Harry Potter and the Heart-Shaped Box

Double Harrys

As Harry walked through the vast purple flames, he realized that the exterior of the room had changed very little. He walked out of the flames and into the same room he had been in just ten seconds ago. Thoroughly unimpressed and highly disappointed he kicked the Heart-Shaped Box and decided to head back to the Common Room.

While wandering down various corridors, he began to wonder what had gone wrong with the Heart Shaped Box. He had been hoping that, similar to his experience with the Mirror of Erised, he would have been provided a glimpse of the life he never had, a life with his parents. A life where he had been allowed to grow up as a normal child, lived with his parents, and his Godfather, Sirius, was still alive. Still bitter about the failed attempt, Harry began walking absentmindedly down one of Hogwarts one hundred and forty two staircases, when he spotted Ron.

"Oy! Ron!" he called.

Ron did not respond. Running to catch up, he shouted for Ron a second time, and again, received not so much as a nod, grunt, or any other sort of gesture signifying that Ron had heard him. Then a sudden rush of embarrassment hit him as he remembered what he had said to Ron and Hermione in the Common Room before storming out.

"He's probably mad at me," he thought and abruptly began apologizing.

"Ron, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean what I said before in the Common Room, honestly! I was just feeling lone-...er...what I mean to say is...er... I don't know what came over me!"

Harry did not feel much like telling Ron how sad and depressed he had been feeling lately, thinking that would only make Ron feel worse and angrier, especially if what set him off was their relationship.

"I know I was acting like a prat Ron, but...Ron? Ron!" for despite his profuse apologies, Ron had continued to ignore him and walk, rather briskly down several staircases.

"Fine!" he yelled. "I'll just keep following you until you break!"

Harry followed as Ron lead him deeper down into the depths of the castle, and finally into the dungeons.

"Where are we going?" he asked. When Ron made no reply, he prodded him a bit further. "Ron, answer me!" but Ron continued walking and eventually walked straight into the dungeons where potions class was held. As he followed Ron inside he saw several students preparing for class and getting themselves situated, which struck him as odd, seeing as how he had already attended potions earlier that day.

"Ron, why are we here? We already had potions today, remember?" shouted Harry as Ron took a seat alone in the corner, completely nonplused by what Harry had just said.

Suddenly Harry heard a familiar sneer and turned just in time to see Draco Malfoy, followed by his usual group of Slytherins, approach Ron and Harry.

"Is poor Weasley all alone again? Are you sad because that big oaf Hagrid can't come and keep you company in class?" taunted Malfoy.

"What is Malfoy playing at?" he wondered as he prepared himself to hold Ron back. "I'm right here, how could Ron be by himself'?"

Deciding that Draco was loosing his marbles, he made to grab Ron's shoulders back when he realized that Ron was still sitting in his chair, and what's more, he was looking a bit worried and timid, rather than enraged and threatening. Taken aback by Ron's suddenly demure stature, Harry's retort was slightly delayed. Recovering, he opened his mouth to say something foul back to Malfoy when he heard a most peculiar noise. It was his own voice, only the words were not what he was trying to say saying.

"Yeah Weasley, do you go crying to your Mum every night telling her how you've no friends? You pathetic git, no one will ever associate with a poor prat like you. Is that why you follow your uptight twin brothers around, for protection? Did your fat Mum tell you to do that?"

"Poor Ronnie," laughed Malfoy. "He's so poor, he can't afford to have anyone pay attention to him!"

Harry was utterly perplexed. That voice that said all those cruel and untruthful (as Harry thought about the part regarding Fred and George) words was his, but he hadn't said anything, nor would he ever say anything like that to Ron. Ever! Ron meanwhile merely whimpered in response to the accusations and he chanced a glance in the direction of the voice. What he saw nearly killed him. Standing next to Malfoy with his arm on his shoulder as if they were friends was Harry himself! He blinked. Though the other boy next to Malfoy was unmistakably himself, there were several key differences in the two boys. The Harry standing next to Malfoy was wearing Slytherin school robes and had a look on his face that the Gryffindor Harry knew was only to be used when he was feeling angry or sad.

But before Gryffindor Harry could make any inquiries as to what was going on, the door to the potions classroom swung open and Professor Snape entered. Looking around at his students, he promptly gave several Hufflepuff students detention for not being seated. However, he did not reprimand Malfoy or the two Harrys, nor did he inquire as to why there were two Harrys in the first place. Snickering loudly, Malfoy and the Slytherin Harry ran off to their seats on the other side of the room. Thoroughly confused and upset, Harry tried to sit in the chair next to Ron, and when unable to accomplish this task, settled for the floor.

"What is going on here?" thought Harry. As he looked around the classroom, no one appeared to have acknowledged that there were doubles of Harry and that one of them was currently sitting on the dungeon floor, in Snape's class no less! He was about to nudge Ron and ask him what his opinion on this whole ordeal had been when he noticed something peculiar. Missing were Ron's usually Gryffindor colors of scarlet and gold, his prefect badge, and S.P.E.W. button. Instead they were replaced with the Hufflepuff colors of canary yellow and black. Harry searched the room for Hermione, hoping that she could shed some light on these bizarre events and fill Harry in with her vast wisdom. However, he noticed that instead of being filled with Hermione and his fellow Gryffindors, the class was filled with Hufflepuff sixth years. Utterly confused, Harry continued to sit on the floor, thinking, while Snape began class.

"Today we will be making a flu remedy potion..."

'Why is there another person in this room with my face?' pondered Harry.

"...pair up with a partner, you have and hour and a half..."

'Perhaps someone is using a Polyjuice Potion...'

"Miss Bones, do you always neglect to read instructions prior to attempting something or is this just you being stupid?"

'But why would they, and why hasn't anyone else, aside from me, noticed or cared that there are 2 of me.'

"Weasley! Does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours?"

'Why is everyone ignoring me! ' thought Harry angrily.

"Very good Draco."

'Why has Ron been acting so strange and why is he wearing Hufflepuff robes?'

"Excellent Harry, though what else should I have expected from my top student."

'Was this some sort of jok- wait a minute, did Snape just compliment me, or rather the other me?' thought a stunned Harry. And sure enough, when Harry looked over to where the Slytherin Harry and Malfoy sat, he saw Snape with them enjoying what looked like a pleasant conversation.

Harry gasped at the gruesome sight of 'himself' and Snape enjoying each other's company. Feeling as though he might be sick, Harry decided to leave the room immediately. However, as he got up, the bell rang and chaos erupted as thirty students scrambled for the door. Harry saw Ron clean up his things and dart of the classroom and Harry followed, for lack of anything else to do.