This story is a crossover between HP and Stranger Things. It was intended to be something else, but I've decided to rewrite everything.
Chapter One: The Watcher
"Time. Space. Reality. It's more than a linear path. It's a prism of endless possibility, where a single choice can branch out into infinite realities, creating alternate worlds from the ones you know. I am the Watcher. I am your guide through these vast new realities. Follow me and ponder the question..."What If?" Harry James Potter examined the being in front of him, wondering what the hell was happening. In one minute, he was being confronted by a Grim Reaper after a night with the Dimitrescu's, and now he stood in front of this shadow man, who was asking him to ponder the question 'What If?' regarding timelines and infinite realities. He just wanted to go back to Claire and Raccoon City. But now he was stuck here without a way out, and he wasn't sure if he could fight this thing. After all, the shadow-man seemed pretty powerful. "I am the Watcher," The being repeated.
"The Watcher...so you watch things," Harry summarized.
"I witness all things. Every reality. Every timeline. Even yours," The Watcher replied.
"Wait...mine? Which one?"
"Both. Your homeworld has fallen under Voldemort's control. Hermione Granger and the Weasley's are dead. The Order of the Phoenix has fallen, and the Muggle world holds no chance against Voldemort's ever-growing power. As for your recent home, things seem to have fallen into a chaotic sense of order. I fear that things may change the moment you return. Though fear not, that will not be for some time," The Watcher explained. Harry sunk. His eyes drifted to examine his surroundings. Nothing but the cosmos. Nebulas, Stars, Planets. He tried to keep it in. The pain. His world was gone. Doomed. All because of him. "Your desire for control," The Watcher spoke.
"How do you -"
"I see all, Harry. Even your thoughts," The Watcher supplied.
"Why am I here?" Harry asked.
"You are dangerous, Harry Potter. Not through power. But through your presence. There are infinite timelines with you in them. The main being one in which you never crossed the veil. One in which you defeated Voldemort and saved your world. But in the timeline you knew, you made a single different choice. A choice that changed everything. The death of Sirius Black was an Absolute Point in your universe, and yet you seemed to reverse it through unknown means. This tear in reality spread to the outside worlds, destroying some while damaging others. Your presence alone in your second home resulted in another tear throughout that universe's timelines. You are here to repent. And hopefully, learn,"
Harry was absolutely stumped. He had unknowingly saved Sirius within the Veil and had in turn ruined things more than he thought possible. He had ruined his own world and all others in that set of universes. And by being in Raccoon City, he had ruined so many more lives and events. How could he fix something like this? What was an Absolute Point? And how had he broken it? Could he reverse the effects from the start, ensure that he participated in the main timeline where he killed Voldemort? "That time has passed Harry," The Watcher spoke. "The events that destroyed your world and many others have already occurred, and cannot be undone. Another Absolute Point in history. While you may not have gone down the path you were supposed to, another Harry Potter has, and is living within a healthy world,"
Great. So he had gotten the short end of the stick while another him lived happily with his friends and loved ones. "Do not be envious, Harry. While your counterparts are happier, many others suffer as you do now. Though soon, that will not be the case. Come, walk with me," Harry cautiously followed the Watcher, the two moving over an infinite number of Earth's. The Watcher grabbed hold of Harry's shoulder, motioning down to one Earth. Suddenly, everything seemed to become clear. Close. It was Hogwarts, but it was broken, covered in rubble. In the center of the Main Hall, surrounded by a crowd of wizards, witches, children, and Death Eaters were Harry himself and Voldemort. This Harry was older, seemed worse for wear, and was holding...Draco's wand.
The two wizards were locked in a duel, similar to the one Harry himself had participated in at the end of his fourth year. The red line of energy coming from Draco's wand overtook Voldemort's green line, causing the Elder Wand within Voldemort's grasp to fly from his grip. Voldemort was dead, and Harry caught the wand. The Watcher seemed stoic, watching the scene in what looked like boredom. He spoke. "Here is the main timeline. Harry Potter defeats Voldemort, the wizarding world rebuilds, and Harry Potter lives on to live a happy and peaceful life. However, one small event can change the entire universe,"
"You see, after the death of Sirius Black, Draco Malfoy would be tasked to kill Albus Dumbledore. He would fail to do so, only getting as far as disarming the old man. This...this was enough to gift Malfoy the Elder Wand. Many months later, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy would fight for Draco's own wand, transferring the power of the Elder Wand to Harry Potter. However, one small choice can change everything. For instance, what if Draco had not disarmed Albus that night. And instead, Professor Snape was forced to do the deed?" And there they stood, watching Snape fire a killing curse right into Dumbledore's chest. Harry felt a pang of guilt, not knowing how or if he could help.
Then it cut to the battle, only hours before, with Voldemort confronting Snape over the Elder Wand. Snape was killed, and Elder Wand's allegiance changed to Voldemort. And now they watched the battle once more. Only the killing curse was not so easily pushed away by the other Harry's disarming spell. The fight went in the opposite direction, with the green light hitting Draco's wand. Harry was killed, and the battle was won by Voldemort and the Death Eaters. "One small difference can make an infinite number of realities. One decision, made by anyone, can have immense consequences on the vast realities that make up the known Multiverse. Do you understand?"
