Author's Note: Thanks to daithi4377, Harryliada, misherukuro, Gambito and Jostanos for the reviews and support. And thanks to everyone who added it to favourite or follows this story. I hope all of you continue to enjoy it.
Someone wondered in a review if Harry doesn't have to "guide the future" if Google translate was better than the fan fiction one because that one I barely got at all. Anyway, in a way yes but he has to be extremely careful. If he changes things in like Tom's childhood to stop him from turning into Voldemort than Voldemort won't kill James and Lily and Harry will grow up with them and Dumbledore won't have a reason to go with Harry to that cave with Inferi. There probably wouldn't be Inferi. In that case Harry won't go back in time and can't change things which would bring us back to square one. Also Hermione warned Harry about changing time being very dangerous. He migh already have changed things too much just by us I g his power to safe Sebastian Snape after the attack in Hogsmead though just like playing Salazar that might have been supposed to happen. But things need to at the very least spear to be the same to Harry himself to bring him to the point where he goes back in time or the consequences could be desasterous! And that means Harry can't interfere too much. However, you'll see if he interferes a little in this Chapter so I hope you like it though Harry certainly has to suffer from letting some die to protect the time line. As I said in the warning in Chaper two. There will be character death but only those that happened before Harry's time travel.
Things will happen as they must
Chapter four
Full circle
Harry talks with Huntress about Tom and his actions ever since he opened the chamber of secrets for the first time. She pretends to do his bidding but is watchful not to kill anyone for now. Harry had described under what circumstances someone will die. The first death caused by Tom and one Harry can't prevent without messing with the time line.
He might be powerful and already found ways to possibly protect some people from truly dying and keeping them hidden but so far his experiments to create a fake spectra have been unsuccessful meaning for the ghost of Moaning Myrtle to be there he'll have to let her die. And he will have to let that Horcrux go. But at least he'll know that Huntress will ensure to die by his hand when a younger version comes to safe someone. Something she is impatiently awaiting. It isn't easy for Harry to let someone die while he has the power to safe her though.
For now Harry even stops his travels and just sends his elves out occasionally to sell Basilisk Venom or skin. Sometimes he wonders how no one wonders where it all comes from. Breeding a Basilisk is against the law in every country and there hasn't been single sighting of one in about a thousand years. Huntress was the last as far as Harry knows and she is hidden away very well. He also wonders how potions masters like himself will cope when Huntress is dead and the supply will be at least almost completely go away.
According to Harry's sources, or rather those of his elves. There are ten traders who sell it world wide. And Harry and his two elves are the only ones to know that the six elves that sell it are in reality two elves selling it under three different names each. Flim sells it in Shanghai, Sydney and Paris. And Nolli in San Francisco, Rio de Janeiro and Cairo. Harry himself sells it in Paris, New York, London and Barcelona. Meaning Europe seemingly has the best stock followed by the United States. And clearly meaning all those ten sellers are either he or one of his elves. He certainly will miss the ability to brew with those ingredients and plans to stop selling a year before Huntress dies. Though his elves do take over his trading areas for now.
He sighs when Huntress returns to him one day saying "The nasty speaker said he won't come back for awhile. And I fear that whining female screamer is dead. Do I have to kill for nasty again?"
"No, but he'll possess someone in a few years and you'll have to turn some people to stone again. But that be the year my younger self will kill you." Harry explains fighting his tears at the thought.
"So this boredom will end soon?" Huntress asks hopefully "I still want to tell your parents that they should have found a better name for my speaker."
"Soon, but I fear not soon enough. It still will be some time, but compared to how long it has been it will seem like nothing." Harry says leaning against her scaly body and felling her move under and around his body shifting him around and over her scales in an imitation of how he used to pet her when he could still carry her. Harry lets the by now well known motion lull him to sleep and the next day he uses his potion that will turn him perfectly invisible for a few hours and takes enough with him to follow Tom. From than on he does little else. Watching him following him and returning to Huntress in the evenings or whenever Tom goes to bed. When Tom's actions make it seem safe Harry occasionally brews to calm himself. Sometimes Harry wonders how many years it has been since a human being has gotten close to him. After losing Godric, despite Harry's best efforts to not even care for him, Harry had been even more distant from everything. Never staying anywhere for more than a few hours at a time and never returning sooner than a year to the exact same place. Even the drop off for venom and skin was spaced around those cities and never personal and where no one would see him. Always perfectly invisible. Godric was the last who had physically touched Harry at all. And even those were fleeting like grabbing Harry to drag him or giving him a playful push.
