HAPPY APRIL FOOLS' DAY! OR IS IT GROUNDHOG DAY AGAIN?
In an unrelated topic: I was rereading my Best of Trek#14 as I wrote this. This was a series of books that discussed Star Trek and its fandom. Also had some Fanfiction. The issue was printed when ST:The Voyage Home was out. One of the writers criticized the film quite harshly. Regardless of opinion, one sentence stopped me in my tracks "When I pay my five dollars I want my money's worth" SHEESH! Remember when?
Harry Does Different CDXLV
An Old Friend
"HOLD!" a giant voice boomed around the Trio. And the young magicals stood like statues, utterly paralyzed. Particularly the one who had decided to snap a specific wand, though his hands had yet to apply the slightest pressure. A shadow that seemed approximately human seemed to engulf them all in a chilling blackness and demanded "HAVE YOU ANY IDEA WHAT YOU SEEK TO DESTROY?"
Though neither Ron nor Hermione could speak, Harry found he could, even if the rest of him remained frozen "Who are you and what do you want?"
"It is a rare mortal who knowingly sees me. Fewer still are those who do not leave this plane when they do." The imposing figure replied cryptically.
Harry was only permitted some limited movement. He'd been through so much that without fear he asked "You're Death? Aren't you? I mean from the Three Brothers story?"
"In a literal sense? No. But within your context? Perhaps it will do. Your grandfathers sought to avoid me, young Perevell. In the time since then, none of your kind have possessed my gifts as one." The voice no longer hurt ears, but seemed to chill bones. "You do not seem to fear me, where these two others …even held motionless, their bodies quiver."
The young wizard interposed himself between the all-black humanoid and his friends as he said "The best people I know. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. I wouldn't have been able to defeat Voldemort without them. Can I ask? It really is over, isn't it?"
"If you mean does he have a way to interact with this plane of existence again? The answer is no. Your time here will no longer be troubled by Tom Riddle." A large hand, even disproportionate to the entity, seemed to sweep everything in sight "Your correcting the imbalance that one created, coupled to the your possession of all three of my gifts does grant a certain privilege."
Harry asked "So, am I the master of Death or something? Like the story says?"
"No such relationship can exist as would in your level of perception." Angry might be one way of interpreting its mood, though condescending would better fit the tone of voice "Perhaps something one of your limits would appreciate."
There appeared before the young wizard a quite familiar pair. He'd never known them, but they could only be "Dad! Mum!"
"My God James! He looks like you!" exclaimed the redhaired woman was pulled close to her husband, who demanded "Who are you?"
Harry looked to the shadow for guidance, but it was as unmoving as his friends. So he addressed them "Well, guess it's up to me. You'll have a tough time believing this, I bet. Halloween night 1981 Voldemort attacked you when Pettigrew betrayed your Fidelis. He killed you both THEN TRIED to kill your son. The spell backfired and he lost his body, but couldn't die. It's now mid 1997 and him and all his followers took over the Ministry. They invaded Hogwarts and we managed to beat him. This time for good. I'm Harry Potter. I'm your son."
"Then you were raised by Padfoot and Moony?" asked James, his voice tinged with suspicion.
Harry recognized the type of test the question was, answering "I didn't meet Lupin until my Third Year when Dumbledore made him Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. You see, Sirius escaped Azkaban supposedly to kill me. And of course, who better to spoil a Marauder than another Marauder." He gave a nod to the statue that was his best friend "That is unless you're a Weasley twin, who gave me the map that year."
"Then who raised you? Before Hogwarts I mean?" asked Lily, showing a mother's concern.
To this Harry frowned "You know, it's kind of creepy. I mean you look barely older than me. Anyway, in his wisdom, Dumbledore stuck me with your horse-face sister and her lard-arse husband."
"No matter some problems, family is family." Lily was highly displeased "I am certain Petunia would do her absolute best to care for you. Was money tight for your aunt?"
This served only to irritate the teen, who rattled off a few significant moments "Only my magic healed my arm that Vernon broke when I was five. I bet the same is true when I took a frypan upside the head. My Hogwarts letter was addressed to The Cupboard Under The Stairs. Until I started school I thought my name was Freak, or Boy."
"Lils why don't we listen to our young man's life story." The more diplomatic man suggested.
Abcij
Hours later, the family was all but talked out. Harry knew things about his parents even grown children don't necessarily learn. And the same could be said for what he told them.
"Nature and time cannot be altered. Or reversed." The long still shadow's sexless voice spoke after a long absence "You no longer belong in this plane."
Harry reflexively protested "Wait! What? That's not fair!"
"This existence is linear. These two must be returned to their destiny. When you, young Perevell, end your existence in this place, I will reunite you." This was the final thing Death said.
Harry was alone with his slowly reanimating friends. As they became aware, he said quietly "I got to meet my parents."
"But nothing happened." Said Hermione "And I thought you were going to destroy that wand."
Now realizing neither of his friends witnessed any of it, he answered "Ron Hermione, I have interacted with the infinite. This life is important but it doesn't end when we die. And we don't end when our body dies."
"Sounds like something Dumbledore would say, mate." Ron commented, then snickering amended "Or maybe Trelawney."
Harry casually spun the Elder Wand and pocketed it and "Come on you two. Let's go see who needs what.".