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Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Harry wasn’t even surprised that this was how it had happened. He had been feeling off, ever since the war. After he woke up from his stint at Purgatory or wherever he had been after taking the Killing Curse head on. There had to be some retribution for coming back from the dead, but he never found any.

The only thing that he noticed was that he knew when someone would surely die, he never spoke of it. But he knew, he could see a reaper trailing them, the beings nodding at him whenever they noticed him looking. It creeped him out at first, especially as they looked like dementors in the way they seemed like a collection of cloth that floated above the ground. Only difference here was that they had faces instead of the rotten head a dementor sported.

At first it was strangers, but when he realized that people close to him were going to die soon, he didn’t know what to think.

The thing that broke him was Teddy’s death, at 12 years old he had been killed on Hogwarts’ grounds when people found out his father had been a werewolf. An extremist Light fraction was rising, putting in place ban after ban. Because of these laws there was no avenging Teddy even, as he was qualified as little more than a beast.

Not that Harry let himself be stopped by that, no matter who they were, they wouldn’t be getting away with killing his godson. His twelve year old godson at that, he became the one they started fearing the most. He rose up once again, pointing towards the new fraction as them being the new evil.

Only to not be believed, he was painted as the new Dark Lord. The person that let power get to his head. Dabbling into dark magics as he didn’t age anymore, he didn’t think a lot about it, but he let it be. 

At least until they started to actively pursue him, tried to seize all his assets and made an effort to turn the people against him. Some followed, but a large portion of the populace still remembered what he had done for them. What he had sacrificed to make sure that they were free. They listened and went against what the Light Fraction wanted them to do, so they became violent and showed their true nature. Willing to kill each and every person standing in front of them and what they perceived as their utopia.

He called them extremists, mentioning that at least Lord Voldemort had lost his sanity none of them had done that, they were just too fixated on a wholly Light sided world.

It became a bloody war, with so many more losses that Harry was certain that he had lost his sanity as well. That it was only whatever had happened after the In Between, that kept him together. 

When it did calm down, there were so few of them left, that when the Muggles did find out and retaliated there was nothing they could do. Everything they had fought for, everything they had deemed worth protecting was taken away in a single night.

After Grindelwald, Voldemort and Pura Lux, they had enough with their people suffering and getting caught in the crossfire and started a counter attack that involved nuclear weapons. It wiped the British Isles clean, with no one surviving it.

No one, except for Harry, who awoke to his body knitting itself back together. Crying as he realized what had happened. At the sight of the numerous reapers around him, until they took a step to the side to allow someone else through. Until he was looking at what seemed to be an older gentleman, dressed in a charcoal pinstripe suit. Looking at him with so much pity in his eyes.

“Ah, My Master…”

He froze at hearing that, not knowing what to think about this. What to think about the man standing in front of him. His mind had made the connection of who he was, who - or rather what - was standing in front of him.

When he regained his voice, as this hadn’t truly healed yet, he croaked, “Death.”

The Primordial nodded, “Correct, My Master.”

He spread his arms around himself, “Would it help if I told you that this is the outcome no matter what happens? This is still what happens because of the absence of Magic’s chosen, what happened when those that were supposed to lead the Magical World to a new era were pitted against each other and killed the other instead of working together.”

Swallowing thickly, Harry was trying to make sense of what he was told. He knew Death meant him, but who could be Magic’s chosen.

When he looked at Death again, the being tapped his own forehead, making Harry press fingers to his own. To his scar that hadn’t hurt in so many years, the scar that had connected him to Voldemort.

“You’re kidding me?”

Death shook his head, “Magic… She showed him this, what would happen, and he took it as a vision to eradicate Muggles. Not that surprising knowing what happened to him in that dreadful orphanage. But that's where you were supposed to come in, together the two of you would have been unstoppable. Of course, Albus Dumbledore felt the need to meddle and here we are.”

Opening his mouth to defend Dumbledore, Harry shook his head, he wasn't able to do that. Not when the man had raised him as a pig for slaughter. When he wanted Harry to die as the last Horcrux that would need to fall for Voldemort to be mortal again.

“So this is the end?”

A melodious voice sounded, “It doesn’t have to be, Master of Death.”

Looking past Death, he could see the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her hair seemed to glow with how white it was, her skin pale and luminous all the same, a kind look in her purple eyes as she stepped past her brother to look at him.

“You know who I am?”

Harry nodded, “You’re Mother Magic, the one that makes it possible for us to use the magic we were born with.”

She smiled softly, before cupping his chin and making him look into her eyes. Feeling the need to look away because of the intensity of her gaze.

“Good, you do not look away.”

Swallowing, before licking his lips, Harry didn’t know what to say. He was in the presence of two Primordial Beings. Two powers that could do so much more than he as a normal mortal could ever do.

“Ah, but you are no mere mortal, My Master. Not since you willingly went to my domain to protect those you loved. You earned the right to call yourself the Master of Death, which is why you’re here now. Why you survived all of this, why we’re talking to you to begin with.”

Looking at Mother Magic, he licked his lips, “You said this didn’t need to be the end, Mother.”

She shook her head, “You could go back, get a second chance while remembering all of this, able to use the powers my brother blessed you with. The memories that you have will protect you from making the wrong choices again. Tom Riddle was misguided, but he was still my Chosen. He’s more than capable of finding himself on the right path again, if he has someone there to guide him.”

Harry wants to protest, but each argument he does find doesn’t seem enough. Tom killed his parents, and he did, but they were in a war and his parents were on the opposite side. Tom tried to kill him, only because he had evaded death once and he wanted to fix that. Also, just about every confrontation he had with Tom or Voldemort had been staged, Dumbledore knew about it almost all the time but refused to come to his aid until it was too late.

“I see…”

He tried to think of anything else to say, but came up empty.

“Now what?”

Magic grinned, “Will you go?”

Sighing, Harry nodded, “I can at least try.”

She giggled before pressing close and pressing a kiss to his forehead. Death followed soon with a kiss to his temple. The magic from both of them, from life and death around him because too much until he passed out. 

Startling awake, Harry groaned when he recognized the inside of his cupboard. He never expected to see that again, not when he hadn’t seen his mother’s sister and her family for close to 50 years now.

“Either that was the oddest dream known to man, or this is my second chance.”

Magic’s voice giggled in his head, “It wasn’t a dream, Little Master, you’re back with those dreadful people. My apologies, you’re currently 10 years old and days away from receiving your Hogwarts Letter.”

Opening and closing his mouth, he sighed, “My parents?”

Death’s voice filtered through, “Were set to die each and every dimension, my master. There was no way to save them, they are at peace and wish you a lot of luck in your endeavor, if that helps.”

Freezing for a moment, he hisses out, “They know?”

Death laughed, “The death know all, there is no reason for them not to know. So yes, They know.”

Harry didn’t know what to think about that. He had so many questions. Wanted to know what his parents thought about him, except for those fleeting moments with the Priori Incantatem or the Soul Stone, he had never interacted with them. 

Taking in a deep breath, he knew that it wouldn’t happen. There was no need for the living to interact with the living. They had been dead for almost 10 years now too, so no need to recall them now.

Shivering, he sighed, “I see…”

Getting up slowly, he doesn’t know what to do with himself. The house is still dark, the snores from the second floor tell him Vernon is still asleep. As such the door to his cupboard will still be locked. Frowning, he flicked a finger, and grinned as the door unlocked.

“Neat.”

Pushing open the door, he checked the clock, seeing that it was five AM, he had a little over an hour before his aunt would get up. Grinning, he raided the storage, before getting into the secret stash of cash his aunt held in the vase on the mantle. Pulling almost £200 out of it before putting it back in its spot. Waving a hand over himself to shrink his clothing (or rather Dudley’s cast-offs) so they fit better.

“There is that, now to get out of here.”

Pulling open the door, he walked down the path and past where he knew the wards would end. He didn’t know if they would alert Dumbledore, so he hurried to the end of the street and down the corner. To a bus stop on the other side of where Mrs. Figg lived. Luck had it that a bus stopped there the moment he stopped walking, opening its doors and accepting his money. Giving change and letting Harry take a seat as he looked around until they arrived at the bus’ end stop at the train station. He bought a ticket to London there, settling comfortably in the cart, before wondering why no one said anything about a 10 year old out and about on their own.

“Because they see a young adult, the image of what you looked like before we took you back. There is no need to alert the authorities at this time, don’t you think?”

Grinning widely at that, Harry hummed at hearing Death tell him that. Settling back in his seat, looking forward to getting to London. There was a lot that needed to happen, and he wasn’t about to let anything stop him right now.

“Of course not, Master, you are here with a purpose. We will help you in any way we can. This is a second chance for us too, remember.”

Humming again, Harry let himself daydream. There were a lot of things that he needed to change, the first thing was the clothing he wore. The second was getting to his vaults early, and getting his school things alone without Hagrid there to influence his image of the world and the houses. 

“Might as well get close to Draco this time around, makes it easier in the long run.”

Despite what they had gone through, he, Ron and Hermione would grow apart somewhere in their early 30s. He didn’t get back with Ginny, and that seemed to be a sore subject to Ron and his parents. They weren’t on bad terms or anything, but it wasn’t what it had been. Draco on the other hand, he had grown closer to, he was there when Draco died of the same disease as his grandfather. Maybe this time, he would be able to prevent that. 

But those were worries for later. First he would need to go into London, which they were arriving at right now. 

Grinning, Harry got off the train, thinking that he couldn’t wait until the fun began.

Chapter Text

Diagon Alley hadn’t lost its magic here, even this early in the morning it was bustling with activity. Last time, he had been trying to process all that had been happening, so he didn’t take the time to look it all over.

This time he did. With his hair combed over his forehead and his clothes transfigured into something he had seen some of the other children wearing, he didn’t even get noticed. The few people that did must have seen the same image the Muggle busdriver had seen and didn’t make any problem of that.

Taking the steps onto the entrance of Gringotts, he noticed the guards on either side for the first time. Nodding at them, he made his way into the building not knowing that he had shown the Goblin nation a lot of respect. They were a warrior race after all, and were more than tired of Wizardfolk thinking them lesser because they weren’t human. To have a human nod at them, to acknowledge them, was a whole difference.

The early hour made it easier to approach a teller, grinning as the goblin looked at him.

“I would like to access my vault, but don’t have my key.”

The goblin looked at him funny, before showing a dagger and a piece of parchment to him.

“Three drops of blood.”

Tilting his head, he wanted to ask what that was about, before Lady Magic’s voice echoed in his head, “Blood holds magic, and the truth. Giving them three drops of blood means that they can see if you’re indeed without your key and which keys are yours by right.”

Humming, he grabbed the dagger and pricked his finger. Squeezing the wound to get three drops out before cleaning the dagger and handing it back with the heft first.

The goblin was looking at him, not expecting a wizard to do that without any trouble. He looked very much shocked, which had Harry wondering what he had done.

Death laughed, “You showed them respect by nodding to the guards at the door, and by just giving your blood instead of being insulted like a lot of wizardfolk is when they get asked this. You’re establishing yourself as someone who is indeed someone to keep an eye on.”

Whatever had been on the parchment seemed to be ready, as the goblin’s eyes grew wider until he came from his spot he was seated in and waved Harry to come with him. Settling him into a private room with the words, “Account manager will be here soon.”

Frowning, Harry settled back, accepting a cup of tea when a set appeared in front of him. When the door opened, it was to show an older goblin decorated with quite a lot more gold than he was expecting from a goblin. The being also didn’t know what to expect when he saw Harry seated there.

“Master Potter, what are you doing here?”

Narrowing his eyes, Harry didn’t know why he did it, but he stood, “That should be heir Potter at the very least, should it not?”

The goblin didn’t seem to know what to say to that, until he collected himself, “You shouldn’t be here, where is professor Dumbledore, he should be accompanying you here.”

Narrowing his eyes even further, this sent a lot of red flags up, Harry stood at his full height, “Now why should a man I’ve never heard of be here with me? You are my account manager, are you not?”

The goblin was sweating, his eyes going from Harry to the door, before going back to the door. It was setting off alarms in his head, and none of them good.

“What is happening here?”

When the goblin didn’t answer, Harry opened the door to the room, stepping out before his account manager could stop him. Loudly questioning why his account manager wasn’t helping him, only gaping at him and asking for a strange man to be present there with him.

The Harry from before wouldn’t know this, but this Harry knew that as his account manager even as an Heir, should not be asking for someone else to be present.

Luck would have it that Lucius Malfoy was there in the bank with Draco, hearing the whole thing. He came hurrying over, with several other goblins, all who didn’t know what was going on.

Harry looked at the blond Lord, “Lord Malfoy, Heir Malfoy.”

Lucius glanced at him, “Heir Potter, what seems to be the problem here.”

Nodding to the account manager that was still gaping at him, Harry frowned, “That’s supposed to be my account manager, but he seems reluctant to help me without an Albus Dumbledore present. I have no idea who that is, except the headmaster of Hogwarts.”

He could see the light going on behind Lucius’ eyes, seeing what was going on here and connecting the dots very easily.

He turned to another goblin, who seemed to be his own account manager, “Ironnail, I do seem to remember that regardless of title an account manager is supposed to help those under his account, correct me if I am wrong.”

The goblin nodded, to which Lucius hummed, “Even if it’s just the heir, or the lord-aparant, correct?”

As the goblin nodded once again, Harry turned to his own account manager, “So why aren’t you?”

That seems to be the trigger, as the goblin starts sprouting something that he wouldn’t be able to show Harry anything without his magical guardian present. Which had Harry grinning, even more so as he noticed several ministry workers close by too.

“Then you should ask Azkaban to release my godfather, last I heard he had been thrown in there without a trial. Given that he was there at my blessing, he’s my magical guardian in case my parents aren’t able to be here.”

The silence from that statement had the bank stopping in time for a second, before multiple people were talking at the same time. 

Harry couldn’t even keep a smile off of his face, even if he did wipe it off the moment more people started to approach him. He kept back, eyeing them with suspicion and edging closer to the Malfoys. He and Draco had been able to get on well later on in life, and he knew that even now Draco wanted nothing more than to be friends with him. Lucius would be more difficult to persuade, but he was someone who took an opportunity when it presented itself. Even more so, he knew that Lucius was loyal to Tom’s original cause, if that came back there was no reason why they couldn’t all work together.

He’d already let everyone know he trusted the Malfoys, letting them assume someone who raised him had mentioned the blond family and he wasn’t about to rectify that. That little tidbit of information about Sirius was something he felt the need to drop now that he had so much attention on him without it being influenced by the ministry later on in life. His godfather didn’t deserve to be in Azkaban longer than he had to, least of all when he was sure Tom would welcome Sirius Black and Remus Lupin over Peter Pettigrew any time.

When an important looking goblin appeared, Harry edged closer to Lucius' side still, feeling the man carefully setting a hand on his shoulder as they moved out of the way. The goblin stopped in front of them however, and turned to Harry.

“Heir Potter, is it true that Goldhook didn’t offer to assist you?”

Licking his lips before nodding, he answered, “He only asked me why Albus Dumbledore wasn’t with me. I know who he is, of course, but I wasn’t under the impression that the headmaster of Hogwarts needed to be present with an account manager.”

The important goblin nodded, his eyes narrowing, “He does indeed not need to be present, there is a rule stating that anyone under 17 at least be accompanied by an adult but in your case I don’t see reason to as everyone knows what happened to your parents.”

When Goldhook tried to speak, he was kept quiet by several guards who pointed their spears at him, growling as it became clear that Harry’s account manager had done things that weren’t allowed. 

Harry had an idea that Dumbledore had bribed the being, in part to get access to Harry’s gold and in part to keep the wills of his parents sealed as that would make it clear that it wasn’t Sirius that betrayed them.

“Lord Goblin?”

The important looking goblin looked amused, “King Goldthorn, child, but yes?”

Swallowing thickly, Harry felt the need to make this all even worse, “Shouldn’t I have been getting some sort of overview about what happened to my money? I never received any of it, nor did I receive a transcript of my parents’ will, I know I was too young to hear it back then . But there had to have been a will reading, wasn’t there?”

He knew for a fact that there hadn’t been, Sirius and Remus told him one day the summer before his fifth year. That there had never been a will reading, or at least not one they had been invited to. The ministry did this at times, that someone would read the will and make sure everything mentioned in the will was distributed to the right people. Harry later found out that Dumbledore had been the one to read the wills before he sealed them.

Goldthorn it seemed was getting agitated at Goldhook, the look he directed at the one still being kept to the side was telling enough.

“I see, Heir Potter, it has never come to my attention that your parents’ will was read. My apologies, there were a great number of people whose will had to be read.”

Shaking his head, Harry waved it off, looking somewhat somber, “I know that a lot of people lost their lives at that time. I can’t expect someone like yourself to keep track of it all.”

Looking at his account manager, or who had been, he sneered, “He on the other hand should have. By the way he’s acting he has been doing things that the Goblin Notion wouldn’t approve of.”

Goldhook was shaking now, before he confessed to embezzling funds, as well as letting Albus Dumbledore set himself up as Harry Potter’s magical guardian despite the notion that there were several people mentioned in the Potter’s will that were appointed in the event that Sirius Black wasn’t able to do it.

The hall of Gringotts became quiet at that, several people furiously whispering. Harry just let it all accumulate, he could feel Lucius’ hand still on his shoulder. It became tighter but not hurtful, as a pure blood children were precious to him, knowing that one of their own was done so dirty.

Goldthorn hummed, “Then I think we need to start with the reading of that will. As for you, Goldhook, I think you and I need a very harsh word .”

Goldhook shivered, Harry was certain that the goblin would never see the light of day again. He couldn’t find himself to be bothered really, the goblin had second hand stolen from him, stealing was one thing that wasn’t done in the Goblin Nation. Goblins that were found guilty of stealing were most often put to death. It was his own fault, really, even Dumbledore couldn’t save it now.

Chapter Text

He was led to another room together with Lucius and Draco, Goblins after all cared about their young ones too. Lucius didn’t have any direct ties to Harry, but he had stepped up regardless. He probably wouldn’t be permitted to be there when the will was red but that didn’t meant that Harry couldn’t make use of this time to set up the ties he knew would help in the long run.

“Lord Malfoy?”

Lucius looked up from where he was preparing his cup of tea, “You may call me Lucius, Heir Potter, titles aren’t that grand when one converses with family.”

Grinning as this had seemed to be setting up even better than he had expected it to, he nodded, “Lucius then. I forgive my boldness but your wife is a Black by blood, isn’t she?”

Carefully nodding, Lucius looked surprised at the question. Which prompted Harry to expand on his answer, “Do you think she’d be willing to let the ministry know that she believed her cousin was locked away without a trial. I know people heard me say it just now, but I am also very much aware that I am just a child. Not a lot of people are going to want to take my word on it.”

He sighs, “I know I have others out there, but they haven’t come forward in ten years either. I honestly don’t know who to trust, except that you made it clear you want to help. Which is why I am asking you.”

Looking away, he adds, because he feels like it should help, “I didn’t grow up in the Wizarding World, but rather with my mother’s muggle sister and her family. We’re not close and everything I know, I learned from someone else who I can’t name right now. But… I know the world is turning on it’s axis right now. If I can help it turn around, why not try to do so.”