Some nights Harry still dreams of Thomas Snape, the last person to get really close to his heart only to break it. Though he is sure that not letting Thomas win was the right choice. He might still be curious what it's like to be with a man but he had seen too many too bad diseases that were spread that way and certainly had existed at the time that Harry even thinks that it was youthful idiocy to ever consider it at all. And he might still occasionally dream of Thomas and think that he was not but Harry doesn't think he's really in love with him.
By now Harry sometimes wonders if he could still love innocent and pure Ginny but he very much doubts it. And who knows, the way she had been at first, she at least appeared to be like Amelia was. In love with love and an image of Harry that had never been true and was now less like the real him than ever before. And Harry isn't even sure if he still knows how to truly love. He closed his heart from letting anyone get close for so long that Harry doubts that he still can let anyone close. He hates to be so alone but at the same time he no longer knows how to be with anyone.
On occasion Harry has those other dreams Thomas had inspired. Those of his very first grumpy and grouchy potions Professor and the very interesting things that happened during the detentions he dreamed to have. They certainly were a far cry from the real detentions he had served with the man. Those certainly can't come true though. Severus Snape would sooner kill him than touch him in such a way.
But most of Harry's dreams are nightmares fuelled by his fear of the future. Harry often wonders what will come when all this is over and more often than not fears the end. He certainly understands Huntress' wish for death. Maybe it be best to have a very strong poison on hand for when Voldemort is no more. The way people fear power they are bound to be terrified of him. Especially with what he plans to do until then.
The next person Harry sees getting killed by Tom Harry will have to allow to to die too or Tom will notice that the cup wasn't changed. The same goes for the creation of the other items. All of those though items are switched with a replica right after Tom left them or gave them to someone else. All are stored under strong wards within Harry's rooms to be destroyed when Tom has returned. The time line needs to stay intact and it won't if Harry destroys them right away. He makes sure to ward the items from affecting him negatively though.
Eventually Harry safes some of those Voldemort would kill. He places with all those he can safe that way, into a very deep magical sleep, switches them with a dead Golem that gets killed in their stead, though that doesn't really matter seeing it is dead and takes the real body to a place under the castle close to his rooms. The only way in or out is apparating and the only one able to do that is him.
He can wake them up and create a new entrance or rather exit for them towards the castle to let them out and live again after Voldemort is dead. But he isn't sure how many will be truly happy. They get a second chance but when they can come out everything will be different. For some at least almost 50 years will be lost. The first ones aren't here and there weren't as many at the beginning but it will be about 50 years between the first and second time the chamber is opened and another few years until Harry is send back in time.
When Harry finally can watch his parents in school he does that on occasion and sends elves to watch Voldemort and call him when he's needed to quickly make a Golem and switch it unnoticed while invisible and taking the magically sleeping people to safety.
Sometimes Harry wonders what will happen if he just changes the timeline. What will happen if his life wasn't the same will he even still be sent back in time. What happens then? Does it even really matter? And what will happen if Harry just gives up and takes a poison now? If he ends this endless wait.
Watching his parents, he quickly also watches Severus. Especially during the Summers to let his father fall asleep, seemingly from alcohol, whenever he gets too bad. He can't shield Severus from all because it's what makes him the man Harry remembers. Still, especially seeing how Harry's own father and godfather treat Severus cruelly on top of his home life is hard for Harry.
Quickly noticing Severus' talent for potions and how focused he is Harry decides to help him. Harry always knew that Severus would be great at brewing potions but he never thought Severus was as good as he is when starting Hogwarts. He is very talented and Harry had promised Thalia to teach a descendent of theirs and Severus is the first with an interest in it. But he isn't sure how to help him without changing anything.
From the very beginning Severus brews sixth year material on an almost daily basis just to practice and try out things. Harry knew his mother had taught him a lot before but it's still amazing. The marauders however almost always try to interfere. By the time Severus' second year is almost at an end Harry gets an idea to truly help Severus in his studies. To guide him a little Harry lets him find journals that include knowledge about creatures and usable parts as well as potions that use stirring in a way that repeatedly draws a rune or cutting a rune on leaves or into a root. The rune is always named instead of drawn so to be able to make those Severus has to learn about runes.
