Ashes

In which Molly Weasley makes a horrible mistake and destroys the world and is given a choice to make.

Molly Weasley was not sure where things had gone so very, very wrong. She had believed she was doing the right thing, after all the thing that called itself Harry Potter was nothing more than Tom Riddle, the very thing that destroyed her beautiful brothers. To take the Potter fortune and make sure Ginny wed the thing that had taken over Harry's body had been the very right thing to do. After all the Potters should go on even and would and Tom would not destroy another line.

She stood before what was left of Hogwarts, one of the very few allowed to live. Tom Riddle, AKA Voldemort was dead but it seemed that did not matter. The last death eaters decided that the world should burn for no other reason than they could. Now she would die and she was fine with that, after all, she had been wrong, Harry Potter had never been Voldemort and she wished she could go back and change things. She did not beg when the killing curse came her way and died knowing she was going to hell. Yet, she found herself in a train station clad in simple robes of white with others there. Severus Snape was there; looking different in a good, way in white and her dear husband who had been dead these past ten years was there as well.

"You wish to stop what happened?" A strong voice said causing her to turn to see a figure in grey robes. "Things could be worse, or go on the right track."

"I destroyed him." Molly said, "I destroyed a good man, and my family."

"We both did." Arthur said putting a hand on her shoulder "and I would do anything to take back that order, Ron was a monster in the end, he did deserve to die."

"If you go back you will do more than save Harry, you will change your world." The figure said, "things were not to go the way they did, and you can change things."

"How, we are poor." Arthur asked.

"You have many who love and want to work with you."

"Who are you?" Molly asked.

"Destiny you may call me that Chaos ruled too much here and I will help fix things."

"We destroyed that boy." Molly said, "How can we fix this?"

The two spend what seemed like hours going over a plan, the main thing was to take care of Wormtail and then make it so that Ron would not do what he did. That part was actually easier than anything else. Ginny would be harder, but if they could work that out and make sure she never married or wanted to marry Harry, things just might work out there. For that they would need the help of one other, and that help would come from one Sirius Black. They were not going to destroy the world this time by their actions and a certain headmaster was not going to get things his way this time…

Hogwarts Express 1991:

Harry Potter was a happy, healthy boy thanks to his godfather. He had not been that badly treated by his aunt and uncle, and then again, he had only lived with them for two years. He had lived in a cupboard but as his aunt and uncle had proved he had put himself there (and even now he hated sleeping in an open room) they were not punished. Dudley had been, at the urging of Sirius put in a children's military academy and now was off to Thornhall Military Academy, a place he had begged his parents to go. Harry was off to Hogwarts now, with a betrothal contract to keep him safe. He was betrothed to Su Li, the second daughter of the prominent Li family who had been in England for the past three centuries and were mostly traders in silk and furs with a few as prominent healers.

The door opened and a young girl with her bushy brown hair tied back in a plait entered the compartment with Neville Longbottom, heir to house Longbottom. Harry felt a bit jealous; Neville did not have a betrothal contract and did not need one. Everyone was in part of their uniforms, and they looked much like any muggle or no-maj uniform English school uniform would. They would put robes over them later, but for now they were as muggle as they could be. Su was not in the same car, it would not do as she had her friends and was probably sitting with Susan Bones who was betrothed to the youngest Weasley son. Her brother had died of some blood disorder and so it fell on Susan to keep the house Bones going. So her father had betrothed her to Ron Weasley. Speaking of which he came into the car and took a seat completely at ease.

"Help yourself." Harry said dryly, "plenty of room."

"That there is." Neville added.

"You know each other?" Hermione asked.

"Somewhat, I have seen Ron around." Harry replied, "hard to really become good friends as I had to stay in hiding from death eaters still out there."

Ron Weasley was from the prominent Weasley family. Back in 1983, Molly Weasley had become suspicious of a certain pet rat. She had every right to be as the rat Scabbers turned out to be none other than the very alive Peter Pettigrew. He was tried, convicted and executed and Sirius Black exonerated. Sirius Black had turned around and invested in a Technomancy company and hired Arthur Weasley to help run it. Now the Weasley family was quickly becoming wealthy, and, with Bill Weasley as a curse breaker and Charlie as a dragon keeper the family was doing very well. It did not hurt that the Weasley family backed one Severus Snape in creating Wizarding custom classes and classes on blending into the muggle world.

"I have a question, Harry has been my friend for years now and told me he was betrothed, how does that work?" Hermione asked, "I mean I read the Wizarding custom book."

"Well, it is a fail safe if you will." Ron said, "and neither side has to honor it if they don't want to. It is done to protect the heirs of families, in my case I was betrothed to Susan Bones to protect her as she is the heiress to the Bones family. Harry as the heir to the Potter family and boy-who-lived needed protection as well."

