AN: JK Rowling owns this. This is the only disclaimer
Chapter 1- The Entropy
October 30th 2018- Twenty Years since the death of the world.
Harry Potter climbed inside the old home. He was carrying his meager vegetables in his arms. Another figure, a redhead named Ron Weasley looked out the door to make sure he wasn't followed. "I think they all moved on. The Fidelis still works for now." Harry said as he took the rather puny looking vegetables to the kitchen.
A brunette with short hair was in the kitchen, struggling to summon water from her wand. "I brought some food." Harry said as he placed them on the kitchen counter. The girl, Hermione Granger, nodded as she forced water through her wand, taking more effort than normal. "I guess it's effecting you now," Harry said, his magic left him a few months ago. She merely nodded.
Harry sat and mused at the last twenty years. It all started the day he defeated Lord Voldemort. After he fell, strange red marks appeared on his body. Nobody paid much attention to it as the long war was finally over. The celebrations were long but slowly things began to change.
The centaurs of the forest saw it. A strange decay started effecting things. Most dismissed it out of hand as a small issue but soon things got stranger. Milk produced by cows started yielding less from farms and whole crops slowly began to die. Soon, more than just crops began to die, entire fields began to turn black from some form of blight.
Muggle and wizard news reported on the sudden loss of plant life, with fires burning easily in large forests. Very small areas now had the ability to grow vegetables, and even now they barely fed anyone.
Harry looked at his meager vegetables when Ron came in, holding a crossbow. "I think the wards are failing. I see a gang of cannibals. I think they see us." Ron said. Hermione merely nodded. "I dunno if I have enough energy to power the wards anymore." She said. Harry grunted. "If they see us, they are probably surrounding us. I dunno if we can bribe them to leave." Harry said.
One other issue with the loss of vegetation was the loss of wildlife and livestock and within ten years, cannibalism became a new normal. Harry lost count of the friends he lost to the roving gangs of cannibals. Ginny was particularly painful for the group, having heard her screams as she was burned alive in their failed rescue. They learned too late that magic was also dying as Ron and Neville's stunners failed.
Hermione held Harry as he cried at the loss of Ginny. They were broken up for years but she was still special to him. It led to his current life with Hermione as his girlfriend. Nobody got married anymore, since they felt it was a waste with the fact nobody could reproduce anymore.
Ron had been fine with the new development, he and Hermione never quite got further than the first two years after the battle at Hogwarts.
Harry was again brought out of his musings by Hermione. "Love, I think it's time." She said pulling out three vials. Harry picked one up and studied it. It was a fast acting poison. Hermione told them she would rather be dead than be eaten. Especially since the cannibals didn't just cook and eat, they tended to tenderize with torture and rape.
"You sure this will also make us poisonous for them?" Ron asked picking his own vial. Hermione nodded. "I read it in an old book. It should do the trick." Hermione said. Ron nodded as he loaded up his cross bow. "Well, we still have a few hours, I say." Ron said. Despite the loss of his magic, he could still sense the wards. Harry looked out and recognized one of the cannibals. "Wow, Cormac is out there." Harry said with a bitter laugh. "If you want to shoot him, I could die with that." Hermione said bitterly. Cormac had been a very painful thorn for the group. He was responsible for the deaths of Neville, Luna, and heartbreaking for Harry, Teddy.
Harry looked in the cold, grey sky and swore he saw a great skull. "If we are doing this, I hope Cormac chokes on us." Harry said.
Hermione nodded as she pulled Harry and Ron into a hug. "I love you boys so much. I guess I'll see you in the next life." Hermione said, tears in her eyes. Ron was also crying as he held his friends. The three sat at the table and opened the vials. "To Ginny." Ron said lifting his vial. "To Ted." Harry said. "To Luna." Hermione said. All three then drank the poison and soon they all fell asleep and woke no more.
Harry then found himself with Ron and Hermione in a white train station. He was back at King's Cross, from when he saw Dumbledore all those years ago. "Guys, we made it!" Harry exclaimed. Ron looked around excited. He no longer felt the great hunger pains from his years of limited food. Hermione also felt her hair, and it was bushy and full of life again.
