I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.

Defiance of Fate

Chapter 5 – Past Presently

Heads turned to look at Harry. All conversation within the command tent faded as everyone's attention was focused on him.

"What did you say?" Meyer asked, his face a picture of displeasure.

"I said, I think that isn't fair, Sir," Harry repeated.

"There is not much fair about war," Meyer said condescendingly. "You are young, and a coward, you may not be aware of this."

Harry bristled. "I'm well aware that war isn't fair, but we cannot say that the village is helping the enemy. There is no proof that they are. If anything, it was proven that they're not."

General Okoye, the ICW commanding officer, had gathered the commanding officers from all the units for a strategizing meeting. As the commanding officer of the entire campaign, he was responsible for the overall goals of the campaign and took the job seriously. He often met with the other officers, taking many things into account, and did his best to discuss multiple possible strategies. Today, they were discussing the next steps into the campaign, pushing deeper into enemy territory.

The ICW forces were building momentum. Despite the skirmishes and minor battles, the enemy had not been able to derail them for too long and the ICW were making slow but steady progression. They learned of the diminishing opposing forces through interrogating prisoners and had come to a crossroads of sorts. Multiple avenues of approach closer to the enemy capital were found and they were discussing the next best step.

General Meyer and the more belligerent commanding officers wanted to take the shortest route to the capital, cutting through a valley. ICW scouts found that the valley was inhabited by a village of local people. Certain scouts had investigated and found that the village was populated by non-magical people and had suffered from both the mundane war that was going on in the region as well as the magical war.

Meyer and his allies had said it was of little consequence, claiming the village were allies of the enemy. Harry could not contain himself and interjected.

"Just because they are not magical, does not mean they do not support the enemy," Meyer sneered. "We have learned that had."

"Having people taken from their homes, their food and material stolen at wand point and having their memories altered doesn't mean open support!" Harry argued. "It's literally the opposite!"

"What is he even doing here?" Meyer asked, appealing to the other officers.

"At my request," Senior Healer Rodriguez said. "He's got a head for logistics and has a perspective I value. He's not wrong."

"If we go barreling through their home, disrupting their lives more, that'll break the Statute of Secrecy," Harry continued. "Isn't that the reason why we're having this war in the first place? To stop the other side from abusing the Statute and hurting others?"

The officers murmured, some agreeing, others skeptical.

"Their lives have already been disrupted; their memories modified. It makes no difference if we do the same. At least we will not be taking anything of theirs. Any delays and we will suffer more loses, something I think you would care about," Meyer said scathingly. "They are non-magicals, why do you even care?"

Harry shook off Vance's hand. He took a step forward and looked directly at the German officer. "So, you think they are inconsequential because they are Muggles?" He laughed bitterly at Meyer's careless shrug. "I spent my life fighting someone who thought just like you. He thought 'magic was might', that his blood was somehow more important than others. Muggles, Muggleborn, halfbloods, purebloods, in rising order of importance. Tell me, General, what kind of blood do you have?"

"You dare-?!" Meyer began to shout.

"Not that it matters really," Harry continued. His voice was cold but his eyes blazed. "I just wanted to know if you're as much of a hypocrite as he was!"

People gasped and eyes flicked back and forth between them.

Meyer looked like he wanted nothing more than to Curse Harry right there. "What does a coward know about fighting?! You claim you fought? Or did you watch others fight for you so you can preserve your own blood?"

"You can fight without casting harmful spells," Harry retorted. "I fought for the people I cared about! I fought for the innocents that were caught up! I bled then and I bleed now! You're so blood-thirsty, how about you spill some of your own for once."

"I would challenge you to a duel right now if you'd accept it!" Meyer howled. "I will not let my honor suffer your insults!"

"Being a conscientious objector doesn't mean I don't accept duels. I'll gladly accept. Remember what I said the first time we met? Better witches and wizards than you have tried worse on me and I survived!" He took a step closer, glaring at the irate man. "Tell me, General," he injected his scorn into the title, "how much honor would you get for dueling a coward?"

"Enough." General Okoye's magic pulsed, filling the tent. It was almost tangible enough to be seen, the sheer force pushing Meyer and Harry away from each other. He stepped forward and looked calmly at the two men. "I typically do not involve myself in personal arguments but this has gone too far. General Meyer, you will show decorum as expected of an officer or you will be removed. Am I clear?"

