The Beginning of Something New

Summary: Instead of being left the snitch, Dumbledore bestows Harry a different gift. What implications could this new gift have on the Boy-Who-Lived's future?

"It's time to say goodbye, but I think goodbyes are sad and I'd much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure." - Ernie Harwell

In the grand scheme of things, Harry realized that he probably shouldn't have placed so much faith on his luck as he stared at the face of Voldemort, He-who-Shall-not-be-Named. Located in the middle of the Hogwarts courtyard and without his wand, Harry could only grimace at the gleeful smile on the Dark Lord's face. In the current moment of time, the teen couldn't think of anything he could do to defeat the Dark Lord or get to safety. The closest ally was still a good run away from him and even if he managed to avoid Voldemort's curses, he would still be hounded down by Death Eaters and without his wand, he had no way of defending himself. In short, his current situation seemed bleak and hopeless.

However, Harry Potter didn't have the luxury of fear. The responsibility weighed heavily on his shoulders as his mind tried its best to come up with a solution. Thankfully, the Dark Lord was stereotypically monologuing, which provided the teen precious seconds of life.

Finally, Harry decided the best course of action would be to make a run for it and pray that he would be able to get behind cover. Unfortunately, the minute he lifted his leg, Voldemort stopped monologuing and flicked his wand to emphasize its presence.

"I don't think so, Harry. Your time has finally come. No one is going to save you this time. Not your friends. Not Dumbledore," Voldemort just smirked menacingly. "Not even your mother."

Harry just glared at the nose-less man in front of him and slowly put his leg back on the ground. It was then he felt something shift in his pocket. It was then the teen was reminded of a gift left behind by the late Professor Dumbledore. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled a bottle containing red liquid.

"Hahahaha, the Boy-Who-Lived, in his hour of need, pulls out a bottle of nail polish. How pitiful is this?" Voldemort just laughed at what he saw in Harry's hand.

"I'm surprised you would know what nail polish would look like, but now that I think about it, I shouldn't be surprised that you would know what make-up looks like considering you're wearing a lot of it right now," Harry retorted. Voldemort just frowned at the insult and tightened his grip on his wand.

"I planned to capture you alive and force you to watch as my Death Eaters killed everyone in Hogwarts, but I consider it a befitting end for you to vanquish now in front of everyone as they fight for a lost cause. Watching your lifeless body fall to the ground will serve as a reminder to all those who wish to oppose me," Voldemort stated.

"No matter what you do, there will always someone to rise up against you. Just like Dumbledore, just like my parents, and just like me. You're infallible, Tom. People know you can be killed," Harry stated with defiance burning strong in his eyes.

"Then, they will all die just like you!" Voldemort exclaimed in anger. As the Dark Lord moved the wand to perform a motion, Harry hurled the bottle of nail polish with all of his strength straight towards the ground.

"Ava~" Voldemort was able to utter out two syllable before the sound of glass shattering reached his ears. It was then one thing occurred. The red stuff inside the nail polish seemed to implode upon itself and create miniature black hole, which was slowly starting to grow in size. Both Voldemort and Harry felt the pull from the hole pull them in.

"What have you done?!" Voldemort roared out as he cast spell after spell to destroy the hole, but it seemed to have no effect as they were sucked. Feeling his muscles scream in pain, Harry just grinned as he saw the look of panic on the older man's face.

"How does it feel to be defenseless?" Harry just grinned in an attempt to mask his own worry about his inability to resist the pull of the hole. He attempted to apparate out of the vicinity, but when he did so, he found himself right next to Voldemort.

"Heh, it seems fate is on my side," Voldemort grinned as he moved his wand to point towards the teen. That was when Harry gave the Dark Lord a vicious right hook. Watching the older man's go limp for a moment and sucked into the hole, Harry felt a sense of pride in the irony of how it was a Muggle action not magic that ultimately ended Voldemort. Then, he realized the pull of the hole was getting stronger. With all of his effort, he turned his head to see all of the Death Eaters being captured while his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, were rushing towards him.

"No, stay away!" he shouted at them, but it seemed they couldn't hear him. Looking back at the hole, he realized he only had no choice. With a sad smile on his face, he looked back at his friends and jumped. In an instant, he was sucked in. The last thing he saw was the horrified faces on his friends' faces.

Well, that was what he thought would be last thing he saw. Being sucked into the hole was the worst experience Harry has ever lived through in his seventeen years of life. It felt like every part of his body was being ripped apart while his mind was kept in a state of perpetual limbo. The only thing Harry thought about during this entire time was his bad luck and stupidity for not listening to Dumbledore's final words when he was given the bottle of nail polish by the goblin.

All of sudden, he felt the pain in his body suddenly vanish before feeling himself falling through the air. However, it wasn't for long as he landed right onto the ground with a resounding thud. He lay there for a moment to let the pain subside before he heard a woman scream. Instantly, he was up on his feet to find himself inside a room. A room that looked too familiar to him, but he didn't have time to worry about that. Despite the screams from his body, Harry bounded out of the room and was immediately greeted by a sight he has only seen in his memories.

