Mirrorverse

~~Mirrorverse~~

~~Chapter Seven: A Whole New...Hogsmeade?~~

Remus and Severus were both still lost in their thoughts as they headed out of the shower to get ready for their day. Remus was going through the things in his trunk debating what to wear, though he had to admit there certainly wasn't much of a choice from what he was looking at. Apart from the robe and clothes he had been wearing yesterday, there was little else in his trunk. There was a Gryffindor scarf in faded gold and red and fraying woolen threads, and it definitely looked like it had seen better days. There was also a grey woolen winter cloak which was patched in several places, and a faded black lightweight outdoor cloak for days like today where it wasn't quite winter yet, but being September it was cool enough to wear now. Remus sighed at how the lighter cloak was even more patched up than the winter one, but that was it as far as choices went so he would have to make do. Apparently in this world he was the same or even worse off financially than he'd been back in his own world to his dismay.

As for clothes the basic choice of colours was in shades of brown, blue or basic black, definitely not the normal wardrobe Remus would have picked for himself. Not that he minded brown, he didn't, but to be limited to just these few colours made him wish for a nice red or yellow or even a green outfit at the moment. Choosing a very old-fashioned looking shirt in black with a pair of faded brown trousers he quickly got dressed and threw the lighter cloak over his shoulders, then turned to see what Severus was up to.

Remus had to hide a smile as he looked at Severus, who was at the moment just standing there doing nothing more than staring into his own trunk, a deep scowl on his face. 'Something wrong, Severus?' he asked with amusement.

'Yes something is wrong. You don't honestly expect me to wear these...things...do you?' he said heatedly and pointed to the items in his trunk.

Remus walked over and took a peek inside, slightly grinning at what he saw. Severus's own clothes were in not much better shape than his own, and patches and frayed strings showed clearly that in this world Severus Snape certainly did not come from a family of wealth like he had in their own world. Not to mention the colour scheme wasn't any different from what Remus's was, apparently their 'families' shopped in the same places in this world, and brown, blue and black colours were all he had to wear as well.

'Hmm, limited choices eh?' Remus said rummaging through the trunk now. 'Ah, here we go, try this,' he said and held out a black collared shirt with brown trousers that matched his own.

Severus glared at Remus and shook his head stubbornly. 'You have to be joking. I cannot...will not...wear those...things!' he grumbled.

Remus shook his head and . 'Either wear'em, Severus, or you're going to Hogsmeade naked. Honestly, cariadau, be grateful you have something to wear at all,' he said in a huff and turned his back to Severus putting the clothes on the other boy's bed. When he turned back round Severus was staring at him oddly however, and Remus gave him a weary look. 'What is it now?' he demanded.

Severus shook his head and gazed again oddly at Remus. 'You're speaking Cymraeg, that's what,' he said puzzled.

Now it was Remus's turn to stare at Severus. 'I am?' he asked and saw Severus nod. 'That's strange, I haven't spoke that language in...well ages now. Not since my parents were killed over twenty-five years ago...' he said trailing off sadly at the remembrance of those dismal days after his parents were murdered by Voldemort.

'Whilst you were still at school, I'd forgotten that,' Severus said reflectively. 'That might explain then why you're speaking it now...except for the fact that...' he said trailing off hesitantly.

'Except for what fact?' Remus asked curiously.

'The fact that I can understand you perfectly, Remus,' Severus said confused.

Remus looked at Severus speculatively. 'Tybed? I don't see a problem with that,' he shrugged.

'The problem is, fy annwyl bleiddion, that I do not nor ever have spoken Cymraeg in my life!' Severus said exasperated.

Remus rolled his eyes and shrugged again. 'Well apparently, fy annwyl fampir, you do now. Really, Severus, what does it matter anyway? We've got to get ready before Draco and Lily come back up here looking for us, so for the love of Myrddin, hurry up! I know Lily's temper all too well, and personally I'd rather not be on the receiving end of it again this morning,' he muttered, then walked back to his own bed to get ready.

Severus gaped at Remus then shook his head in wonder, trying to make sense of what was going on. He turned back to the clothes Remus had picked out and sighed, disgusted by not only the colours but the clothes themselves and how old fashioned and just plain tattered looking they were. He thought over things as he got dressed then finally as he finished putting on a pair of very worn black shoes he realised what might be going on. 'I got it!' he said quickly.

Remus who'd been watching him from his own bed stood up and walked over to Severus, questions in his eyes. 'Got what?'

'Why I can understand you, and why I can speak Cymraeg back,' he replied.

'And?' Remus asked expectantly.

'Remember what I told you in the shower? How we've always been together in this world?' Severus asked.

Remus nodded. 'Yeah, so? What does that have to do with anything?' he asked puzzled.

'You obviously aren't getting it, Remus' Severus said slowly, then closed his eyes and focused his mind again. 'We have always been friends, always been together. We grew up together, Remus, our parents are, not were mind you...but are friends to this day. Which means they are alive...and we both live in Cymru, in a place called...called...' Severus trailed off trying to see more of the images.

'Tal-y-wern, in the county of Powys by the Cambrian Mountains,' Remus said quietly closing his own eyes now, seeing the odd images of his life here now flood through his own mind. 'It's where I grew up in our world too, but here...it's where we both grew up...together. We're neighbours there, our parents houses are less than half a kilometre apart, on a stream near some woods. And that's where and how we became what we are in this world.'

