Chapter 30: Chapter 27
Everyone in Hogwarts was excited in the moments leading up to the third task. The students, guests, and the paying audience started to find their seats in the stands, the Blacks all sitting together. Sirius was particularly excited and he made sure to share his belief that his godson would win the task and the tournament. He was even willing to bet with his best friend, Remus Lupin-Black on the result. Obviously, as both men supported Harry, the discussion of the bet quickly escalated into how much time Harry would take to complete the task. The remaining members of the Black family sat amused with their antics, and even Ted added a few galleons to the pool.
Draco Malfoy sat with the family, even if it was only at his mother's command, often looking with a scowl to his former and current Hogwarts houses. The Slytherins were engaged in a huge commotion, already celebrating their champion's performance. Sure, they wanted him to win and they believed in him, but even if he didn't, they would still celebrate.
The members of the Black Wands decided to sit together in the centre of the stands, showing unity and support for their leader. Members of the audience who didn't know about the goings-on of Hogwarts over the past months were surprised to see a multi-house group but chose not to comment, noticing only how the group interacted.
Reporters paid extra attention, especially when a little boy wearing Gryffindor colours sat among the older Slytherin and Ravenclaw students.
Everything was almost ready. Viktor Krum, Fleur Delacour, and Cedric Diggory were already there, ready for their task. Only the fourth (unofficial) champion, and secretly the favourite of many, was missing.
Everyone knew he decided to take a stroll with his girlfriend, and no one could wait to see him to start the task, wondering what kind of a surprise he would pull this time.
The teachers took their places in the stands while the members of the jury took theirs, all ready to offer their support. Moody was acting as the chief of security and roamed around the champions, making sure everything was fine.
Assembled near the stands and next to the entrance of the maze stood a large, assembled canvas, where the progress of the four champions would be displayed, one champion per quarter of the canvas. The charms were ready to activate the moment each champion entered the maze and his or her progress could be followed by the audience.
All conversations ended suddenly, however, forcing everyone to look at the canvas. Somehow, the quarter where Harry Potter's progress was supposed to be displayed activated, showing Harry and Dobby appearing near the pedestal where the cup stood. All celebrations that could have been heard died the moment Harry opened his mouth.
"That son of a bitch dug his grave." Everyone gaped at that, looking wide-eyed at Harry, who appeared strangely enraged; furious, as no one had seen him in months. "Dobby, find Daphne and keep her safe."
"WHAT?!" shouted Astoria Greengrass when she heard Harry's words.
Harry then hissed in Parseltongue, and many shivered. The Slytherins didn't, and all gasped in shock the moment they saw a familiar, but at the same time much larger snake head appearing from around Dobby's waist.
"Is that...Scylla?" Eliza asked in surprise, and Brian gaped, as did many others. They were convinced Harry had killed the basilisk.
"He said he had taken care of it..." Alistair mumbled, only to widen his eyes, his respect and wariness of the teen lord growing. Harry had never actually said he had killed Scylla. "Clever boy..."
"What about the Horcruxes?" asked Dobby. Harry scowled, as many in the audience frowned, not knowing what that meant. Dumbledore, however, gaped, his eyes widening in shock and fear, knowing very well what Horcruxes were, fearing the worst.
"Albus, what is going on?" Bagman asked, not receiving a reply from the shocked and trembling Dumbledore.
"Shit, I forgot...go now and hurry, damn it!" Harry ordered, and everyone saw Dobby popping away after a quick nod. No sound was heard as everyone watched Harry in his fury, circling the cup as an enraged lion would.
"What is going on?" asked Astoria again, "What happened to my sister?" She had no answer from anyone. After a few moments, Dobby popped again into view next to his master.
"It's done, Master," Dobby replied, and Harry grabbed the elf's shoulder.
"Then let us go to war," Harry spat, to everyone's shock as he went for the cup's handle. "Daphne is the priority. All others are meaningless."
"They will all die," Dobby seconded before Harry grabbed the handle of the cup, both wizard and elf vanishing from view. As soon as it happened, the image on the canvas ended and the walls of the maze vanished, and all the creatures in the maze were returned to their cages by magic, just as it was supposed to happen as soon as anyone touched the cup, for safety reasons.
Nothing of which mattered, as everyone had questions to be answered and everyone decided to start shouting them at the same time.
"What the hell happened?" asked a Slytherin.
"What happened to my sister?" Astoria demanded again.
"Something bad happened to Daphne..." Jason mumbled to himself, still in shock. He had seen and felt Harry angry a few times and hoped to never feel that anger against him... Whatever happened and whoever had done anything to piss Harry off that much was certainly doomed.
"DUMBLEDORE! HEADMASTERS AND MEMBERS OF THE JURY! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE?!" the roaring voice of Lord Sirius Black echoed over the noise, thanks to a Sonorus Charm, as he walked towards the jury stand. "WHAT HAPPENED TO MY GODSON AND MISS GREENGRASS?"
"Lord Black, we don't know..." Bagman started, only to see an angry Remus Lupin standing at the Lord Black's side, as angry as the first man.
"You are supposed to be in charge. Are you telling us you don't know what just happened?"
The discussion went on for some time, as everyone demanded answers and no one had them. Accusations were made, shouts were all around, and Dumbledore was pale, still pondering the Horcruxes revelation, not knowing what to think or do.
What did Harry know about Horcruxes? How? He was dragged from his musings when Snape grabbed his arm in pain and shock. As the Potions Master grabbed his arm, Karkaroff did the same, himself paling much more, almost fainting where he stood. In the Black family group, Narcissa widened her eyes when she saw a shocked Isabella grabbing her own arm, paling in fear. The youngest Black sister could swear she heard Andromeda growl in anger when she saw Bella go to her arm. Bella noticed her sister's glare, and for a small moment she wondered what was worse, the Dark Lord's wrath or Andromeda's. No one noticed Moody flinch. He was still under Harry's Veritas Imperio spell and didn't immediately react to the pain in his arm.
"Severus, what's wrong?" Dumbledore asked, when he realized which arm his spy was holding.
"I feel... I feel the Dark Lord's summon..." Snape whispered, and a burning sensation took over his arm, making him shout in pain. He felt his skin burning, his flesh blister, and a horrible pain in his arm where the Dark Mark was drawn. Isabella almost screamed in pain, saved only by Andromeda's quick intervention with a Stunner. No one apart from the Blacks noticed it, and since Remus and Sirius were still in a shouting match with the jury, so none who didn't already know Isabella's secret realized what happened.
Karkaroff shouted in pain, falling from his seat and screaming as he felt the burn in his arm. Madam Pomfrey intervened and stunned him after several moments of screaming, not understanding what was happening.
The last was Mad-Eye Moody. When Moody grabbed his arm wincing in pain, everyone found it odd, although a few were shocked to see the war hero grab his arm in the exact same place Karkaroff and Snape had.
Sirius was the first to make the connection, followed by Remus. Two Stunners hit Moody, and the two furious men walked to the Auror, only for Remus to start casting several diagnostic spells.
"What can you tell me, Moony?" asked Sirius in a very un-Sirius-like tone, carrying all his power and lordly demeanour.
"Whoever this is, he is not Mad-Eye," Remus replied with a scowl, "He's under Polyjuice."
"Polyjuice?" a female voice asked, and both Sirius and Remus turned back in surprise, meeting Amelia Bones face to face.
"Director Bones, what are you doing here?" asked Sirius with a nod, which the woman returned.
"My niece Susan called me through a two-way mirror, claiming something had happened to Daphne Greengrass that had put Harry Potter on the warpath. Imagine my surprise when I arrive and find not only two known Death Eaters holding their arms, I find also my own mentor. I want answers, and I want answers now."
"We are not sure of what's happening," Remus replied, taking the lead and starting to tell the director all that had happened so far.
"If I hadn't read the news and known better, I would think you were mocking me, Mr. Lupin," Director Bones sighed, turning to the unconscious man on the ground using the face of her dear friend and mentor. "If this man is under Polyjuice, then who is he and where is the real Moody?"
To that, no one had an answer, nor a cleansing filter to nullify the effects of the Polyjuice.
