Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction / Other Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction ❯ Fusion of Destinies ❯ The Mirror's Specter ( Chapter 10 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Fusion of Destinies
a Harry Potter/Metroid crossover
Chapter 10: The Mirror's Specter
12-21-2005
by Grey

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series and all of its characters are the creation and property of J. K. Rowling. Samus Aran and the Metroid series are the creation and property of Nintendo, and was originally masterminded by Gunpei Yokoi (1941-1997) .

This fic is dedicated to Razor Knight and CubedCinder128, whose support gave me the confidence I needed to write this thing.

"Time does not matter to the heart." - Fuu Hououji, Magic Knight Rayearth - episode 13

The Snitch suddenly shot downward, and Harry made his Firebolt go into a freefall dive to follow it. Just before the Snitch would've lodged itself into the ground, it shot up and ascended again, and Harry followed suit, barely avoiding getting hit with a Bludger. The Snitch was still flying upward at an insane speed, but Harry willed his Firebolt to fly even faster. He refused to let the Snitch get away again. He was gaining on it, and he reached out with an outstretched hand... just a little closer...

Harry slowly lowered himself to the edge of the Quidditch pitch, the elusive Snitch within his clenched fist. Well, that was at least better than my last time, he thought to himself as he stared at the Snitch. Then he looked upward, to where the rest of the Gryffindor team was still busy practicing on this sunny Saturday morning. He was watching Ron in particular. He made a spectacular save by diving for a Quaffle going into the right hoop, even though he had been hovering around the left one. But then Ron botched an easy save, missing a Quaffle going into the center hoop. Just keep at it Ron, thought Harry. Your only problem is nerves, that's all.

"So, this is Quidditch," came a voice from behind him, one that had become very familiar to him over the past few days. Turning around, he saw Samus walking over to him, only her suit was cleverly disguised...

Harry knew that Samus was still wearing her armored suit, but it was completely covered up by clothes. She wore a long, expensive-looking black robe that covered up her entire body; the hem of her robes reached the ground and the left sleeve was long enough to hide her hand and the three fins on her forearm. In addition, she wore a sort of cape that completely draped her entire right side, which was obviously meant to conceal her arm cannon. She didn't have her helmet on, but Harry could make out the ridged, rubbery gorget around her neck. A light breeze was blowing through the Quidditch field, making her ponytail flap about and the hem of her robes lift up slightly; Harry could see the bottom of her armored boots.

Before she regained her memory, hardly any of the students had seen Samus. But during the past two days, Samus seemed to be everywhere at once. It was as if every time Harry left a class and turned a corner, he'd see Samus, disguised almost perfectly in her robes and gazing over students with a watchful eye; it gave Harry the feeling that she was watching out for him. During meals in the Great Hall, she would stand by the doors, as if she expected X-hosts to suddenly show up and attack students. Though Harry hadn't bothered sneaking around the last two nights, he'd bet his Firebolt that Samus was foregoing sleep to patrol the corridors at night. And that thought comforted him. Somehow, knowing that Samus was going to great lengths to guard the castle made Harry feel safer than he had in years.

"Practicing for your next game, I take it?" Samus asked as she stopped in front of Harry and looked up at the rest of the team, who took no notice of her.

"Errr, yeah. Our next game is against Slytherin," said Harry, looking into her eyes. Her eyes now always seemed to have a hardness to them, but he had a feeling her gaze softened whenever she was talking to him. "I don't know why I'm bothering, though. It seems silly to be practicing for a Quidditch game when I know the X are still out there."

"It's important to keep going, Harry, and not let circumstances that you can't control keep you from living your life," said Samus. She then stared at the sandy ground of the Quidditch pitch, apparently lost in thought. Was she reflecting on her own words?

"Speaking of the X, what's the situation?" asked Harry querulously, hoping to get more details from Samus. During the past two days, Samus had spent some more time with him in the library during the evenings, and they exchanged more details about their past adventures. But she hadn't said whether the Order had made any progress, and now Harry was curious.

For a moment, it looked like Samus was going to insist that he didn't need to know. But she then sighed, and said, "We still have no clue where they are or who's behind it. Dumbledore says he's got a plan to find them, though. Another Order member arrived today to help him out, someone by the name of Arthur Weasley. He's your best friend's father, right?"

"Yeah. But why does Dumbledore need him?" asked Harry, now even more curious.

Samus shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Dumbledore hasn't filled me in on the details yet, but he told me to check with him later today. Meanwhile, I've been sending Adam up into space to fly around Earth and see if his sensors can pick up anything."

"I thought an actual person had to fly that ship," said Harry.

Samus flashed a sly grin. "I fixed that. Adam can start up and pilot the ship on his own now."

"Oh, I see," muttered Harry. He then noticed that Samus was gazing up at the Quidditch players again. Samus had said she already knew how the sport was played, having read a great deal over the summer and seen the pictures in books. But this was obviously her first time ever seeing Quidditch players so much as practice for real. "It's a really great sport, Quidditch. Very fast-paced, and a bit dangerous, though. I wish you could've seen the Quidditch World Cup last year."

Samus gazed down at Harry again, flashing another smile. "You think this is rough? You should come back to the future with me and watch the F-Zero Grand Prix. Now THAT'S fast and dangerous!"

The thought of actually travelling centuries into the future, and seeing what wizarding society would become after going to the stars, thrilled Harry beyond belief. But Samus's suggestion also reminded him of something he had wanted to bring up. "Uhh, Samus, just HOW are you going to get back to your time once this is over? You really can't stay here. But if you are stuck here... I hope Dumbledore gives you Filch's job. I can easily see you as caretaker, and having the Etecoons and Dachoras prowl the hallways for you."

Harry laughed, but the smile faded from Samus's face and she sighed. "Dumbledore's working on that too, but right now, I'm not too worried about it. I've got a job I need to finish here, otherwise I may not have a future to go back to." Samus looked up at the goal hoops again, and saw that Ron had made another save, but barely. "Your friends... Ron and Hermione. I assume you've told them about what's going on?" she asked, sounding eager to change the subject.

