As they walked up to the castle, Harry found his elation at being with his friends slowly being overshadowed by his irritation at the presence of the two aurors, besides Tonks, who kept their wands at the ready, eyeing him and muttering to each other. On the one hand, he could understand. He'd just shown up out of nowhere and helped chase Voldemort away. One the other, well, they weren't being very subtle, and his temper still wasn't exactly stable.

He was listening to Hermione chatter about what they'd been doing with the DA, Ron walking contentedly at his other side, when he suddenly felt like he walked into a wall and fell flat on his back, cursing. Everybody stared in surprise, but Dumbledore looked especially shocked.

"The wards just informed me that a dark creature tried to access the school and was rebuffed." The old man said, watching Harry. At his words the aurors' wands immediately moved to aim at Harry's face, prompting a glare from their target.

"Alright, you two are going to get those wands out of my face, or I'm going to end up shoving them up your asses and shooting a couple of firework spells. Capice?" He said, the look on his face showing it wasn't an idle threat.

Bones looked down at Harry. "First, I want to hear why the Hogwarts wards consider you a dark creature."

Harry's glare deepened, but he huffed. "It's probably because I've been cursed. The wards probably detected the curse and labeled me a dark creature like they would a werewolf." He looked at Dumbledore. "I don't recall the wards reacting that way to Moony, though."

Dumbledore was gazing at Harry over his glasses speculatively. "The state of the wards has since been raised to a wartime footing, making them much more forceful, so even Remus wouldn't be able to get in now without special permission, which he happened to have at the time anyway."

"Harry…" Hermione was looking at Harry with worry. "You've been cursed? What is it? Is it why you have those markings on your face? Can we lift it?"

Harry couldn't help but smile at her. "Easy, Mione. Yes, I've been cursed. It's kind of complicated, but I've got it under control. Yes, it's the reason for my unique appearance. And I highly doubt anybody short of a god can lift it."

As Hermione bit her lip, Tonks, who had stayed mostly silent, looked at him. "What kind of curse would require that amount of power?"

"The curse of a Fallen." Harry responded calmly. He almost smirked at the looks of shock that covered every face at his words. It was amusing what effect his half-truths were having. He took advantage of the surprise to finally get to his feet, brushing the dirt off himself.

"W-what did you say, mate?" Ron asked, face so white his freckles stood out in sharp contrast.

Harry shrugged nonchalantly. "I had a nasty run in with a Fallen. I managed to get away, but the asshole left me with a little memento."

Tears were gathering in Hermione's eyes. "What is it doing to you, Harry?"

Harry took the question seriously. "It's made my darker impulses more prominent, plus worsened my temper." His friends blanched at that, obviously remembering his fits of rage the previous year and wondering how that could get worse. Harry smiled with a bit of mirth at that. "It's why I haven't been around till now. I needed to get control of myself before I trusted myself around anyone else. If I'd come straight here after being cursed, those two chuckleheads…" He pointed his thumb over his shoulder at the two aurors, who were still aiming their wands at his back. "…would have already gotten their asses kicked, for example."

Dumbledore drew his wand and aimed it at Harry, an action that made the younger man's hand twitch towards his gun in reflex. "Do you mind if I scan you a bit to verify what you've said for myself, my boy?" Harry didn't hear Dumbledore at first. He was staring at the Headmaster's wand, feeling a pull to it, though he couldn't have said why. He only knew it practically sang to him, as if desiring him. "Harry?" Dumbledore asked again, and Harry wrenched his eyes away.

"Hmm? Oh, sure. But just some scans. I'm slightly twitchy. I'm sure you understand." He said, acting calm as he hoped said scans wouldn't reveal his lie. He was sure being 'cursed' would be much more palatable to the masses than 'stole a Fallen's powers through a fluke'.

The old man waved his wand a few times in Harry's general direction, his eyebrows rising at whatever feedback he was receiving. Madame Bones spoke once he appeared to have finished. "Well, Albus? Is he safe?" Harry frowned at the implication of her question. The 'Or should we contain him' addition was obvious. Once again, he could somewhat understand. She had a responsibility to make sure a threat was neutralized, especially in wartime. On the other, well, it irritated him more than a bit. And by the looks on Ron and Hermione's face, they didn't like it much either.

Dumbledore turned to her, still in thought. "Oh, I believe that Mister Potter is not a threat. There is definitely something very, very dark, but it's tightly contained for the most part, and he isn't exactly acting like a raving lunatic wanting to kill us all. We should be fine." Madame Bones observed him for a few moments before nodding and waving her aurors down, making them lower their wands. Harry's shoulders, which had been slightly tensed, relaxed almost imperceptibly.