Severus Snape seethed, holding his arm and falling to his knees, trying to hold back the pain. Then, suddenly the pain stopped, leaving only a burning sensation in his arm. A burning sensation, and something else...
Grabbing all his courage, Snape unwrapped his sleeve and gasped when he saw his forearm. McGonagall, who attempted to help her fellow teacher, gasped in astonishment when she saw it: despite the blisters and damaged flesh, the Dark Mark that had once been on Severus Snape's arm was gone. It wasn't just faint, as it had once been, a dulled grey in the wearer's flesh... It was gone, leaving only scarred skin in its place.
"H-How?" McGonagall gaped, and for once, the once-again collected Potion Master had no idea what to say, think, or act. He just gaped at his forearm. Seeing it, Dumbledore took the initiative and approached Karkaroff, rolling up his sleeve. Much like the Potions Master's, the Highmaster's Dark Mark had vanished, leaving only damaged flesh.
"What is going on?" Dumbledore thought to himself.
"Professor Snape!" a familiar voice called, and Dumbledore turned to see Amelia Bones and the Lord Black approaching Severus, who was still looking at his arm. "SNAPE!" the woman insisted, realizing the man wasn't replying.
"Madam Bones, it is lovely to see you. What are you doing here?" Dumbledore asked in a polite tone, although everyone could hear the man's nervousness dripping from his words.
"My niece called me saying that Harry Potter was on the warpath and that Daphne Greengrass had been kidnapped. Care to explain that? Or do you maintain what you said to the Lord and Mr. Lupin-Black?"
"Like I said, I have no idea what is happening...may I ask why you are calling for Severus?"
"Let me ask you, have you ever noticed anything different about Alastor over these past months?" Madam Bones asked, and Dumbledore frowned.
"Well, his teaching methods are rather...extravagant, and he sometimes seems a bit off. But I assumed it was finally his old age getting to him."
"Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle," Sirius mumbled, rolling his eyes and ignoring the looks he received. "We need a cleansing filter to nullify the effects of the Polyjuice Alastor..." Sirius deliberately inflected the name, "...is under." Dumbledore was dumbfounded.
Snape recovered from his shock and immediately summoned a house-elf to go to his personal stock of potions and bring him a cleansing filter for Madam Bones's use, while the woman summoned more Aurors. Less than thirty minutes later, Barty Crouch Jr. was arrested and taken to the Ministry cells.
Madam Bones massaged her temples, already predicting a huge headache concerning the supposed dead man.
"Aurors, spread out and investigate the surroundings. I want to know exactly what happened before all this started," Madam Bones ordered, "I promise you, Lord Black, Mr. Lupin-Black, we will do our job and make sure we discover what is going on."
"Make sure you do, Madam Bones," Sirius replied, "Now if you excuse me, we will go back to our family and tell them what we know."
"Of course," Amelia replied, also wanting to find Susan and ask her a couple of questions.
Sirius and Remus joined the confused group, but Sirius was the only one who noticed the change in a now awakened Isabella. She seemed shocked and nervous, but at the same time she seemed to have the tiniest smile on her lips. She seemed to be protective of her arm, and Sirius needed all his training to refrain from gaping when he realized that what had happened to Snape, Karkaroff, and the fake Moody had probably happened to Bella.
Their eyes met, and Sirius saw the unshed tears behind in the woman's unmistakable Black eyes.
"Mad-Eye Moody was a Polyjuiced Death Eater?" Ted asked, flabbergasted, "How? For how long?"
"Most importantly, how did he escape Azkaban? He was supposed to be dead," Andromeda added.
"It is still unknown. He's still unconscious and he will remain that way until he's in the Ministry cells."
"And what about..." Narcissa started, only to be interrupted by a massive POP.
The screams and shrieks started immediately, panic spreading as a gigantic snake appeared where the third task maze had been before.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THAT THING?!" someone shouted from the stands, as the panic spread. The adults drew their wands, ignoring the panic, and attempted to protect the students. However, their fears were unfounded as a familiar voice was heard.
"STOP!" the voice of Harry Potter shouted, and everyone looked in shock at the snake, now noticing the three figures on the top of its head. The snake lowered its head until it rested on the ground, allowing Harry and Daphne to jump from it.
"HARRY! DAPHNE!" many shouted in recognition and happiness, the Slytherins, the Black Wands, and the Black family most of all. Sirius chose to embrace his Gryffindor side and rushed to his godson, being followed closely by Remus.
To their amazement, they saw Daphne and Harry, who carried the Triwizard Cup in his hand, talking to Dobby. The elf was still standing on top of the giant snake's head, and yet another surprise was the familiar green snake coiled at his feet. The giant black snake rose again and opened its jaws, dropping seven bodies on the ground, alarming everyone who saw it. Then, Dobby put his hands on the snake's head and he, the giant snake, and Scylla vanished with another POP, leaving the two teenagers side by side.
"HARRY!" Sirius shouted. Harry turned back and widened his eyes as Sirius approached them with a rant ready. Daphne realized it, and noticing Harry's nervous demeanour, she grabbed his arm and entangled it with hers, pulling herself to Harry's side and not bothering to hide a small scowl. Harry blushed at the contact but made no gesture to free his arm.
"Harry... Ms. Greengrass," Sirius spoke again, recognizing the protective stance Daphne had assumed "What happened, and who are..." Sirius widened his eyes when he saw the robes and masks the bodies were wearing. "...Death Eaters..."
"What?" asked Remus, not realizing they had been followed by pretty much everyone.
"That group arranged for my kidnapping from the school grounds," Daphne explained, still holding Harry's arm. "Obviously, they had help from within, and I am sure you will know who it was when you identify the Death Eaters..." Daphne stated, not hiding a scowl.
"Harry and Dobby went to my rescue and defeated them," Daphne stated, looking to Madam Bones, who stood at Sirius's side. "I will not add anything else unless we have a proper and official meeting."
"I am most interested in hearing about it, Ms. Greengrass," Amelia Bones said with a nod.
"I, as well. I would like to offer my office to deal with this situation immediately," Dumbledore offered at once.
"I am certain we all appreciate it, Headmaster, but as of right now, I think our priority should be to visit Madam Pomfrey," Daphne replied promptly, and with a minor scowl. Sirius looked at the two teens with an amused smirk and immediately lost it, noticed their injuries for the first time, Harry looking the most injured of the two. Sirius looked attentively to his godson and noticed the boy's uncomfortable demeanour and realizing he hadn't spoken a word yet.
"Harry, is everything all right?" Sirius asked, and the boy felt the attention of everyone on himself.
"Yeah..." Harry replied in almost a whisper, looking down, embarrassed. Only Sirius noticed Daphne's elbow hitting Harry softly in the ribs, almost instantly making Harry change his speech.
"I'm fine, Sirius. Exhausted, but fine."
"Good," Sirius replied, refraining from commenting on what he saw, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Come, let us meet Madam Pomfrey. I want to make sure the two of you are fine."
"I'm fine," Harry replied in almost a whisper.
"Please, Harry..." Daphne replied, and Harry nodded after a small glance to the blonde girl.
Sirius laughed while Remus just smirked.
"That reaction right there just reminded me of your father," Sirius laughed, "If Lily wanted him to go to the healer, he's always do as he was told." Daphne felt Harry flinch at Sirius's words, feeling his hand ball into a fist next to her, hidden from view.
"Yeah..." Harry said with what seemed to be a very forced smile, "Women tend to be smarter than us guys. They know better." Everyone laughed, although some of the males frowned at that.
Madam Bones gave the orders, and several Aurors went to the bodies of the Death Eaters to start the identification process. Daphne was jumped by Astoria, who hugged her sister and started to fire questions at her, triggering everyone else to start asking their own questions. Even Dumbledore seemed to want to ask his own questions, but Harry was saved by Madam Pomfrey herself, who stepped forward with her wand in hand.
"What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time, Mr. Potter?" the matron asked, although this time there was a clear sliver of pride, respect, awe, and amusement behind her words.
"Just the usual, Madam Pomfrey," Harry replied, and the matron chuckled, waving her wand around Harry and making him softly glow blue. When the glow went from blue to purple, Madam Pomfrey gasped, her eyes widening, and her movements became stiffer and more serious.