Severus nodded slowly, his eyes still closed, whilst his own images flooded through him again. 'We were not really 'young', I think...yeah...we were round ten when it happened, yeah it was the year before we were allowed to come to Hogwarts in this world. There was a fight one night during the full moon between a fampir and a bleddion. We were having a pretend camp-out at my house, and we were in the tent getting ready to go out and look at the stars with your new telescope, remember?' he said quietly.

'Yeah, I do. That's when we heard the screams from inside the woods, and we ran to see what was going on. That's when it happened. The two were fighting...mortal enemies having an argument about who's right it was to be in that part of the forest for the night, but we didn't know that then of course. The bleddion attacked me because I stepped in front of it by accident...'

'And the fampir attacked me just because it wanted to. By the time our parents came out to see what had happened...it was too late. We were both left for dead,' Severus said in a choked voice.

'I remember...I remember that, Severus. We were covered in blood, our parents were crying and we were too scared and in shock to do anything...we couldn't even move we were so afraid. They took us to St. Mungo's that same night but it was too late...we'd already been turned they said, there was nothing they could do for us. The Ministry came after that and...and...' Remus said heavily, not wanting to continue.

'And they wanted to take us away...lock us up for observation...but our families forbade them to. My tadau said he would hunt down the ones who did it, and with your tadau they did find them and they killed them in the end, but it made no difference anymore. Thankfully my mamau knew of someone who was also a blood vampire, and she wrote to him and he came and told me what I would expect from then on,' Severus said quietly.

'I remember that like it was yesterday, Severus. He sat us both down and told us you would need a servant to feed from, and even though I was only ten I held your hand and said I would do it, because you were my best...my only friend, and wasn't going to lose you. We were both so scared but we never stopped being friends despite the fact our kind are supposed to be enemies, but we refused to be. When you had your first urges to need more than a blood servant...when you needed a lover...I was so very happy that it was me you wanted, Severus...I so happy to help you and be there for you...in your arms and your bed...' Remus said softly, then opened his eyes and walked over to Severus, who had opened his eyes at roughly the same time.

Severus wrapped his arms round Remus and held him close, sighing deeply. 'I feel...so different here, in those memories. I'm happy and content, fulfilled even knowing you're there for me...with me in every aspect. I know they're not my memories really...but it feels so...so real...so good to me. I can see the first time you transformed,you were shaking because of how scared you were. Your tadau put you in a specially altered shed out in back of your house, and I stayed with you the whole time because I wasn't going to make you suffer alone. I remember taking your lifemate mark, and I too was so glad to accept it, knowing that I always be with you when you needed me, even during your transformations...even whilst here at school.'

Remus nodded. 'I know, I see that too now. You're safe with me because you're a vampire, I can't change you anymore than you can change me. Just like James, Sirius and Peter used to keep me safe and protected at school, here you do that for me. You use your vampiric powers to help keep me from the bloodlust of wanting humans to eat...you keep me sane during the moons,' he said shivering slightly.

'Tomorrow night is the full moon, Remus. I will be there with you, I promise you that,' he said firmly. Holding Remus tightly for another moment he then released him, kissing him tenderly on the lips and then smiled softly. 'Much as right now I'd love nothing more than to get back into bed with you, cariadau, I think we better go before Draco comes looking for us again.'

Remus nodded and chuckled. 'Agreed, I have to feel for him. I mean, egads, Lils is pregnant in this world? I'm not sure I want to know how that happened,' he groaned.

Severus rolled his eyes and chuckled himself. 'Do I need to explain the female anatomy to you, Professor? Or did you somehow miss out on how a baby is formed?' he teased.

'Oi you! That's not what I meant!' Remus laughed and smacked Severus playfully on the arm. 'I just can't picture it with them though, I mean...Draco as a father? And to Lily's kid? That's almost like saying he's Harry's father in this world!'

Severus groaned. 'That was an something I didn't need to think about, Remus, thank you,' he muttered. 'Let's go before you give me even more lovely things to imagine that might make this day any stranger then it already is,' he muttered.

Remus laughed and nodded, then together they went downstairs, not even realising that they were speaking in Welsh more than English when they were alone together. As they got downstairs it was a very upset looking Draco that greeted them however. 'Took you long enough, sheesh.Can you please somehow manage to keep your hands off each other for five minutes and help get me out of this...predicament? Am I the only one that remembers we need to find my boyfriend here and get the hell home?' Draco whispered angrily to Severus and Remus.

Remus rolled his eyes and then shook his head. 'We haven't forgotten, Draco, trust me. We'll figure something out soon hopefully, don't you worry. Meanwhile you've got to keep playing along,' he whispered back.

'Keep playing along?' Draco muttered harshly and glared at Remus. 'You're not the one who's got to...to...Oh, Lily...err...dearest, there you are!' Draco said in a loud voice now and threw on a fake smile. Walking over to her he took her hand and kissed it gracefully, bowing like a gentleman. 'Looking lovely as always my...err...darling. Shall we go then?' he said formally, but not before quickly glaring at both Remus and Severus again with looks that clearly said how much he resented what was going on.

