After making you wait months for this chapter, I have decided to post it. Unfortunately it has not been beta-ed, so please pardon any mistakes. I hope to post a finished version of this chapter when my beta-reader gets back to me.
Oh, and of course I am not discontinuing this story. Especially after I read OOTP. BTW, this story will have no influences from OOTP. This is officially AU and any comparisons it has with OOTP are pure coincidental, as I planned this story out long before hand.
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Chapter 5:
Lily rushed through the halls, hurrying to find James. She should have known he was going to do something like this, especially because the Headmaster had warned him specifically against such. And she also knew how James got in new places. Although Hogwarts certainly wasn't new to them, it was a new world to them.
And that brought up another question. James was much more in tune with his magic than she was. It came from James' abilities, one of which was seeing magic and feeling magic. It was said that James had a sixth sense, the magical sense. She wondered if Harry had it as well. It did run in James' family. But what she had realised was that this world didn't feel wrong like an alternate world should. An alternate world would give you a feeling of unpleasantness and though she felt a little odd, it was nothing compared to what she should have been feeling. It was almost as if she had been in that world before and had to re-adjust. Which was ridiculous, as she had never travelled between worlds before.
But the matter at hand was that James was missing, in a castle where he knew everything and was thought to be dead. There was no telling how many people he could scare. Which of course explained Harry's reaction perfectly. She hoped that when Harry woke up, he'd go straight to Dumbledore and receive an explanation.
She neared the Great Hall. Hopefully that's where James would be, and hopefully there would be no one else around. Teachers lived at Hogwarts all year round, but they did occasionally go on vacation or to seminars or to consult or do research or other various things. Since Dumbledore rarely left the castle, Minerva McGonagall, as Deputy Headmistress, was the witch who ran the external affairs, such as writing to the students and making lesson plans, picking up ingredients for various spells and other magical items and other acts, which involved running the school.
`Thunk'! Lily found herself sitting on the ground, her nightdress astray. She looked up at her assailant, who turned out to be the man she was looking for. "James? I've been looking everywhere for you! You can't just run around the castle when Professor Dumbledore forbid us not to! And now I know the reason as well. Oh poor Harry-"
"Lil." He cut her off. "I have sort of a problem in there." He motioned towards the Hall. "I kind have met Snape and he mistook me for Harry and then he realised who I was and he fainted." James stood up, offering his hand to Lily. "You know, I wonder why he fainted. There's not that much of a reason to faint when he sees me. I mean, it's a given he doesn't like me, but we both agreed to get along for your sake, you know. I still can't believe you like him. Honestly, such an ugly git."
"James. Shut up. We have to see Dumbledore. I figured part of it out. And Severus is one of my best friends." She shook her head at James and sighed. This was all she needed on top of everything else going on in her life. She started towards Dumbledore's office.
"Hey, Lils, what about old Sevie?" James hurried up to her. Honestly, you're the one saying how good a friend he is."
"It's Lily, James and at the moment I don't want to have a thing to do with Severus Snape." She whirled around. The tension and everything had ended up getting to her. She hated how it happened like that. She didn't need this on top of everything else happening to her. She was close to tears. "James! Can't you- can't you understand? We're- we're dead in this world! Harry had to live with my sister for the last fourteen years! He's covered with bruises and scars! And you always have to play games with Severus! I swear you never understand a damn thing!" She hated doing this to James, but she didn't know what else to do. He was the only person, besides Severus who she could let it out on. And Dr. Zimmerman said she should let it out, whenever she felt the need.
But part of it came from James, so he definitely deserved getting yelled at sometimes. The truth was their marriage wasn't perfect as it was made out to be. Yes, she loved James dearly and he loved her. He was kind, didn't cheat on her or do anything like that. But at the moment they weren't getting along.
When they had gotten married, her mother expressed her concern in being married at eighteen. `Lily darling, eighteen is so young. Do you really want to make such a life-changing decision only on a whim?' Her answer had been a yes. She loved James, he loved her and they wanted to be married as soon as possible.
The first two years, before the attack, were wonderful. Even though Voldemort was at the height of his reign and she and James both fought him, they were happy at home. Home had always been a sanctuary. It had been the night after a hard attack where she had been kidnapped by Death Eaters that Harry had been conceived as James comforted her.
James had always been there to kiss away her tears, to make her feel better. They had a wonderful home and family, even with the threat of Voldemort. And then came the Fidelus Charm.