"This can´t be..." she mumbled, and everyone around them quieted down.
"What is it, Poppy?" asked Dumbledore, genuinely curious.
"Mr. Potter, you were hit by a curse..." Madam Pomfrey stated, and everyone focused their attention on her and Harry. "A powerful one..."
"Yes..." Daphne replied, her sister still next to her, wide eyed and fearful after what she heard. Madam Pomfrey turned to her unofficial apprentice and saw everything she needed to know in the girl's face. She turned to Harry again and saw him looking to the ground.
"How are you alive, Harry?" Madam Pomfrey asked, and many gaped.
"Love..." Harry whispered, turning his face away, trying to hide the tear falling from his eye.
"Excuse me?" asked Dumbledore.
"Isn't that what you have been preaching for all this time?" asked Harry defiantly, looking coldly at Dumbledore, much to everyone's surprise. "That the power Voldemort knew not was love?"
"I..." Dumbledore hesitated, noticing how many people were looking at him, "I don't believe this is a conversation to have in public." Harry scowled.
"This is not a conversation to have, period," Harry replied, in a strangely defiant tone, looking at Dumbledore. "It's none of your business."
"Mr. Potter..." Dumbledore started, feeling the anger from the boy. "Harry... I just want to understand..."
"So did I..." Harry replied, looking at Dumbledore, "And you didn't tell me anything when I asked all those years ago," Harry snorted, "So why should I bother to tell you anything? I'm not my father. I'm not your faithful follower, and I don't care," Harry replied, balling his fists in anger, ignoring Sirius's attempts to calm him. "Dobby! Get me the hell out of here!" Two pops were heard and Harry vanished with the second, leaving everyone gaping and extremely confused.
Harry appeared in the dorm area of the Chamber with Dobby at his side and immediately threw up, his accumulated anxiety finally breaking through his weak masks. He threw up twice, and tears fell from his eyes, making him hide his face behind his hands.
At his side, Dobby vanished the vomit and cleaned his young master, remaining in silence while Harry cried. Dobby raised his hand and put it on Harry's shoulder, softly squeezing it.
"Master, do you need to talk?" Dobby asked, but Harry didn't reply, crying behind his hands.
"You were family to him," Harry replied in a muffled tone. "He saw you as a brother."
"I know," Dobby replied with a soft smile, all the while hiding his pain.
"Thank you," Harry whispered, "Thank you for being there for him... Taking care of him..."
"Before he was my master, he was my friend," Dobby replied. "What... What happened to him?"
"He... he was..." Harry hesitated, not sure of what to say.
"At first I hated him for all he did to me…trapping me in my own body, unable to do anything... I hated him, but then he told Greengrass the story of his life and... I don't know. When we died..." Harry's hands fell to the ground, shivering, "...when we died, he..." he silently sobbed once again without saying another word, and Dobby stiffened.
"Master, Mistress is summoning me." Harry didn't react to that. "Master..."
"Do as you wish, Dobby," Harry replied, his sobbing and shivering stopping as he began wiping his tears. Dobby considered Harry's words and popped away. He knew his old master, but the child before him was much younger and in need of other kind of support. He remembered from his former life that his mistress was a huge support for his master. Maybe she could become it again.
Harry stumbled away from the room into the main chamber and saw Vael coiled there, not moving. Harry looked at the giant snake and sighed, balling his fists.
"I'm sorry," Harry mumbled to himself in the silence of the Chamber. "You deserved better than oblivion. It's not fair." Harry wiped a tear.
"I'm sorry for what I said. You didn't deserve any of it," he didn't speak for a few moments.
"What happened?" asked Daphne Greengrass's emotional voice from behind him. Harry didn't react to it, standing his ground and looking to the giant snake. "What happened to him?"
"I told you what happened," Harry replied.
"You told me he died, and now you said he deserved more than oblivion," Daphne replied, tears falling from her eyes, "Tell me the truth, Potter."
"He's gone," Harry replied, "That's all that matters."
"I want to know," Daphne replied more forcefully. Harry closed his eyes.
"Yeah, I know," he replied, "I know you loved him." The way he said it shocked Daphne, as if there was bitterness and envy behind his words.
"Yes, I loved him," Daphne admitted, looking down for a moment before looking at Harry again. "But you're still here. You're him."
"That's not..."
"I love Harry Potter," Daphne replied strongly. "I loved him, the Harry Potter who stood at my side, helped me, encouraged me, it's true, but I know you are him. "
"I'm not him, I'm not as powerful as he was..."
"I don't care about that!" Daphne replied angrily, "I don't care if you're not as powerful as he was, I don't care if you're not as charismatic as he was. You are him; you can become everything he was. All that matters to me is that you want to, that you are as supportive as..." Her tears started to fall, and Harry looked shocked, closing his eyes.
"I want that..." he admitted, surprising Daphne, "I want...no, I need to become all that he was...apart from being a bitter and lonely old man."
"Why?" Daphne asked, curious, her tears vanishing.
"I want everything he had," Harry replied enigmatically, making Daphne frown.
"I don't understand," Daphne replied.
"I can´t just explain it..." Harry replied sadly, "I just... I want to be greater than him. I need to. For the sake of both him and me, I want to do it for the both of us."
Daphne said nothing for several moments, looking at the boy before her.
"I can help you," she said hopefully, and she could swear she saw a small smirk in Harry's lips.
"I hoped you would," he replied, and Daphne smiled softly, "I will need your help, that's for sure."
"But what about us?" Daphne asked, dreading the answer. Harry blushed slightly at that, looking at Daphne, uncertain of what to say. Harry felt the words stuck in his throat and blushed. Yet, he looked at Daphne and tried to clear his throat three times before he was able to speak up.
"I want a chance," Harry whispered, and Daphne widened her eyes in surprise before jumping at him and kissing him with passion. In the shadows, Dobby chuckled at the sight.
"There is something I need you to know," Harry spoke when they broke the kiss after several moments.
"What is it?" Daphne asked, leaving his embrace, noticing how Harry awkwardly and nervously tried to put his arm around her waist. She didn't complain though, and encouraged him by leaning into him.
"Dobby!" Harry called, and Dobby stepped out from the shadows, "I want the two of you to know what really happened when we died."
"Are you sure, Master?" Dobby asked, and Harry nodded. Daphne said nothing, guiding Harry to the Pensieve.
"Do you know how to do it?" Daphne asked, "Extract the memory? Or do you need help?"
"I think I can do it myself," Harry replied, bringing his wand to his temple, removing a silver thread and placing it into the bowl. Harry looked at the substance in the bowl for a moment, then both Daphne and Dobby saw his demeanour stiffen.
"I just want you to know one thing, before we start," he said, "Despite what I may say at the beginning, I came to greatly respect the other me." With that, the three went into the Pensieve.
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Harry, Daphne, and Dobby found themselves in a white void. Unlike the King's Cross they remembered from older Harry's memories, there were no shapes and no buildings. All they could see were two bodies lying on the floor, one clearly a young boy and the other an older man wearing battle robes. Dobby and Daphne knew at once who the two were. The two started to moan at the same time, and the boy was the first to rise from the ground, noticing the older man near him.
"You!" younger Harry claimed in surprise, "What, why... how?"
"What the hell?" the older Harry asked, getting up and feeling his entire body complaining with pain, in every muscle and joint. "You're younger me?"
"Yeah, the one you trapped in my own body, you bastard," younger Harry snapped back in anger. "What the hell happened? Last thing I remember, you stopped hearing me and went on to fight the Thoth in the real world and then..." Older Harry looked around and recognized the unnaturalness of the place.
"I was hit by a spell while fighting the Thoth..." older Harry remembered with a sigh, "I guess I died."
"WE died," younger Harry replied in anger before shock took him. "If we're dead, then where are we and where are all the people?"
"This is much like the place I was after being killed by Voldemort," older Harry realized. "Only it's a big white void instead of a copy of King's Cross." Older Harry sat on the floor and looked at the young boy before him, angry, scared, and glaring at him.
