Prologue

Death Pays a Visit

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me, however much I may wish it did.

Dialogue: "text"

Thoughts: text

Spells: text

Parseltongue: :text:

Third Person POV

Harry Potter was writing a letter to his recently-made friend Ashton Malfoy regarding his well-being in his humble house in Godric's Hollow when Death traveled up to the house in the form of an orphaned boy. Death read the address written on the sheet of parchment that Harry had given him when he first moved. Twenty-one … twenty-three … twenty-five … twenty-seven … twenty-nine … thirty-three … What the?! He said thirty-one. Death thought. Looking at the parchment, Death read aloud, "31 Vauxhall Bridge Rd, Victoria, London, England." Suddenly, a house appeared, glowing a soft gold and thirty-one appeared on the door. Death walked up and pressed the wing of the eagle-shaped door.

"Hello? Who is it?" Harry asked, peering from the stone archway and keeping his wand within reach. Seeing the young boy, he questioned, "Hello. Do you need some bread? Perhaps some water, too?" How did he get through the Fidelius Charm? I'm the Secret Keeper. Dumbly Bumblebee can't have changed the Secret Keeper, because then I'd have to take down my Fidelius Charm first. So how did this orphaned boy get in? Did I accidentally drop that bloody piece of parchment somewhere? Harry wondered.

"Hello," Death replied. Harry stared, confused. Really! How did he get through? Harry thought, bemused.

"Who are you? How did you find this house?"

"You're my Master, aren't you? You gave me a parchment with the address written on it. How else would I have found this house?" Death was confused by how Harry still didn't know who he was. Ah … So this boy is actually Death. Interesting … What could he be here for? Harry wondered.

"Why are you here?" he asked curiously, beckoning Death inside. He placed his wand on the small coffee table in the foyer and turned back to Death.

"Here." Death threw something into his hand. Harry looked at it curiously. It looked like an hourglass hung on a necklace. Harry gave it a once-over, thinking that it looked somewhat familiar, but just couldn't place his finger on it.

"What is this thing?" Harry questioned, carefully.

"A Time-Turner, of course." Ah! So that's why it's so familiar. I should have realized what this was right away. I saved Sirius' and Buckbeak's lives with it in third year. How could I have forgot? Harry realized.

"Why'd you give me a Time-Turner? Don't Time-Turners only allow you to turn back for five hours? That wouldn't help me with going back to restart my education, will it?"

"That's for a Typical Time-Turner, which has an Hour-Reversal Charm placed on them. Many people consider five hours the determined safety limit to the person and the fabrics of Time. However, this one doesn't have the charm on it so it can transport you back as far away from now as you want. Unlike the other Time-Turners, you have to say the time period or year you want to go to and the age you are when there. For example, if you want to go to your first year, you would turn the hourglass once and say, '1991, First Year.' You should go back to your first year."

"It's still safe though?" Harry asked, hopefully. He was overflowing with excitement at the prospect of going back to the Founders' Time, the time when his own parents started school, and, of course, another chance at his own school year.

"Yes. I asked Time herself to make it. She was more than happy to help. If she ever went to Hogwarts, she could be in Hufflepuff. She's too kind for her own good."

"Oh. I see. Ask her out on a date since you think she's so bubbly. It'd be a nice change to see from you. You're always so serious. So, I'd be able to go to my parents' year?"

"Hey! Anyways, I think this one will. Well, bye, Harry."

"Wait! Will I be able to talk to you even after I go back before I get all of the Hallows?"

"I can talk to you in your mind no matter how strong your Occlumency shields are, Harry. So even if you travel back, I can talk to you in your mind, kind of like the Sorting Hat. If you want to talk to me, you only have to think what you're going to say. I'll only appear when you call for me though, so I won't be able to hear all of your thoughts all the time. "

"Bye!" Harry exclaimed.

"Huh. Let's see if I can actually go to the Founders' time and start a new education there."

Harry put the Time-Turner around his neck, spun the hourglass, and said, "Founders' time, First Year." The Time-Turner started spinning and he was suddenly deposited in what he knew to be the Quidditch Field. As the adrenaline receded, his stomach protested about the trip, so he ran to the nearest garbage bin and dumped what he'd eaten for lunch. Harry had the distinct feeling someone was watching and pointing a wand at him from the column next to him.

This is the first 'chapter' of my first fanfiction. I hope you enjoy and please review, too! Thank you!