harry looked in what appeared to be his armoire and bureau and pulled out clothes. Startled, he stared at well-fitting, clean, unspoiled clothing. He shook his head and strode to one of the two doors in the room. Getting it right on the first try was some kind of miracle, as Harry pulled open the bathroom door and looked around.

Four showers, four loo stalls, one very-deep claw-footed bathtub with a curtain and low-wall around it. Two additional doors on either side.

He shook his head, grabbed a clean towel from the rack labelled Clean Towels, and headed into the shower.

When he was showered and dressed, he went back into the room he'd woken up in and grabbed his bookbag. He had no idea what time it was, or what was going on, but he really didn't want to miss classes -- it was his sixth year, what he did mattered in terms of his future.

***

Harry scrubbed his hands over his face. He'd gone down to the common room and found Luna waiting for him. She'd greeted him cheerily, then ushered him out of the common room before he'd had the chance to look around.

When he'd made it down to breakfast, he'd been absolutely astounded to discover that nothing, not one thing he could see, was as he'd left it the night before. Instead of long, rectangular house tables, he'd found dozens of small, circular tables which fit 4-6 students around them. Headmaster Dumbledore was not at his usual post, and instead Professor Snape sat in the Headmaster's chair, with Minerva McGonagall to his left and Professor Sinistra to his right. Professor Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen.

Harry had nearly choked on his own saliva at the changes. It had taken several moments for him to get his breath back, and for the world to stop spinning. Instead of staying to eat, he'd turned on his heel and marched directly here -- to the Room of Requirement.

What was he going to do? It was clear to him now that some kind of magic had been used, and he was either still asleep, under some kind of poison or something, or the very worst thing had happened that he could scarcely believe. He was in some kind of bizarre parallel universe where he was a Ravenclaw and Snape, for fecks sake, Snape, was Headmaster.

He needed help. He certainly couldn't navigate an entirely different world on his own. If this was some sort of other dimension...he had no idea who these people were or who he was here. Certainly he couldn't be that different, and neither could his friends? Harry snorted and then looked down at his robes. Wrong! He was a Ravenclaw here, for some reason. The hat hadn't even given that to him as an option, in his world, and he had no idea why it was true here.

First things first, he had to go out there and find out how this world, that was so not his world, worked -- and he needed help to do it. He'd rely on the one person that might actually believe him and, coincidentally, the one person it seemed like this Harry was also friends with: Luna Lovegood.

*** *** ***

Harry stomped his foot at the Sphinx statue that guarded the Ravenclaw dormitory. "Repeat the riddle, please," he said quietly.

"What occurs once in a minute, twice in a moment and never in one thousand years?" the Sphinx said slyly.

It wasn't that he couldn't figure it out, it was that...he'd already missed all his classes that day, had no idea what classes he had missed, he needed to talk to Luna and did not need to be stuck figuring out the answer to a riddle in order to find out if Luna was even in the common room.

"The letter M," Harry growled.

The Sphinx nodded its great head, then stepped aside to reveal deep-blue curtains. Harry went through the curtains and into the common room.

"Harry!" Theodore Nott said before letting out a relieved breath.

Harry recoiled, but covered it a moment later by pretending he'd been about to trip. What was Nott doing here?

As Luna came through the curtains, Harry moved out of the way. He smiled and gave Nott a little wave, then grabbed Luna by the arm. "Need to talk to you,Luna," he said softly.

Luna grinned up at him. "Our fellow eagles have been worried, Harry. You've missed classes?"

Harry groaned. "Yeah. Yes. I had...things. I need to talk to you, Luna, really."

Luna focused on him in a startlingly intimate way for a moment, then nodded. "Alright," she said as she turned and led him away and up the stairs.

In a cramped hidden room behind a portrait, Luna gestured for him to sit on a squishy blue armchair.

"We'll be safe in here," she said. "It's protected from prying eyes and ears and no one really comes in here."

Harry took a deep breath. "I'm not the Harry that you know. I come from a different world," he said in a rush. "I know it sounds crazy, and at first I thought I was dreaming, a nightmare maybe, or poisoned or...something but....I'm from another world. A...."

"A parallel universe," Luna said softly in her singsong voice. "Yes. I understand."

Harry's eyes widened. "You do?"

"I understand a lot of things other people don't. I know a lot about a lot of things other people dismiss. I'm not stupid, Harry. I know how they talk about me. I'm not...loony," she replied.

He let out a relieved breath. "Oh good. Oh god, Luna, I thought...I thought there was no way anyone was going to believe me!"

"Of course I believe you. You've not been yourself, you've been acting strange, and you bolted when it was time for breakfast. Really, Harry," she said not unkindly. "I take it we're friends where you come from though?"

"Oh, yes. Good friends. I count you among one of my best, Luna," Harry replied.

"Are you...are you a Gryffindor there, Harry?" she asked uneasily.

Harry frowned. "Er, yeah. How'd you know?"

Luna gestured vaguely, in a circular pattern, in the air. "A Lionspry. They're like...little lionesque...fairies or sprites. You've got one following you. A cloud of Spurcers, too, but...the dimension travel explains that."

Harry scratched the back of his head and looked away in the effort to not respond.

She laughed. "'There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy,'" she quoted.

He gave a wry grin and then shrugged. "What am I going to do? I don't have any idea how this world works or what to expect or what's going on!" he exclaimed.

Luna crossed her legs and sat back in her armchair. She folded her hands in her lap. "I'll help you, but we really should get someone else in on this. Someone who might be able to send you home -- back where you belong -- and get our Harry back here."

"Do you think....do you think the other Harry is alright?"

She blinked slowly for a moment, and then nodded. "Yes, of course. Probably just as confused as you are, but yes, I'm sure he's fine. Alarmed at suddenly being a Gryffindor, no doubt. He's probably just in your place, in your world. The world seeks balance, after all," she explained.

Harry sighed and then nodded. "Good. I was a little worried, when I realized..." he trailed off.

Luna nodded, and then stood. "First of all, you can't skip any more classes. Your class schedule should be in your book bag, because our Harry likes to check it even though term started months ago. If you skip classes, you'll jeopardize what this world's Harry is doing for himself, and what he wants to be when he graduates next year," she explained.

"Okay..the thing is, Luna...I'm not that good at schoolwork. I...I'm a Gryffindor, you know?" Harry added a bit sheepishly.

"Not here you're not. Apply yourself. And...I'll help you, when you need it. You have to do the very best, if not better, that you can do, or people -- the wrong sorts -- will notice," Luna replied. "I have a lot of homework, Harry...so...I'll tell you a few things you really need to know, but we'll have to pick this up again later. I have a lot on my plate, my OWLs are at the end of the year."

Harry nodded, but didn't comment.

"Okay, so...your best friends in this world are Draco, Theo, and me," Luna said quickly.

Harry leapt up from his seat. "What!? Those slimy Slytherins?"

Luna gasped and sat back down. "Harry, no!" she exclaimed. "You have to remember, you have to try to accept that this is a different world!"

Harry took a deep breath, and then resumed his seat. He nodded, and then gestured for her to continue.

"Theo's a Ravenclaw, Harry. He was raised by his father, after his mother died. His father is an inventor. Theo's definitely not a Slytherin. What's most important, though, is that...Draco is your best friend, partly because you and he grew up together. When his father died, your dad moved him and his mother in with you guys."

Harry's eyes filled. "My dad is dead, Luna," he said softly.

Luna frowned. "You mean your father? James Potter? Yes, he's dead," she confirmed. "He and Lily Potter died during the war."

"Okay, so...who's my dad then if it's not James?" Harry asked, confused.

"You were raised by your godfather, Sirius Black," she replied. "Anyway, the important thing I'm trying to tell you is that you, Sirius, Draco and his mother all live together, and so you and Draco are very close. You're friends with a lot of people, really, Harry, but none are closer to you or more important than Draco and Theo and...well, me, I suppose."

Harry sighed. "I can't...I can't even believe that. What about...what about Ron and Hermione?"

"Granger and Weasley?" Luna asked sharply.

"Merlin, that doesn't sound good," Harry commented as he put his hands over his face.

"Uh, no, Harry. I'm sorry. Were they friends of yours in your world?"

Harry looked up with pain-filled eyes. "My best friends. Along with Neville, you and Ginny. A couple of others too," he replied.

Luna took a deep breath, held it for a few moments, and then sighed. "I'm sorry to tell you this, Harry, but...Granger and Weasley -- both Ronald and Ginevra -- are Slytherins."

At Harry's shocked face, Luna moved quickly to give him some better news. "Neville is wonderful, though. He's a Hufflepuff. Very sweet. You and he are friends." She looked at the timepiece on her wrist. "Now, is there anything pressing you need to know? I really do have a lot of work, and my essays won't write themselves."

"Are..are all the Weasley's Slytherins?" Harry asked in a very quiet, wounded tone.

Luna shook her head. "No, absolutely not. Ron and Ginerva Weasley are the exception. You should know, you're great friends with Fred and George, though they've graduated. Also, I think you're on a very good terms with Molly's youngest, Retta."

Harry frowned. "Who's Retta?"

Luna blinked wildly for a moment. "You're having me on," she said.

He shook his head.

"That's ghastly. The Weasley's have no youngest child in your world?"

"Well, they do," Harry responded, "but...it's Ginny."

"I see. Alright, well. Retta is their youngest daughter. She was born shortly after Molly's husband, Arthur, died and is named for him," she explained.

"Arthur is dead!?" Harry exclaimed.

"Yes, Harry. Many years ago, now. Retta is thirteen," Luna responded. She checked the timepiece on her wrist again. "Anything else?"

"Uh, yeah...just one other...where is Headmaster Dumbledore?" Harry asked.

Luna frowned. "As in...Minister Dumbledore?"

Harry let out a laugh. "Professor Dumbledore is the Minister of Magic here? That's...wild," he said.

Luna nodded. "Uh, yes. Professor and Potion Master Severus Snape is Headmaster. Professor McGonagall is Deputy, as well as Head of Gryffindor. Professor Sinistra is Head of Slytherin. Professor Sprout is Head of Hufflepuff and Head of Ravenclaw is Professor Vector."

"Okay. Thank you, Luna...for everything," Harry said at last.

She smiled gently and leaned forward. When she pressed her forehead to his, he stiffened. It wasn't something his Luna had ever done, but she seemed very familiar with the move. He relaxed again as she moved away from him.

"I guess we're not as close in your world as we are in mine," she said quietly.

"Er...are we...dating, Luna?" Harry asked -- the alarm was evident in his voice.

Luna chuckled. "No. We're close, in a familial sort of way," she said. "Make sure you make an effort to be nice to Theo. He'll wonder what's going on otherwise."

As Luna left the little room, Harry sat back. Even with all the information she'd provided, he had no idea how he was going to learn to walk in this world. This world was so different from his own, and he didn't think he could pull off being a Ravenclaw even if he tried. Did this mean there was a Hogwarts where he was a Slytherin? Harry shuddered. A Hufflepuff? He couldn't imagine.

He sighed, shuffled his feet, and stood. If he was ever going to get back to his world, he first needed to learn to bend with the rules of this one. It was now or never. Leaving the little room, Harry went in search of Theo.

***************

TBC

Chapter Text

The next day, Harry breakfasted with Theo, Draco, Luna, Padma and Neville at one of the round tables. He kept to himself, preferring to listen to the camaraderie and friendly or teasing exchanges between his new friends.

A Draco Malfoy raised by Sirius Black that was not only friends with Harry Potter but moreover a Gryffindor, was a sight to see. Harry listened as Draco joked with Padma, was tender with Luna, was a tiny bit jealous of Theo and was thoughtful with Neville and he wondered at the changes. Could different parents really have made such a difference in Malfoy? It seemed so. This boy was so different from the rival he knew. This Draco was happy, funny, polite and sincere. He didn't use the anti-muggle slur, he didn't glare stonily -- his worst expressions seemed to be his face going red with embarrassment and an intense frown.