"Out with it, boy," older Harry demanded, getting up from the floor and standing before his younger self, who tried his best not to flinch at the look the older man gave him. "Say all you have to say. You clearly want to."
"I... I..." Harry tried, trembling in anger, "Why? Why the hell did you do it? Why did you trap me in my own body? Why did you do all those things? Why did you kill them?" the questions followed, and tears filled younger Harry's eyes. "You were no better than Voldemort. Mad, and a murderer."
"That's harsh," older Harry replied with only a shrug. Despite the anger and the vitriol in younger Harry's words, older Harry put his hand on the boy's shoulder. Younger Harry stiffened but he didn't push older Harry's hand away.
"You're a bastard, you son-of-a-bitch."
Older Harry chuckled, enraging younger Harry.
"I could say a lot of things, boy," older Harry replied with a sigh, "But I won't lie to you. If you were aware when I told Daphne my tale, then you know why I came back. I killed hundreds of people in my original life and I am not sorry I did it. I don't even care about it, and I would do it again given the chance, for the simple reason that it was the right thing to do."
"The right thing?" asked a baffled younger Harry, "How can murder be the right thing?"
"The Paladins had a lot of blood on their hands. Their sympathizers often hunted Dark creatures for sport, or to send them to the medical camps, or they were simply paid money for the research..." older Harry replied with a scowl. "Some were more guilty than others, and I killed all those I could. That's what they deserved. They are dead and I am sure they paid for their crimes against me and my people."
"Ron and Neville hadn't done anything yet," younger Harry replied, enraging older Harry.
"So what?" older Harry hissed in anger, "Do you really think they deserved a second chance? Are you that much of a fool? They took everything from me for no good reason, and I would take everything from them. It was a shame that Weasley and Longbottom died quickly, but sometimes there are things more important than vengeance. My only regret is that I didn't kill Granger, and by the gods I would if given the chance."
"You..." younger Harry started, only to be interrupted.
"Are you really going to tell me that you would forgive the people responsible for killing your entire family? The people you loved the most? That's what they took from me. They took my wife, my unborn child, and my daughter. They took my FAMILY from me!" older Harry roared in anger, but not against the younger one.
"I had lordships, I had money, I had respect and a good life, but Daphne was everything to me. She was my partner, my best friend, the woman I loved, and the one person I trusted in the entire world. She always gave her best and expected nothing less from everyone else. She made me a better person instead of the mess I was, and I loved her for that." Tears fell from his eyes.
"It didn't matter how bad my day could have been, the moment I saw her, I always smiled and felt happy," he confessed, tears falling freely. "It was one thing to lose my parents when I was a baby. I don't remember them, never did, but Daphne... Daphne died in my arms. Give thanks you will never feel the helplessness of a person you care or love dying in your arms, when there's nothing you can do." Older Harry said nothing more, balling his fists and scowling, trying to control his own emotions and anger. Younger Harry listened to everything he said in silence. Had older Harry noticed, he would have seen the boy's anger slowly diminish into sorrow.
"All I wanted was to be with her again. To have the life that was stolen from us..." older Harry said, looking up. "To have her back, whatever it took," he sighed, "Is that wrong?" he asked, not hearing the boy's reply. "At least I had her in my arms for a few months after decades of loneliness..."
Younger Harry stood there and said nothing. He tried to glare at older Harry but it was clear he was having a conflict of emotions.
"Stay away from my son, you Dark bastard!" a new male voice shouted from their left, forcing the two to look that way. Both were surprised to see James and Lily Potter, the former already two paces in front of older Harry with his fist ready to punch. Caught by surprise, older Harry dodged the punch only to be tackled to the ground by an enraged James Potter.
"D-Dad?" younger Harry asked in shock, before being embraced by an angry and scowling redhead.
"Mum?"
"Everything will be fine, darling." Lily tried to calm her son, but it was difficult enough when she was scowling and angry. James snarled and was thrown away from older Harry when he used his legs to push him off, getting up and into a fighting stance while drawing his wand in what must have been an instinctive movement. In a blur, older Harry was pointing a wand at James Potter, and he recognized the wand in his hand as the Elder Wand, much to his and everyone else's surprise.
"James, enough!" demanded Lily Potter after a moment of shock, recovering her scowl. Older Harry glanced to Lily and to his surprise, her scowl was not directed at him.
"But Lily, he's Dark," James spoke, "He possessed our son, he killed all those people and children, he..."
"HE IS YOUR SON!" Lily roared, much like the lioness everyone always claimed her to be. James scowled at that.
"Come on, Lily, not that again," James shot back, "He is not Harry. He can't be our Harry. He is Dark, he's a murderer, he claims to be a Dark Lord, and he's a Slytherin. There's no way that's my son. My son would never be a snake..."
Younger Harry sagged his shoulders and Lily barely felt it as she looked at her husband in astonishment. Older Harry however, cast two spells, one of which silenced James and another which bound him.
"Enough," older Harry scowled, cold and powerful, enough to silence Lily's further comments. He scowled at the woman, but his attention was drawn to the boy in her arms.
"Harry?" older Harry asked, noticing the boy's sagged shoulders and his shivers, looking at the ground. "Harry, talk to me. Are you alright?"
"Harry, darling, are you alright?" asked Lily with concern, embracing her son.
"M-Mum?" younger Harry asked in an almost sob that broke the woman's heart, "D-Do you also think your son could n-never b-be a S-Slytherin?"
"Oh, honey..." Lily whispered, her heart aching for her son. She lifted his head with her hand, making sure their green eyes were locked. "I don't care what house my child is in, as long as he's happy." With a sob, young Harry threw himself at Lily, who hugged him back with closed eyes, not even trying to hide her tears.
Older Harry lowered his wand, and for a few moments he paid attention only to the mother and son's reunion, feeling a pang of jealousy in his heart. He remembered the times when all he wanted was to be with his parents, to be in his mother and father's arms and feel the love of a family. He never had it until Daphne entered his life, and that had been taken from him.
Another pang of jealousy hit him, as well as a horrible thought. He was dead. Daphne was not. Daphy was not even born yet. Neither of them were dead, which meant he had no one to see in the afterlife. Well, there were his parents and his entire family, but to be perfectly honest, he hadn't thought of his parents' deaths that often during the decades of his long life, except on Halloween. His trauma had always been his wife and daughter.
He had failed them. Sure, he had killed Oberon and destroyed Rhassel'Thoth, but so what? He had come back to the past for a new life with the woman he loved. He was dead, and Daphne was alone. Besides, there was his younger self to account for. They were supposed to merge but never did, and now they were both dead. At least Lily had already reclaimed her role after reuniting with her son.
Good for the kid.
But he... He was alone.
Older Harry sighed and noticed the fallen James, not bothering to hide the scowl that formed on his face. He knew his father hadn't been the brightest in his group, but he never thought the man was such an imbecile... Making a decision, he ignored Lily and Harry's muffled, sob-filled conversation and knelt near James, who glared at his much older son, receiving a hateful glare in return.
"You know, DAD, I don't care if you accept me as your son or not, I really don't give a shit," older Harry spoke in a low tone, making sure only James heard him. "I am Dark, I am a murderer, a Dark Lord, a snake, and I am proud of all that. The only thing I am not proud in my life was failing to save my wife and my daughter," older Harry said, looking directly at James's angry brown eyes.
"I just realized I will never see them again. I will never hold my wife and my daughter in my arms, I will never kiss my wife's lips, I will never hear their voices again. I will never..." older Harry mumbled, and his emotions hit his words, forcing him to stop talking and close his eyes before a sob and tears did his talking for him.
"I see now that I never really thought about the consequences of my time travel..." he mumbled, more to himself than to his fallen father. "Maybe I was too sure of my own power... Hubris, I believe it's called...but you don't care about my problems, do you?" older Harry scowled, and raised his wand against James's forehead, who widened his eyes in shock.
"Did you even care that your son, your fourteen-year-old son died? Or am I to feel honoured for having all your attention?" older Harry scoffed at the fallen man. "I remember being that age...being him... Being the boy who wanted nothing more than a loving family. If I were in his place, I would be very disappointed that my father paid more attention to a Dark bastard than his own son, who he was seeing for the first time in over thirteen years."
