General Disclaimer: All Rights are reserved by JK Rowling, related publishing houses, and movie studios. I'm just borrowing the characters for my own fun and will be keeping with the rules that Ms. Rowling set out, and they are:

that fan fiction endeavors remained non-commercial,

that the stories continue to exist online (and not in print)

that the stories are not obscene

Author Note(s):

I had originally planned to start this as a new story that was a sequel to Child of Destiny, but I decided against doing that. Instead, I am continuing Child of Destiny in two parts, but they are listed together.

Child of Destiny Part 2

Chapter 1 Meeting Destiny Head On

Harry navigated the small craft through the heavy fog. The eerie silence was almost deafening, but Harry put his trust in the magical vessel to take where he was most needed. Soon the fog began to clear as Harry spotted the outline of shore. The deep blue of the calm still waters gave way to lushes green. Harry stepped out of the boat into shin high waters his leather boots spelled to repel the water.

Harry shrank the magic vessel and oar before placing it in a magical satchel he carried on his back. He sloshed through the water as he made his way onto dry land. Taking a deep breathe, Harry inhaled a lungful of his native air, the crisp cool air entering his lungs felt refreshing as the memories of his youth brought a mix of painful longing and misery. The distant memories now were not as painful as they had once been. The passage of time and healing having dampened the anger and sadness into a dull ache and allowed the few good, cherished memories to surface.

The deep green of the grasses was intermixed with the deep grey of granite cliffs. Harry seemed to find himself in a quite hillside valley. The bubbling of water caused Harry to spin around ready for any attack.

The rising watery bubbles gave way to a glowing ethereal woman. She moved and swayed as if made from water itself. "Good morn to you, Harry Potter," the woman said with a musical lilt.

Harry bowed and happily returned, "Good morn, to you, mi' lady." The ways of the Fae people had since stopped being a mystery to him.

The lady smiled with happiness. "Tis' good to see you happy and well, Lord Harry. I did worry for you when the Sisters of Destiny first brought you to these shores," she gestured to their surroundings.

"I was only too happy to grant them entry to Avalon and to summon the Queen to meet them." The thought of who the Fae was that he now spoke with hit upon him suddenly.

"I thank you, kindly that you would grant them entry, dear Lady of the Lake," Harry gave another flourishing bow.

The so named Lady smiled pleasantly. "Good, then you have worked out who I am, mi' Lord," she laughed musically.

"Then, we shall not stand on any formalities any longer," the waters bubbled around her again, "A gift for you, kind lord, use it well."

Out of the bubbling water a magnificent sword washed ashore. Harry bent down to and picked the untarnished scabbard and pulled the gleaming sword from its sheath, he held up and examined it. It was breath taking in its intricate design but crafted for a practical use. Harry slashed the sword through the air a few times to get the feel of the weighted metal.

The metal seemed to sing as it sliced with ease. The weight of the heavy sword was well balanced and felt as if its hand been crafted for his own hand by a master swordsmith. "May Excalibur serve you well in your quest, Lord Harry." Harry turned at the gatekeeper to Avalon's words in time to see her disappear beneath the still waters.

"I will, mi' Lady," Harry assured, "I will."

Harry sheathed the sword its scabbard again. He closed his eyes thinking of the place he wished to be, gathering his cloak around him, he disappeared with a quiet +pop+.

Scene Change

The sudden sound of a +pop+ startled the wildlife that called the ruins of the castle home. Harry surveyed the castle ruins that sat high on a cliff overlooking the Celtic Sea below. Sir Galahad recommended his ancestral home, the Triad Isles, to be Harry's refuge. It had been Galahad's hope that the isles that had become a wasteland after his grandfather had been wounded in battle, unable to father anymore children, the lands seemed to mirror his infertility and had withered.

Though, the truth, Galahad said was that the constant battles against foreign invaders had seen the islands pillaged and plundered of their resources. The people tired of defending themselves had fled to the neighboring shores of Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, and Roman occupied Gaul. The last king, Galahad's grandfather had used his last breath and magic to conceal the islands from all, but those of his direct bloodline. Hoping that over time island would become fertile again.