Lily giggled however at Draco's loving treatment, as well as a few of the other girls who had come down the stairs behind her. Severus and Remus did have to admit that Draco and Lily both looked rather good together surprisingly, though both knew that was the last thing Draco would want to hear at the moment, and silently they both felt a bit cheated that Lily and Draco's appearances were definitely nicer then their own were. Draco was dressed in a still very new looking crushed velvet robe of red with embroidered gold patterns on it, along with a blue tailored dress shirt and matching blue cotton linen trousers. Lily was dressed in a new looking robe of velvet, though her's was a vibrant emerald green colour that matched her eyes, along with a red high-neck pullover and a long red skirt. Anyway you looked at it Draco and Lily screamed elegance, and their clothes were obviously made just for them alone and came with a dear price tag attached.

'Hey, how come you two have such nice clothes and all we get isthese ratty clothes?' Severus asked Draco grudgingly. Even though he somewhat knew that his parents in this world had little money, he didn't think it was fair that somehow Draco had escaped the same fate and obviously was of a higher scale then he and Remus were.

'Oh, you like them, Severus? Luc bought them for us when he was here two weeks back visiting us about the wedding arraignments. He said we could both use a few new things and I agreed. Wasn't it just grand of him though?' Lily said beaming broadly whilst casting a charm that would make sure her and Draco's clothes would go wrinkle free.

Draco gaped at Lily however as he heard what she said, unawares of how he'd gotten all the clothes he'd seen up in his, or rather their, room. 'Err...Luc? As in...Lucius?' he stammered now at Lily wondering why his father had anything to do with this.

'Yeah silly, Lucius...you know...you're older brother? The Minister of Magic?' Lily said rolling her eyes and putting her hands on her hips.

'M-Minister of Magic?' Draco asked slipping into a light shock. 'My fa-err...brother is the Minister of Magic?'

'Honestly, Drake, he's been Minister for three years now and you're acting like he's in the owl room or something!' Lily said sniffing and then gave her boyfriend an appreciative glance. 'At least he has impeccable taste. Can you imagine me wearing anything other than such fine things as your fianceé? Wouldn't that be an embarrassment! Thank Merlin he's so happy about our engagement, and got us those adorable Muggle clothes this summer so we could stay at my house without worrying about our Muggle neighbours. My parents simply adored you both you know, and Petunia has had nothing but good things to say about both of you to her boyfriend Vernon. I can't wait to meet him this Yule, he sounds peachy from what Pet told me about him!' she said happily and took Draco's arm in hers.

Remus nearly choked on that information knowing full well what the Petunia and Vernon Dursley had been like during Lily's school days. The unfortunate few times Remus had met them as an adult whilst visiting Harry over the Summer before Sirius's unannounced wedding only had proved to him that they'd only gotten worse over the years. From what he remembered they hated anything 'magic' related with a passion even more than they had when they were dating as teenagers. This added information about Lucius only made things worse since Remus, Severus and Draco knew what their Lucius was like, and now he was not only the Minister of Magic, but didn't mind being round Muggles or that his son...or brother rather...was engaged to one? That information was just a bit much even for Remus to handle, let alone Draco and Severus who were still stunned into shock.

'Err...you sure this is Lucius Malfoy we're talking 'bout, Lils?' Remus asked now hesitantly.

Lily gave Remus a look that could melt ice at that. 'No, Remy, I'm talking about that idiot James Potter,' she smirked and rolled her eyes at him. 'Honestly, of course I'm talking about Luc, who else is my soon to be brother-in-law hmm? And here I thought women had bad memories, but right now you three take the cake, I swear!' she muttered. 'Anyway let's go, I can't wait to get into Hogsmeade! You two have you have your carry-alls right?' she asked now turning to Severus and Remus.

'Our what?' Severus asked still dazed by what he'd been hearing.

'Your carry-all, Severus, the thing you hold your money in? How are you going to buy anything if you don't have any money?' she said shaking her head and making tsking sounds. 'On for the love of Godric, check your robe pockets, I'm sure you have it somewheres on you!'

Severus nodded dumbly, unsure of what Lily was talking about then surprisingly felt round in his robe and found a small black bag. Opening it up he saw ten Galleons, eight Sickles and five Knuts, not very much money at all. 'This is all I've got?' he asked in surprise.

Lily took the bag and peeked in then snorted and redrew the string. 'More than enough. Be glad you've got that even, you know how hard it's been for your parents this year,' she said with a knowing sigh and patted Severus on the arm comfortingly. Turning to Remus now she asked, 'You have yours, Remus?'

Remus checked round in his own robe and found a similar carry-all like Severus's. Opening it up he too only had a few Galleons, Knuts and Sickles, though he knew better than to complain about it. Nodding at Lily he redrew the string and tucked the bag back inside his robe, 'Yup, looks fine to me.'

'Great, and I've got ours, luv,' Lily said nodding at Draco. 'Well then, we ready?' she asked brightly and corralled Draco over towards the portrait, Remus and Severus stepping in behind them. 'Where do you want to go first?'

'Zonko's,' Remus said firmly, the old Marauder streak coming out in him.

'Honeydukes,' Severus said firmly, his sweet tooth wanting to be sated since he couldn't have Remus at the moment.

'Back to sleep?' Draco asked hopefully, which only earned him a grin from Severus and Remus and a glare from Lily. 'Oh all right, umm...how about the Three Broomsticks and a few pints of Butterbeer?' he said wistfully now, hoping to get very drunk after the morning he was having.