The next year Harry is happy to see Severus has elected to study Ancient runes and care of magical creatures along with Arithmancy.
Journals and other useful books from Harry's private collection, including some he wrote at the time of the founders and had signed with the first fake name he had, Salazar Slytherin, find their way into Severus' school bag.
Harry also occasionally leaves notes in a work room when Severus goes there to brew.
The years pass slowly and the hidden sleeping place of those presumed dead is expanded over the next year's while Harry watches how his father bullies Severus and the rift between Lily and Severus increase the more Lucius tries to charm Severus to follow the dark Lord.
To Harry's surprise Severus might love Lily in a way but seems more physically attracted to Lucius Malfoy. The older boy using it until one summer where Harry helplessly watches how Severus is marked before he's even out of Hogwarts.
Promises about assistance with a mastery will be kept on Voldemort orders it seems but apart from that Lucius barely seems to notice Severus after that day. Clearly leaving the younger heart broken.
One day during Severus' sixth year one of Harry's elves approach him saying "Sir?" they no longer use a name as Harry no longer sticks to one name for longer than a few month at most and always has more than one fake name at a time. He never tells them a name to use for him. "Young Master's favourite, Severus Snape, is in danger sir. James Potter and Sirius Black have caused explosion in potions laboratory Sir."
The elf barely got to finish before Harry downs a potion that makes him invisible again and is flying through the halls. He no longer needs a broom. With the amount of power he by now has, most magic comes instinctual to him and he doesn't dare to apparete unless he knows how severe the damage is.
Entering the laboratory he sees that James and Sirius are pale and looking through the rubble "I told you not to mess with his potion." James mumbles. "What if he's dead?"
"One death eater in the making less." Sirius shrugs. "Come on James lets leave, we'll just get caught."
James looks worried but does sigh in resignation saying "Fine, it's probably too late anyway. But we at least have to find my cloak."
Despair that their action almost killed one of the few people not supposed to die and such render everything Harry had done in vain causes a flicker of anger to rise for the first time in years of depressive nothingness.
Harry uses his magic to clean the room and float a dead looking Severus to himself. The invisibility cloak goes to hover above James out of reach. Feeling how close to death Severus is Harry keeps him alive while Sirius and James hold their wands towards the floating Severus. Not seeing another threat.
After magically altering his appearance Harry takes the potion that ends his own invisibility. James and Sirius now holding their wands on him staring. Harry's eyes are switching between the colours of a rainbow while his hair is a glowing silver light like the moon. His skin is glowing and pale as well. He wants to scare them both and changes his voice saying. "No punishment not even death is enough for you. So rest assured when your own stupidity would cause your lives to end I will not grant you death. I will keep you in a magical sleep instead. I shall let you rest in peace until it's time to whiteness with your own eyes what consequences your own actions will have. And believe me, you will wish to have died before the day you awaken ends. For you'll see the end. Voldemort will be dead that day but so will be the next child in the Potter line. Your son James will grow up without his father. Hurt and abused. For a moment he'll have hope that his godfather Sirius will safe him from that. But Sirius will fail him again just like you did. Your son, James, will suffer and by no one's fault but that of you two. And the day you awaken your son will find his peace. He'll take the poison he'll have with him for years before you reach him. If you are fast, you might even see the light in his eyes die but you will not be able to safe him. The only one who has even a remote chance to safe him, is in my arms right now. But really, why would he bother with your son. And trust me, the chance was barely there to begin with.
Pray James that Severus succeeds where you both fail and that he'll have the kindness and compassion you are lacking. For maybe your son will have a slight hope to survive. Unlikely as it is. But if this man fails do not blame him. You have only yourselves to blame." The invisibility cloak drops onto their heads "Now go and don't forget the cloak, it's apparently more worth than the life of the only person able to protect your son."
With that Harry blocks the memory so they'll only see it as a repetitive nightmare for now. Rhey won't truly remember until the timeline is safe. Once that is done he apparates to his own hidden quarters and places Severus onto his bed seeing his eyes open a little. Harry stares deep into his eyes his magic still healing the other. "Will it be Lily's son too?"
