Chapter Seven

The next morning Harry sat by himself at breakfast, the painful scratches were still raw red on the back of his hand. I must not tell lies. He could barely believe that the awful woman could create such a punishment, he was just grateful that Violet had been assigned to sorting past papers. Occasionally Professor Umbridge would wave another quill pointedly at Violets back whenever he started to slow. He couldn't let that happen.

He hadn't told his family or friends about the night's detention, more than anything he was just worried that they would be forced through the same punishment. He needed to talk to Ron and Hermione in the other world, to make sure they were okay. Harry hid his hand as Violet joined him at the table grabbing a pastry, just as he saw his snowy white owl along with all the other post. Harry spotted Violet staring at the owl and sent her a grimace but she only smiled looking mildly amused. There were two letters attached to her leg, one being from his mother and the other from his father. Harry opened the letter from his father, hoping it would be less sever than his mother.

Dear Harry,

I am writing to congratulate you on your week of detention with the new teacher. Sirius told us what happened from his meeting with Dumbledore and Addison. I could not be prouder than all of you. I know her well from the Ministry and I want you to keep hope, not everyone thinks the way she does. Please tell Violet I sent my congratulations also. I hope detention isn't too awful, keep up the good work son. We all believe in you.

Love dad.

Harry couldn't help but laugh. It was nice that he had someone to support him. No doubt in his other world he would get told off by the Order. He opened his mother's letter now whilst he passed his father's letter to Violet.

Dear Harry,

Poppy and Sirius have told us what happened in your defense lesson. If it had been in other time I would have been annoyed but this time I will let it slide. I am outraged that Dumbledore employed someone like that at Hogwarts and I am writing to him immediately. Try to keep your temper son.

Love always

Mum x

"That could have been worse." Harry said sighing with relief. He turned to Max but saw he had his own letter from his father. When Max had finished reading he laughed shaking his head then handed his letter to Harry without a word.

Dear Maxim,

I cannot express my disappointment. Addison got a meeting with Dumbledore, Harry got a week detention and Violet & Danny have a detention. You have nothing. I am very disappointed and I hope next time you have a lesson with her you will do something I can be proud of.

Sirius.

Harry laughed also as Violet giggled reading the letter over his shoulder. "Your dad is right Max, its very disappointing." She said shaking her head at him. Max pretended to sigh and he drew a quill and parchment from his bag. "I hate to disappoint my parents. So, either of you two got any idea how to make the hags life hell?" Max said with a grin and a twinkle in his gray eyes.

They discussed throughout breakfast as Ron joined the friends, Hermione sat a few seats down glancing at everyone as she half read a heavy book. He wanted Hermione's advice on what to do with Umbridge, someone who was sensible and logical who wouldn't overreact like his parents would. Feeling the outline of the small mirror in his robe pocket he traced the circle.

Should he go back? He wanted to see if they were okay.

But remembering how he left before without any explanation, he felt hesitant, there was no way he could go back without explaining. How could he tell Sirius that he had saw another version where he was happy?

"You are pretty lucky its only one nights detention. Quiddich tryouts have been moved, Angelina wasn't especially happy though." Max commented, Harry wondered if he had been seeker here too. Who was on the team with him?

Violet rolled her eyes, "I don't know how you do it Harry. I mean its fun on occasion, but if I was on the team I would never have time to do any school work."

"That, and the fact you aren't good enough." Max teased.

"Same goes to you. I wonder if Kally with try out this year."

Ron paled and started to eat his breakfast a lot quicker and Harry repressed a smirk, Ron would be great on the team. Thinking of his life with his family, Harry knew if he were going to visit both worlds, he would need to do it sneakily. Without raising suspicion. He wasn't entirely sure how he would explain it, but he knew he couldn't tell them about the mirror, Dumbledore would take it away from him in a heartbeat.

Tonight. He would go back tonight to explain.

"What's that?" Max said fiercely, and before Harry had a chance to pull away, Max grabbed his wrist.

Ron, Violet and Max stared at the faint red outline still etched into his hand. "I thought you said you had lines?" Ron gasped.

"I did." Harry bowed his head, embarrassed as his friends cried out in outrage. "Please, its not a big deal. She just wants a reaction and I'm not giving her one."

"We need to go to McGonagall." Violet said already half standing up, but Harry pulled her back down. "No we do not. I'm not giving her the satisfaction."

"Dumbledore then?" Ron suggested.

Harry met Violets heated purple eyes at that moment, they both knew he couldn't go to Dumbledore; he would sense something was different. He was also still feeling bitter with his headmaster from keeping him away all summer with no information.

"No. He's busy enough."