Dumbledore then took a small chain from his pocket and ran his wand along it briefly, making it glow silver, before he offered it to Harry. "Here, this should allow you through the wards and keep the heightened defenses from attacking you. Make sure it's on your person at all times, or the defenses will activate to try to expel you, and they won't be gentle." Harry nodded and put the chain around his neck before tentatively walking forward to where the wards had blocked him, relaxing as he was able to continue forward. Dumbledore smiled. "Excellent. Shall we continue on to my office for what will no doubt be a fascinating conversation?"

The group resumed making their way into the castle. As they walked the students who didn't go into Hogsmeade for various reasons stopped and stared, wondering why the Minister was there. When they noticed Harry, whispers and exclamations of shock erupted, prompting him to wave back cheekily.

Before long they reached Dumbledore's office, and everybody bar the aurors, who stood in guard positions, sat down. The Headmaster folded his hands and looked at Harry. "Now then, Harry, perhaps we can get an explanation of what happened?"

Harry, once again, wasn't listening. He was staring at a ring sitting on one of the shelves. It had a rather large stone on it, inscribed with a symbol he didn't recognize; a triangle surrounding a circle with a line going through it. It sang to him, much like Dumbledore's wand did, but this one seemed off key, like there was something overlaid with it that turned what should have been something beautiful discordant.

Dumbledore noticed where Harry's attention was, but not wanting the rest of those in the room to know what he was looking at, he cleared his throat to get his attention. "Harry, an explanation, please?"

Harry pulled his gaze away and turned back to Dumbledore. "Right, explanation. Uh, basically the portkey dumped me in an area that was under the influence of a Fallen. I-"

"Excuse me, Mister Potter, but I just want to be clear. Are you saying a Fallen has a foothold?" Bones asked, looking quite tense. It seemed as though that realization was just hitting her now that she wasn't worrying about the potential threat Harry presented.

"Had, Madame Bones." Harry stated calmly. "I don't know if you've perhaps heard of Silent Hill?"

"I have." Dumbledore said gravely when Bones merely looked puzzled. "Several MaCUSA agents were lost trying to study what happened there twenty years ago. It was somewhat noteworthy, though not many in Britain paid attention, as we were in the midst of the first war with Voldemort."

Harry shrugged. "Well, a non-wand waver cult set up shop there to worship a Fallen, and they managed to open a door for the bastard using a nasty ritual involving a fair few children."

More than one person looked disturbed by this information. "Which Fallen did they summon?" Bones asked.

"Samael." Harry replied shortly. Before any more questions could be asked Harry continued, wanting to get this over with. "Anyway, long story short, the portkey accident landed me in the middle of Silent Hill, where I was trapped for a while trying to survive. I managed to, in the end, break Samael's connection to his full self, destroying his foothold. Before he was completely banished, he cursed me, and I spent the time since trying to get control of myself." He sat back. "There, story time done. Now…" he turned to Bones. "…You've gotten my story, so I think you need to look in on what happened in Hogsmeade. A lot of people were hurt, and seeing a Ministry representative should help keep things under control." Despite his words, it was obvious to everyone he just wanted to get rid of her.

Madame Bone's brow furrowed and she was about to respond when Dumbledore held up a placating hand. "He has a point, Amelia. No doubt there's been a lot of damage to the town, to say nothing of the injured. That should be your focus for the moment." He sat back, gazing at her calmly. "Don't worry, I'll continue to speak with Harry and will give you a full report on what I learn."

Bones looked from Dumbledore to Harry before nodding with a slight huff. "Very well, you have a point." She got up. "I'll expect that report though, Dumbledore." With that she walked out of the room, followed by her aurors.

Tonks hesitated before following and quickly moved to hug Harry. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

Harry looked confused. "For what, Tonks?"

She looked up at him. "It was my job to protect you. If I'd done my job better you wouldn't have been lost and gotten cursed."

Harry sighed and patted her head. "Tonks, I don't blame you. It was just bad luck. Besides, traumatizing as it was, some good came of it. So please, cheer up, will you? I like the fun, colorful Tonks than this sober, boring one." He grinned at her. "You just don't look right with normal colored hair."

Tonks wiped her eyes and smiled slightly, her hair becoming bubblegum pink briefly before she got up. "Talk to you later?" She asked as she moved towards the door. At his nod she smiled again and left, leaving Harry, Dumbledore, and Ron and Hermione, who had remained silent the entire time.