Harry doesn’t know what prompted him to say that last part, at least until he heard Lady Magic giggle in his ear.

“It’s what Tom would always say, before, he felt - just like you do - that there is something wrong with the world. It’s the whole reason he was able to gather so many people for his cause. Lucius will see it for what it is, might even think that Tom is the one teaching you, but it will only help you in the long run.”

Humming, Harry goes back to looking at Lucius. Seeing the way they man’s eyes widened at hearing him say that. He looks hopeful, in a way that Harry couldn’t remember the man ever being this hopeful. Then again, last time he had seen the man he had been made aware that the friend he had followed in the first War would never be coming back because of the way Wormtail fucked up the ritual.

Locking eyes with Lucius, he could see the moment the man realized that there was something very unnatural about Harry’s eyes. A side effect of being Master of Death he had been told. Taking care to know that Draco wasn’t looking at them before he told Lucius.

“I’m not Tom, but I know that I am working on getting Tom back too.”

He grins widely, and feels Death appearing like a specter behind him, giving Lucius a glimpse of what was happening and what would be going on.

The blond lord took a deep breath, “You’re like him…”

Nodding, Harry left it at that, sighing as he knew that at least he wouldn’t be alone in this anymore. Even if Narcissa didn’t want to do this before, Lucius would persuade her to do this. It would only bring more glory to the Black family name after all, their heir locked in Azkaban without a trial. The man’s godson left to fend for himself at muggle hands, no doubt blown up once it came out that his mother specifically mentioned him not being places with her muggle sister and her husband.

Smiling softly, Harry found that he liked this side of the Malfoys. He hadn’t been introduced to it before and when he had been; Lucius had been dead and Draco was traumatized by everything that had happened to them in the war.

Talking about Draco, it seemed that the blond had been quiet for long enough. He kept silent, but the glances he threw at his father were more than telling that he wanted to speak. At Lucius’ nod he approached Harry and started asking questions a mile a minute. Before he stopped when Harry didn’t respond.

“My apologies, it seems that I went quite a bit too far.”

Laughing at that, Harry shook his head, “I was just surprised by it all. There aren’t a lot of people willing to talk with me at my relatives' home. But we’re family, aren’t we, second cousins twice removed if I’m not mistaken.”

Draco ponders on that, “I think it’s third cousins, twice removed, but that doesn’t matter. Do you really see us as family?”

Grinning widely, Harry is happy that his plans to set himself up differently are working. He had already known that Granger and Weasley wouldn’t work out. He was too dark and would probably be sorted in Slytherin this time around, so they were a no go. He didn’t want to see them as the people he had left behind, but that didn’t take away that he knew they wouldn’t be compatible anymore. His other option had been Neville, as he knew they also shared a connection being godbrothers. But as Neville was right now, he didn’t think that he could have a meaningful relationship with the other boy.

Draco on the other hand, knew he would get along with, if given the chance. Outside of that, he was also on the side that Harry wanted to support in time. His patrons were telling him that together with Tom they would be able to make it all happen. They would be able to make sure that what had happened before didn't happen again.

Going over the questions that Draco has asked, Harry made sure to answer them as well as he could. Eventually telling Draco to just owl him if he wanted to talk when a knock on the door showed Goldthorn and a whole entourage of Goblins. All looking mad at what had been happening, asking for Harry to follow them.

Lucius seemed to be debating on joining then, but Harry shook his head. He’d be more than able to settle this alone. Goblins weren’t humans after all, they would be able to sense Lord Death’s mark on him, even if it wasn’t shown. Goldhook, not noticing, also told him that he had fallen out of favor with Lady Magic.

“I do so wonder why, my sweet.”

Chuckling, Harry followed the delegation of Goblins to yet another room. One where several folders lay at the ready. No doubt containing his parents’ will, as well as any information he should have received but never truly got.

Letting them guide him into the room, he took a seat with Goldthorn on the other side of him. Looking at him as if he was seeing him for the first time.

“Heir Potter.”

Humming, he looked at the Goblin King, knowing that he could see the unnatural glow in Harry’s eyes as well. The way he swallowed thickly as the implications were clear only made it so that Harry was finding this all so much more amusing.

“My Lord.”

Before Harry could say anything, Lord Death appeared, “You do not need to worry about yourself or your people, Goldthorn. This is something fabricated by one of the people you were supposed to rule over. Someone who should know better, but didn’t listen to what his instincts were telling them.”

The king whimpered, seemingly relaxing at hearing that statement. Harry never thought about it like this, about the fact that some would know what he was just from a glance. If they, or someone with them had wronged him, they could potentially think that the Wizarding world’s main gods would come to get them.

Twinkling laughter announced Lady Magic’s arrival, her eyes roaming over the Goblin King and his entourage, “There is nothing for you to fear, My Own. Nothing you could have done would have prevented this, you are not in fault here.”

As soon as she said that, King Goldthrown sucked in a shaking breath, “Twice blessed, are you, Heir Potter?”

Laughing, Harry shakes his head, “No, just once, by Lord Death. Lady Magic is here right now as her own choice isn’t able to hear her right now and I will eventually be bonded to him in an effort to keep our world from falling to pieces.”

He sees those in front of him go over the words he told them, about the implications that this could mean and the way that keeping him as an ally would only help them in the long run. Grinning widely, he nods, “I’m here for that, within two centuries the world collapses and the Muggles find out that we’ve been here all along. Let’s just say they don’t take that very well.”

More than once Goblin shudders at that, no doubt having kept a lookout in the event that something like that happens. To know, or for them to know, that it will happen regardless is a lot to wrap their heads around. Harry, for all that he doesn’t think he cares as much, feels for them. They are a proud race, and one that would fight until the last man standing. They had done so before, and had lost the whole of their race in months.

“What do you need us to do?”

Shaking his head, Harry speaks, “Nothing more than you’re already doing now. I know what went wrong with my accounts but I couldn’t very well proclaim that to the world. I’m not a seer and I don’t want to be regarded like that. However, there are people that I can’t have meddling in my accounts, I also want to know just how bad off I am.”

Grinning widely, he adds, “I’m also not bound by certain rules, so I could potentially point you in the right direction as to who you need to invest in, in the next ten years.”

Several goblins grin at that, he can even feel Death and Magic grinning widely at that, knowing that no matter what happens now, this is going to be great. He can do a lot without repercussions, being protected by both of them.

“If you could, however, I would go over my accounts and see what I need to do to be legally emancipated. As much as I adored Sirius once upon a time, I don’t think that after Azkaban he’ll be clear of mind enough to watch over me. The same can be said about Remus Lupin, especially with the current laws in place. Lastly, Albus Dumbledore is the last person I want to see close to myself of my own again, he fucked up more than enough last time. So I don’t need that to be added too.”

This is enough for the Goblins to get into action. One of them took a seat next to him to show just what had been happening to his accounts and how well off he actually was. It was also obvious that no matter what happened now, he wouldn’t have to work for a day in his life. Making a list of companies, magical and muggle, that would be doing well in the next couple of years Harry was confident that he would only keep on making money.

Luck would have it that there was no theft from his accounts, which was a relief.

Which left the last part, the wills of his parents, licking his lips as he opened the scrolls with trembling hands he read them over to see a glimpse of the people that should have raised him. The same people who had given their lives for his. He didn’t know how to feel about this; even if he was happy to note that they both told him to live his life however he wanted to live it. No matter what they would support him, which he knew, or at least suspected. Maybe he would use the Stone to ask them if this is what they expected from all of this.

“Can I ask one of you to make sure that everything mentioned in their wills gets done?”

A goblin he’s certain is female steps forward, “I’ll be taking care of this, Heir Potter. If you permit it, I’d like to become your new account manager.”

He looks her over, she has this no nonsense face on and he likes that, “What is your name?”

She grins sharply, “Moonstone, Heir Potter.”

Grinning back just as sharply, he nods again, “Well met, Moonstone, I look forward to how this will work out. Please make sure everything is taken care of and keep me posted. I’ll be in the alley for most of today, but don’t hesitate to reach out.”

Chapter Text

With all of that taken care of, and at least starting with putting some basis for alliances in the future, Harry requested a withdrawal from his vaults before he ventured out of the lower regions of the bank.

Finding that Lucius and Draco waited for him to go back into the Alley. Draco’s face especially lit up at seeing him approach, grinning as he asked Harry if his business had been concluded. Sounding every bit like the pureblood heir Harry knew he was.

“They were most productive, I had hoped to at least go and get my wand as the booklist isn’t out yet. Unless you happen to have one?”

Draco shook his head, which had Harry sigh. He could remember the books, but that would again make him look too much like a seer which he didn’t want.

“Just a wand then, I guess as soon as the list goes out we can meet up again?”

At Draco’s excited nodding, Harry had to smile. He missed the man he would become, the proper lord who despite the trauma and the horror he had lived through became an honorable man who wanted what was best for his children. He had been there for Harry when things with Teddy went down, when Ron and Hermione hadn’t felt he needed them even if he was dealing with the loss of his godson.

Harry on his turn was there to support Astoria and Scorpius when Draco passed, when he got ill and died of the dragon pox at fifty. 

Lucius directed the two of them, before waiting when Harry went in and for his wand. Making sure to send Draco ahead to Malfoy Manor to have a moment alone with him.

“What is it that you’re planning on doing now, Heir Potter? You spoke about getting Tom back, but I don’t know if that is just possible as he is right now.”

Grinning, Harry looked at Lucius with his eyes almost gleaming deadly green, “You know who is watching over me, Lucius, I know what I need to do. I’m well aware who Tom is, really, but at the same time I’m also aware he lost track of his goal and the mission he was assigned. No doubt because of Albus Dumbledore’s meddling. I can bring him back, I can promise I can bring him back sooner rather than later but I need to do my own thing.”

Then, to throw him a bone, he added, “The vision he had as a young boy, I lived through it. I’m here to make sure that it doesn’t happen again and I’ll do anything I can to make sure that we’re all here in two hundred years. Keep that in mind and get word out that I am not going after the Dark Lord, I am here to aid him and I plan on doing that.”

As Lucius nodded, Harry grinned, “As for my plans for the summer, I am not going back to my mother’s sister and her family. They were exclusively mentioned I wasn’t allowed to be placed with. I’ll be staying here for now and see what happens once the letter comes in and I get all of my school supplies. Moonstone, my new account manager, made it clear she was going to do anything in her abilities to get me emancipated. Once that’s over I can take up residence in Potter Manor or any of the Potter or Black residencies.”

Smiling before mentioning to the floo, Harry was aware that he looked a little bit too much like Tom Riddle now. He was looking forward to Dumbledore’s reaction when he made it to Hogwarts. This wasn’t the little savior he expected, if anything, Harry was more dangerous than Tom Riddle had ever been while inside of Hogwarts. 

“They have no idea what is coming now.”

Death chuckled, settling his hands on Harry’s shoulders, “They most likely think you will be the Little Light Prince they made themselves believe you would be. When you’re anything but.”

Laughing at that, Harry nodded, coming out of the shadows he had been hiding in before getting a room from Tom the innkeeper and locking the door after himself. 

“They think that I am their little tale of legend, Dumbledore let the media do with my name whatever they wanted. They made me into some prince charming, a name to be used without any repercussions, all because of what I could be. It’s not my fault that I am not anything they believe me to be.”

Magic’s tinkering laugh sounded in the room, “They really have no idea what is coming their way. What will happen once Tom is back to himself and able to support you like it should have been before.”

She pouts, before adding, “I should have seen the way Albus Dumbledore would meddle with all of this. He thinks of himself quite a lot, thinking that he is My Chosen, when in fact Tom Riddle, a little boy, couldn't stand for one reason or another.”

Tilting his head, Harry asked, “Do you know why? He didn’t like Tom, that was?”

Magic nodded, “Tom reminds him of Gellert, who had been his partner in crime and lover, once upon a time. Seeing Tom was like seeing a younger Gellert, at the start he truly thought he was keeping Tom off of the Dark Path. But you can’t stop a Dark Wizard from being what he is. Suppressing it only means that they act out and he couldn’t handle that in the least.”

Harry could see that happening, as he got older and evaluated his interactions with Albus Dumbledore, it became clear that the man believed himself to be able to foresee everything. Up until the moment he couldn't, which was when he cursed his own hand. 

“I can see that happening. I don’t know Grindelwald, but I do know he and Dumbledore were close once upon a time.”

Settling on the bed and looking at the two Primordial Beings in front of him, Harry can’t help the smile that comes to his face. Knowing that the first steps have been made, there is no way he needs to return to the Dursleys or the whole Goblin Nation will make a show out of it now that his parents’ will was read.

“All I have to do now is wait for the letter, and after that, for school to start. As soon as that’s over I can start the next phase. Unless, of course, I run into Quirrell before then. He should be here at one point, if I remember correctly.”

Death nodded, “He’ll be back in the UK sometime next week, I’m sure that Tom needs some time to rest now that he has a body again, even if it’s a body he’s possessing. Maybe, given the chance, you can talk to him then. Given that he isn’t totally lost to his insanity?”

Magic shook her head, “He is too far gone, the best way to get him back would be to go through the ritual he did in Fourth year, but I don’t know if we can wait that long. I also don’t think we should let Dumbledore know that Tom is getting his strength back, I know he won’t like that.”

She’s pulling a face again, making it very clear that she didn’t like the old wizard. He had seen himself as too much no doubt. Thinking that he truly held all the ropes when he did not, not even close.

“I’ll think about what to do about that, there are moments I’m sure that I can talk to him alone without too many people watching.”

Already he was going over every interaction he had with Tom, or Quirrell that year. Trying to pinpoint a moment where he was certain that no one would be over hearing them.

When he looked up, both Magic and Death were gone, no doubt to go about doing their own tasks to keep the universe from falling apart.

“I’m sure they’ll support me in whatever it is that I want to do, they were the ones to bring me back in the first place.”

He went to sleep that evening with the grin still etched onto his face, even the dreams he had that night of the things he had seen or the hurt he felt at his body getting knitted back together stopped him from feeling triumph.

It became even better, when as he opened his eyes, an owl was waiting there for him with his Hogwarts Letter. His eyes lit up as he saw the address, happy that there was an enchanted quill that wrote down those and not McGonagall or whoever it should be doing. He didn’t need them finding that part out before he was ready for it.

The Hogwarts owl, her job done, left before being replaced by what could only be a Malfoy owl, regal in every way with sharp eyes and a dark plumage. It handed Harry a letter from Draco asking if they could meet up today or tomorrow to get their school shopping out of the way.

“Can you wait for an answer?”

As the owl nodded, Harry took a piece of parchment and the quill that came with the room to tell Draco that he would love to meet up for shopping. It would be nice to have friends again. He had been terribly lonely these last few years, didn’t think that he’d have this many people around him again which is why he looked forward to whatever followed now.

With that taken care of, Harry settled down to relax until just past noon which is when Draco and Narcissa would meet him here to commence their shopping. He was happy Draco let him know it would be his mother joining him this time instead of his father. Looking forward to meeting his cousin, and getting to know her again as last time had been after a warthorn world and not the tentative peace they were in right now.

“I can also ask her about Sirius when I see her, even with the emancipation, it would be nice to have him in my life again. I’d need to tell him so many things, or keep a lot of things a secret, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

Harry hadn't expected to be here again, to have Sirius close again when before they had each other so briefly. What he knew was that Sirius wanted him when the Dursleys didn’t want him. Not living with him had been the worst thing he lived through, until the world went to shit. Now, looking back, he knew that Sirius wasn’t all there in the head. The extended time in Azkaban hadn’t been good for him, not in combination with the Black Madness. 

“I can see what happens after, for now all I can do is enjoy the peace and see what needs to be done to make sure it stays peaceful. Hogwarts will be a very different experience, especially as a Slytherin.”

Sitting up in bed, Harry suddenly remembered something, Severus Snape would be alive. The man who had vowed to look after Lily’s child in an effort to escape the Dark Lord’s Mark. He didn’t know what Tom had been once upon a time, hadn’t been there when Abraxas told Lucius all about the great man Tom Riddle had been once upon a time.

All Severus saw was a power hungry fool trying to kill the woman he had loved, and who he would keep on loving until his dying day.

From the will reading, Harry knew that his parents had left a little tio Severus, including his father’s apology and the notion that they had been pregnant the last time their will was updated, that he would have been godfather to Harry’s little sibling. Wasn’t that a hard pill to swallow, that he could have had a brother or sister, but that they never were born.

“If nothing else, I can use that to make sure that Snape at least listens to me. He should have gotten the letter stating what my parents told him, he’ll know that he was never told as much before and I can pick up on that like the Slytherin I’m meant to be.”

Chapter Text

Shopping with the Malfoys compared to shopping with the Weasleys was such a huge difference. For one, they started quite early in the morning, joining Harry for breakfast in the Leaky Cauldron before heading into the Alley when it was still open. There weren't a lot of people out there, which also made it a lot easier to maneuver around.

Narcissa also seemed to be out on a mission, she obviously knew the best way to go about this. Starting on one side of the Alley with the stores there and mentioning they would be doing the other side as they made their way back from the end of the Alley.

“There is no need to just cross over every other store, that just takes away time we could be spending more wisely.”

Harry couldn’t find fault in that knowledge, if anything, he hated the chaos that came with shopping with the Weasleys before. If anything they just all scattered to be picked up one after the other. Here he could stroll through the Alley and enjoy himself while doing so too. Draco had obviously been looking forward to it and it showed, talking a mile a minute as Harry just listened, only sometimes saying something and more often than not just enjoying the time spent together. Narcissa was also nice company in that nothing was hurried and the stores they visited were a lot more high class. The only ‘mediocre’ clothes store they visited was Madam Malkins as all school robes had to come from that store. 

Standing there while the seamstress and her assistants worked on them, Narcissa was looking through the rows of fabrics but the look on her face suggested that she couldn’t find anything she was interested in.

As soon as they were both ready, she was told the robes would be ready by the end of the day leading to her leading the two of them outside.

“Remind me we have to stop at Twilfitt and Tattings for some robes, Draco. You’re shooting up in height again.”

Perking up at that, Harry also needed clothes. Before he had muggle clothes, but he didn’t feel comfortable wearing that right now. Not only that, but he had no intention of ever returning to his Muggle Relatives, not in this lifetime.

Visiting a few more stores, it was easy to get around with an adult who shrunk the packages so they were just carrying one bag instead of their arms full of them. Which became a real blessing once they passed the bookstore and cauldron shop. 

All in all it gave Harry a glimpse of how it could also be done. As well as a whole load of clothes that he wished he had sooner. While the Malfoys didn’t know, he had memories of several decades in the Wizarding World and going back to anything even remotely muggle just didn’t feel right.

Making their way back, they only crossed the Alley to get their school robes before stepping into the Magical Menagerie. Narcissa mentioned that Draco could do with an owl so he didn’t have any reason not to write back home.

The look Draco threw Harry at that was one he could recognize, Narcissa especially cared a lot about her son and wanted to be kept up to date on everything. Given that Draco was her only child and he had been home with her fulltime up until Hogwarts started, he could understand that she was a little apprehensive about what happened now.