Max was still staring at his friend's hand with a concerned expression. "I am worried. We need to tell Aunt Lily."

"If mum knew, she'd pull us all out of Hogwarts." Violet replied flatly. "Look, it's only been once and she hasn't done it to anyone else. Imagine if she started doing this to someone else because I told? What if she hurt Kally or Jamie? I am not going to be responsible for her hurting anyone else. I am honestly fine." Harry said covering it with his robe.

"I'm still worried mate." Max murmured, he didn't even look angry, just sad.

"I promise, I am fine."

…

"Violet, I need to go back. To check on them." They were the last two sitting in the Gryffindor common room curled up by the fire.

She looked stubborn. "What happens if you don't wake back up?"

"There is still me in both places. I guess it just depends what memories I have. It will all be fine." He tried to assure her but she didn't seem convinced. "Harry just stay here, lets figure out how to get your memories back and everything will be fine."

He stared at her, it was something he had strongly considered. "Do you think I could leave people if they need me? In any world?"

Violet huffed. "Of course not. Too bloody noble."

He cracked a grin. "I'll be back soon. I promise V."

They paused for a moment as Harry pulled out the mirror. "I am glad." Violet said quickly as Harry started to lean forwards. "I'm glad that somewhere out there that Ginny is alive." A warm ache started to spread through his chest. "So am I." Then his world was pulled into darkness.

…

He woke from the blinding whiteness yet again, he could hear people whispering quietly but it took a few moments to focus on the fuzzy outlines. His chest physically ached knowing he would not be with his family. A pain so sharp in weight on his chest making it hard to breath, he had everything he wanted. Finally. He had the life he dreamed about. But the obligation to check on his friends was one he knew he could not break.

"Harry?" Hermione's voice was soft.

"Tell Dumbledore I need to speak with Sirius and Professor Lupin. I guess Dumbledore better hear this too." The bitterness was evident in his voice making his friends exchange similar frowns.

He refused to speak to either of them until the three adults arrived an hour later, Sirius in his dog form until they reached the privacy of Harry's curtained bed.

"Mr. Potter, I believe Miss Granger thinks there is something you need to tell us." Dumbledore's eyebrows were pulled together, seeming to stretch the lines in his worn face.

"I was with my parents." Harry whispered to the group gathered around his bed. No one spoke. Sirius looked away with a pained expression whilst Ron and Hermione looked simply confused; Remus was the only one whose expression did not change.

"Harry it is completely normal to have hallucinations whilst in a coma." Remus said in a slow voice. It was the kind of voice Harry associated with the very sick.

"But I was! I swear! You were there Remus! And you Sirius, you have to believe me!"

"Harry-"

"Please, I know it! Mum and dad were there! They had other kids, Violet, Kally and Jamie! My siblings!"

"Harry-"

"You had families and Neville had a family! They are alive I know it! You were married to Amber and Sirius was with Poppy and-"

"Enough!" Sirius yelled and Harry stopped, taken aback. Sirius had never yelled at Harry.

The man with shaggy hair looked at Harry painfully before walking away from his bed without saying a word. Harry looked back at Remus who also looked deeply saddened.

"Remus?"

"Harry, your parents are dead. I am sorry but there is no bringing them back, I am glad you are up but you need to think of this logically."

"How else would I know about Amber?" The question made him hesitate but he shook his head and he sighed painfully. "Many people knew about your parents friends at Hogwarts. I am so sorry that someone is doing this to you. It's a cruelty that only the worst of humanity could think of."

Remus stood up, "Your parents were incredible people Harry. Give Sirius time, none of us expected this." He said calmly before following Sirius out the room. Harry looked at his two best friends, Hermione was looking awkwardly at the bed and Ron was looking out the window.

"You two believe me, don't you?" Harry asked hearing the plea in his own voice.

But they were not given the time to respond. "Please leave us for a moment." Dumbledore said in a clipped tone as he stared at Harry who looked away. He could tell that his head teacher was trying to rationalize something that was such an incredible gift. And he wasn't going to like what he would say on the matter.

"Firstly, I do not want you to worry Harry; I know it must be very hard to understand. But the brain can do many wonderful and terrible things. It is not a bad thing, which happened to you, but it is best not to dwell on it. I will meet with you in the next few days to discuss in more detail."

Harry nodded not saying anything, Dumbledore sighed and for the first time he looked his true age. "I am sorry this happened to you, I cannot imagine how hard it must be. I know it seems real but trust me when I say it is not." Dumbledore spoke firmly.

"Are you aware of the term Occlumency?"