"Yes." Harry replies wondering when he was last this close to anyone. He even had actual physical contact with Severus despite the fact that the last human contact he had was with Godric Gryffindor over a thousand years ago. The others Harry had saved were floated without touching them.
"Then I will safe him for her." Severus vows.
"I might have overestimated your chances." Harry replies "By the time you first see him he will carry poison with him at all times. And you carry that mark." Harry moves his hand along Severus' arm to push the sleeve up and expose the dark mark, touching naked skin for the first time since the time of the founders. "You'll have to at least act like you hate him. And it will have to be convincing."
"Why?" Severus asks "Even if I act in public I'm sure I'll find a way to let him know the truth. To keep him safe and get that silly idea of killing himself out of his head. I know what it's like to be hurt by others. I'll talk him out of it."
"If it were only that you wouldn't need to. That won't be all that troubles him and not the worst by far." Harry sighs. "It doesn't matter. I really must make you forget this talk ever happened."
Instead though Harry moves his hands over the others fingers watching them closely. Fascinated by the feel of skin on skin that he hadn't felt in so long. Memories of Thomas getting stronger and of dreams that include an older version of the young man currently in his bed. A fact that does very little to change the way his heart races. Those pesky teenage hormones that Harry had ignored expertly for ages rearing their ugly head again.
Frowning Harry forces his hands to let go though his skin still prickles and he still longs to touch Severus again. He looks into the others eyes to enter his mind and change his memories. Something Harry learned a few hundred years ago.
Before he can do that though Severus' hand moves to his cheek and from there into Harry's hair. Harry just closes his eyes unable to ignore the rush of feelings going through him at the foreign tough. He feels the bed shift and opens his eyes just in time to see the others face get closer. Unable to comprehend anything that is going on under the sudden rush of feelings after centuries of loneliness he can't even begin to consider stopping the kiss that soon follows.
Harry feels like drowning in his own confusing emotions while Severus explores his lips and a tongue finds its way to explore Harry's mouth.
Excitement, longing, lust and joy but also fear of loss rush so strongly through Harry that he barely reacts while Severus moves his hands to explore more of the glowing skin of this being that had saved him. This creature, whatever it is that had looked so fascinated just from touching his hands and right now is almost limp in his arms but making all those delicious little gasping sounds. Giving all the power of this situation over to Severus who gladly devours this clearly more powerful being that reacts so wonderfully to his every touch.
Much later Harry is still very much confused and still feels the other's hand caress him gently. The rush of emotions slowly calming after he had reached a rather spectacular height of emotions not too long ago. A height for which nothing in Harry's seemingly endless existence had prepared him.
For a while Harry just feels, with his back turned to the man that still gently holds him and his eyes stay closed to just focus on his feelings. Trying very hard not to think about the reasons Severus might have had or if this is a plan to protect his friends son by ensnaring some powerful help. For now Harry tries just to ensure that he'll never forget how wonderful it feels to have those finger move over the soft skin of his arm or those lips still gently nibbling on his neck. How wonderful it is to not be alone, to be loved, or at least have someone act like he cares.
Eventually though Harry's fear that this is a trick gets too great and he says "I wish I could feel this more often."
"I certainly wouldn't mind indulging you there." Severus whispers seductively. Letting his breath ghost teasingly over Harry's still heated skin.
Harry shivers already feeling his lust rise again. It's almost like he woke up from an endless sleep. Like his body is coming back to life after endlessly drifting through life only half awake. Or rather only half alive. The last time he felt this real was when he had said good bye to Thalia Snape and his dreams of giving in to her son's attempts to ensnare him. Even Godric had not shattered the walls around Harry's heart this thourohly "What if I'll be between you and saving your friend's son. What if it's my life you'll have to sacrifice for him?"
Severus freezes in his movement. The fingertips still touching Harry but no longer moving up and down in an endless caressing motion. His lips no longer find Harry's skin to tease him and eventually Severus lets go and turns slightly away to look at the ceiling with a sigh. It is quiet for only a moment longer until Severus breathes "Than I'll have to find a way to safe both of you. I can't let Lily's son die but I could sacrifice you even less."