Taking a step into the menagerie, Harry was hit by a wave of nostalgia. Hedwig had been here before, and part of him wondered if she was still here and if she would still be willing to be his own again.

“Why don’t you go find out?”

The brush of Lady Magic against his mind had him feeling nervous all of the sudden, there was no way that his loyal friend was here now was there?

Making his way through the owls, none of them looked up, until a snowy owl at the end of row suddenly moved and looked at him with intelligent eyes. She took flight and settled on Harry’s shoulder where she started to preen his hair as she had done before.

It was so odd, but she knew that this was his owl. This wasn’t the Hedwig that should have been here, but rather the soul of the one he had lost at seventeen.

“She was quite adamant at being given a second chance. We didn’t see any reason why not, as she had been such a great companion for you before. She knows what happened and this time, instead of leaving her as a regular owl she’s already bounded to you as your familiar.”

He wanted to cry, hearing that he wouldn’t be losing his owl again in this lifetime.

“Hey girl, it seems you’ve been waiting for me.”

She nipped his finger, which was all that was needed for the familiar magic to work and bind them together. Her mind was a welcome presence in the back of his mind as he stroked over her head, not even noticing the store clerk or Draco gaping when it happened. 

“She’s been waiting for you.”

Blinking, Harry looked up to see the clerk standing there with a soft smile on his face, “There have been people interested in buying her, but she wouldn’t let them. We were worried she’d be here for so long, but she was just waiting for you, young man.”

Smiling, Harry just rubbed his fingers over her head, “I guess so.”

Making his way to the counter to pay, Harry made a few stops to get everything he needed to give Hedwig everything she needed. Grinning at Draco where he and Narcissa had been standing with a dark gray eagle owl in his hands. They look as Harry passes, before Draco is at his side cooing at the Snowy Owl on his shoulder.

“She’s a real beauty, do you know what you’ll name her?”

Harry nods, “Her name is Hedwig, what did you name yours?”

Draco looked at the owl his mother was now holding, “Apollo, he’s an eagle owl.”

While he had only asked a name, Harry grinned, “He looks fancy, I’m sure he’ll be a good owl.”

Apollo seemed to like the compliment as he puffed out his chest at that, making Harry shake his head and smile. Finally gathering everything he needed at the store, he went to pay. Letting Narcissa shrink his stuff while Hedwig stayed on his shoulder. The tightening of her talons in his shoulder made it very clear that she wasn’t planning on going anywhere. Her intelligent yellow eyes daring anyone to even try.

Chuckling, Harry left her there before they made their way to the last stop of the day which was Olliveander’s. It was the one shop Harry wasn't looking forward to as the old man always knew so much, it was almost as if he could see right to your soul and in a way he might just be able to do as much to match a wizard or witch with the right wand.

Getting into the store, he rattled off which wand Narcissa had, which she accepted with a nod. It was obvious that she didn’t like it being broadcasted. After all, a wand was especially personal, not everyone needed to know that and here the old man just told people.

Draco was first, which was an  easy find. A ten inch hawthorn wand with unicorn hair as its core.

Swallowing thickly, Harry took a step forward which had the wandmaker look twice before he mentioned Harry to step forward. For one reason or the other he took out his phoenix wand and handed it to him. Looking at the wand maker, he took it and felt the same warmth he had felt before. A friend who greeted him after such a long time.

Grinning, he waved the wand and had bubbles floating out of it before they popped about a foot adobe the tip of his wand.

“That seems to be a good match, wouldn’t you say, Heir Potter.”

Nodding, Harry paid for his wand before he was making his way to Narcissa and Draco, the three of them getting out of the store and back to the Leaky Cauldron to have a late lunch. The rush was starting to be obvious, but as they could go back to the inn and eat without having to go back to the Alley that brought a certain quietness with it. 

“Let’s get a spot to eat, won’t we boys?”

Following her to a table at the back, Harry asked her to resize his bags before he was making his way upstairs to his room and leaving everything on his bed and the floor. Even Hedwig settled on her perch with her head underneath her wing. Rubbing over the feathers on top of her head, Harry made his way back down and sat at the table just as their food arrived.

They were talking about how they were looking forward to starting school, Narcissa sharing some stories about her own time at Hogwarts before you could see that she was having a hard time accepting that Draco was old enough already.

Noticing as much, Harry changed the topic of conversation to Sirius and what Narcissa believed the Ministry would do now that the truth about his parents’ will was being shared. He hadn’t heard anything about it and this worried him, mentioning as much to Narcissa she promised to have Lucius put his ear to the ground to see what was going on.

“That’s indeed a long time. Luckily there is still about a month left before the school year starts but an update would be nice.”

Her mentioning that made Harry realize that his eleventh birthday would be next week. He hadn’t even been thinking about that, he would need to be down from his room then, as Quirrell would be here then and he needed to talk to Tom anyway. 

Stating that it would be his birthday soon, Narcissa mentioned she’d love to have his over around that date to celebrate. It might help, especially if it’s after his birthday and he could have a moment to talk with Tom before then.

Agreeing before finishing their food and saying their goodbyes. Harry promised to send an owl over to set a date to come over hoping that by then there was some news on Sirius and everything around his parents will. The news would have made it to everyone involved by now, and part of him was looking forward to the shockwave that would bring with it. 

“This is truly a new era and they don’t know it yet. I’m not at all like they think I'll be given the wrong propaganda that’s been spread.”

Getting some strange looks at talking to himself, Harry made his way to his room to get some rest. He was noticing that he was busier than he had been before. But he was also happy with the things he managed to get done.

All that he needed to do now was wait until his birthday and see about what could come out of that conversation with Tom. 

A brush of magic along his own made him aware that Lady Magic would be there with him. Things were going to turn out well and even if something happened, it wasn’t like he could die.

Glancing at Hedwig, he noticed that she was still sleeping. Settling on his bed for a nap, Harry could feel his magic flowing as he did so, at peace for once. His dreams were nice and showed a future that might just happen at one point in time.

Chapter Text

The morning of his birthday dawned bright and early, to the point that Harry hated that he had gotten so used to getting up early. Temporarily staying at the Leaky Cauldron meant that he could do whatever it was that he wanted to do. There was no one watching him at any moment, nor did anyone but the Malfoys knew where he was right now.

Turning on his back to look at the ceiling, he hears a soft coo before Hedwig is hopping onto the bed and snuggling into his side.

If he didn’t know better he would think that she too remembered, and in a way he could believe that. He had known, or was certain, that she had been his familiar which is why she had caught the killing curse for him in a previous life.

“Things are going to be so different, girl, I don’t know how much you remember but we’re not going to do things like that.”

He sneers, “I’m never going back to the Dursleys, I’d rather run and hide from the world than for that to happen. Of course, I can’t do that, Tom and I have a role to play in the protection of magic. But still… there is so much that still needs to be done to the point thatI fear having to do all that.”

Hedwig nips at his fingers, and he smiles softly. His precious girl always knew what to do to cheer him up. She had been great at that and he loved her all the more for it. A part of him still remembered the empty space she had left behind. As hard as the war had been, it had been her death that was one of the hardest.

“I don’t want to lose you again, Hed. Promise me that you won’t do something like that again.”

She hoos, hopping that much closer as he stays in bed for a little longer. At least until something in his gut tells him he needs to get down into the eating area of the Leaky Cauldron. He knows that it’s Tom that he’s sensing, had suspected as much ever since Lady Magic appeared and stayed so close to his side.

“At times, you are entirely too smart for your own good, dear.”

Smiling at the Primordial Being when she appears, Harry shakes his head, “I think I have to be with Death being by guardian deity and you apparently believing that I needed your favor too.”

Her laugh echoes around him, making Harry smile as much. He loved that he had this now, that he would never be alone and that whatever happened now at least they could figure it out together. That didn’t take away that he wasn’t nervous as to how the talk with Tom was going to go. For some reason he kept thinking about the end of his first year, in his previous life, and how his first meeting with Tom had gone.

“He had been mad the previous time, who is to say he won’t be deranged and mad this time around too?”

Lady Magic sighed, “I don’t know, all I know is that for the longest time his connection to me was lost. It never was severed this time around, so something has to have been different this time around. Except that Death and I didn’t do anything to him. You were the one who survived last time…”

She looks somewhat worried, no doubt not knowing what to expect either. This was her chosen, after all, the one she had picked to help her protect her people. He had been so lost to her previously that even Harry knew it must have hurt. He had promised himself, and her, that he would do everything he could possibly do for things to go different.

“We’ll find out together, it isn’t like I can die, after all.”

Grinning, even when he felt Death poke at him through the connection they had together. It was clear that he didn’t want to bring him back so soon, but that he would do it if it meant that things would go differently.

Getting out of bed and showering quickly, Harry dressed in some of the robes he had brought with Narcissa and Draco. He was still trying to figure it all out, but he felt better than he had before. Maybe it was the knowledge he now had about the Wizarding World and his own lordship or the fact that he was well aware that he wasn’t alone this time around.

“Let’s see what comes out of this.”

Making his way down, he could feel something pulling him closer to the man that he had believed to be Quirell. What he didn’t expect was for the man to turn and for an older version of Tom Riddle to be looking at him. It was unexpected to say the least, the gasp he heard from Lady Magic told him that she too hadn’t been expecting this.

“Heir Potter, I do believe we have a lot to talk about.”

Grinning at Tom, Harry nodded, mentioning the stairs and leading Tom back to his room. The man followed suit, obviously having casted a spell over him as no one looked twice in his direction.

Once in his room, Harry turned to Tom, “This is unexpected.”

Tom on his turn snorted, “I guess you can say that again, I didn’t expect to have my body back in the middle of Albania either. But here we are, I do believe this is your luck striking again.”

Tilting his head to the side, Harry narrowed his eyes, “You know what’s going on?”

Shrugging, Tom made a so and so motion with his hands, “Not everything, but I know that you’re the other person Lady Magic always talked about. I also know that She’s here, that she’s been here since I entered the inn.”

At that, Lady Magic appeared and wrapped her arms around Tom. He hugged her back just as much, something in his face and shoulders relaxing at the notion that she was really there. That it appeared that he was still who she had chosen.

Harry stayed standing there, only looking behind him when a hand covered his shoulder and Death was standing there. His face was confused, even if there was a soft look in his eyes.

“It appears that Fate took pity on us too, I believe that they are between this as the Tom we had was in no state to make the trip.”

Tom and Lady Magic broke out of the hug to look at Death, the both of them thinking before starting to shoot theories left and right. Harry had trouble following them, but he was happy that they weren’t alone in this. He knew that the Malfoys would be so happy in knowing that Tom was back too.

“Why would Fate have anything to do with it?”

Turning to Harry, Death explained that Fate did feel bad for what they did to certain chosen people. Tom and Harry especially had been put through the wringer for most of their life and in the end, all was lost anyway.

“I don’t know if this is the truth, but the grapevine has it that they wanted a chance to contribute to a world where those magical had another chance at all of this. it hurts each time when a universe is lost to us, and often there is nothing that we can do either. I think right now and with this, they are trying to right a couple of wrongs.”

Pursing his lips, Harry didn’t know what to think about that. He had felt like Fate’s play thing for so many times already. To know that they too changed their mind about all of this felt a bit off even if he wasn’t against taking advantage of this.

Turning back to Tom, he looked the man over. He looked like an older version of the Tom Riddle he had seen in the Chamber of Secrets, he looked to be somewhere mid-twenties which wasn’t even close to the age Lord Voldemort should be. Even taken into account that Magical folk aged a lot slower than normal humans.

“How much do you remember or know?”

Tom blinked, before sharing what it was that he still knew. Also sharing that he knew about how he had gone to Godric’s Hollow to see what was so special about another half-blood. “I did kill your parents, as they didn’t want to let up. In all honesty, given that they had a small child I do believe that they thought it was their duty to stop me. I have no idea which ideas Dumbledore put into their heads but something didn’t add up there.”

Sharing, on his turn, about his parents' will and the things that Dumbledore had been doing with his previous account manager, Harry added that he wouldn’t be surprised if Dumbledore needed his parents dead and Sirius in prison.

“Remus is the only one he doesn’t need to do anything about. As soon as word gets out that he’s a werewolf nothing can be done about that. He doesn’t even have to dirty his hands on that, as Severus holds a grudge well enough to take care of that. I fear how much is going on behind the screens that neither of us even knew about that first time.”

Sighing, Tom agreed with him, “I always doubted the way he looked at me. Almost as if me talking to snakes meant that I was doomed to be evil. Not that I was all good, but Wool’s traumatized me enough that I would protect what I believed to be mine and couldn’t let them walk all over me.”

Shaking his head, Tom stopped talking for a little bit, “What are the odds that Dumbledore knows about what is going to happen and thinks that he can stop it and come out of this as the next Merlin?”

Harry snorted, “He wouldn’t live long enough. That which happened had me going on in age, with all the spell work that he did that aged him he wouldn’t even get close to when it happened. I think something else is going on, something just as bad, that we need to find out.”

Grinning, he added, “Of course there is plenty to happen, as Lucius is drafting my lawsuit against him and whoever used my name for commercial ends without my knowing. I don’t doubt that he will try to pull me aside as soon as I appear at Hogwarts. For decades he’s been left to his own devices, so to have an eleven year old going against that wouldn’t sit well with him.”

Slowly going over what he had planned and seeing what Tom thought of that. Seeing the other man nod thoughtfully. Intrigued by what Harry had been planning and what he was doing to make sure that they had the upper hand in all of this.

“I didn’t know how you would be looking at this, so I had to plan for every possibility. I hope you don’t mind.”

Tom shook his head, “I think it’s a good thing that you and Draco are bonding. Lucius and Narcissa have been great people. Abraxas was one of the people always at my side and I know Lucius knows of my Golden Days, so to say.”

Harry popped up, “Wouldn’t that be silver days, given Slytherin and all that.”

Tom looked at him with a deadpan expression on his face, rolling his eyes, “I guess you have a point. But anyway, back to my point, he’s been waiting for this to happen. Given my return to sanctity would mean everything to him. I wouldn’t even be surprised if what I remember from my previous life, he had been more than willing to betray me. Family is sacred for a Malfoy, the thought that I, or Lord Voldemort, would threaten his heir or wife would mean I put myself in the losing position.”

Knowing how Lucius talked about it, or how he had talked about it previously, Harry knew that to be true. It was also why he had latched onto the man, knowing that as someone sharing blood with his wife that would make him family in the eyes of the blond.

Chapter Text

It was odd to be able to talk to Tom like this, despite everything he had been prepared to do once he was confronted with Tom or Voldemort again, this hadn’t been it. While he seemed stumped at what had happened, Tom was sane in a way that Harry knew he hadn’t been for years.

The wonder in his eyes alone made sure he realized that. Mother Magic’s grip of his shoulder didn’t help either. She too was shocked at what had happened but couldn’t find it in herself to mind. Not when her Chosen and Death’s Master had something to work with. They both knew what was expected from them. All that was needed was them having the chance to plan and see what they were able to do.

“I knew that I couldn’t let the Light claim me, not like they did before”, Harry said, contemplating on what to say next.

Tom shook his head, a small smile on his face, “You did good in what you did, making contact with Draco and Lucius. Narcissa wouldn’t need a lot as you are still a Black by blood, both through your grandmother and through your Godfather.”

Smiling at that, Harry nodded, “I knew… I also knew that both Blacks and Malfoys would do anything for family. It was why I did what I did, there was something that needed to be done as I can’t be taken under Dumbledore’s thumb this time around there are too many things that need to happen.”

Laughing at that, Tom nodded, “And here I was wondering if I was going to convince you to leave the Old Man.”

Pulling a disgusted face, Harry shook his head, “I… I would rather kill him or myself before listening to him again. It was his ideas that cost me so much in the end. He might have been seen as the New Merlin or whatever, but he wasn’t even close to being that.”

His heart hurt as he thought about Teddy after so long, Death clasped his shoulder in a conforting grasp but it didn’t help in dealing with everything he was trying to suppress for so long. With everything the Old Man had done, he had made sure that Mother Magic was pushed back instead of welcomed. As important Muggleborns were, they had gotten their Magic from somewhere, to change their whole world just for them was murder in a way.

Sighing deeply, Harry wiped at the tear that threatened to spill, “It was his way of thinking and his indoctrination of whole generations that made them all turn on each other. Everyone with even a little bit of creature blood in them was considered a beast that needed to be erradicated.”

Laughing, although it was full of pain, Harry looked at Tom, “You can guess what happens next. They start with these tests and all of the sudden everyone they test is found to be part creature but by the time they connect the dots it is too late. Entire generations are gone, full families erradicated because they didn’t want to listen. My… My Godson was a child and he just never came home one day.”

The notion that he had been killed at Hogwarts for something that didn’t even make him dangerous. Remus did everything he needed to keep in check, all Teddy had were better senses and a love for bloody meat. He wouldn’t ever hurt another witch or wizard, but they hadn’t listened to them and killed him in cold blood.

Hands cupped his cheeks, before maroon eyes came into frame, “We’ll make sure that never happens, Harry. We’ll make sure that regardless of what happens we look over those that are ours.”

It’s the meaning behind those words, the magic Tom used when he proclaimed that. He truly wants to protect all those that had been at risk before and would be even more so after all of this was over, if they didn’t win that was. Dumbledore had been killing Mother Magic and they didn’t know if he meant to do that or not. He was scared what that would mean, and he was scared to find out even if he would if the need was there.

Clasping his hands over Tom’s, Harry looked into maroon eyes, knowing his own green ones were shining with his magic as he answered in kind, “We’ll make sure it doesnt happen, we protect what is ours.”

Lord Death and Mother Magic were standing there, looking on proud as they bounded at a level that wasn’t often seen. They both knew what was expected of them and they worked with it as much as possible. Their words held power, to the point that for the first time since all of this happened the two primordial beings felt like this could work out for them in the end.

Harry sighed as the magic settled under his skin, smiling up at Tom, “Thank you.”

The Dark Lord shook his head, “You’re welcome, but there is no need to thank me. We’re in this together, after all.”

Smiling at that even brighter, Harry nodded, “We’re in this together, I have to admit I am happy you’re here besides me, Tom, I don’t know how I would have done it alone.”

Tom’s eyes darkened, “You would have been driven insane like I was. Maybe that’s why Lady Fate intervened. She knew what was on the line and what would happen, if one of us was left alone for too long.”

Then, to the surprise of them all, a clear voice sounded through the room, “You are right, Magic’s Chosen. I had seen what happened to you the first time and I saw what would have happened to Death’s Master should he be left alone. As such, I choose to grand you both a boon.”

When she appeared, she was ethernal even more than Mother Magic and Lord Death were. A soft smile on her lips as she looked at all of them. The genuine love in her eyes as she gazed upon them all, for all that it had been her choices that had made their lives so hard, Harry couldn’t help but feel relieved that Fate was on their side as well.

Her eternal eyes locked on Harry before she smiled, “I do what I must do, Death’s Master. But I care for the universe more than the guidelines I have been given.”

Her face pulled into a smirk, “On top of that, I can’t help but dislike the man who thinks himself Fate. Albus Dumbledore irked me in a way that not a lot of people have managed to irk me and I don’t like it. Whatever it is that you need to do, whatever that changes the normal flow of this universe, I’ll make sure it’s taken care of. You both just take care of Him.”