Ron spoke up now. "It'll be so good to have you back, mate. We didn't realize how tough teaching the DA was till we started doing it. You have a real knack for it." Hermione rolled her eyes with a fond smile at Ron's statement.

Harry, however, frowned sadly. "Guys, I'm not coming back to Hogwarts."

They both stared at him while Dumbledore simply observed the trio's conversation. "W-what? But Harry, what about your education?"

Harry quirked a smile at Hermione's obvious priorities. "Hermione, I can't stay here with my curse. Yes, I can manage it, but I can't guarantee I won't break Malfoy's neck the first time he pisses me off. It's best if I just get some books and maybe hire a tutor."

As Hermione bit her lip, obviously trying to come up with a counterargument, Dumbledore spoke up. "I'm afraid, Miss Granger, that in this case I will have to agree with Harry. While I trust him, it's best not to take chances. Besides which, I doubt Rubins and Leerman will be able to keep news of Harry's affliction to themselves." The three teens were confused till they realized he was talking about the aurors that had been with Bones. "Once that comes out, it's likely that there will be some pushback against having him here, no doubt encouraged by Voldemort's less open supporters."

Ron huffed and crossed his arms angrily. "Because the people are bloody stupid sheep." As Harry chuckled and nodded in agreement Ron turned to him. "Alright Harry, so you can't stay here. We're going to need to open you a new vault at Gringotts."

Harry was confused. "Er, new vault?"

"Yeah. I mean, I'm not sure they'll reopen a closed vault just because you're alive. So we might need to open a new one to give you back the money you willed us." Ron said with a shrug, Hermione nodding beside him.

Harry blinked in surprise. "Wait, what do you mean, give me back the money? That money's yours."

The two looked at him like he was an idiot. "Harry, you're alive! We can't take the money you willed us. You need that money to live off of since you're not staying here." Hermione explained, acting as though Harry was being stupid on purpose.

Harry crossed his arms. "The only thing I want back is my Invisibility Cloak. The Map is more useful with you here in Hogwarts, and I don't need the Firebolt, much as I love it."

"Then what are you going to do for money, Harry?" Hermione asked stubbornly.

"Well, I apparently own a small stake in several companies. Wayne Enterprises and Queen Industries, among others. A friend set it up for me. That should help. Besides which, I already have an easy way to make money."

Both of his friends looked confused, and Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, but Harry didn't say anything further, so they dropped it, at least for the moment. Instead the aged Headmaster turned his gaze to his students. "Miss Granger, Mister Weasley, would you mind overly much leaving us for now so that I can speak with Harry in private?"

Ron and Hermione looked unsure, but Harry smiled reassuringly at them. "Don't worry, guys. We just have some things we need to discuss. I'll meet you in the DA's training room later, okay?"

The two obviously weren't happy, but slowly got up and began to leave. "Alright Harry, don't take too long. We want more details." Hermione said.

"You'll get them, trust me." Harry said with a smile, watching them leave. Once the door closed behind them he turned back to Dumbledore, the two remaining silent for almost a minute as they observed each other.

"You didn't tell the entire truth earlier, did you, my boy?" Dumbledore began, eyes twinkling.

Harry merely smirked. "Would you around most likely loose lipped Ministry idiots?"

"Madame Bones is no idiot, Harry. She has done a marvelous job so far as Minister, despite the challenges that have presented themselves." Dumbledore said.

Harry chuckled. "I wasn't talking about her. Or Tonks, for that matter."

Dumbledore sighed. "Ah yes, Nymphadora. I doubt you realize just how much your words helped her. She has not been the same since your apparent death."

"It wasn't her fault. Just old fashioned bad luck. I hope she can see that." Harry said, arms folded.

"Indeed. With any luck she will begin to heal now that she's seen you alive." The Headmaster cleared his throat. "Now then, may I ask about the truth of your statements before?"

Harry shrugged. "I did tell the basics of the truth before, Professor. I got sent to Silent Hill, I had to survive for a while, I managed to find out how to break Samael's connection, and I ended up with a few issues for my trouble. Honestly, the rest is the business of nobody but myself. And even then, appropriate people are aware of the details."

Dumbledore folded his hands in front of him. "And who might these people be?"

Harry tilted his head. "Tell me, sir, are you aware of a group called the Justice League?"

To his surprise, Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, I am indeed. An acquaintance of mine, Doctor Fate, is a member. He keeps me appraised." His eyes landed back on Harry. "I'm assuming they were the ones you informed?"

