Chapter Text
**Chapter 1**
*"Does it hurt?"* I speak, looking into the faces of my parents and my godfather.
*"Not as if you were sleeping,"* my mother replies.
*"We'll be with you until the end,"* says Sirius.
I toss the stone into the grave and walk towards my sacrifice, just as Dumbledore wanted me to do. He created me for this purpose, to sacrifice myself for people who never treated me well. People who, with every petty mistake, hurled stones at me.
*"Harry Potter,"* Voldemort says, looking at me with a malicious smile. *"And today, I put an end to you."* Hagrid cries, and the Death Eaters laugh at my plight.
*"Avada Kedavra,"* is the last thing I hear before everything goes dark.
...
I wake up in a white train station, reminiscent of Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. I look around, trying to understand why I ended up in this place when I hear a voice.
*"Master, we finally meet,"* says the genderless voice.
I turn around and see a tall woman—so pale she's almost translucent—dressed in a black cloak that obscures her face. She holds an enormous scythe in her hand, an aura of death and coldness surrounding her.
*"Death,"* I whisper. *"So this is proof that I've truly died, and you've come personally to escort me to the other side."*
*"Not quite, Master,"* she replies somberly. *"You're in an in-between state."*
*"Why do you call me 'Master'? I haven't collected all your relics,"* I ask.
*"But you have, Master. You possessed my cloak since you were eleven and held my stone in your final moments."*
*"But I didn't take the wand."*
*"You did when you disarmed Draco Malfoy, who had disarmed Dumbledore. Thus, you became the true master of my wand."*
*"But back to why I'm in this in-between state. What are my options?"*
*"First,"* she says, *"you can finally rest and reunite with your parents. Second, return to where you were and end the war as you were trained to do."*
*"And the third?"*
*"You can be reborn into a better life—a chance for a fresh start in a different world."*
It's not every day that Death offers options beyond simply crossing over. If I choose the first option, I can finally rest and be with my parents and Sirius as I've always wanted. No more worries. The second option means returning to my friends and ending this war together. But that third option—a chance to be reborn, experience new adventures—it's tempting.
Before deciding, I need more information.
I look at Death again and ask boldly: *"Before choosing, can I know what will happen to my friends if I don't pick the second option?"*
*"Well,"* she replies, *"if you don't choose the second option, your friend Neville will destroy the last Horcrux. After rallying support with a speech on your side, he'll confront Voldemort and end the war. A time of peace and prosperity will follow for the wizarding world—though there will still be ups and downs."*
*"And my parents? Can I ask their opinion if I don't rest with them?"*
Death snaps her fingers, and two forms appear.
*"Mom... Dad..."* Tears fill my eyes as I run to embrace them.
*"Our beloved Harry,"* my mother says.
*"Our precious Bambi,"* adds my father.
*"You deserve happiness,"* Mom continues. *"Rest now; we'll always be waiting with open arms."*
*"Yes, Bambi,"* Dad says. *"Even if you choose rebirth or return to war, we're proud of the man you've become. We only wish for your happiness—you deserve it."*
*"I love you both,"* I say through tears. *"And I can't wait to find you again."*
*“We hope not for long, Bambi,”* my father says, kissing my forehead.
*“Yes, my love, go be happy,”* my mother adds after giving me one last hug and a kiss on the forehead.
I turn to Death. *“I’ve made my decision. I’ll choose the third option.”*
*“As you wish, Master,”* she says with a final nod.
And then the world goes dark again.
…
I feel like I’m being pulled apart, squeezed through a tube. Hands yank me out of the warm tube.
*“Another boy,”* a female voice says.
Someone cleans me, and then warm, caring arms envelop me. I try to open my eyes but can’t.
*“He shall be named Monkey D Lyan,”* the feminine voice continues.
*“He’s as beautiful as his twin brother, Monkey D Luffy, who’s five minutes older,”* another voice says.
*“Yes, he is.”*
So I have an older brother in this life—how wonderful. I’ve always wanted a brother.
*“Master,”* I hear in my consciousness.
*“Death,”* I reply.
*“You won’t retain all your memories. You’ll only know that you’re the reborn soul of Harry Potter and nothing more. You’ll still be my Master. I’ll transform the stone and cloak into a necklace and the Elder Wand into a weapon of your choice in the future.”*
*“Why won’t I keep my memories?”* I ask.
*“So you can have a happy, healthy life without remembering the painful moments. May you find happiness this time, Master,”* she says before fading from my consciousness.
And so begins my newest adventure.