"Errr, yeah, they know about the X. Ginny and Neville, too," Harry answered nervously. "But don't worry, I didn't spill any secrets about YOU, or..."

"It's alright if you do," Samus cut in. "I went and told Adam everything I knew about you. It's only fair that your best friends get to hear the whole story about me."

Harry nodded, surprised and unable to think of anything to say. He had gotten the impression no one else but him was meant to know about her life story. But now, she trusted not only him with her secrets, but his best friends as well. It made Harry realize that, even though Samus had known him for only a few days, she trusted and respected him as if she had known him for years.

"And Harry, there's something else I need to talk to you about. It's the reason I came all the way out here this morning," said Samus suddenly. Her tone now sounded lugubrious and gravely serious, and to Harry's utmost surprise, he thought he detected a hint of fear in her voice.

"Uh-oh. What?" asked Harry. From the tone of Samus's voice, he could tell what she had to say wouldn't be pleasant.

"I need you to promise me something, Harry," said Samus softly. "You've got to promise me that you won't involve yourself in this fight against the X any more."

"What... what do you mean?" asked Harry nervously.

"Harry, listen. You told me about everything you've done over the last four years, and I can tell what kind of person you are. You're like me, you like to take matters into your own hands. And I can't go on knowing that you'll continue looking for trouble."

"I don't exactly go looking for trouble. Trouble usually finds me," Harry pointed out, remembering the whole mess with the Triwizard Tournament last year.

"That's not the point," said Samus sternly. "The point is, the X are too dangerous for you and you know it. You've seen what the X are capable of. Once the Order and I figure out where they're situated, I don't want you sneaking off to go and try to fight them with me. If they can mimc a basilisk, who knows what other powerful monsters that you've faced in the past can be mimicked as well? Fluffy, maybe? Or perhaps the Hungarian Horntail? And they can take the form of things I've faced as well. Do you honestly think you'd last very long in a fight against Kraid or Ridley?"

Harry felt as if he had been slapped in the face. All this time, it sounded as if Samus truly respected was he was capable of and all the things he had accomplished. But now, she sounded like every other Order member, insisting that it was too dangerous to try and fight, even though evil was ubiquitous. "Samus, I thought you didn't think I'm some incompetent little kid!" Harry shouted angrily. "Haven't I proven I can take care of myself? Oh, and what if the X come after me again while you're not around? I'm a threat to them too because of my Metroid DNA, remember? Do you want me to just stand there and let them kill me if that happens, to not fight because it's 'too dangerous'?"

"It's one thing when you have to act in self-defense," replied Samus, with a calmness that annoyed Harry. "It's quite another to go out looking for a fight. Yes, I know you can handle yourself in other circumstances, but against the X..."

"I handled myself in the Chamber of Secrets, you know that!" spat Harry.

"Actually, I had to keep a close eye on you and pull you out of harm's way more than once, in case you've forgotten," said Samus. "And I only let you accompany me because time was of the essence, and it would've taken me too long to fly you back up the pipe. And Harry, tell me... do you honestly want to fight more of those parasites?"

Harry supressed the urge to yell back at Samus and thought for a moment. He remembered the cold fear he felt upon seeing all those X-hosts ambush the two of them in the Chamber of Secrets. He remembered how eerie it was to re-enter the main area, and learn that a copy of the basilisk was there. I guess Samus is right, he thought reluctantly. And what if they DO mimic a Horntail? Samus may be able to kill one, but I can't. And I hate to admit it, but I'd rather not fight any more of those Space Pirates and baby sheegoths and whatever else the X can copy. He looked up at Samus again. "OK, I think I see your point," he said in a reluctant tone. "But I feel like a coward admitting that I'd rather not fight..."

"Courage means mastery of fear, not absence of fear. You've mastered your fears many times and you know it," said Samus reassuringly. "And sometimes, it takes courage to acknowledge there are some things you can't handle."

"What about you? Ever come across a situation you couldn't handle?" asked Harry rudely. He didn't mean to say it; he had just blurted it out and immediately regretted it when he saw the pained look on Samus's face. She sighed, closed her eyes and turned her head away.

"You know I have, Harry. Twice. When I left the nest and began my career as a bounty hunter, I thought I was invincible and that I could handle anything. Fate proved me wrong twice, when I had to watch others sacrifice themselves for me," said Samus mournfully. She then looked at Harry again, and she had that same pleading look in her eyes from when she first approached him in the library. "That's why it would give me peace of mind knowing that you won't involve yourself anymore. I don't want anyone else to become a casualty of these private wars of mine, especially you. And it almost did happen. Don't forget, you were infected by an X parasite coming after me, and you nearly killed yourself by conjuring that Patronus to get rid of those dementors attacking me."

Harry felt his anger subsiding after he reflected on Samus's reasoning. He had seen Cedric Diggory murdered in front of him - someone who had inadvertently been caught up in the conflict between Voldemort and himself - and understood how heart-wrenching it was. He realized that, in a way, he understood how Samus felt. It was just another example of how much they had in common. "Alright, you win. I promise I won't let myself get involved," said Harry softly and slowly. "And I admit it, I probably wouldn't last too long against some of the aliens you've fought. From the way you described them... I doubt any wizard would. Like Metroid Prime... that one sounded particularly nasty..."

"The X couldn't have sampled it. They can't infect Metroids, remember?" Samus reminded him. "Besides, Metroid Prime wasn't that hard; that first time fighting it was more of an endurance match than anything else. As far as I'm concerned, Ridley and the SA-X will always be on the top of my hate list."

"But I thought you said the SA-X went down easily?" asked Harry curiously.

"Once I finally had the plasma beam back, she did," said Samus. "But before that, there was nothing I could do except run and hide whenever she showed her ugly face."

"Umm, didn't she actually have YOUR face?" Harry asked with a smirk.

Samus paused for a moment. "Oh, very funny. But if there was something out there that's copied you perfectly, is bent on causing destruction and is single-mindedly hunting you down, you wouldn't find it so amusing."

