Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. This is merely a fan fiction and no money is being made out of it.
AN: So, yeah.. yet another HP fanfiction. It is actually my first fanfic (not my first novella, mind) so I implore you to be a little patient while reading it and of course, reviews are always welcome.
"You are mental!"
A voice rang in the whiteness that encompassed the entire world. This was not a world for world isn't a non-ending whiteness, this was a domain. A domain of someone powerful and right in the middle of the domain was a distraught man trying to argue with the emptiness itself.
"Perhaps, I have been called many things. Although, I confess that 'mental' is a first." rang a sweet voice of a maiden.
"I was not talking about your name, I was talking about what you said," the boy protested.
"I know," the voice answered.
"I mean, of all the beings in the god's green world, you, the lady death herself, how could you possibly ask me of such a ridiculous thing?"
The man, who was characterized by a messy and untameable black hair and a sharp emerald green eyes was almost shouting now.
"Besides, you haven't even showed yourself to me.. Do you realise how rude it is?" the man protested.
"Oh, how crass of me."
Out of the whiteness itself, a lady dressed entirely in black appeared out of nowhere in front of the man. She had long black hair and her face itself was reeking of a mysterious and unfathomable power. Not to mention, she looked quite gorgeous with deep black eyes and a smooth pale face.
She offered her hand forward and frowned at the man when he refused to pay any attention to it. Finally, no longer able to bear the displeasure that was showing on her face, the man took her face and gently kissed it.
"Showy as always aren't you Lady Death?" He said in a displeased voice.
"Can't say I am not, but at least I am not so showy as a certain someone who barges into a nest of Hungarian Horntail itself," she retaliated.
"Hey! That was an accident! Besides, the report only mentioned two Horntails there," He replied.
"Funny that. One would think that taking on two Horntails was foolish on its own," Death said.
"Heh! It is isn't it. That is, if you aren't me," the man replied.
"Boastful much?" Death said
"You know I am not! If the third hadn't sneaked on me from behind, I wouldn't have died. After all, I had already subdued the two of them." the man said with a smirk on his face.
"Indeed," Death replied.
"You know," the man started, "after living an entire hundred years, not an idle life, mind. One would think that he would finally get some rest after his death. Tell me again, why do you deny me that right, Lady Death?" It was clear that the man was quite furious with the lady Death in front of him.
"It is not that you are being denied the afterlife, Harry James Potter (don't use my full name!). Think of it as an.. excursion, if you will."
"I don't want an excursion!" Harry said angrily.
"Do not blame me, Harry James Potter, for it was not me who did that," she replied.
The man raised an eyebrow at her, "Oh, is it not you who is denying me my rights then?"
At his less than respectful tone, Lady Death merely shrugged rather than showing her own displeasure,
"It is me, yes. But it is not me who brought it upon you. You lived your life like one should, Harry James Potter (Would you stop it already!). Granted that the latter half of your life was.. reckless, what with hunting dragons and nundus and all but that doesn't matter. What matters is, at one point in your life, your laid your hands on all three hallows. Yes, it was but for a short time but the point is you took ownership of all three of my hallows and thus attempted to tame me. Tame death of all things!" she snorted.
"I did not do that willingly! I didn't even know and I certainly didn't want to tame you for crying out loud. Besides, I even destroyed that cursed wand!" Harry screamed at her.
"Yes you did, but no, you did not. The hallows can't be destroyed Harry James Potter (for the love of..). But that too, doesn't matter. No matter how much you argue, you have knowingly or unknowingly attempted to bind me and that is an offense towards me. But," she raised her hands to interrupt Harry who had begun to say something in retort, "I understand that you are innocent. That, in addition to the fact that you did me a service by destroying the vile piece of magic that you mortals call Horcrux and returned to me a soul that had tried to cheat me, I had forgiven you."
"So," Harry asked, "Why did you stopped me from passing to the afterlife?"
"As I said, Harry Potter (finally!), that was not my doing. It was the request of Fate, my sister, due to which I intercepted you. And since I have power over you due to you being the owner of my three hallows at one point, means that I can request of you what Fate has asked of me. A request that you are not allowed to deny."
Harry was, understandably, furious. Despite of what other said, living a long life of a century was a tiring process and at the end of his life when he was being showered by Draon fire, Harry remembered being happy that he was finally getting a rest that he deserved, but no, apparently he was damned to be manipulated even after his death.
"I know that it is not a pleasant thing that I ask of you Harry Potter but I ask of you to consider it for a moment." Although Death's tone was entirely haughty, there was a hint of request that wasn't lost on Harry.
Giving to the circumstance, Harry let a sigh escape from him. A sigh that suggested I-might-as-well.
"Good," Lady Death said in a pleased tone.