Harry chuckled darkly at the man's reaction. His own disappointment was clear behind the laughter.
"I don't care about you," he admitted, "but I guess I owe the kid." Older Harry pressed the Elder Wand against James's forehead "Veritas Imperio." James eyes glazed for a moment before going back to normal. "Go be a proper father to your son," older Harry ordered, ending all spells on James.
Older Harry never realized younger Harry's eyes were on him, and that in the silence of the white void, both younger Harry and Lily heard every word he said to James. Older Harry didn't care to turn back to them, although he did lower his wand and half heard James's excuses to his son.
A loving family, older Harry thought bitterly, although none of the bitterness was directed at his younger self. He shook his head and stepped away from them. There was nothing for him there.
"WAIT!" younger Harry shouted when he realized older Harry was leaving, "Where are you going?"
"Why do you care, brat?" older Harry replied softly, "Enjoy your family."
"HARRY JAMES POTTER, you came back this instant!" Lily shouted angrily, making both older and younger Harry flinch.
"Your son is there with you," older Harry replied, stepping away until he felt a pain he had never felt before, making him cry.
"You are my son as much as that Harry," Lily declared, having somehow walked the distance between them and grabbed older Harry by the ear.
Younger Harry was shocked, seeing his mother pulling his taller and older self by the ear back to where he was. He couldn't help forming a smile that quickly became laughter. James, still under the spell, only found it amusing.
"That bloody hurts," older Harry complained, only to feel a tighter pull from the smaller woman.
"Language," Lilly admonished. "You are going to stay with us and you are going to tell me everything about your life. I am very sorry for all you lost, and I want to know everything about this lovely Daphne of yours, and your daughter. I am very, very impressed with all you achieved, even if you became a Dark Lord, but that doesn't mean I am less proud. I am very, very proud of you," Lily said, while dragging him.
Older Harry had no idea what to say, his words dead in his throat at the shock of Lily's words... His mother's words. "Your father is just being an idiot (he has his moments, don't worry). He and I will have a conversation, and he will behave. You can release him from the spell."
"Way to go, Mum..." younger Harry mumbled in amusement, snickering. "Even a Dark Lord is powerless against his mother." Lily smiled at her "younger" son's words and looked to both Harrys.
"I am not going to call you Harry one and Harry two, so from now on, you are Harrison..." Lily said, pointing to older Harry, turning afterwards to the younger one, "And you are Harry." The newly named Harrison caressed his ear, mumbling something about crazy redheads, earning an amused glare from his mother.
"You should have met my mother..." Lily replied, "In fact, you might, when we leave here. Oh there's so much I want to know..." she turned to her sons. "First of all, I ought to spank you both for your craziness in your first years... jumping on the back of a troll? Facing a thousand-year-old basilisk alone? Last year with the dementors, I am so proud of you both to be able to cast such a difficult charm at thirteen, but really? What are those imbeciles at the Ministry and the school thinking?" Lily seethed.
"Lily, dear...I am sure Albus..." James tried, only to be rebuked by his wife, who snorted.
"Oh, I can't wait for that decrepit moron to get here. I have a thing or two to tell him, McGonagall, and Severus..."
"That decrepit moron?" Harrison quoted, and Lily raised an eyebrow.
"What else could he be, putting so much faith in Divination? Old age clearly got him."
"Lilly, Albus is a great man..." James tried to say.
"Shut up, James," Harrison hissed, and James did.
"Harrison, he is your father..." Lily admonished him.
"According to his own words, I could never be his son since I am a snake," Harrison replied coldly, noticing Harry's dejected look and Lily's flash of anger in her eyes, "So I don't care." He put a hand on Harry's shoulder and his younger self turned to him, sadness clear in his face. Harrison said nothing, looking to the boy.
"It hurts..." Harry said, knowing somehow that Harrison wanted him to talk, "To know he thinks like that... Slytherin was the hat's first choice..."
"Really?" Lily asked surprised, "Mine too. It only didn't put me there because I'm a muggleborn and we were living dangerous times." The three males looked to the woman in surprise, one looking slightly betrayed. "It all made sense when I discovered my ancestry, but I don't regret it. I made some good friends in Gryffindor."
"I didn't," Harrison replied with a snort, looking to Harry. "It doesn't matter what he thinks. Personally, I hate Gryffindor because most of them sided with the so-called Light side during the Mudblood War, but those are my reasons."
"You went back to the house, didn't you?" Harry asked, "After your first task..."
"Yes, I did," Harrison replied with a sigh. "I shouldn't have, but I was lonely and I was a brat. They apologized, and even though I didn't trust them..." he shrugged. "I don't know. I probably wouldn't have if I had someone else to talk to, but I was scared and hurt."
"I get the feeling..." Harry replied, looking down.
"Loneliness breaks the spirit..." Harrison replied, "I should know."
"But according to your story, you didn't break...you had a family..." Harry replied, and Harrison nodded.
"I had a sister-in-law, as lonely as I was. She was the sister I always wanted and never had. I had a godson, who I loved like a son, even more after he ruined his grandparents, and I had nephews and nieces from the Notts and the Zabinis... but then what? None of that was enough, and I couldn't find it in myself to move on, as many demanded of me. Astoria was the only one who understood my loss."
"But you endured..." Lily replied sadly, putting her hand on Harrison's chest. "That says enough about your character."
"I endured because Daphne and Daphy would be disappointed in me if I hadn't," Harrison replied. "I tried to remain strong for them, but you have no idea how many times I just wanted to give up."
"You foolish man..." a voice whispered behind them, and the four realized they were no longer alone.
"Daddy..."
Harrison's neck snapped towards the voices, his eyes widening when he recognized the blue-eyed blonde woman and the green-eyed, dark-haired girl whose faced looked very much like the woman's.
"D-D-Daph? Daphy?" Harrison asked in bewilderment, and the two girls' faces took on a look of surprise, looking at each other and then back at him.
"You can see us?" Daphne asked, hope flaring in her chest, feeling her heart wanting to burst through her chest.
"DADDY!" Daphy cried in glee, running to her father's arms in tears. Harrison held his daughter tight, still in shock, but realizing she was real and solid. Daphy said nothing, pouring out her heart and eyes in happiness against her father's chest.
"Daphy..." Harrison whispered, feeling his daughter hugging him tighter, "Daph..." Daphne caressed his face with one hand, her teary blue eyes filled with love.
"You foolish man..." Daphne whispered, "My love..."
Daphne pushed his head to hers and Harrison made no complaints, nor did Daphy, sandwiched between her parents while they kissed. Daphne hugged her husband tighter by the neck and felt one of his arms hold her by the waist while the other held Daphy.
Meanwhile, the other three Potters were bewildered, unsure of what was happening.
James was stunned and Lilly was baffled, but not enough to stop her from shedding a tear of happiness for her oldest son. A grin formed on her lips when she saw her son, her daughter-in-law, and more importantly, her granddaughter together. Questions could wait.
Harry saw his older self's interaction with his wife and daughter, and inside of him, something changed. The way his older self held his daughter and his wife... the happiness the three showed, the love... it was not what he felt with his parents. It was so much more...
"I would do everything to have them back! Whatever it takes!" his older self had said, and now Harry understood him. He found himself agreeing.
"How?" Harrison asked after a very long and passionate kiss, his head leaning to his wife's, "How is this possible? How can you be here?"
"We have always been here, Harry," Daphne replied softly, "I never moved on after my death. I stayed with you, even if you never felt me or saw me."
"And I stayed with Mummy to look after you, Daddy," Daphy added, "We would never leave you alone."
Harrison's eyes widened in shock.
"I was there every day. When you killed Weaselette, when you went to Azkaban, when you grew insane, when Dobby helped you escape, and while you healed. I was there when Millie told you about Daphy, and I was as astounded as you, but your reaction made me happy enough. I was there when you were being a father to our daughter, and I was there when you went to battle. I didn't tell you when you summoned me to meet Daphy because I didn't want to ruin the moment. I held Daphy in my arms, and we both cried as you cried when she died. When you killed Titania, we were there, and we were somehow revealed to you when the book tried to possess you..."