The grin faded from Harry's face. "Yeah, I see your point. I guess that's what makes these X truly horrifying... they can copy anything and then cause so much death and destruction. It's like they're pure evil, anti-life... I'm glad there's nothing like that in the wizarding world, or as far as you know, anywhere else out there."

"Actually, the ability to mimic the traits of other lifeforms isn't that uncommon among beings in this galaxy," said Samus matter-of-factly, sounding very much like Hermione. "It's not exactly an evil trait like you say. Just like Parseltongue, some good people can do it to."

"Really? Like who?" Harry prodded, now intrigued.

"There's this alien I once met called Kirby. He's this pink, pudgy, ball-shaped alien, about half your height, and he can copy the traits of whatever he eats," explained Samus. "For example, if he eats a creature that lives in a volcanic environment, he can then spew flames, turn into a speeding fireball... that sort of thing."

"You never mentioned this guy before. Is he another old friend of yours? When did you meet him?" asked Harry, once again fascinated by what Samus had to say.

Samus opened her mouth to explain further, but another voice called out to both of them, one that Harry had come to detest over the last four years. "Hey Potter! Why am I not surprised to see you fraternizing with that lowly Muggle servant? And how's your sidekick Weasley doing? It's not surprising that that git has the goalkeeping ability of a drunken house-elf; that old fool Lupin probably could afford a better broom than the piece of trash he's got!"

His temper once again flaring up, Harry turned to see Draco Malfoy walking down the field, accompanied by his usual entourage of goons: Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle and Pansy Parkinson. Goyle and Crabbe, as usual, guffawed sycophantly, and Parkinson let out a shriek of laughter.

Harry's seething anger toward Draco Malfoy and his gang eclipsed any frustration he had felt about Samus. He knew it was just like them to come and heckle his team while they were practicing. Harry glared at them and tried to think of a comeback, but Samus was way ahead of him. "Well, I'm sure Ron's flying skills are superior to those of your two fat-ass friends and that bubble-headed groupie of yours," she beamed at them, smiling scornfully.

Crabbe, Goyle and Parkinson all looked as if they had just been Stunned. Malfoy's face contorted in rage, and then said, "You'd better watch yourself, you filthy Muggle! I don't know how a pathetic Muggle bitch like you landed a job here, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering how that senile old crackpot is somehow still in charge here... for now."

Harry had heard enough. He pulled out his wand and stepped towward the gang of Slytherins, determined to curse each and every one of them. But Samus held out her hand, gesturing to him to stay back. "You must be Draco Malfoy," she said calmly. Harry looked at her, and saw that she was grinning wickedly, as if she was planning something.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so you know of me, do you, Muggle?" he asked hatefully. "Well, I'm sure Potter has told you all sorts of..."

"I didn't just hear about you from Harry," interrupted Samus. "I also heard about you from your old house-elf, Dobby."

Malfoy's features softened slightly. It was obvious that he hadn't expected this; it was doubtful he even knew his former servant now worked at Hogwarts. "W-What do you mean?" he asked, his voice no longer sounding cocky.

"Oh, I mean that when I first got here, I worked very closely with Dobby," replied Samus coyly. "And since he's now a freed house-elf, he was able to tell me all sorts of things about you," she finished, the gleeful grin on her face looking even more malevolent.

Harry looked over to Malfoy, then back to Samus. Oh, this ought to be good, he thought anxiously, certain that Samus was going to spill some embarrassing secrets about his rival.

He was not disappointed. "What did he tell me?" Samus asked herself, pretending to be deep in thought. "Oh yes, he said you sucked your thumb until you were nine. Your parents had to bewitch you so that Stinksap would squirt out of your ears whenever you did. It was the only way to get you to stop. Oh, and I think he mentioned that as a kid, you were always afraid of these things called 'Crumple-Horned Snorkacks.' Sometimes your mother had to set off curses under your bed and in your closet, supposedly to force them out of hiding, before you'd finally go to sleep." Samus stopped, and for a few seconds, the only sound Harry could hear was that of Crabbe, Goyle and Parkinson trying to supress giggles.

As last, Parkinson couldn't contain it any longer. "C-Crumple-Horned Snorkacks? Those s-stupid things always mentioned in The Quibbler?" she snorted hysterically, and finally gave into a fit of giggles.

Malfoy glared back at his friends with a face of someone who felt betrayed. He then turned back to Samus, and his face once again contorted. "You... you dare!" Malfoy hollered. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at Samus. "YOU DARE EMBARRASS ME IN FRONT OF MY FRIENDS, YOU WRETCHED MUGGLE?"

Harry raised his own wand, but Samus motioned for him to stand down, never taking her eyes off of Malfoy. "You know, plenty have learned that it's not a good idea to wave weapons in my face and dish out empty threats. If you know what's good for you, you and your friends'll just walk away. Now." She spoke calmly and without any hint of worry, and that served to egg on Malfoy even more.

Oh man, this is gonna get ugly, thought Harry dryly as he shook his head, trying to decide whether or not he wanted to see Samus blast the Slytherins clear across the Quidditch pitch.

"Grrrr, NO ONE talks that way to me, especially some Muggle freak!" shouted Malfoy. "That's it, I'm going to teach you some manners! Locomotor Mortis!" Malfoy aimed at her legs, and by the way she then wobbled about, Harry could tell the curse had worked. All four of the Slytherins laughed triumphantly. "That should keep you in one place. I have all sorts of fun planned for you, Muggle," sneered Malfoy, then he turned and whispered something to his friends.

"Uh, Malfoy, I think you need to take another look," said Harry delicately. Malfoy turned around, and saw that Samus had reached down between her legs. Then there was a resounding noise like that of Velcro straps being pulled apart, and Harry saw Samus's left foot wiggling around underneath her robes. She had pulled her legs apart.

"Uh-oh," said Malfoy, wide-eyed. His friends looked just as astonished.

"'Uh-oh' is right, kid. Now it's my turn," said Samus wickedly. She raised her right arm and threw back the cape. Harry saw the glint of sunlight on her arm cannon's muzzle, and then...