Lily thought on that then shook her head. 'Honeydukes wins,I want the chocolates you promised me first. Then you three can go to Zonko's whilst I check out Gladrags, then we'll meet up and go to the Three Broomsticks,' she said with a nod.

'Sounds good to me,' Draco said and gave Remus and Severus a grateful look. Lily going off on her own for a bit would give the three of them time to chat, and Draco really was looking forwards to that at the moment.

Twenty minutes later they got to Hogsmeade and the three boys stared round in awe at what they were seeing. The town they were looking at now was very different than the town they had known oh so well. Some things were they shouldn't have been, or on the complete opposite side of the street from where they had been in their world. The most noticed difference in this Hogsmeade to all of them, Remus especially, was that there was no Shrieking Shack to be seen, instead all there was instead was an empty hillside where it should have been. They didn't get much time to think more on that however as Lily dragged them all over to Honeydukes quickly, oohh and ahhing over the various chocolate and sweet wizarding delights.

'I'd steer off those licorice twists and go right for the chocolate frogs. Heard they finally added a card of me in there somewheres,' a jovial voice called out suddenly causing the four of them to turn round quickly in surprise.

'Luc!' Lily yelled out happily and threw herself into the newcomers arms, hugging him tightly and giving him a kiss him on the cheek. 'You didn't tell us you'd be here today!' she said accusingly, though it was more in jest than anger.

Lucius Malfoy hugged his soon to be sister-in-law back giving her a kiss on the cheek in return, his grey eyes sparkling with amusement. 'Do I need a reason to visit my favourite little brother and his lovely fianceé?' he teased.

Lily giggled then rolled her eyes at him. 'Draco's your only brother, Luc, so of course he's your favourite. And you know you never need a reason to come see us, we love it when you do! How'd you manage a day off though?' she asked opening a chocolate frog only to sneer at it when she saw her card, then tossed it on the counter with a sigh. 'Sorry, Luc, only a card with a Potter on it. What a let down,' she muttered in disappointment.

Lucius chuckled and shrugged as if he didn't really care, then went over and hugged Draco as well, to Draco's full embarrassment and surprise. Draco was more than grateful that Lucius didn't seem to notice thankfully that when he ruffled Draco's hair playfully, Draco nearly keeled over in shock. 'It's Saturday, Lils, I don't have to go into that stuffy office if I don't want to, unless it's an emergency anyway and hopefully there won't be one this week. So what's up baby brother? Hey...are those the new clothes I got you couple weeks ago? Not bad at all, looking sharp I have to say!' he said with an approving nod. Lucius himself was looking very spiffy in a robe of crushed red velvet embroidered with gold threaded patterns similar to Draco's, along with a tailored silk shirt in grey and matching grey trousers of fine cotton linen.

'Glad you approve...err...Lucius,' Draco said with a trace of sarcasm in his voice. For some reason this attitude nor the looks on his 'father' was sitting very well with him.

Lucius gave Draco a sharp glance at his tone of voice and his smile wavered a bit. 'Something wrong, Drake? You're not usually cold to me,' he asked curiously.

Severus finally recovered himself from what he was seeing and poked Draco in the ribs, shooting him a warning glance. 'He's just having a bad day is all...err...Lucius. Don't mind him,' he said with a faked smile and held his hand out in greeting.

Lucius walked over and shook Severus's hand gladly then reached over and shook Remus's hand as well, his smile renewed. 'Well that's all right then, I can imagine he's having a rough go of it knowing he's about to get married and become a father in just a few months. Which now reminds me why I'm here in the first place, I have wonderful news for you all!' he said beaming broadly.

'Ohhh really?' Lily said squealing in delight, then locked her arm through Lucius's. 'Well then, let's head over to the Three Broomsticks to have a round and chat shall we?'

'Lily...err dearest...I thought you said you wanted to go to Gladrags didn't you? And err...we still want to go to Zonko's...right...guys?' Draco said throwing Severus and Remus pleading looks.

'Oh, right...we did want to do that, quite right,' Remus said nodding now, though still a bit dazed by all of this.

'Well that's fine then, not a bother at all. I'll take Lily over to Gladrags, I need to pick up a few things myself anyways, and we'll meet you three at the Three Broomsticks in shall we say, oh half an hour?' Lucius said to Draco and the other's relief.

'Sounds great...err...Lucius,' Remus said with a nod, and before anyone could say anything further he herded Severus and Draco out of Honeydukes quickly, dragging them off towards where they had last seen Zonko's to be.

Just before they got to the shop however Draco seemed to recover finally and in turn now dragged Severus and Remus down a side alley of the store out of sight, glancing round to make sure no one else was lurking round to overhear them. 'That was definitely odd,' he muttered.

'To say the least. Who'd have guessed Lucius would be Minister of Magic eh?' Remus said shaking his head in wonder. 'Not to mention...did you get a look at his clothes? I'd bet the whole eight Galleons I have in my carry-all that those cost him more than Severus and I have together!' he said almost wistfully.

'Oh will you forget about my father's clothes?' Draco growled and glared at Remus. 'He's the Minister of Magic here, and he's my...oh hell my brother as well! And he's downright...well...' Draco began to say but trailed off trying to search for the right words.