Harry trailed along behind Theo, Padma and Neville to their first class. The Ravenclaws had NEWT Level Transfiguration first thing, with the Hufflepuffs. As he took his seat, next to Theo, Harry dragged his class schedule out of his bag. His eyes bugged-out for a moment at the long list of classes, and he glanced apprehensively at Tuesdays.

Mondays and Wednesdays
7:00 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. Breakfast.
9:00 a.m. until 9:50 a.m. NEWT Level Wizarding Law and Government [Professor Blakely] (with Gryffindor)
10:00 a.m. until 10:50 a.m. NEWT Level Charms [Professor Flitwick] (with Slytherin)
11:00 a.m. until 11:50 a.m. NEWT Level Study of Ancient Runes [Professor Bathsheda Babbling] (All Houses)
12:00 p.m. until 12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Advanced Healing Magic [Healers Roe and Kenders] (All Houses)
3:15 p.m. until 4:10 p.m. Apparition [Ministry Instructor] (All Houses)
4:20 p.m. until 5:20 p.m. NEWT Level Herbology [Professor Pomona Sprout] (with Hufflepuff)
5:45 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Dinner
7:10 p.m. until 8:10 p.m. Free
9:45 p.m. Curfew
10:00 p.m. All Lights Out

Tuesdays and Thursdays
7:00 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. Breakfast.
9:00 a.m. until 9:50 a.m. NEWT Level Transfiguration [Professor Minerva McGonagall] (with Hufflepuff)
10:00 a.m. until 10:50 a.m. Free
11:00 a.m. until 11:50 a.m. Wandless and Nonverbal Magicks [Professor Aviar] (All Houses)
12:00 p.m. until 12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Initiate Level Rites and Rituals [Professor Xandorra Zabini] (All Houses)
3:15 p.m. until 4:10 p.m. NEWT Level Care of Magical Creatures [Professor Grubbly-Plank] (All Houses)
4:20 p.m. until 5:20 p.m. NEWT Level Arithmancy [Professor Septima Vector] (All Houses)
5:45 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Dinner
7:10 p.m. until 8:10 p.m. Free
9:45 p.m. Curfew
10:00 p.m. All Lights Out

Fridays
7:00 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. Breakfast.
9:00 a.m. until 9:50 a.m. NEWT Level History of Magic [Professor Andromeda Tonks] (with Hufflepuff)
10:00 a.m. until 10:50 a.m. Ancient Studies [Professor Dalila Ebo] (All Houses)
11:00 a.m. until 11:50 a.m. Free
12:00 p.m. until 12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. NEWT Level Defense Against the Dark Arts [Professor Remus Lupin] (with Gryffindor)
3:15 p.m. until 5:15 p.m. NEWT Level Potions (Double) [Professor Liam Ravens] (with Slytherin)
5:45 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Dinner
7:10 p.m. until 8:10 p.m. Alchemy [Professor Severus Snape] (6th and 7th Year Students)
10:00 p.m. Castle Curfew - No Student Outside or Out of Dorms unless accompanied by a teacher/prefect or to/from Astronomy.
11:00 p.m. to 11:50 p.m. NEWT Level Astronomy [Professor Aurora Sinistra] (6th and 7th Year Students)
Midnight Lights Out

It was then that Harry noticed something very interesting. Not only did he have a free period right after Transfiguration, but Remus Lupin was listed as the DADA professor and Andromeda Tonks was also a teacher here -- replacing Professor Binns for History of Magic. The only trouble with his schedule was...he had no idea how he'd pass all of these classes. In his world, he'd taken Care of Magical Creatures, Divination and Study of Ancient Runes during his third year -- he hadn't taken Arithmancy, and understood it was like magical math, but had no idea how he'd pass a class he'd never taken.

There was one additional unfortunate class added, Alchemy -- which he was sure he'd be pants at -- and one other class he had no history with -- Ancient Studies. As he stared at his schedule, it occurred to him he wasn't even sure what Ancient Studies was. He'd have to ask Luna. He glanced at his schedule again -- Merlin, he'd missed the first Apparition lesson yesterday! He'd have to see if there was any way to make it up.

Ravenclaw or no, Harry couldn't figure out why he'd ever have signed up to take NEWT Level Astronomy. On a good day, he hated that class. The professor was great, knowledgeable and nice, but it was cold in the Astronomy tower at night, and trying to decipher the stars and planets was just straight-up boring. He wondered if he could still drop it.

"I don't plan on being an astronomer, right?" Harry asked Theo.

Theo snorted. "Yeah...no," he said before returning to taking notes to Professor McGonagall's lecture.

Harry nodded and made a little note on his schedule to drop that course. "Why am I taking Care of Magical Creatures at the NEWT level?" he hissed.

Theo shrugged. "I think it has something to do with your aspiration to be a healer, Harry, but...I don't know. We didn't discuss class selection over the summer. Come on, pay attention. I'm really interested in this stuff. You know it's a big deal for me, transfiguration is a core background to magical invention. You know my dad wants me to take over the family business," he whispered.

Harry gave Theo a short smile, then sat back to absorb what was left of the lecture.

*** *** ***

During his free period, right after Transfiguration, Harry went to the library. He had a lot to catch up on if he was going to figure out how to exist in this new world without making so many mistakes.

He made a beeline for the history section and pulled out three books at random. He let out a startled gasp. The first book he completely understood -- After the War with What's His Name -- but the second he'd pulled out...well, its title was very shocking. Suddenly, the lighter atmosphere since he'd been dropped into this world made sense. The second book was called Aftermath: The World after the Second War with Voldemort and it was written by Remus Lupin.

Harry reached up and rubbed his scar. The second war was over here? How had this Harry done it? Had he found all the Horcruxes? Were Horcruxes even a thing here?

"Potter, you are making far too much noise to be in a library. Besides which, we had a deal," said a voice from behind him.

Harry grabbed the books on the floor and stood. He whirled around to face the voice and was nearly bowled over to discover that it belonged to none other than Hermione Granger. She wasn't a Hermione he had ever seen before, nor ever imagined. Her hair was long, straight, and black. Her eyes glared at him from behind silver glasses, there was a ring in her nose and she wore dark green eyeshadow. She looked very serious, very angry, but pretty, and Harry wondered why she'd dyed her hair such a severe colour, but he didn't ask.

"Hullo, He-- Granger," he caught himself before using her first name and took a step back. "What do you mean we had a deal?"

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and raised one eyebrow in a cold expression. Her lip curled. She shook her head. "You stay out of the library during your free period on Tuesdays, and I and my fellow Slytherins stay out of the library during your free Friday period, Potter. That was the deal we made at the beginning of the year, or are you too dim-witted to have remembered such simple instructions?"

Harry recoiled, but recovered quickly. "I apologize, Granger. I needed these books immediately. I'll just...check them out and get going."

She tilted her chin up slightly and gave him a look he'd never seen on her face before -- disgust, with him. "See that you do," she said as she walked away and went back to her table.

Harry hurried over to Madam Pince and checked out the three books. He raced out, and headed in the direction of the Wandless and Nonverbal Magicks classroom, which he had next.

*** *** ***

"How long has Moony been the DADA instructor?" he asked Luna later that night. Classes were over, he'd done as much of his homework as he could, and he sat at his desk while Luna sat on his bed, reading through his Charms essay which was due tomorrow.

She looked up and gave him a small smile. "Moony? Oh, because of the whole werewolf thing. Um, since third year, I guess."

Harry sighed. "Wow."

Luna nodded, and then handed him the essay. "This is great, Harry. I'm not sure what you're so worried about. So far, everything's good. You're doing very good work. Charms, Herbology, Ancient Runes, Law and Government. Your homework from Monday is done, and it's all accurate and well-written. Don't be so worried. You'll get on Tuesday's homework later. You really should read the chapter on Apparition, before tomorrow."

"Thanks, Luna. I know, I know. My brain just feels...tired out now. I think I'll just go to bed. Maybe get up early, read it in the morning?" Harry said.

"You could read it at lunch, I suppose. Now.." Luna crossed her legs and folded her hands in her lap. "What is it?"

"That obvious, am I?" Harry teased.

Luna grinned. "Yes. Now, go on. Is it about the war?"

Harry nodded. "The second war. It's done here. In my world, it's not. I'm still in the middle of it there. What happened here?"

"Do you really want me to explain what can be read?" she asked.

He sighed. "Well, I mean...Voldemort was defeated last year, at the Ministry. According to the book, the Ministry had to be entirely rebuilt. How did this Harry finish the job? The diary, the ring, the locket?" Harry rubbed his damp palms on his trousers. "What else was there? The book doesn't say, it just eludes to objects that had to be destroyed."

"Oh. I see." Luna sighed. "I helped Harry find Ravenclaw's diadem. Draco already owned Hufflepuff's cup. So, I suppose...it was a bit...easy to destroy the Horcruxes."

Harry's eyes widened. "I wasn't aware..."

"That we knew what we were destroying? Yes. Our Harry is a Ravenclaw, don't you forget. He told us from the beginning about the Prophecy and the Horcruxes. Theo guessed he might actually be one, but our Harry wasn't. Neville killed Nagini with an enchanted dagger given to him by his grandmother. He didn't know, at the time, that it'd been forged by Helga Hufflepuff," Luna explained.

"Okay, so...ring, locket, diary, diadem, cup, nagini. That's six. Without Lucius Malfoy being alive in this world, how did you all come across the diary?" Harry asked.

Luna tilted her head and then tapped her chin with her fingertips. "Your dad owned it, amongst the other dark Black Estate objects and paraphernalia. I...was drawn to it, one evening, when I was over at your house. I knew it was...wrong. Evil, even. Your dad helped us work out how to destroy it, but at the time...back in third year, we didn't know it was a Horcrux."

"That all sounds like a lot of luck," Harry commented.

Luna nodded, and then she rose from the bed. She hugged Harry hard, then walked to the door. "I have work. A lot of work, and a project I'm doing on the Nargles. So...I should go." She smiled, and then left.

Harry moved from his desk chair to the bed and laid down. Things seemed...simpler here. The locket, diary and the cup had all been owned by the Black Estate, in one form or another, making it much more simple for this Harry to have the Horcruxes destroyed. And, it seemed as though this Harry had trusted his friends, and possibly Sirius, with all the details. Was it possible he should stay here and let the other Harry deal with Dumbledore and the Horcruxes and everything? This Harry already knew what they all were, and had worked out some way to destroy them that wasn't a Basilisk fang.

He rolled over on his stomach. It was his job, his duty, to go back to his world and defeat Voldemort. But, what if this Harry would be better at it? More efficient? Less likely to fail?

This world, minus his Ron and his Hermione, seemed a lot nicer. A lot happier.

Harry groaned. He didn't know what to do, but...for now, he'd just take each day as it came and try very hard not to fail all of his classes.

As Theo, a Ravenclaw Prefect, stumbled into the room that they shared, Harry reached over and turned off the light. He slipped under the covers, and was asleep in minutes -- regardless of the noise Theo was making as he got ready for bed.

*******************

TBC

Chapter Text

Dear Harry,

I understand you're grieving, but this isn't funny. Please try to respect that I am grieving as well, and that things are difficult for me. I don't understand this sort of joke, but, just in case it is a misguided expression of your grief, let me say: please seek out Madam Pomfrey for some help. Sirius is dead, and has been for months. We both need to move on, and sending letters out to him in this way, is not a way to move on. I understand you feel cheated out of a relationship with him, but this isn't fair. You and he were not as close as your letter implies, for all you may have wanted to be.