That had been the first time where their trust in one another had started to fall. James had picked Sirius, a decision Lily had gone along with, though she would have rather have had Dumbledore or someone not so easy to get a hold of. Sirius was an Auror with a reputation and making him their Secret Keeper would have added to the list of things he was wanted for by the Death Eaters. It wasn't that she didn't trust Sirius, because she did. God knows how often during that long week she had explained it to James.
But James said that it would be okay. And eventually she had accepted that, until the fateful day Sirius appeared on their doorstep. Sirius had pleaded with them to switch to Peter. He had become a target for the Death Eaters, he didn't trust Remus, owing to Remus's father being a Death Eater and a surprise attack that the Death Eaters had shown up in, where everyone but Remus had been hit. `Come, James, that attack could have only been told to the DEs by a spy. Remus was the only one not hurt. Think about it.'
`Did it ever occur to you that Remus is one of the best damned Aurors we have?'
`Think about it. Remus's father is a DE. I know he's been watched for months by the DEs. He's also a were-wolf, you know a Dark Creature. It's got to be him. And no one else knew about the attack besides my, you, Dumbledore, Lily, Remus and the rest of the Order.' Sirius had pleaded and James had finally shaken his head and replied that he didn't give a damn at the moment if Remus was the spy or not, as long as it wasn't him who Sirius was suggesting switching to. And no one thought to remember that Peter had been with Remus and James when Remus had started preparing for the attack and how many questions he had asked…
"Lil? We're here..." She looked up. Apparently she had been walking with out realising it as the gleaming door to Dumbledore's office rose to meet her, the gargoyle standing by its side. James walked up next to her, putting his arm on her shoulder. "You okay?"
Lily nodded. James did know when to back off, for the most part, and he also made her feel so good. "Hold me," she beseeched him. She needed a comforting presence around her, and the best one she could think of would be James's, as he wrapped her into a hug.
"I love you," he whispered in her ear, rubbing her back, as she finally let it all out and burst into tears. And that is how Professor Dumbledore found them as he opened his door.
* * *
Professor Dumbledore motioned around his office. "I see you have found your way here. Lily, James, is now an all right time to discuss your journey here and what has happened since the thirty-first October, nineteen eighty-one?" He watched Lily and James sit down, James keeping a hold of Lily's hand.
James kept his eyes on Lily. He cleared his throat. "I- I guess so. Pardon me if I don't go into much detail about our world." Lily nodded.
"That's right. Professor, I don't think I could stand being forced to go through our past. I read a history book in out rooms and the history's the same, except the Death Eaters never stopped attacking after Voldemort fell. It actually gave them more thrill, it seemed. And Voldemort came back in 1992, at the end of what would have been Harry's First Year.
"We're, well, all of the Aurors are working hard. It seems where ever we go, there's more death and destruction. You still run Hogwarts, Severus is still a spy, Sirius is free, I hope he is here as well, Remus is also well, Talia and Sirius seem to have finally gotten together, though how long that will last, no one knows, and Peter escaped from Azkaban and is now working with Voldemort." Lily stopped and sighed. "I may not know much of this world, but it certainly seems better than ours."
Dumbledore nodded his head and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, James cut in. "Snape's fainted in the Great Hall." Dumbledore closed his mouth and James, ignoring Lily's glare, went on. "He saw me and mistook me for Harry. And then he realised it was me and fainted. But, wouldn't he recognise me? He doesn't seem to have any brain damage or anything and he acts the same."
"We're dead, James." Lily said, matter-of-factly. "We died when Harry did in our world. Instead of Harry dying, we did and Harry was raised by my sister, right Professor?" Her bright eyes were trained on Dumbledore's bright blue ones.
"Yes, Lily, James. You perished on Halloween of nineteen eighty-one and Harry survived. Sirius was sent to Azkaban for being your Secret Keeper and the murder of twelve muggles and one Peter Pettigrew. Unfortunately the story came out only when Sirius escaped from Azkaban right before Harry's third year. Talia Dawson disappeared that night in grief, Remus Lupin was unable to care for Harry due to his monthly affliction and-"
"And what about Severus?" Lily cut in. "I remember distinctly saying that if Sirius or Talia could not receive custody of Harry for any reason, then Severus would and he agreed." Lily crossed her arms. "My sister I would not trust with anything valuable and Vernon would I never let near my son. Petunia my be a spiteful, spoiled person, but Vernon is cruel."