"Sorta…" Harry said, scratching the back of his head. "After I escaped Silent Hill I ended up in their care. They used a telepath to find out what happened, so they have all the details. Afterwards they helped set me up with somebody that could help me with my changes."

"I see. Well then, I'm glad you ended up with a group of trustworthy individuals. I will reach out to Doctor Fate for further information then, if that's alright with you." At Harry's nod he smiled. "Excellent. Now then…" He noted Harry's gaze once more trailing back to the ring. "Is there any particular reason you keep looking at that ring, Harry?"

Harry's brow furrowed. "I don't know, Professor. I just feel like it's calling me." He didn't notice Dumbledore suddenly appearing tense at that information. A tenseness that increased when Harry got up and made his way to the ring.

"I recommend you sit back down, Harry. That ring isn't-" He was interrupted when Harry suddenly picked the ring up and brought it to his face, studying it. Dumbledore got up slowly, observing cautiously with his wand in hand. "Harry?"

Harry's brow furrowed. "You shouldn't be here…" He reached out with the hand not holding the ring and seemed to pinch the stone. The markings on his body began to glow slightly as he pulled his hand away as though holding something, a black mist following his movements, as though trapped by his fingers. As Dumbledore watched, shocked, Harry glared at the face made up of dark, oily smoke trapped and struggling in his grasp. "Hullo Tom. I don't know what you did, but I'm undoing it. Whatever comes next for you, I have no doubt it's going to be painful." He wrapped his hand around it and began to squeeze, the figure making horrible noises as it struggled, before Harry enclosed his fist, crushing it and making it dissipate with a wail. He then studied the ring again and smiled. "There. Much better."

Dumbledore stared at Harry, shocked. "Harry, did you just destroy that Horcrux?"

Harry seemed to come out of his trance and turned to him. "Um, I guess? What's a Horcrux?"

Dumbledore sighed and motioned for Harry to sit back down. "Sit, and I'll explain." Once they were comfortable Dumbledore began. "I was originally going to explain this all to you throughout this year as a series of lessons to help you against Voldemort. Obviously, that did not work out as expected." He set his wand on the desk, not missing the way Harry kept glancing at it. "Essentially, Harry, a Horcrux is an object of the darkest type of magic. To create a Horcrux one commits an act of cold blooded murder without feeling any remorse or hesitation. The act damages the soul. One can then use that to split part of one's soul apart and secret it in an item. Doing so keeps the soul from crossing over upon death, as there is still part of the soul tied to this plane, anchoring it."

Harry was silent as he listened intently. What Dombledore was describing reminded him of what Alessa did in Silent Hill. The difference being that Alessa did what she did to stop Samael, and didn't kill anybody to do it. "Somehow I'm unsurprised Tom made one of those things. It sounds just like his style."

Dumbledore nodded. "Indeed. It is incredibly difficult to destroy a Horcrux, especially without damaging the container. I'm astonished that you were able to do so, Harry."

Harry gazed at the ring, thinking. Something about what he'd just done had stimulated a memory. "I've done… something like this… before…" He said slowly, vaguely aware of Dumbledore watching him intently. "In Silent Hill, after I tricked Samael… There was a horrible, malformed thing attached to me. I thought it was something Samael did." He looked up at Dumbledore, who seemed to age in front of his eyes. "It wasn't, though, was it? He made me a Horcrux as well, didn't he?"

Dumbledore sighed, but nodded. "I suspect so, though I have no hard proof. If I had to guess, it was done accidentally, as there would be no point in putting a piece of your soul in something you intend to destroy. It most likely occurred due to the backfired killing curse, since his soul was already so damaged."

Harry nodded. "Alright. I'm guessing that's why I could get those feelings and visions from him. It's a good thing I got rid of it."

Dumbledore's gaze snapped up to look at him with hope. "What? You got rid of it?"

Harry was surprised at his reaction. "Of course. As soon as I felt that thing attached to me I ripped it away and sent it on. I wasn't going to walk around with it still stuck to me."

To Harry's further surprise Dumbledore sagged and brought his hands to his face, shoulders shaking. "I'm so relieved…" He looked back up at Harry, eyes bright. "As I said, Harry, destroying a Horcrux is difficult. Doing so without damaging the container, I thought almost impossible. I thought…"

"You thought I'd have to die to get rid of it, cause otherwise Tom won't die for good." Harry said softly, prompting Dumbledore to nod an affirmative. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Harry, how did you expect me to tell somebody I cared about that I believed he had to die?" Dumbledore asked tiredly. Harry was silent as he went back to studying the ring, gaze on the symbol etched in the stone.