As Harry surveyed the castle ruins and observed that the ruins were overgrown by green foliage and that birds and small animals had mad it their home. Further inspection as the sun rose over the horizon showed that trees had grown to litter the village and the fields, once producing food for the castle and the village, were used now by grazing animals like red deer and elk.

An insistent tugging pulled at Harry's magic, so he let the mysterious source guide him, with a soft +pop+ Harry disappeared from the castle ruins. He reappeared in a darkened cave; the only light was a dimly glowing crystal in the center of the cavern. The mystery pull seemed to be coming from the glowing crystal.

Harry cast a charm to form a glowing orb of light to form in front of him. He willed the orb to light his way as he moved through the damp cavern. Water dripping was the only sound other than his own breathing. Harry tripped over something, the rattling of some scattering, he looked down to find bones and a human skull had caused him to trip.

Moving away from the bones, Harry cast a spell to summon the bones, repairing the skeletal remains. Harry knelt by the remains, noticing the signs of healed battle wounds on the scarred skeleton. Beside the skeleton, a crown, a shield, and sword still scabbard could be found. The faded sigil of the Fisher King could be seen on the faded, tattered chainmail and cloth garments.

Using his magic Harry created a raised platform from the granite stone. A quick levitation spells used, Harry laid the kings remains, placing the crown beside the skull and the sword in the skeleton's hands, Harry finally placed the shield leaning against the stone platform before adding a final preservation charm on the remains.

A moment of silence passed before Harry moved to the pedestal holding the exceptionally large crystal. Casting a few spells over the crystal, Harry found was a diamond ward stone. The ward stone was tied to multiple lay lines crisscrossing the ocean directly above him. The scans revealing that the enormous cavern was on the ocean floor and was in the very center of the three-island chain.

The glowing diamond pulsed more brightly with Harry's presence as it seemed to suck up the ambient magic given off by Harry like a starving moth to a flame. The stone seemed to speak to Harry calling forth to the new Lord of the islands. Knowing from his studies in 'warding' magic, Harry cut his palm with a knife that he always kept with him, he placed his palm on the warm stone. The hungry ward stone flared as Harry fed his magic and blood into the stone.

The stone began to glow brighter and brighter as it was charged by the new Lord's magic and blood recognized to be a direct descendant of the last king. Harry felt the shift as he gained access to the powerful magical wards. Taking full control, Harry withdrew his hand and healed the cut.

An idea struck him as he remembered the almost sentient nature of Hogwarts, the founders had hypothesized that when they had set the castles ward stone and tied it to the lay lines under, they castle that they had charged the ward stone with a bit of their blood and magic. Over time the castle must have gained a limited sentience, at least, enough to instinctively know what the needs were of each castle's inhabitants Harry wondered if something similar would happen here, on the islands, more than that he wondered if he could also add some of teachers magic that they had shared with him. Harry touched the signet ring to the ward stone and watched as the ring glowed as it fed the ward stone based on Harry summoned all the good memories of love and protection he had of Avalon and its people.

A golden glow, shown in his one eye, he cast a silent Patronus charm, he watched as a large dragon burst forth from his hand. The corporeal Patronus roared and flew around the enormous cavern before diving into the ward stone. The glow receded from both the ring and the ward stone as it pulsed brightly in an almost hypnotic rhythm. The more Harry watched, the more he felt connected to the ward stone in as to almost believe that the stone glowed with a pulse like a heartbeat. Unknown to him, if a ship had been passing near the island's boundaries, the crew of the ship, would have witnessed what the deemed a mirage as the islands seemed to appear for a few seconds before disappearing once more.

Feeling satisfied with the results and knowing the islands were protected once more with their wards at full force. Harry gave the late king a salute before a soft +pop+ signaled his departure.

Scene Change

Harry reappeared amongst the castle complex ruins. An annoyed +hoot+ startled the wizard, he looked up in time to see a snowy white owl diving towards him. Catching the owl in his arms, he cheerfully exclaimed, "Hedwig!"

+Hoot! + the relieved bird acknowledged her human.

"How have you been girl?" Harry stroked her feathers lovingly.