FCHAK! FCHAK! FCHAK! FCHAK!

Harrry looked at Samus, then at the four Slytherins. They stood completely motionless, encased in thick crystals of ice, with looks of utter disbelief etched on their faces. This was perhaps the funniest thing that had ever happened to Draco and his gang, and it took a lot of willpower on Harry's part to not laugh hysterically. "I-I thought you said you c-couldn't use that weapon anymore?" said Harry shakily, trying to contain his laughter.

"Oh, I can use the ice beam. I just pay for it later," said Samus, rubbing her forehead as if she had been stricken with a migraine. "Well, there's another memory you can use for conjuring Patronuses: Draco's gang, the amazing ice statues."

"True. Well, how long are they going to stay frozen?" asked Harry, still feeling giggly. "And come to think of it, aren't you worried you'll get into trouble with Dumbledore for this?"

"Oh sure, because Hermione got herself in such hot water for clocking the pretty boy in your third year," said Samus sarcastically. "Trust me, Harry, when it comes to small-minded bullies like this, violence is always an excellent solution. Oh, and as for your first question, since the sun is out and it's quite warm, the ice should sublimate fairly quickly."

Sure enough, the ice crystals covering the Slytherins began to fade away into vapor within seconds. All four of them thawed out at around the same time; their clothes were sodden and all of them were shivering uncontrollably. "Ready for round two, kid?" Samus asked haughtily. Malfoy shot her one last glance of utmost loathing, then turned and ran. His friends soon followed him. Once they left the Quidditch pitch, Samus turned to Harry and said, "I don't think they'll be bothering you for a while. I'll see you later in the library, if I can make it, OK?"

Harry nodded, and Samus turned and ran off the field with the speed of a galloping centaur. He watched her go, thinking about what she had made him promise her. She has a point, but I hate how she's being as overprotective as the rest of the Order. But I really don't want her worrying about me. It's strange, it's almost like she feels like... sort of like both a mother and a big sister...

"Bloody brilliant," came a voice from above him. Harry looked up to see Fred, George and Ron hovering about ten feet above the ground. "Harry, if I may be so bold, do you think you could introduce me to that fine Muggle woman?" asked George. "I think I'm in love."

"Come off it, you git!" exclaimed Fred. "She's got to be in her mid-twenties, and she can break you in half with her bare hands!"

"Exactly. I've always found myself attracted to older, stronger women," replied George with a smirk.

"Oh, that's another moment I'll fix in my memory forever, right up there with the amazing bouncing ferret," said Ron dreamily. "And there's obviously some stuff about this Samus you're not telling us, Harry, if she can do stuff like that," he added, suddenly sounding hurt.

"I'll tell you all about her later, Ron," said Harry as he mounted his Firebolt and kicked off the ground. "In the meantime, we still got practicing to do."

"AAAA-CHOO!"

Draco Malfoy wandered through the hallways of the castle alone, unsure of what to do next. His friends had decided to hole themselves up in the Slytherin common room after leaving the hospital wing. They had all gone there so Madam Pomfrey so that she could do something about the lingering chill in their bodies. The curative charms she used worked, but Draco was still having occasional fits of sneezing.

Hmph, lousy Muggle bitch, Draco thought to himself. I don't know what it was she used on us, but I swear she won't get away with this! He continued walking through the hallways, looking for Dolores Umbridge. Snape probably won't be able to do anything about her, since he, unfortunately, still has to put on a show and kiss up to Dumbledore, and I doubt that old fool will do anything about his pet Muggle. Umbridge, however, is a different matter, Draco thought, his lips curling up into a nasty grin.

Unfortunately, Draco had no clue where she would be on a Saturday morning. For all he knew, she could be back at the Ministry at the moment. Draco smiled to himself again, thinking about how insanely stupid Umbridge was, trying to pretend that the Dark Lord was still powerless and interfering at Hogwarts to shut Dumbledore up and discredit him. It'll just make the Dark Lord's job that much easier, he thought wickedly as he turned a corner.

And he almost collided with Harry Potter, who was just coming around the corner himself. "What the... watch where you're going, you..." he began, but his voice trailed off when he took another look at Harry.

Harry wasn't wearing his Quidditch uniform anymore, but was instead wearing some sort of Muggle clothing; a pair of jeans and a baggy white T-shirt. And, for some reason, he wasn't wearing his glasses. Draco was disgusted by the thought of a wizard dressing like a common Muggle; it was just another example of how Harry lacked any true wizarding pride. "That's so like you, Potter. Dressing like a common, wretched Muggle," he drawled. "Tell me, where's that worthless Muggle friend of yours?"

Harry didn't answer. He merely stood in place, silently staring at Draco with a cold, impassive face. Draco had the curious feeling of being stared THROUGH, as if Harry merely regarded him as a piece of scenery. That served to infuriate him even more. Draco pulled out his wand and aimed it at Harry, its tip less than an inch from Harry's nose. Harry, however, made no motion to reach for his own wand, and continued to stare blankly at Draco. "I said, where's that Muggle bitch?" Draco demanded. Harry said nothing and kept staring at Draco blankly. It was as if he didn't realize he was being threatened.

And then, Harry's hands suddenly grabbed Draco's wand hand, moving with lightning speed and catching him off-guard. He twisted Draco's wrist around, making him drop his wand and cry out in pain. Draco backed away nervously, nursing his aching wrist. Something... something's wrong. This isn't like Potter. What's...

"POTTER! What are you doing?" came a harsh, demanding voice. Draco turned to see Snape standing by him. "Ten points from Gryffindor for injuring another student. Now get out of here, before I decide to deduct more points," Snape said imperiously, and then he turned and swept out of the hallway.

Draco watched Snape go, then he turned back to Harry. But Harry was no longer looking at him. Instead, he was staring in the direction Snape had walked down, and now, the blank expression on his face was gone. He now looked... transfixed. Draco shuddered involuntarily, for Harry's face now somehow made him think of a predator that had just found its quarry. After a few seconds, Harry headed down the same hallway that Snape had, walking past Draco as if he wasn't even there.

