Tales of many, tales for one.

There were many tales about Death. Where he came from, who he was and what he did. Most tales are pure fiction, others held truth. They all held one thing in common; his powers were highly exaggerated. Sure, Death held power, but he wasn't the entity they often described him as. He was neither fate or destiny, nor did he rule over the living by deciding their deaths. He just severed their last link to the earth realm and guided them to the afterlife. If willing, sometimes he'd meet a soul unseen that rather stayed tethered. Ghosts and poltergeists an example, who remained a myth for those who hold no magic.

Death was often seen as a negative; pain and hardship. That however, was what they made of his existence. He just kept the balance of souls. He kept the timeline alive.

There were others - many entities, deities, gods; religion and cultures had their own, sometimes the same with a different naming. Death never remembered what the living would call them, although he knew of their essence. Time, nature, justice, so on and so forth. Higher powers, spirits, who were just a whisper on the wind, having a hold on the earth realm. Non-existent but very much real. Entities worshipped or feared or regarded anywhere in between amongst the living. If one would ask Death if they were real, he'd say yes but nothing more than that. They'd never met. Each had a role, a job. Death did his, and he did it well.

Harry hadn't said a word, but Death did not seem to require a question. Death's gravelly voice rattled as he spoke, filling the silence. Harry gathered Death had sensed he was looking for words. That he needed to hear an explanation of sorts, needed information.

"I guard the timeline," Death said. "Forget all the wishy washy that people sprout."

Harry finally found his voice. It was interesting to hear the truth of the many tales he'd heard but it wasn't about him. Those were the things he needed to hear. "But why am I here? Why haven't you brought me to the afterlife?"

"Because you have one more task to fulfill. I told you so," Death answered and opened up a door. They finally reached their destination. "It's twofold. Whomever had a hand in it, you became the chosen one a long time ago when the prophecy was enacted. You became my champion when you reunited my hallows, and so, one last adventure lay before you."

"I'm here because I'm the master of death?" Harry asked, confusion running deep.

"Phah," Death rumbled a laugh. "No mere mortal can master me."

But the hallows.." Harry said. "The tale in Beedle the Bard?"

Death shoo-ed Harry into the room. Harry cautiously stepped in, and aside, not moving further but looking around. He'd never seen anything like it ever before. It was all white and filled with what seemed like soap bubbles. Hundreds of them. Death glided in, they moved away, but returned to their position once he passed. Harry followed. On closer inspection, the bubbles were baubles, made of glass and shining in the bright light. Within them he saw vague shimmers, wisps of a life, of faces and places moving fast.

"Sit," Death said when they reached the centre. There, a large orb floated, easily three times as big as the others. It was right beside two fauteuils of dark wood and ivory seating, along with a low side table that stood ready for them. "Most of that tale is hogwash."

"The balance of the timeline was in danger," Death said. "And each hallow had their part in restoring it."

Death began to explain the tale of the brothers Peverell. The story available as a fairy tale for children different from the reality. It was true Death had descended down to earth and gifted the brothers the hallows. It wasn't because they'd cheated him or defeated him. They were chosen by purpose. The hallows a tool to keep the balance. One of bloodshed, it wielded its power to cause the demise of dark wizards on the rise. One negative, to show them which magic to stray away from and one so pure, to show the positive magic they needed to steer towards. He used the brothers to focus the magicals attention onto the lesson he dolled out.

The destruction of the timeline was set in stone hadn't Death done so, but he did and it never came. To use the brothers was underhanded, sure, but the goal was achieved; the timeline remained. "I left the hallows, they would unite if the world came in peril again," Death concluded. "Fate would see it happen."

"You made it happen." Harry grumbled.

"I provided the tools," Death corrected. "Once given to never return. As gifted, I'm no longer a whole, and cannot descend to the earth realm again. I believed in fate to push the hallows together and present me with a Champion, for had it not, there is no way to save the timeline, and the world would come extinct."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry said, latching on the last words.

The hallows saved the past, now played by fate, resulting in a Champion," Death reworded and jabbed his bony thumb at Harry. He needed the man to pay attention. "The Champion is the present and by proxy, controls the future. That's you. Wherever you are is the end of the line, for where you are, any future previously created will cease to exist. It shall be rewritten. You choose the time to appear at. You decide. I'll grant you that."

"I rule the timeline, and its life as it is all tied to me. My power, I'm extending it to you with one clear mission." Death explained. "You're the Champion chosen because in your lifetime, there is a point of divergence. Find it, change it, and the future as it's set, won't happen."

"Phew," Death gulped when he finished talking and mumbled to himself. "Should've practiced explaining that before.."

"It was a bit messy," Harry replied and even if he barely followed what Death said, he understood. He told him so. He had to travel through time to change the past so it would change the future. "How do I know what moment it is?"

"I can't tell you, for I do not know. It's guess work. You'll figure it out. Scrutinise your life and change the right moment. It'll cause a ripple. It's the butterfly effect. It'll change the future, it'll save it from doom. It's not that hard," Death said. "I'll show you what happens if not, if left alone." He tapped the large orb with a bony finger. Slowly it grew, it absorbed the others and Harry squeezed his eyes shut as he, and Death were sucked into it.

"Chill," Death said. He lay his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Nothing scary but the images about to play."

Now that was an understatement. It was completely terrifying, Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck rising and his hands trembled as the images flew by. A movie of sorts, all around him, and it showed nothing he'd ever wished to see.