"Welcome back Harry." Came the familiar voice of Albus Dumbledore. The three adults got up off the floor and greeted their old headmaster with a hug. "It's good to see you Professor." Hermione said. Albus smiled as he pulled the three into his arms. "It is good to see you all as well." Dumbledore said.
Another voice came from behind Albus. "No hug for your godfather?" came the familiar voice of Sirius Black. Harry laughed as he launched at his godfather. "Sirius. Oh god I missed you!" Harry laughed as the two were on the ground laughing.
Ron looked around and frowned. "I figured Heaven might be more…packed." Ron said. Albus smiled sadly. "Yes, that's kind of the problem. I suspect you wished to reunite with your family?" Albus asked. Ron and Hermione nodded. "Something wrong happened twenty years ago." He said. Hermione nodded. "Yea, the Entropy. The slow death of the world." Hermione said. Albus nodded. "Yes, we found, it was a death curse cast by Voldemort at the final battle." He said. The group sat on the ground around Albus. "The world slowly started dying, and we up here had to watch. It was a torment. My brother's valiant defense of Hogsmeade, only when he fell I expected him to come up here. It came to a shock when he did not arrive here. Nor did any of the defenders of Hogwarts that fell that day. The remnants of Heaven have been wondering how the entropy curse was doing that when finally we were given an answer." Albus explained.
Another came into the train station, a tall blonde man, with golden skin, wearing a white toga and sporting massive wings came to the area. "I shall take it from here Albus." The man said. The trio were awestruck by the man. "I am Uriel, one of the choirs of angels. And for the past twenty years, I have been researching the entropy curse." He said. Hermione raised her hand, earning a laugh from Albus. "This is not a classroom Madam Granger." Uriel said. Hermione looked embarrassed. "Force of habit." She muttered. "We also researched it and could find no dark curse that could cause…well any of it." Hermione said. Uriel nodded. "Yes, that is because its an ancient runic curse that was created by the ancient Atlanteans." Uriel said. "It was lost for a long time. Until the monster you know as Tom Riddle was given it during the armistice during the Battle of Hogwarts." Uriel explained. "We looked over the event, and something blinded us to the event, and only an angel could do that." Uriel continued.
"Like, Satan?" Ron asked. Uriel shook his head. "No, Lucifer would not use such a weapon. Especially since the souls of the dead did not go to Hell. They are earthbound, and powering something dangerous." Uriel said.
"We think it's the work of Xanathos." Uriel said. When the trio looked at him puzzled he explained. "Xanathos was an angel, who's job was to send souls to their destination. Sadly, he was afflicted by an addiction to human souls and was banished. Forever punished to guide souls to their destination without his body. You know him, as Death." Uriel said. Harry looked darkly at Uriel. "The Grim Reaper himself killed the world?" Harry asked. Uriel shook his head. "No, he merely guided another into the action. He cannot raise armies, or wage war himself. But a human could. Otherwise he would have used the curse millennia ago." Uriel said.
"So, everyone who's died, was eaten by him?" Ron asked. Uriel nodded. "Then why are we here?" Hermione asked.
"Because I took you three before he could feed on you. Because I charge you with a holy crusade." Uriel said. Harry wanted to groan. "Another fucking quest!" Harry snarled. Uriel looked at him sympathetically. "I understand your plight Mr. Potter, but I would not ask you if I did not believe you could succeed. You three alone are the only ones who can find out how to stop Xanathos, and prevent the end of life." He said.
Harry grumbled, mad he would have to do it all over again." How are we doing this?" Harry asked. Uriel nodded. "You will go back to your fourth year at Hogwarts. You will need to begin hunting the Horcruxes and destroy them." Uriel said. Harry was getting more annoyed, wishing to not relive the tournament. "I am guessing we have a time limit?" Harry asked. Uriel shook his head. "Xanathos won't reveal himself until the Battle of Hogwarts. You will need to be ready. I am sending you to the tournament so you can maybe save more than just the lives from the battle." Uriel said.
