The same but different

Chapter 3 Awakening

Harry woke, and suddenly he was himself again.

Only, that wasn't completely true. The memories were still there; sitting amongst his own recollections of school and summers at the Dursleys and all the other small interactions that made up his life, was the entire life of Salazar Slytherin. Both belonged in Harry's head. Both were Harry. His soul was Salazar's as much as it was his own; his magic the founder's magic, his life just a rebirth of the man himself.

Harry stared at the dark red hangings of his bed in Gryffindor tower, wide-eyed, wondering how the hell this was his life. Lives. Merlin.

Why had this happened? What had triggered the memories to return, now of all times? For the first time since the World Cup, he felt utterly relaxed - this was what he'd been waiting for all summer. His body and magic had been preparing for this for months. But why?

It was disorienting, having an entire seventy-three years of life crammed into one night, alongside fourteen years of a completely different one. He'd have to take some time with his occlumency shields and reorganise everything; it would help with the growing headache at his temples. But Harry was still himself, and thus he knew he'd be late to Transfiguration if he didn't get up and go to breakfast soon. With a groan, he pulled himself to a seated position and tugged his drapes back, unsurprised to see Ron's bed empty beside his; the redhead wouldn't wait for Harry when there was food on the line.

He glanced across to see Neville sat on the edge of his own bed, looking about the same as Harry felt. Then, he focused. There was something familiar about him, something from Salazar's memories...

"Godric!" Harry breathed in awe, and Neville's eyes went wide.

"Salazar!" He jumped to his feet, running over to throw his arms around Harry's skinny shoulders. "Oh, thank the gods!"

"I've missed you, old friend," Harry murmured, despite the fact that he'd seen Neville the night before. He hadn't seen Godric in months before he died in his old life. "What happened? How...?" He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. Neville looked equally perplexed when he pulled back, shrugging.

"No idea. Merlin, this is weird. It's like, I'm me, but I'm him, but we're the same person? I still know you as Harry, but I can also tell you're Sal." Suddenly, he smirked. "I always said red and gold would look good on you."

Harry thumped him on the shoulder, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." He paused, biting his lip. A hope was rising that he almost didn't dare voice. "Do... do you think the girls are back, too?" Surely whatever magic had returned him and Godric to the world wouldn't leave Rowena and Helga behind? The boys would be nothing without those two genius women. Harry's heart ached fiercely at all of Salazar's memories of his beautiful Helga, fierce and loyal and constantly underestimated, always wholeheartedly convincing Salazar he was worthy of good things.

Neville sucked in a sharp breath, and Harry knew his friend was reviewing memories of his own wife, a pained grimace on his face. Salazar had been the first to die, and he had no idea how long the others had lived on without him. From the look on Neville's face, he doubted Rowena's death had been a peaceful one.

"Our souls are bound; where we go, our wives will follow, surely. They wouldn't give us a second chance without giving us love." Neville didn't make a guess who 'they' were, and Harry nodded in agreement. He hadn't lived a second without Helga by his side since they'd met, and he refused to do so now. Harry Potter or not, he'd never love another.

"They have to be here," Harry insisted. "Somewhere. Even if they haven't woken yet, they'll be somewhere." Whatever magic had brought them home once more, they knew nothing about it. The girls could have a different set of circumstances for their awakening. They could be halfway across the world. Harry dismissed that one immediately; even with knowledge of their past life hidden from them, their souls would never let them get that far from Hogwarts. It was home, in a way normal wizards would never comprehend.