"I remember...I think I saw you..." Harrison replied.
"Behind a glass wall?" Daphy asked, and Daphne nodded, "We tried so hard to help you, but he was so powerful..."
"Then, obviously, we were there as you grew in power, as you led the country in politics and in war, and we were so proud of you," continued Daphne.
"You were amazing, Daddy," his daughter said with glee. "You're the best ever." Then she frowned, "Except on Christmas. You were always so sad."
"She's right," Daphne replied, holding his astonished face in her hands. "I don't know if I should slap you for even considering suicide, but I guess all our screaming in your ears was for something. If only you had used the bloody Stone instead of crying and drinking yourself to oblivion..."
She frowned and scowled, "And despite everything you did, I ought to curse you badly for your stupid idea of travelling back in time, risking your own soul in the process..." Daphne said, angrily. "Once more, I should curse you for cheating on me with my younger self!" her voice was louder, and Daphne fumed. Harrison gulped, realizing what she meant, and Daphy giggled, untangling herself from her father.
"Mummy is angry with you, Daddy," Daphy added with a giggle.
"I am a jealous witch, Potter, and I don't like to share, not even with my younger self," she replied, fuming, before shaking her head. "I will curse you later," she said, pulling him to her and kissing him again, this time pressing her body to his. Daphy giggled because of her parents' antics, and finally noticed the other three present.
"Hi," she said shyly to those she knew to be her father's younger self, her grandmother Lily, and her grandfather James, whom she recognized from her father's album. Lily actually squealed and hugged her granddaughter, who squealed back in surprise.
"You're so precious," Lily started to rant, "So pretty, so cute, so precious..."
"Uh..." James mumbled, unsure of what to think or say. Harry smiled.
"Should we...?" Harrison asked his wife, distracted from the kissing by the squeals and seeing Lily fussing over Daphy.
"No," Daphne replied, before kissing him again.
A figure had stood observing, unseen by anyone, and had now seen enough. He was a medium sized man with, straight, combed, black hair. He was thin, and was wearing a suit with a cloak, and had a cane in his hand. His lips were straightened in a way that would make McGonagall jealous, and his black eyes showed no emotion at all. With a thought, he made himself visible to the family of six, and the aura of power around him alerted them all to his presence.
Harrison felt his power and instantly recognized it. It was the same power behind the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility.
"Who are you?" asked Daphy, and the man's dark eyes fell on her, making her uncomfortable. The man then turned to Daphne and Harrison, ignoring the other three Potters.
"You're the power behind the Hallows, aren't you?" Harrison asked, and the man nodded as everyone looked surprised. "What should we call you?"
"I have had many names throughout the millennia," the entity replied with a cold and raspy voice. "You can call me Death." Everyone gasped at that, and Death leaned on its cane. "You are the annoying protozoan that goes by the name Harry Potter."
"Yes," Harrison replied.
"I wasn't asking," Death replied, and Harrison gulped. "Are you going to attempt to invoke the mantle of my Master?" Death asked, and Harrison snorted.
"I never believed the Hallows gave me any sort of power over you."
Lily, James, and Harry looked to Harrison in surprise. Daphne and Daphy smirked, knowing how Harrison thought. "I can't find myself to believe Death would give three mortals the means to its own enslavement."
"Then you are a protozoan slightly smarter than most," Death stated in a condescending tone.
"What would happen if I did attempt to claim the mantle of Master of Death?" Harrison asked, curious.
"I would obliterate your soul," Death replied naturally, and all flinched at the coldness of his voice. "You are correct in one thing, though. The items you mortals call the Hallows are mere tools. Empowered by me, but simply tools."
"Why did you make them?" asked Daphy in a burst of childish curiosity, although none would admit they were wondering the same thing. Death looked to the girl, as if measuring her worthy of the truth.
"As an attempt to bring some order to the chaos you protozoa tend to create around you," Death stated, saying nothing else.
"Sorry, but I thought you were bested by the three Peverell brothers?" asked Lily, confused.
"Do you really believe three mortals could best me?" Death asked coldly, and an embarrassed and fearful Lily fell silent.
"They were useful fools, and I did have hopes they would be more useful," Death snorted. "They failed the tasks I gave them even before they started." Death turned to Harrison, "I am not here to speak about my items. I am here to speak about you..." Death looked to Harrison with a penetrating gaze that made him shiver, "…and the two of you." Death looked to Daphne and Daphy.
"Why are they here, then?" asked Harrison, pointing to Harry, James, and Lilly.
"I was curious, which is something I can say doesn't happen often," Death replied bluntly.
"You three are not supposed to exist."
"What do you mean?" Harrison asked in shock.
"I think he means the time travel, Daddy," Daphy whispered to her father, heard by everyone.
"Your spawn is smarter than you..." Death replied. Before Daphy could react beyond a blush or Harrison a frown, Death continued, "You are not supposed to be here. You are from decades in the future, I can sense the threads of time and magic on you."
"I..." Harrison started to speak, only to be stopped by Death.
"I was curious when I felt someone had united my items, only to find out my items were still separated," Death continued, looking at Harrison. "I could feel my mark, my items' mark upon you. Tell me, why did you never use them in your past life?"
"I kept the Wand as a backup, and the Cloak had sentimental value," Harrison replied, feeling a compulsion to speak the truth, not that he thought about lying. "I didn't like to use the Stone."
"Why not?" Death asked.
"I was afraid to use it to contact the people I love," he replied, feeling his wife squeeze his hand.
"You could have used it to learn, Daddy..." Daphy replied, and everyone's attention fell on her, especially Death's "I... I mean... you could have called for Merlin..."
"Uh..." Daphne mumbled, shocked by her daughter's thoughts. "I never thought about that."
Harrison smiled and knelt before his daughter.
"I could... but I would disturb Merlin's soul having his rest, and you know why I didn't like to abuse the power of the Stone."
"You're right, Daddy," Daphy replied after a moment, embarrassed, "It would be like disturbing someone for selfish reasons."
"Exactly," Harry replied with a smile, and Daphy smiled back.
"A sensible decision," Death replied, looking at the child. "Regardless, you united the three items in your original timeline and barely used them. Had you used them together, I would have been able to speak to you and inform you of the lingering connection between you and Rhassel'Thoth, the same link he exploited when you travelled back in time..."
"It was true? What he said about having come back with me?" Harrison asked, and Death nodded.
"As far as I know, through you and him, he unsuccessfully attempted to manipulate you. He was too weak. However, I also sense that I, or the other me, was willing to offer you a quick passing to be with your family. It was your wife and daughter's interference that prevented you from taking your own life."
"What?" asked Daphne.
"You wanted my Daddy to kill himself?" Daphy asked, outraged.
"It would break the connection with Rhassel'Thoth and would free yours and your mother's souls," Death replied.
"Can you explain why Daphne and Daphy remained with me?" asked Harrison, and Death lifted an eyebrow.
"Your wife made a vow upon your marriage. You would be together forever," Death replied after a few moments. "There are some things not even I can break." Harrison looked at Daphne, amazed, and she smiled a bit smugly. "Your daughter simply didn't want to leave you both."
"Is Rhassel'Thoth dead, now? Completely dead?" Daphne asked, and Death nodded.
"Your husband's actions made sure Rhassel'Thoth will not be a threat to anyone from now on," Death replied.
"Why didn't we merge together when he came back in time?" asked Harry, attracting the attention of everyone else. Death looked at him and slowly replied.
"Because unlike the elf, who recognized himself and accepted his older counterpart to better serve his master, you subconsciously resented your counterpart for forcing himself upon you," Death replied, and Harry and Harrison looked at each other. "A partial merge was achieved, but not a total one. No soul can be forced upon an unwilling. Your soul was simply repressed because his was stronger."
"I... I see," Harry replied, looking down. Daphne elbowed her husband softly in the ribs and nodded to Harry with a small glare when she got his attention.
"Harry..." Harrison started, tasting the words he somehow knew his wife wanted him to say, "I'm not sorry for all I did...but I'm sorry for forcing my soul upon yours."