Harry turns around to look at Severus before saying "What if you have to hurt him to safe both of us?"
"Which one is it now?" Severus grumbles clearly getting annoyed "Save one or the other or both by hurting one?"
Harry just shrugs and lies on his back looking up next to his lover saying "Both, neither, maybe I know, maybe I don't! How would I know, sometimes I barely even remember who I am!"
Severus turns on his side again watching Harry intently. "I think you know exactly what will happen and just as well how to safe both."
"What if neither wants to be saved though." Harry wonders.
Severus leans down and gently kisses the beautiful and glowing young man he managed to seduce much easier than he thought an unattractive man like him should be able to do and then whispers "What if I don't want to life without either of you?"
Harry frowns and mumbles "That is cheating." He really doesn't like the implication that Severus might hurt himself if Harry takes the poison he brewed for himself by now.
"It's the truth though." Severus replies and continues kissing down along the others chest playing with his nipples a little while he whispers "Who could possibly go on losing someone as unworldly beautiful as you."
"It's a fake." Harry just says and starts changing his appearance to look like a perfect replica of Sirius Black and Severus almost falls off the bed from shock. "I wanted to scare them by looking like some kind of powerful being but I can look like whatever I want." Next Harry goes for Dumbledore and Severus groans.
"Now you're giving me nightmares." He grumbles and looks at the now old looking person adding "So, you're a metamorphmagus or what?"
"No, just really good at glamours." Harry shrugs still looking up sadly the glow from emotions he felt before almost gone now that Severus isn't touching him at all. Slowly he feels like he's falling into the same state of half death as he was before wishing it was already over and wondering if Huntress feels the same. She clearly is as impatient for death as Harry is just getting for many years already.
To Harry's surprise Severus' hand returns to caress his face gently. Harry turns to look at him and into the frowning face of Severus who says "Your eyes are still the same though."
Harry frowns disagreeing "They were multi-coloured and now are blue."
"Colour and shape might have changed but not the look in them." Severus replies "You don't look like someone who wants to die. You look like someone who's forgotten how to be alive. I won't give up on you, and I don't care how you look or even how old you really are, I still want the same."
Harry can barely believe it when Severus kisses him again despite the fact that he looks like Dumbledore with beard and all. After that Harry watches Severus a little but changes one more time, this time to himself asking "What if I am the son of James and Lily. What if I was send back in time and waited a thousand years just to get to my old time? What if I'm just tired of watching others grow old and die. What if I want it all to end?"
Severus stares speechless but once more kisses him gently. Longer than the last one and even moves to hover above the once again young and devilishly handsome man and then whispers "Than wait just a little longer but this time wait with me until we can grow old together. Let me be by your side!"
"I remember very clearly how you used to despite me for my father." Harry says "I can't change the time line."
"I think I'm good enough as an actor to play the role of a very nasty and grumpy man the few times I might see you. I doubt we'll have all that much to do with one another before now." Severus calms and his hands start to wander and explore the now slightly tanned skin and the muscles he feels under that skin. "I want to be with you! Just let me remind you how wonderful life can be!"
For a little longer Harry allows it to happen but once Severus was asleep next to him Harry decided to take it safe. In Severus' case he tied the lock on all memories of what happened right before and after the explosion to his dark mark so he won't remember for years to come before Harry brings the sleeping young man back to his dorm room. There was no reason to let Severus suffer with him and who knows, he might change his mind in years to come or make a mistake in acting. Harry couldn't take the risk this close to the end.
And so Harry watched how the man Harry was now head over heals in love with made his mastery and worked for Voldemort until he heard that damned Prophecy. Still Harry watched how the man turned spy and later, after bringing his parents sleeping bodies to those of others he watches Severus grieve and his talk with Dumbledore about protecting Harry. And quickly developing a potion that will extract the soul piece Harry saw go to him without taking his ability to speak parsel.
Harry also protects Neville's parents but to keep the time line in tact he places their minds into a permanent daydream that will let them appear more like sleep walking and not knowing anything that happens around them.
For years things are quiet and Harry silently watches. The only company he has is his Basilisk. The very same one Harry knows will be killed in a few years and the very same one who is waiting for that death to come. Her by now daily question about how much longer she'll have to stay alive only feeding Harry's own growing longing for death and the resulting peace.
