The Dresden Files/Codex Alera is copyright Jim Butcher. This story is licensed under the Creative Commons as derivative, noncommercial fiction.

I awoke, feeling refreshed, and invigorated. Harry and Karrin sat to my left and my right. Their eyes opened.

Something wasn't right…I shouldn't be seeing Harry and Murphy, right? I mean, I should see me and Murphy. I mean…Lara…

"Mmmm, I feel so much better now." Murphy's eyes opened and look to Harry with such love and devotion.

Harry smiled at her. "Me too."

I blinked. Wait, that wasn't right.

"Wait, this isn't right."

"What's not right, Lara?" Harry said.

"No, I'm not Harry, I'm Lara," I said.

Murphy giggled. "Someone's breathed too much of the incense."

"Murphy, no. This isn't right. She's stolen my body!"

Harry smiled, standing up and stretching. "Why, Lara, whatever are you going on about?"

Murphy looked a bit confused.

Harry ran a hand over her face. "Sleep." Murphy's head tipped down with her eyes closed.

"What have you done?" I said.

"Oh, Lara." Harry said, stretching and going to a full length mirror in the living room. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to be rid of that curse and be someone strong, someone magical, someone worthy."

"Give me back my body, you bitch!" I held up my hands, ready to unleash holy hell on her, er, him.

He chuckled. "Go ahead and try, Lara."

"Forzare!" I said, in a loud voice.

Nothing happened.

"Fuego!"

Again, nothing happened. I didn't feel magic at all. Instead, I felt a strange kind of hunger that didn't come from my belly. It was like my soul was hungry. I needed to feed.

A change came over me. I advanced on him, my prey.

"Look in the mirror, dear Lara."

I looked up.

I could see Lara Raith, eyes silver and shining. Looking beautiful and predatory in the light cast by the candles. With an effort, I shook myself and the sheen, the hunger, abated somewhat.

"Welcome to your new life, Lara."

"No!" I said. "I trusted you. Put me back, now!"

He shook his head. "Nope. Sorry, Lara, but this was too good of an opportunity. The great thing is, you can't even tell people who you really are."

"Of course I can. I'm Lara Raith." I shook my head. "I'm Lara Raith"

He chuckled.

"I'm a vampire of the White Court. I'm Lara Raith!"

I had tried to say Harry Dresden, Wizard, but it was like my mind wouldn't allow me to say who I truly was.

"Look, Lara," Harry said. I couldn't even think of him as Lara, he was…Harry. Ugh, it was infuriating.

"You're a powerful White Court Vampire. You have all the money you could possibly need or want. You are admired, valued, and recognized as the head of the Raith family empire. I encourage you to allow yourself to be that, become who you now are, and forget your former life entirely."

As she said those words, I could almost feel my mind shifting in response.

"You have no idea what you've done," I said.

"Oh, I think I do. I've taken on your magic, and your Mantle. I know I'll have to face…you know who…and soon, but my aura matches yours, my mind matches yours, and I have access to all your memories and abilities. In all essence, I am Harry Dresden now. I was hoping I could get you to truly feel Lara, but core identity is a difficult thing to erase completely. All I can say, is that before you know it, you will be Lara in body, mind and soul. Through and through."

I swallowed. "You realize Mab will take you apart bit by bit when she finds out what you've done."

"Will she, though?" Harry smiled.

"I think she'll probably see through you within about five minutes."

"Think so?"

"I know so. She's very particular about her Winter Knight."

"Oh, Mab!" Harry said. "I summon thee, my Queen."

A moment later, the Queen of Air and Darkness appeared. She wore the same dark blue silk dress, and had her hair coiffed in a french roll that looked particularly fetching. "What is it, my Knight."

"How fares things with Lady Maal?"

She gave a tight smile. "None of your concern, my Knight. Now, why did thee summon me?"