That last was said especially towards Tom and Harry, both who couldn’t help but smirk as well. Knowing they could in essence do whatever they needed to do to restore it all, they would gladly take that chance and use it.

Bowing shallowly, they looked at Lady Fate, “My Lady, it would be our pleasure.”

She giggled, nodded to her siblings and was gone again. Leaving the four of them there, Mother Magic started laughing at that, “Oh Gaia, I… I can’t believe that we’ve been given leave to do whatever we want to do. The world is going to change so much.”

Death still looking stumped, even if he did nod in agreement. Harry and Tom took a seat on the bed where Harry took out a journal he had compiled of things he wanted to change, general notes of what had happened when if he could remember it. Going over what he had planned on doing with Tom, mentioning he was planning on getting into Slytherin or Ravenclaw.

“I can’t deal with that much red again, not after what Gryffindor had done to my Godson. Hufflepuff won’t be able to deal with my temper and while being a Snake would paint a target on my back it would sit well with the lawsuit I’m planning on unleashing on the world.”

Snorting, Tom nodded, “What is it for, if I may ask?”

Grinning brightly, Harry told him about what he had found out about his account manager at Gringotts and how the bank and Goblin nation dealt with that traitor. He added that Dumbledore had done all kinds of shit to his accounts, but what was more he had given people leave to use his name or imagine in everything from commercials to children’s books.

“I was not happy learning that, even less so when I wasn’t even getting part of the spoils they made off of my image. Talking to Lucius he mentioned that I could petition to have it all reversed or to at least get the royalties I should have gotten from the start”, Harry shared looked quite happy.

Glancing at Tom, he added, “I just don’t want to have to pretend. Before I did so to fit in with my peers but as I only have Draco right now that means that I don’t have to pretent at anything. I don’t have a need for backstabbers or those that change their opinion in a heartbeat.”

Tom hummed at that, looking pleased, “Would it give the Old Man a heart attack if you’re sorted in Slytherin? That would be the icing of the cake.”

They both laughed at that, not even noticing that their Deities had left the room. Only realizing they had left when they turned to ask something and couldn’t find them there. So caught up in each other, it should have been weird or odd. But for some reason they resonated in a way that Harry hadn’t been expecting.

He had known that Tom Riddle Jr. had been charismatic but by the time Voldemort took over nothing had remained of the charming young lad. All Harry remembered was through memories he had seen never about what he had experienced.

Stretching, the both of them made their way into the Alley to get something to eat in the more privately part instead of the Leaky Cauldron where it seemed everyone could hear you. Harry slapped on a glamour to make sure, but they set out talking the whole time.

Eventually, after eating, they set out to Gringotts. Tom mentioned he should activate his accounts again now that he was himself once more. Mentioning that they might just need it now that they were starting the plan Harry had been using. It was even mentioned that it was a good plan, with some little tweaks they could keep following that.

The Tellers almost fell over themselves when they entered the bank, their eyes widening as they took in Harry and Tom standing there. More than one seemed to swoon or faint, which made it clear that them being together had an effect on beings that were more in tune with Magic than most Wizards and Witches. Their account managers were called, before they were ushered into a private room much to their joy.

Once there, they found refreshments ready for them before their account managers appeared looking almost in edge. Which was saying something as Harry had built up quite the bond with his over the summer. Still, they were obviously in awe at who was there.

“My Lords, I must say, this is a pleasure” Moonstone said, although she was still stunned.

Smiling at her, Harry spoke, “I am still the same boy as before.”

She shook her head, “You are not, nor have you ever been a boy since you entered here, Heir Potter.”

Grinning brightly, he nodded his head before turning to the other Goblin who looked about in tears as he regarded Tom, “I had feared you lost, Little Snake…”

Tom smiled at the other Goblin, who Harry now realized was also a woman, “I was lost, Onyx, until I found my way to the light once more. Mother Magic and Lady Fate worked together with Lord Death to bring me back and to make sure I wasn’t alone anymore.

Chapter Text

They spend the better part of their day at Gringotts, going over every little detail with their account managers. Going through every transaction in the last 50 years, as well as some before that. Making sure that no stone was left unturned, to go into every detail as to what had happened. Harry especially was happy he had this, even if Moonstone had made sure that she did a full audit of his accounts he hadn’t had that done in his previous life. It gave him a better understanding of everything that he owned too, what he could do with it and how it had been brought into his possession.

Previously he hadn’t let it come to that. He had let it sit to the point that money lost would never be found. His account Manager then hadn’t been inclined to do a full audit at the times he had been allowed into the bank, which is what had tipped Harry off this time too and made him act.

In fact, in his previous life he hadn’t been able to enter Gringotts anymore after being branded a traitor to the race for what he had done to the bank. Seeing now, it was clear that the reason the Goblins had done what they did was because of Tom’s standing as Magic’s Chosen. They had believed they were aiding Magic, given the aura he gave off. None of them had known that he was too far gone to even see what was right in front of him. Lady Magic had wept when she told him that part. When she shared that because of what he wanted to achieve and the way Dumbledore had put a stop to that every chance he got, Tom got lost and eventually never made it back.

“What’s with that look”, Tom asked when they had a short break.

Looking at the other man, Harry shared what he had been thinking about. Seeing the way it impacted Tom as well. Hearing that he had done more harm than good in the finals years of his life was a hard pill to swallow.

Harry, having spoken to Tom now, finding out how he had been before, it was clear that he’d had set goals. Enough that it was obvious why so many people flocked to him in the hight of his reign. Everything pointed towards being the savior of the world, to make sure that Magic had a chance to keep on existing.

“How… Do you know how I died?”

Swallowing, Harry nodded, “I killed you, we were across from each other on the final battle. Hogwarts’ grounds, to the point that you fired a Killing Curse and I countered with an Expelliarmus. To the point that the Killing Curse rebound again, however, as we had destroyed all your horcruxes, there was nothing to theter you to this plane and you just ceased existing…”

Frowning, Tom looked at him, “Horcruxes, as in more than one?”

Blinking, before he nodded, Harry spoke, “Seven in total.”

A shiver went through Tom, “Dear Merlin, no wonder I was but a shell of myself. Splitting my soul in so many pieces, it was a wonder I functioned at the end of it.”

It was hard to see him like this, in a way Harry knew that whatever happened now it was for the best. But to have to tell someone that they were the reason the world collapsed is never a fun conversation. Tom looked destraught enough as it was. No doubt never believing it would go that far. From the way he asked about the horcruxes, it wouldn’t be surprising to know that he never planned on making that many, if any really.

Placing his hand on Tom’s, Harry smiled softly, “That isn’t going to happen, you know that, right? We’re having another chance at this. The both of us can take whatever it is that comes out from now on. We won’t let Magic die out, just as much as we won’t allow the Muggles to find us and do whatever it was they believed they needed to do.”

A soft smile was on Tom’s face at hearing that, nodding as he allowed his hand to be held by the man who was essentially his soulmate. Harry smiled in turn, feeling the way it relieved the both of them. To know that they had someone to lean on for whatever came next.

At this moment their account managers came back with some refreshmants. Not mentioning anything about how the two men were seated. Instead they took a seat and continued where they left off. Going over everything and anything, a large grin on both goblins’ face at the knowledge they could act as this was in the interests of wizardkind. Even if they didn’t know it, nothing they would be doing now would be to further the Goblin Nation. It would be to get back at those that had stolen from the two men in front of them.

“I do believe, gentlemen, that everything has been talked about. We’ll take the needed steps and get back each and every knut that was taken from your accounts”, Onyx said, grinning brightly at Tom who nodded his head in agreement.

Exchanging pleasantries before Harry and Tom left with an unlimitted pouch connected to their accounts. It was high time that they took care of themselves as well. Even more so now that it became clear that there was a lot more out there for them.

Harry hadn’t quite believed it when he talked to Moonstone about what it was that was accessable to him. The Cottage just outside of London had his preference right now, but he would settle just about everywhere as there was no way he would be going back to the Dursleys. Even more so given the things that were going to change, starting with the way the Goblins would be going after Albus Dumbledore for everything he had done to Harry and Tom.

A hand on his shoulder had him looking at Tom as they stood on the stairs leading out of Gringotts, “Let’s talk.”

Nodding, Harry went to the Leaky Cauldron to gather his things, paying Tom the Barkeep for his stay there before following Tom to the Muggle Part of London. Surprised when he found that there was an appartment in the Riddle name not far from the Wizarding District. No doubt purchased before everything went down. Despite his cottage, this would be even better.

Stepping inside, Harry could feel the wards wash over him, they were strong, so the chances of someone else finding this was non-existant. Maybe a good thing too, as they were planning on turning the world on its head.

Taking a seat once Tom mentioned for him to do so, Harry grinned as the other man took a seat as well. Smiling softly as he did so, Harry couldn’t help but look around, “This looks nice. I take it this was yours before it all?”

Tom nodded, “I bought it after I graduated Hogwarts. I wasn’t welcome in Wool’s anymore after turning eighteen, not that I wanted to go back there. But having my own little place just made it feel all that more real.”

He looks out of the window before adding, “I’m sure you can imagine the way I felt once I was done with Hogwarts. It was even more nervewrecking when I went to ask for the position for Defence against the Dark Arts but Professor Dippit didn’t think me mature enough yet. It hurt, but at least he had a sound explination as to why not. When I went to apply some years later, after I found out about my purpose with Lady Magic, Dumbledore just flat out refused me. To this day I am quite sure he could sense something was different about me and didn’t like it.”

“That sounds like him, “Harry snorted. Sharing with Tom what had happened in his original life, before going on about what had happened here and how he worked around it. They both shared a laugh at the old man’s expense as it was clear as day that regardless of what was going to happen now, he would be having a harder time getting to them.

Between Dumbledore being investigated by both their account managers, as well as the law suit Harry was going to launch on the Wizarding World as a whole, which would come back to bite Dumbledore in the ass as he had been the one to okay all of that the world was bound to be a very different place soon enough.

Humming, Tom settled back, “So, what else do you have planned? Might as well have a look over it all, to make sure that whatever is going on we can act on that instead of stand in each other’s way.”

Harry beamed at that, mentioning that he had made sure to get connections this early. He liked Draco, or had grown to like him later on. Knew that he was a much better friend then some other people he knew. Then again, a lot of what had been going on could be pointed towards Dumbledore. He was the reason that made people think they knew Harry and why so many people didn’t know him at all. Ron had been one of those people, the Weasley Family was great, but they were also naive. With their meagre funds they followed those that they deemed good, even if that person wasn’t in the slightest interested in helping him.

“We need someone in Hogwarts regardless, someone unbiased who can tell all of those in the castle that the reason they are so at odds is because they are pointed their finger at the wrong person. Purebloods were told that the Wizarding World was changing to accomodate the Muggleborns and they hate them for that. On the other hand, the Muggleborns are told that unless something is changed they won’t be accepted into this new world. Instead we should make sure there is some form of knowledge exchange, where the Purebloods are made aware of what Muggles could do at this time and how Muggleborns aren’t exempt of that. Purebloods on their turn, shoul try and teach the Muggleborns about what really goes on in a Magical Household that doesn’t tie into dark magic, but rather family magic and religion”, pursing his lips as he was reminded of the conversations he had with Hermione on the subject, Harry knew how to approach this. He was well aware what people were wondering and if he could be the bridge he would gladly do so.

Tom blinked, “You’ve been thinking about this quite a lot.”

Nodding, Harry gave a short overview on the things he hadn’t known when he started. Which was added when Tom also shared his own experience when he stepped foot into this world. Together they were able to settle on a basic overview on what needed to be worked on, for both sides.

Accepting a drink when Tom offered, Harry sipped his tea before looking at the other man, “What do you plan on doing? As I do believe the reign of terror Voldemort held onto will stay in the past?”

Tom hummed, “Indeed, I still don’t know what I was thinking doing that. The first order of business would be to get all of my Horcruxes except the one you carry with you.”

Carressing his scar, Harry realized it hadn’t hurt in the slightest since they met again. Nodding to show he understood, he listened as Tom shared that he needed to build his connections again. As well as make sure he wouldn’t lose his sanity again. Mentioning that he wanted to keep the link to Harry in a way to check up on him while he was at Hogwarts.

Grinning at the concern, Harry was once more confronted with how different this Tom was. He knew that things would be different, Death and Magic had told him so enough times, but it was still different to be told as such and to experience that.

Chapter Text

The longer Harry spend time with Tom, the more he realized they were indeed very much alike. Before, seeing as he had only seen the deranged side of the man, he hadn’t seen it. In fact, going back to his second year (the previous life) he had been insulted by the fact that they believed him to look like Tom.

“You have that look on your face again, what’s going through your mind Harry”, Tom asked.

Flushing softly, Harry smiled, “How different you are. Before, in my last life, people would tell me we were alike and I couldn’t see it. Then again, at that point all I had seen was Voldemort so that wasn’t an ease comparison to make. But now… Now I can see the resemblence. I can see just how alike we are and I can only think about all those people who knew us both and believed that there could have been more there.”

Frowning, he added, “Dumbeldore was certain you chose me because I was also a half-blood or something like that. I just think it was because I was born as July ended, compaired to Neville who was born the day before me.”

Tom blinked once, before he started to laugh, “That old coot seems to think that everything is tied together when it is not. I did chose you because you were born on the 31st compared to the 30th. But other then that there was something pulling me in your direction, which I now know is our connection as the chosen of a deity.”

Smiling, Harry could see that happening. He knew there was a connection there as well, one that exceeded their ties as parts of the same soul. He knew why it had been happening now, but before he had no clue what even went on around him. Too busy with keeping himself alive to think on what the Dark Lord had seen in him.

As the thought popped into his head, Harry frowned again, “Given your title does that still mean you’re a Dark Lord?”

Instead of Tom answering, it was Lady Magic who did, “There is no such thing as a Dark or a Light Lord, all there ever was is a Lord of Magic. Which is what Tom is as soon as I named him.”

She scowled, “I wouldn’t put it past that old coot to call Tom a Dark Lord and himself a Light One. To try and get as many people rallied to his side, when in the end, it’s him that is dooming us all.”

She ranted about Gellert, who had been a favoured of her until his relationship with Dumbeldore corrupted him to the point that he went mad and started a war. As well as Ariana Dumbledore, who had been a Obscurus because of everything she had been through at the hands of her mother and older brother. No one ever found out, just as it had been speculated for years who killed her.

“That piece of shit has been trying to turn the tides for so long, he believed himself able to keep the peace and make a new world where Muggles and Magicals can live together, but there is no such world. They cannot understand, humans weren’t made to wield Magic and those that do aren’t fully human, so what would Muggles do once that’s discovered”, she asked. Looking at her own Chosen and Death’s Master.

Lady Magic was aware that they knew the answer, it wasn’t hard to think about it either. Both had grown up in a home where Magic wasn’t allowed. It had been a wonder and a half that neither became an Obscurus. Then again, it wouldn’t been too out there to think that Albus Dumbledore wanted them to become one, to have their magic eat away at them from the inside in an effort to deal with an adversary he knew he couldn’t win against.

Having those pieces fall into place made it all that much more difficult, and much more needed to have someone inside of the Castle before it all went to shit again. Lady Magic was upset, and who wouldn’t be if you knew there was someone out there trying to kill those you cared for.

Tom took her into his arms, hugging her close while Harry stayed to the side, looking at the both of them and feeling the rage he knew he bottled up when the subject of Albus Dumbledore was breached. The man didn’t care for anyone but himself, he wanted to end up on top of the world and he would go over corpses to get there.

Calming himself, he looked on as Tom whispered to her to get Lady Magic calm as well. As soon as she was, she pressed a kiss onto Tom’s cheek. Approaching Harry to do the same before a wicked grim came onto her lips, "“Give him hell, boys.”

They both laughed at that, nodding as the permission they didn’t need but liked to have regardless. For all the wrong he had done, Albus Dumbledore would pay tenfold. A giggle left her as well before Lady Magic was gone again.

Settling down once more they were reminded of the schoolyear starting soon when Harry’s Hogwarts letter arrived. As usual one of the school owls brought it by, cooing softly before Tom let it through the wards. Knowing that even if the owl had found them, his wards hadn’t been breached. They were able to locate everyone who had a letter addressed to them in a way that even those hidden could be found. None of the were loyal to the Headmaster either, but to the magic of Hogwarts herself. With the amount of magic in the castle, it had grown somewhat sentient, to the point that She decided what needed to be done and what not. They weren’t totally sure, but chances were she wasn’t happy with Dumbledore either, but at the moment, there was little she could do about it.

Harry J. Potter
The Left Bedroom
7 Old Stone Road
London

Seeing the address written on it, Harry burned it into memory, as he would soon be away from Tom for most of the year. They needed to stay in contact after all, there were so many things that needed to be taken into account, least of all what needed to be done with the World as a whole.

“I think I need to let Lucius know that I got my Hogwarts letter, we planned on launching my case before I left, but that would mean meeting you”, Harry said to Tom, not really sure what the other man wanted to do with that piece of information.

Tom on the other hand just shook his head, “Send an owl towards Lucius, I need to start building everything from the ground up anyway. Might as well start with one of my most loyal.”

Nodding at that, Harry wrote his missive before asking the owl to take that to Lucius Malfoy as he wrote his own answer for Hogwarts. She could come and collect that after Lucius had his own letter. No doubt Draco would be getting his as well, leading to the Malfoy family also needing to make plans to head into Diagon Alley to get everything in order.

Penning his answer to Hogwarts, Harry felt giddy at the knowledge that he would see her again. That after so long, and so many losses, she would be standing tall once more. On top of that, there would be no more War between Light and Dark, as Dumbledore was the only adversary right now, leading to the world getting to know his true face.

Lucius’ answer came quicker than expected, the Malfoy Lord mentioning that he would be taking Narcissa and Draco to Diagon Alley the following day and they could meet up to get everything in order. Showing Tom, the man agreed to be there, which lead Harry to send off a missive to Moonstone to get a secure meeting room in Gringotts where they could talk. Especially with everything they would be covering it needed to be kept to their people.

Grinning widely, Harry chuckled, “How do you think he’s going to react?”

Tom showed a smile of his own, “I think Lucius will surprise you, Harry. He’s been very down to earth for as long as I knew him. Then again, Abraxas died when he was still young and he needed to grow up quite quickly compaired to others his age.”

Frowning at hearing that, Harry had known Draco’s grandfather had died a number of years ago. The official reason had been Dragon Pox, but something in the blond’s voice when he shared that with Harry made him think there was something else going on there. The way Tom reacted to that only confirmed his suspicions.

“You think Abraxas was murdered…”

Looking at him, Tom nodded, “He was healthy, had gotten all the needed vaccinations one would expect from a pureblood. So why was it that an illness we hadn’t seen i nages made a reapearance? Someething had to have happened, least of all as Abraxas stayed in England the whole time. He didn’t travel abroad, unless you call France abroad.”

That did sound strange, and would only add to the number of people that dissapeared over the years. He hadn’t seen it as something before, but once Harry started to investigate after Teddy’s death, he found out that there had been more people dissapearing either on the School Grounds or during the summer.

Sighing, he added, “What are the odds Dumbledore has been picking people off and getting them killed?”

