Author's Note: This was originally a plot bunny that struck me while writing me chapter 6 of my Rebirth story. I did post it within my story but decided that it deserved its own story, so here we go!
It seemed that the endless passing of time had become infinitely more amusing with the welcoming distraction that was their master. Death had spent the past several centuries, amused by the three Peverell brothers - knowing that eventually, their beloved would be born and merely an eye blink later to them, she would hold all three of their gifts and become theirs. The entity, one of several, had watched stars explode and planets collide, civilizations form and fall, the birth of man and they had watched its very destruction.
They had crafted the three items from their very being. The Invisibility cloak of their own, a small corner removed just for it. The Elder Wand was actually from their bones, reshaped and molded in its current form. The stone, it had been crafted from their own eye sockets. All three items that their master, their precious, darling master could never be rid of. She had been marked and spared and willing. Something no one else in the entirety of the cosmos had ever or would ever do. They did not allow beings to die and come back to life. Immortals didn't exist (the entity of Death didn't include itself or its numerous "siblings" in that category) and yet, Death had found a loophole, a cheat code for its master. Instead of allowing her to die, it would give her the chance to experience life, to try new things without restriction or it hovering.
Each of their siblings was allowed one being in the entire cosmos to be theirs for all of eternity. Fate had tried to sink its claws into their master but Death had not allowed it. Their master was theirs and no one else's. Time had chosen some mortal that seemed like one of all the billions and billions alike. Life had yet to choose a companion while Magic's Chosen, Merlin, had already been taken away to Magic's realm, commonly known as Avalon.
Each of their siblings had their own realm, their own dimension where only their rules applied - Death had never ventured into any, as they didn't care what fantasies the rest conjured up to keep themselves busy. Their realm was rarely visited as they often pushed the paperwork onto their own reapers and servants. If there was one thing Death avoided, it was the paperwork to keep everything in order. Life would send them harassing messages by creating obnoxious creatures to get their attention to turn such and such in on a certain deadline. Death would often send the equivalent of a giant middle finger back. The platypus creature still sent odd tingles down its metaphorical back.
They were often too busy, with the amount of work their four horsemen did. Famine usually had the smallest count, with Plague and War always tied in place but "death", their wondrous reapers, could always manage to keep them in a more positive mood. The only thing that had ever managed to conjure the resemblance of a smile on its meat suit was its lovely master. The only being from past, present, and future to ever embrace itself without regret, without fear, without pride, with only acceptance. And so, their master was shaped and molded and born.
And what a supernova she was. Death had spent eons watching her grow, indulgence growing in her clumsy attempts to learn about the world around her, rage at those who harmed their pretty, little possession. She was theirs. While she may accept husbands and lovers for a time, she belonged to them. Carried their mark on her chest like a brand, had always had their mark from the moment she developed within her mother's womb. It had only stayed hidden under her skin until their three items entered her hand. They cared nothing for physical affections, those would pass with time. But their master, she would remain burning and exploding like the star she was. A black hole, sucking all life within her grasp. Death could easily influence her to become a monster, one that would end life. But yet, the headache of having to listen to Life complain yet again about the thwarting of their activities would be too annoying to bare. The entity certainly knew how to hold a grudge like no other. One time, one accident with a bang and Life had to start all over again. It had not been happy with Death who, out of self-preservation of less paperwork, had occupied itself with some ancient species battling another, locked in an endless time war.
But now, now they had their marvelously expressive master, who always managed to keep the boredom away. Who displayed selflessness and kindness and burning loyalty to any who earned it. They had watched as she fiercely defended those who were too weak, too scared, even at the cost of her own health. She had frequently worked herself to exhaustion after joining as an Unspeakable, often getting swept in the business of her job. They had to step in several times, physically transporting and forcing their master to rest before physically draining years out of the Head Unspeakable life in payment.
With barely a twitch of its finger, Death appeared within the bedchamber of its master. It gazed around the opulent room, noting for once upon its arrival, it's master was not present. The sound of running water drew their attention to the closed door across the room. The sunlight shined through the windows in bright orange, yellows, and reds. Ah, early morning of earth time. Death waved their hand, summoning a stiff-back chair to sit in while they waited. It didn't take long before the water turned off and only a few moments later for the robe-covered body of their master to appear. She only looked minutely surprised by their presence in her room, merely raising an eyebrow as she unwrapped the towel around her head to begin drying off her hair. "Was there something you needed?" She asked.
"Oh my pet, we need no reason to visit what belongs to us." They spoke, feeling the stretched too-taught skin spreading in a smile.
Their master couldn't hide the shiver of disgust. It seemed she did not care for the appearance of their current meatbag. They only wore them to help their master cope with their true appearance until she was ready to leave her own meatbag behind and join them in the cosmos. "Alright then," she murmured, tossing the damp down into a clothing basket against the wall which promptly disappeared with House Elf magic. Their benevolent master made her way into her closet, closing the door behind herself before reappearing moments later fully dressed in Wizarding robes. "Anything on the agenda?" She asked.
"The usual we presume. The human race never stops killing itself, it keeps us in business." The entity replied, watching their witch stop in front of her ebony vanity. With a simple flick of her wrist, her long, ink-black hair changed from damp to dry before it began to magically braid itself before settling atop her head with an elegant twist and pinned into place. With another flick of her wrist, her makeup began to apply itself. Death watched with hidden amusement, despite years of never caring about her personal appearance, suddenly, in this new environment, she always made sure she was pristine in appearance whenever she left her bedchambers.
She strived to achieve recognition from others of her station, which amused them greatly. The witch was above everyone else and would always be, no matter how hard others struggled. The puny lordling who thought he was immortal or the two before him who sought their items for their own personal gain seemed to bring a spark of amusement as none achieved what they had hoped nor would any others who would come after. Only one human, one who gave freely, who sacrificed herself with a small smile on her face. Death had ensured that the man who raised her like a lamb to the slaughter suffered in his last months, had influenced the curse to destroy bone and flesh and poison his very blood. To orchestra the death of their beloved was inexcusable. The entity had made sure that he suffered in his death, he would receive no reprieve from his torment.
"How many lives are you going to make me go through?" Harry asked quietly from her position in front of the vanity, drawing their attention back to her.
They took a moment to answer, "As many as needed until you understand the gift we have given you."
She spun around, a demand on her lips. They simply smiled in delight as they disappeared from view, giving soft chuckles at her curse in the open air.
They would never stop teaching her but she would come to understand why soon in the future, why she was so important as their master and how important she was for the future of the human race.
