Chapter 1
Victory. At last Voldemort was vanquished, the war was at an end.
"It wasn't worth it", the raven haired whispered to himself. Tears ran freely as he kneeled in front of the three bodies. They looked peaceful and may as well have been asleep, but he knew differently. He had seen exactly what had happened through their eyes, and he knew the sights would haunt him to his grave and beyond.
Nothing was going right. The wards had failed to function, allowing the disillusioned Death Eaters, werewolves and Dementors to take them all by surprise. Their position was overrun in minutes. Surviving Aurors and members of the DA were facing off against as many as four opponents each. All of them ruthless killers that tossed Unforgivables around without another thought. She ran on through the mass of brawling bodies, brown hair flicking back and forth in front of her vision. Instead of brushing it away she focused on firing Reductors, Confringos, Diffindos and every offensive spell in her arsenal at any that decided to stand in her path to the raven haired boy, who was desperately fending off Voldemort and his inner circle. She knew that he could not hold out much longer. Finally after what felt like years she pushed through the crowd and sprinted to the boy, shielding him from the cutting curse that had come from behind, before throwing down a Fumos duo, covering them in a smoke screen, allowing her to grab him and make a break for the stone wall that could be used as cover. Whether it was luck or something else, a green bolt came flying through the smoke, heading straight for him. There was no time for him to dodge, so she did the only thing she could. She stepped in front of it and whispered "I love you Harry".
He remembered the look in her eyes when the killing curse connected. Her lovely hazel orbs glistening with tears as the unholy green claimed her. Hermione, his oldest friend. Dead because of him. He would never see that dazzling smile or hear her wonderful laugh again. He would never see the way her eyes lit up whenever she opened a new book or the way she would blush if she was praised. Hermione, his Hermione, was gone. Forever.
The Nargles and Pixies were having fun with the Death Eaters, causing them to trip over and the weak willed ones to fall asleep. She assisted her magical friends with her stunners and together they were keeping the waves of werewolves and Dementors at bay, but she knew that wouldn't last forever, they had the numbers advantage. Even so the little blonde didn't mind. She had no doubt that whatever happened to her the day would be won. She trusted her friends. She stood there for quite a while, holding her ground but as she was sweeping her gaze across the battlefield something caught her eye. A brunette, shielding a green eyed boy from the most disgusting spell to exist that had come out of the smoke. The green eyed boy caught her as she fell and in doing so, fell to his knees. Even from a hundred metres away she could see that he was in shock as he shook her, refusing to believe in reality. She had to get to him before Voldemort did.
As if reading her mind , a phoenix's song started to sound across the battlefield as Fawkes apparated her next to the grieving boy. He was in absolutely no condition to fight and seeing the broken look in his eyes made something in her snap. Anyone who caused him pain didn't deserve mercy. She wouldn't allow it. Her misty grey eyes hardened and focused on the army approaching, obviously a cowardly attempt to take him while he's down. They would have to get through her first. Letting her wrath fuel her power she casted a supercharged Orbis, dragging a large group of them into the ground before firing on the ones still above with a combination of leg-locking and petrifying curses. She knew that she couldn't possibly hope to defeat them all but she trusted him to do so after she'd fallen. As long as she bought him time to put himself together again, her job was complete. "I know you won't disappoint me Harry" she thought as she raised her wand against the approaching dark lord.
He wondered if the creatures she befriended missed her. She was the only one that could see and interact with them after all. He hoped that they didn't blame him for causing the loss of their friend. He knew he blamed himself. She had gone through so much pain in her short life, from the death of her mother to the ridicule of the school and then being targeted for her affiliation with him, if anyone deserved happiness it was Luna Lovegood. Instead she too gave her life for him.
She wanted to break down and bawl her eyes out. She wanted to wake up and be told that it was all a terrible dream. She wanted to lay down and never get up again. The Ice Queen instead, soldiered on and met the attackers with an aura that terrified all those around her. She never stood still for a single moment, deciding to spend her time cleaving through the never ending mass of pure blood supremacists, trying to get to the goddamn stupid, noble, idiot Gryffindor that was duelling Tom Riddle. The combined efforts of Bellatrix and the bastard dark lord made the fight completely impossible for the boy, the lifeless bodies of the little blonde and brunette didn't make the situation any better.