'Rich? Carefree? Charming? Good looking? Happy? Take your pick though I think that covers most of it,' Severus said dryly, causing Remus to sigh deeply and Draco to groan as if he was in severe pain.

'Oh great, you're a big help here, Severus,' Draco said glaring at Severus now. 'Fine, yes he is all those things and frankly it's...disgusting!' he muttered.

'Well if you ask me I think it's a pleasant change from the usually very obnoxious, always out-to-get-you Lucius Malfoy I know,' Severus said non-chalantly.

'I agree, I could actually get used to a Lucius Malfoy that actually is a productive member of society,' Remus said trying to stifle a laugh.

'Oh will you two quit it? Honestly this is just...I don't know...wrong! He's my father for Merlin's sake, not my brother!' Draco said angrily.

'Does it really matter, Draco? I mean he's still a Malfoy right? Look at it this way, you obviously get some nice privileges in this world because of who he is, like those new clothes you're wearing,' Remus said a bit wistfully again and looked down with a sigh at his own most likely third hand outfit. 'Hmm...makes me wonder 'bout something else though...' he mused and drew out of his pocket the card that Lily had tossed aside earlier that he'd picked up for the heck of it. He frowned when he saw who it was he was now looking at, then turned the card over to read the back and shook his head slowly. 'So...it's as I thought...' he said quietly.

'What is?' Draco said curiously and peered at the card, then grabbed it out of Remus's hands to stare at it. 'Oh no...no no no...' he moaned quietly as he now turned it over to read the back. 'No...no no no no...and no!' he nearly wailed. 'This can't be right...can it?' he asked trying to choke back a sob.

'What is it? What does it say?' Severus demanded, wondering what would cause Remus and Draco to act this way. He plucked the card from Draco's hand without any resistance, since Draco was still muttering 'no no no' over and over, as well as back in a state of pure shock. He then looked down at the card himself, drawing in a sharp breath at what he was seeing and shaking his own head in confusment and wonder.

On the front of the card was a picture of the boy he'd known oh-so-well the last six years, one Harry James Potter. Only in the name box of the card it read 'Harrison Seth Potter' and Severus had a bad feeling about the pairing of those particular names together. The name Harrison, or Harry, he knew meant Ruler of the Home, but it was the middle name that bothered Severus the most. If Severus was right in the translation of the name 'Seth', something was definitely very wrong here.

Severus had studied Ancient Egypt quite a bit, in fact back in his own world he'd travelled there many a time and had a small cottage on the outskirts of Cairo that he liked to visit in the Summers and do research, as well as travel throughout Egypt when possible. Seth, Set or Sutek as he was also known as, was an Ancient Egyptian God and all told the names translated to nothing short of the world 'evil' in it's finest form. According to the legends, Seth rose up and killed his brother Osiris out of jealousy, taking over his brother's throne and becoming King the Underworld.

Eventually however his nephew Heru, the child of Osiris and Aset, who had used her own magic to bring her husband back to life and thus conceived Heru, defeated him taking back his father's throne. After destroying Seth, Heru then went on to became Egypt's first 'living' King or what was now called the Pharaoh, ruling over his people with the kindness that his father once showed. Though most of the myth had been passed down by word of mouth, Severus got a bad feeling that something very similar to that myth could very easily take place in this world, family rising against family perhaps, at least from the way the 'Harry' on the card looked up at him with a look of nothing short of pure venom and a sneer filled with ice.

The picture of the 'Harry' on the card Severus was looking at was definitely a very 'evil' looking Harry Potter, no question there. Unlike the cards in his world, this world showed a full length portrait of 'Harrison Potter', and the boy was dressed out in all black robes, with neatly styled hair, silver-framed glasses, and the rest of his clothes would have made even Severus's dour wardrobe back home look 'happy'. The boy was sitting in an elaborately carved silver chair that was in front of a banner of Slytherin House, and there was a black diamond-head cobra coiled on his lap, it's head resting on Harry's arm almost lovingly. However, it was the words on the back of the card that made his heart nearly stop mid-beat, and he had to read it twice just to be sure he was reading it correctly, simply because he just couldn't believe what he was reading could be right like Draco had said earlier.

Master Harrison Seth Potter


Son of Lord Maximus Tomas Potter and Lady Maruska Shana Potter (deceased)
Twin brother to Master James Maximus Potter
Currently in his Seventh-year at Hogwarts School, Scotland

Harrison, or Harry as he prefers to be called, is a renowned Dark Wizard of the Highest Order, and he already holds several of the Order of Slytherin First Class awards for his excellence in Mastering Dark Magic. A proud descendant of Salazar Slytherin, he is also an accomplished dueller with both sword and wand, and is the Seeker for the Slytherin House Quidditch Team at Hogwarts. He spends his Summers and Holidays with his Servant Peter Pettigrew at Slytherin's Hollow or they go abroad with his father and brother.

His favourite subjects are potion making, transfiguration, and of course anything related to the Dark Arts. He is well known to constantly spar in both sport and anger with his brother, and on any given day neither Muggle nor Mage is safe when they duel each other openly. Be wary should you come across the two of them on a day in which they decide to play!

'Tell me that's not true...?' Draco said in a feeble voice.

