Chapter Text
Been there, Done that!
I.
If you blink, you might miss it.
He felt the adrenaline go high, he never felt so excited, nervous, scared, brave and frightened all at once. Everything was confusing, everything was a mess. His brain was a jumbled up apartment and the emotions were having a party in his brain.
But not everything was confusing.
He knows one thing, it’s one thing to keep him grounded. One thing to make him carry on.
One is not a big number, but it’s enough.
It’s enough.
A body slumped to the ground.
He—Harry was breathing heavily, staring dumbstruck at the dead body before him.
The Dark Lord is dead.
Voldemort is dead.
Suddenly, all the noises in the world was muffled, he couldn’t hear anything nor anyone. Everything happened so fast, he could hardly believe it. Like a blink and he was gone!
One emotion crept over his body.
Relief.
His knees buckled and he found himself crying, because all of this was over, the war, the deaths. It was all over.
He felt hands on him, he feels like someone or multiple people are holding on to him. He heard cries, he hears laughter, he hears celebration. Everything all at once. But it was all muffled. Everyone was trying to touch, to thank, to sing for their savior, the boy who lived.
Another emotion crept onto him, but he couldn’t describe it with just one word. It wasn’t enough. It felt like something was lost, he lost something. What was it? What happened? Something inside of him weighed heavy, and he felt something dimmed.
The emotions came back again in sporadic speed, and he found himself laughing and crying in Hermione and Ron’s arms. They too were also crying. Harry thinks he vaguely remember Hermione shouting and scolding at him. Ron was resting his head on top of Harry’s hair, sniffling tears away, holding on to him so tightly as if he didn’t hold on to him tight enough he would disappear.
The sun was beautiful when it lazily rose from the sky.
(Blink and you’ll miss it.)
The sun was beautiful also when it set melodiously, out of reach.
It was a bright orange tinge, but now the sky was a dark blue with small specks in the sky, they must be stars.
I think, I think I went to meet Headmaster McGonagall today, I don’t remember. Harry pondered, he scrunched up his face trying to remember what he did today. He think that he was awfully busy today. He doesn’t remember.
(Blink and you’ll miss it.)
Harry reached for something golden in the sky, it’s the snitch! He has to catch it for his team!
He caught it with his right hand.
It’s not the snitch. It’s a bell, hanging from the ceiling. It was a small bell. Harry let it go and smelled cinnamon and sugar canes.
He best hurry up, Ron would’ve dragged Harry back inside to open their presents. Some things never changed.
He take one last look at the snowy yard and went back inside, to the warm hands of the building.
(Blink and you’ll miss it.)
“I don’t think we should be together anymore.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s because of me isn’t it?”
“Yeah, I’m sorry. I really am. I just- I just—.”
“No, it’s fine.” he said firmly, embracing the girl in his arms, she broke down in tears muttering apologies and Harry had to shush her and comforted her.
He looked up into the distance, the sun was setting yet again, like it was melting away at the scene it was disturbing. Her hair looked like it was on fire because of the suns bright light. Harry stroked her and soothed her.
Harry knew it wasn’t going to last, he couldn’t blame her. Couldn’t. He would never.
(Blink and you’ll miss it.)
Harry was humming a merry tune along with the radio he magically enchanted. He danced along with it, he found himself laughing by himself all alone. If Kreacher walked in on him, he would’ve scolded Harry and called him crazy.
Harry felt himself smile. Oh this was the best part of the song! The song hit it’s chorus and Harry found himself singing along.
He didn’t went to work today, he had a terrible “illness”. Oh, Hermione would’ve scolded him non-stop for missing on his “responsibilities” and for what? To dance around like a lunatic in his own home?
Harry smiled and laughed. Maybe he should do this again and call his friends too. Get everyone to call in sick and to dance around like this.
Ding-dong!
The doorbell rang, oh who is that?
Harry merrily hummed the tune, passing through the hallway framed with pictures. He made sure not to look at the pictures. He doesn’t know why but he shouldn’t lay his eyes on them. But why..?
Harry opened the door, oh! His delivery is here. He thanked Fred Weasley for delivering it for him and went back to his living room.
He sat on the floor, and opened it. It was tacos. Harry wasn’t really fond of them. Maybe he placed in a wrong order?
The music in the background slowly faded. Snape just walked in, Harry waved at him. Harry couldn’t make out his face… but that’s okay. Harry knows he would probably had a scowl or something.
Harry looked back at his food, and started eating his cupcakes. Today is his birthday. Harry looked back down on the table. He was… whaaaaat??? 37 years old?? Damn what happened.
Ron clapped him in the back laughing. He must’ve said the last part out loud. Harry scowled at him but smiled back, even after becoming a father, Ron would always act like a child. Harry shuddered, holy shit he sounded like Hermione.
There was people surrounding him, they were singing something… Harry searched the crowd, there was very plenty familiar faces. He can’t name them all though.
