Disclaimer: I of course do not own any of the Harry Potter material; it all belongs to J.K. Rowling and any of the other appropriate people.

Story Summery: An alternate universe story where Harry Potter uses a spell to travel to a world where his parents never died, but he did.

Date Posted/Edited: July 29th 2004

Thanks To: Everyone who has been all too patient with me (I’m sorry I’m so damn slow and this is so damn short, I only do what I can, when I can, sorry! Also sorry to those who thought Snape was going to be in this chapter, the next one I promise! I even have about half of it written already!)

A Second Chance

Chapter Fourteen: Many Meetings

by S.L

            Of course Harry should have known that dropping hints would send the castle into an uproar, but he hadn’t expected it to be so dramatic. Both James and Sirius had dragged him to Dumbledore’s office to explain and not an hour later he had to explain again to the Order of the Phoenix. The order members had all been dragged from their beds or summoned from watch duties or scouting missions.

            It was the first time that Harry had seen the Order assembled and he was glad to see that some things remained the same from his world.

            Most of the Order members were the same ones that Harry had worked with and through one or two faces were missing others filled their places. The Longbottoms for one sat with round shinning faces, like Neville’s, listening carefully while Harry talked. There were even a few people Harry recognized from a faded photograph Moody had once shown him. Not to mention that Moody himself was there, lager than life, staring at Harry with a frown (and more unusually, with both eyes), whenever he talked.

            Though many of the faces had remained similar, the attitude towards Harry had not.

            Now back when Harry had been in his world the Order had been a large part of his life. He had grown to know each member very well, had worked with them in every imaginable situation and experienced both the very worst and the very best of times with them. When Dumbledore had died Harry had taken over command as the First Phoenix and no one had objected, if anything they were relieved that he had done so.

            Harry had never thought of himself as being spoiled, but in many ways he was. When Harry had talked to his Order and made plans and commands people listened because he was The Boy Who Lived, Heir of Hogwarts, The Savior (the titles the media assigned him were endless). Of course they argued and put out their opinions too, but no one felt that Harry shouldn’t have a say, was too young, or didn’t know what he was doing, because they knew that he did. Some people were always skeptical though, and always would be, but the bottom line was that Harry wasn’t used to being ignored or told that he was too young and didn’t know what he was doing, which is exactly what this world’s Order did.

            “Tell me again why you are the only one who can do this?” Arthur Weasley said, crossing his arms across his chest quite seriously.

            Everyone was seated in front of Harry at a round table eyeing him disdainfully. Harry had not been offered a chair. He knew this was purposefully done and meant to make him feel uncomfortable and remind him that he was not one of them. Harry didn’t care, he used it as a position of power, turning it on them by towering above those sitting and forcing them to look up as he stood and sometimes paced.

            “Simply,” Harry said in a patient voice, though he was really very annoyed, “because I am the only one who can. None of you have experience with the original spell or with the subject I intend to bring over.” Harry went on. “Also this is a modification to the original spell, tailored to my needs and specifications. If anyone else attempted it the results would not achieve the same end.”

The Order members went on arguing then and Harry pretended as if he was ignoring them, though he was really listening quite closely. It was how these things went.

No one wanted Harry’s opinion in the argument, they just wanted him to sit there and wait to be questioned when they wanted to reassure themselves on something.

            So he watched and listened, trying not to acknowledge that he knew Moody was staring at him, or that Dumbledore was saying very little or that his mother had nearly bitten her lip to the point of bleeding, and was holding back all of her concerns with the plan Harry had proposed. Instead she remained silent and shot Harry looks that quite clearly told him that he would be hearing exactly what she thought about the whole situation later.

            At one point Tonks had grown so frustrated with Minerva McGonagal clicking her tongue every time she heard something she disagreed with that she made her ears disappear altogether.

            “Alright then,” Dumbledore said somewhere after three in the morning when the quill that had been charmed to record the meeting had begun to droop and Frank Longbottom had had to be woken up twice from impromptu naps. “What we need to decide is who,” he paused and his lips twitched in an almost smile. This Dumbledore didn’t smile as much as his had, Harry thought sadly. “For Merlin’s sake, Nymphadora!” He yelled, leaning over the table so as to catch Tonk’s attention which was following flecks of dust in the light lazily. “Nymph- oh right Molly dear will you give her a nudge oh there we go,” Molly Weasley had nudged Tonks, pointed to Dumbledore and a loud popping sound gave her new ears to listen with.

            “Right,” Dumbeldore said. “As I was saying. All we need to decide is who else will be there for the ceremony which Mr. Potter has recommended.

            A protest of muttering immediately began, with Tonks sticking a finger in her ears to make sure it was working properly. The Order members seemed to each feel that their presence was necessary to the success of the plan.

            “Hold on a moment,” Harry said, commanding the attention on the room with a bold voice that he unintentionally used with crowds, it was a habit. “I wasn’t aware that any witnesses were needed. They wouldn’t need to do anything anyways. I am the one who will be performing the spell.” Actually Harry just didn’t want people to bare witness to him doing the particularly powerful and complex bit of magic that was suspicious for a wizard his age to achieve.