Tom sighed in return, “Too bloody likely, I don’t know how that man has had the world believe he’s a saint when he is anything but. The dirt I have on him alone would make his Mother fear him and what he’s able to do. Gellert shared some with me, at one point before I went mad, stating that it had been Dumbledore with the visions of greatness during their relationship. The thing was that he was able to hide it better while Gellert didn’t have that cover.”

Shivering at the thought alone, Harry bit his lip as he tried to think about what he needed to keep into account. Once he entered Hogwarts he wouldn’t have a lot of people aiding him in this all, there was so much they didn’t know or found out yet. If Dumbledore did find out what they were doing there would be hell to pay.

Running a hand over his face, he startled when a cold hand settled on his shoulder, “Don’t worry, Master, that piece of shit can’t do anything to you. You’re twice blessed after all, as is Tom. His days are numbered and I’ve been counting down the days until he’s in my grasp.”

Death stood there, a grin or something resembling a grin on his face as he looked at the both of them.

Tom snorted at that, “Let it be known that he managed to piss of two promirdial beings and they have give us free reign. This is going to be so much fun!”

Laughing at that as well, Harry shook his head. He wanted to be a fly on the wall when Dumbledore found out about that little piece of information. There was nothing to be done about that, Death and Magic forced of the Universe he wouldn’t be able to influence or threaten. He’d get his comeupance and he couldn’t wait to see how that turned out. Maybe Death would let him see how this all ended for the old man, he would deserve everything he got, but still.

“Of course, Master, I would never deny you the pleasure of seeing those that wronged us all their suffering. All you have to do is ask, or call out, and I’ll take you away”, Death grinned. Looking at Tom as well before conveying the same message.

Looking at each other, this would be amazing all the same, they would make sure that plans were made and discussed tomorrow before Harry went to Hogwarts. Once there, hell would break lose and he was looking forward to the chaos that would follow.

Chapter Text

The knowledge they could do just about anything they wanted did bring a kind of peace and quiet to both of them. After all, despite everything they needed to keep in mind, they had the upperhand even if no one else knew that just yet.

Going over some small details before they both freshened up and made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron. Going through the pub and into the Alley behind it, making a beeline for Gringotts in an effort to be there before Lucius and his family arrived.

Onyx and Moonstone were waiting for them, a soft smile on both of their faces as they greeted the two wizards. Leading them to the private meeting room and catching them up on certain little things. After all, given their last conversation, they had allowed their account managers to invest and already it was making them richer.

“You are here first, My Lords, we will bring the Malfoy Family your way as soon as they arrive”, with a wave of her hand, Onyx summoned a tea set and biscuits. Leaving the two of them alone in the room to talk some more.

Not that they didn’t have a lot of time, just over five minutes passed before a knock sounded and the door was opened to show Lucius, Narcissa and Draco entering the room. The Malfoy Heir’s eyes lit up at seeing Harry, who smiled back, before shrinking back a little at the sight of the stanger sitting there.

Lucius on the other hand looked shocked at the man sitting there, “My Lord?”

Tom nodded his head, “Lucius, it’s been a while.”

It had to have been his appearance, or his tone of voice, but Lucius relaxed before looking at Harry, “You’ve been busy, Heir Potter.”

Grinning widely, Harry waved them in before the door closed and shared what it was they agreed to share. Going by their blessed state and how they were able to help the other. Even going so far as to state that everything had been a set-up until then. Why else would Dumbledore set up four of his most promising students?

That had Lucius pursing his lips, “That is indeed odd. Then again, we were at war at the time.”

Nodding, Harry huffed, “We were, or the world was. But that doesn’t take away that certain things seem to play into his hand a little bit too well. Even more so after knowing that Alice Longbottom née Davis, was my godmother. She’s out for the count, my parents are dead and my godfather is imprisonned.”

Grinding his teeth, he added, “On top of that he’s been stealing from me, my account manager found that out recently so they’re starting their own investigation which will weight heavy on this. I’d prefer not to see him again when I enter Hogwarts, but I don’t know how fast we can work.”

At this, Lucius grinning sharply, taking out a folder and presenting it to Harry.

Taking it before he opened up the folder, Harry looked it over. Feeling Tom lean in to read over his shoulder. It was all about what was going on, what had been going on while Harry had been living in the Muggle World, and what they found out at Gringotts. Along with a list of all people, merchendise and businesses that had profited from Harry’s image where he didn’t see anything reflected. It wasn’t that he needed the money, it was never about the money, but it was more about the fact that people were using his likeness and name without asking him.

“This looks to be in order, Lucius, thank you”, Harry said, sensing Tom nodding in agreement. It was something they had gotten used to since being alone, that there was something of a connection that was getting stronger by the minute. Almost as if right now they were connected in the way they should have been.

Tom grinned, “They really aren’t going to know what hits them with all of this.”

Lucius grins, “Thank you, My Lord. If I may…”

Chuckling, Tom shook his head, “You may; but I can tell you this. Harry here isn’t someone who stands still. He helped me get my sanity back, which I wouldn’t have lost in the first place if Albus Dumbledore didn’t stick his abnormally large nose in.”

Everyone in the room pulls a face at that mention, none of them are fans of Albus Dumbledore. But to know that a large part of what they had been through was because of him didn’t help there either. It was becoming clear that the man had a hand in just about everything that had been going on, no doubt additionally to all the others pots he had his fingers in.

Tom sighed, “My account manager also did a check of my accounts and found him trying to get into my accounts when I was otherwise occupied. Luckily he never managed to get into them, but I wouldn’t put it past him to try with others.”

Looking at Harry as he said that, he added, “He tried with his savior after all, so who knows who else he’s plucking dry.”

Lucius was grinning at that, making a note, no doubt to go and try to find out. Right now it would be a boon and a half to find dirt on Dumbledore. Even more so when it would become clear that people had been lied to. With everything Harry was about to unleash on the world, it would help in putting the old man on his place.

Draco was just about vibrating in his seat, the only hold on him was Narcissa’s hand on his shoulder. Keeping him from speaking out of turn, Harry grinned at the blond boy, “So, excited for Hogwarts?”

As if that was all he needed, Draco started to talk a mile a minute. Going on and on about how his parents and Uncle Sev had told him all about it. How he couldn’t wait to be in Magic’s Great Halls, the stars in his eyes making Harry wonder just why he ever believed the boy to be evil. He had wanted to make friends and sadly said the wrong things. This was a chance to do it all over, and he was grasping it with both hands.

Glancing back at Tom, the other man nodded once before approaching Lucius to talk, leaving Harry to talk to Draco and amuse himself with the boy who should have been his age. It didn’t feel like that right now, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. All he wanted for now was to have friends that he knew weren’t a ploy to get to him. Draco really just wanted to be his friend, so that would be what Harry became.

Grinning, he asked the right questions. Letting Draco take him along onto the long and magival corridors of Hogwarts. He’d be seeing her again, after everything, he was quite looking forward to that. Additionally, he wanted to see the looks on some of those faces when he was sorted into Slytherin. Mentioning as much to Draco, adding that it would either be Slytherin or Ravenclaw, but he was quite certain it would be the green and silver house.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Tom grinning widely at hearing that. Rolling his eyes, Harry turned back as Draco cheered at that. Mentioning that it would be great to be sorted into the same house.

Shrugging, Harry added, “I do think I look beter in green than in red.”

All of the Slytherins in the room laughed at that, even Narcissa did, even if she did so delicatly. She had been looking at him and Draco the whole time, no doubt wanting to keep and eye on her child when Harry knew she was protective of Draco all the way. She didn’t know him, even if they were family, but that didn’t matter. All that did, right now, was making sure that none of them went down the same path as before.

When conversation slowly dwindeled, they made their way to the Alley once more. Using a few light glamours to stay out of the public eye, especially for Harry and made their way around to buy everything they needed right now. It might even prove to be quite interesting in the end of it all. Without Hagrid slowing him down, and bringing a lot of attention to him, Harry found he quite enjoyed the shopping.

Then again, his only other experience had been with the Weasleys, which had been chaos and a half. It never went the way it should have gone, to the point that Harry was certain chaos was the only setting the redheads knew about.

Tom was a steady presence behind him while Draco chattered his ear off at his side. Making sure that Harry had all the information he could need. It was useful though, would have been even more useful had he not been such a slob the first time. Hindsight was twenty-twenty as they said, which was someting he was finding out as he went along.

Just this was aklready changing so many things. He couldn’t help but look forward to what this would bring. To the eyes widening when they realized that the picture painted of Harry Potter wasn’t even close to the truth. Grinning widely when he shared his thoughts the others also laughed at the chaos that would unfold soon enough.

Lucius, when they did part ways, assured Harry all of this would be printed before the end of the summer. Harry Potter was back in the Wizarding World and he would make sure all of them knew it. No one was getting away with this for now. He was done being the Light’s Savior, when they had no one to blame for all of this but themselves.

“I guess we’ll be seeing you on September First, then”, Draco asked, to which Harry nodded.

Grinning, he answering, “Yeah, I plan on being there early, so we can go and get a carriage togerther if you want?”

Draco nodded at that, before they all said their goodbyes and went their own ways. Harry following Tom back to the apartment and settling down knowning that all that remained now was making sure he made it onto the train and to Hogwarts. Knowing what was coming, he checked that Tom had resubscriped to the Daily Prophet, this was something neither of them wanted to miss.

Settling into the guestroom, Harry couldn’t help but think about how weird his life was being right now. Things were changing, and he for one, couldn’t help but marvel at it. Just being here, in Tom’s home, was strange enough. They had been mortal enemies at one point, even if that had been orchastrated. Fought to the death more than once, all to end up like this. He could read between the lines, he knew what all of this meant, the proximity, the connection, he was certain they were soulmates of some kind which explained why they needed the other to survive.

The prophecy had never been about their downfall, it had been about their survival but the wording made you think something else. No doubt someting Dumbledore thrived on, wanting to make sure that everything that happend did so according to his plans.

“They won’t know what hit them and I can’t wait to see how this will play out. Especially as the Old Fool will try to save face and won’t be able to do so easily”, he spoke softly. Feeling Tom’s amusement from the other side of their connection. Aware that he too was thinking of all the changed that were coming.

Grinning before sleep claimed him, Harry couldn’t help but think that all his best laid plans would be sinking soon once the world was confronted with certain aspects they had been willing to ignore for too long.

Chapter Text

The Big Reveal happened after Harry had been preparing to have everything in order to have it all ready when Hogwarts started. Despite how everything had gone before he had every intention to be a totally different person this time around.

Then again, there would be no Dark Lord roaming the castle. All they would have would be a deranged Light Wizard thinking that whatever he did or didn’t do would matter in the grand scheme of things. Dumbledore’s days were numbered, starting with this article as it was made public.

Tom grinned as soon as he opened the door to the guest room, the glee coming off of him in waves. Enough that it was clear that whatever they were doing was setting it all right. Sliding the paper to him as he took a seat, allowing Harry a glimpse of the frontpage which was filled with the notion that Harry Potter had unleased a lawsuit on them all for things they hadn’t even known.

“Looks like they are realizing that whatever is going on, they can’t point blame to just about anyone”, Harry mentioned as he scanned the article. Grinning widely as he read the acusations flying, especially once it became clear that someone had mentioned the agreement of his magical guardian. Which was a joke and a half, as it was still Sirius right now, despite him being in Azkaban. There was no way he could have agreed to all of that.

“Moonstone did great work in making sure the contacts in the Ministry knew that there was interference run from the Wizard Side of things. You don’t see it right now, but it’s clear from the way it’s been formulated”, Harry beamed. Knowing that between Moonstone, Onyx and Lucius, the world was about to find out that things might just go differently then they went before.

Chuckling, Tom nodded, “It’s clear to see that some of this information came from different sources, but that doesn’t matter right now. What does matter is that the world is going to be shown the truth, all the while the Old Coot is too busy with the new schoolyear to do anything about it.”

The both of them laughed at that, even more so as it became clear that everything was planned correctly. In fact, the second Hogwarts Letter arriving was an obvious ploy from Dumbledore, as Harry had met Draco when he went shopping for that. The notion that Harry hadn’t replied, nor that he had made sure that he needed someone else to help him as he went to Diagon Alley might have made the Old Coot anxious.

Shaking his head, Harry couldn’t help but note, “I bet he’s going to be even more anxious once he finds out about everything that’s going on. I don’t want to be close to the man if I can help it.”

Shuddering as he realized that he needed to make sure his mind was his own, and protected, Harry felt Death stroke along his soul. The Primordial Being no doubt making sure that whatever was going to happen wouldn’t impact him in any way. Least of all when the last time the Old Coot intervered, it doomed the entire world.

A hand settled over his own, making Harry realize he was cletching the paper in his hand. Looking up, Tom is looking into his eyes, “We’re going to be fine, Harry, let’s get you packed and onto the platform in the next hour or so. We’ll beat the rush and I know you want to make sure there isn’t a lot of attention on you right now.”

Taking in a deep breath, Harry found his calmth again. He hated that he would be all alone in Hogwarts soon enough. Draco might be there, but it wasn’t the same as having an adult to aid him when he needed it. On top of that, he was well aware that the staff would be following his every move as soon as he entered those halls. If it wasn’t so crucial he would consider ‘home schooling’ and doing his OWLs and NEWTs independetly.

“Part of me really doesn’t want to go there”, Harry mumbled. He didn’t want to be confronted with the man who had taken it all away. He knew why he needed to go, he and Tom had spend the last couple of weeks talking about it. But that didn’t mean he liked having to go, Dumbledore would be close and the man was being cornered, he’d be willing to do a lot of shit.

Hands settled onto his shoulders before he’s pulling into a hug by Tom, allowing himself to relax for a moment. To enjoy this as he’d have to miss it for the most part after all of this. Tom and he had grown closer over the last couple of weeks, that bond they shared through Death and Magic more than visible even if they couldn’t act on it. Another reason why Harry wished he could stay at home. For all that Hogwarts had been home for so long, he truly felt like Tom’s apartment was more so than anything else had ever been.

Grumbling for a little while longer, Harry slowly pulled back from the hug to go back to his room to finish packing. Leaving Tom to get them breakfast before leaving for King’s Cross. The idea was to get there as soon as possible and get a carriage to the front where Slytherins would usually sit, making it easier to have some peace and quiet.

As he packed the last of his belingings into his trunk, Harry sighed again. He knew he was prepared for just about anything. Making sure he had more than enough in case he needed an edge. He was assuming it wouldn’t be needed, but he could never be too sure. The first time he had his First Year, it had been though enough to deal with it all. He didn’t want to do that right now, but he would under the right circumstances.

Walking back into the living room, he took a seat and ate the breakfast set out, thanking Tom for the meal before silence reigned over them. Once breakfast was done, Harry checked one last time, letting Tom shrink his trunk before he put it in his pocket, letting Hedwig fly out of the window to come and find him in Hogwarts as to not keep her locked up in her cage for too long. Ready to face it all, hopefully early enough that there would be no one noticing him.

He and Tom made their way to King’s Cross, through the passage between 9 and 10 before standing on 9 ¾ with the Hogwarts Express gleaming in her red glory. It felt unreal to be here again, but he was looking forward to it more and more.

Especially once he noticed the family of blonds waiting for them, Draco waving exitingly, while Narcissa gave a soft smile and Lucius a short nod. Where before they had seemed so aloof, Harry knew they had a certain image to maintain. One he had found wasn’t even close to the truth, smiling softly as they approached and Draco started talking his ear off.

Nodding when he needed to, Harry was more interested in the looks Lucius and Tom exchanged. He knew the two would be in contact, even more so as Lucius did know who Tom was. Or who Tom had been not too long ago. They were working on plans on what to do, now that Tom was sane again and it was clear Dumbledore wouldn’t be on top for much longer.

What made him even happier was Narcissa mentioning she had a tea party not long ago, which did include Madam Bones and some other ladies with ties to the ministry. Having stated that she had heard from a trusted source that Sirius never received a trial, it wasn’t a lot, but the ladies of the upper society talked. And where there was talk, chances were people would know and act in their best interests. The knowledge that a Lord of an Ancient and Noble house would be thrown into prison without a trial would flip the world on its head. Even more so when it became clear Sirius was innocent and tied to Harry.

“Thank you, Aunt Cissa, for doing so. I don’t know if it will do a world of good, but ever since seeing the goblins I feel that he deserved a fair trail at the very least”, he laid it on thick when he noticed someone trying to listen in.

Narcissa and Draco, ever the pureblood elite, picked up on that as they also acted along. Grinning widely when gossip started to spread. For all that gossip wasn’t that good in the long run, it did help with this.

Tom and Lucius also picked up on that, grinning being their hands as they finished their conversation and helped Draco and Harry to the train and into a carriage. Unshrinking their luggage to keep up appearances. Even if both Draco and Harry could do that themselves, but more and more parents were showing up so there had to be some cover for what was really happening.

Saying their goodbyes, the three adults left which had Harry and Draco alone in a carriage, spelling the door shut to avoid any unwanted guests, Harry sighed again. Frowing as he did so, not wanting to think about what might happen now.

“It’s going to be alright, Harry, I know it doesn’t feel like that and with everything going on we can always contact Dumstrang if needed”, Draco said with so much conviction, Harry had to laugh. It felt nice to have the man who had become one of his best friends after everything that happened. He and Draco did become closer in his first life, in between losing so many people and their own tie through Teddy and Andromeda, he knew he wanted to have more time with the blond. For all that he was a child, it helped to have someone there who knew at least part of what was going on. Who could back him up if he needed it, as he knew he would need it, with everything that was happening.

Smiling slightly, he nodded, “Thanks, Draco, I know it’ll be alright. But that doesn’t mean I want to be left alone with the man who took everything from me.”

The Malfoy Heir nodded, “I know, but father made sure Uncle Sev knows as well. They talked when he went to deliver your Mother’s letter to him, it seems that quite a lot was said in it, so you have another adult ready to defend you.”

For all that he and Severus hadn’t gotten along, Harry had always respected the man. Something that only got added once he realized what the man had given up to protect him. After the war, they had another talk when Severus’ portrait appeared in the castle. To know that the same man knew what was going on was a comfort. Even more so as Severus had followed Tom’s original cause, so to know that was back would only do them a world of good.

“That’s good to know, I know your father keeps tabs in the school, but knowing my mother’s best friend is there to keep an eye out certainly helps as well”, Harry smiled. He hadn’t met this Severus Snape yet, but he did know he was going to like being a Snake this time around. He was done pretending, and done with being something everyone else wanted him to be. They would be getting the real Harry Potter and learn to deal with it or like Draco said there were other options open to them.

Settling down, they only opened the door when some of Draco’s friends appeared to look for him. Which led to a round of introductions, all of which ended in them gaping at Harry when he introduced himself. As well as for the Lunch Trolley, as they were getting hungry.

Chapter Text

There were no disruptions this time around, no Ron Weasley profiling himself as the best friend Harry didn’t know he needed. He didn’t need someone who was that incredubly two faced because he was so insecure. There was also no Hermione Granger, as it seemed that Neville never lost his toad and as such she didn’t feel the need to shover her nose everywhere.