I care about you, Harry, so I hope you'll get some help to process your feelings. Please don't write to Sirius again. If you feel you must, just don't send it. It's especially rude to Bill, for us to receive a letter like this -- we'd both thought you were fine with our relationship, considering you asked us to live here.

I hope term is going well, and that we might see you over Easter break, in April.

Sincerely,
Moony.

He'd sent a letter to Sirius straight away, upon waking up in Gryffindor tower, once he'd figured out something had gone wrong. To get a cold response from Remus Lupin had just been....awful. To find out his dad, his godfather, his Padfoot, was dead by an unfeeling letter -- by a letter which assumed he was playing some sort of Gryffindor prank -- was just unthinkable.

It wasn't bad enough that he was, supposedly, best friends with both Granger and Weasley, and not all that close to Luna, but now, on top of everything else...Sirius Black was dead here. Dead. As in, the man who had raised him was dead, and Moony had not helped turn him into a Ravenclaw. A bloody Gryffindor, of all things. Nothing was the same here, not even the adults in Potter's life.

Harry glanced, for the tenth time, at the class schedule. Potter was, without a doubt, what he considered to be a lazy student. He was certain Potter was a good kid, a brave guy, even a nice one. He was, probably, noble and proud with a bit of a temper and not one care for the rules. Harry was sure, however, that he was also completely without trust for any adults and lacked the drive to be a good student.

Mondays and Wednesdays
7:00 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. Breakfast.
9:00 a.m. until 9:50 a.m. NEWT Level Transfiguration [Professor McGonagall]
10:00 a.m. until 10:50 a.m. Free
11:00 a.m. until 11:50 a.m. NEWT Level Defense Against the Dark Arts [Professor Snape]
12:00 p.m. until 12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Initiate Level Rites and Rituals [Professor Zabini] (All Houses)
3:15 p.m. until 4:10 p.m. Apparition [Ministry Instructor] (All Houses)
4:20 p.m. until 5:20 p.m. NEWT Level Herbology [Professor Sprout]
5:45 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Dinner
7:10 p.m. until 8:10 p.m. Free
9:45 p.m. Curfew
10:00 p.m. All Lights Out

Tuesdays and Thursdays
7:00 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. Breakfast.
9:00 a.m. until 9:50 a.m. Free
10:00 a.m. until 10:50 a.m. NEWT Level Charms [Professor Flitwick]
11:00 a.m. until 11:50 a.m. Advanced Healing Magic [Professors Pomfrey and Roe] (All Houses)
12:00 p.m. until 12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. NEWT Level Wandless and Nonverbal Magicks [Professor Aviar] (All Houses)
3:15 p.m. until 4:10 p.m. Free
4:20 p.m. until 5:20 p.m. NEWT Level Muggle Studies [Professors Johanneson and Lewis] (All Houses)
5:45 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Dinner
7:10 p.m. until 8:10 p.m. Free
9:45 p.m. Curfew
10:00 p.m. All Lights Out

Fridays
7:00 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. Breakfast.
9:00 a.m. until 9:50 a.m. NEWT Level Wandlore [Professor Ollivander] (All Houses)
10:00 a.m. until 10:50 a.m. NEWT Level Study of Ancient Runes [Professor Babbling] (All Houses)
11:00 a.m. until 11:50 a.m. Free
12:00 p.m. until 12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Free
3:15 p.m. until 5:15 p.m. NEWT Level Potions [Professor Slughorn]
5:45 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Dinner
7:10 p.m. until 8:10 p.m. Free
10:00 p.m. Castle Curfew - No Student Outside or Out of Dorms unless accompanied by a teacher/prefect or to/from Astronomy.
Midnight Lights Out

Harry grumbled to himself under his breath. He had no options to add classes, because Potter hadn't taken anything he had. The only class he could have realistically added was Divination -- if Potter had passed the OWL, which he hadn't. During second year, Potter hadn't taken the Wizarding Law and Government course, and though Harry could add it -- what would be the point? He'd just be relearning everything he'd already learned in his own world. Plus, he'd be in there with a bunch of second years, which really wasn't ideal. He could add Art, or Music, but he wasn't all that talented in either subject. If he added Arithmancy or Ancient Studies now, he'd still be there with a bunch of third years, which, again, wasn't ideal.

Harry sighed. He was stuck with a subpar schedule, wherein he had almost more free time than classes. So, he decided, he'd start doing magnificently well in the classes he did have.

There were classes missing here that Harry had enjoyed back in his world. Muggle Studies was a catch-all taught by Professor Burbage, instead of three classes broken up into different subjects. There seemed to be no Wizard/Witch Culture course at all. He'd wondered how muggle-born or muggle-raised got on in the Wizarding world without that course, but it seemed as if, unless they looked into it themselves, that they didn't. They didn't know anything about what was special about wizarding customs, or traditions. Instead, they seemed to mostly keep to their more muggle ways, which was fine, but it was also just...odd. Potter's world was so unlike his own.

What he wanted, more than anything, was to go see Professor Snape and tell him the whole tale. In his own world, Headmaster Snape (who had been Headmaster since Harry had been five) and Sirius had taught him, and Draco, the art of Occlumency. They'd begun the lessons when Harry had been nine, which was one of the reasons he trusted Severus Snape as much as he did. Harry had figured out, in short order, that Potter had a dismal, at best, relationship with the Professor. At worst, it was antagonistic, hateful and just all-around miserable. Which meant that Harry could not, no matter how much he might want to, go see the Professor and confess all.

He couldn't talk to Draco or Theo -- they were both Slytherins. In fact, he'd overheard Draco muttering to Blaise about his parents. Apparently, his parents were alive. Also, Potter seemed entirely paranoid, according to Granger and Weasley, about Draco's activities lately. Harry found it a bit unbelievable that Draco could have some nefarious plot regarding Headmaster Dumbledore, or the Dark Mark, but, then again...he was completely out of his element.

Harry did have one thing going for him, provided it all worked out the same. He knew where each of the Horcruxes were, and he knew how to destroy them. The war was still going on here, and if he had anything to say about it he'd make sure it didn't last much longer. He needed to get to Grimmauld Place to find the book with the potion in it that destroyed a Horcrux -- he'd also give the place a search for the locket. He had to start somewhere. He wondered, not for the first time, if Granger and Weasley could be trusted. He had to have some help, from somewhere, to locate the cup, the diary, and to come up with a plan to trap Nagini.

He rubbed his hands over his face and gave a great sigh. First, though, he had to get to Potions. It was his last class in a very boring day, and he wanted to do well in it.

*************

TBC

Chapter Text

Harry's eyes snapped open. Oh great Merlin, he thought. He shoved back the covers, and went into the loo as quietly as he could to dress. He'd only just realized something truly terrible, and he had to act now, and act fast, if he was going to fix it before it became a problem.

He tiptoed into Luna's room. In turned out that all Prefects got to share a room with just one other person, and they got to pick who they roomed with. Theo had picked Harry, and Antonia, Luna's friend and Prefect, had picked Luna. Harry cast a quick silencing charm, then placed his hand on Luna's arm.

"Luna! Luna!" he whispered loudly, careful even through the silencing charm.

Luna rolled over and groggily rubbed her eyes. "What is it, Harry?" she asked, not unkindly.

"Do you know the password to the Headmaster's office?" he asked.

She sat up, gave a small yawn and a tiny stretch and then rolled her eyes at him. "No, of course not. Why would I? Why do you need it?"

"I need to get the Sword of Gryffindor, to...well...to battle a Basilisk," he explained quietly.

Luna's eyes widened. "What Basilisk, Harry?"

"The one in the Chamber of Secrets," he replied.

Luna chuckled. "That's just a myth."

"No, seriously, Luna, in my world...it's real, and the monster within is a Basilisk, which I defeated in my second year, before saving Ginny Weasley from death. But here, you guys found the diary a different way, so...it occurred to me that...." Harry trailed off.

"That here, it's possible the Basilisk is still alive and...and inside the Chamber. Waiting for...for what?" Luna asked.

"For the heir of Slytherin to unleash it on unsuspecting muggle-born or muggle-raised students," he responded.

Luna nodded. "It isn't the cooperation of Headmaster Snape that you're going to need," she explained. "The Sword of Gryffindor is kept in the Hall of Mirrors in the Wizarding World War Museum. You're going to either need a fool-proof way of stealing it, Harry, or...you'll need the cooperation of Minister Dumbledore."

Harry smiled. "Alright, well...are Snape and Dumbledore close here too? In my world....Dumbledore loves Snape like a son, or something. Or, at least he trusts him like one."

"Headmaster Snape, Minister Dumbledore," Luna corrected. "You need to use their titles, Harry. You're close with the Headmaster, but not so close as to not use his title when in the company of others. And, I don't think that you and Minister Dumbledore have met more than the one time, at the After War Ball."

"What!?" Harry exclaimed. "This is just...this is so weird."

"Yes, I've come to understand that -- each and every time you say it." Luna crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Harry. "Our world isn't worse than yours, just different. Your world isn't better than ours, in fact...there are some things about your world that sound just ghastly. At least the war with Voldemort is over here."

Harry nodded, and then gave a sheepish smile. "You're right. I'm sorry, Luna."

When she nodded, he continued.

"Okay, so...are Headmaster Snape and...Minister Dumbledore close, here? Because if they are, maybe I can use Sn...I mean, Headmaster Snape in order to get H...Minister Dumbledore to agree to let me borrow the Sword."

"They do have a history, yes. Headmaster Snape was a spy for the Order during the first war. So, they do get on, but...I'm not sure how close they are. You'll have to speak with the Headmaster," Luna replied. She laid back down. "If that's all...I really need to sleep."

Harry nodded, cancelled the silencing charm, and left her to sleep. He went back to his room, where Theo was sitting up in bed, with the bedside table light on, reading.

"Have you two started shagging?" he asked as Harry entered the room.

Harry sniggered. "No, gods, no. I just needed to ask her something important."

"Like what?" Theo asked as his eyes narrowed. Harry had been acting odd for the last two weeks, and he was just about done accepting the behaviour without explanation.

"Just...about Alchemy. I think I'm not...cut out for that class, after all, and I wanted her opinion," Harry lied.

Theo scoffed. "I'm not stupid, Harry. You're doing very well in Alchemy, and even if you weren't...you're a terrible liar. Listen, if you're done with you and me, that's fine, but I deserve the dignity of your actually ending things, instead of you sneaking around with Luna."

Harry stomach flipped uncomfortably and he paled. "What?" he asked. He shook his head. He really, really wished Luna had told him there was something...romantic going on between this Harry and Theo. "No, it's nothing like that. Well, I mean..." he trailed off. Could he ruin this Harry's relationship with Theo just because it made him uncomfortable? Should he? He shook his head again.

"You mean what, exactly?" Theo asked as he threw back the covers and stood. He advanced towards Harry. "Please, just tell me what you actually mean, Harry. If you're over it, and you're done with me, I need to know. I deserve to know." He ran his hands through his hair. "I've spent the last five months by your side, in your bed, and as your equal. I...I know we're only sixteen, but...it's been important. So, if you're through...just tell me."

Harry took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and then stepped back. He gestured to the two arm chairs near the tiny fireplace. "Let's sit down. There's something I need to tell you, and...it's...going to be difficult to hear and even more difficult to believe...." With that, Harry told him all about who he was and his world -- including the parts where both Draco and Theo were Slytherins where he came from.

When he was finished talking, he leaned back in the chair and waited for Theo's response.

Theo smiled. "That makes so much sense. Much more than what I thought was going on. My Harry doesn't like Luna like that, you know. He's gay. Like, confirmed and has dated other blokes," he said. "I...I wish you had told me two weeks ago. It would have hurt less, and I would have understood."