First, it was nothing new. It was merely the completion of the separation from non-magicals and Magicals all around the world. Their communities were growing, nothing special. But a shift came. There wasn't a clear indication as to what it was; Maybe it was the magicals growing bold now their numbers grew and cared less about hiding. Maybe it was the advanced technology of the Non-magicals. Maybe it was the fright the magicals caused when they tried to help their counterparts by eliminating some threats. Either way, it didn't matter much what caused it but the result did. War.

It started small. The non-magicals established a shoot-on-sight, and the magicals defended themselves. It grew past that, fast. It was the witch hunts Harry was taught of in school that followed, and kept going. Fed up, the magicals took an offensive stance to defend their space and lifes and it only escalated. Magicals began to form their own operations to murder their counterparts. But they just used bigger, and better weapons out of their arsenal - bombs, and tanks; World wide the non-magicals send their armies out on a full out attack.

So much blood, so many deaths. In the end, by sheer numbers, the non-magicals eliminated magic, but also themselves. Only clusters of people remained in a world on fire. Harry felt sick.

"Bucket." Harry wheezed, clutching his stomach. Death stopped the images, snapped his fingers and the bucket appeared right on time. Harry retched.

Several minutes later, pale as could be, Harry leaned back in the chair and Death vanished the bucket. "What was that?" Harry asked shakily.

"The future," Death shrugged. "I thought as much was clear."

"Yeah, but.." Harry shuddered and fell silent.

"You can prevent the future from happening, that's your one task." Death said, sounding oddly cheerful again. "Alright?"

"How?" Harry eventually stuttered out but Death waved it off.

"Details, details," Death said and looked expectantly at Harry. "You'll do it?"

"How?" Harry stuttered again, still not looking any better.

Death sighed. "Details won't matter if you don't accept. You saved the world once before, just.. Do it again. Yes?"

Harry furrowed his brows. "What if I say no?"

"A front row seat to watch the world burn in real time. Knowing you could've saved it," Death answered in all honesty. "While also enjoying everyone around you expressing their horrified terror and meeting those who you've let die."

"So what if I do? I mean, I saved the world before and what a fat lot of good did that to me," Harry bit. He never forgot the troubles he lived through, how hard his life once had been. "Just for a good deed? That's not good enough."

"And bragging rights." Death said cheerfully. Harry was appalled and it showed on his face. Before he could express it, Death held up his hand. "I'll throw you a sweet deal."

Harry motioned for Death to carry on. "How you are when you die, is how you'll be in the afterlife. Die with a disease, with missing limbs, of old age, it doesn't matter what, but it'll carry over.. Like missing memories.."

"Hermione Granger." Harry said with a pang.

"That Granger of yours, lost her memories. I'll restore her mind.. If you accept the deal."

To Harry, that was worth saving the world. Still, he didn't jump in straight away. He took a hot minute to think about it. Death simply waited, and didn't push. Instead he made a tea service appear on the table.

Death took his tea with an absurd amount of sugar, Harry noted. When Death held the sugar pot and spoon up in a way of asking his preference, Harry just put up two fingers. He took the cup once prepared and settled back. He nursed the cup with his eyes closed. Already knowing he would take the deal, he tried to order his thoughts. Death had overwhelmed him with the information overload.

Death was making himself a second cup of tea, when Harry regained his colour and seemed to get a grasp on himself. "Alright, so," Harry started. Never having touched his tea, it had gone cold and he put it on the table. "Let me get this straight, yes?"

Death nodded, making clear that he was listening and sipped his tea. Harry repeated everything they talked about in his own words. "So, because you can't save the world, I got to do it?

"Correct," Death answered. "With the added reward of restoring your Granger's memory."

"Good," Harry said and he leaned forward. "I do like to know what the boundaries are. 'Cause I thought about it, and the merge of magicals and withdrawal from non-magicals happened because of Voldemort. That maniac of a man is the red thread. So, I would like to think I could just jump back and prevent his birth and be done with it. You said it wasn't hard, but I don't think it'll be that easy either. So?"

Death was pleased. Even if the other hadn't said it, he knew he accepted the task. "You can't," Death confirmed. "You can't go back to before you were born. If you were never born, you never existed so you couldn't die, and thus not be here. You'll erase yourself."

"Wouldn't that solve the problem?"

"It might, it might not," Death acknowledged. "It would cause a ripple, but who knows if it's the right one? If you do, you may never witness what the result is, but everyone else will. It's too big a chance."

"Fair enough," Harry could imagine a hundred ways of how it could go wrong. "What else?"

"You can't go see, or talk to yourself. Like with a time turner, you'll drive yourself mad." Death said. Putting his tea down, he laid out the rules. He told Harry his magic would work, same as ever. That he also must eat, drink, sleep and could get hurt. He could spend a long time wherever he went but once he'd made his choice of chance, he'd automatically would return back. "That's about it."

Harry nodded and went on. "Can I die twice?"

"No," Death reminded him of what he said about Riddle. "Different but akin to a horcrux, there's two of you so neither can die. Its a precaution."

Harry smiled. Death found it odd but didn't comment. Instead, he vanished the tea service. He stood, ready to bring Harry to the chambers he'll be staying at. "Anything else you'd like to ask?"

Hi! While I knew what was to be in this chapter, it was difficult to write. Hopefully it all makes sense. Now, as Death asked Harry, are there any questions left? I think everything is in order but I'm just me, so if you find something missing/lacking.. My PM is open, if you don't want to use the review. Thank you for reading, and the follows/favs. - Lyle.