Hi everyone! First of all thank you so much for taking the time to read this! *yay!*Ok I just want to let you know this story will probably be pretty long!
The reason I started this story was because, honestly, I absolutely hated, hated, hated, the fact that Sirius Black died! Ok, my one character I loved to death and they killed him! So to cure my own sorrow I decided to write a story that would help change the way things went in Harry Potter. This means this story will not be canon although I will attempt to stick to the original story line as much as possible.
Anyway! Enjoy and don't forget to drop a review in you way out!
A dark cloudy sky broke over the deserted battlefield. One small shambling, filthy figure stumbled aimlessly, dodging burning, broken pieces of mortar. Bodies young and old, light and dark, were strung grotesquely in the rubble lying side by side in death. All was quiet, only the sound of fire crackling and the shambling figures footsteps were the only sounds breaking and eerie silence.
The rancid smells of death and dark spells bit the shambling figure's nose. The soft flutter revealed a contingent of ravens had arrived, intent on feeding off the dead wizards and witches.
"Get off!" The wizard cried in a tearful voice, shooing birds away with his open hand until they squawked angrily and flew off. This was one body they wouldn't touch so long as there was life in his body.
Harry dropped the wand clutched in his left hand carelessly, he didn't care if he ever cast another spell in his entire life. It'd be better if he never did. Voldemort and his filthy Death Eaters were dead, but not before everyone he held dear had perished as well. Clear tears spilled over his eyelids, drenching his face and the still, unbreathing body beneath him. He wanted to die! Why were the fates so cruel as to deny him the peace of death so he could join his loved ones?
Angrily, Harry snatched up the wand and flung it as far away as he could. Red sparks shot from the tip, blasting a crumbling wall, burying bodies of dark and light wizards alike. He didn't care, nothing or no one could make him care anymore. Anyone and everyone he cared about had been killed off. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Remus, Tonks, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the twins, even Hagrid. And Sirius... All of them were dead and it was his fault.
Agony tore at his heart and he kneeled over, clutching Ginny's cold face in his warm hands. Sobs racked his body and he laid his head down on her chest, trying to be as close to her as he could.
Soft, confident footsteps clicked closer. More than likely it was a Death Eater come to finish off the wizard who'd destroyed his Dark Master. Harry couldn't bring himself to care enough to face this new threat head on. He'd willing accept death if that was what this intruder was intending to give him. In his mind it would be an improvement, he didn't have the strength to go on anymore. The footsteps stopped directly over his shoulder.
"Why do you weap, child?" Harry inadvertently turned around at the unfamiliar voice. Fine tuned protective instincts ingrained in him kicked into gear, and he faced who had spoken.
A tall, powerful looking man stood behind him. Harry couldn't help but stare at the imposing figure towering over him. The man was young and had long stalk straight blonde, almost white hair. Instantly, Harry knew this stranger had a massive amount of magical power.
"Wha-" Harry winced as his voice cracked. He'd forgotten just how much speaking hurt, or any movement at all for that matter. "Who are you?" The wizard rasped timidly, unsure of who the man was.
"Ah-forgive me child. I am Mandos, Valar, Ruler of the Dead, and the Judge of Fate. Tell me young one, why do you weep so?" Harry looked up at Mandos, still kneeling beside Ginny.
Throwing his manners in the wind, Harry turned his back on the man and reached a hand out to smooth Ginny's red hair. Somewhere in the midst of all this madness that was the last year, Ginny had captured his heart. She openly expressed her love for him time and time again. Now it struck him, he'd never said he loved her in return. He'd shown he cared for her, but he hadn't ever gone so far as to proclaim his love for her out loud.
Harsh, gulping sobs escaped him. How could he have been so stupid? She died without knowing he loved her in return and now she'd never know.
"This is not the end child. You will see her again soon. Not only her, but all those who you have lost to this war and its atrocities." The stranger spoke with a voice like rippling water, either knowing what he was thinking or could actually read his mind.
With Voldemort dead he had taken his Occulmency shields down. The raven haired wizard twisted around in hope. If this figure was the 'Ruler of the Dead' as he claimed he was, did that mean he would allow him to join his family and friends? Rising up on shaky feet, Harry fully took in the appearance of the man before him.
He was dressed in a strangely decorated tunic and cloak were made out of a fabric he'd never seen before. A glowing, cherubic face with high, delicate cheekbones and strangely pointed ears poked up through hair that reminded him a lot of the Malfoy's. Vibrant, deep, crystal blue eyes pierced his soul and seemed to draw him into an unending abyss. Lastly, an assortment of large stones set in elegantly twisted rings glowed on his long slender fingers, vibrating with a life.
Harry dwelled on what the man had just said. "You mean you would take me to see them again?" He inquired hopefully. "I'd die?"