Harry said nothing. Instead, Daphy went to him and hugged him tightly.
"When I was sad, Daddy always hugged me so I'd be happier," she replied, "You seemed to need a hug..."
"I did..." Harry chuckled, caressing the girl's head, who giggled while looking at him. "You really look like your mother."
"But I have my Daddy's eyes and hair colour," Daphy replied with a smile, not noticing her parents' huge smiles. Lily sighed wistfully at the scene with a huge smile, shared by Daphne.
"What now?" Harrison asked Death after a few moments. "We are dead... Are we to move on?"
"No," Death replied, looking at Harrison, earning a surprised look from everyone. "Lily and James Potter will return to their afterlives. The boy Harry Potter will be returned to the world of the living..."
"What?" Harry asked in shock, "Why?"
"But...my son died," Lily replied, confused. "Shouldn't we take him with us? Shouldn't we all go together?"
"Oh..." Daphne and Harrison replied at the same time.
"What?" Lily asked, while a puzzled Harry looked to Harrison and Daphne.
"When someone dies, only one soul has to cross over," Daphne replied, remembering what Harry had told her of his experience when Voldemort killed him. "There were two souls, and only one has to go on."
"The same thing happened with Voldemort's Horcrux," Harrison explained, one arm around Daphne's waist and the other around Daphy.
"But...I can't go back!" an alarmed Harry replied, "I can't. I am not strong enough to maintain what you did. I'm nothing like you, and people would notice..." Harry complained in shock, trying to find a good argument. "You need to go back. It must be you. I... I..."
"I don't want to go back," Harrison replied bluntly, even though he had a smile on his lips, hugging his wife and daughter. "Not anymore. Never again."
To that, Harry had no reply. However...
"What about Greengrass?" Harry asked, but Harrison had no chance to reply.
"You seem to be under the impression that you have a choice," Death stated, and all turned to him again.
"You don't. The boy will return to where he belongs, and the paradox created by having the three extra souls will be fixed."
"How?" asked Lily. Death gazed at Harrison, Daphne, and Daphy.
"Their souls will be destroyed." They all gasped.
"Destroyed?" an upset Harry demanded. Daphy was terrified, and Daphne held her daughter close to her. Lily, and even James was shocked. Harry looked to Death with a look of pure disbelief.
"Will... will we be together?" asked Daphy over her father's indignation. Harrison turned to her, as did everyone.
"If you wish..." Death replied, and Daphy hugged her father tightly with one arm, holding her mother's hand with the other. Harrison and Daphne looked at each other and felt Daphy crying. They both hugged their daughter tight.
"At least tell us why..." Daphne asked.
"Like I said, your souls should not be here," Death replied, "Your presence affects the natural order and creates unbalance and a paradox."
"And we need to be destroyed?" Harrison asked in anger. Death peered coldly at Harrison, and the man shut up under the weight of his gaze.
"Yes, Harry Potter. You, your wife, and your daughter need to be destroyed for the sake of existence. I could have done it at any time without even addressing you, but I chose not to for the sake of mercy. I saw your greatest desire and granted it to you as a reward. No more, no less. Now, your time is over and I will do what I must," Death replied more forcefully, and Harrison felt Death's power over him, making him almost unable to breathe.
"Harry..." Daphne spoke, caressing her husband's face, "There is nothing we can do, is there?" she asked, and Harry already knew the answer, even before Death shook his head. "At least this time we are together."
"I just got you back," Harrison replied, tears threatening to fall, not unlike his wife and child.
"Mummy is right, Daddy," Daphy replied, and Harrison hugged his daughter while kissing his wife.
"I screwed up..." Harrison mumbled to himself, realizing he could only blame his own actions, his time travel for this. Daphne snorted, her amused smile contrasting with the tears falling from her eyes. She looked to her husband's younger self and walked to him, kneeling in front of his shocked, and very confused self.
"If you are going back, there are a couple of things I would like to tell you," Daphne spoke, noticing the boy was still in shock. He nodded stiffly. "I was raised to always use this..." Daphne pointed to Harry's head, "But because of my husband's influence, I learned that using the heart is a good thing. Just be sure you are not allowing your emotions to rule you, and you will be fine." Harry gulped, but he nodded.
"Listen and think before acting. There are many ways to solve a problem, and many times the easiest way is not given by the first impression." Harry nodded again, and Daphne smiled. "You are powerful in your own right, even before my husband took your place. All you need to do is apply yourself, and you will grow in power and knowledge. I know what I am talking, that's how WE did it in our fifth year," Daphne added.
"Finally, I am not sure how my husband's influence may have influenced the other Daphne, but if she is anything like me, then she will probably want to remain at your side should you continue to be supportive of her and treat her as a partner. She will also be able to help you in whatever situation you find yourself in regarding politics and society. Keep her close, should you want to," Daphne told him with a smile. "That's how my husband won my heart, and I have never regretted it, although a few back rubs also helped." Daphne chuckled. "Remember, fortune favours the bold... and those cunning enough to make their own fortune."
"Was... was it worth it?" Harry mumbled, and Daphne smiled, caressing his face under Lily's gaze. "The time you spent with him? Were you as happy as he was?"
"Every moment," Daphne replied, and Harry nodded, a tear falling from his eyes. Daphne leaned into Harry and gave him a soft kiss in his lips.
"Oi!" Harrison spoke as she kissed the boy.
"You have been kissing another me for months," Daphne replied without turning to her husband, ignoring Lily's outraged look and James's mix between jealousy and shock, "You don't get to complain."
"Duh..." Harry mumbled, his brain having short-circuited from the kiss.
Daphne rose and walked back to her husband and daughter. Daphy giggled and Harrison glared at his younger self.
"Mummy, you broke younger Daddy," Daphy laughed, earning a smile from her mother.
"Of course I did," Daphne replied smugly, "And I got a small revenge on your father as well."
"I'm sorry for kissing another you," Harrison replied bluntly, looking at his wife, who lifted an eyebrow and flashed an amused smile, "Please don't do that again."
"Jealous?" asked an amused Daphne, "Of yourself?"
"Yes," Harrison replied, and Daphy laughed.
"Good," Daphne replied, pulling his head to hers and kissing him, both of them holding their daughter.
"Humans... annoying protozoa..." Death mumbled in exasperation, rolling his eyes. With a snap of his fingers, the family of three exploded in ethereal smoke.
"NNNOO!" Harry shouted, forcefully dragged from his stupor. He fell to his knees, tears flowing from his eyes as he was held by Lily. Neither of them noticed the spell being lifted from James, who just blinked.
"Now it's your turn, boy," Death replied, turning to Harry, "Time to go back."
"Wait!" Lilly spoke, "At least give us a moment."
"Your son will have the Resurrection Stone available to him," Death replied, annoyed. "You can have as many moments as you wish." Death snapped his fingers again and the memory swirled.
———————————
Everything became blackness and Harry looked around, not understanding what happened. The memory was supposed to continue with their conversation in the graveyard. Looking to his companions, Harry noticed Dobby had lowered his head in sorrow for his master and his family, and Daphne was crying. Their hands were still linked, though.
"Daphne, are you alright?" he asked, and Daphne nodded, holding a sob.
"I'm fine," she replied in a low tone. Harry didn't believe it. He used his other hand to hold her and Daphne allowed herself to be hugged. For a few moments, neither spoke.
"I want everything he had," Harry finally said, caressing her back in a nervous way, attempting to give her a back rub as older Daphne had implied. "I want to be greater than him."
Daphne looked at him with a smile and nodded.
"I think you can."
"As long as you're there with me?" he asked nervously and attempting a smile, making Daphne smile back, amused.
"Bold words, Potter."
"It is said fortune favours the bold... and those cunning enough to make their own fortune," Harry replied in an attempt at a sagely tone. Daphne raised a curious eyebrow.
"I listened to what the other you told me, I am not a complete dunderhead..." Harry replied nervously, and Daphne laughed, hugging him tightly.
"What do you want? What you really want?" she asked.
