A/N: Sorry. After not writing in forever, I give you my shortest chapter to date. Sigh. Exams are finished now though so I think I will have more time to write. Btw I didn't explain this last chapter: Harry* Ron* and Hermione* are my way of referring to the alt-world versions of the main characters. Awkward way of doing it I know but I couldn't think of a better way of doing it. Anyways, enjoy! And as always, review!

Chapter 8: Pranks and Professors

"Viktor Krum?!" Harry and Ron exclaimed simultaneously. Harry added in, "The famous Quidditch player?"

"The very same," Harry* said. "Didn't you ever wonder why Krum came to play for the Appleby Arrows? He had offers from plenty of Quidditch squads in his own home country, and rumor has it that over in America the Sweetwater All-Stars offered him the biggest contract in professional Quidditch-playing history. Yet he tosses all of that away and comes and plays for Appleby. Conveniently that started around the time he met Hermione."

"How did they meet?" asked Hermione, still trying to contain her blush. Fortunately the Marauders didn't seem to notice.

"In our fourth year," Ernie began, and not without a hint of bitterness in his voice, "Hogwarts hosted the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Krum came and represented Durmstrang. Won the whole tournament too, just narrowly beating out Cedric Diggory. Anyways, somehow Krum met Hermione, they went to our dance, the Yule Ball, together and starting dating after that."

"It's a sad story really," Harry* said. "Ernie hear was just getting himself ready to ask Hermione when Viktor Krum butted in and stole her from him."

"Well I can hardly be expected to compete with the likes of Viktor Krum now can I?" Ernie shot back.

"Too right," said Harry*. "Truth be told, we offered him your spot on the Marauders, but he turned us down. Just as well, I suppose. No sense in taking the time to teach yet another person the ins and outs of the Hogwarts secret passages."

"Glad to know what our friendship means to you Harry," Ernie said.

"Anytime Ernie."

The rest of the morning proceeded in much the same way, with the Marauders filling the trio in on the inner workings of Hogwarts. The Marauders were also fond of recalling some of their favorite pranks which, much to Harry and Ron's delight, ended with humiliation for Draco Malfoy.

Coming into the Great Hall for lunch, they seated themselves alongside Hannah, Neville, Ginny and Iris, all of whom had already arrived.

"I'm sensing you're not huge fans of this Draco," Harry said.

"That's because all Marauders are required to have nemeses," said Iris with a grin. "It's a universal law. Dad and his lot had Snape, now this group has Malfoy." Seeing Harry* begin to protest, she added, "Not that Malfoy doesn't deserve every bit that he gets."

"Just like Snape deserved everything Dad gave him and more," Harry* spat. Harry re-evaluated his doppelganger. He had seemed so easy-going, enjoying life happily in ways Harry himself had never been able. Now, that face had changed; Harry* looked bitter and angry. Harry wondered what had happened to Snape in this world.

Seeing Harry's confused face, Neville provided an explanation. "Snape was a Slytherin in Harry's dad's year. They always fought and tortured each other. After Hogwarts, Snape became a Death Eater, one of the worst. He…" Neville stopped and looked over at Harry*, unsure of whether or not to continue.

Harry* finished for him. "When I was still a baby, Snape went to Voldemort and convinced him to go after my parents. They had to go in hiding for months, just to avoid getting murdered. All because Snape holds a grudge."

The trio sat in stunned silence. Harry wondered how many of these details were unique to this world, and how much of it was true in his own. He remembered that Dumbledore had told him that it was a Death Eater who had overheard the prophecy and reported back to Voldemort. Dumbledore had never given him a name. Could it have been Severus Snape. He also realized something else quickly. Voldemort had still gone after Harry in this world. He hadn't succeeded, but the fact that he had even tried implied that the prophecy still existed in this world. Did his doppelganger know about it? It didn't seem like it to Harry. He made a mental note to ask Dumbledore* about it.

As if to reinforce this thought, Colin Creevey approached at that moment baring a note. He went up to Harry* and said "Hey Harry. I just passed by Dumbledore and he told me you were showing some new students around. He said to give this to them." He handed a piece of parchment over to Harry, then left to go sit with some friends?

"What does Dumbledore have to say?" Harry* asked, watching Harry unroll the parchment.

"It just says he wants to see us in his office tonight after classes."

"Asked up to the headmaster's office during lunch on your first day of classes?" Iris asked. She turned to Harry* and Ron* and smiled an overly sweet smile. "Looks like your record still stands." The whole group got a laugh out of that one.

Following this, Ron* regaled them with the story of the first prank that he and Harry* had pulled at Hogwarts, one which had landed them in front of Dumbledore after breakfast on the first day of their first year. Near the end, Ernie interrupted, saying "We really need to be getting into class."

Harry*'s face lighted up at this. "You guys are going to love this class. It's Defense Against the Dark Arts, which is always interesting. Further, it's taught by Lupin, who is the best professor ever."

"Agreed," Ron* said as the group got up and started walking to class. "By the way, do you guys remember what we're starting today?"

Ernie grinned. "Werewolves. A subject that I think our professor may have some firsthand knowledge of."

"Professor Lupin is a werewolf," Neville explained to them, though they had no need for the explanation.

"Neville, just because they were homeschooled does not mean that they lived under a rock," Ron said. "I think every wizard in England knows that Remus Lupin is a werewolf."

"Do parents have any trouble with a werewolf teaching their classes?" Hermione asked. "It's a silly prejudice, but I know a lot of people hate werewolves, even with the Wolfbane potion invented.

Harry* looked at her oddly, as though her question was ludicrous. Soon the expression went away though, and he answered, "Of course a few parents are uncomfortable sending their kids to classes with a known werewolf. But not even Lucius Malfoy would speak up against Remus Lupin publically, not after everything he has done." At this point, they reached the classroom and took their seats, leaving the trio wondering just who Lupin was in this world.