Chapter Text
The "No." Suddenly, the figure standing before him changed. The red hair inside his skull was pulled into short, disheveled, raven-black hair. His body grew taller and larger, and his calm features transformed into those of Harry, except for his eyes. It was his father, James.
He stayed for two seconds, then changed again. This time, there was his paternal grandfather, then his paternal grandmother, then Regulus.
It seemed to have settled on him because he had stopped changing.
"Who are you?"
"I am the end of everything, Harry. I am death."
"Death? Am I dead, then? Is this all a dream?"
"You're not dead."
"So what's going on? Did I travel back in time, then? Weren't those just memories of another life?"
"No, not exactly."
Harry's mind was spinning.
"Time travel is a very big concept. You could say that your soul and consciousness were transferred to your younger body. This world is your world, and this time is your past. Everything started changing from the moment you were transferred, or from the moment you woke up after the Dementor tried to kiss you."
"But how can I travel like this? Travel back and forth? Isn't that dangerous to the rules of spacetime, perhaps?"
"No, Harry, you're nowhere."
"I don't understand." Death began forming pieces of emptiness like dough in his hands and began explaining to Harry what he was saying.
"In a very simple, if imprecise, way, we've created a space inside a bubble. It's separated from other worlds. The fate of this bubble depends on what you do, Harry. If you succeed, you'll safely expel the air from the bubble, and the space inside the bubble will become a reality. But if you fail, and only as a result of your failure, you might destroy the world, not just your own. It might even affect other worlds. The space I created required me to make a magical pact with the most magical beings, such as the Time Wizard and the Space Wizard. We had to transport you to the past, to a different place than the one you're in, but in the same body. This required the help of the Wizard Mistress herself. Of course, she wasn't happy about what was happening in her world, so she agreed. But the Mistress was weak due to the shortage of wizards caused by everything that had happened in the world. So we turned to the Wizard of Mess, and as his name suggests, he loves Mess. So he agreed but on his terms."
Death said everything at once, looking at Harry. In one of his hands was an intact bubble inside a perfect cube. The other is an irregular cube that seems to melt in his hands.
"A bubble? A mess? Conditions?"
"Yes, Harry. And the mess also puts restrictions on you so that you cannot tell anyone certain things. But these restrictions will be lifted whenever you achieve something. I temporarily stopped Dumbledore's fate from being killed by the Chain and Sirius's fate from becoming a prisoner in his own house the moment you spoke those three words. So this restriction will be lifted. You can tell anyone you want, but be careful. Mice exist at all times, Harry."
"What are his conditions and what other restrictions does he set?"
"Well, first of all, I can't tell you all the information until you achieve more accomplishments, but I'll tell you what I can."
"But why? Why are you helping me?"
"Because you are my master."
"Your master? But I didn't keep your Hallows."
"Even if you didn't, you had them all at once, even if it was for a few minutes. That was enough to create a magical contract between you and me and appoint you my first master for ages. I've been helping you ever since. For example, when Tom Riddle cast the killing spell, he intended to kill you, so it was only natural that your soul would die, not the Horcrux. But I was able to manipulate that to save you."
"I was supposed to die," Harry said in despair.
"Not really. You were always meant to receive the Hallows, become my master, and save and defeat Voldemort. Everything was meant to be. But something happened in the middle that caused the Wizard Mistress to become extremely weak, and this affects our entire world. Magical children in the future will be born weak. There will be many more of what you call Squibs, and then magic will die at the end, and so will we. So I had to intervene as your servant. From now on, your fate is in your hands. Everything you do will affect the future, and everything will be rewritten, just as you are doing now."
" If you allow me, I must tell you the most basic condition: we are running out of time."
"In the end, if you fail, you will have a choice: either remain in a world where you lost the war or return to the original ending here, where you will die before anyone can find you."
"Death or death."
"Unfortunately, the game can be cruel sometimes, but if you succeed, you can stay, and everything will be rewritten, just as you did, and this future will cease to exist. But as long as things don't end, this future will still exist, but time has stopped there."
"Can I tell anyone about this?"
"Of course, you can tell whomever you want, but be careful who you choose."
"There is no traitor among us."
"Your father had the same trust, but don't worry. Your trust is well-placed. Just be careful of the rats." Death repeated his previous warning.
"Thank you. Will we meet again?"
"Whenever you need me, I can appear, even when you're trying to convince your comrades at any time. I can help you in war, but you'll have to earn an achievement for that. Other times, you'll probably just appear here."
"Well, can you tell me what's behind the cloth?"
"Something very evil, Harry. It's destroyed many powerful wizards, but we used it to help you. Oh, I think it's time to part ways, Harry."
He was right. Harry felt his vision blur again, and he cried out before the cave disappeared.
"How can I make you appear?"
"Just call my name and I'll do it."
Harry was about to ask him his name, but he felt his vision return and saw worried faces staring back at him.