"Lily, you must understand they are Harry's only blood relation and he needs all the protection possible on him. Therefore I was able to set up wards due to the combined blood they both shared." Dumbledore looked grave. "And I-"
"What about my family, Professor? What about Brendan? Or-or my father. Surely-" James stopped, staring straight at Dumbledore. "My mother always said she'd tell me, once I turned eighteen. And I'm sixteen years older than eighteen, Professor."
Dumbledore sighed, removing his glasses and cleaning them with a cloth. "James, Brendan is gone. You should know that. He was gone even before you performed the Fidelus charm. And, as for your father, he is the last person on this earth I would entrust with Harry's care. Not to mention he was also gone. Lily's sister and her husband were the only people I could think of to entrust with Harry's care, due to the common blood they shared."
Lily was silent. Everything was running through her head from `I'm sorry, Mrs Potter, but your son is dead' to Harry's cries of `Get Away from me, Death Eaters!' Everything was so confusing. She felt so hopeless as she stood, fighting to keep her self standing. "Professor, Albus, please, I want to stay here for awhile. I want, no, I need to get to know Harry. I understand, Professor, that this is not our real world, there world we belong in, but I want to see what Harry grows up like."
James regarded his wife carefully. He understood her feelings perfectly. Lily had been suffering for the last fourteen years and he didn't want her to suffer any more. "Professor, I admit seeing Harry would be nice. We never got to see him grow up and from what you told us, he sounds like a great kid."
"Lily, James. I know that you must wish to see Harry. However, it is uncertain how long you will be staying here. I must find a spell or potion that will eventually return you to your original universe. And, though I will certainly contact Severus about finding such a potion, I can assure you it will take some time. No fear, you are stuck in this world for quite a while and you both will have ample opportunities to interact with Harry." Dumbledore stood up. "Now-"
"Headmaster, I swear I saw James Potter! And then he knocked me out! It was no ghost, and I suggest you search the castle-" Severus Snape came running in, slamming the door behind him. He was panting as if he had run all the way there, which he probably had.
Lily raised her eyebrows. Severus looked different then he did in their world, not much, but a bit. It would take a trained eye to see the difference though and Lily knew she would be the only one. James would never notice a thing. "Hello, Severus."
He swirled around and his mouth dropped open as he noticed two very familiar figures, figures that should have been dead for years, standing in the Headmaster's office. "Li- Lily?" He staggered over. "You- this has to be a trick!" But deep down, he knew it wasn't. Lily had always been beautiful, with her dark red hair and bright emerald green eyes. She had been his only true friend during his school days and they had a relationship like a brother and sister. He knew her better than anyone else, except perhaps Potter, and Severus was sure there were things even Potter did not know about Lily.
"No, Severus, it is me." She walked out of the shadows in which she stood, hands clasped together in front of her. A classic Lily stance, Severus remembered. She had grown even more beautiful in the last fourteen years, but Severus noticed a certain tiredness hidden in the depths of her eyes, behind the wisdom and age. Lily always held a sense of maturity in her eyes, with wisdom beyond her years. But what really bothered Severus, was that Lily had lost some of her youthfulness and had gained, instead, worry and weariness.
"How- how are you alive? I was at your funeral...I remember what-what-" Severus found he couldn't go on. He remembered the funeral, the dark wooden coffins draped with black velvet, being lowered into the ground. There hadn't been enough of Lily and James left to bury, only scraps of their clothing, James's glasses and their wands had been found. He may have extremely disliked James, but even he had been sorry to see him dead. And Lily's death had been almost unbearable.
The room was silent. Lily found that she couldn't talk to Severus; it was as if something was blocking her throat. Her Severus was different. He taught potions at Hogwarts, enjoyed torturing students and looked the same. But her Severus didn't look half as old as this Severus did, with all his loads on his shoulders. She found she couldn't even compare the two of him. They were two completely separate Severus Snapes.
"Severus, Lily and James are not from this World, but from an alternate universe. I was going to ask you if you could help- Lily brought them here because of a false potion. I-" Professor Dumbledore suddenly said. Lily felt relieved that he had broken the silence.
"-How long?" Severus cut in. His dark eyes were even darker than usual.
"I assume you are referring to how long Lily and James will be staying. And the answer to that is, Severus, I don't know." Professor Dumbledore said, sighing. "As it is, Lily, James, we need something for you two to do. You must stay in the castle, you saw what a fright Severus had and I don't wish to cause a panic, but there must be something other than just sitting around possible."
