Chapter Text
Harry looked back on his life as he lay bleeding in the streets of Denver, Colorado.
Dumbledore was the cause of all my problems, sure he didn't physically do the damage but according to the goblins in Gringotts and their health reports I've had multiple compilation and charms, and potions. I was also informed that my so-called best friends were getting paid to be around me, Molly and Arthur were too, and to top this off I paid for all of the upgrades and utilities for the Order of the Phoenix.
Angry and confused, I swore off any who were not truly my friends and left England, went to America and got myself killed. How? I learned you do not stand up to someone mugging another person without some kind of back up. I was shot and before I was able to heal myself, the mugger shot me in my head.
Entering the world of the dead I was thankful not to be on that damn station once more, never mind that the headmaster had been faking his death when Id seen him last, I had no desire to see that place once more. Instead It was more of an open field the air clean and bright sky clear of any clouds. I felt at peace, something that took longer then preferable to identify; how long has it been since I'd felt safe enough to allow peace to settle in? I believe it was when I was still with my parents.
"My baby!" was all I heard before I was in the arms of a woman, her red hair a deep auburn.
Standing not far behind the woman, who was still trying to strangle me with her hug, was a man with black hair and brown eyes, his hair that same restless nest that my own was.
“Mum?” I whispered recognizing the man and assuming this woman was her “dad?” I held out my arm and James Potter smiled and soon I was finally embraced by my parents.
My heart hurts, my chest and throat seem blocked and I'm choking on sobs. I'm overwhelmed and I can’t seem to let them go enough to ask them questions that have boggled my mind since I was old enough to think of them.
“We are so sorry baby.” Lilly whispered into my ear and pulled back “You never should have not been so alone! Nor with my morgana damned sister! Merlin when I get my hands on her I’m going to rip into her more vicious than Remus during a full moon.” Mum let her temper fly and suddenly I realized just where I got my temper.
It startled a laugh out of me and I couldn’t help but wish to be there to see it. Warmth filled my chest and I just broke down when dad nodded along.
“Vernon better hope he goes straight to hell or there is not going to be enough of him to fill a thumb nimble once I'm done." Dad growled sounding remarkably like Padfoot.
"Me first" A deep voice drifted over and I felt the chill of a Dementor, remarkable what I'm able to identify just by the feel of their energy at this point, and I had the protronise charm on the tip of my lips before that same voice chuckled "Master your instincts are what have kept you alive so long but that charm has no use on death itself."
Death? Master?
"What?" Mum demanded not releasing me but letting go enough to be able to face the voice.
A cloaked figure stood there, deep blue and black robes shifting in the non breeze, his face that of a skeleton but white orbs making his eyes, he looked like the classic vision of death, but somehow felt safer than even my mother's embrace. Perhaps its because his is one that I've felt many times, never vindictive but always welcoming and warm. His magic felt like a weighted blanket, a comfortable weight of a pet while you sleep; like coming home after being gone for too long.
"Harridan James Potter is my master, I am Death and I offer my master a choice." He waves his hands out to the side and began with his right hand, a river stone glowed a faint grey. "This will leave you here, to enjoy the peace that you have more than earned. None that you love will be released until you all are ready to be reborn. This there" The resurrection stone, or Gaunt Ring was in his left hand "will allow you to choice when you return but it can only be a time where you where close to this realm; you can change what has come to pass with all of your current memories attached. The choice is up to you young Master."
"How am I your master?" I question, leaving the embrace of my parents but keeping myself between them and death himself.
"You are of the Peverell line and have gathered all three of my Deadly Hallows; you also did not abuse this power, instead you broke the Elder wand and respected the work i do by not using this stone while with the living; you have corrected the mistakes of the elder brothers while remaining true to the third's wish."
"Wish?" Dad asked seeming to understand more than I do of what Death means.
"To never be seen by me until it was truly time for his death, then we greeted each other like old friends and the Peverell line was continued through his blood." Death waved a hand and soon a family tree appeared; each generation tracked until it lead to me, the line when to through some changes but nothing fooled death.
"The Peverell name was changed to Gryffindor when the founders of Hogwarts where just thoughts in their parents minds, later they changed the name to Potter to not attract so much attention and hopefully live to see a few more generations. The founders, found themselves being hunted the most during the witch trials ironically because of their link to the great school. Mortals thought that if the families that enchanted the castle where erased then the castle itself would fall, that of course is not true but you humans are not the smartest bunch when in groups. Not that you are terribly bright when alone either but in groups you seem to loose all thought that is individual."
"Now as their descendent, and my master I need your choice" Death held each item out to me and I feel torn.
"Mum? Dad?" I look to them and I see the longing to have me with them but I also feel the deep need to get back to those who thought I was just a pawn for them to use and abuse. "I have to go back, they cannot win this and I don't think this is a chance I can pass up." I ring my fingers together in anxiety "Do you hate me?"
"Never" Mum vowed and dad continued "If I had this chance I would not pass it up either. There are so many people you can save that died needlessly and you are too much of my son to not help when you know you can, its the Gryffindor in us."
"We love you and will always be waiting for you my sweet Mischief, now go show those over reaching, hippogriff chow just why they should never mess with my son."
"Master?" Death questioned and I grab the Resurrection stone "Good choice. I can drop you off when you where 3, 6, or 8 years old if you want to go back before you entered the school or I can drop you off in any year during your schooling."
"YOU ALMOST DIED EVERY YEAR AT HOGWARTS?!!!!!!???" Mum exclaimed almost being restrained by dad "WHERE IS THAT FUCKING HEADMASTER???? I WILL KILL THAT SON OF A BITCH!!!"
Dad just looked resigned but also angry "Love we have talked about this, he never really died and we must be patient. You know Mother Magic will let you know the nanosecond he is with in reach. She's the mother of us all and she understands your rage and finds it justified."
"I want him" she growled
"I know and i get to punish whatever is left after you are done."
"Sirius and Remus also want to pee on his ashes" mum prompted causing me to collapse laughing, tears running down my face as I gasp trying to breath through the laughter of my Godfather's antics.
"Yeah but as Mooney and Padfoot or as themselves?" Father prompted then grinned.
"Both" they said together as they watched me struggling to regain control of myself, not that I was having much luck because in my own mind I could see it plain as day, Mooney and Padfoot nodding to each other and lifting their legs as one, then shortly later shifting into their human forms and repeating the process.
I collect myself and hug my parents once last time before standing at Death's side and nodding my acceptance.
"When shall I take you Master?"
"I'll go back to when I was eight, its old enough that the abuse is obvious and yet young enough that all the damage to my mental state isn't complete yet."
"you will retain every bit of knowledge that you already possess, Young Master" death assured me as we walked " you will also have complete control over those who reside in death. Dementors and Thestrals will be at your command for example, others will be as well but what's the fun in telling you everything just yet?"
"Anything else I have to look forward to? that you will tell me?" I question not liking being in the dark but what choice do I have when it comes to Death Itself? At least I will find out eventually not like that scheming Dumbledore's plans. I cannot believe he equally had the gall to fake his death then come back and take all the credit that I've almost died for multiple times!! Not by choice either way!
"Just one before I go" Death grinned and I saw that soul stealing smile make its way onto his face "Say hello to your soulmates for me wont you?"
Soulmates???
"What?"