In front of a doorway, there stood his mother, Lily Evans, trying to stop a younger Voldemort from entering the room. Already knowing the events that was going to play out, Harry immediately ran towards the Dark Lord and for the second time, he smashed his fist right against the face of the wizard. He just watched in satisfaction and relief as Voldemort rolled down the stairs as he snapped his neck along the way.

"T-T-Thank you," Harry heard a voice behind him and turned around to come face-to-face with his mother.

"It's ok, Mom. He's dead," Harry just smiled at Lily, who just gawked at how similar the teen in front of her was to James.

"Y-Y-You're Harry?!" she stuttered in shock at what she saw in front of her.

"Yeah. I seemed to have travelled through time," Harry gave a quick explanation. Lily just gasped as tears started to water around her eyes. She then embraced Harry, who just surprised by this action, but wrapped his arms around his mother and hugged her back.

"How touching?," a voice interrupted the two and they whipped around to see the older Voldemort looming over the baby carriage.

"Don't even think about it," Harry growled, ready for a fight. However, he stopped when Voldemort showed off how he had a hand inside the baby carriage.

"I wouldn't be so hasty if I was you. You may have killed my younger self, but I can do the same back. The only reason why I left this child alive is to ensure things go the way it should," Voldemort sneered at Harry. However, before the teen get a word in, he saw a flash of green pass by him and hit Voldemort.

"You stay away from my son," Harry heard a voice behind him and turned around to see his mother with her wand in hand.

"Mom, you killed him," Harry just spoke in surprise at what just happened before excitement spread across his facial features. "You did it! You killed the Dark Lord!"

"I did," Lily responded as if she couldn't believe at what just happened. Then, they heard the door slam open downstairs and moved over to see Severus Snape just looking up at them with relief evident on his face. Harry then knew that everything was going to be alright.

Standing on top of a field, Harry, garbed in travel clothing and equipped with a backpack, just stared at a house in the distance. A look of nostalgia rested on his face as he stared at it. Then, he heard the sound of apparition behind him and turned around to see Professor Dumbledore.

"Good morning," Harry greeted the old man.

"Morning," Dumbledore responded before standing next to the teen. "What brings you out here so early in the morning?"

"Just remembering some old friends," Harry answered as he just rested his gaze on the house.

"I take it you were friends with young Weasley."

"Not just him, but with the whole family. They were the family I always wished I had, so I thought I would say one last goodbye."

"Why say goodbye? To me, it seems like the beginning."

"Beginning?" Harry responded back in confusion.

"Yes, I'm sure your travels finding Voldemort's Hocruxes will not be the last time we will be seeing of you. I have a feeling you know where most of them are, so finding them must be easy for you," Dumbledore stated.

"That's not entirely true," Harry confessed his uncertainty.

"But you have an idea and this is Voldemort we are talking about. He didn't really like much else. His Hocruxes would be in places only he would deem satisfactory to him," Dumbledore responded with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Yes, that's true," Harry chuckled for a bit.

"This is why I wish to offer you a teaching position at Hogwarts," Dumbledore stated. Harry just whipped his head at the Headmaster in surprise.

"Me a teacher?! Professor Dumbledore, I can't be a teacher. I didn't even graduate Hogwarts," Harry responded, flabbergasted at what just occurred, which seemed to amuse the old man.

"I believe your experience would be beneficial for the next generation to learn from. However, that is only if you accept of course."

"Can you give me some time to think about it?"

"You have the entire time you're travelling to think about. Once you return, I hope to hear your answer."

"Thank you," Harry replied before donning a serious expression on his face. "I guess it's time for me to get started. Oh, Professor."

"Yes?"

"Try to make sure the DADA professor lasts more than a year," Harry joked before realizing that Dumbledore wouldn't understand what he was saying. "Actually, forget what I said, it was a future joke."

"I see," Dumbledore responded, straight-faced. "That reminds me how did you manage to travel from the future. Did you use a time-turner?"

"No, I used the bottle of nail polish you left behind for me. Where did you get that assuming you have it with you now?" Harry answered the old man's question.

"It was given to me by a friend," Dumbledore gave a simple answer before looking at the stars with a sad smile on his face.

"Well, tell your friend thanks because it really saved me," Harry replied before making his way down the hill. Dumbledore just watched as the teen walked away.

"I'm sure he would have been happy to hear that his greatest regret has finally managed to save a life," Dumbledore spoke to himself before he vanished in a mist of black smoke. Thus, history was changed, but for better of for worse remains to be seen.

A/N: I hope everyone enjoy this one-shot. Reviews are welcome. All rights belong to J.K Rowling.

This is for Quidditch League Season 6 Finals Round 1: Theory of Relativity. Method of time travel was the one from the Star Trek Reboot films and prompts used were object, nail varnish/polish, dialogue, "He didn't really like much else," and the quote, "It's time to say goodbye, but I think goodbyes are sad and I'd much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure," by Ernie Harwell.

Amount of Words: 2,026