"Depulso" and Bellatrix was pushed into a ditch. Usually the golden rule was that unless you're Harry Potter or Dumbledore you don't take on Bellatrix or Tom Riddle alone. She didn't have the luxury of abiding by that this time. He had a destiny to fulfil, and she would do anything to help him meet it. Rushing past the Priori Incantem that had just initiated itself, she dived into the ditch to face off against the mad witch. "You better not let me down Harry Potter" she growled as she walked on to her imminent doom.
He still saw her last moments in his mind as the crazy bitch Bellatrix Crucioed her. It was the only time he'd ever seen Daphne in pain, and it chilled him to the bone. They were probably the most painful 5 minutes of his life, hearing her screams and spasms of pain before a gruesome Sectumsempara tore her perfect body apart, severing tendons and opening arteries. It was impressive that she managed to hang onto that bare thread of life throughout the entire experience. It was a near impossible feat when she pulled the basilisk venom imbued dagger from her mokeskin pocket and threw it into the mad witch's heart. Bellatrix died screaming. He wasn't surprised that he didn't feel remorse. No being with a conscience would be able to. Bellatrix was, barring Voldemort, the most evil being to ever walk the face of the earth. Many of his friends had died because of her, not to mention no doubt hundreds of Muggles and Muggle born.
The three girls had given their all. Guilt, sorrow and anger did not even begin to describe the feelings that were raging through him. Searing hot tears trickled down his face as he thought about his wonderful dream of finally confessing and having a family after Voldemort was gone, shatter under the weight of reality. The three most important people in the world to him were gone, and with them were his hopes of ever experiencing joy again.
He wasn't sure how long he stayed there. He knew that it must have been hours because by the time the tears finally stopped, the sun was hanging directly above him. Without any conscious thought on his behalf, he slowly stood up and started walking away. He found he didn't really care where his legs were taking him, chances were that he wouldn't have cared about anything. He was a little surprised when he stopped at the place where Voldemort met his demise, but even that didn't pierce the veil of blackness around his heart, nothing mattered. Once again his body started moving on its own but this time it wasn't to leave, he was bending down and his hands were furiously feeling around for something, and after a few moments they finally stopped. He could feel that he was holding a warm pulsing object as his body once again righted itself and he was finally able to see what he was holding. It was the Elder Wand.
He knew that the Elder Wand was meant to be the most powerful wand in the world, seeing as it was one of the three Deathly Hallow, said to belong to Death itself. What he didn't know was why he had picked it up, what use is a wand or power when there's no reason for it anymore? He was about to snap it in half and toss it away when he noticed a dark robed figure standing in front of him. The cloak looked like a larger version of his invisibility cloak and beneath the figures hood he only saw blackness. A pair of white skeletal wings protruded from its back and the world around them had faded to grey. Death had come.
"Harry James Potter, last living descendent of Ignotus Peverell, do you know what you have done?" Death whispered with glee in its voice.
"I don't really care, if you're here to take me do it, there's nothing left for me in this world" Harry replied in a monotone, eyes dulled and face sullen.
"You have reunited the three Hallows, allowing me to appear before you. Now are you sure that there's nothing, Harry James Potter? I see you're as oblivious as ever" Death gestured behind him. Harry turned his head around and almost fainted from shock. There stood Hermione, Luna and Daphne, each of them staring back at him. Daphne had her head tilted slightly with a smirk on her face, Luna had her trademark dreamy smile and misty silvery grey eyes while Hermione looked like she was ablaze with joy, hazel orbs flickering erratically.
None of them spoke.
Slowly one by one they each walked up and embraced the shell shocked teen, his arms instinctively going around them while his mind struggled to comprehend. The only people apart from Sirius and Remus that he had ever called family had come back, and he could feel his heart lifting already.
They stayed that way for what felt like hours, Death left them alone. The figure under the cloak smiled, the sight of the four reawakening the small flame of hope that had long extinguished. It almost felt ashamed to interrupt them.