"What was that about?" Draco thought aloud as he picked up his wand. He then continued his trek through the hallways, looking for Umbridge. But after several more minutes, he still couldn't locate her. Ugh, this is pointless. I probably won't see her again until Monday, he thought at last. I'll just go out to the Quidditch field again and make fun of those Gryffindor losers some more. Hopefully that bitch is long gone.

And so, he made his way back to the front doors. He walked up to them, but suddenly, they opened on their own, meaning someone was coming in...

Draco found himself staring face-to-face with Harry yet again, only now, he was back in his Quidditch robes, and had his broomstick slung over his shoulder. Draco also noticed that his worthless friend, Ron Weasley, was right behind him. "What're you doing out there?" he asked in a demanding tone, shocked.

"I was out on the field practicing, as you very well know. Damn, and they say Neville's got a bad memory," Harry retorted.

"Don't play dumb with me, Potter!" shouted Draco. "I just saw you in the hallways on the first floor. You almost twisted my hand off!"

"That ice obviously killed off whatever brain cells you had left!" shouted Ron. He walked past Harry and was about to pass by Draco. "C'mon Harry, let's go and..."

"Hold on a minute," said Harry suddenly, holding out a hand to stop Ron. "Malfoy, are you telling me you thought you just saw someone who looked like me?"

Draco stared at Harry, and saw his expression was one of mingled surprise and terror. It was as if something had just dawned on Harry, and he was hoping that Draco would say 'no.'

Draco was happy to disappoint him. "No Potter, it WAS you, I'm sure of it. Only losers like you would be seen wearing cheap Muggle clothes here in Hogwarts. You nearly twisted my hand off, then took off after Snape for whatever reason. Who do you think you're..." Draco's voice trailed off as he noticed Harry's face changed to one of absolute horror, as if one of his worst nightmares had just come true.

"OH HOLY SHIT!" he suddenly exclaimed, making some of the other nearby students stare at him. He then he turned to Ron. "Ron, go find Dumbledore, or McGonagall, or Samus if you can. Tell them they need to find Snape right away. I'll go look for him myself." Ron nodded obediently, as if he understood perfectly. Then the two of them ran off, leaving Draco alone and utterly flummoxed.

"What... the bloody hell was that all about?" he asked no one in particular.

Snape was busily arranging some of the potion jars on the shelf near his desk, his mind very occupied at the moment. He had just returned to Hogwarts after being summoned earlier that morning by Voldemort. It was the first time the Dark Lord had requested his presence since the X had revealed themselves, and as Dumbledore had ordered, he used the opportunity to try and pump information out of him and see if he knew anything. Dumbledore had also instructed him to go and tell Voldemort about the X shortly after Samus had finished deploying his potion in Earth's atmosphere, also to see if he'd reveal himself as the mastermind behind using the X. But both times yielded the same result: Voldemort said he hadn't used the time-travelling charm and had no idea who did, and merely told him to keep gathering information for him. Snape didn't dare try and use Legilimency on Voldemort, though, so he had no way of knowing for sure.

It was the same way when I told him about Samus, when she first arrived, Snape thought as he placed a jar full of a slimy, purple solution back on the shelf. He seemed interested about how someone who was apparently a Muggle could resist most magic, but just told me to keep an eye on her. Funny, though. He never told me what else I should do regarding her. It's almost like the Dark Lord forgot I had mentioned it...

Snape's train of thought was broken by the sound of the door to his office being opened and then slammed shut. Alright, who has the nerve to barge in without knocking? he thought acidly as he slowly turned around. He received a bit of a shock when he saw it was Harry Potter standing by his door, staring coldly at him from across his office. Is he TRYING to get me to dock more points from Gryffindor? Snape thought. Out loud, he said, "What is the meaning of this, Potter? How dare you storm into my office?" He drew his wand and swept toward Harry, hoping such a threatening gesture would intimidate him.

But Potter's cold features did not soften and he didn't look the slightest bit perturbed. And as Snape neared, he merely held up an outstretched hand...

Bright light erupted all around Snape, and he was thrown backwards and his wand flew out of his hand. His backside slammed hard into his desk, almost making him pass out from overwhelming pain. What... the Disarming Charm? he thought disbelievingly as he fought back the pain. Wandless magic AND no incantations? That's impossible! How can...

The sound of roaring flames in front of him made Snape look up. The Muggle clothing that Potter was wearing had caught fire and was burning away, but that wasn't the only odd thing going on. Snape watched in horror as a thick, yellow slime seemed to seep out of Potter's exposed skin and begin to envelope his entire body. It was then that Snape realized what he was dealing with. Oh, no no no... This is the X's copy of Potter?

The thick slime covering the copy of Harry Potter began to change color and looked like it was hardening. His legs looked like they were covered in a lackluster, blueish-black skinsheath that looked extremely resilient, and Snape noticed that his toes were long and talon-like. Soon, the slime covering his torso and arms hardened and took form as well, matching the shape and contours of his own body, and his fingers were like sharp talons as well, and were as long and spidery as Voldemort's. The process continued with the parasitic slime covering his neck, and the slime even travelled up to parts of his face. When the slime there hardened and took form, it looked as if blackened, diseased roots had dug into the doppleganger's cheeks and underneath his chin.

Snape stared up at Harry Potter's noxious doppleganger, and for the first time in many years he was overcome with paralyzing terror. He was defenseless and at the mercy of this parasitic copy, whose motives were still unclear. He stared into the face that resembled that of the boy he knew and hated for over four years, but saw no trace of Harry Potter there. Potter had the look of a simple-minded boy who was a slave to his passions, but this thing had a coldness in his features that was far more chilling than even Voldemort's gaze, not to mention he had a merciless, calculating look in his eyes...

And then those eyes suddenly began to glow with a violent, yellow-green light.

Jarred into action, Snape looked around for his wand and when he saw it, he made a desperate lunge for it. But Potter's clone moved with unfathomable speed and clamped a hand around his throat, then slammed him back down against his desk. Before Snape could do anything else, Potter's copy grabbed his throat again and forced him to look up, holding him in place with inhuman strength. He stared into Snape's eyes, and the yellow-green light from the clone's eyes almost blinded him, as well as seeming to hypnotize him...