"I had no idea you and he were in a romantic relationship. Luna didn't tell me. If I had known...I'd like to think I would have confessed it all, earlier," Harry commented.

"She didn't know," Theo replied. "Harry and I...well, we haven't been out on any dates, and we aren't...public about it. I think....I'm important. It's an important relationship, all around. Too important for either of us to put it before public speculation and gossip, before we're ready. I thought Draco, Luna and Neville all knew, but...as it happens, it's possible Harry never mentioned it."

"Why haven't you told them, then? They're your friends too."

"They are much more Harry's friends than mine. I grew up very isolated, and am isolated anew whenever I return home," Theo said.

Harry nodded.

"So. What is it that you're up to now that means you need help?" Theo asked.

"Oh." Harry sighed. "Sure. I mean, maybe you can help?"

As Harry told Theo about the Chamber of Secrets, the Sword of Gryffindor and the Basilisk, he began to grin.

"My father and I have a very good relationship with the Goblins. I think I can get you a little time with the Sword of Gryffindor, without Minister Dumbledore and his...machinations. You are going to need Headmaster Snape's help, though. He knows more about this school than anyone, and he's a very powerful wizard. Leave the Sword part to me, but you need to make inroads with the Headmaster," Theo explained.

Harry nodded. He'd been afraid of that.

*** *** ***

Severus Snape, it turned out, was very different in this world. He'd been a spy for the Order for nearly his entire employ as a Death Eater, and with Voldemort finally dead and gone, the Dark Mark no longer appeared as anything more than a very faint, nearly untraceable, white scar on his arm. He'd led a fairly good life, and had been Headmaster of Hogwarts for eleven years.

It was recorded history in the library, in a book called Notable Wizards of the Last Twenty Years, that he had been targeted and bullied as a student, and abused by his muggle father as a kid. It was also noted that his mother, Eileen Prince, had died at the hands of her husband, Severus Snape's father, and upon her death, Severus had gone to live with his Aunt -- Elmira Prince, Eileen's sister.

He had, upon his seventeenth birthday, inherited the title of Lord Prince, but had still taken up with the dark due to an unfortunate series of events that had begun during his fourth year at Hogwarts -- culminating in the attempt on his life by an unwilling, and unknowing, werewolf in his sixth year. The book didn't mention the name of the werewolf, just that charges had never been brought, but the students responsible had spent every night thereafter for three months in detention.

It was also written that Severus Snape had been considered, by Lily Evans-Potter, as a choice for godfather for Harry Potter, but that, in the end, they'd gone with Sirius Black. There were other details in the biography as well -- lists of potions the Headmaster had created or improved, a close relationship with the late Nicholas Flamel, a bit of a scandal with Narcissa Malfoy back in the day, and several accolades of Best Hogwarts Headmaster, Most Renowned Potions Master of the UK, and things of that nature.

At the very end, the chapter listed that Severus Snape was: current Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; Lord Prince; Professor of Alchemy; Potions Master; Order of Merlin Second Class; Homeowner; Primary Investor in Black Arts a Potion and Ingredient Shoppe in Hogsmeade; and, somewhat notably, dating Regulus Black for the third year running.

Harry laughed, slightly, at the last bit of text, and then shut the book. He drummed his fingers on the table. Certainly, this Snape would be more approachable, yes?

*** *** ***

With the Sword in hand and a plan all worked out, Harry stood in front of the non-working sink in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. She'd been none too pleased to see him, apparently this Myrtle had been a Slytherin and absolutely hated Ravenclaw students due to the reasons behind her untimely death -- namely, being teased so badly by a member of Ravenclaw house.

Being alone, in the candle-lit bathroom, in front of the sink he knew would lead him to the Chamber was doing quite a number on Harry. If he never saw the Chamber of Secrets again, in his lifetime, it'd be too soon. As Harry sighed, and prepared to open the sink, the bathroom door flew open.

"I'll be taking that Sword, Mr. Potter," Headmaster Severus Snape said as he strode forwards.

Harry made a face, and then handed the Sword over. "What are you doing here, sir?" he asked.

"Miss Lovegood and Mr. Nott were kind enough to explain to me your foolish plan. Having no desire to be on the receiving end of the absolute fit your dad will throw when you turn up dead, I decided to take matters into my own hands in a very Gryffindor like manner, which you seem to have become accustomed to, and show up to...as they say, save the day," the Headmaster replied.

Harry resisted the urge to chuckle, and instead rolled his eyes. "They shouldn't have done that, sir, I can handle this on my own. I promise."

Severus laid a hand on Harry's shoulder in a long-time gesture of support. His eyes narrowed dangerously as Harry flinched. He removed his hand. "Be that as it may," he said quietly. "Your friends, your dad, and the whole of the Wizarding World would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you, Harry."

At the use of his first name, Harry's eyes welled. He blinked rapidly. He couldn't believe this Snape cared about him, or wanted to help him. Where was the vitriol? The rage? The uncontrolled disgust and disdain? He looked up, into Snape's face. Finding none of the emotions he expected, and instead a kind of soft look that spoke of caring, he swallowed against a surge of pain. Severus Snape, in his world, had known his mother -- had known her well. Harry would have given anything for his world's Professor Snape to care about him enough to be at all gentle, or to tell him about his mother. It seemed, by some odd twist of fate, that this Snape did. This Snape and this Harry had some kind of gentle, or caring, relationship.

Harry nodded. "Well, then, sir...we'd better get down there," he replied.

When Harry said "Open," in Parseltongue, Severus blanched. He controlled his facial expression almost immediately, but the suspicion bloomed in his head. He lowered Harry through the pipe, and then himself, without word and without question. Maybe nothing was wrong, but...he had an itch between his shoulder blades that said otherwise.

They walked through the cavern, to the door of the chamber. Severus couldn't control the slight shudder as Harry spoke Parseltongue for the second time, in order to open the massive, circular door.

"The snake won't be immediately present," Harry said softly. "But, if you detect any movement, shut your eyes straight away."

"I highly doubt you are immune to the Basilisk's powers, Mr. Potter," Severus said.

Harry shook his head. "No, sir. I'll be careful as well."

*** *** ***

It was a long, grimy, drawn-out, and overall bloody, battle between Harry, the Headmaster and the Basilisk. But, in the end, Severus Snape thrust the Sword through its ugly, great head and it collapsed to the drenched floor of the chamber.

"You should head back to Ravenclaw, Harry. Have a shower, get some additional sleep. I will dispose of this beast, as well as take some priceless ingredients. Afterwards, I have every intention of sealing the chamber," Headmaster Snape explained.

Harry nodded wearily. "Uh. There's a room. Where the Basilisk came out of. I think it's Slytherins office, or private sanctum, or something," he muttered.

The Headmaster sighed. "Tomorrow, we're going to have a conversation, you and I, about the many things which occurred in this chamber. For now, however, head back. You need rest."

Harry frowned, but did as the Headmaster had said and left. He was completely worn out, and 100% ready for a shower and some sleep. He'd be lucky if he even made it to his classes tomorrow.

As Severus watched Harry leave, and he began collecting Basilisk ingredients, he wondered, not for the first time that night, who the young man was that looked like Harry Potter, but, very clearly, wasn't. He knew, though, that he'd have to wait until late tomorrow to find out -- to get the answers to his questions.

***********************

TBC

Chapter Text

Harry sat in a chair in front of the Headmaster's desk, in a Headmaster's office that was not even a little familiar to him. Behind him, on the wall, was a very large mirror. The room was small and cramped by packed bookcases and a huge fireplace. It wasn't even the tower that Harry was used to, instead it was on the ground floor, opposite the Great Hall.

Harry wondered briefly what the tower held in this world, if not the Headmaster's office.

"Well, it certainly is not Polyjuice, glamours or other charms or incantations," Headmaster Snape said from across from Harry and then he gestured at the mirror.

"What isn't?" Harry asked. He squirmed slightly in the chair before stilling and resting his hands on his thighs.

"You, Mr. Potter," Severus replied.

"Me, what?" Harry responded.

Severus sighed. "Clearly, you are not the Harry Potter that belongs in this world," he explained. "So, who, then, are you?" He folded his hands upon the desk. "And, how did you end up here?"

"Oh." Harry looked away.

"Well?" the Headmaster replied.

"Uh, yeah," Harry said inelegantly.

Severus raised an eyebrow, but leaned back in a more relaxed position.

"I woke up here," Harry explained. "I don't know how, but...we -- Luna, Theo and me -- suspect that your Harry is in my world."

Severus nodded.

"Um. I'm from another universe -- a world where I'm a Gryffindor, and you and I don't get on, and...Sirius is dead. And Draco's a Slytherin, and Hermione and Ron are my best friends and they're both Gryffindors...and it seems like nothing is the same here at all and it's all odd and the war is over here, and I can't believe the war is over anywhere because it certainly isn't over where I'm from and--" Harry replied in rush.

Severus held up a hand. "That will do," he said.

Harry nodded awkwardly.

"You defeated the Basilisk in your world?" Severus asked.

Harry nodded again.

"And you and Minister Dumbledore were close, I take it?"

Again, Harry nodded.

"You and I are enemies, in your world?"

Harry's eyes went wide. "Not necessarily enemies, sir," he replied.

Severus sighed. "The Harry who belongs here...I am very much a mentor to him. I suppose, in some respects, also a bit like an Uncle. Sirius raised Harry. His brother, Regulus, is my partner. And so, I have seen Harry grow up, and understand the man he will become. You are a Gryffindor, you say?"

Harry's face scrunched in on itself for a moment and then cleared. "Yeah, yeah, I am."

Severus waved a hand dismissively. "Is it your potential likeness to your father that is the reason my...counterpart dislikes you?" he asked.

"I think so, yeah. But...it may also be about my mother and how...she's dead, and I'm alive, I think...I think she was your...I mean, his...his only friend....ever," Harry replied bluntly.

Severus hands clenched. As he deliberately relaxed, he said, "Yes, I can...well, no. I do not understand disliking a child for the sins -- perceived or real -- of the parents, but...in another life, I could imagine my...displeasure at your sorting and etcetera."

"I've never thought it was just about me being a Gryffindor, sir. I get into a lot of trouble, and I think you....he, sees that as me breaking rules and being careless and stuff," Harry said.

"Even so. You did not bully me, your father did -- relentlessly. What happened between Lily and I was a combination of my fault and her stubbornness -- I did, after all, apologize. These are not things you can be blamed for. Breaking rules? Some rules are meant to be broken in the effort to protect what we hold dear. And, even if that were not the case...at Hogwarts, there is sufficient punishment for rule breaking and trouble making," Severus replied smoothly.

Harry nodded. "Thank you, sir."

"Now, what remains is to get you back to your world. Staying here will, inevitably, cause problems for the Harry that belongs here, when he returns. What is it that you have come here for? Do you know?" Severus asked.

"You....you want to help me?" Harry asked anxiously.

Severus nodded. "Of course."

"Well, I don't know how I got here, but....my....suspicion is that I'm here to learn how to defeat....uh...the Dark Lord, back in my world. Since your Harry has already done it...I think there's a lot to learn here," Harry guessed.

"How much do you know about the way Harry defeated the Dark Lord?" Severus asked cautiously.

"I know that the Harry here had help from his friends. From Draco, Luna, Theo and Neville. I know that he destroyed all the Horcruxes, and that he wasn't one. I didn't know a person could actually be one, but I have suspected it might be possible. I guess it's good that he wasn't one. I know he killed Vol...the Dark Lord at the Ministry last year," Harry said.

"Yes," Severus replied. "I am pleased that you are aware of the Horcruxes. I had hoped to not to have to tell you about them. And so, which ones have you destroyed?"