            “A fact,” Dumbledore reasoned. “To which we have reluctantly agreed since it seems we have no choice in the matter.”

            “Someone,” Moody said, his eye moving rapidly for the first time since the meeting had started. “Needs to keep an eye on things, if you know what I mean.”

            “Fine,” Harry said, giving in. It didn’t really matter who bore witness anyways, it’s not like it would affect the outcome of the spell. So, once more he leaned back against the far wall, muscles sore from standing, eyes nearly dropping from tiredness and waited. Still no one had offered him a chair (and he was not about to show weakness by conjuring one and openly admitting he was tired).

            In the end it was decided that tomorrow at six Harry would go down to visit Snape to collect the potion (and assumedly tell him the secret to using it so he could tell his master). It was important to continue the charade until Harry had the potion so Snape couldn’t destroy it, because no matter what kind of wizard Harry was, he was terrible with potions.

            Then at half past Dumbledore would enter and incapacitate Snape. Then they would open the door to admit Moody, Madam Pomfrey and reluctantly James and Lily. Then under their gaze Harry would perform the spell and be forgotten about shortly after as he would no longer be needed and Snape would be ushered into an Order meeting where he would be grilled by its members.

            Dumbledore would be there because it was his school and his Order so he had the automatic right. Moody would be there because he was certain that something would go wrong and only he had the experience needed to oversee things and to fix them when they went wrong. Madam Pomfrey had the most practical reason for being there which would be to rush both Harry and the Other Snape to her hospital wing to make sure they were okay when it was done or to help them in the dungeon classroom if something posed a threat to their health. (Like perhaps an unexpected curse from Moody, Harry rather thought). Harry’s parents had needled their way in by claiming that because they were Harry’s parents they had a right. Harry rather thought that they wanted to be there for his last moments in case he died. After Harry had explained the particulars of his spell (which was rather dangerous, but Harry thought it was highly doubtful that he would be killed), tears had welled up in Lily’s eyes and she had had to look away from him.

            Harry didn’t really care anymore by the time the meeting ended and he was allowed to sleep. It was just after six o clock in the morning on a Saturday before Harry crawled into his bed. The meeting had ended an hour and a half ago, but Harry had to follow his mum to her office so he could hear exactly what she thought about the situation, most of which he didn’t understand through her chocked and emotional words.

            It was nearly noon when Harry woke up, still tired, almost regretting having told the Order anything at all. It probably would have been better if Harry had just done what he had wanted to do and gotten in trouble for it afterwards, but he had been trying to stop that habit since after his fifth year. Though now he didn’t think much of forethought and was thinking of going back to his way again.

            In a daze he showered and dressed, wishing he had gotten more sleep. It would make the spell more difficult this afternoon, but maybe he could grab a quick nap after lunch?

            Harry was yawning loudly and pulling on his dragonhide boots (which he was very fond off as they were particularly tough), when Ron entered the dormitory.

            “You finally up?” Ron said, rubbing his nose as if someone had told him he had a bit of grime on there which he couldn’t seem to find. “We thought you were going to sleep all day.”

            “Long night,” Harry said noncommittally as he stretched out his right leg to tie up the laces.

            “Yeah,” Ron nodded as if he knew exactly what Harry had gone through. “Hey I wanted to tell you that DA was pretty cool last night. The other guys and I reckon we might even go next week.”

            Harry tucked the end of his laces into the top of his boot and pulled his trouser leg down. “You mean you weren’t going to before?”

            “Well,” Ron said, moving out of Harry’s line of sight to his trunk. “We figured we may as well check it out, but we didn’t think you knew what you were doing.” There was a horrified pause before Ron hurried on. “I mean you’re pretty smart in class and everything, but we thought you had just gotten full of yourself thinking you could instruct practically.”

            Great, Harry thought, everyone really was a critic. “Don’t apologize; you have every right to think I’m rubbish.”

            “Oh,” Ron said in a relieved tone. “I don’t think you’re rubbish, or I don’t anymore. The thing you told me to do with my wrist worked just great. I’ve never been able to do a proper shielding charm before.”

            “Splendid,” Harry said and stood up, looking around the room for his wand. He spotted it sticking out from under a pile of laundry by the door. “I’m going to lunch then,” he told Ron who was digging through his trunk. “Are you coming?”

            “Nah,” said Ron dismissively, who, almost always perked up at the mention of food. Instead he straightened and made a face as he detangled a book from the grasp of an offensive maroon jumper. “I just ate and I have to go to McGonagal's to finish that cat-into-catfish paper that I didn’t turn in on Thursday.”

            “Right,” Harry told him and then left him to it. He had finished the paper Thursday morning in Defense class. Turning marine animals into land mammals had never been particular hard for him.

            Harry thoughts drifted back to the meeting the night before. It had bothered him a little that Dumbledore had told the entire Order about how Harry had come to be in this world. It was Harry’s original understanding that only his parents; Sirius and Remus as well as Dumbledore himself were to know. However Dumbledore had informed him prior to the meeting that it would have been a security risk to keep such information from the Order. Harry rather thought that he had told them so they could keep an eye on him.