Oh! But Dumbledore is there, he should say hi to him at least, Harry got out of the crowd. It was a very busy street after all.
Hedwig sat on his shoulder, nuzzling against him.
Harry suddenly can’t remember anything. But he hears music.
A lullaby.
A sweet song, to place someone to sleep.
A child’s song, sang beautifully by a woman, no. A mother.
mom..?
Harry found himself in front of a the fireplace. It was warm, comforting and peaceful. The song fading in the background. (no, comeback)
He was drenched in sweat. He can’t—
—He can’t what?
Harry scrunched up his face and closed his eyes.
His breathing was ragged, he was practically wheezing. He kept his eyes close, trying to focus on his body as if it would give him the answers he needed. He feels a sensation tingling in his arms, it was fickle, barely even there.
Harry opened his eyes. There was movement. He hears someone.
They were here to get him. Where is he? Where was he?
Was someone finally coming? Were they finally going to get him?
JUST FUCKING TAKE ME GOD DAMMIT.
A person was walking towards him. Harry gasped as he let go of his tight grip on the knife. He heard it clatter on the floor. The person stopped walking midway and froze, when she began walking again, it was weaved with elegance and grace.
Her eyes linger of no emotions regarding pity nor the owner of being scared. The way she holds herself, the way her body moves, it was as if she was in a dream.
She was distressed. That’s the word, and a word in which Harry could relate to. Considering the situation he finds himself in.
For some reason, Harry felt like he’s done something really naughty. Like how a child would feel when an adult caught them in the act of doing something to displease them.
“Oh, Harry,” Luna said gently, approaching Harry slowly, as if he was a wild and untamed animal. She knows Harry would never hurt her, ever. Harry loves Luna as if he was her sister and Luna loved him back. Harry was slowly remembering stuff, but he felt a bit numb.
IM FINE, IM FUCKING FINE.
Oh, what have I done? What have I fucking done? What’s happening? What’s going on? Luna, don’t look at me like that. Where’s Ron? Where’s Hermione? Please. Hear me. Please.
JUST TAKE ME! TAKE ME LIKE YOU TOOK THEM AWAY! JUST LIKE MY PARENTS, CEDRIC, SIRIUS, REMUS, SNAPE, DUMBLEDORE! YOU’VE DONE IT TO THEM!
WHY CAN’T YOU DO IT TO ME.
His head was woozy. A part of his brain was mad about something and was shouting utter nonsense that he didn’t want to process at the moment. The other part of his brain was crying, griefing on something or someone. Harry scrunched up his face, pushing the voices away.
Luna looked down at Harry’s arms, he followed her gaze and looked back down one his arms, remembering the tingling sensation.
There was cuts and bruises, carved deeply on his arms. The very engravement of the wounds spoke loud enough that it made a static ringing noise in Harry’s ears. He just stayed there, looking at the wounds, he inflicted upon himself.
He was bleeding, there was so much blood.
Everything was numb.
He looked back at Luna numbly, as if she had any answers to this.
“Are you trying to kill yourself again?”
——————————
Hadrian James Potter, the boy who lived, the savior of the Wizarding world, the vanquisher of You-know-who, has lived a long and eventful life.
He died at the age of 136, due to old age and the Wizarding world made the day of his death a holiday in his memory.
They found his body sitting peacefully in an arm chair, a book opened on his lap.
Harry Potter has achieved many things in life. He attended Hogwarts in his first year without any prior knowledge of the Wizarding world. In his first year he has achieved the title of the “century’s youngest seeker”, has defeated a mountain troll along with his friend group, defeated a Dark wizard without a wand and won his house the house cup due to his achievements.
In his second year, he saved the school yet again with the help of his friend group. He have saved a life of a young girl from the chamber of secrets. Killed a Basilisk with nothing but a sword, he couldn’t even use his wand, and destroyed a Horcrux without even knowing.
In his third year, he was able to master the Patronus Charm at the age of 13, helped a runaway prisoner who was wrongfully imprisoned. In his fourth year, he participated in the Triwizard Tournament, faced a dragon, merpeople, and witnessed the Dark Lord arose from the grave and the murder of an innocent schoolmate.
In his fifth year, he was discriminated by his schoolmate, peers and by one of his professor’s. He charged into the Ministry of Magic along with his friends, witnessed the death of his godfather, and fought against dozens of Death Eaters.
In his sixth year, he observed, learned and conquered. He was given private lessons from Dumbledore himself about Voldemort’s life and how to kill me. He observed his schoolmate’s action and figured out due to a ‘feeling’ that they were under something sketchy. He witness the death of the beloved Headmaster of Hogwarts.
In his seventh year, he went on the run with his group of friends. Running all across the country, destroying and calculating the horcruxes, measuring possibilities after possibilities. He went to war, died, revived and won.