"…So now that I've gotten rid of the one latched onto me and the one in the ring, does that mean I can get around to killing the bastard?" Harry asked.

"Don't forget his diary. It was what first told me that Voldemort might have created Horcruxes. But I believe, though I have no proof, that he made more than that. So, till those are found, there is no real point to killing his physical body. And trust me, I have been looking. Poor Minerva has had to shoulder even more responsibility than usual as I have been working on locating them almost exclusively." The Headmaster said tiredly.

Harry nodded. "Alright. Tell me if you think you find the location of one, and I'll assist in the retrieval, what with my ability to destroy them."

Dumbledore nodded agreeably. "Yes, that sounds good. I hope you'll meet with me on occasion so we can discuss where I believe they are. I would rather you're aware so that, in case anything happens to me, you'll be able to get the job done." He smiled when Harry nodded. "Excellent. Now, may I ask, why did you become so interested in the ring? Was it because of the Horcrux?"

"Not… really? It weird, it's like it was singing to me. The Horcrux was messing with the sound, making it seem distorted, but it sounded fine once I removed it." He held it up to his gaze. "It's… well, not silent, but not as loud. I can only hear it if I focus." He looked up at Dumbledore. "What is it? I doubt it's a simple ring."

Dumbledore sat back and steepled his fingers. "Well, the ring itself is nothing special. The stone, though… Tell me, Harry, have you ever heard the story of the three brothers by Beedle the Bard?" Harry raised an eyebrow and shook his head. Dumbledore chuckled lightly. "No, no you wouldn't have, would you? The basic story is this. Three brothers on a journey reached a river that drowned any trying to cross it. These three were very proficient in magic, a rarity in the time before schools when apprenticeships were the norm. They conjured a bridge to cross the river, thus remaining safe."

"As they were crossing, however, a figure appeared before them. This was Death, who was angry that they had thwarted its attempt to claim them. However, cunningly, it stated that they had fairly bested it, and offered them each a gift of their own choosing."

"The eldest brother, a rather power hungry and combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any other in existence. So Death granted his wish by taking the branch of a nearby elder tree and fashioning it into said wand, now known as the Elder Wand."

"The second, who was rather arrogant, wished to humiliate Death further. So he asked for the power to recall the deceased from the grave. Death granted him this power by picking up a stone from the riverbank and crafting it into the Resurrection Stone." Dumbledore nodded when he saw Harry glance at the stone on the ring in his hand. "Yes, I believe that to be the exact same stone. Allow me to finish the story though, if you would." Harry nodded, and Dumbledore continued.

"The third and last brother, who was both humble and wise, did not trust Death. So he asked for something which would allow him to go forth without Death being able to follow. Death, quite reluctantly, handed over its own Invisibility Cloak, which would hide the wearer from anything including Death itself."

"After their prizes were granted, the brothers went on their way and soon parted, going in different directions. The eldest brother travelled to a village where a wizard he had a grudge with lived. He demanded a duel and quickly killed his opponent thanks to the power of his new wand. Drunk on his power, he boasted to an entire inn soon after about the wand gifted by Death itself and his own invincibility. That night, an unknown wizard entered the man's room while he was asleep, passed out due to drinking, and slit his throat before stealing the wand. And so, Death took the first brother."

Dumbledore made himself comfortable as he continued to tell the tale, enjoying Harry's obvious fascination. "The second brother returned to his home, where he lived alone. Turning the stone three times in his hand made the figure of the girl he had been going to marry before her untimely death appear before him, something which delighted him. However, she was sad and separated from him still, as though by some sort of veil. Though she was returned to our world, she didn't truly belong here, and so suffered during the time she remained. Finally, the second brother went mad with longing, and committed suicide by hanging so could truly be with her again. And so it was that Death took the second brother."

Dumbledore paused took sip some water from a goblet which appeared on his desk to soothe his parched throat while Harry turned his gaze back to the stone, though his eyes darted on occasion to Dumbledore's wand, an inkling as to what it was settling into his mind.

"For many years, Death searched for the youngest brother, but was never able to find him, the Cloak doing its work well. It was not till the third brother reached a great age that he took off the Cloak of Invisibility and handed it to his son to be passed down along their family under the understanding that none would try to cheat when their time came. The man then greeted Death when it approached like one would an old, dear friend, and soon they departed as equals."

The office was silent for several minutes once Dumbledore finished his tale, the Headmaster watching his now former student as he thought about the story.

