A/N: I don't anything... except my laptop which isn't probably mine...

Chapter 1: What else…?

Harry Potter sat looking out the window onboard the Hogwarts Express with an unfocused gaze. He was replaying the last few years of his life up to this point. As he went through each year, he became more and more agitated and angry with how his life has turned out. Since his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he has had to face some challenge, had to go through some obstacle that was beyond what was expected of normal people. He has had to face a certain Dark Lord three out of the four years thus far in some sort of form or the other, that was believed to be dead. However, that little fact had drastically changed with the end of the Tri-Wizard tournament.

Throughout his fourth school year at Hogwarts, he was believed to be taught by former Auror Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, which turned out to be none other than a death eater that believed to be dead, Barty Crouch Jr. He was allowed to execute his Master's plan flawlessly. Harry had been transported to the cemetery to participatein the resurrection of this Da-

"Harry, why are you not with us mate?"

Harry stared blankly at Ron for what felt like 5 minutes, which was actually only 30 seconds before answering him.

"I just want to be by myself for now Ron. I needed sometime to organize and analyze my thoughts."

"Well, why would anyone want to do that? It would be better if we just played a game of chess. Come on mate; just join us in the other compartment."

"No Ron, if I wanted to be there, I would have been there. So would you please just leave me be."

"Fine! Be a prat!" said Ron storming out of the compartment, and slamming the door shut behind him.

Harry continued to stare at the door for a few minutes after his friend's departure, before letting out a sigh and speaking out loud.

"What was his problem? It was a simple request. I don't think that it warranted such a response."

"I would have to say that I agree. That wasn't a nice way to respond to such a request."

"Thank you, at lea- Who are you? And when did you get in here!"

"Oh, I am sorry. I was going to introduce myself a few minutes ago, however the flaming red head beat me to talking. My name is Arella."

"Nice to meet you Arella, my name is Harry. Now would you please tell me how you got in here, and what you are doing here?"

Harry studied her as she had a thoughtful expression on her face. She couldn't be more than 19 years of age. He honestly couldn't remember ever seeing this lady before. However he could tell how he could forget. She didn't have a distinguishing trait; she was quite simply just plain looking. With brown hair, hazel eyes, looked to be about five foot and half. She could easily be hidden among a crowd and you wouldn't be able to tell her apart. She just didn't draw any attention to herself.

"Harry, I was sent here by Death, because he simply doesn't want to see you for at least 150 years. He absolutely hates it when people are manipulated and driven to early deaths that he didn't sanction. The paper work he has to go through when that happens; is insane. We try to stay clear of him when that happens because one way or another someone is going to be caused some pain."

"Well as you can see, I am well as can be expected, and currently living. I'll try to keep it that way for another 150 years. So if that is al-"

"No! That is not all," Arella interrupted. "If that was all, then there wouldn't be any point in me coming here. Death has really gotten tired of a few different people messing with his work. One will not die, and the other is pushing someone else to die before his time. So he decided that he wasn't going to stand for it. He has sent me here as your advisor. I will be helping you as you are tasked by Death to send the self-proclaimed "Lord Voldemort," to where he belongs. He has been living on borrowed time, that wasn't his to have. He should have died that Halloween night. I remember it quite clearly, Death was all geared and ready for the time that he would get to torture and play with him. But no, he had escape Death, by using the Darkest of magic, that hasn't been seen on this planet for a millennium. Death was not a happy camper after that ordeal."

"As I can share Death's loathing of Voldemort living that night, considering he has made it his personal mission in life to ruin my life, I don't see what Death wants me to do. Why don't you go do something to end his life and make sure that he remains dead?"

"Well I would if I could, however I cannot. The beings of the plane which we exist cannot intervene directly. We can advise, steer people into the right direction, we simply can't do it ourselves. Death is willing to help you out as much as he can, hence the reason he sent his senior most advisor. Me. I am here to ensure that you have everything you need and advice on what is to be done."

"Why has he chosen me? Why not someone like Dumbledore? Dumbledore is the leader of the light, he is the strongest of the light. He is the one wizard that Voldemort fears. He is the only wizard to have faced him on equal grounds and has lived. So why would Death choose me over him?" Harry Challenged.