There hadn't been a day that went by, he didn't beg and dream he could see his friends and family again. His parents, Ginny, Remus… And Sirius, especially Sirius. He'd take Mandos up on any offer he made, so long as he was able to have them all again, no matter the cost.
"That all depends on you, however, that wasn't what I had in mind."
Harry visibly deflated at that. What was the point talking to this man if he wasn't able to see them again? Everyone he ever loved was dead, how else was he supposed to see them again if not in death? Harry was thoroughly confused.
A blinding flash of white light enveloped them, Harry was forced to raise a hand to shield his eyes. A woman in a grey cloak stepped out of the pillar of light.
"Mandos, I thought we all agreed I was to be the one to talk with him." The woman reprimanded the man behind him. "I find it hard to believe you approached him still."
The stranger, Mandos, squared his shoulders. "Nienna, it was true we agreed, however, this proposal will require to a large extent, by powers and abilities more than the others. I simply wished to speak to the child and explain what we are asking of him."
The tall imposing figure seemed only two feet tall compared to the new arrival, Nienna. Like Mandos, she had abnormally straight, platinum white hair that cascaded about her shoulders. While Mandos' face was hard and stern, the woman was the exact opposite of him. Nienna radiated power as well, but her features were soft and gentle. Though Harry could also sense a deep sadness in her countenance. He'd experienced enough of it to know the signs.
"Explaining? I swear Mandos, it looks like you've confused the poor dear instead of explaining yourself." Nienna waved her hand and an expensive and comfortable looking lounge appeared between her and Harry. "Can't you see the child is seconds away from falling over from exhaustion and injuries?"
Harry glanced uncertainly between the two strangers. He felt uncomfortable being the subject of their disagreement as they argued around him. His mind whirled with even more questions than he had before. What proposal? And who were the others that agreed Nienna would talk to him?
Nienna waved to him with an elegant flutter, beckoning him closer. "Come, sit."
Still unsure, Harry shuffled closer but refused to stray very far from Ginny's body. He could stand the thought of the birds coming back, no he wasn't going to leave her side for a single second. Not even to talk to this woman. She looked at him sympathetically, obviously seeing the turmoil raging inside him.
"Do not fear, child. Your beloved will not be disturbed, I and Mandos will make sure of that. Come, please, there is much to discuss and I dare say, I think you will welcome what we have to say to you."
The black haired human cast his eyes down to where Ginny lay on the hard stone. He was intrigued by what Nienna had said, but still didn't wish to leave Ginny's side. The closest end of the lounge was less than a foot from Ginny. Tremors run up and down his exhausted and beaten body. The stranger was right, he did need to sit down, and soon.
He sat down on the end of the lounge as close to Ginny as he could. Above him, Mandos had summoned his own chair and was closely watching him. Harry looked down at his dirty hands and fought the urge to fidget under the steely gaze of Mandos.
"First, you have to understand who we are." Nienna began. "We are two of the fourteen Valar who rule and watch over the worlds of men, elves, dwarves and many more races."
"Elves?" Harry asked.
"Elves are a supreme race, most loved by the Valar. The elves we speak of are not like the elves you know in this world. They are not servants nor are they subject to the rule of men. The exact opposite actually. They are stronger and more powerful than all races, even wizards. Moving on, our job is to keep order, and dictate correct punishments or rewards for all souls who live on those worlds." The wizard remained silent.
"What my sister is trying to say is, we have been watching this world and it's war for some time." Mandos sighed, sadly. "Too many lives have been lost for petty greed, lust for power, and arrogance. Too many have died that were not supposed to. All of the Valar have spent much time debating and mourning over the woes inflicted upon this world. Too much has been lost from this world for it to remain as it is now. It is little more than ruins and should it go on, it may very well fall into ruin, even with evil its being defeated."
"If you've been watching this world, then why haven't you interfered before now? Surely you could have stopped terrible things from happening before now!" Harry spread his grimy arms out. "Look at what has been lost? My home, everyone I love, all of it? Why didn't you stop it?"
Nienna's brilliant blue eyes purposed the rubble and bodies strung out everywhere and pursed her lips.
"It's not that simple, Harry Potter. We may govern and rule ages and innumerable worlds of men but it doesn't mean we can simply do whatever we will. With greater power comes greater accountability."
"Harry-" Mandos cut in. "we are bound to rules and laws the same as you are. That is how the universe is managed. We wanted nothing more than to stop the atrocities and killings in this world, but alas we could not. As I said there has been much deliberation and we have finally been given permission to do what we feel must be done."
"Are you saying...you can fix all of this?" The hopeful tone in the child's voice cut to the hearts of the two strangers. "It's possible I can have everyone back? Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the twins, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Remus, Tonks...And Sirius? The right way, no dark magic or sorcery."
"We can and I promise it will all be the correct way, not the evil twisted arts causing so much destruction. But there is something we need from you." Mandos confirmed.