"Yes…General," Meyer growled.

"Healer Potter, it would be best if you left the command tent at this time," Okoye continued, looking at Harry.

"Yes Sir," Harry said crisply, saluting him. He turned and left, not looking at anyone on the way out.

-0-

"Come in," Harry said listlessly at the sound of knocking.

His tent flap opened and Sophie poked her head in. A few others were behind her. She looked inside and saw Harry lying on his cot, Blaise sitting on a stool. "May we enter?" she asked.

"Come in," Blaise said. "The more the merrier."

Harry gave him an exasperated look as others entered the tent. "This is my tent you know."

"And?"

"And nothing apparently," Harry sighed. He smiled wanly at the visitors. "How can I help you?"

"Our captain told us what happened in the command tent earlier," Sophie said. "He was not pleased with the German general either. Either at his tactics or what he said to you."

"That's nice of him," Harry said sincerely. "I appreciate it. Did your captain say what their decision was?"

"We will be taking the second route, around the valley. General Okoye agreed saying the villagers have suffered enough."

"That's good at least," Harry muttered.

"Meyer is very upset, blames you entirely," Dylan said. "You may wish to stay out of his way for some time."

"Don't worry, I have no intention in asking him around for tea," Harry grumbled and the others chuckled.

"There are others repeating what you said, comparing him to your Dark Lord," Leena said with relish. "I hear that is upsetting him even more."

"You did that?" Blaise asked, surprised.

"I might've said something like that." Harry rubbed his eyes. "Probably shouldn't have but I was pretty annoyed."

"Sad I missed it. Annoyed Harry is brutally honest." Blaise returned the rude gesture Harry made.

"Is that what the war in your homeland was about?" Tomas asked. "About blood status?"

Harry and Blaise shared a look. "You can explain," Harry said tiredly. "I'll chip in when needed."

"It's a long story, sort of," Blaise said.

"I brought these," Tomas said, showing bottles of wine. Sophie and Dylan conjured stools and chairs for the others and they opened the bottles.

Blaise took a sip and looked appreciatively at his cup. "Hey this is pretty good. Anyways, what do you know about the war in Britain?"

"Harry told us that the Dark Lord was called Tom Riddle and made the name Lord Voldemort. We learned in France that it was very violent for you but purely contained within your country, so no one outside could interfere. There was some time where the French Auror corps watched the border very carefully, worried it would spill over to us," Sophie said.

"It was technically two wars but one could argue the second one we were involved in was a continuation," Blaise continued. "But during the first one, when our parents were our age about, Voldemort came to power and was trying to take over the country. The Ministry was doing a bad job of keeping things contained. Half if not more of the Ministry were sympathizers with Voldemort. Others wanted to pretend nothing was wrong and a small group was fighting back."

"Oh, by Albus Dumbledore, yes?" Sophie asked. She looked startled at the way Blaise's face darkened at the name, at Harry's narrowed eyes.

"Yeah," Blaise said shortly and took a gulp of wine. "So the war was going on and then one day, Voldemort died, sort of. He just disappeared and Harry here was given credit for stopping him, as a baby."

"What do you mean sort of?" Tomas asked.

"We thought he died but he ended up getting better." Harry snorted at their looks of confusion. "He did something where he didn't really die completely but yeah, he was stopped the first time by killing my parents and my mother sacrificing her life for mine."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Leena said sincerely and the others murmured in agreement.

"So there was a period of time where we were at peace but like Harry said, Voldemort didn't actually die. During our fourth year at Hogwarts, he returned. His followers, called Death Eaters, flocked to him and by then, he knew that Harry was a conscientious objector to violent spells and that gave him a confidence to do what he wanted."

"Harry mentioned something about a prophecy?" Sophie refilled their cups. "That had something to do with things?"

"Yeah. People heard there was a prophecy involving them too and they stared calling Harry 'the Chosen One' and that's the source of why some people dislike him."

"Hate me," Harry corrected.

