Disclaimer: Those that don't belong to me are borrowed and will be returned unharmed. Thank you.
Chapter One: Death has an evening off.
It was a perfect evening in Little Whinging. August first had been a really slow day in the death business and Death had given himself the evening off. He wasn't going to take any one on a whim tonight. He did sometimes if it was deserving, appropriate, or amusing. Sometimes he was forced by accident, happenstance, or murder. It was his job after all. One of his hobbies was frightening people. That's where he was going tonight.
"Number four Privet Drive, that's the address. Vernon Dursley is our subject for the evening." He spoke into a small very muggle tape recorder. He smiled. This was going to be amusing.
No one saw him stop on the sidewalk in front of the house and no one saw him walk through the front door as if it wasn't there. No one saw him go up the stairs except a small boy who stepped out of the cupboard under the stairs and followed him silently with a tear-stained face up to the first floor. Death turned into the first room on the left and stood over the large man snoring loudly.
"Vernon Dursley," he said in his best doomsday voice. "If you don't change your lifestyle you will die SOON!"
The great lump stopped snoring with a choking sound and fell off the bed. He did not wake up. Death chuckled and turned around to leave and was surprised to find a small green-eyed boy standing in the doorway.
"Did you come for me?" the little boy asked in a very small whisper.
"Do you know who I am?" Death answered noticing that the little boy had a large bruise on his face and was holding his arm like it might be broken.
"You are Death and I have been ready to go with you for a long time."
"Come downstairs with me and we will do something. I do have some responsibility for you."
They slipped silently down the stairs and into the lounge. Harry hesitated on the threshold.
"I'm not allowed in the lounge," he said with downcast eyes.
"You are tonight, Harry. Come to me, please."
Death held out his hand and touched the bruised cheek. A soft glow suffused the area and the bruise disappeared. He gently held Harry's arm and it straightened and the pain in his face disappeared.
"Wow," Harry said, "what was that?"
"That was Magic."
"Uncle Vernon says there is no such thing as magic."
"Uncle Vernon also eats too much, eats the most fattening foods, and yells way too much. He is wrong nearly all of the time. He also is a very bad liar. Harry, if you decide to come with me tonight, I promise I will never lie to you. I may not be able to tell you everything you want to know, but I will tell you what I can when I can."
"I'm going to die tonight then."
"No, Harry. You are going to have me for a guardian. That means you are going to live a long and happy life. It won't be happy all the time, but it will be happy more than it is unhappy."
"Why would you do this for me? I'm not anybody."
"I have many reasons, Harry. I promised your mother I'd look out for you. I really don't like Vernon Dursley. I have never really liked Albus Dumbledore. It really makes me happy to mess with the wizarding world. I'm going to enjoy it immensely."
"Who is Alb..whoever and what do you mean about the wizarding world?
"He put you here and there is so much you need to know. You are a Wizard. Did you know that?"
"No sir. I couldn't be a wizard, could I?"
"Because I know the power of your father and mother, I know you are a wizard and a right powerful one as well. We will speak of this at length later. Now we must be off. Iris will be waiting."
"Who is Iris, sir?"
"My wife and your new mother, I hope. We'll just have to see."
Death took Harry by the hand and they were suddenly in another neighborhood. They walked three houses down to Number 49 Lethe Road, went into the tall Victorian house and through the hall into the kitchen. It was bright and lit with oil lamps all around. A woman was making tea at the burner.
"You have brought a guest, Damien. Are you going to introduce us?" She said before she turned around.
"I'm hoping he will be more than a guest, Iris. This is Harry Potter."
She turned and laid out the tea things. "You spoke of him four years ago, love. Have you only just found him?"
"I have only just now decided to take a hand in his life."
She sat carefully and indicated a chair on her left. "Sit, young man."
Harry sat quickly. She smiled. He realized suddenly that she was blind. She held out a hand tentatively and touched his cheek.
"You have been hurt too much to be only five, my little soldier. You have much to learn and much to train for. You have a long life if you choose the right ways in your life. Will you let us guide you to those choices?"
Harry's heart was full to breaking. He had never had anyone say such words to him before. "Why do you want me? No one else ever has."
"Because you are so much more than just a little boy, and yet you are just a little boy."
Harry looked very confused at that statement.
"Harry," Death said, "you are listening to the riddles of a true seer. Even though Iris cannot see your face she can feel your soul and knows some of the futures that lay ahead of you."
"I have accepted Damien's choice, little soldier. I want to be your mum if you will have me, and he will be your dad. You will have to study hard and work hard at your training because you are destined to be a soldier for the light. Are you ready to stay with us?"
"I'm ready," Harry said.
"Then have some tea and scones," she said and laid his plate in front of him.