"Anything." Harry breathed. Excitement stirred up inside him. Could he dare hope it was true?
"Harry." He turned to look at Nienna. "Child, you must understand there is much more to what we are offering you than having your loved one's back. There will be certain sacrifices you will have to make if you choose to accept."
"Choose to accept?"
"We won't force you into this. Please listen and we'll explain it to you, but you are not required to do what we are asking. It's entirely your decision. Choose what feels best to you and do not only dwell on the fact you could see your dead family and friends again. That is all we ask." Mandos said gently.
Seeing Harry was properly settled, Nienna and Mandos exchanged a meaningful look. Wordlessly, Mandos leaned forward and rested his hand on the child's chest, pushing his inner light into the human. Pulsing light wrapped and weaved itself in and out of Harry at Mandos' command.
Harry's eyes grew wide. "What was that?" After Mandos touched him, he felt much better.
"You are grievously injured. I healed you, partially anyway. You are no longer in immediate danger, although you will require medical attention soon. I'm afraid this final fight has taken more out of you than you first realized."
"First off we haven't appropriately met, I am Nienna, Lady and Valar of Mercy. Mandos is my brother. Because of my title, it is my right to explain and formally present this agreement." As she said 'formally', the woman Valar shot her brother an icy cold glare. Obviously she wasn't pleased he approached him before she could.
His low chuckle shook his body. For whatever reason he found it very funny Nienna, a soft and gentle Lady of Mercy, had it in her to shoot daggers at her stern brother who just happened to be the Lord of the Death. It almost reminded him of how Roy and his brothers teased one another relentlessly. Mirth faded from his lips rapidly, he missed the Weasley brothers to no end.
"Now you must know there are more worlds with magic than just this one. There are many worlds and universes that are divergent and parallel to this one. Far away there is a world known as Middle earth. There resides the elves I spoke of earlier. A war is coming to that world."
Harry made a face. He'd had enough of this war, and they wanted him to fight another one?
"Hear me out, Harry." Nienna interjected, seeing his reaction. "A dark Lord serving an even darker master forged a ring in the fires of a volcano with the plan to enslave every race under his thumb. To do this, he vainly bound his soul into the ring. When Sauron's plot was revealed the race of men and elves forged an alliance to stand against his first assault. Finally, after many lives were lost and years had passed the ring was taken from Sauron and he was defeated. The ring should have been destroyed then, but it corrupted and warped the mind of a man. Sauron will live on and continue to fight against the free nations until he succeeds or the ring is thrown back into the fires it was cast from."
"It's a horcrux." The dark haired wizard murmured numbly, unsure of how to feel about facing another horcrux.
"Indeed. I mentioned before that we couldn't interfere with the events of this world before now. That is because of one important reason. Time and fate can only be rewound once. We only have one chance to destroy Sauron and change your world for the better." Nienna was looking at him thoughtfully and Harry understood.
"You want me to venture to Middle Earth, destroy Sauron and in return I get my family back."
"Yes and no." Mandos interrupted and smiled at the confused look he was given. "Nienna will explain."
"Thank you brother." Neinna said sarcastically. "You are partially correct, we do want you to go to Middle Earth, but we only ask you to help destroy Sauron. You see, Sauron is bound to the ring but he can't completely come back until he gains the ring again."
"Where is it?" Harry questioned curiously.
"Currently, it rests in the hands of a creature named Gollum. In short, the ring corrupts and consumes any and all who possess it. Gollum has held the One ring for nearly two hundred years. It has consumed his mind and changed him into a creature of darkness. No one in Middle Earth knows where the ring is except you and I. For now it remains hidden until it's time has come." Nienna smoothed her silk dress, large rings on her hand sparkled. "Sauron doesn't have a body yet, so should the ring be destroyed-"
"-He'd die and never come back."
"Yes. However there is a slight matter." Now it was Nienna and Mandos' turn to look unsure. "If we were to send you to Middle Earth we would have to tamper with the fabric of time between both worlds."
"What would that mean?"
This time Mandos cut into the conversation once again, much to his sister's irritation. She was sending him icy glares over the top of Harry's head. "It means to send you to Middle Earth, first we would have to set you back to a certain time and place to make sure the timelines match up. It's necessary so we can save as many lives as possible."
A thought suddenly struck Harry and he looked up at Mandos in horror as he realized what he had just said.
"What about the horcruxes including the one inside me? And the war, and Voldemort?" Harry's eyes were wide and frantic. Would that mean in exchange for bringing back his friends and family he'd also bring Voldemort and all his ugliness back as well?
Dread dropped like a rock in his gut at the pointed look both Mandos and Nienna exchanged with one another. Tipping his head back, Harry closed hiseyes. Bringing Voldemort back was exactly what this bargain was going to do…