"I...do. While I was responsible for the Absolute Point thing, others can be responsible for creating other universes, timelines, and realities," Harry summarized.
"Correct. Though there may be outside intervention, most realities are created through choices. Choices, events, and of course outside intervention. All of these realities are different in their own way. And the Watcher's observe them all," The Watcher explained. Why though? Harry asked himself. "We once intervened many years ago. For us, it has been too long to count by the calendar. For the species, it has been a million years. Of course, they wouldn't know given their lack of existence," Harry still wasn't sure just how the Watcher could hear his thoughts, but he ignored that question to instead examine the new cloud that had appeared in front of them. Through the mist was an entire civilization. A primitive one, far within the woods of their homeland. But they prospered. In peace, but in hunger. And so, the Watchers appeared in their time of need, giving the civilization plenty of food. Too much food.
So much that many began to eat in grand feasts. And soon, the food was gone. And so...the Watchers appeared once more. Only too late. By the time the second feasting period had ended, those on the planet began to fear for a third food draught. And so they began killing each other. And when the Watcher's arrived the third time, they found a complete blood-bath. Thousands were dead, and only a few hundred survived. After a few more decades, a single-family remained on the planet. And after three years, they died too. The species was gone, and the planet would forget its existence in a few centuries as it birthed new creatures. The Watchers obviously blamed themselves, deciding then and there that they would not intervene again. They would observe, but would never act. "That is our story. Silent witnesses in the cosmos. Forever under penance for our actions. We have only interfered once since then,"
"When?"
"Right now," The Watcher replied. The Watcher's voice was quiet yet firm. The shadowy eyes possessed by the being fell on Harry's, whose eyes widened as invisible restraints fell into place. He was held still by his own fear. Fear of what would be said here. "We have told you of your homeworld. And your newest home. But what we have not told you...is that you may not return to either. Not now, or ever," The Watcher held his hand up, silencing Harry's outrage at this new development. Both the Grim Reaper and the Watcher had lied to him. "You are a detriment to all realities, Harry Potter. Those you're involved in are killed or highly damaged. It is best for all if you remained here...in the Watcher Realm,"
"And what, just watch things for all eternity?" asked Harry.
"Indeed," The Watcher replied.
"I'll pass. Is that the door?" The wizard pointed to his right, where a small white oval sat in mid-air. It appeared to be a rift. The Watcher waved his hand, closing it at once much to Harry's disappointment. He was being kept here against his will, something he wouldn't allow to happen. He didn't know the Watchers, but he wasn't going to be held by another group against his will. It was as if he was destined to be kidnapped and held in terrible situations. First the Dursleys, then Grimmauld Place, Umbrella, and now the Watchers. It was a lot, and Harry was tired of it all. He wanted his life back. Unsure of how to do that, Harry decided he would go with the flow and try something. It may kill him, but it may not. He wouldn't know until he tried.
It all happened so fast. His feet carried him forward, his arms outstretched as he wrapped his hands around the Watcher's throat. The two tumbled through a grey mist, falling through a void of black as they sped past something. It was in slow motion, and it seemed to be...the world was spinning and contracting. There were tanks surrounding them, a woman with red hair wearing a baggy sweater, and a giant green monster standing beneath them. The monster was huge and bubbling. Everyone seemed to not notice them, and it was...weird. The two fell through the ground, traveling through another veil of mist as they fell down into another universe. They fell through a giant blue wormhole, falling right through floating debris as they slammed into the ground. Or through it.
After passing through the third veil of grey, they fell into a world of bright blue and green. There were mass forests filled with trees the size of skyscrapers, with what looked like giant trolls strolling past each other. Their bodies were lanky and disproportionate compared to their heads, which were large and covered by the creatures' big eyes, wide mouths, and tiny noses. It was weird. They reminded him a bit of Grawp but were much creepier compared to Hagrid's brother. The two fell through the ground once more, and this time the Watcher had had enough. The shadow-man became intangible, causing Harry's hands to lose their grip on the man's neck. The Watcher kicked Harry away as they passed through the fourth grey veil.
This time, they didn't fall together. The Watcher disappeared from sight, and Harry fell directly down into the Earth, slamming into the ground at insane speeds. His back hit the cement below him, though instead of dying as he should have, dust and debris flew into his eyes. The ground had made a nice crater to meet him, one that fell to a depth of roughly twenty feet. His clothes had been shredded into dust leaving him naked, and he was unsure if he had broken something. Harry felt fine at that moment, but a sense of fatigue and pain soon overtook him, causing him to fall unconscious. He didn't see the giant shadow-like figure watching him from the stars, a frown covering its features. The multiverse had strange plans for Harry Potter. Plans that even the Watchers were unaware of. This would be something to watch.