"The diary," Harry replied. "The ring was destroyed by the Headmaster in my world -- he's been helping me. The locket -- we've been searching for it, but haven't found it yet. And I don't know how we'll destroy it without the Basilisk fang or the Sword."

Severus nodded sagely. "There is a potion, it is very complex, that destroys a Horcrux. I will give you the recipe, and you will memorize it or find a way to take it back with you, into your world," he offered.

"Alright. That sounds...that sounds good. I still can't believe, sometimes, that Professor Slughorn told Tom Riddle about them, or how to make one. It seems like such a dangerous form of magick to explain to a student," Harry said.

"Rarely do we have the opportunity to share our craft, or our knowledge, or our intellect with a student who possesses the same or similar. Rarely do we have the opportunity for true teaching moments -- especially on magickal theory. I would not think it wise to blame Horace too thoroughly," Severus commented.

"Right," Harry said seriously. "And I guess I don't. It's just...hard to believe."

"There is a test we can perform on you, the same one that was done to our Harry, to see if you are a Horcrux. If you are, I will advise you on what to do about it -- when you get back to your world. The other Horcruxes are --" Severus stopped talking as Harry held up his hands.

"Nagini, Ravenclaw's diadem, Hufflepuff's cup," Harry said.

"Miss Lovegood and Mr. Nott have been very helpful to you," Severus said not unkindly.

"They kind of had to. I don't know anything about this world, and I didn't know anything about this Harry. They had to fill in some of the blanks," Harry replied.

Severus nodded. "In any case...we will all do what we can to help you learn whatever it is that you must, and meanwhile I will research a way to send you back to your world."

"Thank you, so much, sir," Harry said.

Severus shook his head. "It is of no matter. I would do the same for any other Harry."

"He must be really special. Special to you, too, I guess," Harry replied.

"Yes. I suppose he is. Now...is there anything you specifically need to know or would like to ask?" Severus asked.

"Not so much, sir. Maybe we could talk again in a couple of days?" Harry asked.

Severus nodded. "I am going to suspend your more formal grades until our Harry is back. There is no need to ruin his academic achievements, when he will be returning. And so, I recommend that you try your best, but there are things it will be best to have you bow out of. You'll not be participating in Alchemy, with me. It does not seem as though you could be good enough in Potions to do well in my class," he said.

"But, we can't tell all the teachers that I'm not the right Harry. Will they go along with the grade suspension?" Harry asked.

"I am Headmaster. I collate the grades. I will simply leave your grades aside until such a time as our Harry has returned to this world," Severus replied.

"Collate?" Harry said.

"Collect and combine," Severus explained.

"Oh." Harry shifted uncomfortably.

"If that is everything, you are dismissed," Severus said after the pause in conversation had gone on for too long.

"What is the mirror behind me, sir?" Harry asked quietly.

"It is a magickal mirror which detects glamours, Polyjuice potion and other incantations -- even, on occasion, the Metamorphmagus gift," Severus explained.

"That sounds like a really great mirror to have, sir," Harry said as he rose.

"Yes, indeed it is, Mr. Potter," Severus replied as the door swung open to let Harry out into the hallway.

"Thank you, again, sir," Harry said as he left.

Severus pondered the possibilities long after the door had shut and Harry had gone.

***************************

TBC

Chapter Text

Really, Potter was an idiot. Okay, that was unfair.

He hadn't had an easy life, and in fact, it seemed as though he'd been raised by those horrible muggles. Even in his own world, Petunia and Vernon Dursley were a nightmare. Harry was glad that he'd only met them once, and not ever been forced to live with them. Potter had had no such luck. Instead, he'd been chucked in with their lot, and made to live in a cupboard and clean like a house-elf.

Harry sniffed.

Seriously, though, Potter hadn't even known about magic until he was eleven. No one had worried about him, Moony hadn't come for him, Severus Snape hated him and Padfoot was dead. It was all bizarre and unthinkable.

Harry pulled himself up through the loose floorboards in the attic and struggled, for a moment, to get free of them. He'd had no trouble at all with getting to Grimmauld Place or getting inside -- he owned the house, after all -- but he didn't want anyone knowing what he was doing there.

Locating the locket had been easy -- just an accio, and then an angry Kreacher had come racing his way, but he'd settled Kreacher down with the promise that he could have it back later. Harry had no intention of giving it back when it needed to be destroyed, so he'd created a copy and left it in Kreacher's bedroom, on his bed, in the basement.

In the attic, he hunted through trunks and trunks of Dark Magic books until he found the one he needed. He repaired the loose floorboards with a flick of his wand and then left through the attic door -- after shrinking the book and putting it in his pocket.

Remus and Bill weren't happy to see him, but he took tea with them anyway. They asked questions about how school was going and why he'd come to see them. Harry wasn't willing to pretend that he'd come to see these absolute strangers, though, so he told them school was fine and he'd come because he thought he'd left something he needed here, not to see them. And then, tea was over and Remus escorted Harry back to Hogwarts.

When Remus commented that Harry seemed changed, different, Harry just shrugged.

He might be a Ravenclaw in his world, but the hat hadn't wanted to put him in Slytherin for no reason.

***

Later that night, in the room of requirement, he began to brew the potion. The least he could do, for Potter and the rest of the wizarding world, was to destroy the Horcruxes he knew of while he knew where they were.

He wondered if he should make inroads with Draco, in order to see about getting Hufflepuff's cup, and then dismissed the thought. Draco, as sad as it was to lose him, was a Slytherin here. He'd never help Harry.

Harry knew, from a stilted conversation with Ronald and Hermione, that the Diary was already destroyed. He knew, from what he'd gathered from speaking with Headmaster Dumbledore, that the Gaunt ring was destroyed as well. The locket would make three, and then Harry would seek out the diadem. He hoped it was in the same place in this world as it was in his own.

He'd made notes in a journal for Potter, and charmed it to be only readable by Harry Potter, about his activities and he hoped that his help would be enough.

Harry had a hard time believing this world was real. It was so dark here, so tense. Not enjoyable the way his own world was -- even when the war had been raging. He couldn't understand the differences -- because they certainly weren't just having the Dark Lord alive and wreaking havoc. That had happened in his world, but his world didn't have this sheen of hopelessness on it, not even in the middle of war.

Harry sighed and turned his attention back to the problem at hand.

The potion was complete.

He cast a series of shield-charms, protection-charms and privacy spells on himself, the cauldron and the room before dropping the locket into the cauldron. He waited.

Soon enough, the potion began to bubble and hiss and spit. After a few moments, the horcrux began to scream and fight back -- as they all did. Minutes ticked by as it moaned, groaned and cried. The liquid in the cauldron bubbled dangerously high and then, after a few more minutes, fire erupted from inside the cauldron.

Harry waited, after taking a step back, for it to die down. Once it had, he peered inside the cauldron.

The liquid of the potion had evaporated and there was a mess, a sludge, of golden material at the bottom of the cauldron.

Harry nodded and then cast the Dark Magic spell that would alert him to the presence of any more of the Dark Lord's soul. When the spell didn't respond, he sighed with relief.

He vanished the remains and the cauldon -- it couldn't be used again once it'd been used for this -- and then cleaned up the rest of the room by dismantling the wards he'd set and casting cleaning charms. On his way out, he thanked the room and donned his Invisibility cloak.

Harry knew he could have asked the room to find the diadem right then, but he needed to rest and now he had other supplies, and another cauldron to purchase.

He headed back to Gryffindor tower and slept like the dead.

************************

TBC

Chapter Text

Headmaster Dumbledore leaned over the hand-mirror that was on his desk, shiny mirror-side up.

In the mirror, the image of Harry, the Harry that belonged in this world, came into focus. Albus stroked his beard as he watched. He had known, going into this plan, that he might need to pull Harry back from the other world before he'd learned everything he went there to learn.

The fact that Harry was a Horcrux wasn't news to Albus Dumbledore. But it would be horrifying, alarming news to Harry Potter -- the Harry Potter of this world, and he needed Harry to realize that, to figure it out, at the most opportune time. Which wasn't, to say, now.

Albus tapped the mirror with his wand and prepared to listen in. He'd pull Harry out of that world in a heartbeat if things seemed to be going as they must not.

***

"Okay, so, what you're saying is that I have to do this ritual, with people I trust, in order to figure out if I am a Horcrux?" Harry asked.

Luna smiled.

Theo sighed.

Headmaster Snape simply nodded.

"But that's...I'm sorry, but that would really require the people in my world," Harry said quietly.

"We understand that, Mr. Potter," Headmaster Snape replied.

"That's why we all want you to get back to your world as soon as possible, Harry," Luna added. "That way you can take up your proper role in the war there, and our Harry can come back here."

Harry's eyes narrowed.

"It is not that we do not like you, we do," Theo said. "But our Harry belongs here, and it does seem as though you've learned all you can here."

Harry sighed and then nodded. "Yeah, I agree. I've got the potion, I know what the Horcruxes are in my world, aside from whether or not I am one. How are we going to get to Nagini? How did you?"

"That isn't important," Luna said. "Well, it is." She shook her head. "Alright, it is, but...it's not as important as switching you two back. You'll figure it out, once you're back in your world."

"I agree with Miss Lovegood," Severus said. "I do not yet know how to send you back and bring our Harry forward, but it is becoming a bit dire. I cannot keep putting Sirius Black off -- and neither can you. He will know in mere moments that you are not the son he raised."

"Is that...has he been asking after me?" Harry asked.

"Our Harry usually visits him for the Ostara holidays. You know, the three days we didn't have classes? Well, you didn't go because...well, you didn't know to and we couldn't really let you. The more people who know that you aren't you the worse it'll be," Luna explained.

"What's Ostara?" Harry asked.

Severus made a strangled noise low in his throat. "What do they teach you at that school?" he growled.

Theo held up his hands. "All kinds of things can be changed, by Harry, if he simply makes it back to his world with the knowledge from this one. Let us, please, concentrate on that," he said.

"Right," Severus agreed before rising from the armchair he'd been occupying. "I must go. I have other duties to attend to. Theodore, Miss Lovegood, please setup the ritual for Mr. Potter. He may not be able to perform it, but we should teach it to him, just in case."

Luna nodded.

"Of course, Headmaster," Theo said quietly.

Just after Headmaster Snape had left the room, there was a blinding flash of light.

"What's going on!?" Luna yelled.

Theo covered his eyes with his hands and yelled back, "I don't know!"

The light receded, and in its place stood Harry Potter, holding Ravenclaw's diadem in one hand and an old tome in the other.

"I don't fucking believe it," Harry exclaimed crudely. "What in the ever loving fuck am I doing here?"

Luna rushed forward. "Harry?" she asked.

"Our Harry?" Theo whispered.

Harry looked at Theo and grinned. "Of course I'm your Harry," he said gently. He held up the diadem for them to view. "Now, what the hell are we going to do with this?"

Luna looked uncomfortable.

Theo laughed. "We destroy it."

****

Albus cancelled the charm on the mirror and sat back. Well, that was one thing he hadn't counted on -- he hadn't realized that the Harry Potter from that world, from Ravenclaw, would seek to help the Harry Potter that belonged here.

But now both Harrys were back where they belonged, and the world would keep moving on. He hoped Harry had learned everything he needed to know, and hadn't learned too much about the ritual that would identify him as a Horcrux.

To find out for sure, he would call Harry up to his office. But, it could wait until tomorrow.

****

Harry opened his eyes. He was laying on the floor, but he wasn't sure where. The room was quiet and still -- which meant he wasn't in the dorm, but....what world was he in?

He sat up.

A cauldron sat on a heating station a few feet from him, with dozens of what looked like left-over ingredients next to it. A journal lay open on the floor, and...if he understood correctly, he was nowhere he recognized.