Severus sighed and slowly shook his head in disbelief, turning the card back round to look at the image again, though this time 'Harry' had already moved on. 'Sadly, Draco, I'm afraid it is. It seems this world's Harry is little more than the likes of Voldemort from our world. Capable of being just as ruthless and cruel hearted,' he said quietly.

'No...I refuse to believe that...not our Harry...he is not like that...that pretender...that ogre!' Draco said argumentatively.

'Harry may not be that way in our world, Draco, but right now we don't know who Harry is in this world anymore. Just as we've been getting affected by things in this world...there's every likelihood that he may also have become -' Remus began but Draco cut him off sharply.

'NO! I won't believe that! Not my Harry! My Harry is everything that is good, brave and noble...he'd never hurt anyone intentionally...unless it was Voldemort, and that bastard deserves whatever Harry does to him! Harry would never agree to having some type of servant, and especially not Peter Pettigrew...he hates Pettigrew! Don't even say such horrible things about him like that!' Draco cried out angrily, and before Severus or Remus could stop him he ran out of the alleyway back to the town. Seconds later however they heard him cry out again only this time in pain, and they dashed out of the alleyway themselves, only to once again be shocked by what they were seeing.

In front of them was the very person they had just been discussing, and from the looks of it, it definitely was not 'their' Harry James Potter. This Harry was dressed out in a very dear black silk dress shirt, and black linen trousers that was clearly tailored just for him, as well as a black velvet robe richly embroidered with silver trimmings, and a pair of black dragon hide boots. He was just like in the picture on the card, his hair was neatly tapered down, and he wore the same silver-wired glasses, but it was his eyes that threw the other three boys who knew him so well. Where once those emerald green eyes held friendship, understanding, and even love, now they were cold, calculating, full of sneering contempt and pure hatred. Icy green eyes that only darkness, and they radiated power...a power that was clearly of the darkest nature.

'Well well well, what do we have here?' Harry said quietly holding Draco by the arm tightly. 'What do you think I should do with you now that I've caught you...hmm...Malfoy?' he smirked, his gaze intensely focused on Draco's eyes for a moment. As if some sort of signal went off however he then stiffened and glanced up at three other people who now came up next to him, and he turned back to Draco with a cold sneer on his face. 'You should be more careful who you bump into, you annoying piece of Gryffindor rubbish,' he said in a voice as cold and harsh as a whip, and he tightened his grasp on Draco's arm.

'Harry? Harry come on...you're hurting me...Harry please...it'sDraco...don't you remember me...remember...us?' Draco pleaded, afraid now that what Severus and Remus had said earlier was becoming all too real, even though for a half a second before the other three boys had joined them, he had thought he saw some type of recognition in Harry's gaze.

'That's Master Harry to you, you pathetic excuse of a half-breed, and don't you forget it. As for 'us'...I was a fool to follow along at the heels of such Gryffindor scum as the three of you, allowing you to led me astray by your 'pretty' words. Thankfully my Father made me see the truth before you and your 'noble' ways corrupted me any further,' Harry said darkly, and gripped Draco's arm harder causing Draco to cry out again.

'Look I'm sure there's no need for - ' Remus began only to have a wand suddenly pointed at his throat by another person in the group before them.

'Keep your snout out of this you meddling werewolf, no one's talking to you,' Sirius spat out in disgust, glaring daggers at Remus.

'Oh just curse them and get this over with already, little brother, I'm anxious to move along to Gladrags. Those new clothes we specially ordered from France should be in by now, and I'd like to get them before the day is through if you don't mind,' James said lazily whilst leaning against a tree trunk.

Harry smirked at James, then released Draco's arm and turned to Peter, putting an arm round him and drawing him to his side protectively. 'What do you think I should do with them, hmm my dearest servant? Should I put them under the Imperius and watch them beg for a while? Or perhaps a nice, slow dose of the Cruciatius Curse until they pass out from their own screams?' he said mockingly, and looked at Draco, Severus and Remus with an all too deadly amusement showing on his face from even the thought of torturing the three of them like that.

Peter smirked slightly on hearing that though really he felt sorry for his old friends, not that he would dare say or do anything in front of his master. Especially not in front of James and Sirius who already were giving him dark looks after this morning's fiasco and the way Harry had protected him. 'Personally, as nice as that sounds I think I'd rather do like James said and just move on to Gladrags to see if our new things are in, Harry. After all, they're only Gryffindor half-breeds, not even good enough to waste the time or the energy on them when we could be doing...other things...with our day,' he said coyly now, and trailed his fingertips across Harry's cheek tenderly. He noticed Harry tensed a moment at the touch, but then he felt relief as Harry nodded slightly and turned to smile at Peter seductively, and Harry then leaned in and traced Peter's lips with his thumb before placing a soft kiss there and he knew that Harry had finally come back to him.

Draco however watched in horror as Harry did that, then turned and was now gazing at him so intensely, so coldly that Draco shivered, as if his blood had somehow turn to ice. He tried to fight back the tears that were threatening to fill his eyes, and now he thought that Severus might had indeed been right earlier, and that he'd lost his Harry, his only love, and would never get him back now.