+Hoot+ the owl replied. Harry interrupted the response in an 'I missed you terribly.'

Laughing happily, Harry replied, "I missed you too, Hedwig."

A musical trill lightened Harry's heart filling with happiness. A looked for the sound when he saw the sight of Fawkes make a fiery appearance above him. Immediately on alert, fearing that Fawkes's appearance meant that Dumbledore was around, another soft mournful musical trill from Fawkes spoke in such away to say, 'I am alone.'

Harry watched the magnificent phoenix perch on some ruins close to the wizard. Hedwig flew from Harry's arms to perch beside her feathery friend. +Hoot+ Hedwig's amber eyes begged Harry to come closer.

Harry moved to stand in front of the red phoenix. He stroked his feathery head. "You let, Dumbledore, didn't you?" the wizard queried.

A sad musical trill met his ears in reply as if to say, 'I couldn't stay…the wizard knew you were innocent and did nothing."

Feeling bad for the immortal bird, Harry offered, "Your welcome to stay here with Hedwig and me if you'd like?"

A happy fluttering of the phoenix's wings and a happy musical trill escaped the beautiful bird. The phoenix's musical trill seemed to express his joy and agreement with the wizards offer. "Well, then we better get to work to making the place livable." Harry quipped as he took off his cloak and rolled up his shirt sleeves.

Scene Change

The old wizard rubbed at his temple as he paced the length of his office. Nothing was going according to plan. The headmaster of Hogwarts was at an impasse…he had fully believed that Tom would lay low, by his time and build his numbers after returning to a corporeal body. Instead, Tom had led a surprise and daring raid on the Little Whinging neighborhood on Privet Drive. The dark lord and his followers had raised the neighborhood to the ground, the only survivor had been Harry Potter.

Questions quickly arose and Harry was accused of the crimes. Dumbledore was in a bad place and didn't want to leverage any more political capital than was necessary besides the link that seemed to be between Tom and Harry was extremely worrisome. Dumbledore's research into the Diary had revealed the vile presence of a destroyed Horcrux. The discovery that Tom had sunk so low as to create a soul anchor appalled Dumbledore, but his research had led him to the terrible conclusion that just possibly Harry, himself, was a living horcrux.

'The mark?' Dumbledore had thought, 'the Dark Lord shall mark them as equals…and neither can live while the other survives…'

It had suddenly made since to the old wizard, but '…for one to live the other had to die…'

Dumbledore had concluded that for the greater good and the chance to destroy Voldemort for good Harry Potter had to die. 'If Harry dies the horcrux inside him would die to and Voldemort would be mortal again and thus killable…'

So, it had been with great sadness that he had allowed the farce of a trial to take place and for Harry Potter to be convicted of killing his muggle relatives and his neighbors. Dumbledore paused in his pacing, his gaze fell upon the golden perch, once more, 'I had to do it, Fawkes, surely you must understand' he though but sadly Dumbledore hadn't seen his familiar since the day Harry was sentenced to life in prison.

With a sigh, Dumbledore returned to the stand that held the Hogwarts pensive. The rare magical item had been created by the founders themselves and had been a useful tool used by generations of headmasters. Touching the tip of his wand to the silvery liquid, he gathered the memory strand from the bowl and placed it in an unbreakable vial. A wave of his wand sealed the vial and he placed it on a shelf in the bureau that housed the pensive.

Dumbledore shut the pensive away inside the piece of furniture. The headmaster had been both appalled and proud of his former pupil. The torture he had endured had caused the headmaster to vomit upon exiting the memory.

'I have never seen Severus so emotional,' Dumbledore remembered the distraught man as had barged into Dumbledore's office cussing and cursing at him.

It was with quick reflexes of a man half his age that Dumbledore had ducked the curses before being able to draw his own wand to summon the potion's master wand from his hand. The Master of Potions had then tried to physically attack him, but a quick switch of his wand saw Severus bound and unconscious.

Dumbledore had forced a calming draught down the blubbering man's throat after reinverting him. Was Severus able to tell him about the attack on Azkaban prison and the subsequent torture and murder of Harry Potter. It had been hard to watch the former pupil turned spy cry about failing his beloved, Lily, as her son was tortured and killed.