Maybe in another life he could have liked them, learned to get along with them. But now he couldn’t for the life of him see them as anything else but those who betrayed him. His friends who were set up by Dumbledore. Even with everything going on, he was certain the man had time for this. He had to have done something like this, especially when the news started to spreak about the lawsuit. He needed Harry under his thumb and he wouldn’t be able to do that if there were no Light Supporters at his side.

Shaking his head softly, he couldn’t wait until the man had a heart attack when he was sorted into Slytherin. It was too late to go back now and there was nothing that needed to stay like it was because of everything going on. Things were moving along, even when he stayed at Hogwarts Tom and Lucius would be moving in making sure everything was prepared.

“What’s with that smile”, Draco asked, which had the attention of the whole carriage.

Grinning that much brighter, Harry answered, “The look on that Old Coot’s face when he realizes I’ve been sorted into Slytherin.”

Everyone laughed at that, it was clear that those of Magical Blood didn’t have a lot of love for the man. Even those who were half-bloods were aware that what he was doing was wrong. This was also the first time he realized that any people in Draco’s circle had been half-bloods. He hadn’t known that before, but it made sense to marry a muggleborn or even a muggle, if it strenghtened the bloodline. All those kids who had been send into the muggleworld for being squibs made sense now. Maybe they were never forgotten, but rather kept out of the public eye for their own protection. Once someone from their line either ended up as a ‘muggleborn’ or became the lover of a witch or wizard, it wouldn’t weaken the bloodline.

Shaking his head as he didn’t want to think about that too much right now. He would do so another time, for now he wanted to experience the magic of Hogwarts for the first time again. He was certain the castle had missed him. This time he would be able to sense it, as his ties with Death would make it possible to sense so much more than he did before. The Primordial had assured him that none of the Ghosts would be able to sense him ties to him though, as he didn’t know who they were loyal too. If one of them blabbed to Dumbledore he knew it would become a shitshow.

“We’re getting close, maybe we should change into our robes”, Harry suggested as he saw the sun setting on the horizon. They would be at Hogsmaed Station just after dark, getting into the boats not long after that.

Part of him wanted to see Hagrid again, as the man had never done anything wrong.

On the other hand, he was a fan of Dumbledore, to the point that he couldn’t see any flaws in the man. He, sadly, was rather simple minded too. Given his love for exotic and dangerous animals and the way he kept them (even the fire breathing ones) in his wooden hut.

Pushing those thoughts out of his mind, he got dressed. Finding it off that his robes didn’t have any of the house colors on there. It would be even stranger to see green there instead of red, not that he minded. Living as long as he did, and talking with Tom the way he had done the last couple of weeks, he knew that he belonged in Slytherin. That didn’t take away that he was used to Gryffindor.

As the train stopped, it was clear that everyone was getting out and either making their way to the carriages. Which left Hagrid calling for the First Years and leading them to the boats. Keeping his head down, Harry took a seat in one with Draco, Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott. Exchanging some more pleasantries as they crossed the lake and saw their first glimpse of Hogwarts.

Taking in a deep breath, Harry could feel her magic gliding over his, grinning brightly at the feel of it. Knowing she was welcoming him home, as part of Mother Magic, with the amount of young blood that passed through her halls a caslte like her had to develop a sense of self and magic of its own. Which is why he could feel it clear as day.

‘Hello, great lady, I am so happy to be back’, he send to her. Feeling the warm carress of a mother, or a favourite aunt, come over him. Grinning even brighter at the feel, he knew that regardless of what happened he would have her at his back.

Once docked under the caslte, everything went like it did the first time. They were left alone in the room close to the Great Hall. The ghosts appeared and startled those that hadn’t been prepared for them. On the other end, he could hear Hermione rattling off little details about the castle to someone close to her. He didn’t know who it was, but chances were they weren’t all that impressed.

Rolling his eyes, Harry stayed close to Draco, listening in on conversations as he could. Sneering when he heard Weasley telling people that Harry Potter was supposed to join them this year and he was certain they would be the best of friends. Going so far as to name some personality traits that had been used in books and whatnot. The same things that Harry had lanched a lawsuit over.

Draco seemed to have heard the same thing, exchanging a quick look with Harry, before he spoke up.

“That’s quite the imagination you have there, Weasley. After all, it’s known that Harry Potter re-entered the world with a lawsuit for the usage of his name and the wrongful depiction of his image. Do you really think that everything you just said would make you gain favor with him”, there was a little bit of the arrogance Harry had seen last time. Except that there was nothing to prove now. He was already Draco’s friend and the blond didn’t need to prove anything.

Ron sneered at the blond, “What do you know, you slimy Snake! It’s no doubt because of people like you he got that impression! I’ll show him that the Light is always right and his place is with us, in Gryffindor.”

Stopping Draco from saying anything else, Harry shook his head at the same moment that Professor McGonagall entered the room, calling them to order and making them presentable to enter the Great Hall. Explaining what was going to happen and set them, single file, behind her before leading them to the sorting hat.

The sorting happened almost the same as it did before, with Sally Ann Perkins being sorted into Huffelpuff before his name was called.

“Harry Potter.”

The hall quieted down, as Harry stepped forward, hearing people gasp being him as he did so. Sitting down and grinning as the hat was set down and he had a short conversation with the hat. It was a scentient being after all, tied to Mother Magic in a way and loving the chaos this was going to bring. Waiting for a second before bellowing: “Slytherin!”

It was still silent as Harry took off the hat and handed it to a stunned McGonagall, stepping back and towards the green and silver table as his robes changed. Grinning when Draco and his friends started to cheer for him, quickly followed by the older years in the house. Everyone else stayed quiet, until the sorting continued.

Sighing once, he took a seat next to Draco and greeted his house mates. Several of them didnt know what to think, but didn’t mention it. He didn’t need them to, just as he wasn’t scared of what they would do. He knew why he was here and he would do what was needed. They would all find out, sooner rather than later, that times were changing and he wasn’t even close to how he was depicted in books and articles.

Dumbledore still seemed shocked as Blaise was sorted, taking a seat across from Harry and grinning widely at him. It even took a moment for the headmaster to gather his bearings and start to welcome them all to a new year at Hogwarts. He did throw in some bullshit about times changing, no doubt because of Harry’s sorting. But he wasn’t about to let that ruin his day. The old man had been at fault and he would read what he had sowed.

Once the feast began, he started loading his plate with all his favourites. Sighing happily at the great food that he was given and enjoing getting to know his housemates. The snakes were very different from what he remembered them to be, but then again this time he was one of them. If there was one thing Tom told him, it was that snakes took care of their own.

As they were making their way to their dorm, Draco asked if they had seen the Old Coot’s face as they stood and left. It was clear that the had not been expecting this, they knew he had not been expecting this and it was too funny.

“He shouldn’t be so surprised, what did he think, that I was going to be the perfect little golden boy after everything that came to light. Don’t make me laugh”, Harry said, knowing it got the attention of his yearmates as well as the prefects leading them to the dorms.

Draco nodded along, “I still can’t believe he set himself up as your Magical Guardian, when the real one has been rotting away in Azkaban without a trial. I know mother is still very cross about that, especially as no matter what is done they don’t seem keen to reopen the case.”

Hissing through his teeth, Harry nodded, “I hate it too, I don’t remember Sirius, but my parents’ will stated he adopted me as his godson through the Olde Ways, so there is no way he could have betrayed them is it put my life in danger. I hate that it apparently doesn’t matter what I think now, but if it was to further their name or promote whatever it is they were doing they used it whenever and wherever.”

Several others chimed in, stating they had seen the statements in the Prophet, as well as the pending lawsuit. Lucius’ name attached to it helped as well, seeing as most of them were aware of the Malfoy Lord and knew he was ruthless when it counted. Putting two and two together in that Sirius Black, as Harry’s godfather, was related to Draco through his Mother, Narcissa Malfoy nee Black.

Exchanging looks, Harry and Draco grinned, knowing that he rumor mill would start soon enough. There were enough people connected over the houses, so it would be all over the school in the morning. On top of that, no matter what happened now, Harry had been sorted into Slytherin which wasn’t even close to how people expected him to act. It was high time they would all learn who he really was, he was even looking forward to it.

The first time he had been too concentrated on the friends he did make, that he pushed and pulled his own personality to fit their perspection of him (and unconciously working into the dogma that had been created). He wasn’t about to make the same mistake again. Not if he could help it at least.

Chapter Text

Slytherin’s house of welcoming new students was very different from what he remembered Gryffindor to do. For one, the whole house was there to introduce themselves, with several students given them the standing invitation to come and look for them if they needed help in one class or another.

The Prefects went over the House Rules, stating that no Snake was to leave the common room alone and that while they didn’t care if they befriended other houses, chances were the other houses didn’t want anything to do with them. The way some of the older students looked lost at that made it clear they had friends in other houses, or maybe even siblings, to know that the rivalry went so deep as to drop your best friend or sibling because of some untrue propaganda.

Professor Snape entered after that, welcoming his students and making clear that his office was always open to those that needed it. Even going so far as the mention they could come to him with whatever it was they needed, he was their Head of House, essentially their guardian during their period at school. He should be helping them with whatever it was they might need, showing Harry a whole different side to the man he hadn’t seen before. It was nice to see, even more so as he had read his mother’s letters and knew the two had been in contact, with his parents planning on asking him to be the godfather of their second child.

“Heir Potter, please stay behind as there is something else to discuss”, Severus stated, mentioning for Harry to follow him, which he did.

Once inside of the man’s office, Harry found that it looked a lot less daunting now that he knew Severus wasn’t all that bad. Of course, given everything that had happened and every thing that he hadn’t known last time it wasn’t so strange that he had a complicated way of looking at Harry. Now, with everything being found out and Lucius in the loop, it wouldn’t be too farfetched as to what going on.

Taking the seat he was mentioned towards, Harry made himself comfortable, looking on as Professor Snape tried to find the correct words to say.

“We’ve never met, but I know you met my Godson, Draco, during the summer. His father, Lucius, told me about what was uncovered in Lily and James’ will. I… I had never dared hope that this would be the outcome, that after everything they would trust me with something like that. On top of that, I am so very sorry for your loss and the way we all left you to your own devices”, he eventually said. Looking almost scared at Harry’s reaction, maybe because of what he knew about the prophecy or whatever else had been shared with him.

In another life, he might have been mad. But he knew what horrors this man had faced to keep him safe. How willing he had been to throw his own life away if it meant that Lily’s son was kept safe. He had beated himself up more than once over whapt happened to Lily, and in lesser degree, James. While he hadn’t known that before, his father had apologized before they went into hiding, seeing the error in his ways and wanting to make sure that whatever happened at least his wife had her best friend back.

Smiling softly, Harry shook his head, “Thank you, but I’ve been told you had just as hard a time with their passing. Aunt Cissa told me that you were my mom’s best friend? I read that mom was pregnant when… when she died, that she was planning on making you Godfather and from what I heard from Draco, I think my sibling would have been very lucky with that.”

Taking a moment, he added, “As for leaving me, you weren’t the only one who did so. My Godfather seemed to not have a choice, given his imprisonment, but I was told that there was another friend in their group and he never reached out either.”

While he knew why Remus hadn’t reached out, he wanted to see what Severus would say. To his surprise, the man did defend Remus, saying that there was more to that then not wanting to be there for Harry. Eventually even mentioning that a condition kept Remus from gaining custody, additionally, if the wrong people found out they would be escalated to the point that Remus might be killed.

Shaking his head, Harry sighed, “I guess that seems reasonable. Do… Do you think you could reach out to him? I know Aunt Cissa is whispering to the right people to get my Godfather out, but I would like to meet the other man who should have been my uncle, I just don’t know how to contact him.”

Severus nodded, before he went over several things Lucius had asked of him. Making Harry aware that the moment he was asked to appear at the Headmaster’s office, he should call for Severus. Especially with what was uncovered, it would be best if the Old Coot was never alone with Harry. Something he was grateful for as Harry didn’t want to be anywhere near Dumbledore right now.

“I also ought to thank you, Lucius told me what you were able to do, how you made sure Tom came back to us when we were all fearing he was lost to the magic he cast on himself. To hear that for some reason you brought him back”, the man shook his head, “I knew what I signed up for, but I never expected it to go South quite that fast.”

Smiling, somewhat wryly, Harry nodded. He knew from Lucius and Tom just how things had progressed to what they had been at the end of the first war. Tom had lost his mind in an effort to save Magic, he had turned to the darkest, most faul kinds to make sure he lived long enough to save them all. In the end, he lost himself to it, he lost a lot of things and no one knew what was going on as it happened so gradually. As Magic’s Chosen, there was nothing stopping him either. They all felt his connection to Lady Magic and couldn’t do anything.

Until Harry was born and he put a stop to it, he was the other half Tom needed to keep the balance. But with the difference in ages they were born in, that wasn’t an easy thing to do. Maybe, if Harry had been born sooner, if things had turned out differently, none of this would have happened.

“I guess, sadly, some things were meant to happen the way they did. I hate that this is the way Fate spun her threat, but I also knew that this is the way to go now. Tom is back to himself and he’s working with Lucius to get back to his feet and work towards the goal. In the meantime, I’m here at Hogwarts to make sure that the new generation doesn’t believe in the age old dogma that Dumbledore tried to force onto people”, Harry sighed, “He believes himself the Lord of Light Magic, or so I’ve been told. Yet, in the end, it’s only Tom who is the Lord of all Magic and without him keeping the balance it all went to shit.”

Shrugging, he added, “If you want to blame anyone for everything that happened, blame Dumbledore and his Merlin-complex.”

Severus huffed, before he stared at the teen in front of him, “You are quite different from what the world expected.”

Grinning, Harry shrugged again, “No one really knew me, they believed a fairy tail that was told when I left the Wizarding World. If I were anyone else I might not have minded, but I very much mind so I’m doing something about it.”

The two of them chuckled at that, it was still a whole different side of Severus. One that Harry already knew he was going to like, not just that, but this was the man who could have been his psuedo-uncle had things went differently. Something else he blamed Dumbledore for, his parents never should have died. Not in the way the prophecy was meant at least, it heralled the coming of a new era and the equal of the Lord of Magic. Sadly, prophecies could be misinterpetred to the point that more lives were lost than saved.

“Let me get you back to the dorms, Harry, it’s getting late”, Severus murmered, pressing a hand to Harry’s shoulder to lead him back. Leading him all the way to the first year boy’s dorms and patting him on the shoulder before entering to say something to Draco. No doubt reminding the blond to write to his mother to let her know how the sorting went.

Slowly walking into the dorms, Harry found his trunk next to a bed to Draco’s right. Sighing before he took out a pair of PJs and went for a quick shower. Spending a whole day in a train didn’t help in not feeling sweaty, even if his robes had been new. As soon as he was finished, brushed his teeth and sank into bed, Harry was out like a light as soon as his head hit the pillow. Thinking about how tomorrow was bound to be very different than he remembered.

-0-0-0-

The next morning, the First Year Slytherins made their way to the Great Hall with a prefect as a guide. Sitting at the table, they all started breakfast as they were talking about how the first day of school was going to go.

“I hope we’re having potions today, Professor Snape has been hinting at something special and I hope to see it today”, Draco shared, a small grin on his face. It was still a side of him Harry had never seen, then again, before they hadn’t been close at this point in their life.

Grinning right back, Harry nodded, “That or DADA, from what I heard it’s quite an interesting course so I would love to have that first day.”

Several others nodded in agreement, which was something they found out when Professor Snape passed by to give them their schedules. Slipping one of the prefects a note to excuse them for being late to their own class as to make sure the Slytherins found their way around the castle. Looking at their schedule, they did have Potions as last period and DADA as first period tomorrow. Their morning started with History of Magic, which they all already dreaded because of what older years shared with them.

Pursing his lips, Harry wondered if he could make sure that Binns passed on. The man hadn’t even noticed he was dead since dying and from what he heard none of his lessons improved after his demise.

“You can do that, Master. Might be for the best too as the man never did realize he was supposed to go into the light”, Death whispered into his ear. Making Harry grin a little, he hoped he could do that without anyone noticing. For now he would push through the first lesson, given the time the ghost had been around, Samhein might be the best day to exorcise him.

At the beckoning of the Prefect, they all set out towards History of Magic, in a way grateful that it was with the Hufflepuffs and not the Gryffindors. While nothing had happened, Harry had heard the reactions when he was sorted into Slytherin. He was quite certain that he hadn’t heard the last of that, especially from those on Dumbledore’s side as they no doubt felt betrayed by the perfect little picture that had been painted for them when Harry had been anything but. At least with Dumbledore being investigated, whatever happened couldn’t be swept under the rug, he would make sure that someone knew and could come to their aid. If all else failed to get through, he knew he could contact Tom through Lord Death and Lady Magic. But for now, it was a last resort.

Chapter Text

If the was one thing he hadn’t missed, it had to be the stupidety of this generation. The moment they came across Gryffindors, Harry was called out as a traitor. The loudest of them all happened to be Ronald Weasley, who he had expected to act like that.

The likes of Neville, Dean and Seamus, didn’t join. No doubt as none of them had been force fed this perfect ideal of Harry Potter like he was.

Rolling his eyes, Harry had enough, “I am no traitor, Ronald Weasley and the fact you think so after I am sorted into Slytherin makes me think that you don’t know the difference between dark and evil. Did it occur to you, at one point, that I might have a Dark Natured magic and that this does not make me evil?”

When no answer came, Harry continued, “I can track my lineage back to Peverell, to Gryffindor and to Black. To believe that I could only be of a Light Nature is blocking the possibilities to more. The truth is that a lot of those seen as terrorists and murderers have been Dark Natured. But if one were to go back in history there have been a lot of both, but as the history is written by the victors it’s obvious that they don’t want the world to know that there is an equal distribution of them.”

Given that they were in school, and had just come from History of Magic, he added, “Merlin Emerys is seen as one of the greatest wizards ever, yet he had a dark core. His adversary, Morgan Le Fey, was seen as bitch and a warmonger. Yet, she was the one with a light core. So why is it that me being sorted into Slytherin and having a Dark Core would make me evil? Or is this because I don’t adhere to this image that has been projected of me, without my permission I might add?”

The whole hallway, as they had attracked attention of older years as well, was silent. Huffing at it all, Harry turned around to head towards the Great Hall, hoping that he had made his point. He had also seen Hermione at the end of the hall.

She was looking miserable, no doubt because she didn’t have anyone right now. Part of him didn’t want to do anything, but another part was already working on a plan as to how he could show the Muggleborns and half-bloods that they were part of the problem.

Draco patted him on the arm as soon as they were somewhat away from the crowd, guiding him along as he was getting quite irritated by the way he was regarded by his peers.

“Look at it from the bright side, the old coot hasn’t been able to call on you. The number of owls he got after it was released that he agreed to all those deals without letting you know, on top of not even being your magical guardian”, the glee in the blond’s voice was obvious.

Then again, Narcissa had been quite pleased with herself after finding that the ministry grew a spine and was looking through the records of Sirius Black’s arrest. As it was, no official record was found of either an arrest or a trial. People were out smelling blood, even more so with the articles that were coming out now that Harry’s lawsuit was out there.

Nodding, Harry sighed, “I guess there is that.”