"I want the same as he had, the same you saw," Harry replied softly, appreciating the smell of Daphne's perfume. "I want a wife to love, who is my best friend and my partner, in whom I can trust. I want children and a family to call my own. I want to be powerful enough to protect them, and I want to be my own man, not The-Boy-Who-Lived or The-Man-Who-Conquered..."
"What about the Wizarding World?" Daphne asked, and Harry thought about it for a few moments.
"I don't know, but...maybe we could do something... That is, if you want to..." he asked, and Daphne chuckled, no longer sensing nervousness in his stance and words.
"Maybe we can work something out together..." she replied with a teary smile, looking at Harry for a few moments. Harry returned her gaze and her smile.
"Kiss me, you foolish boy..." she said after a few moments during which nothing happened. Harry stiffened but leaned to Daphne as she had told him to, and she leaned into him with a smile.
"I never really understood why humans feel the need to exchange fluids to show their appreciation towards one another," a familiar voice spoke, shocking the two humans and the elf, who was there watching his master and mistress. Harry and Daphne turned to the voice and saw none other than Death, wrapped in its cloak and holding himself against the cane. Death stared at the group of three with a cold look, and the three felt a cold shiver running through them. Dobby stood nervously in front of his master and mistress, between them and Death, and both Harry and Daphne stood their ground, although they were frightened.
"Stand aside elf, I am not here for you," Death spoke, and Dobby gulped, although he continued to stand his ground.
"Then why are you here?" asked Harry, feeling a surge of bravery, "I thought you said you couldn't interfere in the mortal world..."
"We are not in the mortal world, Harry Potter," Death replied, waving his hand. "You are in a pocket dimension connected to a memory of a time and place in the realm of the dead."
Death gazed at Harry, "My realm."
"But... but why?" Harry asked, "I thought all was well... The other me, Daphne, and Daphy are gone, you destroyed their souls..."
"I lied," Death replied bluntly, and the three held their breath.
"Then... Then what?" asked Daphne, her hand holding Harry's, "Why are you here?"
"For a Slytherin," Death drawled the word, "You certainly seem not to understand manipulation, girl." They both raised their eyebrows.
"I have no real need for the elf, but I don't oppose to his presence," Death said, raising his hand. Harry stood in front of Daphne, but instead of an attack, Death snapped his fingers. From nowhere, the souls of older Harry, older Daphne, and Daphy appeared, the two parents still kissing.
"Master? Mistress? Little Mistress?" Dobby broke their shock, and the kiss. The gaze of the three time travelers was directed at elf, the teens, and Death.
"Dobby!" Daphy squealed, jumping from her father's arms and hugging Dobby, who almost blushed.
"Thank you for taking care of my Daddy and always being there for him, you are the best elf ever."
Unsure of what to say, the elf just hugged his second favourite human. Older Daphne smiled at the elf and raised an eyebrow to younger Daphne while holding her husband's arm in a possessive way. Not realizing it, younger Daphne held younger Harry's arm the same way.
"Harry... Daphne..." older Harry said, looking at the teens. "Death... What is going on? I thought you needed to destroy our souls? Not that I am complaining…"
"I lied," Death repeated himself, leaning on his cane, ignoring the confused elder wizard and witch. "I never had the need to destroy your souls. I don't even have the power to destroy or create souls," Death confessed.
"Despite breaking the rules of nature, you served my purposes with both Rhassel'Thoth and Voldemort, in this timeline and in your original one. They were never a real concern for me, but I am pleased they were shown the folly of their actions and sent my way. I will make sure they learn no one escapes me," Death said, for the first time showing an emotion that wasn't apathy or boredom. Death's look was vicious, "Furthermore, you also united the Hallows, and despite not having used them, you didn't abuse their power nor let their power get to your head. You also did this twice."
"Wait, I don't have the Elder Wand..."
"You did defeat Dumbledore in his office a few months ago in a battle of Legilimency..." older Daphne replied, and Death nodded.
"Your wife is correct," Death replied, "You earned the allegiance of the wand that day. How did you think you managed to summon it against your father?"
"Uh..." older Harry replied with a thoughtful look.
"What does it mean for Harrison?" asked younger Harry, and everyone turned to him. "What? Mum gave you the name..." Harrison shrugged.
"It means, younger Harry Potter, that since I feel I owe your older counterpart a reward, I have two options. One, I do nothing, and guide their souls to the afterlife, where they will remain. You two will live your lives, grow old, and die, or there is another option..." Death suggested, looking at the younger two.
"This is entirely dependent on you two young ones, and it is also the reason why I lied. I needed to have the two of you here at the same time, and I predicted that Harry Potter would show Daphne Greengrass the memories of the event."
"What is it?" younger Daphne asked, curious.
"Should you wish and consent to it, I will merge the older soul with the younger one. Should you accept the merging, and since I will be the one doing it, balance will be kept and two souls will become one, as you wanted to do with your ritual," Death said to Harrison, and all widened their eyes, although Daphy and Harry also gaped a bit. Daphy closed her mouth after a sharp look from her mother.
"When you mean merge the souls..." older Daphne asked, "What does it entail? What would happen to the personalities?"
"The younger souls would remain the dominant personality. The memories, experiences, personalities, and even the magic of your older selves would be incorporated into your younger selves. The merge would be complete."
"You would do that?" younger Daphne asked in shock. Death turned to her and nodded.
"Like I said, I feel there is the need of a reward for Harry Potter's actions. I am not ungrateful, and like I said, I can use the contacts with the mortal world."
"What about my daughter?" both parents asked the same time. They looked at each other and then at Daphy, who was looking at the ground. They put their hands on their daughter's shoulders, waiting for a reply.
"You should accept it, Daddy," Daphy replied with a sniff. She raised her eyes and looked to her parents with a huge and honest smile, "You would live again, and could be happy."
"It doesn't matter, sweetheart," older Daphne whispered, caressing her daughter's face.
"Your mother is right." older Harry replied "We are a family and families should keep together. I am not losing you two again."
"Your child is a most peculiar case," Death replied, looking to the little girl. "She doesn't exist in this timeline, therefore she is not a paradox..." Death thought about it for a few moments, closing his eyes. "What do you want, child?"
"Me?" Daphy asked back, and Death nodded. Filling herself with courage, Daphy stepped up. "I want my Mummy and Daddy to live and be in love and happy." Tears fell from her eyes. "I would like for us to be a happy family."
Daphy's words touched each of the mortals' hearts, especially her parents, who held their daughter tightly. Death looked from the child to her parents, and to the teens.
"I am willing to keep the child's soul for a time and merge her with the soul of the first female child born to Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass, before a soul forms in the womb," Death replied, looking to the teens. Younger Daphne gulped, looking to her counterpart and her daughter. Harry looked to his older counterpart, older Daphne (fighting the need to blush and feeling younger Daphne's hand in his own), and Daphy.
"You would merge our souls, but I would remain in control?" Harry asked, and Death nodded. "It would still be you, only with extra memories, powers, knowledge, and some personality influences." Harry looked to Harrison, green eyes looking into green. "You would do all this as a reward?"
"Partially," Death replied, "Like I said, it would be useful to have someone powerful guarding my items and putting them to use, should I require, shall we say, a favour."
"Ah," younger Daphne replied, at the same time older Daphne crossed her arms and older Harry raised an eyebrow. "What kind of favours? Show a wizard the error of his ways?"
"Perhaps," Death replied, and they all knew they wouldn't get a better reply. "Remember, I keep balance in the universe. It would be easier for me to have someone in the mortal world willing to help."
"Are you willing?" Daphne asked to her older counterpart. Older Daphne looked to her younger self and smiled.
"Are you?"
"It is an interesting offer," younger Daphne replied stoically, and older Daphne laughed.
"If you call several years of magical knowledge, healing knowledge, and memories of a happy marriage and family interesting, then yes, it is."
Younger Harry looked to younger Daphne. Both of them looked to their older counterparts, who looked at each other and then to their daughter. Daphy smiled and nodded to her parents, who nodded to each other and then back to their younger counterparts.
Harry had made his decision. Daphne nodded slowly.
When the three were ejected from the Pensieve, only Dobby remained conscious. The elf had a huge smile on his face, thinking that his master and mistress may finally get their happy ending.
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