"Shut up and drink more," Blaise said. He followed his own suggestion. "To go back to your first question, the war was more about Voldemort wanting power and not wanting to die. The way he tried to do it though was about blood status. He was a rallying figure to the pureblood bigots, saying that Muggles were animals and Muggleborns were thieves. People were getting hurt or killed over their damn lineage. The funniest thing was that Voldemort was a halfblood and normally most purebloods wouldn't follow one so he tricked them."

"Ah, that is why you asked Meyer about his blood," Leena chuckled. "What did you say? Magic is right?"

"Magic is might," Harry said, a sour smile on his lips. "That was Tom's motto and his followers turned it into a blood status thing."

"You were just children fighting a war," Sophie said sadly.

"Yup," Blaise said, his face cold. "Not even our war, a war our parents started. It was nastier during our time though, according to my mother. She said people were a lot bolder the second time around, more willing to act out in the open. We lost friends and classmates, people we grew up with and saw on either side."

"What happened?" Tomas coughed when everyone gave him a look. "I mean, obviously your side won."

Harry chuckled darkly. "Yeah, we won. I stopped Tom and his followers were captured and punished. We started rebuilding but then the call up for this war happened. To stay a member of the ICW, the UK sent a unit and I volunteered for it."

"I still don't know why and I'm still a little miffed that you won't tell me," Blaise frowned.

"Shut up and drink more," Harry said.

"That is a little unfair to be called into another war after just surviving your own," Phillipe sighed. "The ICW rules can be a little strict at times."

"Why did you fight in that war though? Again, you were children, why did you have to be involved?" Sophie asked.

Harry sighed. "There was so much going on. I mean, I felt like I had to with me being the one that stopped Tom the first time, well more my mum but I was involved obviously." He rubbed the scar on his forehead. "As the second war was going on, even at school we weren't that safe. There were so many stories of people dying, getting hurt. Fights broke out at Hogwarts, the children of people from either side getting involved."

He drained his cup. "I…I started learning healing from early on. When most of my professors accepted I wouldn't actually cast harmful spells but could at least describe the how and the theory, I was taken under our Matron's wing as an apprentice and I took to it. I tried to heal others as best as I could, to take care of them, to help them outside of the fighting. I did my best to contribute how I could."

"I had to pick a side," Blaise said when Harry lapsed into silence. "I stayed out of it for as long as I could but I got tired of the needless pain and death too. I decided to fight back and never regretted the side I chose. Someone had to watch his back and cast the Hexes and Curses if he wouldn't."

"Don't listen to him," Harry said fondly. "He only did it so I'd introduce him to his crush. He's afraid of her."

"I'm not afraid of her," Blaise sniffed while the others laughed. "I'm afraid of her family though and with you being friends with them, you could put in a good word for me. Which you still haven't done by the way."

"I'll do it when we get back home," Harry said, waving a hand negligently.

"I really want to know how you stopped him without offensive spells," Dylan said.

Harry sighed. "Got anymore wine? I'll tell you but I need the help."

"Me too." Blaise filled his cup and looked murderous. "I hate this story even if it is really fucking impressive in a sick way."

Harry took a sip and closed his eyes, looking into the past…

-0-

"So, you finally found the courage to face me." Voldemort's voice slithered, like a strand of silk pulled over oil. His smile oozed arrogance, his eyes glinted.

Harry looked coolly back at him. "Yeah it took a bit to find the courage," he said softly. "I mean, have you looked at yourself in the mirror?" He savored the look of indignation on Voldemort's face. "Anyways, I'm glad I came. You helped disprove a theory I had. I always wondered if donated magical blood changed a person to look or feel like who donated and looking at you now, I'm glad to say it really doesn't."

"Your final moments can be measure in minutes. If I were you, I would watch what I was saying," Voldemort said with icy fury. "It would be a pity to lose what little of your life you had because of your tongue."

"Sure would," Harry agreed blandly. "Then again, hearing you talk, it might honestly be a mercy."

A muscle in Voldemort's face twitched. "You will be begging me for mercy soon enough."

Harry shrugged, saying nothing.

Voldemort hissed. "So. What are you doing here then? To beg for your life? To beg me to stop?"

"If that would legitimately stop things, I would do that," Harry said seriously. "If you could be stopped that way, to see reason, to feel remorse, then I would beg for it. But we both know that won't ever happen."