"Most of the people who perished weren't meant to Harry James Potter. They were meant to live on and create a future where blood bigotry was non-existent. You yourself was destined to rebuild the house of Potter and later become the leader of the magical world. A hero for all, your fame was to even surpass Merlin's.
The young woman beside you, Hermione Jean Granger was to become the next minister of wizarding Britain. She would break down the barriers between the magical and non-magical world by educating the young pure bloods of the non-magical world and its wonders.
The other one, Luna Pandora Lovegood was to become a world renowned magical and non-magical naturalist. In her lifetime she would discover over two hundred thousand new species of creatures and revolutionise the way people saw the natural world.
Finally the last one, Daphne Anna Greengrass was to become the new Headmistress of Hogwarts. It is with your one of a kind interhouse relationship that the four houses of Hogwarts would finally start to unite" Harry felt Death staring into his soul. Surprisingly it made him feel warm inside. Somehow he knew that Death wasn't his enemy.
"But of course" Death continued "that future is no longer possible" and with a wave of an arm the three girl's faces fell as they flickered grey and started to fade, each of them, even Daphne losing their composure and bursting into tears. After they had disappeared completely their teardrops fell to the ground, as undeniable proof of their existence. Harry felt himself shatter all over again.
"I can't hold them in this realm for long Harry James Potter, the killing curse 'Avada Kedavra' severs the soul from the body completely, leaving no chance of revival. Even with my power I cannot bring them back completely." Death finished bitterly and Harry recoiled from the force of the words. He had just gotten inarguable proof that it was over, the black veil grew thicker and started to consume his heart completely.
"But there is hope Harry James Potter" Harry's head shot up "my Hallows, you have heard the stories of how they were created. Only one of them is correct" Death paused "the invisibility cloak is indeed taken from my own but the other two are no ordinary artifacts either. Tell me what do you notice?" Death's snow white skeletal fingers unfurled and Harry stared for a moment uncomprehending. Then it hit him.
"Your right hand, it's missing the index finger" Harry stared at the spot where it should have been and something clicked inside him. Hands trembling he walked over and gave his invisibility cloak over to Death, who seemed to absorb it with a small pop that pushed him back a few metres. He then approached with the Elder Wand held out and as he got closer instead he started to feel warmer and his head cleared. He still couldn't see the face but he could feel that Death was pleased that he had figured it out. Stopping right before, he slid the Elder Wand back into place among its four siblings. A pulse of power came off of Death, almost sending him flying but before his feet could leave the ground a warm pair of hands grabbed him and held him as the shockwave dissipated. He looked up at the owner. Death's hands were still skeletal but he could have sworn they had felt like flesh and blood. Was he going mad?
"All will become clear soon Harry Potter, for I am still missing one thing" Death's cloak spread open and revealed a black void. To anyone else it would have been a black void with no defining features. To Harry it was like a jigsaw with one missing piece. The piece he had in his pocket. Fumbling a bit he pulled out the Ressurection Stone and inserted it directly into the centre of the blackness. Instead of unleashing a pulse this time, he unleashed a maelstrom. The world flashed a glaring white and the last thing he felt was warmth wrap his body as everything went black.
"Harry? Harry wake up, we don't have much time" he groaned as the world came back into focus, once he'd figured out what was happening his body snapped upright as he stared. Around him black rifts were opening up and sucking everything around them in. The ruins of Hogwarts didn't even last two seconds as they were swallowed too. It was official, he had gone insane. That's when a face popped into his field of view.
He fell over again. There, standing in front of him in a white version of Death's garb was a grinning being that he could only call a goddess, nothing else did her justice. She had wavy white hair falling down to her middle back and a perfect set of chromatic eyes resting above a pair of crimson lips. White wings, looking like they were made of shards of light flapped their welcome. His heart stopped beating.
"Come now Harry is it really a good choice to ogle your mother? Not to mention what would your three lady friends think?" she snickered at his dumbfounded expression as his mouth opened and closed repeatedly unable to form words. What the hell is going on?
"Relax I'll explain everything to you soon, get ready, you're going to love this" the goddess shone him the most brilliant smile as she clicked her fingers and the world flashed out of focus again.