James nodded. "All right, Professor. But, what about Sirius? Lil said he was in Azkaban?" The thought that his best friend was in Azkaban was not a pleasant thought, especially since Sirius should have been innocent.
"Sirius escaped from Azkaban two years ago, James. He was imprisoned for twelve years, due to the belief he had betrayed you and that he had blown up a London street, killing thirteen people, one of which was Peter Pettigrew. Sirius Black is indeed innocent, but on the run." Dumbledore said, sitting down at his desk.
"But- damn!" James swore, earning him a reprimand from Lily. "He- twelve years! Does Harry know he's innocent? And what about Peter? And why don't we clear his name?"
"Think James, you already heard what Professor Dumbledore said. We don't want to cause a panic. And think of the reaction Harry had. Seriously, don't you think that reaction would be hundred times worse if the entire Magical Community? And we're not even staying here, forever that is. It's impossible." Lily answered matter-of-factly, knowing that would be the only way to keep the pain, tire and overall helplessness out of her voice.
Severus glanced towards his best friend. He could read Lily like a book, and he knew Lily was about to break down. He could scarcely believe this was Lily Potter, such a far away throw from his Lily, who was always cheerful and never let anything bring her down. He had to turn the conversation away from Black. "Headmaster, what about Harry Potter." But as the words left his mouth, he realised that they hadn't helped very much. Lily looked more crestfallen than before.
"Harry should be waking up any minute now and hopefully will come here. Then we shall explain to him what exactly happened." Professor Dumbledore folded his hands on his desk. "Now, would anyone like a bit of tea? Or a lemon drop?"
***
Harry Potter groaned as he woke up. His right arm hurt, probably from where he had punched that Death Eater the night before. His eyes narrowed. That was really low of Voldemort to disguise Death Eaters as his parents. And stupid too. Did he really think Harry was going to fall for it?
He groaned as he sat up. He hurt all over. It wasn't as if he wasn't used to waking up in pain, but this time the pain concentrated in one place-his head. He had a tremendous headache, which didn't seem to want to go away.
He sighed, and felt around for his glasses, before noticing something. He wasn't in his bed at the Dursleys', or in the cupboard under the stairs. He was in a large bed, with silk sheets and a purple duvet cover over it, canopied with dark purple velvet curtains and fat, plump pillows.
Upon reaching his glasses, he put them on, the world swimming into view. The room was large, with a secretary in one corner, complete with writing supplies. A dresser stood to the side of it, a tall dresser with a mirror. An armoire was in the other corner, and between the dresser and armoire was a full-length mirror. There was a door on the other wall; Harry supposed that was the entrance.
He got up gingerly and made his way there, stopping to rest every once in a while. If only wizards had Tylenol, or aspirin, something he could take for his head. And then it hit him. He was a wizard. He could do magic. Untraceable magic at that, and he could heal. The conversation from Mrs Figg and Professor McGonagall was still in his head.
Therefore, Harry made it to the main room, sat down in a chair, and did the sensible thing. He concentrated on his headache, and it was gone. Harry was still in awe of this new Healing. From what he remembered of the earlier conversation, apparently his father had had it too. Which led him to another train of thought.
If he was correct in remembering the night before, his Aunt, Uncle, Cousin and two Death Eaters posing as his parents were all currently at Hogwarts with him. He bolted for the door. He couldn't let the two Death Eaters take over the school.
He ran through the halls, aiming for Professor Dumbledore's office. It never occurred to him that he could just 'think' himself there. And then another thought reached him: he didn't know the password. He groaned. It seemed as everything was against him.
***
"Chocolate Frog." Nothing happened. "Every flavour Beans." Nothing happened. "Liquorice wands." Nothing. "Er… sherbet lemon?" Nothing. "Damn…Blood Pops? Cockroach Clusters? Er…come on...what is it… Canary Creams?" And the door opened.
Harry's eyes widened. He wondered how Dumbledore had found out about Canary Creams, but decided not to worry about it. He had more important things on his mind. I hope that the Death Eaters haven't done anything yet; I bet they were the ones who knocked me out. He took the stairs three at a time, throwing open the doors to Dumbledore's office. "Professor! Watch out for the Death Eaters!"
And then Harry looked around the room. Professor Dumbledore was behind his desk, the Lily Potter look-alike was sitting in a chair, the James Potter look-alike next to her and Professor Snape was standing, facing the two. "Oh…sorry Professor."