"No, it will not." Voldemort leaned back into his throne, languid and self-assured. "I do not fear you, Harry Potter."

"I don't fear you either, Tom Riddle."

Despite saying so, a shiver of fear crawled up his spine. "Who told you that name…Dumbledore?"

Harry's face twisted at the spoken name, a detail that did not go unnoticed. However, he pushed the expression aside. "Yeah, also a couple of other things. That ritual you did to bring yourself back, when you took my blood, you needed bones from the father and Tom Riddle was written on the gravestone. But before that, before Dumbledore, you actually told me." He smiled at Voldemort's confusion. "Rather, your memory did."

"My…memory." Voldemort sat up. "No."

"Yes. Your diary. Chatty little thing it was. Told me lots."

Voldemort's eyes narrowed. "I knew Lucius did not misplace it."

"Nope. He tried using it as a weapon but I bet he didn't know what it really was."

Another flicker of fear. "And you do?"

"Oh yeah. A Horcrux. I learned about them. Also learned that you made more than one." He noticed the look of horror on Voldemort's face. "You really had no idea they went missing and were broken, did you?"

"You did not break them," Voldemort protested. "I would have known."

"Well there's another theory confirmed. Your soul was so damaged, you weren't even aware the vessels were being broken and the pieces being released. Interesting."

"No matter," Voldemort said, his voice trembling from anger and something else. "I can always create more and when I kill you, you will not be around to stop me."

"The soul is finite, Tom." Harry looked at him pityingly. "You don't have a lot left. I don't think you'd even be capable of making another."

"Do not call me that!" Voldemort roared. "I have become something far greater than Tom Riddle Junior could ever be! I have surpassed more than most! I am and will be the greatest wizard of all time!"

Harry stifled a yawn. "Sorry. I had a late night."

"You will pay for your insolence. You think yourself so much better than me? Laughable. You are so arrogant Potter. You came here, challenging me on my own ground. Were you not curious how you came in so easily? Without resistance? I knew you would come and you can do nothing to me. I do not fear you at all."

"If you think I came here for nothing, then you're the arrogant one," Harry said quietly. Truth be told, he had been terrified in coming. He kept thinking this would not work, that it would ultimately fail. Yet the more he learned, the more he talked, the more sure he was. He still had no idea what would happen exactly, but his goal would be achieved.

"You are the Coward of England!" Voldemort crowed. "You will not cast harmful spells at me through your own pride and fear!"

"You're right, I won't."

"Then what do I have to fear?" Voldemort cackled. When his laughter subsided, his voice became condescension personified. "I will allow you to live a little longer. Tell me, Coward, why do you refrain from casting harmful spells? Why do you refuse to harm another?"

Harry smiled sadly. "Sure, I'll humor you. After you killed my parents, I was raised by relations. They were pretty terrible to me. When I was little, my uncle was beating me. My cousin blamed me for something and my uncle didn't like my tone or whatever and started really beating me. It was getting really bad."

Voldemort leaned forward, entranced by the cruelty.

"I think my magic realized I was in real danger of dying and it lashed out. Hurt my uncle really bad in the process. My magic hurt him to save me." His eyes were haunted. "I still remember seeing him lying there, broken. My cousin and aunt screaming. It took a really long time for him to heal but I never forgot the fear that was in their eyes, in his eyes after. They never touched me again but that fear, the disgust I had for myself, it never went away."

"And that is why you are pathetic. I would never feel such things. I relish in the power I have. That is what sets me apart. You fear your own strength."

"Of course I do," Harry said baldly. "Why would I be proud that I can cause so much pain and anguish?"

Voldemort laughed coldly. "That is why you will never be great."

"I never wanted to be," Harry said softly. He shook his head. "Anyways, I swore I would never hurt a person with my magic again. So, I never did. I do my best to do anything but."

"Such potential, wasted." The Dark Lord shook his head with mock pity. "Well, your usefulness as been exhausted. With my curiosity sated, there really is no reason for me to spare you any longer."

"I better do this then." Harry removed a vial from a pocket and undid the stopper, drinking the contents with one smooth gulp.

"A final drink?" Voldemort asked.