Arella sighed before answering, "Harry, Dumbledore is not on the best of terms with Death either. Do you remember when I said Death was tired of few people messing with his work?" Harry nodded and Arella continued, "Well Dumbledore is the other person who has been messing with things. He has had a grand scheme where he has been leading you along a path that will lead to your death at the hands of Voldemort before you are 17. He plans to sacrifice you so that you may fulfill a false prophecy which he believes to be true. As I have told you, Death does not want to see you until you are at least 164 years of age. Dumbledore, in the eyes of Death, is just as bad as Voldemort. He should expect the same welcoming that awaits Voldemort."

Harry leaned back in his seat and just stared off into nothingness as his brain worked through everything. 'How was one to come to terms with this? How am I to believe this? But above all else, why me? What did I do to piss off the fates to put me through all of this? Of course, it would have to be me. Why wouldn't it be me? I am not lucky enough to not have to go through the most troubling ordeals. Well, at least someone is looking out for me, if only because it would solve his problems as well.'

"Arella, how do you expect me to believe any of this? The only part that rings true possibly is that Voldemort just happen to anger someone else, which he doesn't seem to have a problem at doing. However, how am I supposed to believe that the leader of the Light is just as bad as Voldemort?"

"Shall we take a stroll down memory lane? Where have you stayed prior to going Hogwarts? You lived in a cupboard under the stairs at your muggle relatives' house. Which according to Hagrid, you were placed there by him on Dumbledore's orders. One could argue that he didn't know about your living arrangements, on the other hand, your first Hogwarts letter was addressed to the exact cupboard that you were living in. Not to mention how you looked when you arrived on the first day of school. Anyone could see that you were terribly small for your age. That brings us to however did he hire a teacher that had the spectra of Voldemort on the back of his head, and not know that he wasn't there? Not to mention that a group of first years were able to bypass all the "defenses" of the stone to be lead to face Quirell and that thing on the back of his head. Then we come to your second year where you are ostracized by your peers for being a parselmouth, and automatically deemed the heir. Which Dumbledore did nothing to help, he was completely use-"

"Okay, I get your point. The whole reason I was in this compartment by myself was to overlook my life up to this point. As you know I have had some rather trying adventures in my life thus far. I was trying to figure out how this kept happening to me, well you certainly answered that question, and for that matter you have hinted upon the why. So do tell, what am I supposed to do now? What are you going to do? What is the plan?"

Arella mumbled incoherently and slouched into her seat before saying softly, "I don't know."

This did not settle well with Harry because as soon as she had finished her sentence, he yelled, "What! What do you mean you don't know!"

"I mean to say that I have a general outline of things to do, well I know we have a starting point in that we must go to Gringotts the moment we leave the train, also that we will not be going back to the Dursleys. But, I don't have this huge scheme of things we must do and that you will mindlessly follow. You are a person, which Death recognizes. So I am to share my knowledge with you and to help you. You are the one to decide what we must do. I am here as a council, where the council just advises and you take into consideration of that. Death doesn't wish to control you to do his bidding, and force you to things his way, which is why I don't know exactly what we are going to do."

There was a subtle silence that descended upon the compartment for a few minutes before Harry finally spoke, "Well I suppose that is better than 'Lets run around and hope we can do something correctly.' So why do we have to go to Gringotts? I have been there a couple of times and nothing special has happened there when I went."

"Well let's save that for when we get there. I won't be able to explain everything that the Goblins can. As they are better equipped to inform you of what is to happen."

"Alright, so are you going to remain with me, or are you going to disappear all over again?"

"I will remain by your side; however no one else will be able to see me unless I want them to. So when we are not alone, you should not acknowledge my presence or everyone will consider you a loon. We cannot have that happen; it would only put a damper on our plans."

"Yes, I am rather aware that even in the Magical world, 'talking to invisible voices,' is a sign of insanity," Harry said remembering his second year when he could hear the basilisk speak, and no one else could. "Would you at least consider showing yourself to my friends? They have always been by my side and have helped out throughout the years."

"Do you mean your friend Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, there are some things that I need to tell you before we get to that point

A/N: There is the first chapter.. If you think I should continue please tell me so. I would appreciate helpful criticism. R&R