"Harry."
"I'm fine."
"This is the second time. What's wrong with you?" Remus said worriedly.
"I'm fine, actually. I'm better than before."
Remus looked at him worriedly, but Harry stood up, feeling energized as if he could do anything now that he knew these weren't just memories or another life, and he could change everything...
"When does the meeting start?"
Sirius answered, examining Harry again. "Moody and Kingsley have already arrived with Bones. Dumbledore, Minerva, Snively, and the rest should be arriving soon."
"Don't call him that."
"What?"
"You can call him Snape if you don't want to call him by his first name. Just not that." Sirius looked at him suspiciously but finally agreed.
Before Harry could finish speaking, they heard the voice of Sirius's mother's painting screaming, "Blood traitors, half-bloods!"
"Tonks must have come with them.", said Harry
"Who?" Remus asked.
"She's my cousin, how did you know?" Sirius asked
Harry just shrugged.
He was right. Tonks was there. Harry couldn't help but smile at her.
"Hello, Harry. I don't think we've met before. I'm Tonks."
"Hello, Nymphadora."
"Don't call me that." Harry just shrugged as he watched in amusement the stunned looks of Ron, Ginny, and the twins as Tonks's hair changed from bright pink to red.
"I managed to get her angry from the first minute," Charlie said cheerfully. "That's a new record. Tonks and I were in the same year. It took me a while to realize it was irritating her."
"And she wouldn't stop calling me that!" Tonks said angrily.
"It was very tempting. Sorry."
"Obsessed with dragons."
"Thanks for the compliment."
Harry and the twins laughed at the argument and went to the room where the meeting was to take place. The rest followed shortly after.
The entire group sat down. The Weasley family gathered together, and Harry sat between Ginny and Ron.
He was happy to see Tonks next to Remus on the couch, which surprised the latter. Sirius was sitting on the other side next to Remus.
Dumbledore sat next to Moody and Minerva on the couch. Next to them sat Amelia Bones, Kingsley, and Emlyn Vance on the couch. Snape sat on his own couch.
"What are we waiting for?"
Ron Bill asked.
"There are still others."
Harry and the Weasley children's hearts nearly stopped when they saw Bellatrix from the memory before them. But less than a second later, Harry recognized it as Andromeda, her husband Ted, Elphias Dog, Aberforth Dumbledore, and Emlyn Vance, accompanied by Percy, who led them into the house. Harry went straight to Andromeda, his godson's grandmother.
"Hello, you must be Mrs. Tonks."
"Hello, young Harry, right? You can call me Romeda. Your father used to do that when he came to visit with Sirius and the others."
"That would be a pleasure, Romeda, Mr. Tonks."
"Just Ted."
"Of course."
Harry greeted the others with a nod. Minerva called over sofas for the newcomers, and Harry was pleased when Tonks merely greeted her parents and settled down next to Remus again. Remus's face was flushed; Harry would have given anything to have his godson back.
When everyone was assembled, Dumbledore stood.
"I am delighted that everyone here has accepted my invitation to join us today."
"What important matter have you summoned us for, Albus?" Andromeda said. "You didn't say anything in your letters."
The others, who hadn't yet learned about the prophecy, murmured.
"Harry, please."
"Of courWith themaster. May I give sopossesses "So we want to test something," Sirius said before anyone else could. "Can I try it?" "So be it."
One muststood in the middle of the room, watching who knew what was about to hsurvivalt color would Sirius's thread be?
I, Harry James Potter, give Sirius Orion Black permission to speak about the Great Prophecy.
A second.
Two seconds.
Nothing happened.
"You trust me that much!" Sirius said, moved.
"Of course I do."
But their words were drowned out by the screams of the others.
"A Great Prophecy???"
"Silence, please, Harry, dear. Are you sure you gave him permission correctly?"
Bill explained, "Harry did it. It just has different connotations for each person. The thread that connecte you was red because Harry didn't trust Fudge. Minerva's was blue because permission was limited to my father and then Sirius alone. Ahem. Sirius and Ron didn't have a thread because Harry's trust in them crossed the line enough to grant them privileges."
Harry noticed Remus's stares. Curiosity
"Remus?"
"Yes, Harry."
Harry didn't say anything, but he wanted to try.
"I, Harry Jamehasr, grant Remus RJ Lupin permission to speak about the Great Prophecy."
Nothing happened either.
"Harry, I don't."
"Just don't say anything, and know that I trust you as much as I trust Sirius, Hermione, and Ron." Although he didn't try to grant Hermione permission, he knew his level of trust in her might have extended beyond the others.
"Excuse me for being so impassive, but will someone please tell us what's going on?"
"Yes, of course, I apologize." Harry stepped aside to give Sirius and a still-affected Remus the chance to speak.
"So on the first day of school this year, the Great Prophecy was pronounced in the Great Hall in front of the entire student body and staff."