It felt like his mind was set ablaze, overwhelming every fiber of his being with excruciating pain. He fought to keep conscious, refusing to let this abomination get the better of him. Snape desperately wanted to close his eyes and pull away from Potter's clone, but found that his body wouldn't respond to his commands. Whatever twisted form of magic this doppleganger was using, it was rendering him completely helpless.

And then, from out of nowhere, he heard a voice. A soft voice, like that of an old woman's, but it sounded distant and the words were indistinct. Soon, Snape realized that he wasn't actually hearing anyone: it was a voice within his head. And then, the words became clearer and he could understand them. "Severus, are you sure the potion needs this much bubotober pus?" Snape recognized it at McGonagall's voice, and remembered hearing her say that the night he concocted the potion granting immunity to the X parasites.

It was then that the part of Snape's mind that was still able to reason finally realized what was going on. Potter's clone was using Legilimancy to dig into his mind and learn about the potion he had made. No, he thought resolutely, hoping the doppleganger would pick up on his hateful thoughts. You're not getting it. NO ONE invades the mind of Severus Snape and steals his potioneering secrets! His determination renewed, he gathered his wits, supressed his fear and rage, and called upon his skill with Occlumency, fighting back against the invader. If he could resist Voldemort's Legilimancy, then he could fight back here, too.

But within seconds, his hopes faded as Potter's clone fought back his attempts to resist, as if he had just tapped into a fresh reserve of power. Those yellow-green, glowing eyes drilled into the back of his mind with a merciless ferocity, going beyond anything that even Voldemort could do. And one by one, he wrested the thoughts he desired from Snape's mind...

Harry ran down the corridors on the lower level as fast as he could, his heart pounding and his mind racing. He desperately wanted to believe that this was another one of Malfoy's pranks, but judging from Malfoy's confused expression, there was no denying he was telling the truth. Samus was right, he thought fearfully. It's no laughing matter, knowing there's an evil clone of yourself on the loose. But how's this possible? The X that had infected me were completely destroyed! He turned another corner and continued running, hoping he'd make it to Snape's office in time. I can't believe I'm doing this. I'm breaking the promise I made to Samus, and for what? To save the teacher religiously devoted to making my life a living hell? Maybe the Daily Prophet's right about me losing my marbles. But deep down, Harry knew that if this 'HP-X' was after Snape, he had to at least try and save him, no matter how much he loathed the Potions Master.

At last, he reached the door to Snape's office. Harry rushed inside, almost completely out of breath, and looked around frantically, not knowing what to expect. He immediately saw Snape leaning against his desk, having been grabbed by the throat by what appeared to be a skinny human covered with some sort of blueish-black skinsheath... a human with extremely untidy black hair.

Harry gulped, a knot of fear forming in his stomach. He held out his wand, but his hand was trembling, and he couldn't think of what to do next. At first, the HP-X took no notice of the new arrival, but after a few seconds, he began to lazily turn his head. Harry saw a brief flash of yellow-green light come from his doppleganger's eyes.

Reacting instinctly from fear, Harry aimed his wand and yelled, "Relashio!" The force of his spell broke HP-X away from Snape and flung him backward as if hooked by an invisible fishing line. HP-X's backside crashed into the wall opposite the desk and he slid down it.

"Snape, are you OK? Talk to me!" demanded Harry in a desperate voice, but Snape didn't seem to be aware of what was going on. His head was bobbing and he had a dull, listless look in his eyes. But at least he was alive. Harry turned away from Snape to focus on his doppleganger, who was just recovering from being thrown across the room and standing up.

The two of them stared at each other for what seemed to be an eternity. Harry stood there, aghast by how the creature resembled him so much. The face, the messy black hair, the shape of his body... he even had a scar shaped like a lightning bolt on his forehead. But that blackish-blue covering, whatever it was, gave HP-X a truly sinister look and perfectly reflected how this was a perverted version of himself. Harry also noticed the long, talon-like fingers, and was instantly reminded of Voldemort. And to top it all off, HP-X's eyes glowed with the same resplendence that exposed X parasites did, leaving no doubt about his true nature.

Was this what it was like for Samus? Harry mused as he stared down his double, feeling a mixture of fear and revulsion. Was it just as horrifying for her, knowing that an evil copy of herself existed? At last, the HP-X made the first move. He pointed a finger at Harry, and suddenly it began to glow with red light. Harry had a feeling he knew what was coming, and dashed to the side...

But Harry found himself practically gliding through the air, and touched down at least ten feet away from where he had been standing. HP-X's Stunning Spell smashed apart a jar on Snape's shelf instead, but he immediately turned toward Harry and fired off another...

Harry had no idea why he did it, but he jumped straight upwards. He felt his heart leap up into his throat when he found himself rising several feet off the ground, letting the blast of red light pass under him. Wha... What's going on? How am I doing this? he wondered as he touched down again, his mind in a state of panic. I can't jump like that! I just jumped just like Samus does! How did I do that?

He didn't have time to dwell on it, because he saw the HP-X edging toward him, this time with both hands outstretched. Billowing, white wisps of air seemed to circulate around his hands, and Harry guessed that he was about to use the Glacius spell; he remembered seeing Hermione use it a few times in their third year. Without thinking, he jumped forward just as a blast of freezing air shot from the HP-X's hands. Harry soared past HP-X and across Snape's office, avoiding the attack completely.

Good thing Snape's office is pretty big, otherwise I'd be dead, thought Harry glumly, realizing that a fight with HP-X in close quarters would be calamitous for him. When he touched down again, he turned and aimed at the HP-X with his wand, who had already turned about himself. Alright, time for a taste of your own medicine, Harry thought hatefully. "Glacius!" he bellowed.

A cloud of white mist shot out from his wand, but Harry's concentration broke when a sudden, sharp pain erupted in his arm; it was as if his arm was hit with the Cruciatus Curse, only the pain seemed to ignite from within. "ARGH!" he screamed through gritted teeth as he slumped to the floor, his other hand reaching for his arm. What happened? Why did it hurt when I...

