The kids were already standing in the clearing, dressed in warm jackets because it was getting dark and it wasn't that warm outside. But Harry had to be sure that no one but his friends would be there so that it wouldn't reach unwanted ears.
The boy arrived on time, looking at his friends standing there, shivering slightly from the cold.
"Well," Harry exhaled noisily. "What I want to tell you may sound very strange, but... I wanted to tell you first, Barry, because you're my brother and you're important to me... When I say that, I want to burst from the irony of the words I'm saying.
"What is it?" Barry frowned, his eyes filled with concern.
"Come on, don't drag it out," Hermione said in a half-whisper.
It turned out to be much more difficult than he had imagined. The boy decided to take a roundabout approach.
"Tell me, do you believe in alternative universes and... Do you believe in reincarnation?"
"What does that have to do with what you want to say?" Barry narrowed his eyes.
"It's as straightforward as it gets," replied "Harry." "So what is it?"
"In theory, it's possible," Hermione shrugged. "However, no scientist, either from the wizarding world or the Muggle world, has ever proven it... As for reincarnation... Well, personally, I don't know, in principle, there is a spell that can transfer a soul from one body to another, but it's a very complicated spell, only a truly powerful wizard can master it... So, I don't know...
"Well, what about you?" Harry looked at his doppelganger.
"I don't know either," he shrugged. "I guess I believe it... Anything is possible in this world."
"Anyway," Harry closed his eyes because it made him feel better. "What if I told you that there's another person inside Harry Potter's body? That the real Harry Potter is dead, and my soul and consciousness have taken over his body? What if I came from another universe at the behest of one person who wants to maintain the balance between these two universes?
There was silence. Harry opened his eyes to see his friends' reactions. They just stood there, staring at him silently.
"And who are you?" asked Barry.
This was the most difficult moment. He didn't even want to laugh at the fact that he was the one who asked that question. "Harry" closed his eyes again and began to speak quickly.
"My name is Bartholomew Henry Allen, born in June 1989 in Central City. When I was ten, my mother died at the hands of a villain who calls himself the Reverse Flash, whose real name is Eobard Thawne. I found this out fifteen years later, and before that, my father was in prison on false charges. When I was in my twenties, I was struck by lightning, after which I gained super speed and became a hero named Flash. I saved people's lives wearing a mask. I had a wife named Iris West-Allen, a daughter named Burrow West-Allen, and friends named Cisco Ramon, Caitlin Snow, and Ralph Dibny. I was friends with other superheroes, such as Green Arrow, whose real name is Oliver Queen, and Black Canary and Yellow Canary, who were sisters named Laurel and Sarah Lance. And Supergirl, whose real name is Kara Danvers... In the year 2019, the Crisis happened, affecting many alternate Earths and upsetting the balance. We all fought against the Anti-Monitor, who threatened to destroy everything and everyone. I died fighting him and Reverse Flash at the same time. After my death, I ended up in a strange dimension where I met the Monitor, the twin brother of the Anti-Monitor, who was trying to preserve the balance. He sent me to this land to complete the restoration of balance. For on this earth, Harry Potter died. And his death could have led the history of this world down a very unfortunate path. And I am here to do what he did not have time to do...
"Harry" exhaled loudly, opening his eyes again to see his friends' reactions. Barry stood with his eyes wide open and his mouth slightly ajar. Hermione was no less surprised; she even took a half step back.
"By the way," Harry said to the girl. "Bogart is actually Eobard Thawne, and the fact that he has Wells' face is easy to explain — Wells died in my world, and Thawne took his identity and face to get closer to me and strike at the most inopportune moment.
"Oh," was all Hermione could say.
"This all sounds like nonsense," Barry exhaled. "But damn it, why does it all seem so plausible?! It's not like I know anything about this stuff, but you don't really look like someone who lies... And besides, I've noticed some similarities between us, but I didn't think it was ALL so prosaic..."
"So you believe me?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Yes," he nodded. "I believe you."
"This is really important to me... Because, in the time we've known each other, you've really become like family to me. It's strange, but it's true.
Barry smiled modestly, clearly pleased by these words. Hermione continued to frown in surprise.
"I've always tried to look at things realistically and think logically. So everything you've just said doesn't make any sense! But you know, if Barry believes you, then so do I."
"Harry" smiled, because he thought it could have ended much more tragically, but here's how it turned out.
Barry walked over to the boy and hugged him, and Hermione joined them. They stood there for a few seconds until Harry pulled away first and asked something very important to him:
"I really hope you won't tell anyone else," Harry nodded. "Because the fewer people who know, the better for them."
"Does anyone else know?" Hermione asked.
"Professor Dumbledore, Professor Denvers, our father," Harry nodded meaningfully to his doppelganger. "Well, and now you. And now I hope that's the end of the list, because you are the ones I trust the most."
The children nodded and then gathered back in the castle, as curfew was about to begin. It was better to be in the living room at that time, and it had gotten noticeably colder outside. In fact, Harry realised that his doppelganger had a lot of questions for him, and he decided to share everything with him, but definitely not today.
***
patreon.com/posts/flash-at-full-in-142099682