"Yup. I'd say it was to your health but it's the opposite really."

Another shiver of fear. "What do you mean by that?"

Harry winced briefly. "Well, the thing about not casting harmful spells, it forces you to think outside the box. To find alternatives. I spent a long time researching, looking up rituals, trying to find ways to break Horcruxes, that sort of thing. I came up with a way to break them and had a bit of a revelation, one that coincided with that odd link you and I sort of have."

Voldemort felt coldness growing in his stomach. "Odd link?"

Harry nodded and winced again. "I can see into your thoughts sometimes. Feel flashes of emotion. At first I thought it was the fact that you used my blood in the ritual, but it wasn't just that. We were linked, when you tried to kill me when I was a baby."

The coldness spread and Voldemort grew more nervous. He looked at Harry's scar. "No," he whispered.

"Yeah. Pretty sure I'm one of your Horcruxes. When your killing curse bounced off my mum's sacrifice, your soul shattered more and a piece latched onto me. We're basically connected via blood, soul, and magic, it gave me an idea." He sunk to his knees. "You came back, siphoning parts of me and that's when I realized something."

Harry looked directly at Voldemort. "You're a parasite. You live because of me, depending on me."

Voldemort shuddered from indignation, rage, and pain. "I depend on no one!"

"Factually incorrect," Harry groaned. He clutched at his middle. "Anyways, that gave me an idea. How do you get rid of a parasite? You either physically remove it," he coughed wetly, "or directly target it with magic or medication. I couldn't do those easily so I did the next best thing, I poisoned your food supply."

Voldemort groaned in pain. He tried to rise from his throne and could not, falling out instead. "You…poisoned yourself?!"

"Pretty much. The potion made my magic toxic and since you're leeching it off me through your soul piece, well, here we are." Harry coughed again, gasping for breath.

"Fool," Voldemort whispered. "You've killed us both!"

"Looks like it," Harry agreed faintly. "Guess…I'm a hypocrite…too." The last thing he heard before succumbing to darkness was Voldemort's wail.

-0-

Everyone in the tent save for Blaise stared at Harry with open astonishment. Blaise stared at his cup and Harry's eyes were still lost in his memories.

"You…were willing to sacrifice yourself to stop him," Sophie said, shocked and appalled.

Harry nodded.

"Wh-what happened?" Desmond stammered. "I mean you stopped him and you are here but…what? How?"

"I got better." Harry smiled wryly at everyone's snorts and huffs. "No seriously. From what I could tell, Tom got so desperate to make it stop, he somehow reclaimed his soul piece from me to break the link. Except his body was already damaged beyond repair and without my magic to sustain him, he didn't survive."

"Members of the Order stormed the building where Voldemort was," Blaise continued. "They didn't learn about this idiot's plan until it was too late to stop him and they just managed to break in and pour the antidote down his throat."

"You made an antidote?" Leena asked.

"No. I accidentally left my notes out and my Healer Mistress and my friends made one as fast as they could. They didn't know it would work but it did."

Dylan refilled his cup, hand shaking. "No wonder you said you do not like that memory. It is terrifying and it did not happen to me."

"Yeah. It took a while for me to heal but I did and by the time I woke up, the rest of the Death Eaters had been captured and we could start rebuilding," Harry said.

"How can people still call you a coward?" Tomas asked. "You went in, willingly, to die in stopping him."

"Because people thought I should have done it sooner, not to mention the exact details aren't public knowledge," Harry said. "I could have, I suppose. I think what finally drove me was a battle that happened right before. A lot of friends got hurt, permanently, and at that point I had to do it. And there are people who said if I wasn't so committed in not using violence then I would have stopped it even sooner and they wouldn't have lost so much. That Tom wouldn't have been able to cause so much damage."

"Ridiculous," Leena spat. "What they forced you to do was unconscionable."

"I got so desperate," Harry said hollowly. "I…I had to make it stop, to stop him."

"Is that why you said you are here out of guilt and shame?" Sophie asked gently. "Because you feel responsible for his death?"

"I am responsible for his death, or was," Harry said.

"True, but you did not break your oath in using any harmful spells or acts. If anything, you harmed yourself in the doing." Sophie patted his hand. "You could also say that he was equally responsible, drawing from you to sustain himself. He poisoned himself through his own greed."