And then, he remembered what Samus had told him yesterday, about her battle against the X in her time. Receiving Metroid DNA to cure the X infection had a detrimental side-effect - she also inherited the Metroids' vulnerability to extreme cold, and for a long time the ice beam modification couldn't be used by her new suit. Oh great, now that's carried over to me too, Harry realized, still squatting because of the pain. I can't ever use Glacius now, and my body's...

Harry heard HP-X stepping closer to him. Looking up, he saw the HP-X reaching out with both hands outstretched, ready to use Glacius again. Harry tried to jump away again, but he was a split-second too late. Freezing, wintry air swirled all around him, inflicting pain that went beyond even a Cruciatus Curse from Voldemort and a chill far more dreadful than anything a dementor could do. Harry found that the cold air kept him rooted to the spot, and within seconds, he felt ice beginning to build up around his body. He realized that in another few seconds, he'd be frozen solid like Draco and his gang had been, only permanently.

Harry stared up at his double, shivering uncontrollably and aching from every breath he managed to take. Argh, I can't let him beat me! he thought acidly, but his body was getting more numb from cold by the second. Harry realized that his wand has still in his hand, but he could also feel that his lower arm was almost completely encased in ice. Not only that, he knew he'd barely be able to shout out an incantation anyway. Harry still wasn't ready to give up, but he couldn't see any way to strike back at HP-X, and ice crystals were continuing to build up around him...

And then, it was as if something snapped in Harry's brain, setting off a chain reaction. Suddenly, he felt boundless energies building up within him. Harry didn't know what it meant, but his instincts were telling him he had to focus this power and unleash it. Without realizing how, he began to do just that, and he could feel incredible power channeling through him, which was then focused into his wand. Freezing air continued to swirl around him, but the buildup of energy was increasing as well...

"Yeargh!"

The ice that had nearly engulfed Harry's body shattered to pieces as he stood back up, sending shards of ice crystals flying everywhere. The HP-X ceased using the Glacius spell and backed up, possibly more out of surprise than anything else. Harry was still shivering uncontrollably and his entire body felt numb, but he refused to give in. He knew he needed to strike back before HP-X could attack again. Harry pointed his wand at HP-X, and received yet another shock...

At the tip of his wand was pulsating ball of yellow energy about the size of a Quaffle, illuminating Snape's gloomy office and making his wand tremble furiously. Harry instinctively realized that this was the result of the newfound power he had somehow channeled within him, allowing him to break free. He then saw the HP-X raise his hands again. And Harry - without thinking, without realizing what he was doing - aimed his wand at his double and willed it to release the excess energy.

A shrill blasting sound echoed in Snape's office as the shining ball of energy smashed into HP-X, forcing him backward several feet. However, he immediately began to advance again and fired off a Stunner. But Harry merely ducked to avoid the spell and took aim, calling upon that energy again. This time, tiny blasts of bright, yellow energy - which looked exactly like the blasts of power Samus had fired at Peeves days ago - shot out from his wand tip in rapid succession. His blasts danced across HP-X's torso, forcing him backward even further. Harry then stood back up and ceased firing, trying to focus his energy like he did when the HP-X tried to freeze him. During that momentary lapse, HP-X tried to use Glacius again. But another pulsating ball of energy formed at the tip of Harry's wand, and he fired it off before the HP-X could do so. This time, HP-X was blasted off his feet and sailed backwards, crashing into a shelf full of Snape's potions.

The HP-X slumped to the ground as bottles filled with slimy, writhing creatures fell on him, shattering and spilling their contents all over the parasitic clone. Harry cautiously stepped forward and built up another blast of energy, determined to strike while his enemy was down. But before the could release the blast, the HP-X suddenly lashed out with amazing swiftness and nailed him with an uppercut. Harry briefly saw stars, and his blast of power was accidently fired at the ceiling instead, making a chunk of it crash down onto the floor. The HP-X then reached up and grabbed Harry's wrists, and looked into Harry's eyes with his own.

Harry suddenly felt light-headed, just like when Voldemort had used the Imperius Curse on him. He then felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, which was steadily getting worse. Harry tried to pull himself away, but HP-X was far stronger than him, and for some reason, he couldn't turn his eyes away. Whatever he's doing, it can't be good news for me, thought Harry, a spark of defiance igniting in his mind. After summoning up all his willpower, he somehow managed to shut his eyes and reared his head back. Then he slammed into the HP-X's head with his own.

Harry's sudden, unexpected move caused HP-X to relinquish his hold and stagger backward slightly. Realizing he had to act fast, Harry fired off a Stunner, and HP-X backed up a little more. But a second later, HP-X pointed at Harry again, and this time, his finger gave off a green glow. Uh-oh, NOT good! Harry thought, getting ready to jump aside.

But before HP-X could use Avada Kedavra, a whooshing sound resounded in Snape's office. A split-second later, a missile slammed into HP-X side, exploding with great force and sending out a cloud of icy mist. More missiles then followed, along with several Stunners and what looked like a stream of small, bubbly globules of white light, which made a terrible sizzling sound when they struck the HP-X. Harry turned toward the door, and saw Samus, Ron and McGonagall standing there, all of them pummeling HP-X with their respective attacks.

The HP-X flailed about helplessly, unable to retaliate. Then, Snape's voiced cried out with "Avada Kedavra!" The blast of deadly green light struck HP-X, and suddenly, he stopped moving, as if he had been turned into a living statue. The others then let up their assault, and they cautiously stepped into the office; Ron and McGonagall kept their wands raised, and Samus kept her arm cannon out and pointed at HP-X, the missile barrel still open.

Harry cautiously inched toward the group, but as he did so, he heard a faint gasping sound come from HP-X, as if he was desperately trying breathe in air. "Do... do you think we got it?" Harry asked nervously.