"I have my gran to protect me." Neville said, "so I am free and clear to marry who I want, though even with a betrothal I would have those rights."

"My sister once made a joke she was going to marry Harry." Ron said, "only time I ever saw dad spank her. She never did that again, besides she does not want to get tied down, she wants to play for the Holyhead Harpies."

"Good for her." Harry said grinning.

The train started and everyone settled in. Hermione had been worried that betrothals were something that was forced and once one was betrothed in the magical world they were as good as married. It had been that way in the muggle or no-maj world for so long. Here it was used more as a protection and was not marriage at all. She had been pleasantly surprised that she would not have to give up her Walkman or cassettes as they worked in the magical world, she had to keep any muggle technology to her dorm but it was allowed.

She had learned so much abut the customs of this world and loved the ancient rights and such done. She still did not understand the bond between humans and house elves, or brownies but was willing to keep an open mind as they were truly free due to laws Sirius Black had got passed. A few hours had passed and everyone brought out food to eat. She liked tuna sandwiches and was happy her mother had packed her those with a small container of tomatoes separate to put on them. Ron had got ham and Swiss which he loved and Harry and turkey on rye. Everyone bought some sweets (even Hermione who bought one chocolate frog) and were enjoying them when the door opened and a pale boy with blond hair and what looked like to bodyguards appeared.

"So I heard that Harry Potter is on the train, is that you?" The boy said to Harry, "my name is Draco Malfoy."

"Oh you." Ron said, "what do you want?"

"Do you know who I am?" The boy snapped.

"Yea, Draco Malfoy, the son of Lucius Malfoy who tried to block customs classes at Hogwarts." Harry replied, "not only that but he tried to block muggle studies so that we could learn how to blend in and not break the statute of secrecy."

"Agreed, what can we do for you?" Neville asked, "you need allies, because right now your family name is not well liked, we could help you."

"No thanks!" Draco said storming out.

Hogwarts September 1st1991 Sorting Feast:

Severus sat content at the head table a smug smile on his face. The galleons exchanged were sweet but not as much as seeing the look on Draco's face when he was not sorted to Slytherin. No the boy was smart, very smart and though he could be a snob, he was a bright boy. Severus had made sure that Narcissa had got him the best tutors and now the boy was in Ravenclaw, safe, sure his father might not be happy but it was better than him in Slytherin. Severus had turned Slytherin around, but Draco needed something else and that something else was Ravenclaw. Severus looked around the great hall, whole and happy with students smiling at one another. He had changed since coming back, he came back early enough to change how he taught and now he was still not always liked but at least the majority of students through his classes got NEWTs. He no longer wore all black, indeed he was in long green robes and was wearing (not that you could see it) under them jeans, a yellow thermal shirt and band tee shirt along with his custom brown dragonskin boots.

"How did you guess that would happen?" McGonagall asked.

"I did make sure that he got a Ravenclaw tutor, must have wore off, he is better off there." Severus replied.

"Harry is in Gryffindor." Dumbledore said, "so like his father."

"His mother was too, he looks more like his mother, no glasses, the short hair suits him better, he has to win the hand of his betrothed, I highly doubt he will do anything to mess that up." Severus replied. "He is not his father, how could he be with his father and mother dead?"

Severus knew this was cruel to bring things up like this. However he had made his peace and with his second chance he was not going to allow the world to go the way it had. He may or may not have helped lure 700 of the 712 death eaters to a fateful meeting only to cause their demise. He had helped write an instruction book (which he profited from) for all first years to read and learn from on how to make potions. He had made sure to be fair in taking points and publically take points from his own how when warranted. He had helped bring the castle defenses back up to their fullest (which had hurt horribly and bound him and the other heads to the school along with the headmaster who had to resign his other two posts) and how the Horcrux had been found and was used to find the others.

"I look forward to teaching these new first years." Flitwick said.

"As do I." Sprout added.

"They better wish to learn or they can leave my class." Severus replied, "I will not have those who don't care about potions endangering my class."

"I am the same about transfiguration." McGonagall replied.

At the Gryffindor table Harry was seated enjoying himself with his friends. He did not see Destiny watching him and smiling. He had no idea how one mother who knew she had messed up badly on being given a chance to go back had done so and helped create a better future. He would never have to face Voldemort as he was well and truly defeated, the dark mark was gone and nearly all his followers as well. Neville had got his parents back and life was good. So unlike the hell that had been Harry's life before, no this new life was good and ne knew nothing more. He was betrothed to a lovely witch and Ginny Weasley would never stalk him or really pay him any mind.

No Harry and his friends did not know any of the sacrifices or pain that three people had gone through to see this second chance work. They never would know and both Molly and Arthur would work their full lives to make this world a better place. For now Harry enjoyed his meal and for dessert cut up a large slice of treacle tart and savored every bite.