-0-0-0-

Instead of finding the right time to speak to Hermione, the girl showed her Gryffindor spirit by approaching him in the library and really he should have expected that to happen. Especially as right now she wouldn’t have anyone there to help her.

Because of what happened on the train, Neville did speak to her but the Lonbottom heir was too shy to do anything else. On top of that, Hermione was sharing a room with Pravati and Lavender, who weren’t even close on matching with her. In a way it was quite sad, but maybe something could be done about that.

“Can I help you”, he inquired, quite interested in what she wanted.

Hermione nodded, “You said… Before, you told Ron that Merlin had been Dark Inclined, what did you mean by that?”

She flinched, almost as if she was expecting him to berate her for not knowing. How was it that he never noticed how out of her dept Hermione had been. How much she had tried to fit in by reading every book she got her hands on. Yet, that would never be enough, a lot of the knowledge that he had was shared throughout families. If you didn’t have the connection to those families, you wouldn’t be able to keep up.

Smiling softly, he spoke, “The reason why we can do magic is because we have a magical core. That core has a certain alignment which dictates which kind of magic you can do easier than others. Dark is for dark magic and light for light magic.”

He grimaces, “The thing is that a lot of Magical Brittain forgot that dark is not the same as evil, just as how light is not the same as good. Sadly, because of dogma I think a lot of people forgot about that which is why I’m being branded a traitor for being sorted into a known dark house.”

She looked stunned at hearing him say that, which made it all the more obvious that the whole ‘muggleborn racism’ was something the world had done to themselves. They didn’t give them the needed information, made sure that they couldn’t get to said information unless they married into a family. But weren’t willing to give them the chance to see how everything worked or what they needed to do.

Seeing Hermione looking quite dejected, writing down what Harry was telling her, he knew that things could change if he played his cards right. He was aware that several Hufflepuffs were seated a row beyond them, no doubt listening in. If he could get them to start talking, it was certain the whole school would know by the end of the week.

“Are there other things you’d like to know, Ms. Granger?”

Again she looked shocked that he was willing to give her that information, making her nod somewhat cerefully, “What is the difference in way that people address each other, you call me Ms. Granger, but some others called me Hermione or just Granger.”

Chuckling, Harry took out a piece of parchment to write down a couple of things, pointing it out to Hermione as he explained that Purebloods still had a system of nobility in place. As such you addressed someone by their surname unless given leave to use their first name. In part it could be tied to her standing as a ‘new blood’.

Knowing that the group of Hufflepuffs were listening as he didn’t hear them talking, he added, “The reason a lot of purebloods use the term ‘mudblood’ is because they see a lot of muggleborns appear into the world that was their own and try to change so much about it. There are traditions and religions that have been around far longer than any of us have been alive. Yet it all seems to be fitted under ‘being dark’ because it makes the Muggleborns uneasy as it isn’t familiar. A lot of our traditions get banned or have to be continued in secret in an effort to keep new blood coming into the world. Yet, at the end of it all, that new blood also leaves as they don’t feel accepted.”

Sighing, he adds, “How would you feel if people moved to the UK and didn’t addapt. If they only wanted their own religion and rules to follow? And I don’t mean that in whatever they do in their home, but if their voice was able to influence the ruling body to start taking on rules, traditions and phylosophies that weren’t their own?”

Waiting to see her reactions, he continues, “It’s the same here, there are eons of culture and traditions being swept away because it makes the Muggleborns uncomfortable. Because we all have to adapt to people that come into our world for the seven years of schooling and then leave as they don’t feel accepted at the end of it all. Yet, none of them seem to be doing any effort to learn what it is they are stepping into. I know part of that is becwause you don’t have the knowledge or the means to know, but you understand what I am coming from, right?”

Hermione nodded, “Is this… Is this like a religion thing? People who believe in different Gods and expecting the other to bow to their believe?”

Grinning, Harry nodded, he had hoped she would make that connection. It had been something they talked about, as before she came to Hogwarts, Hermione shared her class with a girl who was muslim. The family practiced another religion, but never expected others to change for them, the other way around however was true. As they were a Christian school, it was expected for them to learn about Christianity and not Islam. To the point that the family moved away to a community that allowed them to practice their believes in silence.

“Somewhat, yeah, we’re pegans who believe in Mother Magic, who has given us so much, and Lord Death, who can give and take away. Some people might believe differently and that’s also alright, but no one expects a full 180 in that believe”, he mentioned, before thinking and adding, “Since the influx of Muggleborns over half of our religious practices have been banned or outlawed and I know a lot of people hate that it happened.”

That seemed to make sense to Hermione, who nodded, writing away on a piece of parchment to try and take in everything that Harry was telling her. She was looking quite overwhelmed, but was listening nonetheless.

Eventually, the bell rang, signaling the end of the day, leading to Harry standing and smiling at her, “If you need some more information let me know, I can get you some books on the subject if you’d like to. I get that this is a lot going on right now.”

As she nodded, he stepped away, poking at Tom through their bond to let him know what he had accomplished already. Adding that he was certain that the Puffs would manage to get it around the school by the end of the week. For all that he was seen as ‘Evil’ by some people, there would be more unable to believe that if he helped out Muggleborns like that.

For all that he had been through with his own Muggle Relatives, that didn’t mean he was willing to see them all the same. He wouldn’t willingly leave the Wizarding World, but he would make sure it was protected until the end of time.

A cold finger ran over his cheek and while no one else saw it, Harry knew Death had been listening in all the time. He knew that he and Lady Magic were keeping an eye out. If for no other reason than to make sure he was safe.

“You truly are bringing change, this soon even, My Master”, Death said before he was gone. Leaving Harry to make his way to the Great Hall and settle down, mentioning to Draco what had happened and seeing the interest in the blond’s eyes at knowing there might be a change in how the world percieved their religion soon enough.

While he didn’t say it, Harry had every intention of celebrating Samhein with Tom. Now that he knew that nothing would happen on the day the veil was lifted, he wanted to enjoy what the day could bring. He would give his offerings and in the off chance he would get to speak with his parents again he would take it. Despite everything he hoped that they were proud of him, regardless of everything that had happened.

Chapter Text

The first two months of school flew by, which was a good thing in Harry’s opinion. He didn’t want to have relive all of it again like he had done last time.

Of course, compared to last time he knew when to investigate and when to keep his head down. Meaning that he never did get caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to. On top of that, the few times he did need to leave, talk to Lucius or Tom, or just needed a break, he could knock on Severus’ door to take a breather or use the man’s floo system. Having mentioned to wanting to spend Samhain with Tom, Severus made arrangement to make sure no one was any wiser as to where Harry was at that point.

Dumbledore had tried to get his alone, but it hadn’t happened yet. If anything, most of the school was aware on what had happened when Harry was younger and helped him out whenever the old man came his way. The era of the Great Albus Dumbledore came to an end, to the point that the man hadn’t truly realized despite everything going on around him.

Several articles had appeared, to the point where Tom (even if it was disguised) made time to share what had really happened with the Dark Lord and how it had affected so many people. There was no answer given as to who he was, nor that he was connected to either the Dark Lord or Harry Potter. But he mentioned being a chosen by Magic for the only reason that he wanted to make sure she excisted longer. There was even a mention about several Muggleborns reaching out in an effort to understand the world they had entered. To the point it was revealed just how little they had been told before receiving their Hogwarts letter.

Harry had to grin about that, when that bomb exploded. Several pureblood families came forward with proof that they or people in their family, had been adamant lessons about their culture needed to stay at Hogwarts. But that they had been banned because of them being ‘dark’. No one denied that some families took it to extremes, but was that a reason to ban practices that were the very foundation of their world?

Inside of Hogwarts, Harry had been busy as well, making sure the world knew he was more than willing to explain things as he had done with Hermione and indirectly those Hufflepuffs. More than once, he had been approached with more questions which he gladly answered. Some of the other Purebloods were copying him, with Draco and several other Slytherins and Ravenclaws opening up their knowledge to those who sought it.

Last time he checked, Hermione wasn’t alone anymore most of the time. She had been guided by Daphne Greengrass and Susan Bones. Seen with either girl, even at the Hufflepuff or Slytherin tables to the point that more people started doing that to sit with their friends.

The one time someone had tried to make a fuss, which had been Ron Weasley and after that Dumbledore, several people banded together to read over the bylaws in the school. None of which mentioned a ban on sitting at each other’s tables. The only time one had to sit at their own house’s table was during the Welcome and Leaving Feast, but other then that it was free game as long as you behaved.

“Can you tell me again, what is celebrated on October 31st”, Hermione asked, which had Harry turning to her with a soft smile.

“It marks the turning of the wheel and the end of one thing, as well as the start of something new. We see it as the New Year, in a way. To the point that the veil between this world and the next are very thin and are perfect to do a ceremony to honor and remember your deceased loved ones”, after a moment he added, “I never got to meet my parents. Or I don’t remember meeting them, in any regard, why not try and see if they want to connect with me on such a day. I always do wonder if they are proud of me.”

There is a slight flush to his cheeks, he doesn’t like admitting this and although part of him knows, he still wonders if they agree with what he has done and what he plans on doing. Things are moving along, either on his side or Tom’s, so they will be able to help the world reach a much better stage soon. In fact, he’s quite sure he won’t be staying in Hogwarts for the whole of his schooling, probably finishing sooner by independatly testing for his OWLs and NEWTs. But he can’t do that right now, not too soon, that would bring too many questions.

Hermione sports a strange look in her eyes before she reached out to pat his hand, having found out he doesn’t always like hugs, “That’s understandable. Especially if you don’t remember them, but Harry, I’m quite certain they adore the young man you’ve become. You’re kind and helpful, arent afraid to speak up or to stand for what it is that you believe in. I don’t know them, of course, but I do believe they would have to be proud.”

It does something to him, making him feel lighter. He knows that he won’t have the same relations with the people he knew before. But this, these interactions with Hermione, they make him think that some of them will come back in his life one way or another.

Draco is the same, he knew that this Draco wasn’t the adult man he had gotten to know after they both lost too much because of war. But the blond had proven to be willing to stand by his side for a lot. Even adapting, despite know always liking Hermione, but managing be cordeal with her whenever they spend time with Harry together. It was more than he had used to from Ron, so it was a nice change in atmosphere.

As if his thoughts summoned him, Draco walked into the library and noticed them, “Harry, Ms. Granger, I was wondering where the two of you were. The Feast is about to start and despite all the requests to not make it into a sugar fest, it seems that Halloween still won out against Samhain.”

It was obvious to see what the Malfoy Heir thought about that. Harry grimaced as well, before shaking his head, “We can just skip the feast and head down to use to Floo? I mean, it isn’t like we’ll miss a lot.”

Turning to Hermione, he smiled wryly, “Sorry, Hermione.”

She shook her head, “No need to be sorry, I also thing it’s a bit too much but then again my parents were never big on candy. To know that it wasn’t even a Wixen Holiday and it was made to be this to help Muggleborns to feel welcome feels a bit slighted. You both go and enjoy your evening with your families.”

With a smile and a nod she stood, gathered her things and left their company. Looking at Draco, Harry nodded before they were packing up their own things (or Harry was at least) before making their way to Severus’ room to use his floo. Tom would also be at Malfoy manor, even if he and Harry would be using a different ritual room for what came next. Their connection to Death and Magic would mean they were certain to have an outcome to the ritual they were planning, knowing quite well that they would get into contact with those already passed. It was somewhat scary, yet at the same time something they both wanted to experience.

Once in the chambers of the Head of House, Severus allowed them to user his floo with a few words of warning. Mentioning that they would both have 24 hours before people would notice they were gone.

“Please don’t make the Old Coot come to my office again, Harry, despite everything he’s here far too often for my liking. Especially as he’s certain that something must have happened to the dear boy for him to act like that”, Severus rolled his eyes as he said that. While he wasn’t totally up to date as to what was happening, Harry did know he was aware of some bits and pieces that Lucius or Tom had told him. Enough that he was aware that everything that was happening was for a better future and their own survival.

Both of them promised to keep to that time frame, wishing him well before departing and sepparating as soon as they entered the Manor. Draco going to their family’s ritual chambers, while Harry followed the lure of Tom’s magic to find him in another. Several things noticable in preparation of what was to come. Not to forget the slight connection to both Lord Death and Lady Magic, making it clear the both of them were lingering close tonight as well.

“Well met, Harry”, Tom whispered where he was looking up from his preparations.

A soft smile took over, “Well met, Tom”, he answered before moving into the attached bathroom to take a cleansing bath and put on his ritual robes. For this they were a thin, white material which could be taken off if need be.

Settling across from Tom, Harry looked over the instructions before doing what he needed to do, feeling the way the magic thickened around them as they lost themselves into the process. As soon as everything was done, their potion simmering as the circle they were in, and the four anchors glittered in their mind’s eye.

Lady Magic pressed a kiss to both of their foreheard, as did Lord Death. First going to their own Chosen, before going to the other man in the room, leaving as soon as they poured out their poition and drank it. Feeling it slide down before they fell back on the pillows suddenly there, lost to the world and traveling to a place in between this realm and the next.

0-0-0

Opening his eyes, Harry looked around before seeing Tom sitting across from him, teartracks on his cheeks before they reached accross and hugged each other close.

Harry had been able to see his parents, to talk to them and explain what it was he was doing. Neither of them minded, telling him that everything he was doing was for the continuation of their world and everything he should need wouldn’t get them cross with him.

“They noticed that things weren’t as they seemed, had talked about it with Sirius and Remus and wanted to pull back from the war. But they never got the chance to do that, they shouldn’t have had to die, but chances are Dumbledore found out and he couldn’t let them leave”, Harry whispered.

Tom’s arms thightened around him, “That wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest.”

Nodding against his chest, Harry grieved in a way he didn’t allow himself to do before now. Taking strenght in Tom’s precense, before he sighed deeply and pulled back, looking into the eyes of his equal and waiting until Tom shared his piece too.

“I talked to them, both my parents were there. They forgave me, for everything that I did and am about to do. Even my… Even my Father for taking his life, mentioning that he should have reacted differently, that I didn’t deserve to be abandoned like that”, it hit something deep, making Harry aware that Tom never grieved for his parents either. Opening his arms, he allowed the taller man to lean in and hug him close. The two of them thankful for the time they had with their parents, grieving them at this moment when it could have gone differently.

They grieved for what could have been, not just for them, but also for both their parents and other children who had been lost because their connection to Lady Magic was cut because of some insane reason. Albus Dumbledore was doing more harm than good and it was high time they would show him that.

Chapter Text

Both Harry and Tom needed a moment to gather their thoughts after speaking to their parents on Samhain. It was a wonderful experience in a way, but on the other hand it was hard to see the people that should have been there when they grew. People that had to be there to keep an eye on them, only to leave when they needed them most.

Tom shared that he had asked Merope why she did what she did. To which the woman had replied that she wanted to be free, never taking into account that she had locked up someone else to get that freedom. Tom Senior on the other hand mentioned he didn’t know what to think of all of that until he had a chance to talk to Merope on everything that had happened and what Tom meant to both of them. Senior shared that he had wanted children all his time, but he never expected things to go like this. In the end, he got his closure and his parents forgave him for everything, just as he did forgive the both of them. It was healing in a way that none of them had expected.

Then again, Tom was very different to what he had been before, but that didn’t take away that there were a lot of hurts that needed to be addressed. If they had been in any other situation, Harry was certain he needed time to heal before he could work together with Tom too. But with everyting going on, he allowed himself to forgive him a long time ago.

“I’m just happy they don’t hate me. I… I never knew them, but a part did want to make sure that everything I did was to please this picture I had of the people that were my parents. It didn’t help that any and all information I have about them are from Sirius, Remus and Severus. People too close to either of them to give a solid view on who the two of them were”, Harry whispered. Coming to terms with the fact that he didn’t quite know how to deal.

Sirius would be getting free soon, and he was well aware that Remus would soon follow once word spread that Sirius was in contact with him. That didn’t take away that the stories he had been told by either of them meant that he feared they wouldn’t support him in everything he was doing. To know that his parents wouldn’t mind and his Godfathers probably would get over all of this.

Arms wrapped around him, leading to Harry leaning onto Tom’s chest as they tried to deal with everything that happened in the night. Enjoying the hug, he slumped forward, feeling the weight Tom also leand on him. Knowing that they would both be having someone else from now on. That the times where they had to deal with it all alone were gone.

It took a while before Harry also wrapped his arms around Tom, feeling the shudder go through the older man at the knowledge he too wasn’t alone. Given their past, it was a surprise and a half that they were both able to trust each other so easily. To allow someone past the walls they had both errected to keep themselves safe.

“We’re going to be alright”, Tom whispered and for once, when someone else said it, Harry actually believed it. He could see everything that he had changed now, everything that had been done in an effort to bring this world to a better place. The articles about what had happened to him at the hands of Dumbledore were making headlines, which in line with the lawsuit made people see him in a while different light.

Several publisheers and manufactorers had reached out to appologize, to mention that they had believed Albus Dumbledore to be his magical guardian. With his approval they acted in a way that might not impact them too much given everything that had been happening. Most of those also released a statement calculating the royalties he should have been getting to add to the trial that was on its way for Dumbledore. His days were very much numbered, as it was clear the public was seeing him for what he really was, a powerhungry man who would do everything in function of his greater good.

Both enjoyed the embrace, only stepping back from it when they were certain it would be alright for the both of them. Cleaning up and getting dressed in something else then the cerimonial robe to join the Malfoy family for breakfast.

All three of the blonds were threre already, looking up when Tom and Harry entered. A soft smile on their faces as they watched the both of them take a seat. It was clear that even for them certain things had gone differently from before. As soon as they took a seat, Draco started sharing that they were able to speak to their ancestors. Before there was always the presence of someone else there, but this time they were able to speak to them too.

Exchanging a look before grinning, Harry and Tom shared that they had been able to speak to their parents and make sure certain troubles were laid to rest.

Lucius spoke, “It was nice to talk to my father again, I never did get a chance to say goodbye. He wanted to me thank you, Tom, for everything that you did for him and for this family. I am inclined to agree, even more so since you found your way back to this path.”

Shaking his head, Tom smiled softly, “I didn’t even knew I had los my way.”

With a slight delay, Harry placed his hand on Tom’s, “It happens, but what matters most is that you found it back. You’re here now, working on making the world a better place in whatever way possible. Chances are that the Old Coot will be thrown out the Wizengamont and the International Confideration, to the point that he won’t have anything to stand on. That’s when we can start introducing those things he banned or destroyed.”

The whole table cheered at that, prompting Lucius to share the satus of the lawsuit and how several people were willing to throw whoever they needed to throw under the bus to make sure they were spared from Harry’s wrath.

At the start of the whole process people seemed to think that because he was so young they could just walk all over him. When he didn’t allow for that to happen, none of them had known what to do. This was a young Lord after all, someone who caaried quite the names with him and wouldn’t allow anyone to dictate what could or could not happen. The knowledge that they had failed him so much was eating at people now too. People who had taken advantage of a child who had lost everything and never once thought about checking up on him.

“I take it that everything I should be getting in royalties and whatever else is compiled just about”, Harry asked Lucius who nodded.