"You will also not be going alone." Albus said. "I made many mistakes Harry, and I wish to go back and fix them. Uriel has given us a plan, and I will lead the mission." Albus said. Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Dumbledore would be a great help. "The only thing is, I must give you my wand when we go back. I am no longer the Elder Wand's master." Dumbledore said.
"Well, having the unbeatable wand might make things easy. " Ron said. Uriel nodded. "And you must retrieve the Sword of Gryffindor. It is your birthright to be the Champion of Hogwarts." Uriel said. "So I get to carry Dumbledore's wand and a sword. Awesome." Harry said sardonically. Uriel understood Harry's predicament.
"I understand the difficulty you are facing. But understand, if I could find someone else to do it, I would. And you will not be alone." Uriel said. Ron and Hermione nodded and stood by him. "Ok. I'll do it. I guess sending us earlier will get people ready for when we make a few changes." Harry said.
"Well if you want Harry, I can not believe you and Ron can be your only friend before the First Task." Hermione said jokingly. Harry and Ron looked at her as she giggled. "You don't want to come either Sirius?" Harry asked. Sirius shook his head. "If you can, get the rat after the final task. I can be free. But if not, Dumbledore will not coop me up in Grimauld place for a year." Sirius said. Dumbledore nodded. "I can see about getting him to stay at another home near Privet Drive. Nobody would look for him there." Dumbledore said. Harry grinned at the idea. "It is decided then. You four will head back and begin the process of preparing to destroy Voldemort and stopping Xanathos." Uriel said.
A train entered the station, one that looked like the Hogwarts Express. "This is your ride to the past." Uriel said as the doors opened.
With a final hug to Sirius by the three and a handshake between Albus and Sirius, the four entered the train and to their next mission.
Harry again woke up, dreading the idea of opening his eyes. He feared he would be back in the warded shack, or worse, being prepared to be eaten by Cormac Mclaggen. But he felt he was in a comfortable bed. He opened his eyes and discovered he was in his Four Poster Bed at Hogwarts. Slowly sitting up, he opened the curtains and saw Ron was also bewildered to be back. "Are we back?" Ron asked. Harry just grinned. "Yea, I think we are. Let's go see Hermione." He said as they got out of their beds.
Harry and Ron headed downstairs after they showered and got dressed to find Hermione sitting downstairs, staring at the fire. She was bushy haired and had her buck teeth again, but Harry still found her to be beautiful. "Hello love." Harry said. Hermione jumped at the voice. "Harry! Ron!" She shouted as she ran to them and all three were in a massive hug. "I thought I dreamed the whole thing." She said.
"Same, I think we need to spend a few days getting used to being us again." Ron said. The others nodded. "Yea. I think we also need to see Dumbledore. Get an idea for the battle plan." Harry said.
The trio headed to the Great Hall, Harry and Hermione were hand in hand with each other, as they headed to breakfast.
Dumbledore awoke and found himself in his quarters at Hogwarts. His wand was by his bedside, along with the Elder Wand. He checked the ancient wand and found he was no longer it's master. Nodding approvingly, Dumbledore grabbed his original wand and got himself ready for the day. He knew what he would need to do.
Heading into the Great Hall, Dumbledore saw the other three travelers eating breakfast, and already there were whispers. Namely that Ronald was eating like a civilized person. And Hermione was sitting with Harry in an intimate way. Albus caught the three's eyes and gave them a nod. As he sat down, Minerva noticed his presence. "Good morning Albus." She said as she was reading her daily schedule. "Good morning. And I must say, it is indeed a good morning." Albus said as he sat down on his chair.
He would call them to his office this weekend. For now he would let them get used to their old lives again. Because the real work will begin soon.
AN: Hope you like it. I want to see if this story has some legs to it. And also I always wanted to write a long form story. Like 20-30 chapters or so. We will see how it shakes out. Till then please read and review and have a good day.