Something odd seemed to happen however, though neither Severus nor Remus, who were watching all this with shock and horror themselves, was sure exactly what. A strange energy seemed to pass between Harry and Draco, and then Harry somehow was no longer at Peter's side, instead had pulled Draco by his robe lapels close to him in a threatening manner, and was now looking deep into Draco's eyes with an dark, fathomless gaze. Then Harry leaned in and whispered something in Draco's ear that made Draco's eyes grow round with an unreadable expression and his breath caught in his throat. Harry then just as suddenly released Draco, throwing him to the ground roughly, a dark smirk back on his face as he looked down at the now prone Draco.

'You're just lucky I'm in a good mood today and decided to listen to my servant, Malfoy, otherwise you and your little friends here would have been very sorry indeed. Now move along, and if I see you three cross my path again today, you better hope you're all running in the other direction. Next time I won't be so generous to let you go,' he said harshly, then spit on the ground next to where Draco lay. Turning back to the others he said, 'Let'sgo, Peter's right, I'm not going to waste a good day on bad rubbish like this.' With saying that Harry wrapped his arm back round Peter's waist and they both walked away, James and Sirius following suit, though they looked a tad bit disappointed that Harry had walked away without doing anything 'fun'.

None of the three who remained moved for a few minutes however until they were sure that Harry, Peter, James and Sirius were long gone, and not coming back. Severus went over and helped Draco off the ground and then settled a worried gaze on the other boy. 'I'm sorry, Draco. I didn't think it could already be a lost cause with him, but it seems now to be the case. He's completely been changed by this world,' he said wearily.

'He's so different, I can't believe that's 'our' Harry. I've never heard him talk like that or threaten anyone in that way, especially to use the Unforgivables, hell I didn't even know he knew them! I can't believe the pure hatred, the anger and the flat out evil that's gotten hold of him now,' Remus said sighing deeply.

Draco however wasn't paying attention to their words, just staring out at nothing in particular. Then suddenly he smiled and began to laugh softly, nodding in approval at something the others weren't aware of. 'Clever...very clever. So that's how it is to be eh?' he said more to himself then the others.

'Draco, what the hell are you talking about?' Severus demanded. Draco didn't seem at all bothered now by his treatment from Harry, norabout any of what had happened.

'I'd like to know what you're saying too, Draco. Who's clever and 'bout what?' Remus asked curiously.

Draco only shook his head and turned to face the others, a knowing smile on his face. 'You'll find out soon, I promise. Anyway, don't we have to meet up with my Fa-err...brother and Lily now? It's got to be close to half an hour since we saw them last, and no doubt they'll probably be worried about us if we don't show up soon,' he said still smiling, then began to head off towards the Three Broomsticks whistling, the whole incident already long forgotten from his mind apparently.

Remus and Severus looked at each other confused now, and shook their heads. 'He's losing it, Sev,' Remus said in an odd voice.

Severus sighed and nodded. 'Maybe...yes...but maybe not. Somehow I get the feeling there's more to this then you and I have been led to believe, Remus,' he said curiously.

'Like what? Clearly Harry is already been taken over, just as we are becoming affected. Draco seems however to be immune...that's what I find puzzling here,' Remus said.

Severus snorted and looked over to where Draco was already disappearing from view. 'Perhaps that's because Draco already has dealt with his demons, unlike the rest of us.'

'What's that supposed to mean?' Remus demanded to know.

'It means...that if I'm right...this world isn't just the mirror image of our world, Remus. This world was also created from all of our own fears, our desires, our dreams and even our lost hopes. This world somehow created these personas of all of us from what we ourselves have hidden away deep within our souls, of who we are and what we are, and what we wish never was or should have been. It's trying to get us somehow to believe that this is who we wanted to be, where we wanted to be, and what we should have been in our world...what our souls really wanted, you see?' Severus said quietly.

Remus thought on that a moment then nodded in understanding. 'I think I do see what you're getting at. Harry would be easiest to 'corrupt' here because he's so often presented with the choices between right and wrong in our world. He constantly fights himself from becoming dark because he knows he is capable of it, because of the powers he did get from Voldemort. He's constantly afraid of turning into what he fears the most...a servant of the evil, but in his heart...deep down...that is who he is, and what he may have really wanted. To stop fighting himself and just let it all go, no more choices to make,' Remus said heavily.

'Exactly. Harry once told you he could have gone to Slytherin House right? He knows from Dumbledore that he's got some of Voldemort's powers, and in our world he fights to stay true to his true Gryffindor blood-line, because he's afraid. He's just a boy though, and as mature as he has been forced to become, he still has the fears of a child, Remus, the fears that one day...the evil will win, and he won't be able to stop it,' Severus said quietly.

Remus sighed and nodded in agreement. 'I think we're not as affected yet because, though we still fight against our darker sides, my being a werewolf, you're being a vampire, a spy and a ex-death eater, we have come to some terms with it. We've accepted it as a part of us. even though we hate what we are, but we know it's what we are and nothing will change it. What I just don't get is why Draco hasn't succumbed just as easily as Harry has. Look at what he comes from, who he is, and yet he doesn't seem to have any memories yet, nor has shown any signs of forgetting our world like we are beginning to,' Remus said still very puzzled about that fact.

'That's actually simple now that I think about it, it makes sense anyway in what I'm thinking. Draco hasn't succumbed yet because he has almost nothing left to fight against within his soul. In our world he already had made peace with himself, even the fact that he's a half-breed, though I'm not a hundred percent sure on that point yet since he hadn't told Harry about it obviously before we got here. That is now in the open though and dealt with, so maybe that's not even an issue any longer. Personally I think his relationship with Harry would have had to have been his biggest fear, more than anything else,' Severus said thoughtfully.

