Disclaimer: Not mine
Chapter 2
Harry gasped awake, finding himself in pitch blackness, he felt sick, dizzy and he pressed a hand to his forehead. What the hell? He blinked but the darkness remained, so he fumbled around in the dark, finding he was in a small space with a sloped roof and locked door…the cupboard. He was in the cupboard under the stairs….his bedroom until the Hogwarts letters. His head was killing him! He lay back down and closed his eyes, focusing his aching mind and then he found himself falling until he was standing on a massive lake of churning water, not that he needed the visual to know he was in turmoil. He looked around desperately, was she still with him? "Nejibana!" he yelled desperately and then he felt a tug on his ankle, spilling him under the surface and he came face to face with his smiling Zanpakutō spirit. "Nejibana," he whispered, unbothered by being underwater even as he hugged her, feeling her hug him back.
"I am with you Harry," she whispered, deep blue eyes closed as she held her wielder. "No one will ever part us," she swore even as they surfaced and moved to one of the small islands dotting the area. She sat and Harry lay down, his head in her lap.
"We did it." he couldn't believe it, their Hail Mary attempt at time travel had actually worked.
"Of course we did," she smiled down at him.
"I'm still in the cupboard so I can't be more than eleven, which means Ichigo is twelve…so that leaves three years to fix things here and then get to Karakura." That would be enough time, he was not leaving Ichigo to go through all that alone…if it would even be his Ichigo. They'd been separated, they could end up popping up years apart. What if Ichigo didn't appear until it was too late? If… if he wasn't his Ichigo he'd just have to befriend him all over again before everything went wrong. He had no allies here, none of their comrades would remember. Urahara was out, he would have trusted their Geta-boshi without a thought, but this one wasn't tempered by years on the run, he was still focused on the immediate, how to defeat Aizen. Harry would be a wildcard in his plan and that wasn't something he would like. No, for now he would have to focus on Britain, Dumbledore and Riddle. "The Horcrux?"
"I would never allow such a thing to threaten you," she sniffed in disdain.
That explained the state of things, but even now the water was slowly calming. "I guess I have to relearn everything, huh?"
"Your mind knows and that will enable you to train here but in the real world, yes, you will need to retrain your body. You are rather…small at the moment," she teased, and he rolled his eyes.
"Not my fault," he mumbled feeling tired.
"Sleep Harry, nothing will harm you," she kissed the infamous scar as he drifted to sleep. Here, in their world, he looked no different to how he had when he leapt with Ichigo into the timestream. It was how he saw himself. The real world was a different matter, she could feel the borderline malnutrition, the ache of badly healed broken bones. They had a lot of work to do and limited time to do it in. She stared out over the water, brushing silvery locks back over her shoulder. Her dark blue and white kimono served as Harry's pillow; his sleep unbothered by the fact that the cloth was always wet. She ran slender fingers through his hair, working to keep the nightmares at bay. Only being reunited with their Ichigo would truly soothe him now, but that would be years away.
When Harry woke the next morning, it was to Aunt Petunia unlocking his door and sneering for him to make breakfast. He'd forgotten what a…well he was too much a gentleman to use those words, but she was horrible. Her death was not one he had mourned. Opening the fridge brought back memories, how long had it been seen he'd seen so much food? He quickly made the breakfast and then looked at his Aunt. "When do you expect my Hogwarts letter?" he asked, and she froze.
"What are you talking about?" she demanded.
"Let's make a deal, you don't lie, and I will be permanently out of your hair within a month," he snarled, and she startled back in shock and fear as green eyes glowed briefly. "I am well aware of my heritage Petunia. I am not the child you have abused for years anymore. Do not try me." He didn't hate them, not anymore, but he felt no desire to lift a finger to save them, his Mother's family or not. He knew his Mother would have loved Dudley and raised him well if roles had bene reversed. "Just remember, once I'm gone, so too are the wards that protect your worthless lives."
"How dare you!" She grabbed the frypan and swung, and Harry easily ducked, stepping closer, his hand brushing her arm as his magic surged and he mentally cursed the blocks on his core. It was enough to do what he needed though, freezing her in place. Unable to move, she stared into green eyes, seeing something very different. Her Father had fought in war and the boy's eyes were like his now, haunted and aged before their time. This truly was not the boy who she had locked away last night. He released the spell and she stumbled before backing away. "The letter is due on your birthday," she whispered, and he nodded.
"I will need to go to London today," he offered, glad Dudley was still upstairs.
"Take bus fare from the tin," she answered, relaxing a little when he nodded.