"I hope you're listening to her. Maybe you'll finally listen to someone," Blaise said.

"Shut up and keep drinking," Harry said back. He rubbed his face. "You're not wrong," he said to her. "I don't know why I feel that way over everything. I guess I just wanted to prove I can make it through this without physically hurting anyone, that I can stay true to my beliefs."

And another reason, he thought bitterly.

Blaise waved a hand at the others. "Don't waste your breath. He's been told time and again how no one would blame him for making an exception to stop the Dark Wanker but he gets all moody and whatnot."

"I love understanding friends," Harry said to their amusement, "does anyone know where I can find some?"

"Do not listen to him," Sophie said to an offended looking Blaise. "He told us that you were like his only friend here from England."

"I knew you liked me," Blaise preened.

"Ah but we are his friends here now to give you some competition," Dylan said breezily.

"All the French friends you make are so possessive," Blaise remarked.

Harry grinned. "Fleur is Sophie's cousin."

"Through our mothers," Sophie said sweetly.

"So no bird jokes, got it," Blaise smiled.

"I want to hear them. I'm married to her sister and can always use new ones," Dylan said.

"If I have not seen you with your wife before, I would question if you were actually happily married," Leena snorted. "Having seen you with her, you are disgustingly doting."

After some funny stories shared by Dylan and Sophie, Harry relaxed. "Thank you, for this," he said to them.

"Thank you for sharing," Dylan said. "And the majority of the French unit is behind you Harry. Do not worry."

"We would much rather be on the side of an angel," Leena winked.

Harry groaned. "Is there more wine?" he asked. "I'll need it if I'm going to be ribbed for this," he said wryly and they laughed and passed him the bottle.

-0-

"You…you are helping me," the wizard gasped.

Harry looked at him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because I am one of General Meyer's unit."

"Ah." Harry shook his head and continued healing the wizard. "My issues with Meyer are my own. I don't blame anyone else for it unless you share his views of me. Even then I'd still heal you to the best of my ability."

"No, I do not. I remember meeting you in the field, a man concerned with the dead as much as the living."

Harry recognized the wizard now, as the man he met when he went to set up the aid station. "Oh, that was you. I'm sorry, I never got your name."

"Vogel. Lukas Vogel."

Harry shook his hand. "Harry Potter, as you know probably. I'm glad you don't think ill of me."

"You are a fine healer," Lukas said easily. He looked around for a moment and saw only a few members of his squad nearby. "Not all of us think like the General or even like him. I hope knowing that provides you some comfort."

Harry smiled gratefully. "It does and I really appreciate it. Thank you. I hope you and your unit knows that I don't hold his words against you."

Lukas smile was equally grateful. "We do now and it is good to know. Thank you."

Harry nodded and went back to work, his heart just a little bit lighter.

-0-

Hey Hermione,

Sorry it's not a very long letter this time but I only had a few moments to write and wanted to write you something. I had to remember a few things today and it made me think of you.

I'm sorry for all I've done to you. I've been a selfish and inconvenient friend, haven't I? I know you'll say not at all and all that but I feel that way. Especially with the potion and what I've asked you to do this time.

Not to be a downer but I just wanted to say thank you for everything. I really appreciate all you've done for me and I really hope I can make up for it one day. No don't worry, I didn't get physically hurt or anything. Just feeling a little maudlin I guess and wanted you to know I miss and appreciate you.

I hope you're not overworking yourself and staying rested. You know why. Stay healthy and well okay? Send my love to everyone.

With love,

Harry.

-0-0-0-

Urgwaew - I thought the distraction would be funny, especially with the potential of people thinking it was Veela. I thought it would be fun that the staff acts like an amplifier too. Seems right to me. I'll be peppering in letters here and there for the first half of this fic and hope it does the job to provide backstory and flavor as well as moving the story along. Glad you are still liking the story. Best wishes to you.

DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - She did but will hopefully reappear later in good order and reason. And yes, the high ground isn't invincible. Glad you liked those two details. It's fun trying to add to the setting and make things work. Thank you.

Hands Off MY Wolfie - Any appearance of Hedwig is good to me.

alix33 - Hedwig is the best.