The Boy Who Lived Again And Again And…
Harry grinned. It had taken him years to get to this stage, years spent searching the globe for obscure spells and potions and rituals until he'd finally stumbled across exactly what he needed, and more years to get everything into place.
He was going to go back in time. He was going to save everyone he cared about, everyone who died needlessly at the hands of Voldemort and his deatheaters.
He was doing this for the Weasleys, and Hermione, and Sirius and Remus, for the Tonks family and Cedric and Dobby, for Dumbledore and even for Severus Snape.
He'd worked it all out, he'd go back to just before he got his Hogwarts letter with all his memories and power intact. That would give him plenty of time to hunt down the horcruxes, get Sirius out of Azkaban and kill off as many deatheaters as he could before Hagrid picked him up to go shopping. When at school he'll do a quick once over on his work then hit the library for more interesting spells to take up his time, besides getting rid of Quirrell. He might even have a go pranking Malfoy.
Harry added the final ingredient to the potion, stirred it a few times clockwise, then ladled a spoonful out. Everything else was already in place, he just had to drink the potion and then chant the words to begin the ritual.
Confident that he had the words memorised, he'd practiced then for an entire week after all, Harry lifted the spoon to his lips and drank, then began chanting a string of Latin and French and Greek and a whole heap of other languages, until…
'…I COMMAND THEE NOW!'
EPIC FLASH OF LIGHT!
***Somewhere far far beyond the fabric of space and time***
'Guys! Bring the popcorn, show's about to begin!'
'Oh goody! I wonder what he'll do this time?!'
'You reckon he's managed to keep his memories?'
'If he didn't the last six thousand, three hundred and forty five times, what makes you think he'll manage this time?'
'You never know, he might stumble across the answer'.
'Yeah, a few million tries away perhaps'.
'Well he did half manage it once. Remember, when he went back in time and to a parallel universe'.
'Now THAT was funny! He woke up as a ponsy blonde with the urge to sing into a hairbrush!'
'Ah yes, the Gilderoy Lockhart version of Harry Potter. Everyone within a ten mile radius must have heard that scream. Quickest time ever to leap back in time, only took a year didn't it?'
'A little less than a year, but yeah pretty much. Just about every other time he spent about half his life finding the right spells and rituals to go back'.
'Are you guys watching that show again?! That thing's so lame!'
'It is not!'
'Yes it is! I mean sure at first it was good, but now it's just repeating itself! Go back, get the letter, fight dangerous monsters, nearly die several times, kill the bad guy, hunt down the time travel ritual and repeat. It's all the same!'
'No it's not! What about that one where he wound up having multiple animal forms and the one where he had god like powers'.
'Don't forget the one where he got a hold of a lot of firearms and went nuts on those deatheaters!'
'Or the ones where he had multiple partners, male female or both!'
'Then you've got the ones where he goes back to different ages in his lifetime, or to when his parents were children, or further'.
'There's been plenty of episodes where he's had multiple forms, and god like powers, numerous lovers, and access to dangerous weapons, and ones where he's the richest person on earth. And don't get me started on that whole being older than your parents thing, that's so over! Seriously guys, they need to cancel this show, there's nothing else to cover!'
'Just because you're bored with it doesn't mean the rest of us are'.
'Shows how stupid the rest of you are'.
'What was that?'
'Nothing!'
'Guys shut up! It's starting!'
***Back on Earth***
And now ladies and gentleman, we present to you, the season finale of the Boy Who Lived show!
FLASH!
'AHH!'
THUMP!
Harry rubbed his head, wondering just where on Earth he was. It took a moment or two, but then a few memories game back to him. He was called Harry, he was ten years old, he had black hair and green eyes…and that was it, he couldn't think of anything else about himself. It was something at least, now he just needed to work out where he was and how he got there. It was only when he heard the groaning that he realised he might have fallen on someone, somehow.
'Oh Merlin I'm sorry! I'm not really sure what happened!'
Hurriedly he helped the woman to her feet and checked her over to make sure he hadn't injured her. He ignored the strange exclamation he made for the moment, making a note to figure out why he was comparing a fictional character to god.
'That's ok child. I must say you gave me quite a start when you suddenly appeared like that. I suppose you are magical then?'
'Huh?!'
'Magical. Wait, don't you know about magic?'
Harry opened his mouth, then closed it.
'I…Well…To be honest I'm not quite sure of anything right now. Is there really magic?'
She smiled.
'Of course. I suppose you must be a muggleborn then?'
'Um…well I'm going to say…nope, I'm afraid I just don't know'.
'Well, we'll just need to see about that. Where are your parents?'
'Um…I think…I think my parents died, a long time ago, but I don't really know how'.
She gave him a sympathetic look.
'I'm sorry child. Perhaps you and I have a talk about magic and what you might know. We could try and find out where you came from, and if you have any family'.
'Yeah, ok, although for some reason I don't think any family would want me. No actual blood related family that is' Harry replied, rather confused about why he was thinking these things.
They headed to a small café, the woman pausing to glance down the street. Harry caught sight of what she was looking at.
'I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?'
'Oh no child. I just…do you see that man down there?'
Harry nodded.
'Well, I've been watching him for quite a while. I'd like to talk to him. He's rather handsome, but he just doesn't seem to notice that I'm here, even though we live quite close to each other. I'm not really much to look at, I know, but it would be nice to find someone to be with'.
Harry frowned a bit, examining the man. He seemed quite well off, considering the way he dressed. Harry then glanced up at the woman. She wasn't really much of a looker, but he wasn't going to be rude and say that to her. She was really nice though, and kind enough to help him out. To be honest, he thought that having good looks was overrated, what really mattered was a person's personality.
'Um…I know I'm not really one to talk here, since I'm just a kid, but if he chooses not to notice you, for whatever reason, then maybe he's not the right one for you'.
She blinked and glanced down at him.
'You think so?'
'Well yeah…I mean, looks aren't all that's important. I have a feeling that if I fell on him, he'd probably yell at me and chase me off, but you've been really nice to me and you're even helping me work out where I came from' he replied with a bit of embarrassment.
Something bubbled in the woman's chest, and gently she fingered the vial on her pocket. Then, smiling, she nipped to the bathroom and poured the liquid down the sink. Heading back to the table she encouraged the child to order something to eat, she might not have a lot of money, but she would manage with the extra addition to the family. All she ever really wanted was someone to love, it didn't have to be a partner.
As they ate they talked, covering different subjects and trying to help Harry work out more about his past. A parental potion was mentioned at one point, to check Harry's family, which in turn got Harry interested in potions and what they could do, which led to talk of an ancestry potion that the woman promised she would brew and take for her own family line to show Harry what it could do, when they got back to her home, where she graciously allowed him to stay until he found his feet. When he protested, she hushed him and said that her family wouldn't mind, since he was magical. They didn't really approve of her going after this muggle man, so they would be pleased to know she had decided to drop her interest for the sake of a young wizard in need.
About half an hour into the chat, the woman suddenly chuckled.
'All this time we've been talking and we haven't even introduced each other'.
'Oh, sorry. My name's Harry' Harry replied sheepishly.
She smiled at him and held out her hand.
'My name is Merope, Merope Gaunt. It's a pleasure to meet you Harry'.
***Somewhere far far beyond the fabric of space and time***
'Aww! Is it over?!'
'Ok you have to agree that one's new'.
'Oh shut up!'