"So, what do you want of me?" Harry asked.
"I wish you to take a mortal form again and provide your aid to a certain someone," Lady Death said.
"You want me to go to another world? To help someone?" Harry asked in an unbelieving tone.
"Indeed Harry Potter. There are many different worlds as there are many different Harry Potters and Lord Voldemorts and your services are required in one of those world."
"What type of services if I may ask?"
"You can ask of course. And I might as well answer your question," Death said in a not so amused tone, "In a world not so different from yours, there is a Lord Voldemort. And much like how you were, there is a Chosen One too. The only problem here is that while you possessed a strong will that was superior to most of the mortals, the Chosen One of that world doesn't possess such strong well. You understand right? What happens when a person of a less than superior is forced to live with a family that doesn't love them?"
"They will break," Harry said flatly showing that the topic didn't cheer him in the slightest.
"Indeed. And the Chosen One is very close to being broken. This is where you come in." Death said to him.
"I come in how?" Harry asked in an uncertain voice.
"Be there for the Chosen One, Harry Potter. Be a friend, be a family, be a guardian. Show the Chosen One a path to vanquish the filthy cheater who has attempted to cheat me in that world."
"You want me to baby sit him?" Harry asked.
"In a way, yes. But I do not merely ask you to nurse the Chosen One. I wish you to be a guide, a beacon if you will."
Lady Death's tone was suggestive and yet it seemed that there was nothing that Harry Potter could do but accept it, despite of him having other thoughts.
"Sigh.. Very well, so.. Essentially I am to support him and guide him to vanquish Voldemort, is that it?"
"Indeed. That is the crux of the matter. But I further ask of you to not be too involved with the Chosen One's life." Death clarified.
"But! How can I guide him if I am not involved?" Harry protested.
"That is for you to decide, isn't it?" Lady Death answered slyly.
"Is it now? I was under the impression that I was not to decide things by myself.." Harry snickered.
"That was a very wrong impression then. Of course, I have faith in you to take right steps to guide the Chosen One even when under such severe restrictions."
"Fine fine.." said Harry under his breath, "Anything more you want to offer?"
Death managed a light smirk on her face.
"Funny you should ask that. Yes, I do have something to offer you. First, you may keep your magical prowess, which I believe was second to none in your world being the Lord of Light and all, and second and most important, I give you full access to one of my hallows, my cloak of invisibility to be exact. Not only will it now recognize you as its master, but it will also allow you its full use."
Out of nowhere, Death conjured a fluid like silky silvery cloak of invisibility and personally handed it to Harry.
"Err.. When I asked you for more to offer, I actually meant information you know. Nonetheless, thanks for the cloak." Harry said.
"Information, that will also be given to you Harry Potter. But believe me when I say, this cloak is of much more importance to you so listen well when I say that before now, no mortal has ever used this cloak to its full potential, except for perhaps Ignotus Peverell in one of the alterverse, I do not recall which." Lady Death said with a contemplative look on her face.
"So, it isn't merely an invisible cloak then?" Harry asked, which in retrospect wasn't a smart thing to ask for Lady Death immediately sported an indignant expression on her face.
"Of course not you fool! (Hey! that was uncalled for!). This cloak is one of my Hallows. One of Death's Hallow. How could it be a mere invisibility cloak? No, a mere invisibility cloak can not hide you from Death. This, however, actually hides you from the reality itself! Use this cloak and no ward will register you, no creature would smell you, nor would any other being feel you. In short, you would not exist for each and all purposes so long as you are under the cloak. Apart from that, this cloak can also fool the reality by modifying your presence from one place to another. That is to say, it is a handy tool for magic travel. And there are many other nifty uses for it but you need not be concerned. Once you use it, it would naturally tell you and only you, for I have approved of you, of all its secrets." Death finished her explanation leaving Harry utterly dazed as he tried to soak up everything that was said to him.
"It's.. amazing!" Harry managed only two words but it visibly pleased Lady Death for she had a wide smile on her face. In that moment Harry thought that if he didn't know that it was Death itself before him, he would have found the sight extremely dazzling.
"I am flattered Harry Potter." Lady Death said, as if reading his thoughts.
"Wait, how did you," he checked his occlumency barriers and found none, "never mind."
"So, if there is no more to be said then I would like for you to begin your task." Death offered.
"To guard the brat right? Fine then, get me to him." Harry relented. Seeing a sly looking smile forming on Death's face, he couldn't help but ask, "Why are you laughing?"
Death merely replied, "Oh I think that you are going to love it Harry Potter.. your next great adventure that is.."
Death then took a step forward and lightly pushed him backwards and suddenly the vast expanse of white where Harry and Death had been conversing before, was no more.