"Oh, I wanted to introduce you to Lara Raith. She is head of the White Court now, and a possible ally in our fight against the Outsiders."

"Greetings, Lady Raith."

"Mab!" I said. "This is not as it appears."

She frowned. "What do you mean? How does this appear?"

"I mean, I'm not who he said I was. I'm me! I'm the — "

"Sir Knight, why did thee summon me to meet someone obviously touched? If this being can help us in our future endeavors, please ensure she is at least of sound mind."

"Yes, my Queen," Harry said.

"But!"

"Silence!" Mab responded, and I could feel my throat tightening. I tried to speak, but only air came out.

"Thank you for the introduction, my Knight. Now, I need to attend to the Winter Lady, if I may take your leave."

"Of course, my Queen."

"Thank you." And with that, she was gone.

Harry chuckled, getting up from his chair, his eyes wide with glee. "See? I passed! You know what this means?"

"It means, she'll probably add decades onto your punishment when she finds out!"

He chuckled, wrapping his long arms around himself.

This couldn't be real. I stared into the mirror. My black hair had been pulled up into a scrunchy and cascaded around my shoulders in lovely curls. My ice-blue eyes were framed by perfectly arched brows, a delicate nose, and full lips with deep natural coloring. I was gorgeous, powerful, strong, and feminine.

Reaching over for his staff, he stared at all the runes, I'd inscribed into the surface.

"I know what all of these mean, now. Wow, you were dedicated, Harry. This must have taken months to create.

"Seven," I said softly.

With an effort of will, the runes and magical symbols came to life, glowing a soft blue glow. "Forzare!" he said, thrusting his hands out toward me.

An immense force lifted me off my feet, and hurled me back against the wall. The ponytail at the back of my head bounced painfully, and I grit my teeth.

He walked around, trying different spells both with and without the staff.

I brushed myself off, running my fingers through my long black hair. "Look, are you through yet? You've had your fun, Harry, now put me back."

"Don't make me test my fire casting ability on you, Lara," he said. "Now that I have my sexuality back, I think I'll go make long sweet love to my life partner here." He leaned over, and gave her a kiss. She blinked awake.

"Oh, did I fall asleep?"

"Yes, babe," Harry said. "You must be tired." Harry wiggled his eyebrows at Murphy.

"Why don't you go crawl under the covers, lover, and I'll bid Lara here goodbye."

"Okay," Murphy giggled, and ran back to the bedroom.

The bedroom I should have been following her into. Our bedroom. MY bedroom. This was wrong on so many levels.

Harry put his hand on my shoulder. "Look, Lara." He guided me toward the door. "Perhaps in a few days, I might be persuaded to return to my body. But not if you make this hard, darling, do you understand?"

"How many days," I said.

"Oh…let's say by the end of the week. You needed to work with my brother on finding the person who knows what Susan should do, yes? He's going to suggest working in the salon. You can be the one to do that, in fact, you've done it before."

"I have?"

"Yes, when you had sworn off hunting for awhile and he taught you how to skim. Remember?"

Did I remember? It seemed I did have a vague recollection of doing that. I'd stopped hunting because it really did tear me up inside to take a human life, no matter how humane it was, or how much they enjoyed it. I really needed to feed, this was getting bad. I wondered if I could seduce Harry into…

Wait, that was Lara talking, not me. I am Harry Dresden. Warden and Knight of the Winter Court.

I realized if I could get to Molly…er Maal, I might just have a chance. Molly knew me better than anyone, and if I couldn't convince her, I couldn't convince anyone. She was an experienced Neuromancer and could probably reverse things, if they could be reversed.

"I'll tell Susan you're going undercover, so to speak, at the Salon. When you learn something, let me know. Okay, Lara?"

I sighed. "Okay." It wasn't but if I picked up a chair and threw it into Harry, I might break something I really didn't want broken.

"Now, begone, Vampire!" He said the words with conviction, and I felt myself literally walking out the door.