The headmaster had been stunned by the powerful grief that had overtaken him as he remembered the happy child. He had managed to get Severus to given him a memory before forbidding him of speaking about what he saw at the prison or even acknowledging that he had been there. Then, Dumbledore had forced a dreamless sleep potion into the man's hand had a house elf take him to his chambers at the school and put him to bed.

Dumbledore sat heavily in his throne like chair. His tired eyes falling onto several copies of the Daily Prophet. The headline "Cornelius Fudge Unanimously Kicked Out of Office by Wizengamot."

Below that the next headline read, "New Minister of Magic Amelia Bones Vows a Full Investigation into Ministry's Conduct Involving the Late Harry Potter's Trial."

"Minister Bones Orders a Full Audit of the Ministry of Magic…" Dumbledore sighed heavily.

"Dowager Lady August Longbottom Named Chief Warlock…"

"Jean Luc Delacour Named Chief Mugwump of the ICW…" and so on the headlines went.

But the worst of the lot. The headlines that had seen Minerva McGonagall, his right hand, for many a decade barge into his office and demand he explain himself…her thick Scottish brogue was out in full force as she demanded…" Is this true Albus! Harry Potter innocent? Lily and James son, their baby bairn, condemned to that hell hole?"

The paper in her hand had the headline… "Diagon Alley attacked by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"

"Harry Potter Innocent! Dark Lord Voldemort Claims!"

The article by Rita Skeeter had followed.

A surprise midday attack on the busiest shopping day of the year occurred in Diagon Alley. The attack was by dark wizards and witches robed in Death Eater cloaks, hoods, and masks. The attack was quick and brutal, but the real surprise was the presence of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The Dark Lord thought to be killed on Oct. 31st, 1981, by the baby, Harry Potter, was alive and breathing…just like the boy-who-lived claimed when he returned from the third Triwizard Tournament task with the deceased body of the Hogwarts champion, Cedric Diggory.

But what was even more stunning to this reporter was that several witness who survived the attack had stated under veritserum and providing memories to the DMLE was the claim that the Dark Lord took credit for the attack attributed to a fifteen-year-old Harry Potter that saw his muggle relatives murdered along with neighbors and the street of Little Whinging destroyed. The trial, he claimed, was a farce and the inept and corruptible Ministry and DMLE couldn't tell when a Polyjuice potion was being used…

Albus Dumbledore had been forced to tell her that it did appear to be true. Minerva had been speechless, a look of utter devastation on her face, her shoulders slouched, she turned quietly and let his office. The only time he had seen her since had been at staff meetings, were she sat quietly only speaking when spoked too or to give instructions. The rest of the times, he had been told, she could be found in her chambers or office, a bottle of the finest Scottish and a tumbler close by.

The rest of the Hogwarts staff wasn't fairing any better and Poppy Pomphrey was concerned for all of them, but it was her friend, Minerva and Severus Snape who seemed to be taking it worse. Poppy had informed him that Severus had been exceptionally reclusive, even for him, and that both professors seemed to be spending a lot of time together as they had been spotted sharing drinks and making toast to the Potters. Stories and regrets being shared between the two about Lily or Harry. She even mentioned that Albus name had mentioned quite a few times along with curses. Hearing this, Dumbledore had tactically steered clear of them.

Scene Change

Harry wiped his brow free of sweat that accumulated from the physical and magic strain of placing it into its final place in the dug-out ground. The last foundation stone in place and carved with runic scheme that would be the new castles foundation. Harry and his feathery companions had spent the last week clearing the old ruins away, repurposing the stone and timber, so that a new castle could be built.

"There all done," Harry muttered before climbing out of the giant hole.

Harry took a ladle from a water bucket and dipped the cup into the water. He brought the refreshing water to his lips and took a hearty drink. A sense of pride at the work he had started filled him. Setting the ladle down, Harry made his way to his temporary house and started to get cleaned up from the days grueling tasks. Once, clean and refreshed he made himself some dinner and went over his building plans to make final improvements before going to bed. Tomorrow would be a busy day.