"So… This stone has the power to summon the shades of the dead back to this side, at least temporarily?" Harry asked quietly.

With an idea of what was going through Harry's mind Dumbledore simply whispered "Yes, I believe so."

Harry looked up. "You haven't tested it?"

"No, Harry. No I have not." Was the quiet response.

They were silent again before Harry slowly set the stone onto the desk, passing it over to Dumbledore. The old man looked pained. "No Harry, it's yours now."

Harry was confused. "You found it, Professor. It's best with you."

Once more, Dumbledore seemed to age visibly. "Do you know what happened when I found that ring, Harry?" Harry shook his head. "First you must understand that I was once one of those who hunted for the Deathly Hallows, as the items came to be known. It is believed by many that the one that manages to unite all three items will obtain the title of Master of Death. Some see the title as meaning one will have power over death. But seeing the cost of the obsession with the Hallows in others, primarily Gellert Grindelwald, I stopped my search, believing myself content." He gazed at the ring sitting innocently on his desk. "But when I saw the stone… I proved to myself that after all these years, I have truly learned nothing. I am unworthy to unite the Hallows, much less possess the stone, so desperate was I to see Ariana again." Harry didn't ask who Ariana was. He could see the anguish in his old mentor's eyes. "Forgetting it was a Horcrux, I almost put the ring on, Harry. I would have, if I had not brought Alastor along as backup, being extra careful after your apparent death. Doing so would have ended my life, for there was a powerful curse on the ring bound to the Horcrux. If it had not killed me immediately, I would have only been able to delay it by a matter of months. Alastor only barely stopped me by stunning me. His paranoia was, once again, well founded." Slowly he extended his hand toward the ring, shaking slightly, then, rather than take it, he pushed it towards Harry. "You cleansed it, Harry, of both the Horcrux and the curse. It is yours to keep."

Harry stared at the ring. Now that he knew its abilities, he wanted to use the thing, desperately so. With it he could see Sirius and Cybil again, and apologize for their deaths. He could see Alessa and make sure her torment was over.

…He could see his parents, the one thing he had wanted more than any other in his life. A part of him had felt happy when he thought he was going to die in Silent Hill, believing he would be able to see them all again.

He took a deep, shuddering breath, and looked up at Dumbledore. "I don't want it."

A fierce, burning pride appeared in Dumbledore's eyes as he gazed at Harry, a smile appearing on his face. "In that case…" He got up and approached the young man. He grabbed hold of one of Harry's hands, took the ring, and placed it in his palm. "…I can think of no one better to keep it safe."

Harry looked down at the ring before curling his fingers around it, looking up at Dumbledore and nodding. Dumbledore nodded back before moving back behind his desk as Harry put the ring in his pocket.

The old man chuckled slightly. "Well then, I trust you'll take just as good care of that as you do the Cloak."

Harry blinked. "…Are you joking?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No. I confirmed it when I asked James to lend it to me to study before he died." He leaned forward. "Harry, normal Invisibility Cloaks last a decade or two at most before the enchantments begin to fade. That cloak has been in your family for generations."

Harry stared at him before sighing, hanging his head. "Figures." Then his brows furrowed and looked up at Dumbledore. "Wait, if it's a cloak that can hide you from Death itself, why can you and Moody see through it."

"Ah, that…" Dumbledore stroked his beard with a smile. "I layered a few spells on it while James was a student. I'm sure you understand why I didn't want a troublemaker like James Potter to be able to get by without at the very least being able to be monitored by myself."

Harry opened his mouth briefly before closing it again, thinking. "…Yeah, that makes way too much sense."

Dumbledore became slightly more serious. "Since you will be taking it when you leave the school, it's not a good idea to leave such a vulnerability on it. Bring it to me once you get it back, and I'll remove the spells." Harry nodded.

The two sat quietly before Harry shifted. "I suppose I should go see Ron and Hermione. Unless there was anything else you needed?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, no. We can talk later. Go attend to your friends. I should go back down to Hogsmeade and look in on things."

Harry nodded and got up, turning to leave the room, only to stop dead in his tracks. "…Fawkes…" He breathed, somewhat apprehensively.

The phoenix was sitting on his perch, observing Harry. For a moment Harry was worried the magnificent bird would attack him. It had weighed on his mind that it was possible Light creatures like Fawkes would shun him now due to what he was.

Then, Fawkes sang a gentle, soothing song and moved from his perch, alighting on Harry's shoulder. Harry felt tears of relief appear in his eyes as he lifted his hand and stroked the bird's chest. They remained that way for a minute or so before the phoenix moved back to his perch, letting Harry leave, smiling as he moved out the door.

