The deathly hallows were a trap within a trap. The entity known as death thought herself to be supremely clever with its creation. As with all soul traps there was a path to freedom but in the many cycles only one had ever avoided it. Delivering the young Peverell's reward still grated on her nerves all these centuries later.

So it was with glee that she became aware that his descendant had once again sprung the trap and this mortal had sprung the deeper trap by collecting all three in an effort to become her master. That was the beauty of the trap. Collecting all three did not make you the master of death but rather you became her slave. Such was the penalty for seeking control of an aspect. She need only wait for life to relinquish her hold on the mortal and death would be able to claim another victim.

As he lay in his bed feeling his life and magic drift away, Harry Potter was content. After a harsh and undeniably unfair childhood he had entered adulthood free of the pressures and fear that he had lived under for most of his life. His beloved wife Ginny, who passed into the next world a year earlier, had helped him faced the demons of his childhood and together with his best friends Ron and Hermione had helped him be a man that he was sure his parents would be proud of. He became a driving force behind the changes that were necessary after the second war and gained respect up and down the political spectrum because of the care he took to try and protect wizarding culture and tradition at a time when traditionalist had not only lost political power but when many of the old families were near extinction on both sides of the war. His greatest contribution to this was negotiating to allow for final surviving members of families who were serving life sentences in Azkaban to father or mother children who were then raised by other members of the wizarding community. His efforts lead to the survival of families like the Malfoy's, Notts, Crabbs, Goyles and even the Lestranges.

His life had turned out better than he could have imagined. He had married Ginny, Hermione had married Ron, Neville had married Hannah Abbot and Luna had married Susan Bones. The final death knell to Ron's insecurity had been when Susan had asked Ron to father her and Luna's children to continue the Bones and Lovegood family names. Both girls had harbored crushes on the redhead during school and after speaking with Hermione had been allowed to give Ron a night that every man dreams about. A newly confident Ron had engineered with his sister the opportunity for Hermione to have an equally dream fulfilling night with Harry who he knew shared a practically equal place in the bushy haired girl's heart. It didn't take long for Neville's crush on Ginny and Hannah's love for Susan to be outed and before long Harry and his friends became swingers. Harry never thought the term fit because the three boys and five girls never strayed outside of that group and in the end they were more of a large family that were practically married to each other. The boys had experimented with each other but didn't find it very fulfilling but were not uncomfortable working together on one of the girls as often as the girls would come together with each of them.

In the end Harry had a very good life making a difference in the wizarding world during the day and reveling in the feelings of love, companionship and pleasure at night. He was the last and so with a happy smile and a belief that he had risen to the challenge of Fate's expectation he passed on, eager to see his friends and family.

Harry Potter felt…powerful. Many people dream about what it would be like to have all the knowledge and experience of their entire life in a youthful body full of vitality able to apply it all. Harry Potter was experiencing that with a feeling of awe. He opened his eyes excited to share this feeling with his family only to see nothing. He was in what he thought was a white room but he could not see a floor or ceiling or any walls so it would probably best to call it an expanse. As his confused mind started to worry a figure walked up to him with a cruel and haughty smile that made Luscious Malfoy look like a beggar instead of the high society Lord he had been.

"Congratulations…Master" the person said. Before Harry could ask a question, the being continued. "You have achieved the dream of many and united my three hallows and now you shall receive your reward. Harry Potter made to speak again but was interrupted once more by the arrival of a second person who yelled "Death, wait! There has been a mistake"

Death was angry that another entity would intrude upon her domain and decided to forgo the speeches and explanations and bind the stupid mortal. Whatever plans Destiny had would not interrupt her victory, especially when she could have her revenge against a Peverell descendant. She reached out with her power and began the process to bind her new "master" to her will.

Destiny had found him first. All the entities, Fate, Time, Good, Evil, everyone had gathered to watch the chosen one be re-united with his family. He had brought balance back to the world and all wanted to witness him receive his reward. As usual Death was not present. Death was not a higher power even though she thought she should be. Time was a higher power as it could not be cheated even through time travel but Death, like Destiny was constantly being avoided. Her arrogance caused her to avoid the other entities with the mistaken belief that she was above them and for the most part they left her to her own. But with the kidnapping of the chosen one Death had made a huge mistake and Destiny hoped to stop her before she made a huge mistake.

Destiny was angry with Death, her arrogance had finally caught up with her but at the same time she felt sorry for her. She had arrived in time to stop Death from making this mistake. She was ready to tell her that Harry Potter did not seek out the Hallows nor had he wanted to be the "Master of Death". He had never even used the power of the combined items much less turn it toward world domination. In fact it was just the opposite, Harry Potter's soul had agreed to bring balance to the world and so the universe owed him a debt. An eternity enjoying the company of his family and friends was to be his payment and Death, in her arrogance had ignored the knowledge of it that was available to all the entities and tried to bind the savior to her will. The Universe had made its displeasure known.

Harry Potter looked at the cruel smile as some power hit him. For the briefest of moments, so fast that he would doubt for the rest of existence that he had actually felt it, he felt unimaginable pain. But between one moment and the next, the pain vanished and when he looked at the face of the woman who all clues suggested was Death, her face had changed from menacing glee, to confusion, to surprise, to anger and finally to pain. Then the knowledge hit. All of the secrets of death, both magical and non-magical became his. He had long shed his youthful gryffindore "saving people thing" and watched curiously as the creature in front of him experienced pain. The creatures face was stuck in a silent scream and then started to change shape. Every mythological concept of death made an appearance as the entity lost control of its shape. Harry found the black cloud the most interesting.

When the pain that he was unsure he really felt had vanished, he had gained awareness of the universe. He understood what was happening but more importantly he had found his family. While existing in both planes he told them what was happening in the white expanse. He told them that the hallows was a trap for greedy despots who hoped to tame death and would instead be bound to her. And that she had not taken the time to find out the Harry was in fact the Universe's champion. And now the Universe tired, of her arrogance had reversed the binding and in fact made him her master. At this point Ron burst out laughing. It was a powerful all-encompassing laugh that actually surprised everyone else. Ron got himself together and gave Harry a hug. "Even in the afterlife, impossible stuff only happens to you".

At Ron's statement everyone else started to laugh. As everyone got themselves together Ron said quietly to Harry. "Are you OK? I know Hermione and Ginny got you over the 'why me' whining phase but I think you have earned a little rant if you need one." Harry looked at his oldest friend with a smirk. They had both been assholes toward the end of their time at Hogwarts. The pressures of the war amplifying Ron's jealousy and Harry's "emo bullshit" as Hermione had called it. The end of the war had lead to an epic fight between Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny. Under any other circumstance the things said by all four would have been unforgivable but instead it was cathartic and made their love and friendship stronger.

Harry looked at Ron and said "No, I'm fine. It will be cool. Wait till I tell you how much fun we can have with death as my slave." At the end of his statement Death materialized next to him. Instead of the menacing hood and evil sneer, she was dressed in a classic school girls outfit, knee socks and all. She was wearing a white button down with a Black tie and a black and gray checkered skirt. Mary Jane shoes and a black lace choker. Her skin was a very light gray with crimson, almost black lips and she had short spiky black hair. Her new body still twitched with the after effects of the pain she had try to poor into the binding of the Peverell descendant. Hermione broke the silence that accompanied her arrival. "Damn, Death is sexy as hell"