"No harm done, Harry. I assume you'd like an explanation?" Professor Dumbledore looked at Harry, his eyes graver than usual. "We have a bit of a problem and-"
"Sorry Professor, but why are two Death Eaters here?" Harry interrupted, throwing a glance in the look-alikes' direction.
"Ahh…that is what I'd like to talk to you about. Harry, meet Lily and James Potter, two old friends and two of the best Aurors there ever were."
Harry's eyes widened. There was no way that they could be his parents. They just couldn't be. "But, Professor, they have to be Death Eaters. My parents died almost fourteen years ago…and it's impossible to bring someone back to life." He refused to look at the woman and man.
"I- Harry, I swear to God that we aren't Death Eaters, and I'm sorry for the shock we gave you last night. Just, please, trust me. We don't want to hurt you, we want to get to know you." The woman stood up, and Harry noticed that her clothes had been changed. He also noticed that she looked tired and had a face that looked her thirty-four years. If she really was Lily Potter, for that matter.
The fact was, Harry had no idea who to trust. If they really were his parents, Lily and James Potter, then how did they come back to life? He remembered Hermione mentioning once that it was impossible to bring the dead back to life. And though he had always wished to be able to meet his parents, he knew he would never be able to. They were dead.
"I-I don't understand." Harry hung his head, not knowing what to do. It was so -absurd- that his parents were standing there in front of him. And then he realised what he had just thought. His parents. There seemed no doubt in his mind that his parents really were back from the dead. If only…if only he could know for sure, know for how long, know why. "How can my parents be back from the dead?"
For the first time in his memory, Harry realised, he had his parents standing in the same room with him, alive and well. He know could find out what a real family was like, he wouldn't have to stay with the Dursleys, Sirius could be cleared! He realised that he was happy. Happy and content and had such a warm good feeling in side of him, a feeling that almost overwhelmed him. His parents were ali- "They aren't back from the dead, Harry." Professor Dumbledore said, his voice grave.
And suddenly the wondrous feelings of family were gone in an instant. His parents were dead. And there was no way of getting them back. He felt so heavy on in the inside, as if he were weighed down with tons of bricks. It was such an awful feeling, one of getting your hopes up and then having them come crashing on the floor beside you. It was a feeling of hopelessness, a feeling of defeat. "Wha-what? Professor, you just said-"
"The Headmaster never said that they were brought back from the dead, Potter." All heads in the room swirled towards Snape, as Harry had forgotten he was even there.
"That's correct, Severus. Harry, Lily and James here, well, they come from an alternate Universe. A world quite similar, but quite different to our own. For instance, in their world, you did not survive the attack, but they did. And from what limited information I have heard, their world is also a bit darker, if to use the word. Lily? James?"
The man spoke up, agreeing, telling slowly of how the Death Eaters had never stopped, how though Voldemort had been gone for years, the terror had lived on. How Voldemort had come back to life four years before, and was at the height of his power, how only Hogwarts was considered safe at times, where children were constantly watched. How most people were at a lost, since the small child who had destroyed Voldemort was dead as well, the only hope they had had.
But Harry wasn't hearing the man. He had no wish to. For his mind was concentrating on what Professor Dumbledore had said- that Lily and James Potter had come from another Universe, where their Harry was dead. A world where they had had a Harry Potter, and had loved him dearly. But they hadn't loved Harry; they had loved their own Harry. These people may have been Lily and James Potter, but they would never be Harry's parents. His parents had been dead for fourteen years, and would continue to rest. They were forever gone, out of reach. And Harry was not going to allow to strangers to treat him as their own dead child.
"Lily and James Potter are not my parents." He announced, his voice shaking. "My parents may have been Lily and James Potter, but my parents are dead. They have been dead close to fourteen years now. And nothing will bring them back. Therefore, I am no relation to these people seated in this room." Harry bit his lip to keep from crying, an act he would never let two strangers and his hated potions teacher see. "I must- I must be going no- now." And with that said, he fled from the room, his eyes holding back the tears that threatened to spill, as the one thing that meant so much to him was pushed firmly away from his grasp.
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Do not kill me if you want to read the rest. I'll try to update sooner next time, all right? I have the next two chapters done, all they need is to be beta-ed and proof read. And unexplained things in this chapter will of course be later explained.
Am off internet so can't read and write responses to reviews.
Please be kind and remember to review.
-Myra 8/17/03