            Determined to continue to think positively and only about the upcoming chance of food and not on the politics of war Harry made his way to the Great Hall. As he went he passed Ginny who looked away so as to intentionally ignore him and a couple of Hufflepuff fifth years who said they had heard about the success of DA and wanted to know if they could join. Harry informed them of the time and location of the next meeting sleepily, as his stomach rumbled in discontent.

            Finally he made his way into the Great Hall (which was almost empty) and found a seat next to Hermoine, who was reading a thick book and taking bites of her sandwich as she turned the pages.

            “Hello Hermoine,” Harry greeted as he took a seat, reaching for a sandwich for himself. He poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice as he waited for himself and scanned the head table. Snape was there, as well as a tired eyed James who had been up quite late, as well and a twitching Flitwick who kept falling out of his chair.

            “Oh hello Harry,” Hermoine said in a shy voice when Harry was already through half of his second sandwich. She had just finished her chapter.

            “How’s the book?” He asked, moving his plate over to make table room for the group of second year girls.

            Hermoine smiled weakly, and then looked quickly away.

            Inwardly Harry sighed. He was making a great improvement with Hermoine, he thought, at least now she spoke to him. When he had first arrived the most she would do was nod or shake her head. She didn’t even raise her hand to answer questions in class. However Harry had made himself her partner in every class they shared talking to her until she was forced to answer.

            The reason for her silence and shyness, Harry had found out by asking Lavender Brown, was because after being a know it all during her first year she had been made fun of, so slowly she had become a quite and unnoticed girl. Harry thought that this was easily believable. He hadn’t forgotten how badly she had reacted when she had overheard Ron making fun of her during their first year. It was sad to think that since there had been no Harry to cajole Ron into looking for her and apologizing that she had allowed the behavior to continue. Sure his world’s Hermoine was still a know-it-all, bossy girl, but that was because she knew she had two friends who understand her and didn’t care if everyone else made fun of her.

            Remembering his Hermoine and seeing a shadow of her in this Hermoine Harry kept trying to work on her. So he tried to make conversation again.

            “Have you finished your charms essay yet?” He asked, pouring himself another glass of pumpkin juice. “I think the bit about comparison spells is a little difficult. “He didn’t really, but he knew if something would make Hermoine talk it would be the welcomed chance to tell Harry what she knew.

            She rose to the bait, her book forgotten. “Oh its really very easy Harry, I have this great book that goes through-“

            “Hey Harry!” Bran said loudly, sitting across from them and interrupting Harry. “What are you guys talking about?” He picked up a pear, sniffed it, frowned and then picked up an apple instead, taking a bit sloppy bite from it.

Hermoine was like a deer in the headlights. After mumbling a hasty “nothing,” she picked up her book and scurried away.

            As she left Harry glared at his brother. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to get her to talk to one person let alone two?”

            Bran shrugged. “She’s always been quite, I don’t know why you bother,” he let his arm fall a bit so he could smile at Harry without a fist full of apple in the way. “You don’t fancy Granger do you?”

            Harry glared at him, not even embarrassed at the implication. In his world people were always saying things like that to him. “No, but I do think she deserves to have somebody to talk to. Hardly anyone even acknowledges her.”  

Another shrug and a bite of apple showed Harry just how concerned Bran was about the matter.

            “So what’s going on with the heads upstairs?” Harry gave him a curious look so Bran sighed and rolled his eyes as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “You know what I mean. I saw everyone leave this morning and you were there.” To his credit Bran didn’t sound jealous.

            For a moment Harry thought and sipped his pumpkin juice. He didn’t think Bran was that perceptive, then again he should have because at this age Harry was just as meddlesome, if not more so.

            Finally Harry said, “what were you doing up so early?”       

            Bran grinned toothily and set down the apple core. “That’s for me to know and,” he stopped and smiled. “Oh who am I kidding, I want to tell you,” Like a man with a secret he looked both ways down the table and then leaned as close as possible to Harry. “I was in Dad’s office changing all of Mare’s grades to zeros.” Then he giggled and slapped both hands over his mouth in a childlike manner.

            Harry allowed himself to relax. So Bran hadn’t been copying his time as he had at that age. It wasn’t anything dangerous at all, unless you factored in Mare’s reaction to what Bran felt was a “joke” and she would think it to be “another-reason-to-curse-Bran-into-oblivion.”

            “So,” Bran insisted when he had gained control of himself. “What was going on? I know you were there, I saw you leave. Are you being inducted into the Order? Is-” Bran looked about and lowered his voice. “You-Know-Who up to something?”   

            Harry leaned forward as well as if he was about to tell Bran a secret. “You still have the present I gave you for your birthday?”

            Scrunching up one cheek and eye in a puzzled look Bran nodded.

            “Good,” Harry said, leaning back draining the last of the pumpkin juice from his glass. “Always keep it on you and make sure you never lose it.”

            Then Harry stood up and went to take a nap. When he awoke three and a half hours later it was time to get to work.