Harry shook his head not trusting himself to speak. "It is the magical defence of the mind against external penetration. An obscure branch of magic, but a highly useful one. You will start lessons immediately. It is my belief; someone is getting inside your mind Harry. And this could be very dangerous for us all. Very dangerous indeed."

Harry nodded yet again and forced a smile at the headmaster; Dumbledore turned to leave but then said, "Harry, keep safe." Then he left his bedside before Harry could ask anything else. He could feel the small mirror pressing into his side but decided not to mention it, he was sure that any adults would take it from him. And he could not bear to part with the object that took him to such happiness. Even if it was for some reason dangerous.

He stared at his two best friends who stood at the end of his bed. Harry felt his heart sink. It was extremely clear neither of them believed him either.

"Well Harry, you have to understand it does sound extremely strange, are you sure it wasn't a dream Harry?"

"Yes Hermione!"

"Who could do this to you?" She wondered, the sympathy in her eyes only stung him further and he blinked away tears. He wasn't mad. He knew the truth, even if no one else would believe him. He had a place where people loved him and would care for him in a way that they didn't here. Harry had only come back to try and protect his friends but he was now strongly regretting his decision.

"I don't know Hermione but it's not exactly a bad thing." He knew deep down that whatever was happening couldn't be good in the long term, but seeing what is life could have been felt like an addicting drug.

Her horrified expression made him regret speaking. "But Harry, only the darkest magic could create something like this."

Ron dipped his head, his face reddening. "It doesn't sound like the healthy thing mate. Remember The Mirror of Erised?"

How could he forget?

"Of course I do. But this isn't some image. They are real. My own mother hugged me. Do you know how that would make me feel?" The lump in his throat cut off his voice and he couldn't continue. No one understood.

"I want to be on my own."

They looked concerned but did not argue with him. Their footsteps echoed down the hospital wing and he got his wish, he was on his own. As he lay in the white sheets, he realized how horribly lonely he was and regretted sending them away.

…

"Harry?"

It had been three nights since he woke, Ron and Harry were the only ones in their dormitory; Harry laid thinking about his family unable to get to sleep. Did they miss him?

"Ron?"

"What were your family like?" Ron asked nervously.

Harry felt as if the wind had got knocked out of him, no one had asked him about them yet. It was strangely comforting. "My mum and dad were great. I had two sisters and a brother."

"Oh yeah? What were they like?"

"Well Violet has black long black hair, she had these big bright violet coloured eyes. She is an in Gryffindor a year below us. She is really funny and she loves to prank people although not as much as my younger sister Kally."

"What was she like?"

"Well she has a twin called Jamie, they are complete opposites. Two years below us, Kally is Gryffindor but Jamie is in Ravenclaw. Jamie is really quiet and thoughtful whilst Kally is loud and full of energy. But they get on really well with each other."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. The house is never quiet. You were there."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You were there with Fred and George, Remus had a family and they were as did Sirius. Oh the weird thing is Neville was there and he was so different, he had a family and we were good friends with him." He left out the part about Ginny.

"Neville?"

"Its really odd. But he is better there, happier. He has two sisters."

"Did Sirius have kids?"

"Yeah, you and I are best friends with his eldest son, Maxim. He is a lot like Sirius but kinder, he has a twin sister in Ravenclaw and she really observant. She thinks before she does stuff, like a quieter Hermione. Then they have a younger sister two years below us in Hufflepuff. Tessa, she is sweet. The baby of the group, loves attention."

Ron listened to Harry deep into the night, and the more Harry spoke the sadder he got. Harry had the perfect life where he was, he could never give Harry that life. "Harry mate?"

"Ron?"

"I believe you." Harry grinned at the ceiling; his best friend believed him and that was all he needed.

"Why the change to heart?" Harry asked curiously.

Ron frowned into the darkness not knowing how to explain it, "After everything last year, you know. I trust you. If you think it's real somehow then I believe you. Just be carful right? This can only be something really powerful."

Harry then shared the details about what Addison and Violet had discovered about parallel worlds and the book they had found. Ron listened avidly, asking occasional questions but mostly listening to his friend, something that no one had yet done. Despite his own doubts and questions, Ron knew Harry needed more time with his family, as much as his own brothers annoyed him, Ron could not imagine a life without them.

"Are you going to go back?"

"I need to."

"Just wait two days. We will speak with Hermione about this book, and maybe go to Dumbledore if we need to. None of us want to see you hurt, especially with you-know-who back. Even if you aren't here, we need to work out some way to communicate." Ron reasoned.

It wasn't an unreasonable request so Harry agreed. Two days to speak with Hermione and figure out how to stay in touch with his world. Then he could leave, to take as long as he needed with his family to find out what was going on.