"You should start looking for a house outside of Britain as soon as possible. Maybe Vernon could take that German transfer. You will be harder to find in another country." He would do no more to warn them. He headed upstairs as Dudley stormed down, going to wash up while they ate. He grabbed the money from the tin and headed out, he had a lot to do. Theoretically he knew where every Horcrux and the main part of Riddle's soul were, but he could not face the protections as he was now. He would need help and he knew one place where he may get it. They did not like soul magics in their bank after all.
The bus ride into London was long and Harry rested his head against the window, letting him mind wander even while remaining aware enough of his surroundings to spot trouble. Situational awareness had been drummed into him all his life, first to dodge the fists and frying pans of his family, then spells and then finally Zanpakutō and Kido. How different would his life had been if he'd been able to hear her from the start? He'd heard a distant whisper the first time he'd wielded Gryffindor's sword, the sword of his ancestor. She'd helped guide his hands, even though he hadn't known it at the time. Her calls had become louder during third year, due to the Dementors, his Patronus had even taken the form of a sea serpent as she tried to defend him. He'd made the mistake of mentioning the whispers to Dumbledore after the Graveyard and been obliviated for his troubles. It hadn't just been whispers though but images, feelings…and they all traced back to the day that Rukia destroyed the Novena Espada, Aaroniero Arruruerie. Dumbledore had assumed it was Riddle and had wanted Harry vulnerable, not suspicious. He'd thought he was proven right thanks to Fifth year and Sirius' death. It was strange knowing he was complete and yet that Hollow existed at the moment, what would it mean for him when it was killed this time? It had taken Harry dying himself for her to reach him but that was all, he had been human, not Shinigami so couldn't even manifest her.
He'd left Britain then to wander the world, loving the freedom of travelling. He'd been eighteen the first time he ever managed to summon her blade. He'd been in Japan, Karakura of all places, when a Hollow had appeared and attacked him. He had killed it and then collapsed only to wake three days later in Urahara's shop to find the shopkeeper and Ichigo waiting for him. It had been strange, to recognize Urahara when they had never met. He'd long since come to accept those vague memories, images and feelings as a part of himself. He knew of Kaien Shiba from Nejibana, the idea that he was his reincarnation, or something was…strange. But it added up when he had heard Nejibana clearer after the death of the Espada that had consumed the Hollow that had killed him. They had been in the middle of the Quincy war then and it hadn't taken much for Harry to sign up, especially once Kisuke had knocked him out of his body and he had looked down to see the black and white Shihakushō, the black kosode sleeveless, without the lieutenant's badge Kaien had worn. Instead of the white obi around his waist had been a Gryffindor red belt where Nejibana hung, tied on with a sea green ribbon. It hadn't taken much for him to learn to fight as a Shinigami since Nejibana had been training him in his mind for over a year.
It had been amusing, seeing the shock on the faces that he had vague memories of, when he had arrived with Ichigo during a battle only to use Nejibana. The look on Ukitake's face though….it had hurt. They had talked briefly after the battle and he knew it had grieved the man to realise that Harry held very few memories of his old life. He had looked the man dead in the eye and told him it wasn't his fault, that he…Kaien had been a fool to rush into that fight and not accept help. That memory was unfortunately rather clear. It hadn't been long after that, that the man had given his life to stabilise the worlds. Seeing him die had hurt but he had moved past it. in the end they'd won the war, there was a reason Aizen had target Kaien after all, he had wielded the most powerful water Zanpakutō ever, and while Harry didn't have his experience wielding Nejibana he had brought wizarding magic with him, something the Quincy King hadn't been prepared for at all. Between Ichigo, Uryū and him they had defeated Yhwach, completely destroying him. In a way, doing that had sealed their fates. Once the clean-up was over, the Central 46 had decided they were a threat, too powerful to control, so they had targeted all of them. Some of the Shinigami had rebelled, all of the Visored had as well but they hadn't had the numbers to go head to head with Soul Society. They'd run and spent almost a decade running as their numbers were whittled down slowly, until only he and Ichigo remained. He'd been barely thirty when they had trusted Kisuke's device and thrown themselves in, now he was almost eleven, at least physically.
He was jolted from his memories as the bus pulled into the London station. He got off and headed for the west end and Charing Cross Road, slipping easily through the weekday crowds until he reached the Leaky Cauldron. He kept his head down, although thanks to Nejibana handling the Horcrux his scar was already beginning to fade, however that did nothing to disguise the infamous Potter hair or the green eyes of Lily Evans. He had to wait for someone to open the wall as he had no wand and with a good portion of his magic sealed behind blocks, he couldn't manage it windlessly. Once in the alley he made his way to Gringotts and approached a teller. He didn't particularly care for Goblins and would likely kill Griphook himself his betrayal, but they were his only hope at the moment.
