Chapter Text
Death was never the true end for Harry Potter, but rather, a beginning for a new cycle of life. It was something that Death was aware of since their existence. Death was indifferent, lacked empathy, and only lived to gather souls. Yet every time the entity was forced to watch the boy die their indifference began to crack. They were somehow attached to the child.
In every timeline the kid was killed in some way. And every time they would end up meeting death. Harry could be male, female, neither, or in between. They could be human, or creature, even animal. But in the very end they would find themselves at death's door, asking to have a cup of tea, or perhaps asking questions the entity has heard many times before. Including this very instance.
Harry stumbled through the veil, the oldest they had ever lived, thirty-seven years old. Chiseled jawline, dull green eyes, toned chest, unkempt hair. Harry died a man in his late thirties, with two children, and a bossy wife. Death grumbled and checked off their mental list. Death number seven-hundred-forty-two. The boy looked up at him confused before realization set in.
“Death,” he said “how did I die?” Death let out a sigh.
“Killing curse to the back, you didn’t notice the person stalking you, not with your son complaining about his sorting.” they drawled. Harry rolled his eyes and sat down in the chair across from the entity.
“So he watched me die.” Harry cringed. Death nodded slowly before taking a sip of tea. Harry looked at him oddly. “I will never get over how you look.” he said.
“I don't believe anyone will. You humans are very creative in your portrayals of me.” The being said thoughtfully. “I find it quite amusing.”
“I wonder if I should continue this game of ours.” Harry said suddenly. Death raised a brow in question. “I have yet to live an entire lifetime without being killed. I’m beginning to wonder if the fates have it out for me.” Death chuckled at that.
Harry looked into the doorway to the next life, then he stared at the doorway to the afterlife, both very tempting in their own ways. Death watched in amusement as the boy contemplated his options.
“If there is a timeline where you live, I would very much like to see it.” Death said honestly. “I find myself longing for a happy ending for my Master. One can only watch a single soul die over and over for so long.”
Harry smiled at the entity, so different from the one he had initially met, different from the cold, emotionless, lifeless husk. The masters before him never lasted this long. Reliving life only a few times before giving up and moving on. But he refused to give up on his happy ending.
“Perhaps we can agree on an arrangement.” he looked at the entity “You spoke of your children. Those who you blessed at a young age, to help others pass on.” Death's eyes lit up. “Perhaps I could be one of those children.”
“And would you keep your memories?” The entity asked.
“No, I should think not, I would already be too powerful. No need to send me back as some sort of god.” Death snorted and nodded. Harry finished the last of his tea and stood up. “I’ll see you on the other side, old friend.” Death smiled as Harry walked through the open doorway to his next life
October thirty-first, All Hallows’ Eve, the day the veil is closest to the living realm. The night was young, and for most, it was peaceful. But for the Wizarding world, war was waging. Unbeknownst to many the war would finally end the same night. But alas the ending would bring with it the birth of a new danger. A waking of magic in which could be the destruction of everything or the protector of their home.
A prophecy was spoken long ago between the Fae. An ancient curse was forced upon a child of light to endure the darkest of days. That child would be forever called The Puer Noctis. A child who could see that in which most could not. A child that is said to be able to speak the ancient language of the Fae. But that was all it truly was, a child.
The Fae, creatures beyond the veil, were prepared for this night. They had waited for hundreds of years, and finally the night had come. They would wait for the child to be left alone. No one would be allowed to witness them as they bestowed their gifts to the child. Lest they die by the wicked hands of death themself.
So they waited with baited breath. They watched the scenes of the night with a morbid curiosity. They watched as a man cursed to live forever killed the parents of their Puer Noctis. They watched as the curse of death backfired onto said man and destroyed what was left of his soulless body. The danger was over and now the curse had begun.
They followed the child wherever he went and watched as he was placed on the doorstep of a plain looking house. The large man —a half giant one of the Fae had supplied— bent down and placed a note onto the child before quietly knocking on the door. The man turned away and quickly exited the area.
The Fae wasted no time to gather around their cursed child and gaze upon that of which could kill them without issue. A small babe with pale skin, dark hair, and bright green eyes met their gaze. The child smiled and reached out to the nearest Fae.
The queen of the Fae Titania crouched down and held the child’s hand with a soft smile gracing her features. Her husband Oberon stood next to her, his imposing figure relaxed, and he smiled as well. The child babbled making the rest of the Fae slump in relief. No one else would die tonight it seems.
“My Puer Noctis, how you have the most beautiful eyes.” Titania spoke softly. “Perhaps it is a blessing that has been put upon you instead of a curse.”
“Perhaps, but we should not doubt the Oracle for she has never lied before.” Oberon replies smoothly. Titania only nods before placing her hand upon the child’s head. A light green glow surrounds the child making it giggle excitedly.
The rest of the Fae gather together and link their hands to form a large semicircle around the child. The hum of magic surrounds them and as they gaze upon the child it links them together. The feeling of shared magic enters their minds and they all grin excitedly. Titania stands suddenly turning around to face her children.
“I call upon two witnesses for tonight’s blessings.” She says in a regal flourish. “May Fulgur stand before us and bare witness?” The crowd parts only momentarily as a male elf makes his way to the front of the crowd. Titania nods in approval “and may I call upon death as my second witness?”
The crowd gasped in unison and looked upon their Queen with surprise. Death has not been called upon for a millennium as the right was stripped away after their last Queen attempted to become immortal. So they held their breath and waited to see if the creature would show. Perhaps it wouldn’t and instead ignore them out of spite.