Grinning at the knowledge, Harry turned to Tom, “Well, there is our fund to deal with all the fuckery people have been doing to the world. I know we talked about what to do, despite our substancial mutual assets money does run out at one point. With everything that is set to arrive in my accounts, as well as the fees Dumbledore is going to pay coupled with the money he has to pay back, we do have a reserve no matter what.”

Tom blinked once, and another time, before he smiles softly, “Are you certain that’s what you want to use it for?”

Laughing, Harry nodded, “We are in this together, are we not? There is no way I’m going to be able to get through all of the money I have in my vaults. Even less so if the Goblins do invest it as I asked. However, I didn’t want to let the World believe they could do whatever they wanted to. But I have no need for that money, so why not use it for something great.”

There is something special in Tom’s eyes when he looks at Harry, making it clear that they are indeed linked in a way that was becoming more and more clear. Something had been there all along. But for the longest time they didn’t know what it meant. With time spend together, it was shaping up to be a connection they both feared they’d never have. Knowing there was someone out there, someone who would be at their side for the remainder of their lives helped in looking forward to the future.

“Thank you”, Tom utters softly, pulling Harry close to hug him tightly. It’s more than clear that he hadn’t been expecting this. But to know that this was something he could count on helped.

After finishing breakfast, the floo burned bright green before Severus’ voice filtered through that they were needed back at the castle. Mentioning that he had tried to stall as much as possible but something was going on and they needed all the students back in their dorms.

For a second Harry was afraid that there had been a troll in the castle, but he doubted one of them could get in without inside help. Seeing as there was no one inside of the castle who would get more from putting it all in dissaray there wasn’t a lot of chances of something like that happening. That didn’t take away that he was quite interested in knowing just what was going on.

Narcissa, Lucius and Tom told them to be careful. Mentioning that maybe something had happened which had pushed Dumbledore off of the edge. It wouldn’t be the first time the man acted on impulse. It wasn’t easy, but they left and gathered their bearings in Severus’ office. Looking at their head of house for answers.

The man sighed, “The Board of Governours acted this morning, they believe that Albus Dumbledore is a treat to this school and the children in it. More than once report was gathered by them where it was revealed that people weren’t informed when something happened, to the point that students died under his rule without their parents knowing about it until they were already dead.”

While Harry had known about Myrtle, to know that there were other cases just like that didn’t sit well with him. Then again, going by all he had been through that first time he studied here, it wasn’t that surprising to know there were others out there going through the same thing. Who is to say he didn’t set up more students like that, to the point that they died without even knowing why.

“Has there been a disicion made as to what happens now”, he couldn’t help but ask.

Severus shook his head, “They’re trying to find the right person to take on the roll. Professor Mcgonagall is acting headminstress until another can be chosen or Dumbledore returns, which isn’t going to happen of course.”

Grinning widely at that, Draco and Harry allow Severus to lead them back to the Common Room. Still smiling as they enter, listening in on what everyone is speaking about. What might happen and how most of those are happy to know that Dumbledore is getting hus just deserts.

A cold hand settles on Harry’s shoulder, even if no one around them notices, “This is just the tip of the iceberg, My Master. They don’t know what he has done but we do, Tom knows what needs to be done so we have the evidence needed to incarcenate Dumbledore for all he has done and plans to do. He’s a diseace to the world and he needs to be put in time-out. Everything will turn out fine, My Master, he isn’t coming back here.”

Smiling softly, Harry chuckled, he couldn’t wait to see what would happen now.

Chapter Text

To say that the school was different without Dumbledore gone would be an understatement. With him being banished from school grounds it became clear just how much he had changed and what kind of influence he had on the children within the school.

As soon as the word spread that he had been arrested, even if it was just temporarily until his trial, more than one student came forward with things he had done. Memories they had no recollection off, blanks in their memories which fit an oblivation. On top of that several older students, already gone from Hogwarts, also came forward with things the Old Man had done. How they hadn’t been able to say anything but now that there was a trial running they gathered the courage to speak up.

For a lot of people it was the knowledge that someone like Harry Potter had also been a victim to his machinations. How his life had been totally uprooted for no other reason that Dumbledore’s greater good. When Harry mentioned hearing whispers of a prophecy concerning him that was taken into consideration. To the point that he went to collect it and it showed something very different, pointing into the direction of Harry being their salvation. He had known as much already, but didn’t want to announce that to the world.

Several things with piling up, children who came forward, former students who shared what they had been through. People who had been harmed or even killed while Dumbledore ran the school, who were finally getting their justice and their story told. It was then that Tom came forward with his own story, managing to get the people to listen even if he announced he had once been Lord Voldemort. Sharing that he too wanted to better the world but Dumbledore hadn’t been willing to see that. The man had been the reason that he turned mad, had started killing and went off the rails in the worst way possible. After some consideration he added that none of his followers could be blamed as he was the Lord of Magic and they were just following what their magic tried to tell them. Not everyone believed that part, but there were enough people willing to listen and that was enough for now.

On top of that, Sirius had been given his retrial which showed that Dumbledore had been pushing to just toss him into prison. Which ended up starting a whole scandal on going over everyone who had been placed into Azkaban for the last decade or two, to determite if they got a trial or not. The newspaper was already predicting that a lot of them did not in fact get tried. Even more so, with Tom’s article, a lot of people were sympatizing with people that had been thrown in there.

That also brought about a whole new storyline to people like the Longbottoms. None of them had been tortured by the Lestranges. In fact, the two couples, and Rabastan, had been visiting to talk about what the Dark offered as they didn’t feel safe with the Light anymore. Even less so with him obsessive Dumbledore was being about Harry and Neville. As his godmother, Alice wanted to make sure Harry was safe too, she knew the Potters had gone to ground but something had told her that there was more to it then just that.

In short, the whole world wasn’t dealing well with everything that had been going on. Preparing for when the trial of Albus Dumbledore took place. Harry was looking forward to it, as he didn’t expect things to go quite this fast. If things happened the way he hoped they would go, he would be able to test out of school and use an aging potion or a ritual to get an adult body and stop going to school. He and Tom had spoken in lenght about it, as things were speeding up now and they did need to fulfill their duty to the world.

“As nice as it has been to be back in Hogwarts, I don’t know if I feel like I belong. Often I’m bored to tears, the homework already finished and while helping the Muggle raised wixen to addapt it isn’t the same as being able to do my own thing”, he told Tom one evening as they were conversing in their shared mindspace.

Tom chuckled, “Things did indeed go different then expected. The amount of people who came forward with their own story about Albus Dumbledore is shocking. I’m quite certain that no matter what happens now, he won’t be able to talk himself out of this one.”

Shaking his head, Harry agreed, “Not just that, but I’m quite certain both Lord Death and Lady Magic will have a word to say on what the Old Coot has done to their chosen ones. If he hadn’t wanted to keep a hand in everything, none of this would have even happened.”

Part of Harry was still on edge after hearing the real prophecy and finding out that it was never ‘neither can live while the other survives’, but rather; ‘neither can live if the other dies’ making it clear that Harry and Tom had been linked for a very long time. He still hated that he had to loose so much before he could see what was right in front of him. How Teddy, who he would never meet now, had to be killed before Harry realized that the world went to shit.

At least now they could counter that, to make sure that regardless of what happened at least the World would keep spinning.

“Do you think he knows what he did”, Harry asked Tom, wondering if Dumbledore was aware of what had had been doing. How he had impacted generations after him and for something others knew better and he didn’t want to see.

Shaking his head, Tom shared that he had once tried to share with Dumbledore what it was that he was doing and the man didn’t care. He had his utopia in his head and nothing could convince him that this wasn’t what needed to happen. Thinking back at a lot of things that did happen over the years, were often the man trying to keep a hand in whatever had been going on in the world. Enough that he got the recognition he needed to change the things he believed needed to be changed. He really didn’t care other then that, all he wanted was his view of the world be made into a reality. It was quite sad, to be honest.

As they ended their conversation, Harry knew he would be seeing Tom again tomorrow. Dumbledore’s trial was scheduled then, with everything going on it was to be devided in several days worth of trials to deal with everything. Given what had been happening, Harry and Tom were invited for all of the days. To the point that they were also going to be there for the last day and the final decree. On top of that, they both knew that Lady Magic and Lord Death wanted to add their own punishment to whatever the world decided on.

-0-0-0-

As expected, the ministry was packed the next day. Harry had never been happier that they decided to gather at Malfoy Manor before making their way to the Ministry. Sirius and Remus were also there, his parents’ friends not quite comfortable but very happy to see him. Both were cordeal towards Lucius and Severus, obviously still trying to make sense of everything that had been happening. But willing to listen and supporting Harry in all of this.

Sirius especially had been enranged to know what had happened to him once he was locked up. In the end, he wasn’t even half as pissed at losing ten years in a prison cell compared to what Harry had been through. That alone was why he was there to listen and to support Harry in whatever he wanted. Mentioning that he had been well aware that the Light hadn’t always been the best course of action, but he had been a rebellious teenager and thought this might give him a new purpose in life.

Harry hugged his godfathers close after hearing that, thanking them both for being willing to listen and for wanting to support him.

“If I didn’t, I’m quite sure Lily would find a way to come back from the dead to bash my head in”, Sirius mumbled. Something which Severus of all people agreed with, mentioning that she had a mean hex in her if she wanted to.

Despite everything that happened, Harry was glad that if one good thing to come out of this was the healing relationship between Sirius, Remus, Severus and the Malfoys. There were still a lot of old hurts there, but at least they were addressing them. Sirius and Remus had appologized to both Severus and Lucius, prefering to address them both with thier family name, but leaving hurtfull nicknames out of it.

Once in the court room, it was clear that they had to enlarge it to fit everyone in it. Several people wouldn’t be here tomorrow, but might be replaced by others. As mentioned, there were a lot of people out there who had grievences against Dumbledore, to the point that both the Wizengamont and a delegation of the internationel confederation of Wixen was present to pass judgement on the man who had once been seen as the next coming of Merlin.

Once Dumbledore was brought in, it seemed the man believed them all here to support him. Until one person started to yell at him, call him names and tell him he screwed over the world big time. That hadn’t been what the Old Coot had been expecting, even less so when his eyes fell on Harry and on Tom. It had them widening before he started ranting, shouting for all of the world to hear that he hadn’t done what he did to see them seated next to each other.

The court room fell silent at that, as Harry and Tom slowly stood. They didn’t speak, but they didn’t need to. Not when the whole world suddenly stopped spinning and they were joined on either side by a Primordial Being. Seen by others by the way they pales or gaped at the two young men.

“You are not able to talk to them like that, Traitor. I was the one who gave you life, and you are the first one who I want to take it away from”, Lady Magic hissed at him, “You who bound my Chosen, who made him turn mad and almost destroy all that he had build and for what!?”

Tom patted her hand, which made it clear who her chosen was. The whispers starting, while Dumbledore gaped at the Dark Lord, the Chosen Lord of Magic, as if he didn’t know what to think of that.

Death continued, “While my sister is unable to take life away, know that I would love to do so since the moment you decided to play with my Master’s life. No one can hide from Death, you Old Coot, least of all you.”

Harry grinned at that, looking straight at Dumbledore as he spoke, “I know what you did this whole time and where before I might not know what to do, there was no way in any hell that I’d let you get away with it. You’re the reason both Gellert and Tom turned into a Dark Lord. You wanted presence, and standing, but knew that no one would look twice at a Halfblood wizard without some exceptional prestations.”

The Court Room stayed silent, even when Dumbledore tried to talk himself out of that one, revealing one secret after the other. Add on the statement of witnisses as well as documents proving what it was he had done, this was a pretty open and shut case. Even if it did take several days.

When they reached the end, it was agreed the man’s magic would be bound and he would be locked into a dungeon far away from Magical Society. Lady Magic even went a step further and erased him from Magical Lineage, as to make sure that nothing he had done would have a lasting effect on those poor souls that he had harmed, spelled or otherwise influenced.

Death chuckled, “May you live forever, Albus Dumbledore. Knowing that no one will remember you, that despite it all you lost it within a lifetime for no other reason than your own greed and self-centeredness. I will never take you into my domain, despite what I said before, I wouldn’t want to contaminate it with the liked of you.”

That seemed to make an impact, as the man started screaming as he was carted away to the Unspeakables to have his magic bound. He will be forever lost to the next Life, to those he loved that crossed the veil.

Chapter Text

With Dumbledore taken care of, Harry and Tom deemed it safe to start to tell other people what had been going on. Lucius had already known bits and pieces, so they made sure to fill him in on what he had been missing.

To say that the man was shocked, was an understatement. He thanked Harry, more than once, for what he did and what he had done for Tom and the world. Not everyone would know at the end of it, but those that did would be brought into the secret as to what would have happened to the world as they knew it if this hadn’t happened.

Sirius and Remus were also brought up to speed, especially once Harry decided that Hogwarts was a bit too much for him right now. He already knew everything he needed to learn, both from his first run and as the Master of Death. He had wanted to change the way people viewed each other and he managed that even in his first year. Something he was certain that he’d be able to continue without being in the school. He told his godfathers everything, making sure they were aware of what had been happening. Finding out that they were both proud of the man he had become.

“You are everything Lily and James would have hoped you would be”, Sirius whispered as he pulled Harry close, “They wouldn’t have wanted you to deal with those losses, but they would be proud of you nonetheless.”

Smiling softly, Harry nodded, sharing that they had both told him as much. Mentioning that he had told them the truth as well. Looking at Tom, he added, “We’re here to make sure things like that never happen again. We’re able to change things, to work with the whole world and make sure that some things never come to pass.”

He explained that he needed Sirius to sign off on him taking his OWLs that summer. As much as he wanted people not to know, he knew there was too much to do and too little time to do it.

To his surprise, Sirius agreed without question, making sure that Harry had an appointment as soon as the year ended as to do his OWLs. They did hear back that he wouldn’t be able to do his NEWTs at the same time, given his age, but that was one step closer to the end so he would take it.

Given that Tom had come forward during Dumbledore’s trial, it was more than clear that something was going on. People listened to him, and he needed aid in making sure the world understood that there was no one exempt from it all. Tom might be Magic’s Chosen, and Harry might be Master of Death, but they were given that title to protect what needed to be protected instead of leaving the world to fetch for themselves.

In time, Severus was also brought into the secret. To the point the man laughed and confessed to believing that something had been going on but he didn’t think it was something like this. Adding on that he knew the world was in safe hands now and he would do whatever it was that they needed. Harry smiled, mentioning that he knew of the oath Severus swore on his head. Just as much as he knew of the Life Oath that was still in effect of when his father had saved him. He declared it completed, which was one less worry.

“We need to work on making sure the muggles don’t find out about us, or at least that we make sure that those that might don’t look into it. They will make sure to build machines that can make pictures from space and our spells and wards don’t reach that far. That’s how they are able to find us last time, that’s how they knew how to look”, Harry shared, shaking his head at the memories of those first few attacks. The way the world just tilted sideways and never truly recovered.

Glancing at Tom, he shared what their plan was and how he needed his NEWTs to complete it. There was already a spell being woven on what needed to be done, on what it was that he would be able to bring into being to protect their world. Adding that Tom and he had a mission to fulfill and they had been given the tools to do it.

“We’re going to craft a spell that will reach into space and beyond, to make sure that everyone in the Wixen world is kept safe”, his connection to Tom buzzed. As it became clear that they were linked together through such bonds that Magic, Life and Death came together to forge them.

-0-0-0-

Sharing with his classmates that he was planning on graduating, he was met with a lot of understanding. A lot of them reacted like he expected them to react, telling him he was indeed too smart and too ahead to stay here with the people of his own age.

Draco pouted, but understood and made certain to create other bonds. Knowing that he would be seeing Harry next year and on holidays. He didn’t seem to mind that much, as long as they were able to keep in contact over letters. Something which Harry allowed with glee, they were family after all.

Hermione had been one other person he had been afraid of how she would react. While their relationship wasn’t even close to what it could have been, it was still strong. However, her bonds were closer to Susan Bones and Daphne Greengrass, both girls who had taken her under her wing and were helping her discover the world as they knew it. She soaked up the attention, soaked up friendships that helped and brought her knowledge she so craved. Hermione didn’t even deny that Harry deserved more, adding that she was glad of what he had shared with her and she’d be able to do it all together.

He even had to admit that Susan, Daphne and Hermione would be a very scary trio in the near future. Enough that he knew the world would be safe with that generation too, part of him even thinking that Hermione might be the Minister that the world needed where before only purebloods had taken the seat.

His OWLs, as expected, went amazing. To the point he was recorded to have the highest test scores possible. Even higher than the previous holder of that title, one Tom M. Riddle. Something he was certain to rub into Tom’s face when he was able to. Grinning widely at the fake grumbled look Tom sported, before he was being congratulated on that.

The next school year allowed him to bond with older peers as well. People who hadn’t been able to bound with others, with those in other houses (unless they had a younger sibling that pulled them with them). Which allowed Harry to share what he wanted to share, make sure there were connections everywhere and that older years were also able to learn those customs and religion that hadn’t been there before.

Even leading a Samhain ritual in the middle of the Great Hall, grinning widely when more than one person was met with a deceased loved on. It was also there that the truth came out, that every Muggleborn wasn’t a muggleborn at all. They were all Wixen, or they had a Wixen ancestor who was lost in time or hadn’t been able to show enough Magic to be seen as a full witch or wizard. That all kick started a research with the Ministry, the Unspeakables and even the international congregation to see where this had come from and how close they really were related.

With that going on, Harry concentrated on getting his NEWTs, passing those with flying colors as well. To the point that he had apprentices lined up to the point of having to decline each and every one of them. Officially, he joined Tom, unofficially he took an aging potion and worked on the plans they both had. Making sure that the spells and charms were woven. Between Tom and Lady Magic it was easy to make sure they were anchored everywhere there was a Wixen.

0-0-0

When they appeared in the public eye once more, it was as a couple, as the most powerful couple the world had ever seen and people (especially those taking classes with Harry) aware of what he was able to do.

They listened too, wanting to know what he was working on and agreeing that what was happening needed to be done.

As time passed and it became clear that the Muggles were onto them, Tom and Harry shared what they had done. Who they were to Magic and Death, even if some people were on to something before they shared. Making sure they had no intention of just taking over, but they had every intention of protecting Magic.

Imagine their surprise when the world agreed, when the Wixen saw what they had done and agreed to let them represent them when the time came. Muggles tried, as people did find out one way or another. But with the people like them guiding the Wixen World, there wasn’t a lot they could do. They were blocked at every turn, not able to react or to attack without damning their own people.

The world was saved, Magic and Death even shared as much. Grinning at the connection between them and the Wixen. The way the world had changed for the better and humans and creatures lived together in harmony. Rulers in Harry and Tom guiding them and overseeing that people were protected, from outside forces but also from issues within.

Years later, their names were still know, told to every child and every person entering the Wixen World. Thanking them for what they did.

In Limbo, together with Death and Magic, the both of them would keep on guarding over those that they had saved before. They had become more than just humans and that too required a sacrifice. They wouldn’t be able to rest either, looking over those that they had saved and making peace with that. Able to find and visit their relatives in the afterlife. Watching over an old, mad, man locked in limbo with them. Unable to move on or visit those he loved once upon a time.