"Yes?" the goblin sneered, and Harry glared back, emerald eyes as cold as the deepest sea.
"I need to see the Potter account manager," he answered, polite yet cold, powerful, because power was what they respected.
"And you are?"
Harry flipped his fringe back, revealing the infamous scar. "Check my blood if you want." He held his hand out, not flinching as a quill stabbed his palm, drawing his blood.
"Very well, wait there."
Harry moved aside to wait, patiently. Soon he was led to an office he had seen once before, after the war.
"Yes?"
Harry took the only empty chair and met the goblins eyes calmly. "What would Gringotts do if I told you there is a Horcrux within one of the vaults?"
"WHAT?" the goblin snarled in rage. "You dare"
"No, but I know who's vault it's in and who put it there."
"And in return?" the calmer goblin asked with gritted teeth.
Harry smirked.
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Harry lay on the bed in his hotel room, Hedwig happily snoozing in her cage. This time she wouldn't die to save him. The Horcruxes were no more, performing Konso on one had sent them all on. All that was left was the main piece and he knew where it would be come September. Not that he needed to attend Hogwarts, the goblins tests had registered him as being of age, even if his body wasn't, so as far as magic was concerned, he was an adult. The goblins hadn't been happy with him removing all Potter money from their control, but he wasn't risking losing it all if he angered them again like with the bank heist they'd performed in the original timeline. He'd had it changed into normal money and put it into a bank. Tomorrow he would see someone to begin investing it widely to ensure he couldn't lose too much should something happen. Thanks to the goblins, in payment over the Horcrux, the blocks on his magic were gone and he'd been given a regime of healing potions to help his body recover from years of neglect. Doing it so much earlier meant he had more of a chance of getting close to Ichigo's height, though he doubted he'd get beyond six foot like Ichigo had. The goblins had claimed Bellatrix's vault and that of her husband and had split the contents with him since he was the one who alerted them to the problem.
Dealing with Riddle wasn't enough, he had to ensure that Wizarding Britain was brought into line with the rest of the world. That would be the hardest thing as they were so entrenched in the past with their ideas of blood purity and separation. Dumbledore would need to be discredited and shown for what he really was before any change could really happen, the same with Fudge, Umbridge…most of the Ministry really. He was working with a small timeframe to get it all done, but it had to be finished before he went to Japan. He needed allies, people who would be able to work on those goals. He looked like a child; few would take him seriously even with being the Boy-Who-Lived. He had some ideas, but he hadn't really had the chance to get close to many people outside of Hogwarts.
He needed Sirius out of prison and as head of the Black's in order to help neutralise the Malfoy's and Lestrange's. He though Madame Bones and Longbottom would be good allies but how was he meant to approach them? He couldn't just walk into the Ministry and ask to see her or just pop by Longbottom Hall. He hated being so young! And somewhere in between reordering the wizarding world he had to find time to train his body. He did wonder what his spiritual body looked like, he adult he thought himself as, or did it mirror his body?
Harry wandered over to the window, looking out over an untouched London, remembering what it had looked like after the war. The damage had been blamed on terrorists, terrorists that had never been seen or caught. He would not let it happen this time. Cedric, Sirius, Fred, Remus, Tonks, Mad Eye…they would not die in war, not this time. Once he was strong enough to leave his body, he could ensure that they were shoved back in their bodies, as long as their chains of fare remained intact. But it shouldn't get to that point.
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Amelia opened the letter and took out the vial of silvery liquid, memories. She opened the note and skimmed it, anonymous but stating it was new evidence in an old case, proving false imprisonment of a pureblood heir. If it was true…it would definitely stir up a mess, but she didn't care, she cared about the law and ensuring justice was given. She poured the memories in her Pensieve and called in two senior Aurors to observe with her.
An hour later all three emerged, shocked and appalled by what they had seen.
"Speak of this with no one, the utmost care will be needed to ensure the truth is revealed and an innocent life spared."
"Yes Director," they both answered before leaving.
She stared at the empty vial, just whose memories had those been? Had someone else been there that night and survived? And why now? Wait…it had been ten years….the Potter boy would be re-entering their world this year. Was it possible these were his memories? He had been nothing more than a baby though. This would require very quiet investigation. She knew Lucius believed his son to be next in line to inherit the Black fortune, if word reached him of Sirius' possible innocence and release the man would never see the outside world.
TBC…
