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Chapter 4 - Chapter 3

Harry nodded, and it looked as though Pomfrey was about to make a comment when a soft chime rang through the room, and the woman frowned. "I was not expecting anyone..."

"Ah that would be my doing. The Potters arrived faster than I expected it seems."

The male tensed at this earning him a comforting smile from the Headmistress, "It isn't anything bad Harry, but even with your unique situation you are still an eleven-year-old boy. If we investigated, I have no doubt Lily and James would be declared your legal guardians which means they had to be informed. It is just the two adults as their daughters are with their godfather. Do you want to speak with them now or wait?"

He weighed his options, a part of him was eager. Excited to speak with them, to get to know them, but the overwhelming portion of him dreaded it. These weren't his parents, they already had two children, two daughters that they loved.

Growing up without parents in a hate-filled environment was bad enough, but if 'Lily and James' refused him, told him they didn't want him? It would be more devastating than any curse Voldemort could ever use.

"I guess it's okay..." he muttered softly, earning a gentle pat on the hand by the eldest woman as she stood and went to the door.

He could just make out a whispered conversation, instructions on taking it easy and such before moments later there were two additional bodies standing near the bed. A man let out an awed, "He looks just like me." While a woman knelt at the bed, her eyes full of wonder.

"He has my eyes..."

Those words, that had been spoken to him so many times by strangers, brought tears to the boy's eyes which he struggled to contain.

"How? Who is he Dumbledore?"

There was a pause before the Headmistress spoke, "That, I'm afraid, is a very complicated answer. It seems Harry here is from another world, one parallel to our own but with some very important differences."

"Dimensional travel?" Lily inquired, even more shock in her voice. "How is it possible though?"

Harry opened his mouth to answer, but Augustina beat him to it, "I believe we should discuss a very important fact first. Harry is not just from another world, but several years into the future from what I gather. Despite the differences I feel we should keep information pertaining to the future as confidential as possible. What he knows may never come to pass, but the act of simply knowing can be hazardous to one's own decisions."

The former teen didn't exactly understand, but it did seem as though Dumbledore had a better grasp on what was going on, as he... she usually did. Harry merely nodded in acceptance. It probably wouldn't matter anyway, already the differences between his world and this one were too numerous for anything he knew to be of value.

Save for the fact that Dumbledore had an evil sociopath for a defense teacher. His thoughts were interrupted by a raise in volume, he had missed the start of an argument nearby.

"Absolutely not Dumbledore."

"I understand your reluctance but..."

This time James interrupted, "But nothing, he's our son which means he is living with us for the rest of the summer. The girls will love him."

Augustina smiled, but shook her head, "I don't think that is for the best, at least right now. He is still trying to get a handle on everything."

"But..."

"Dumbledore's right."

Everyone turned to the boy laying in the hospital bed, the one currently staring at his hands, remembering all the faint scars on them. "She's right, I need to stay here, at least for now. I can't... I can't go back with you."

"Harry... son."

"No!" His response was forceful and harsh, and he had to bite back his own tears. "I can't... you can't... You can't be my parents, because if you are then that means you abandoned me. My parents loved me, they died to protect me."

That statement earned discomfort and sympathy from everyone in the room until the other male spoke up, "Wait, what about Sirius? Surely, he took care of you as your godfather."

Harry looked away, trying his best to push the thoughts from his mind, "He couldn't, he was in Azkaban."

Both Potters gasped, "Azkaban? What the bloody hell for!?"

This wasn't a conversation the youngest wanted to have, and certainly wasn't one he wanted to continue to its inevitable destination. His childhood was something he actively avoided thinking and talking about, especially to strangers. "Betrayal mostly. It's… complicated but there was a war, and everyone thought he sold you two out."

"Alice and Frank then." Lily immediately declared, eyes narrowing. "They should have…"

A shake of his head, "Also weren't around, war remember?"

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