"Oh, my God." The newcomers felt even more anxious as they confirmed the word they'd heard.
"What did she say?" he asked. Aberforth and Tonks together
"Ahem ahem." Sirius changed his voice wonderfully to sound like Trelawney's and delivered the prophecy.
When lines cross and doors open
And ancient spirits rise from the fabric of shadows
And the guardians of prophecy awaken in the corners of the forgotten world
And on the night of the blood moon
The Dark Lord will rise again
With the help of his loyal servant
and blood that taken by force
To turn the light into darkness
And he will possess a weapon he never had before
But in the deepest darkness of time
With secrets etched deep within the prophecy
The Boy Who Lived wappear the river
Carrying secrets of the past and future
And holds the threads of fate in his hands
The future will be rewritten
Where choices reshape destiny
Friend will become an enemy
And an enemy will become an ally
The Black will unite with fire
The Guardians will gather before the appointed time
wWiththe help of the boy who ppossessesthe knowledge
In the place where everything began and ended
The Dark Lord and the boy will deul
one must die by the hand of the other
For neither can live While the other survives
But the child possesses a power no one else does
A power beyond the bounds of death
Protect the boy
For his choices will write the end
Either a light to restore hope to the world
Or shadows to swallow everyone
The room fell silent after Sirius's words, and Harry watched Dumbledore put the device he had used earlier back in his pocket.
"Terrible."
"Unspeakable."
Snape muttered the part that worried most but hadn't spoken.
"The master will duel with the boy, and one must die at the hand of the other, because one cannot live while the other lives."
Everyone fell silent as Snape read the line of the prophecy and looked at Harry with pity and sadness.
"I survived it once, and I can do it again," Harry said firmly.
"You can't simply assume that luck will always be with you, Potter. You must train."
"I do," Snape looked at him suspiciously.
"What about the power that no one else have it, Harry?" asked Ted
"I haven't discovered anything unusual about me yet. Maybe I'll find something in the future that can help me."
Tonks recited the last part, "Protect the boy."
"Not like we need the prophecy to tell us that, do we, Harry?" the twins sang, and Harry smiled back.
"Constant Vigilance!" Moody shouted, startling almost everyone.
Dumbledore said, "Moody's right. If the prophecy says so, then there must be something or some danger surrounding Harry and we must protect him from it."
Molly said, "Of course there is. Or are you forgetting that you know who will return with an army? We don't know who the Death Eaters are, and they will all be after the poor boy."
Everyone shook their heads at Molly's sharp words.
Sirius said, "While studying, Harry will stay in the castle and spend his holidays with me, protected in this house."
Remus added, "We can always add extra security for him during his visits to Hogsmeade."
Harry smiled at them gratefully for their support, even though he knew how to protect himself after nearly thirty years of working for the Ministry, hunting down Dark Wizards and Death Eaters on the run. He hadn't failed once, well, except for the last time.
"What about the rest of the prophecy?" Bones asked.
"There's a lot of mystery surrounding it."
"The beginning of it... It has to do with the rumors about the prophecy... The Guardians... When the Guardians of the pProphecystart appearing, I think that's when Voldemort's rise will be imminent," Sirius said, deep in thought.
"Ahhh."
"Yes, Harry?" Arthur asked.
"At the end of my fourth year... Voldemort will be back then."
"That's about a year and a half..." The room fell silent at the realization of the calamity that would soon befall the magical world.
The meeting continued as they discussed some security measures, and Amelia shared with them the Ministry's plans to raise awareness among wizards without starting a wave of public anxiety. No one dared to mention the rest of the prophecy...
The rest of the holiday passed smoothly as they tried to come to terms with the return of a certain psychopath. Hermione and her parents joined them on Christmas Eve, and Arthur was very pleased to talk with Mr. and Mrs. Granger and compare the Muggle and Wizard ways of celebrating. Harry, Ron, and Ginny shared with Hermione what had happened before her arrival. Hermione told them she hadn't found anything useful in the books she'd taken, and she nearly threw one of her famous tantrums. She only stopped when they promised to finish them before returning. As expected, Percy was the only one to finish his books, but they contained references to books they had previously read, and they were mentioned. The book with the unknown name is shown twice.
When Ron, Ginny, and the twins noticed they hadn't received any gifts from Harry, he indicated that he would give them one when they returned to school. He had spoken with Wood at the end of the last game about the importance of having reserve players, and that it would be a good idea to choose a reserve goalkeeper for Wood to train before he graduated from school the next year with Percy.
With Sirius's help, and in secret, Harry bought each of them a new Firebolt broomstick. To avoid causing gossip, he did the same thing not only for the rest of his team but for all the school teams, except for Slytherin, of course, since Draco had covered it the previous year. Despite the high cost, Harry refused Sirius's desire to share the cost and insisted on buying it himself.