But no sooner had he spoken those words than did cracks begin to appear in HP-X armor-like covering, and bright light poured out from them. A sort of piercing, high-pitched shriek filled everyone's ears... a scream that sounded like it was a mixture of pain and pure hatred. And then, without warning, blinding light filled the entire office, forcing everyone to cover their eyes.

When the light subsided and everyone could see clearly again, there was no trace of the HP-X.

"He's gone?" asked Ron delicately. "Is that it? Did we kill him?"

"No, these X have to either be absorbed by me or Samus, or set on fire with Incendio to kill them," pointed out Harry. Exhaustion finally got the better of him, and he slumped down onto one knee. "But where did it go? It couldn't have Apparated, and Snape DID hit it with Avada Kedavra."

"But as we've seen, that'll only kill the host, leaving the parasite within unharmed," wheezed Snape. Harry looked at the desk again, and saw Snape was still leaning against it, and he looked very weak. "Fortunately, I recovered in time to fend it off for you, Potter."

"And lucky I decided to come and rescue you in the first place," spat Harry. "I guess we're officially even now."

"Besides, we were here too," added Ron.

Snape just gritted his teeth and looked away. It was then then Samus spoke up. "You're both lucky that Ron found McGonagall and I in time, otherwise you'd probably both be dead," she spat acidly.

"I-I could hardly believe what he had to say," said McGonagall with a whimper. "He had confirmed what Dumbledore has been dreading for days."

"WHAT?" cried Harry incredulously.

"It's true," said Samus as she walked up to Harry. "Dumbledore thought that there might be an X parasite on the loose mimicking you. Your physician claimed that she was certain she had taken a second sample of the X parasites that had invaded you, but she couldn't find it. Also, days ago, Dumbledore went back to his office and it looked like his pet phoenix had been cursed in some manner, and those people in the paintings had been enchanted in some way too. Confounded or something."

"Confunded," corrected McGonagall.

"I don't get it," said Harry hotly. "How does..."

"Mr. Potter, as you very well know, your wand's phoenix feather came from Fawkes," said McGonagall. "So logically, if there was another you out there, he'd need a tail feather from the same pheonix to make a suitable wand."

"But it didn't use a wand. Somehow, it cast spells without one," stated Harry. He then glared at Samus, once again frustrated with her. It was bad enough that Dumbledore hadn't so much as looked him in the eye since returning to Hogwarts, but he thought he could count on Samus to tell him these sort of things. "And why did you keep this from me? If there was a clone of me running around, you should've told me!"

Samus shut her eyes and sighed heavily. "Personally, I thought it was just wild speculation," she said softly. "I figured if a 'HP-X' did exist, it would've tried to stop Snape while he was brewing that potion, or at least try and keep us from taking off in my ship with it. I didn't want you to get worked up over wild theories."

Samus then reached down and hoisted Harry back onto his feet. "And what about you, Harry?" she asked, her voice suddenly filled with fury. "You promised me that you wouldn't throw yourself into harm's way! And here you go, trying to fight off an X-host that's obviously more than just a carbon copy of you!"

"You said you didn't want me running off when you found out where the X are being hidden!" retorted Harry. "The X showed up here again! I had to do something!"

"That shouldn't surprise you, Samus," came Snape's icy voice. "Potter is, after all, an attention-seeking troublemaker who's been crossing lines since day one. It doesn't strike me as odd that he would ignore any promises he made." Samus then turned to glare at Snape, and it looked like she was about to have a row with him next. But Harry tugged at her robes, urging her to face him again.

"Samus, there's something else," Harry whispered. "During our fight, some weird stuff happened. I was jumping around the office, just like you can. A-And I somehow focus some weird energy through my wand. I-It was like like I had my own version of your 'charge beam', and I could shoot out smaller bursts too."

Samus's face instantly changed from one of raw fury to one of astonishment and worry. But before she could say anything in response, McGonagall spoke up. "What was that, Samus? You mean to tell me that this 'Metroid DNA' you gave Mr. Potter has done more to him than what you originally claimed it would?"

Harry peered behind Samus to see that McGonagall was standing right behind her, an unreadable expression etched on her aged face. He felt mortified about how their conversation had been overheard; whatever new traits had just surfaced, he didn't want them to become public knowledge. Samus turned on McGonagall, apparently now ready to argue with her. This time, it was Snape who staved off a confrontation.

"Ladies, now is not the time for that. I'm afraid we have more pressing concerns," said the Potions Master. He had finally stood up, but he seemed wobbly and held onto his desk with one hand.

"What d'you mean?" demanded Ron.

"What I mean, Weasley, that there was a method to this HP-X's madness. He accosted me with a single purpose in mind: to wrest the knowledge I have about our immunizing potion out of my head. And I am ashamed to say that he succeeded."

"What?" cried out McGonagall in disbelief. "He succeeded? Even with your skill at Occ..."

"Even my skills mattered little in this case," Snape said in defeated voice. "And if we indeed failed in killing this HP-X... if he somehow escaped..."

"Then the rest of the X will have that knowledge too, and so will whoever's manipulating them," Samus finished for him.

"Exactly. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem. But we're dealing with a disease that can actually think for itself, and is being controlled by an undoubtedly skilled wizard. If the X's mysterious master now knows how the potion was made..."

Snape let the sentence dangle. Icy fear formed in the pit of Harry's stomach yet again. If Snape was right, then this would mean the X might be able to find a way to get around Snape's immunizing potion. If that was the case, then all life on Earth was up for grabs for whoever had brought the X to their time.

It's insane, just how long these chapters are getting. And believe it or not, there was actually more I wanted to do here, but I had to cut a lot to keep the chapter's size down. I wonder if J.K. Rowling herself ever has this sort of problem. Oh well, I guess I can just claim it's a nice, extra-long Christmas gift for everyone...

And yeah, that Glacius spell in this chapter... I took it from the console version of the Harry Potter 3 game. Yes, I know that game sucked Dragon Balls; it's easily one of the stankiest pieces of software since Total Recall and Deadly Towers for the NES. But obviously, for the purposes of this fic, I had to use it, and in a future chapter there'll be another spell from that game I'll be forced to use.

Happy Holidays... or something,
Grey