Second Destiny (f/k/a Project: W.R.R.2.)
By William "Blissey" Raymer
Author's Note:
This story, completely unrelated to my Harry Potter/Star Trek trilogy, is my answer to a popular Harry Potterfanfiction writer's challenge by Reptilia28 that has also become known as "Don't Fear the Reaper." The challenge runs as follows:
*During the final Battle of Hogwarts (or at any other time after Harry turns 17), Harry is killed by Voldemort. As a result, Harry arrives at his personal Reaper's office and learns that this is not the first time this has happened;
*Harry's personal Reaper (who can have a human name if the author chooses) is upset at Harry, as dying before one's destined time puts a black mark on that Reaper's record and that Harry's personal Reaper is perilously close to getting fired;
*When asking his personal Reaper what was supposed to have happened, Harry learns through an epic rant that he was supposed to kill Voldemort, find his soulmate ("Some Granger girl," the Reaper says) and is supposed to live to some point past the age of 100—however, thanks to Harry's proclivity for getting into life-threatening situations, he keeps dying before reaching these milestones (Harry being surprised about the soulmates situation);
*The Reaper gives Harry a contract that allows Harry to retain his memories for the next go-around (for some reason, Harry was not given this option before) and Harry is deposited in the past at a time of the author's choosing;
*and, of course, Harry finally gets it right.
Reptilia28 also set forth a list of absolute requirements for any story that tries to answer the challenge:
*Harry needs to have died at least three times prior to the fateful encounter;
*The memory-keeping contract must be included;
*The Reaper must refer to Hermione as "Some Granger girl" when the soulmate situation comes up in their rant about Harry's destined fate;
*For obvious reasons, the main pairing must be H/Hr (Harry/Hermione);
*And finally, simply have fun.
An optional feature was included: that Albus Dumbledore's manipulations can be a factor in any or all of Harry's previous demises.
With all that out of the way, let's begin…
UPDATE, 10/2/2020: In accordance with the recommendation of site user "Philosophize," I will be re-editing the first seven chapters in order to be easier to read. Other corrections will be made as they are needed or discovered. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Chapter One
Harry felt himself awaken. He could see that he was in a room full of bookshelves filled with every Muggle and wizarding book he had ever heard of. A female voice started him. "What the hell are you doing back here, Mr. Potter?" it said.
Harry looked at a desk, behind which sat a black-haired, blue-eyed woman. The desk bore the nameplate "Joanna, Personal Reaper for Harold James Potter."
"Excuse me?" Harry said. Joanna sighed.
"Oh, right, I forgot. I wiped your memories. Please have a seat, and I'll explain," Joanna said. A chair appeared in front of Joanna's desk, which Harry sat in.
"Every human being, whether Muggle or wizard, has a personal Reaper who is in charge of their eternal soul," Joanna said. "They are responsible for ensuring that each soul reaches their ultimate destiny." Joanna took a breath then began an epic speech that Harry would never forget.
"BUT YOU! You keep getting yourself in situation after situation that brought you before me. Case in point: First Year, you break your neck during that gigantic game of wizard's chess en route to the Sorcerer's Stone. Year Two: Tom Riddle's basilisk kills you before Fawkes can use his tears to heal you, then in another pass, Lucius Malfoy pulls an Avada Kedavra on you without Dobby being free to help you," Joanna began.
Joanna stood from her desk and began to pace around her office. "Year Three, fortunately, had no problems. But that damn TriWizard Tournament! Every conceivable manner of death befell you, from the Hungarian Horntail in the First Task to drowning due to stale gillyweed in the Second Task to the ritual Voldemort used to resurrect himself during the Final Task! One more unsanctioned death like this one, and I'll be future-endeavored, ALL THANKS TO YOU!" Joanna said.
"What then, pray tell, is a sanctioneddeath?" Harry responded.
Joanna sat back down behind her desk and began to read from a tablet-like device she picked up. "According to our records, you're supposed to meet your soul-bound mate—some Granger girl of no significance, defeat Voldemort once and for all in the Battle of Hogwarts and live to the ripe old age of 147," Joanna said, reading from the tablet's screen.