'That would definitely rate the top of the list I'd say,' Remus said nodding in agreement. 'But would it be enough to keep him from getting changed by this world?' he asked curiously.

'Maybe, though I think too that in our world he had already casted off all his darker aspirations, no longer allowing his father or Voldemort to rule his life, and letting Harry's love fulfil his needs. All that Draco does now in our world is hides his 'good' side, not fights against it, and he apparently has no problem for the moment in hiding so it's not even an issue to worry over for him. Therefore this world hasn't much to really change him into what he thinks he wants instead of what he already does have back home, if that makes sense?' Severus asked.

'Hmm...you could have a point there, Severus, you're right, it does makes sense. I think of all of us, Draco's got the best chance of getting us out of here, if he manages to survive Lily and everything that's being thrown his way. I could tell it really hurt him seeing Harry turn like this. For that matter it breaks my own heart, cariadau,' Remus sighed.

Severus nodded and pulled Remus into his arms, holding him tenderly. 'If Harry is already out of the picture as I fear he is, then it'll be up to us...or like you said maybe even just Draco...to find the way home. Somehow though we'll get away from here, Remus. Somehow we'll get all of us home and back to what should be normal, and then we can forget this nightmarish world even existed.'

Remus sighed then turned to look Severus in the eyes. 'And forget 'bout us as well? 'Bout what we have here?' he asked quietly.

Severus slowly shook his head and softly smiled at Remus, a tender look in his eyes. 'No, cariadau, that's the one thing I don't want to ever forget from this world. I don't know if we will remember what's happened here when we get home, or what will happen after we do get home, but I know that I won't want to lose you again. I know it's only been a short time, but it's like the past twenty some years of hatred and fears never happened between us, and you're where you should have been all along...in my arms and my life,' he said softly.

Remus smiled and snuggled deeper into Severus's warm, tender embrace, sighing in contentment. 'And that's where I always hope to be, fyfampir, beunydd a byth,' he said happily, and leaned up to kiss Severus softly on the lips a moment before leaving his lovers arms. Then the two of them walked off towards the Three Broomsticks, hand in hand, happiness in their eyes, and contentment in their hearts.

What they didn't know was that a pair of eyes had been watching them, eyes that were surprisingly warm and kind, happy even at what they had seen. 'It's as it should be for those two, I'm glad,' the person said quietly nodding as if in approval. Then the person looked over longingly at were he knew the Three Broomsticks would be even if he couldn't see it exactly, and a heated look of arousal came into his eyes now. 'Until tonight then my lover...' the person whispered under his breath to the wind, knowing the person he was speaking to would somehow have heard what he was saying, even if it wasn't by ear, but by heart.

'Love?' a voice asked quietly from behind him now, startling him and causing him to mutter a few oaths under his breath.

Turning round the boy who had been watching the three people who'd walked off earlier now saw who had spoken to him, and a look of resentment flickered across his face. 'Don't you dare say a word to anyone of what that you saw me here, or you know that I'll have to punish you again,' the boy said now in cold voice, giving the other boy an intense, dark, mistrusting gaze.

The second boy nodded quickly, then smiled hesitantly. 'Have I ever revealed your secrets, luv?' the second boy said in a placating tone of voice, then turned towards where Severus and Remus had walked off to. 'They do look so happy together though, don't they? They're lucky to have each other,' he said with a slight sigh.

The first boy didn't say anything, just looked at the second boy speculatively a moment, then after a short debate with himself he put his arm round the second person's waist. Just as Severus had done with Remus earlier, the boy drew the second boy into a tender embrace, then leaned in and gently placed a small and gentle kiss on the second boy's lips. He knew it would please the other boy greatly to even get such a tiny kiss after being denied for so long, even if he himself didn't like it, but right now it was something he had to do for his own reasons.

'Not as lucky as I am to have you, my heart. Now, let's get over to Honeydukes before they do. We don't want those two to buy up all of our favourite sweets before we get the chance to get theirs now do we?' he said almost teasingly, the second boy grinning and nodding in agreement. The first boy then led the second boy away towards the sweets shop, his arm still resting round firmly round the other boy's waist. The look now on his face showed clearly to anyone who saw them that the second person belonged to him and him alone, as it should be. Then again, things really never are as they should be...are they...?

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:sigh: I know some of you really want these 'translations' within the story, but I just have issues 'inserting' them like that. If you really want me to I will if it will make it easier, since the Welsh will come back up in future chaps, let me know what you want all right or rather which is easier for you :)

Meanwhile here's the translations of the words in this chap:

Cariadau - lover
Cymraeg - Welsh (as in the 'language' Welsh)
Tybed? - Is that so?
Fy annywl bleddion - My dear werewolf
Bleddion - a male werewolf
Fy annywl fampire - My dear vampire
Fampire - Vampire (easy one eh? :P)
Myrddin - Merlin
Tadau - Father
Mamau - Mother
Fy fampir - My vampire
Beunydd a byth - For ever and ever

October 10, 2002 2:10 AM ©Piriotessa/Piri Lupin-Snape/Piri Malfoy