Harry arrived at the Room of Requirement a short while later to find Ron and Hermione sitting in armchairs by a fire, a silvery bundle sitting on a table in front of them. They looked up when he entered and smiled. "Harry!" Hermione said, happily. She was prevented from saying anything further as a shrieking mass of white feathers launched itself at him.

Harry recoiled as the thing landed on his shoulder, digging sharp talons in, and started bashing his face with its wings. "Ow, dammit, what, Hedwig!" The snowy owl shrieked angrily at him as she continued her attack. "Ow, I'm sorry! Hedwig, seriously! Stop!"

Hedwig flew off his shoulder and landed on a perch that appeared for her, her back to him. Harry sent a bit of energy to the wounds she left on his shoulder before slowly approaching. "Hedwig, I'm really, really sorry. I didn't choose to have what happened happen. And I couldn't come back till now for everybody's good." The owl barked huffily and shuffled away from him. "Cmon, Hed, don't be like that…"

Hedwig turned around and barked at him. Harry winced. "I'm sorry Hedwig, but I can't bring you with when I leave." She shrieked and spread her wings threateningly, so Harry lifted his hands to placate her. "I won't have any place for you to stay. Besides, I want you to stay here so Hermione can send messages with you. It's better than being with me, since I won't be sending much mail at all." Hedwig barked angrily again and turned back around, ignoring him now. Harry sighed and turned towards his friends, who looked amused. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up."

"You know, someone else was really devastated when it appeared you died." Hermione said.

Harry stared at her blankly before sighing. "Dobby!"

The elf appeared before Harry. "Yes, what cans Dobby be doing for-" He cut himself off as he stared at Harry. "Harry Potter sir, is, is it really being you?"

Harry smiled at his friend. "Yeah Dobby, it's me."

The elf launched himself at Harry's legs, almost knocking him over. "Harry Potter sir! Dobby never believed when they said yous dead! 'Great Harry Potter sir can't die!' Dobby said, and Dobby was right!"

Harry reached down and patted Dobby's head. "I'm glad to hear it, Dobby. You doing alright?" The elf nodded so hard Harry was afraid his head would pop right off. "Good. I just wanted to check on you, make sure you were alright."

Almost predictably, Dobby burst into tears. "Harry Potter sir wants to make sure Dobby is okay. Great Harry Potter sir is the greatest, most noble…!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, whatever you say, Dobby."

After the elf got his tears out of his system he pulled back and looked up at him. "If Harry Potter needs anything…"

"I'll call you, Dobby. Promise." Dobby smiled widely before popping away.

Harry walked over to Ron and Hermione, who were both grinning at him, tiredly. He sat down in another armchair that appeared as he approached. "Ugh, what an annoying day…"

"Yeah, coming back from the dead sure takes it out of you." Ron said blithely.

Hermione shot him a look before turning to Harry. "Alright Harry, spill. You obviously didn't say everything up in the Headmaster's office. Out with it."

Harry eyed her. "You know, I could just not tell you." Hermione crossed her arms, eyebrow raised, and he huffed a laugh. "Alright, alright, fine. From the top, then."

He proceeded to tell them a more detailed account of what he'd already shared, this time without misinformation. As usual they were a good audience, gasping, cursing, and in Hermione's case, even screaming at some points. Soon Harry finished telling his tale, feeling a bit drained, and looked at them.

Ron was white, staring at him and obviously trying to think of something to say. Hermione, on the other hand, had tears falling down her cheeks. "Oh Harry…" She choked out before moving to hug him tightly.

Harry gently rubbed her back. "It's alright, I'm fine, Mione. Really."

She pulled back, sniffing. "O-okay… So, you said you needed help getting your new mentality set straight. Who helped you?"

Harry grinned, thinking his next words would really have an effect. "The Justice League arranged for me to be trained by Raven of the Teen Titans." He waited, counting down, and before he hit one Hermione gasped, staring at him.

"You met the Justice League!?" She shrieked while Ron simply looked confused. "Who did you meet? Did you go to their base? What's Wonder Woman like?"

Ron cut in with his own question. "What's the Justice League?"

Hermione whirled on him and stared before muttering. "Wizards are so out of touch…" Ron's brow furrowed, but before her could respond Hermione launched into an explanation on the Justice League and its members, making Ron look more and more incredulous.

"You're taking the piss, aren't you? No way that's real." Hermione's eye twitched at Ron's response, but before she could retort Harry decided to settle the argument by pulling out his laptop from the expanded bag he had under a Notice-Me-Not on his belt.