The place still had the feeling of Hogwarts though, Harry thought.

The Room of Requirement was his next guess, and he tested that theory by telling the room he needed a clock. A grandfather clock appeared next to him. Harry chuckled to himself.

It was late, according to the clock. He looked down at himself. Gryffindor robes. Gryffindor tie. He nodded.

He was back in his own world.

Harry picked up the journal and tucked it into his pocket. And then, because he couldn't see a need or use for the potion, he vanished the ingredients, the simmering brew and the cauldron.

He needed to go find his friends and perform that ritual. Right now.

*****************************

TBC

Chapter Text

Harry stared at the door. It was dark and seemingly made of ebony and stone. He had a feeling not unlike trepidation in his stomach.

He knocked. Leave it to Hermione to know where to go, he thought sullenly.

The door opened without a sound.

"Sir?" Harry said softly. "We need your help."

Severus Snape stepped out into the lighted corridor. He crossed one arm over the other regally and then raised an eyebrow. He cast his glance over Ron and Hermione, who stood behind Harry, and then his gaze snapped back to Harry. "And why, Mr. Potter would I help you?" he said darkly.

"Please, sir," Harry begged. "I know that I have done something so wrong to you. I know I should never have...I promise I didn't tell anyone, and I haven't spoken of the incident, please understand what I'm telling you, sir. I am sorry. It will never happen again. But we do need your help. It's so important, sir, please."

Severus stepped back into his rooms, but left the door open. "While I appreciate your...apology, I cannot and will never help you, Potter," he stated.

Harry's face fell. "Please sir, please. It's about the horcru-"

"Silence!" Severus exclaimed. "Never speak of that to me, never!"

"But sir!" Harry began.

Severus took a breath and then ushered the Golden Trio into his rooms. The moment the door was closed, he whirled to face them.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for you to be here? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for you to know that word?" he hissed.

Harry nodded.

"Why have you come here, Potter? What do you want?" Severus asked.

"As Harry said, Professor, we need your help. It is the kind of help only someone like you can provide, you see," Hermione explained.

"Did I ask you, Miss Granger? Is there perhaps some chance that your name is also Harry Potter?" Severus replied acidly. "No? Well, then, I suggest that you not speak until spoken to."

Hermione shuddered.

"Sir, I have some knowledge that I need your help with. And I know, I know you're not really a Death Eater, and I know you were dear friends with my mother, and I know, I understand that you hate me, but please, I really do need your help," Harry pleaded.

Severus glared. "What, exactly, are you talking about, Mr. Potter?" he asked.

"I want you to use Legilimency on me, sir, in order to understand better. If I tell you, you won't believe me. It was hard enough to convince Hermione and Ron!" Harry said.

"As you wish," Severus replied before pointing his wand at Harry's forehead and saying, "Legilimens."

Memories swamped Severus and for a moment he had trouble sorting them out. And then, suddenly, they were made clear as Harry pushed the most relevant ones towards him. He saw Harry, as a Ravenclaw, talking with someone that looked exactly like him. As Harry's memories from the other world unfolded, and Severus viewed them, he began to understand what Albus had done.

When Severus exited Harry's mind, he nodded and then showed the three students into his rooms.

"Sit down," he said calmly. He wasn't sure how much to divulge, but he now understood the conversation he'd had with Albus over a month ago and he also, finally, understood Harry's behaviour over the past month. The Harry Potter that had been here hadn't been of this world -- which was obvious to Severus based on that student's mastery of Occlumency, which the Harry Potter of this world had never had. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"I am...given to understand that you have been in an alternate world for the past month, Mr. Potter," Severus said after a few moments. "I understand these memories as the truth, because they do not have the sheen of a lie or the shine of a planted, false memory." He still didn't know how he felt about that Harry Potter and that Severus Snape having a bond -- a mentor/mentee relationship -- but he did understand how it could have happened, if Regulus had been still alive and if Potter hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor.

Severus sighed. "What is it that you need my help with, Mr. Potter?"

"The ritual to determine if I'm a horcrux, sir," Harry replied bluntly.

Severus hissed and then grimaced.

"Are you saying you won't help us, sir?" Harry asked.

Severus shook his head. "I cannot help you with that ritual, Mr. Potter, but I can answer the question it poses -- after a fashion."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked anxiously.

"Are you completely dim-witted?" Severus asked as he pressed his fingers to his eyes.

"Harry, he's saying he knows the answer -- whether you're a horcrux or not," Hermione explained.

Severus nodded.

"Oh. Alright. Am I a horcrux sir?" Harry asked.

Severus's eyes went glassy and then slid away from them -- seemingly of their own accord.

"Oh," Hermione said as she jumped up from where she'd been sitting. "He can't tell us."

"An excellent deduction Miss Granger, five points to Gryffindor," Severus replied.

Hermione gasped.

"Er. Could Harry read the answer in your mind?" Ron asked.

Again, Severus nodded.

"Oh, alright," Harry agreed.

"I cannot...cannot really separate the answer from some of my other...memories. They are...imbedded. I demand that you be respectful of what you are shown, Mr. Potter," Severus cautioned before he pointed his wand at Harry's head and again intoned the legilimency spell.

Harry was plunged into the deep, dark depths of Severus Snape's mind and struggled to make sense of what he saw. Memories unfolded around him, like watching a film. Snape and Lily as kids, Snape and Lily as teenagers, and finally...Snape and Lily as adults. Then, horribly, Severus finding Lily dead on the floor of Harry's nursery. Just as suddenly as he had seen it, Harry was jolted into another memory -- of Snape talking with Headmaster Dumbledore.

After hearing what he needed to know, and seeing it displayed for him in Snape's head, the pieces of the puzzle finally came together.

And then he was shoved, unceremoniously, out of Snape's head and he was back, sitting on the sofa in the parlour.

"Wow," he whispered. "Not an Unbreakable Vow then?"

Severus shook his head. "No, or I would be dead now," he replied flatly.

"But you did make one to..." Harry trailed off.

Severus nodded.

"So you'll have to...and he's set you up to take the fall for that, when it comes time?" Harry asked.

Again, Severus nodded.

"And I am," Harry said dully. He turned to look at Hermione and Ron, and then just nodded.

Ron frowned.

Hermione's eyes filled.

"How do we...how do I get rid of it?" Harry whispered.

"I have no idea, Mr. Potter," Severus explained.

"Hermione, Ron, could you leave me and Professor Snape alone for a few minutes? I'll see you back at the common room," Harry said a moment later.

Hermione nodded and began tugging Ron out of the room.

Both Severus and Harry waited for the sound of the door closing before either one of them spoke.

"You have questions," Severus stated obviously.

"Yeah. Um. I was wondering...I need to know...do you...is your hatred of me based just on my dad, or is it also that, well....that I lived and my mum...you know...died?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Those both factor into it. I suppose some of it is that I had rather wanted to hold tightly to my assumptions, and when you break as many rules as you do each year, it is difficult not to assume that my assumptions are correct after all," Severus replied a bit vaguely.

"And what does that mean, sir?" Harry said.

"Last year, I had hoped your memories of your uncle and cousin were simply hard-believed figments of your imagination. Until I remembered how horribly jealous Tuney was of Lily. Only then did I realize the way they treat you is probably true," Severus replied.

Harry nodded. "It is. I lived in a cupboard for the first eleven years of my life."

"I know," Severus admitted. "But I did not want to believe it, even then. I still do not want to believe it."

Harry sighed. "Then why are you helping me?"

"Regardless of my desire to believe or not, there are some things which are the utter truth, Mr. Potter. The fact that the Headmaster allowed you to be raised by monsters is an unalienable truth. You do break rules. It is not acceptable and should not be. But you do not bully, and you are not the arrogant bastard I always believed. I had come to have some mild respect for you over the last month, but I see now that it was not the real you -- in the sense that he did not belong here," Severus explained.

"Okay...?" Harry frowned. While what Professor Snape was saying should be shedding light on the situation, he only felt more confused.

"Be that as it may," Severus continued. "The other Harry Potter -- the one who was a Ravenclaw -- shows what kind of man you could have been, shows me that there are things which would have altered you completely, and made us into allies. As such, it is impossible for me to continue to ignore your situation."

"Oh."

"Yes, indeed." Severus shifted uncomfortably. "Unfortunately, this...awareness...has come much too late. I am embroiled in a plot most foul, and cannot, by any means, help you now."

Harry sighed. "I understand."

"There is a potion that will destroy the artifacts of which you speak," Severus said quietly.

"Yeah, the other Severus -- I mean....the other....er...Headmaster Snape told me about it. I just...I don't know if I can find it here, in my own world," Harry said.

Severus snorted. "I have a book that I will give you. I may also be able to anonymously owl you some of the more rare ingredients."

Harry nodded. "Thank you, sir."

"I hope you understand that I will continue to treat you as I have always done," Severus said -- albeit a bit sadly.

"Yes, sir," Harry replied as he rose.

"When it happens, Mr. Potter, it will be soon," Severus cautioned. "The Headmaster has less than a year left to live, and so, the thing with which you fear...the thing with which you have been afraid of all year...is true. And so, there is a task that has been given, and it will happen soon."

Harry nodded. "I'll be ready to face it, sir," he replied before showing himself to the door and leaving quietly.

****

"Oh Harry, my boy, how wonderful!" Headmaster Dumbledore said as he showed Harry to a seat across from his desk. "I have been getting rave reviews on your work this year, Harry."

Harry kept his eyes downcast and nodded. "Yes, thank you sir. I've paid much closer attention to my studies this year."

"So it seems, my boy. Lemon drop?" Albus asked.

Harry shook his head. "No thank you, Headmaster," he replied.

"Well, then, I just wanted to see how you were getting on with Horace and I wanted to see how you were doing," Albus said.

"I've done fine. Professor Slughorn did discuss the Horcruxes with Tom Riddle, to some length. But, I've promised him I won't directly show you the memory," Harry responded. In reality, he'd never gotten Professor Slughorn to confess, but since he knew what all the Horcruxes were, now, he didn't see the need to destroy his relationship with Professor Slughorn over it.

"I do wish to see it, my boy," Albus replied.

"I know, sir, but...it seemed really important to Professor Slughorn that he not be at all diminished in your eyes, and I have the information now, and isn't that what really matters?" Harry said.

"How many have been made, did you find out?" Albus asked.

Harry imagined his cupboard under the stairs and shoved his more unpleasant thoughts, along with the memories he didn't want Dumbledore to see, inside before he met the Headmaster's eyes. He felt the stirrings of legilimency for a brief moment. "Yes, sir. Seven," he replied.

Having found nothing of note in Harry's head, Albus moved on. "Good, good, any idea what they may be?"

"Luckily, we know I've already destroyed one, and I did manage, over the last month, to find another," Harry replied.

"Oh, yes?" Albus asked. He had wondered when Harry would tell him about going to another world, but it seemed as though Harry wished to keep that to himself. Well, Albus decided, all teenagers needed secrets.

"The locket," Harry replied. "It was at Grimmauld Place." The journal left to him by the Harry from Ravenclaw had told him many other things as well, but this was all Harry was willing to divulge.

"That is very good news, my boy," Albus replied. "Now we just need to discover a way to destroy it." He stroked his beard with his uninjured hand.

"I believe there's a potion that would work," Harry said. "If we can find it, if we can secure the ingredients."

Albus nodded. "And if not," he said moodily. "There's always Fiendfyre." He lifted his burned, gnarled hand and gave it a little wiggle.

Harry nodded.