By the time he can watch himself in school and sees Hermione and Ron again, almost having forgotten them, he holds a phial of poison in his hand at all times. Barely able to stop himself from taking it. The only thought that kept him going was that it won't be much longer and that it will be easy to defeat Voldemort now. Too easy to let all this be for nothing.
The end of the following year is the hardest. For three days Harry stays with the dead body of his Basilisk after his own younger self has killed it. After that he barely functions. He stoped selling the last bit of venom or skin that is still around a year ago and barely watches what happens at all. Knowing he won't be needed for awhile. Telling his elves to tell him when a ministry witch sees Peter.
Until that day Harry stays in his warded rooms barely moving, barely eating and staring at the poison he brew that is in his hands. Wondering if Severus would still care and barely able to find enough will to safe the ministry witch and the muggle when the time comes. Though the later he sends far away and erases his memory. A fresh start on another continent might be kinder for one his age and it's not so much longer now.
When the elves tell him it's time he goes to the graveyard and waits invisible to add Cedric to those that are asleep. At least with him Harry is reasonably sure that it is the right thing to save him. With those sleeping for now about fifty years he's still not sure if they'll thank him or curse him. But than again, maybe they need not know it was him. No one had ever seen him.
For about another year Harry waits feeling more dead than alive. Not bothering with watching anyone anymore. There isn't much to do until Sirius needs him and he has his elves watching the Thestrals to know when to act. And so he once again barely leaves his bed.
He's almost relieved when Sirius joins Harry's Parents. Harry managed to safe them all. Harry starts to watch Severus again. Just one more year will he be able to watch him. At least if Harry truly will take the poison and with every day he watches he is more sure of it.
One thing however makes him wonder. He over hears an argument between Severus and Dumbledore. Seems like Dumbledore is dying, something Harry hadn't known. And it also looks like Severus is ready to sacrifice himself if the talk about the way Dumbledore intends to go down is any indication and he does seem lonely too, maybe Severus will still care and maybe it be good for Severus but Harry isn't sure he can.
He is surprised when he returns to his hide out that day though. A small hiss speaks to him " You are the speaker Huntress told me about, are you not?"
Harry stares in surprise at the male Basilisk. He's bigger than Huntress when Harry met her but still small compared to what she became. He could still curl around Harry. "I am, and who are you?"
"Huntress called me Catcher. Because I enjoy trying to catch living feathers from the air." The smaller Basilisk tells him. "Huntress made me, she tried leaving a dead toad on my egg and apparently that works just fine as long as she kept the egg warm. She told me that when I return after playing in the forest for awhile and she wasn't there I should look for her speaker and approach him once I'm sure it's him. She feared you'd get lonely."
"You must really like the forest, you must have been gone a long time." Harry musses seeing how long it's been since Huntress died.
"Not as long as it took to find you and ensure it was you. I wasn't sure where to find you or if I should approach. I was warned to stay away from screamer and a speaker named Tom. I had to watch to make sure you are neither of those. Until recently you did so little I wasn't sure."
Harry nods "I'm pleased to meet you Catcher. I'm not sure if I'm very good company though."
"Huntress told me a secret she never told you. A secret a Basilisk knows from instinct once they grow older, she asked me to tell you. I would know by now but as I said, I wasn't sure if you were her chosen." Catcher says.
Harry just asks "Chosen?"
"A Basilisk can die from only very few causes. A myth says that the sound of a roster can hurt us but I heard one and so did Huntress many times." The Basilisk says "We can only died by three ways. We don't bond with a speaker within five years after hatching. We get killed by the speaker we bound to or when our chosen speaker dies we die with him. She had chosen to bound to you a few days after meeting you and advised me to do the same. I wasn't sure and watched a long time. I can taste your sadness, your despair. But I also saw how you protect others I wish to help. I wish to be yours like I wish for you to be my chosen now."
Harry watches him. "I long for death, you might not live long with me."
"My five years will be over soon either way and there is no other worthy speaker. I saw Huntress and how she was. I spoke to her; we aren't meant to live long. And never meant to live alone. Your health affected her. Her longing was a near reflection of your loneliness. I already feel it too." Catcher explains "I don't mind dying with you. But she is right, you can not go on much longer on your own. You are getting worse than she ever was."
