Chapter Eleven, "The Mirror Image"

Feverishly, Harry leads Ron and Hermione through the secret passage under the main dormitory. Hermione tugs at Harry's sleeve to get him to stop.

"Tell me again why we're doing this, Harry. You're not making any sense."

"Look, doesn't it seem to you that Professor Currie isn't all that he's cracked up to be?"

"Thomas Currie is the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've had in our four years here! Sure, he's a bit of a poof-"

"Not that, Ron. The way he looks at me, the way he always singles me out in class. The way he always seems to be disappointed in me when I mess up, much more so than anyone else. He knows something. I think he might be an agent of Lord Valdemort."

"I've got a bad feeling about this. You have the big Quidditch match against Slytherin tomorrow, and you know if Malfoy can prove you'd been breaking curfew again-"

"I'll be disqualified. I might even be expelled if Professor Snape gets his way. I know all that, Hermione. But this is more important than any Quidditch match. It could mean the end of Hogwarts, the end of the world, and who knows what else."

"But surely since Professor Dumbledore thinks highly of Professor Currie-"

"Look, guys. We're at Professor Currie's house already. Let's just go inside and see if we can find evidence one way or the other. The more we argue, the more time we waste and the greater the chance that someone will notice we're gone. So let's just look around, OK?"

Ron and Hermione nod reluctantly. Harry carefully turns the doorknob and slowly eases the door open. They tread carefully inside the house, gradually letting their eyes adjust to the darkness. They get ready to start systematically searching the house as soon as their eyes adjust.

It's a nice plan. Too bad, really. For then all the lights in the house turn on at once, and they realize that they aren't alone.

"Surprise."

And they look up to see.... Harry?!

Harry, Ron and Hermione strain to move, but they find that they can't move a muscle. That boy in the sunglasses, that... Other Harry Potter smiles evilly and cleans his fingernails with a knife. Harry finds that he can  move his mouth enough to speak to his mirror image.

"What have you done to us?"

"It's just a simple freezing spell, folks. You probably would've learned how to defend against it next semester, according to Tommy Boy's syllabus. Too bad you stopped reading ahead, eh Hermione? You shouldn't get too mad at yourself, though. If it wasn't the easy way, it would've been..." He points his knife at Hermione. "...the hard way."

"What have you done to Professor Currie?"

"Thomas Currie exited this plane of existence about an hour ago. Now I know what you're thinking, but don't jump to conclusions. I didn't off him. I felt him leave this time, I think he jumped planes. I guess he came to the same conclusion I did. You aren't the real deal, bub. Nobiggie, I'll catch up to him sooner or later."

"Who are you?"

"Hey, howzabout I get a chance to ask some questions here? Who is in control after all?"

The boy with the knife goes deep into thought. Harry has no choice but to stare.

"OK, I've got one, 'Harry'. Ready? Ahem. 'Why, through seven-hundred and ninety-ninety separate worlds of Tim Hunter, have I yet to meet a single one with any fashion sense?' I mean, do none of you like sunglasses and leather jackets? And you, you're the most famous wizard in the world, my friend. Have you even thought about laser eye surgery? Look at these Coke bottles."

"Who in bloody heck is Tim Hunter?" gasped Harry.

"Why you are, of course. Sure, it was kinda clever. I admit, it took me a couple of months to dope out your little scam, but you didn't even change your appearance one jot, did you? It takes more than a new name and a change of address to fool me. Sure you're more dressed up, fancy schmancy and socially acceptable than Tim Hunters generally run, but if you've killed one then you've killed a thousand. That's what I always say. It doesn't matter that you've conned the entire bleedin' world into believing you're some great, new original creation when any fool can see you're really just the same pansy we've been seeing for years in the funny pages."

"Are you going to kill Harry?"

"Capital idea, Ron! I'm so glad you thought of it. Shall we get down to it?"

"But what about us? You don't have anything against us, do you?"

"Well, I've got no particular gripe with either of you, but It's sort of a package deal, innit? Buy one, get two free. See, once boy wonder there buys the farm then this whole magical mystery Disneyland of his will fold like a house of cards. Now it's true that I could bring you along with me to the next stop, but seating is limited and I'm not in the market for a sidekick at the moment. And while Hermione over there seems fairly shaggable, she ain't no Molly O'Reilly and I just don't have room on the bus for second best."

"Oh God. We're done for."

"I will keep this broomstick, though. It's killer. Does it come in red?"

"Look, you've got the wrong guy. I'm not Tim Hunter!"

"Oh really? Funny, could have fooled me. Hmmm.... Now tell me, did you lose your mum at an early age?"

"Yes. And my dad too."

"Have you got a pet owl?"

"Everybody does!"

"Are you the most famous magician of your world?"

"Yes."

"Potentially the greatest magician of his age?"

"That's what they tell me."

"And when you look in the mirror, does it look something like this?"

The Other Harry raises his sunglasses, and Harry has no choice but to look into his eyes.

"Yes."

"Well there you go then, Harry. Maybe you're not Tim Hunter, but you're close enough for me."

"Wait!"

"G'bye Tim. And Ron and Hermione. Nice meeting you two by the way."

"But we'll never see the end of the story! You'll never get away with this!"

And then Harry Potter is a bloody stain on the ground. And then there is no more ground. Or anything at all.

"Hogwarts my arse," thinks The Other. "The real Tim must've felt particularly lightheaded that day. Maybe Harry will never get to the end of his story, but I'll get to the end of mine."

And with a thought, The Other goes off to murder another Tim Hunter... or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

Fan Fiction story by Greg Lam

PS: I actually do like the Harry Potter books, but Books of Magic was there first and deserves to be _more_ successful than Harry Potter. Comics get no respect.