*****************************************

TBC

Chapter Text

With the locket already destroyed and a new understanding between Professor Snape and Harry Potter, Headmaster Dumbledore died in a confrontation with Draco Malfoy in the Headmaster's Office. No one was any the wiser that Severus Snape had been there, and had done the actual deed -- and no one suspected it, save Harry.

Because of the journal that Ravenclaw Harry had left for Gryffindor Harry, they (Ron, Hermione and Harry) were aware that Ravenclaw Harry had found the diadem the day they'd been switched back. Hermione surmised that he'd had it with him upon the switch and would have destroyed it by now.

She was correct.

For Harry, that left himself, Nagini and Hufflepuff's cup as the remaining horcruxes. Only one of which he'd figured out how to destroy. Without the book, it was impossible to recreate the potion -- especially since Professor Snape was now gone and the three of them were in hiding.

The good news was, they weren't searching for Horcruxes. In fact, they knew, without a doubt due to insider information (Severus Snape), that Hufflepuff's cup was in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault. Nagini was with Lord Voldemort (though because of the taboo magick, they avoided using his name), wherever he was at the moment; and that Harry was, well, right there with Ron and Hermione. The locations were no longer the problem. The problem now was being able to get to both Hufflepuff's cup and Nagini and destroy them -- and soon. The longer they had to wait, the more chance there was of the Dark Lord discovering what was already lost and striving to make more -- if he still could.

Funnily enough, they were hidden in fairly plain sight in a small cottage in France. It had originally been part of the Peverell Estate, but had been passed down to Harry's father, James Potter, and then to Harry. Since Harry was seventeen now, he'd come into his full inheritance and had been sent documents from Gringotts about an additional vault and the property. Only the Gringotts Head Goblin knew he owned it, and he wouldn't divulge Harry's secrets to anyone.

They couldn't leave until they'd figured out a plan -- and they were running out of time.

"Breaking into Gringotts isn't an option," Harry said.

"Their wards and other protections are just too great," Ron agreed.

"But...and I hate myself for saying this, but....we could use Dobby or Winky to do the deed for us," Hermione said.

"I didn't bind them to me to get them captured, killed or imprisoned, Hermione," Harry replied.

"I know, and I don't want their enslavement to get them into trouble, but they're our only realistic option. Dobby could do it -- he was once a Malfoy House-Elf. And you have inherited the entire Black Estate and Trust -- there's a precedence that you have a claim on Bellatrix's vault, Harry. You're the rightful heir since she's a criminal and a fugitive," Hermione explained.

"Draco has a claim on it as well, though. He's a Black, by birth," Harry argued.

"Well, yes, of course. And if he wanted to get into Bellatrix's vault, he'd find that only too easy. You have a claim on it as well, Harry, and Dobby could do the task successfully if you'd just agree..." Hermione said.

"Yeah, yeah...I know. He could. But I don't want him to have to," Harry argued.

"Harry...it might be our only option, and it's a good move -- proactive, and surprising. No one would expect it. And Dobby could be in and out in a flash of a second," Ron said.

"Wouldn't he get caught? I mean...surely the Goblins have thought of that," Harry responded.

"No, you do have a rightful claim on her vault. You would be giving your House-Elf permission to take something that is at least one-quarter rightfully yours -- and nothing else. And no, the Goblins don't have measures against House-Elves. They would consider the House-Elf beneath them, and no wizard or witch in their right mind would send a House-Elf in to steal something from Gringotts -- because it could be seen as an act of war against one creature to another. Except in this very special case, Harry," Hermione explained.

Harry nodded. "Alright. Okay. But that doesn't help us with destroying the damn thing, or with Nagini. How are we going to get close enough to her?"

Hermione gave a grim smile. "I have an idea about that, but we'll need to contact Professor Snape. And...as far as Nagini is concerned..." she trailed off and looked over at Ron.

The left corner of Ron's mouth lifted in a kind of grimace before he said, "We bring the entire fight to Hogwarts. And soon."

**********************************

TBC

Chapter Text

The Elder Wand glittered like diamonds in his hand. He could feel its power radiating up his arm.

Harry shook his head and shoved it in the wand-holster that was tucked up along his right calf-muscle. It had presented itself to him shortly after Headmaster Dumbledore's death, and he had yet to use it. He didn't want it. Harry understood what it meant -- that with it, the stone and his invisibility cloak he was the Master of Death and nearly invincible. But he just didn't want that. What he wanted was to be normal...to be...just Harry.

He tucked the stone back inside the snitch where it was safe and rolled the cloak up and stuffed it inside his bag. He trudged out of the tent and went over to where Hermione and Ron were standing.

The cliff they had camped on loomed over one small part of the Black Lake.

"How are we going to get there?" Harry whispered.

"We'll swim," Hermione said softly.

"It might be May, Hermione...but...the water's freezing!" Ron complained. "I vote for the Dark Forest. It'll be hard, and we'll have to be careful because Old Snake Face might have people guarding it, but...it'll be much easier than swimming the bloody lake."

"How do we get across without drowning?" Harry asked.

"Several ordinary charms will work together to bolster and shield us, Harry. Believe me, I've figured it out," Hermione replied calmly as she turned to face the tent. "I'm going to pack up. Make sure you put quite a few impervious charms on your bag."

As she walked around the tent to dismantle and shrink it, Ron turned to Harry. "She's asked me if I want to swim nude, Harry. She didn't pack swimsuits," he said as his face turned red.

"I'm afraid we'll catch cold or worse," Harry responded. "Surely she has a plan?"

"I guess," Ron replied.

They waited in silence while Hermione finished packing up, and shrinking, the tent and their other belongings. Harry stared hard at Hogwarts -- she shined dully in the distance, farther away than Harry wanted to swim, certainly.

"We'll reach out to the mermaids, if we have to. They love you, Harry," Hermione said as she began to cast charms.

Ron and Harry joined her in the casting -- impervious charms on their belongings, attachment charms on things they didn't want to accidentally lose, and once they had all stripped down they cast warming charms on each other. There were also protection charms placed on both themselves and their belongings and a modified disillusionment charm too.

Harry felt very uncomfortable looking at Ron and Hermione in their skivvies, but they didn't really have a choice. Swimming weighed down by clothing while holding onto a knapsack, each, would be even more dangerous.

Hermione levitated Ron down the cliff, and then Harry levitated her down the cliff. He climbed -- carefully, and only to the point where they could see him and then they levitated him the rest of the way.

Hermione and Ron went into the water ahead of him, and then Harry slid in. The frigid temperature could be felt even through the stuck-on warming charms. But, they were lucky. Hermione was extremely smart and knew what she was doing. Even though they'd feel cold, they would not be cold or freezing internally.

They swam for hours before pulling themselves to shore. It was well-dark now. They huddled on the beach, still a few miles from the castle, and got warm and dry and dressed.

They'd sent messages to people they could trust, hoping someone would come to meet them. They weren't disappointed.

In the darkness, Harry saw a shimmering light coming towards them.

As the patronus-shape of a lion stopped in front of them, Harry grinned. "He did it, he finally did it," he murmured.

Ron laughed quietly. "A good job, too."

"And there's another!" Hermione whispered as she pointed behind the lion.

"It's Luna's -- the hare," Harry said.

Once Luna's hare-patronus had stopped next to the lion, the lion opened its mouth and Neville's voice shot forward.

"We got your message. We'll try to help. Get into the shrieking shack, and we can take it from there. Be careful!"

The message ended and the lion retreated.

The hare opened its mouth and said. "You'll need the password to the tree; we've safe-guarded it. It's advorsus." The hare faded away quickly after its message had been delivered.

"How are we going to get to the shack from here?" Harry asked.

"We fly," Hermione said.

"Thestrals?" Harry asked.

"Yes. There's a flock near here. Harry, we'll put a disillusionment charm on you -- a proper one -- and you'll wear your cloak. If Ron and I get caught, it won't much matter, but you...you can't get caught," Hermione stated.

Harry nodded. "Alright, let's get a move-on then."

*****************************

TBC

Chapter Text

They made it to the Whomping Willow on the back of three very nice, very young Thestrals.

Hogwarts and all its grounds were dark and eerily silent. There was no one patrolling the grounds, and no bands of Death Eaters (or students) out on watch.

Hermione froze the tree quickly, and then used the password to get them all inside the tunnel.

Sweet and musky smelling earth filled the low tunnel under the tree as they waited, in perfect silence, for a clue as to what to do next. After several minutes, Harry spoke.

"I think we can head up, into the shack," he said as he took off his Invisibility Cloak and stuffed it in his bag.

Hermione nodded and led the way while she cancelled the series of charms she'd placed on both Ron and Harry.

"I don't think Old Moldy is here, Harry. I mean...wouldn't there be guards and things if he was?" Ron asked.

Harry gave a grim smile, but then nodded. "Yeah, I think you're right. It's good for us -- for getting in, but....we need to get him here." Harry turned slightly and cancelled the charms on Hermione. She gave him a grateful look before taking up the lead again.

"Him and his pet snake," Ron grumbled as they made their way up the creaking stairs and into the bedroom of the shack.

Professor Snape stepped out of the dark and towards them. "Ah, Potter. You made it. I have been checking once an hour," he said gently.

Ron reared back.

Hermione raised her wand.

Harry simply smiled. "Sir," he said.

"Come now, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, if I meant him any harm I would not have stepped out of the shadows so lightly," Professor Snape responded.

"What are you doing here sir?" Harry asked kindly. "We expected Luna or Neville."

"Yes, I am very well aware of who you expected. However, neither Mr. Longbottom nor Miss Lovegood could have gotten you into the castle. That task falls to me," Professor Snape replied. "And we must do it quickly. The Dark Lord will be here within an hour."

"You've called him?" Hermione asked -- her voice was just shy of a shriek.

"Let us keep our voices down, if you please, Miss Granger. Of course I have called him. I must always play the loyal Death Eater where he is concerned. Had I not called him, once I was aware that you three would be making your way to the castle, it would have been my life," Professor Snape said.

"How did you know?" Ron asked suspiciously.

"I am Headmaster of this school, Mr. Weasley. I know everything," Headmaster Snape said vaguely.

"Headmaster?" Harry asked. "Wow. I guess...well, congratulations I suppose, sir."

"Thank you, but you needn't mention it. It is simply a way of keeping me in line. A...carrot, if you will, so that I might continue boot-licking, and not get any ideas about leaving now that the deed the Dark Lord so wanted to accomplish is completed," Headmaster Snape replied.

"The deed?" Ron asked, disgust laced his voice.

"Headmaster Dumbledore's death," Hermione supplied.

"Well, that is enough of this inane prattle. We must be going, follow me -- and Potter, put your father's cloak back on!" Headmaster Snape barked.

Harry did as Professor Snape said, and then the three of them followed Snape through a series of underground tunnels and into the bowels of the castle.

***

It happened quickly after that. Since Dobby had brought them Hufflepuff's cup and Headmaster Snape had handed Harry the Sword of Gryffindor, there were only three things left to do.

1) Nagini had to be killed with the Sword of Gryffindor.

After a brutal confrontation between Deputy Headmistress McGonagall and Headmaster Snape, Harry, Hermione and Ron congregated with Neville, Luna, and many other students (all who had been Dumbledore's Army members or similar) to come up with a plan. Harry had given the Sword, and the Nagini mission, to Neville -- who was more than happy to contribute and carry out the sentence.

2) Harry had to die.

He'd known it for months, but it was now time to carry it out. Harry believed that once he and all the other Horcruxes were dead, that anyone could off the Dark Lord. Harry had a short, but painful, conversation with Ron and Hermione and had left the task up to them and other members of Dumbledore's Army and the Order. He fully expected them to get it over with. Harry wished he could give away the Elder Wand, to someone who could use it for good. But, it had presented itself to him -- and the Dark Lord was, according to Snape, looking for it desperately. So, he'd have to hang onto it -- up until his death, and he sorely hoped he'd find somewhere to hide it before saying goodbye.