Harry sighs saying "It won't be long. And then everything will either end or get better. I just don't know what it will be."
"Than let us end it as you and Huntress started. As a team, speaker and Basilisk." Catcher says and Harry nods to him holding out his arm to let the snake slither around it and under his robe before coming out on the other sleeve and go along under his hand just to go back and disappear after a pet the same way Huntress used to.
Harry feels slightly better with Catcher while he watches what happens next. He still watches Voldemort to ensure the death rate stays as low as he can keep it. Due to that he knows the plan he has Draco work on and watches said Slytherin boy too and sees the way his younger self had almost killed the blond. Something Harry had never truly forgotten.
He also sees Draco go and let death eaters in minutes before his own younger self is leaving for that Inferi filled cave along with Dumbledore.
Harry goes to Severus and once he finds him he lets himself be seen and says "I need your help."
Severus stares "Aren't you supposed to be with the headmaster?"
"In a way I am." Harry sighs and waves a hand to remove the dark mark. It's almost funny how the others eyes widen under the onslaught of memories while Harry explains. "It's time, I need to make sure I'm send back in time. I don't know if I have to do it or if something else caused it. But while I'm gone, Draco has let death eaters in. Please keep them distracted." He looks around "Elves of Hogwarts. It's time! The students are in danger keep them safe in their dorms. Return all of them to their rooms if they are out right now with the exception of Draco Malfoy. But if he's in danger, bring him to his dorm too and keep them in their as comfortable as you can." Harry looks sadly at Severus saying "I managed to safe some by letting them sleep. You should remember now what I told James and Sirius once. They will come out soon but not know it was me. If you still want me to live for any longer than this day, make them believe that the castle is sentient and saved them on its own. Don't let anyone know how strong I am. I don't want to be feared. I'm not going through that for anything anyone can say. I can always make you forget your silly idea to follow me when I die. That threat alone won't stop me. I have to go for now though. Voldemort will hardly kill himself and as I said, I still don't know how I was send back."
"You have to come back though. To fight the death eaters, right?" Severus asks seeing the phial in Harry's hand. The potion inside having a very distinguished colour and moves sluggish inside. Severus is sure that it's a poison and even which on. one drop if it and Harry can't be saved. He's just glad to see Harry nods.
Harry will return at least one more time, that much he can promise. And with that Harry leaves to watch Dumbledore being fed that vial potion. As soon as the Inferi start to rise and nothing else happens Harry decides that it clearly is up to him. He uses his magic to stop the Inferi while he warns his other self and them pushes him through time while raising findfire to fight of the Inferi at the same time.
The bang from the younger Harry's disappearance is shattering and leaves Harry's and Dumbledore's ears ringing. Harry quickly heals his own ears from the trauma caused by the bang and then flies to the headmaster to heal him of the same as well as the after effects of the potion and the curse in his hand. With another wave he cancels all spells Tom has on and around the cave before taking the medalion. It's another fake than the one Harry had originally made. Meaning someone else was here.
Dumbledore still stares dumbfounded at his suddenly much changed student, and it's not just the clothing that changed drastically. Though Harry doesn't look older, he clearly is more experienced and stronger, proven by the magic he just did like it was nothing. "Hello Professor. There is something I need to explain to you."
Harry holds out his hand to help the old wizard up and takes him to his hidden place where he takes all the Horcruxes and the potion to destroy the one within himself.
"Wait here," Harry says. "I quickly go and finish off Voldemort, I hope you don't mind if I claim it was you." Harry changes his appearance to look like Dumbledore and then takes a potion to be immune to another he had created. "This potion I created protects me from another. When I drop the other everyone around will sleep. Everyone but me. They will be asleep for 24 hours and everyone getting close who didn't take this will be too. I have enough to pass it to Aurors so they can collect them when I'm done." Harry hands him a bag klinking from the phials inside, "Let's just make people believe that the power he knows not is potions. With a bit of luck Severus will back you up and say he trained me in secret and we kept my genius potions skill under wrap as much as possible until now. I don't want to be feared for my power. Now wait here, there are death eaters around and I rather not have you run into them right now. It might be noticed you couldn't have killed Voldemort if you fought them at the same time. But don't worry, the students are safe, I made sure of that."
