CREEEEEEE!

Harry Potter woke with a start. He had been dreaming of an odd boy named Harry Snape, and the Fat Lady not knowing who he was. What is that awful screeching noise? he wondered. Opening his eyes, he realized that he was lying on a Slytherin-green couch. “It wasn’t a dream?” he said aloud, aghast.

“Apparently not,” Harry Snape said, appearing in a doorway. “You’re still here. And I hope you have the answer to your question about how we know it’s morning.”

“Yeah,” Potter said ruefully. “You have an evil alarm clock.”

“If that’s what you want to call it,” the other boy said amiably. “Now, let’s go up to breakfast.”

Young Snape led young Potter to the Great Hall.

Ron Weasley looked at Potter, then at Harry Snape. A puzzled look appeared on his face. “Who’s your friend, Snape?” he asked.

Potter stared. “You don’t know me? Is this some sort of joke?” But even he couldn’t believe Ron would go this far.

“This is Harry Potter,” young Snape answered. “He Flooed into my common room last night, and seems rather confused. He does know a lot about Hogwarts, but I don’t know him, and you don’t know him, and he thinks he’s your Seeker.”

“Who thinks he’s got my job?” Ginny Weasley asked, coming up behind them. “Oh, hi, Harry.” She colored slightly as she looked at young Snape, but recovered and said, “Who’s the new boy?”

“He says his name is Harry Potter,” Harry Snape answered.

Ginny shrugged. “Nice to meet you. You’ve got Gryffindor robes on – how come I’ve never seen you before?”

Potter couldn’t answer. Even Ron and Ginny don’t know me! The thought went around and around in his mind, rendering him speechless. Have I been trapped in that stupid old American Christmas film? Have I never been born?

Ron answered his sister. “I’ve never seen him, either. He Flooed into Slytherin common room last night.”

“He thinks my father is a professor,” young Snape laughed. “As if!”

Potter gulped. “I think we better go see your father, after all. Something is definitely wrong. Or better yet, can we see Dumbledore?”

The others stared at him. “The Headmaster? He doesn’t let anyone into his rooms except the Heads of House.”

“Oh, of course! We could just talk to Professor McGonagall – she’ll know me for sure!”

“She’s at the teacher’s table now,” Harry Snape said doubtfully. “It’s worth a try.”

The four trouped up to the head table.

‘Yes?” Professor McGonagall said. Her eyes fixed on Potter. “Who are you? And why are you in Gryffindor colors?”

Potter shook his head. “You should know who I am,” he whispered.

“Eh? Speak up.”

“I’ve been a Gryffindor for four years and more!” he said louder. “But no one knows me! Where’s Hermione? She’ll know what’s happened. Or at least she’ll be able to figure it out.”

“Hermione who?” Ron asked.

“Oh, you mean Hermione Granger?” Ginny asked. “That weird girl? She and Loony Lovegood are probably around here somewhere. Why would she help you?”

“Cause that’s what she does,” Potter said helplessly. “She helps me and Ron whenever we get in trouble. Okay, so it’s mostly me. But she always figures everything out.”

Ron, Ginny and Harry Snape looked at each other and shrugged.

“If this doesn’t work, we’re going to see my father at St. Mungo’s,” young Snape said decisively.

Potter looked around until he saw the two girls, Hermione’s dark curly hair nearly mingling with Luna’s straight golden hair.

“Hermione! Luna!” Potter said, running up to them.

“Yes?” Hermione asked, looking up at him with no sign of recognition. “What do you want?”

“You don’t know me either, do you?” Potter asked resignedly.

“I don’t,” Luna said. She looked closer, narrowing her eyes. “Or maybe I do. Are you the boy who rides thestrals?”

“Uh, no?” Potter said. He sighed. “Sorry to disturb you.” He trudged back to young Snape and the Weasleys. “Even she doesn’t know me. What happened to her, anyway?”

Ginny shrugged. “What do you mean? Nothing’s happened to her.”

“Yeah,” said Ron. “She spends all her time studying or reading. No one ever talks to her, really.”

“Poor Hermione,” Potter said. “And I suppose you all think Luna is crazy and don’t go near her?”

“You don’t think she’s crazy?” Ron challenged.

“Well, she is a bit odd, but she’s actually pretty good in a crisis.”

“A crisis at Hogwarts?” Ginny scoffed. “As if any of the parents here would allow such a thing.”

“What about Voldemort?” Potter asked. “He’s caused many crises.”

“Voldemort?” young Snape laughed. “Our parents dealt with him before we were born!”

“He’s not back?” Potter said, wonderingly.

“Why would he be?” young Snape scoffed. “No one survives my father’s spells if he’s protecting those he loves. You know what, let’s grab something to eat and go see him. Maybe he can figure this whole thing out. If not, you’ll be at St. Mungo’s, where someone will know what to do with you.”

“Fine,” Harry said with a sigh. “Let’s go.” They all ate breakfast, then the two Harrys took their leave.

“Harry, tell us what happens when you get back,” Ginny begged.

“Okay,” young Snape said. Turning to Potter he added, “We’ll Floo from Slytherin common room.”

On their way there, they met Draco Malfoy.

“Hello, Draco,” young Snape said pleasantly.

“Morning! Haven’t seen you yet, this morning. What have you been up to?”

“Trying to figure out a bit of a problem I’ve discovered,” young Snape said. “I’ll tell you all about it later. First I have to get this boy to my dad. Could you let the professors know I won’t be there today? I’ll get all kinds of grief and extra homework, I know, but I gotta take care of this.

Malfoy nodded hesitantly. “Okay, I’ll tell them. Good luck! and tell your dad I say ‘hi’.”

“Will do!”

Potter followed young Snape back to Slytherin’s dungeon. The young Snape tossed some Floo powder into the fire and said, “St. Mungo’s!” He disappeared. Potter copied him, and found himself in a large fireplace inside the wizard hospital.

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