Hermione whirled around and stared at it. "Harry, what are you doing with a computer here? It's not going to work. All you'll do is short it out."

Harry opened it and started it up, smirking as it booted up without any issues. "Batman gave it to me. He said he confirmed with the magical heroes of the League that it would work in magical areas." The OS came up, and Harry grinned at Hermione, who was staring in shock. "Apparently it's Wayne Enterprises' latest."

Then he moved to the chat program and opened up a window to Beast Boy and Cyborg's channel. Shortly afterwards the two appeared on the screen, making Ron yelp in shock.

"Yo, Harry, when we said to contact us later, we expected it would be, you know, a bit later than this." Cyborg said.

"Yeah, well, some things came up. I showed up in the middle of an attack by the terrorist assholes and had to chase them away." Harry said with a smile.

Both heroes became more serious. Beast Boy spoke next. "You alright, dude? Need backup?"

Harry shook his head. "Nah. I'm fine. I was just explaining things to my friends." He tilted the computer so they could see Ron and Hermione. "This is Ron and Hermione. Ron didn't believe Hermione when she told him about metas and aliens, so I figured I'd head the debate off by showing him you guys."

"Gee, thanks. Used as teaching aides. We're just that unique, are we?" Beast Boy said sarcastically, his grin belying his words. He looked at the two magicals. "Yo, name's Beast Boy. Heard a lot about you from Harry."

Cyborg waved lightly. "Yes we have. Name's Cyborg. I think it's obvious why."

"H-hello…" Hermione said timidly. "It's nice to meet you."

"Uh, yeah. Nice." Ron said, obviously dazed.

The two heroes grinned before turning back to Harry. "It's too bad you decided to head back on Halloween. BB found this really scary movie we're all going to watch on the big screen."

Harry looked doubtful. "Is that really a good idea after what you told me happened the last time Raven saw a scary movie?"

Beast Boy cut in. "You kidding? If it happens again, that'll be perfect for Halloween." He said with a grin.

Harry rolled his eyes while Ron and Hermione just observed the conversation. "That's reckless and childish. I'm unsurprised." Beast Boy and Cyborg chuckled with him. "Anyway guys, that's all I needed. I'll get on later for game time."

"You got it. Take care." Cyborg said while Beast Boy waved before disconnecting.

Harry put his computer away while Hermione muttered 'I'm so getting one…' before turning to them. "So-" He was interrupted, however, when the door banged open and let the DA stream in.

"Harry!" Several called as they all rushed to him. He stood up just in time to be swamped by hugs and exclamations of happiness. More than one girl kissed his cheeks, with the Patil twins kissing them both at the same time, something Harry couldn't help but enjoy.

Finally the group of teens stepped back, most grinning, while Luna remained attached to him, arms wrapped tight around his middle. Harry stroked the petite blonde's back as he addressed the group with a smile. "Hey everybody. Miss me?"

Everybody began to chatter at the same time, making an incomprehensible racket till Harry let out a whistle, getting everybody to be quiet. "Okay, okay, one at a time."

Neville was the first to speak. "Where have you been all this time, Harry?"

"America, mostly. Spent some time elsewhere as well…" The group waited for something further, but nothing came, so they continued.

Hannah Abbot was next. "What happened to make you look so different?" She asked, eyeing the marks on his face, though she and several other girls were also looking at his now more muscular frame with blushes.

"I started working out." He said teasingly, winking at her and making her blush, something that made Hermione frown.

The questioning continued from there, and though he tried to avoid giving any problematic answers, Harry couldn't shake how good it felt to once more be among friends.

Hey everybody. Been a bit since I updated this. Hope it's worth the wait. Somewhat. A little bit. Maybe.

Ending feels kind of flat, but I wasn't sure how to end this chapter.

Some important things happened this chapter, mainly involving the Horcruxes. Now I've confirmed the one in Harry's scar was dealt with, and another has been removed from play while leaving Harry with a powerful tool.

No, Harry will not be returning to Hogwarts, at least not as a student. Keeping him there wouldn't serve my purposes.

Some might be wondering why Bones is Minister rather than Scrimgour. Well, helps she's not dead. In my story, Harry's xenomorph ripping through the Death Eaters at the beginning left Voldemort with somewhat depleted manpower when it came to higher level DEs, so he didn't attack her before she could become a bigger pain in his ass. Doesn't mean he hasn't tried since, but she'll have more security now.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I think that's it for now. Till next time, thanks for reading and reviewing.