3) Voldemort had to be killed.

And whoever killed him could not, under any circumstances, use the Killing Curse. It could rebound or, worse, it could create another unknowing Horcrux. Harry met with Kingsley Shacklebolt, Remus Lupin and Tonks about the matter -- trusting them to help Dumbledore's Army to deal with it and deal with it in such a way that would mean the Dark Lord was gone forever.

***

As the Master of Death, he went to greet his death with honour -- the moment Voldemort called him out. Nagini was dead -- Neville had seen to it -- and Voldemort had nowhere left to turn, and Harry suspected he was starting to become aware of it.

In the forest, he buried both the Elder Wand and the Resurrection Stone, but he kept the Snitch in his pocket.

As the Stone dropped into its little hole, Harry looked up and around at his family members -- and he realized there were more people to greet him than he'd thought. The battle had been bloody, and had raged for hours -- claiming lives he'd not thought would die.

"I just left you, though. In the castle, mere moments ago," Harry said softly to the face of Ron Weasley.

Ron smiled and then laughed a little. His ghostly reflection was shiny in the moonlight. "Tell her I loved her, Harry," he said.

"She knows, Ron," Harry replied sadly.

"Tell her I had to. I couldn't let Fred die. George...it would have killed George's soul," Ron explained.

Harry's eyes stung as he nodded and turned his head to stare at his mother and father. "You'll wait for me?" he asked.

"We've never been anywhere else, dear," Lily replied.

"We've always been right here, for you," James said.

Harry turned to look at the final two members of the group.

"Will Kingsley kill him, do you think?" He asked Remus.

Remus Lupin gave a wan smile. "Nymphadora or Kingsley will, I am sure of it, Harry."

"She's alive then?" Harry asked.

Remus nodded and though he lifted his head high, his eyes were shiny with tears. "Yes. She'll raise Teddy on her own -- though she'll have her family."

"I'm sorry, Moony," Harry responded.

Remus shook his head.

"The one's that love us, and that we love, never really leave us, Prongslet," Sirius said softly.

Harry gave a watery smile. "Will it hurt?"

"You'll hardly feel a thing," Sirius replied.

***

"The locket, the ring, the cup, the diary, the diadem, Nagini....and Harry," Hermione said softly as Neville leaned towards her.

"So, that's all of them, and it's just Snake-Face to deal with?" he asked.

Hermione nodded and straightened her shoulders. Her eyes were drenched with sadness. "There's been so many deaths so far. I don't...I'm not sure how we'll pull it off."

"Harry's alive, that's....that's everything. I mean....he's wounded, but he's still with us. Or with us again? We just need...." Luna trailed off and looked away. She sighed and then shrugged.

"We'll create a distraction --" said Fred.

"That will give you the time --" said George.

"To end the Dark Lord," Fred finished.

"It's what Ron would have wanted," Ginny said quietly.

"Wanted!? He would have --" George said.

"Been in on it!" said Fred.

And it worked.

*********************

TBC

Chapter Text

Lord Voldemort died in a bloody, kill-or-be-killed battle with none-other than Severus Snape. Both Kingsley and Tonks, and several members of the Order and Dumbledore's Army had tried to get there before Severus, but, well....in the end, they all felt Severus had earned the right to do the deed.

All that was left of the Dark Lord when Severus Snape was finished with him were ashes. The ashes were collected, by Headmaster Snape, and destroyed in an ugly and explosive potion -- to attempt to head-off any still-loyal followers from resurrecting him. In the weeks that followed, Riddle House (and the graves and bodies of the Riddle family) were also destroyed. Anything to keep some absolute moron from resurrecting Tom Riddle.

There were more dead, and therefore more funerals to attend, than Harry wanted to believe.

Among the dead that he did not know (students, professors he'd never met, death eaters and other followers of Voldemort) were the ten people he had known well. Ronald Billius Weasley, Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Oliver Wood, Colin Creevey, Dennis Creevey, Lavender Brown, Seamus Finnigan, Angelina Johnson and Tracey Davis. Others he had known in passing. Edward "Ted" Tonks, Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, Lord Marbison, Professor Frederick, Professor Burbage, Michael Corner, Cormac McLaggen, Nigel Wolpert, Lisa Turpin and Hestia and Flora Carrow.

There were nearly a hundred others -- comprised of students and teachers -- that had fallen, and countless Death Eaters as well. Harry did not attend Death Eater funerals, but he did go to every one that was a fallen student, comrade or teacher.

It took weeks to attend them all, and attend them all he did.

***

In between funerals and speeches, Ministry functions and the rebuilding of Hogwarts, Harry convalesced from his injuries and the drain on his magick at a private magickal hospital in Cornwall.

He wasn't the only one there -- Severus Snape also had a room, as did Hermione Granger, Filius Flitwick, Fred Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini.

Others, Harry knew, were at other hospitals throughout the UK or at St. Mungo's.

The road ahead -- the road with which the wizarding world would take to return to normal -- was long, and would take months and years to travel.

*** *** *** ***

"So...Potter did it," Harry said as he looked into the large mirror with Headmaster Snape, Draco, Theo, Luna, Granger and the two youngest Weasleys.

"It would appear so," Severus Snape replied.

"I still do not fully understand what happened, Headmaster," Ginevra Weasley said as she sat in one of the chairs opposite the Headmaster's desk.

"It is quite simple, Miss Weasley," Severus began.

"Don't make him go through it all again," Ronald Weasley complained. "We've seen it turned out just fine, right? No need to be chummy with this lot. Let's just go, Ginevra!"

Ginevra rolled her eyes. "I still want to understand how we happened to get stuck, however temporarily, with a Gryffindor Harry Potter. I want to understand, Ronald!"

"There are multiple universes. Alternate universes," Hermione Granger began as she sat alongside Ginevra and crossed her legs. "Our Harry Potter is a Ravenclaw, and only one Harry Potter amongst dozens of Harry Potters out there, in other universes that exist alongside our own."

"Yes, I understand that Hermione. I'm not a moron," Ginevra said acidly.

"In any case," Theo said. "The Albus Dumbledore that exists with that Harry Potter -- the one who is a Gryffindor -- switched out our Harry with that one, and then switched them back at the last moment."

"But why?" Draco asked.

"In order for their Harry Potter to learn what he had to learn, in order to defeat their Dark Lord," Harry supplied.

"I did advise against this, Mr. Potter," Severus cautioned. "It is far too dangerous to extend this knowledge to so many."

"You mean to us. You're a Slytherin, Headmaster!" Ronald cried.

"I do not mean because you are Slytherins, Mr. Weasley," Severus explained.

"Oh yeah? Then what do you mean?" Ronald insisted.

"I mean because you are students. And witches and wizards. The fewer people that know of this, the better -- for all our worlds," Severus said.

"Well, we can't tell anyone. Can we? I mean, we're under a Secrecy Spell and the Fidelus Charm," Ginevra complained as she got to her feet.

"Fidelius Charm," Hermione corrected.

"Right, that." Ginevra said.

"We're going now. There's no need to stick around -- this doesn't have anything to do with us," Ronald argued. Hermione and Ginevra followed him out the door.

Harry turned to look at Headmaster Snape. "What was it you needed to know, sir?" he asked.

"I think it is time we checked on all the other Harry Potters in all the other worlds," Severus said gravely.

"Is it your assumption that it is my responsibility to ensure that these other Harrys destroy the Dark Lord?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Severus replied simply.

"I'm sorry, Harry, but I have to agree with the Headmaster," Luna said softly.

"I think it would be best if your Dad was here, Harry, before you make any decisions like going off to help them," Draco offered.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I agree. I don't want him to be kept in the dark. The whole family, really, should know."

"I can call for both Sirius and Narcissa, if that is what you want," Severus said.

"And Regulus too. He's family too, Severus," Harry replied.

Severus blinked and then took a deep breath. Harry rarely ever called him by his first name in front of other people. It was a bond they had that not many knew about. Severus nodded and gestured with his wand. He called forth his patronus and sent it off with a message. "Draco, Luna, Theodore...you are excused," he said at last.

"I would like to have Theo and Draco stay, Headmaster," Harry commented.

"I'm staying, Headmaster, it...it wouldn't be good for me to go. I'm valuable. Especially while determining which Harry we should help next," Luna said.

"Very well," Headmaster Snape replied.

***

When Sirius, Narcissa and Regulus arrived, Severus explained what had been going on and what the next steps were.

Sirius was furious about having been left in the dark, but he agreed that they needed to know if the Dark Lord was out there, still alive, in other worlds.

Severus prepared the spell, and the large mirror behind his office chairs lit up with glimpses of other worlds -- and other Harry Potters.

Theo jotted down details as they looked on -- with little checkmarks for worlds in which Harry Potter had already defeated Lord Voldemort.

There was a Slytherin Harry who had defeated the Dark Lord in the cemetery, after the final task in Harry's fourth year -- with the TriWizard Tournament.

There were three more worlds with other Harry Potters who had also defeated Voldemort -- and in one of those, Lily and James Potter were still alive and had helped their son defeat the Dark Lord.

There was a world in which Harry Potter was a Hufflepuff, and his life had gone much, much differently than the majority of other Harrys. In his world, Lily and James were confined to St. Mungo's after massive spell damage (including Crucio) had destroyed their minds and their magick. This Harry hadn't defeated Voldemort -- Neville Longbottom had.

After nearly an hour of looking, they finally came upon glimpses of worlds they realized needed help.

The group looked on, and made notes, about three worlds that needed help -- three worlds that they wanted to figure out how to help.

A world in which Harry Potter was a Slytherin -- and had not only joined the Death Eaters, but had taken over for Lord Voldemort after Neville Longbottom and a band of other students had killed Lord Voldemort at a battle at Godric's Hollow. It was first on their list for worlds that needed to be fixed.

Second was a world in which Voldemort still hadn't risen. Harry was a Hufflepuff, and hadn't gone on any adventures in which the Dark Lord could have risen. That seemed easiest to all the people in Headmaster Snape's office, because it would just require destroying Horcruxes and the varying ways the Dark Lord could try to come back.

Third was a world in which Harry Potter had never received his Hogwarts letter -- and considered himself a muggle. He did not know about Lord Voldemort or his parents. He did now know magick, but considered himself a freak. He lived in a small, run-down flat in London and worked in a bookshop. Lord Voldemort wreaked havoc on the wizarding world, with Harry Potter none the wiser.

Headmaster Snape leaned back in his chair and cancelled the spell that had showed them glimpses into the other worlds.

"I am relieved there are not more worlds we might need to help fix," he said quietly.

"Three is still a lot, sir," Harry added.

"I don't really think this is your job, your responsibility, Prongslet," Sirius said.

"I agree. I do not want Draco or Theodore helping in this kind of endeavour, Severus," Narcissa responded.

"I am my own person, Lady Malfoy-Black. I can help with this if I want to. And Harry is of-age. He doesn't need your approval or permission, Lord Black, to do as he sees fit," Theo argued.

"What we must ask ourselves is....is it possible for the Dark Lord to rise again in our world because of the other worlds in which he was not defeated?" Severus asked.

"That is a very good question, and I would be very interested in the answer," Regulus commented.

"I think it's a possibility that we really need to consider. What if it's true?" Draco asked.

"I believe it is," Luna said softly. "I think there's a real chance Lord WhatsIt could come back by using one of these alternate realms. And because I feel that that's true....it would be best if we did something to stop it."

Harry nodded. "We have to help. If only to destroy the darkness before it can take over our world again. We have to," he said sagely.

Headmaster Snape gave a grim smile, and then nodded. "We need a plan."

********************************************************

THE END.