After that he went into Auror training, easily climbing the ranks with his experiences and manners. In three years flat he became the head of the Aurors. He dedicated his life to finding injustice and judging them all under his watchful eye. Every criminal withers under his eye. He was praised and complimented from every person alike, from his attitude to his skill, from his mannerism to his face.
He retired after 30 years, and remained single. He occasionally helps the aurors and goes on little missions from time to time. But with his friends and their families, they all knew him as the ‘fun uncle/godfather’.
Though Harry Po
He grew old and older as the years passed, and so did the guilt, his skills and his views.
He fell into depression and guilt from the loss of loved ones and those he held dear, but recovered after a long period of time. After that he honed his skills, started studying, started viewing other perspectives and views. He traveled around the world, made friends, but he always goes back home to Ron, Hermione, Luna and Neville, possibly Draco or other friends and have a drink or two, laugh at the stories they share and tease.
Harry Potter lived a long life and was the last of his friend group to die.
Harry Potter died as a respected figure to the Wizarding world.
He welcomed death with open arms as an old friend. He was ready to walk to the afterlife and see his friends. His visit was very over due, indeed.
But when Death offers him a predicament that could alter the whole Wizarding world and save countless of lives, well, Harry always had a savior complex though he would never admit it, and took the opportunity without a second to spare.
“If this is your choice, hop on a train.” Death said with a twisted looking smile, or at least that’s what Harry thinks the entity is doing, he really doesn’t know. Death gave him a small piece of paper, to what it appears to be a ticket, a train ticket to be precise.
“Ah,” Harry said now feeling uncertain with Death smiling at him “I’m having second thoughts now— where am I going?”
“On.” Death said smugly
“Oh, ha ha quoting Dumbledore, seriously where am I going?” he said with a twinge of exasperation
“You’re going back in time to the root of the problems.”
Yikes, that doesn’t sound good.
“I need you to be more specific…?”
“You’ll be going back in time in Tom’s fourth year.”
“WHAT.” yelled Harry bewildered
“Oh yes, though I have no inkling of what you are supposed to do, I can paint the picture for you. Befriend Tom and stop him from making any Horcruxes.” Death said with a drawl “Quite a feasible plan, is it not?”
Harry was on the verge of calling Death an insane piece of shit, but calmed himself down, there wasn’t really anything to gain from a dirty fabric of nothing.
Going back in time sounded reasonable, befriend Tom fucking Riddle doesn’t sound reasonable, and Harry knows it, he was faintly sure that he was the only one in the world to know Tom without any misguided prejudice (no offense Dumbledore, even though your suspicions were correct that does not give you a reason to judge an eleven year old boy you just met.)
Harry weighed his options, on one hand he could just forget this whole conversation even happened and hop on a train to take him to heaven or whatever and meet up with his friends that he hasn’t seen in a long time, on the other hand, he could prevent countless of deaths and possibly prevent the Death of his loved ones.
Though if by preventing the rise of a Dark Wizard causes a chain reaction in which plenty of people he may know might not exist, wouldn’t that be the same in them just dying altogether?
What if, let’s say, Harry stops Voldemort from ever happening, and for some bizarre reason that leads to Snape and Narcissa to get married, would that be murdering Draco Malfoy or not?
Time travel is a very fragile thing, the butterfly effect is like throwing a brick into a window, it could break the timeline that he knows and experienced.
Harry remained quiet as he pondered his options. Though no matter how many times he tried to convince himself not to follow suit with the offer, his mind always circles back with the delusion of saving innocent people. Like I said, Harry Potter has a savior complex.
He fiddled with the train ticket in his hand, he felt the pressure slowly sink in and he felt Death’s stare drilling holes into his very being, awaiting his judgement. As if, if Harry asked for absolutely anything, he would receive it in a blink of an eye.
This offer was a second chance in disguise, he could relive a life and go by it. He would probably need to change his name, no one would know him or what he has done nor what shape his being.
Harry looked back at Death, “Time travel? Defeating a Dark Lord? Saving the whole Wizarding World and countless lives?” Harry said with a grin, he pretended to remove dust from his shoulder “Been there, done that! Bring it on!”
Death grinned wickedly back at him. “But of course, though I do suggest your last name to Peverell.” the entity started stirring Harry to the train he would be taking.
Harry clutched the train ticket in his hand, determined. If the world was to shape anew, it would be him to shape it. To nurture and grow. To weave and rewrite. He will take each strand and shape it to fit into the new world he will create, he will embellish it, renew and hopeful. Like how you dance to song, it will flow and ever lasting reminder.
If he were to die once again in this ‘second chance’, he will drill his morals in the face of the earth that even through death his morals and hard work will be the foundations of the new world.
One step at a time, he hummed a tune he remember Luna singing to him. He will definitely ensure that she gets born and that her mother wouldn’t die.
Before he was sent off on the train, Death explained to him a few things about what is to happen, before Harry could throw an insult or a swear at Death’s smug entity face, the train doors slid close and went off.
Death was a piece of shit, and time travel was his partner in crime.