Chapter 1

Hermione was confused- not something that usually happened- normally everything could be explained logically or she would research it to death. This time however was different. She had seen Harry two days ago in Diagon Alley and he was fine, normal; and then she saw him at the Order meeting last night and... he was acting normally but she had felt something about him was off, she hadn't felt connected to him as she usually did. Now she was sure. The letter lay open and rumpled beside her on her bed, from Harry, he was in Diagon Alley and at the Leaky Cauldron – when he had said he was staying at his Aunts until the end of the summer- and he claimed to need her help. At the thought that Harry might be in danger (yet again) Hermione snatched the letter up again to re-read it.

Dear Hermione,

I am in desperate need of someone to confide in. You may be wondering why I chose you and not Ron and hopefully you will understand when I remind you that your boyfriend wouldn't think through anything other than where I am and that is why I am asking you for help.

By now you will probably have been to an Order meeting to discuss what happens now that the war is over. Death eaters are still running free and I fear that our spies (yes, 'Mione, plural) will be lumped in with the guilty. However I wouldn't know what you were talking about as I wasn't there.

I hope you will agree to meet me and bring some others who can help me through their knowledge and loyalty-Ron, Draco and you, that's all I need- and come to the Leaky Cauldron at noon on July 10th.

Please come, I fear that my secrets will ruin our relationship although I hope that they will only change it slightly. If you don't come, don't worry I will understand.

No need to pay me back for the Troll.

Harry.

Hermione set the letter down. Harry had been at the meeting but claimed in his letter not to have been, even though he guessed what had been said. And spies- she thought only Professor Snape had been one but apparently there was another? At the meeting, it had become more of a celebration really, they hadn't discussed the future at all; they probably assumed that the world would just keep turning even though this war had brought up some questions that really needed some research.

Hermione sighed and closed her eyes not knowing what to do for the first time, her Gryffindor instinct and Ravenclaw knowledge had failed her. Suddenly a flash of Harry at the meeting throwing his head back and laughing at something Sirius had said crossed the darkness of her blank mind. Her decision was make and opening her eyes she scrambled across her room to write notes to the two boys mentioned in the letter (she did almost hesitate to write to Draco but it was Harry's request he was included). She told them she was going but that they did owe Harry and comrades to listen to him at least. Attaching them to the barn owl that had delivered the letter – where was Hedwig? - She sent them off.

The Harry at the meeting had no scar.

They had all answered. Ron had kicked up a fuss when Malfoy arrived but Hermione had seen this coming and remembered to bring Harry's note and her red-headed boyfriend promised to try and stay calm until Harry explained himself. Surprisingly Malfoy hadn't done anything or made any remarks since he arrived, instead he merely gave them a polite but distant hello and watched them warily.

Tom had happily sent them to room 202 to find their friend and watched their backs as they left the room intrigued by the mix of Harry Potter's friends.

The room they arrived at was basic and quite small, but very cosy and neatly kept. However there was nothing in it. It could quite easily have been an unoccupied room and swapping nervous glances the three of them drew their wands. The door behind them opened and Harry stepped in with a pile of books, seeming not to notice them.
He obviously hadn't as he gave a start of shock. Hermione winced as the stack of tomes hit the floor before taking her best friends appearance in. He looked pale and his face was thin, eyes tired behind his glasses. He was also still in the same clothes as three days ago. Malfoy was the only one to move forward to help pick up the large books while the others were fixed in one place.

"Did you not expect us Potter?"

"Thought you might think it was a Death Eater trap Draco. After all two of you saw me at the Order meeting and I didn't need help then."

"You're our mate Harry. If you say you need help we'll come. To be fair you sent the letter to Hermione and she probably did huge amounts of checks on it." Harry smiled shakily at Ron and sat on the bed. "So was the room just for privacy? Was the bar not good enough?"

"No Ron. I'm actually staying in the room but it does give us some privacy." Ron and Hermione shared a look.

"Where's all of your stuff then? I assume you will be staying here for the rest of the summer? Before Hogwarts?"

"Hmmm. Something like that."

"Potions Harry? Charms? Spells for the Glamorous? What on earth are these books for Potter?"

"Why don't you all sit down? I'll explain it all but I'd prefer it if you kept your questions until I have finished as some of it will be explained as I go along." The three of them sat on various pieces of furniture around the room ready to listen. "If you don't believe me, fine, but I would quite like the chance to defend myself. Anything I say can't be revealed outside this room – no arguments. I'm just going round in circles I'll just start.

"I'd just left Diagon Alley after meeting up with Ron and Hermione and was rushing to get back. You see Uncle Vernon had locked me out of the house in the past for being back after the curfew he set for me. I don't have a key to the house, so I knocked on the door and Professor Dumbledore answered it. I know, Dumbledore." Harry nodded at Ron's shocked look and smiled at Hermione's calculating look, he could tell she was trying to work out why the Headmaster would be there. "He just said I should come on into the living room so I followed him and –this is where it gets weird- I was already sitting on the sofa flanked by Lily and James Potter with Sirius and Remus sitting close by. My 'Aunt and Uncle' were in armchairs opposite them.

"To cut a long and really rather boring story short, it turns out I am not Harry Potter. I don't know who I am or who my parents were or what my name is, if I have family or if I really am male. I don't know anything about me as a person- I thought I was gay, but am I really a bloke? I could relate to Hermione better than I could to Ron and I'm pretty good at getting moody.

"Apparently Lily didn't want her child to die and be part of the Prophesy and so claimed that she used clones to take the places of her family and then had to make it believable. However I haven't disappeared and I feel real, so I did some research and I think that she actually used a highly dangerous permanent glamour spell which works in a similar way to polyjuce potion. If I am right then from what I can find there is a potion to reverse the spell but it is apparently very difficult to bre-" Harry quickly snapped his mouth shut as he realised he was babbling, and cautiously looked at the others in the room.

After a few moments of silence Hermione spoke up to clear up some facts that she felt nagging at her. "That doesn't explain why you are here without anything."

"Apparently because I'm not Harry I can't live with my Aunt and Uncle- that I'm grateful for, really, however it also means that I don't have a place at Hogwarts and James and Lily told me that as I'm not their son I have to give all of the presents I've received and things I've bought and money I had back. The Potter vaults are not mine and are closed to me and as I don't know who I am I have no way of knowing if I have any inheritance, and I can't find out as I can't get to Gringotts or the Ministry without getting mobbed so I have nothing and nowhere to go. What I really want is to leave England for a while, a holiday or something, get rid of this glamour and find out who I am.

"I think; if we are all agreed, that we can help you." Ron concluded, "We can get you to Gringotts –finding out who you are, is the first thing. Then we need to get into Hogwarts to find out if your real name is on the list, if it is then it means that you can come back to Hogwarts with the rest of us. The rest could cause problems. Who are you willing to tell?"

"Anyone, as long as they believe me."

"My parents would probably love to help." All of them turned to Draco in disbelief. "What? It's true, Potter was the only one who found out that my father was a spy and has saved all of our lives and identities more than once. If you told them something only the real Potter would know they would help." At the continued looks of shock and disbelief Draco sighed heavily. "Look, we have a manor in France and mother could do with a break from the stress of having to live such a multi-faced life. I'm sure that she would like the chance to get to know the people she would really like to spend time with, Granger and Weasley." Malfoy began to smirk. "I wouldn't be surprised if father could talk the potion out of my godfather." The room looked at him blankly, "Snape, Professor Snape is my godfather."

They all turned to Harry who was nibbling on his lower lip.

"Let's do it."