"Granger?" Harry asked, a shocked expression on his face. "You don't mean Hermione Granger?"
Joanna checked the tablet's screen again. "Yes, that is the name we have on file," Joanna said.
"But isn't she with Ron?" Harry asked.
"Not exactly," Joanna said. "I just found a note on your file from Kaoru, Hermione's personal Reaper, which said that when Hermione herself was killed in the timeline surrounding your last run, the magical signatures of about ten different potions ranging from aversion and loyalty potions to Amortentia and veritaserum were found on her."
"I have reasons to believe that Molly Weasley was actively working in concert with Albus Dumbledore to ensure that Ron would up with Hermione in order to keep you two apart and force you into a relationship with Molly's youngest daughter, Ginevra," Joanna continued. "According to their plan, Ginevra would get pregnant with your child during your first sexual encounter and after you died in the Battle of Hogwarts, she would inherit your entire estate."
Harry grew visibly upset. "Now knowing what you have just told me, I am royally pissed off that I lost my virginity to that tart," he said. "Thank you for telling me this, Joanna. How can I repay you?"
"You can save your world…and my job…and we'll be even," Joanna said, tapping a few keys on the tablet's screen.
Joanna then pushed the tablet up to Harry, along with a stylus pen. On the tablet's screen was a document titled "Soul Transfer Contract with Memory-Retention Provision for Harold James Potter."
"This contract will allow me to send your soul back in time to your desired time and place in order to allow you to make the changes required for you to fulfill your destiny," Joanna said.
"In addition, the memory-retention provision will allow you to remember your knowledge of your most recent run and what I have just told you. The provision also allows you to share that knowledge with— and only with—Hermione Granger. You will also receive occasional consultations with me as well as any interventions that I, Death—my boss—and the other, appropriate, authorities may deem necessary," Joanna continued.
"Before you sign, however, I suggest you read this," Joanna said, tapping another document on the tablet's screen. Another window opened up on the screen. Harry saw another document, this time with the title "Recommendations for Soul Time-Travel Destinations, Harold James Potter."
"I had Desmond, one of my deputies, research the five destinations with the highest likelihoods of success for your mission," Joanna said.
Harry tapped his choice of destination, and the name of that option appeared on the contract in its designated place. "Good choice," Joanna said. "Now all you have to do is sign the contract and we'll get you on your way."
Harry looked over the contract one last time, then signed it. "Good luck, Mr. Potter," Joanna said as Harry rose to his feet and began to walk to a portal that had opened up in front of a nearby door. But something in Joanna's speech still confused him. So, Harry turned just before he stepped through the portal.
"Joanna, Ginny would have inherited… whatestate?" Harry asked.
"The Gringotts goblins will explain," Joanna said. Harry shook his head, then entered the portal.
:TBC:
Before we end this chapter…
*Joanna's being "future-endeavored" if Harry died before achieving his destiny one more time is a reference to a slang term used by fans of professional wrestling to describe when a wrestler or other talent is released from their contract to the organization they had worked for. It is derived from the phrase World Wrestling Entertainment uses in its statements about such releases-"We wish [talent's name or names] all the best in his/her/their future endeavors."
And now, a poll that will determine the trajectory of this entire story.
Where and when should Harry travel back to? Make your selection in a review or PM.
Option 1: To just before Harry's first year?
Option 2: To Harry's ride on the Hogwarts Express just prior to the start of third year? This would have the added benefit of allowing Harry to prove Sirius' innocence.
Option 3: To just prior to the start of the First Task of the TriWizard Tournament?
Option 4: To just prior to the start of the Final Task of the TriWizard? This would have the added benefit of having Harry possibly being able to prevent Cedric Diggory's death and the return of Voldemort?.
Option 5: Make your own suggestion and explain why you feel it is the best option.
Based on responses, I'll choose the option that gets the most votes. In the event Option 5 gets the most votes, I'll choose the best option based on the explanation.