Harry disappears and reappears in Malfoy Manor where he calmly says "I have a present for you Tom." He first shows all the Horcruxes he collected and then throws a phial with the potion that, as soon as said phial brakes on the ground, will let them all sleep. Well at least all humans. "Catcher. Kill that snake and bite those things to my feet please."
"If I must, I hope having them in my mouth won't give me indigestion. They are vial." The Basilisk says and once that is done the Basilisk slithers towards Tom "He's as nasty and disgusting as those things. And as Huntress described the nasty speaker. Is it him? I promised her to kill him."
"It is him. Go ahead but leave the others alive." Harry agrees and as soon as Voldemort is dead he apparates straight to the death eaters in the castle saying "Are you looking for me? My apologies I was a bit busy. Defeating and killing your master that is. Now will you let me tie you up quietly or do I need to use force."
"Liar, our Master can't be killed." Bellatrix claims and attacks him. Her spell doesn't get through and with just a wave of his hand all but Severus and Draco are tied up.
"Now Bellatrix. It wasn't very nice of you to drag your nephew into this by threatening his parents. Poor lad must be so worried for his parents and hardly had a choice." He turns to Severus who looks at him with a raised eyebrow. Severus saw the poison still in the left hand of who at least looks like Dumbledore. Making Severus certain that this is Harry. He acts too little like the real Dumbledore to have just taken the poison from his depressed student. And his eyes are too full of loneliness. "A word if you please Severus." Harry says certain that Severus won't let him leave alone and he can hardly die looking like Dumbledore.
"More than one. I do have a few questions but first, I think Draco's mark should go too." Severus asks "Please?"
"You know that I can't do that, we'll have to ask the castle." Harry, still in the disguise of Dumbledore replies and moves his hand barely noticeable and gives a barely noticeable nod.
"Draco check your arm." Severus says hearing footsteps coming up.
Draco looks at it and says surprised "It's gone."
"Good." Severus says hearing the voice of James Potter and Sirius Black call out.
"Snape, where is Harry, is he okay?"
"Where are you coming from?" Harry still has to play Dumbledore who knows nothing so far "And how are you alive?"
"I thing this strange being made us go to sleep. I don't know what it was but Severus must know." Sirius says angrily. "It was protecting him and threatening Harry."
"Not threatening. Warning. And I'm on it so calm down please. Albus and I will check on the boy. The castle must have hidden him and for your information, what you saw was a manifestation of the castle. It must be getting stronger with time." Severus says. "Strong enough to protect those it cares about until Voldemort was defeated."
"Yes that must be it. Severus, if you please come with me." He holds out a hand "Or I'll go alone."
Severus grabs him quickly saying "Over my dead body."
They disappear together towards the real Dumbledore where Harry tells the old man that Voldemort is gone and all death eaters are either tied up in the castle or asleep at Malfoy Manor and then asks him to stall the press or deal with it alone before he sends him away with the phials Harry had given him for the Aurors. Harry isn't sure how to properly explain and currently doesn't feel up to be surrounded and bombarded with questions. He much rather be alone with Severus who still holds on to his hand tightly. He needs to find out if Severus still cares at all to maybe put his phial with poison away for now, just to try for Severus' sake or if he can end it now after altering Snap's memory again to ensure he won't get any silly ideas. Right now Harry doesn't really want to be alive but he does want to feel the way only Severus can make him feel. At least one more time, or maybe more. Just until the rest becomes too much.
Author's Note: Can Severus convince Harry? Well technically you know the odds are good since I said Harry would not take it in my first warning but it could still be that his mother stops him or someone else.
More importantly though, will Harry be able to just pretend that nothing is wrong or will he tell at least tell some people the truth. Could he even keep this from most? At least Dumbledore knows that something is definitely up!
How will those people react to his story? And how will James and Sirius react to Harry's relationship with Severus, a guy their age that they dislike under the best of circumstances seducing James' son. And on top of that this two will have to eventually be told about Harry's new 'pet' Basilisk!
And talking about Catcher, how will Severus react to Catcher and vice versa. Catcher is still hidden under Harry's robe so Severus might notice if he approaches Harry and kisses him. Or will Catcher actually just leave Harry alone with a stranger who gets very close to his chosen Speaker?