After waiting for a few timeless minutes they felt that it would not show and sighed. But then to their surprise a dark cloth form swirled above the babe. It came to a slow halt and a large bony hand made its way out of a long black sleeve. The hood covered the creature's face but the eyes glowed a menacingly bright green in the darkness.
Death looked from the babe to their queen for a moment before backing away and bowing low. The creature had given its approval to their queen, and despite the fear among them, the fae relaxed. Titania nodded to the creature in thanks and bent down to grab the child from his basket. She held him close to her chest and placed a gentle kiss to the child’s eyes.
“The first blessing I will gift this child” she began “is the gift of sight. So that he may never be caught by those who wish to hide from him.” She finishes and a ring of gold surrounds him. Then she places a kiss on his forehead.
“The next gift I bestow upon him is Occlusion, so that those who may pry will never see his thoughts unless freely given.” She looks down into his eyes as another ring forms. “and finally, the blessing of the empath. So that he may know when someone is hurting or untruthful.” The final ring forms. She goes to give him a final kiss but before she can another ring forms.
Death is above them looking down on the child. It floats down to meet them and touches his hand to the babes chest. It’s voice croaks out in a chilling song, as if two voices were speaking as one, both quiet and loud.
“The gift of shadows. So that he may never find himself alone.” The creature says. They meet gazes and both nod, an unspoken agreement that only they knew the contents of. Titania leans down and kisses the babe one last time.
The golden rings around the babe shrink and condense to form one smaller thicker ring. The ring places itself on the baby's right arm and solidifies into his skin. Death takes its hand off of the child and floats away. Titania leans back down and places the child back into his basket.
The queen stands back up and looks at death before bowing low. The creature looks at her for a few moments before returning the gesture and dissolving back into the shadows. She turns toward the crowd and smiles. Then she looks at Fulgur and gestures for him to come forward. Once he does come forward she holds his hands in her own.
“Fulgur dear, I must ask you to do me a great favor.” She says quietly. “I need you to watch over the child. You don’t have to do much, just make sure he is safe. I do not trust the humans to not hurt him.” Fulgur makes a face and she sighs “I know they aren’t all bad but some of them are rather brutish so I’d rather be safe than sorry. You don’t even have to stay here everyday, I would not force you to abandon your home just to watch him, but please be vigilant for just a few days before running off.”
Fulgur gives her a blank stare before nodding. She sighs in relief and pulls him in for a hug. She places a gentle kiss atop his head before pulling away and grabbing her husband's hand. They begin to walk away with the rest of the Fae but then Titania stops and clearly says.
“And Fulgur, please don’t cause any unnecessary trouble for him, he’s only a child.” With that the rest of the Fae dissolve into a light mist leaving the last of their group behind.
Fulgur sighs and leans down to look at the child. The lightning shaped scar on his forehead catches his attention and Fulgur shakes his head whilst chuckling. Perhaps this wouldn’t be such a bad job. He stands up again and knocks loudly on the door to the house. Making sure that they come to get the child he listens for movement.
When a loud curse comes from inside the house he turns away and in a poof he’s out of sight. He watches as the door opens and a robed woman steps through the door to look around. When she looks down he hears a gasp and the woman picks up the child holding him to her chest. She reads the note and squints in contemplation before shrugging and taking the child inside.
Once the door shuts Fulgur releases a sigh of relief, then gracefully he makes his way up into one of the trees behind the house. Hopefully he won’t have to wait too long before he can return home. Just a few more days and then he can relax once more in the comfort of his bed. He almost startles as a dual voice speaks to him.
“Fulgur LeFay, how interesting it is to see you here.” death says from the shadows. Fulgur swallows the lump in his throat as his eyes catch the menacing glowing green eyes of the creature. “I have a very special task for you child.” Fulgur blinks in confusion. What could a being such as death need him for?
Death stares at him, into his soul, he can feel its penetrating gaze judging him. Looking into his past, present, and future. The being chuckles at his frazzled state. Does death find this funny? Does death even have a sense of humor? It wasn’t something you typically think to ask yourself but at that moment Fulgur was thinking it.
“Your queen has tasked you to watch over the boy, I ask that you do the same, but more specifically I ask that he not die until the age of thirteen” Fulgur’s eyes widened at the request. Why would the being be worried that the child would die? Is there something death knows that he does not? “I sense your curiosity and can only answer you this. The boy is important to me.”
“Then why not look after him yourself?” The words are out of his mouth long before he comprehends that he’s speaking. Almost instantly an icy cold breeze washed over him. The feeling of loathing surrounds him as the shadows grow darker. Death is angry and it is a miracle Fulgur is still alive after being nearly frozen over.
Multiple growls of varying pitches echo around him as death responds “I am not allowed to cross the veil into the living realms. I was forced to stay away by those who feared me, feared my children, they would never harm you, Yet those monsters hunted them down, killed as if they were pigs to the slaughter.” But that didn’t seem right, death had been there to bless the boy, so if they’re trapped then what was watching over them?
“My true body lies beyond the veil, what you saw was only an illusion, you need not worry that the blessing did not work. I witnessed it just as you did. I am death, I see all, I know all, and no one escapes my grasp.”
Suddenly the shadows lifted and the voices dispersed. Death was nowhere to be seen, as if they had never been here. Fulgur hadn’t even agreed to watch the child, yet somehow he was certain, death already knew his answer from the start. Fulgur wasn’t able to sleep that night, plagued by thoughts death had planted into his head.
Who had forced death to leave the living realm? Who were the beings' children? And what did the Puer Noctis have to do with any of this?