"Why did they just accept that you never introduced yourself with a name?" Harry asked Death once they were out of the bank's marble doors.

The blonde woman that the being posed as, smirked mischievously. "They thought I had already given it."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Really? How nice it must be to be able to make people think whatever you want them to." He said in a sarcastic tone.

"Yes, it is quite nice!" The woman holding his hand beamed brightly, letting out a chiming laugh.

"Now then, where to, young Master?" Death inquired with a soft smile.

"Slug & Jiggers I think. Cadmus and Martin will skin me alive if I don't bring back some equipment. And to be honest, I'm actually excited to do some brewing you know? There are so many things that can be done with potions! I never realised quite how versatile it was." Harry felt like the child he physically was. The thought of being able to create concoctions that could do almost anything was exhilarating, especially without Snape berating his every move and breathing down his neck.

"Very well. Do you have a list?" The blonde woman asked.

Harry nodded and dug said list out of his trouser pocket. There was no way he'd be able to remember every little thing his tutors had asked him to get without it. He had a good memory but not that good. The list was seemingly endless. They had a lot to buy. He owned no magical equipment nor ingredients. But hopefully after this trip he wouldn't have to go to the magical districts in a while, at least not as a child.

One of the first things he planned to brew was an ageing potion to make him look his mental age, or older. It wouldn't last for more than a few hours, but that was plenty of time to get things done.

"Actually, maybe we should get a trunk or bag first… It's going to be a lot to carry and not everything can be shrunk down," Harry reasoned. "I think I remember seeing a luggage store somewhere around here."

He looked around, eyes roving for where he might find said shop. If worse came to worst he could just ask someone for directions, or Death could.

Harry looked up at his chaperone and noticed that her eyes seemed slightly distant. In a fraction of a second the look was gone and she appeared fully operational again.

"It's this way," she said, "just down the road and then the first turn to the left."

Harry blinked slowly. "Did you figure that out just now?"

"Yes." Death replied with a cheeky grin.

Harry wanted to roll his eyes but refrained. Instead he began walking in the direction Death had given him, the deity staying close by his side.

It only took them a few minutes to reach Carkitt Market, where the luggage shop, among others, was located. A wooden sign hung above the door to the shop, signalling that they were in the right place.

Stowe & Packers Magical Bags had a little bell that chimed as soon as they entered the store. Trunks of varying sizes, materials and colours stood stacked in every corner, along with bags of various types.

"Welcome to Stowe & Packers, how may I help you?!" A bright and young woman's voice reached them, followed by the witch herself. She appeared to still be of Hogwarts age so Harry assumed it was a summer job. Her mousy brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail with a ribbon in Hufflepuff colours.

"Mum wants to buy a new bag for my dad. He travels a lot and needs lots of space." Harry said with wide, innocent eyes, practically making the girl coo at his cute little adult act.

"Oh aren't you just adorable!" She smiled widely. "What kind of bag did you and your mummy have in mind?" The girl looked from him to his 'mother'.

"Something practical and small. Maybe a leather satchel or a messenger bag." Harry replied.

The cashier looked over to Death for confirmation. Once she got a nod in agreement, she happily started showing Harry and his chaperone all the different satchels and their functions. There were more charms and enchantments available than Harry thought possible. Of course the price tag also climbed the more of them were added, but money wasn't an issue to him anymore. Even if he wanted to be frugal, this was something he justified buying because he could use it for years to come.

"What do you think, Tom? Would your father like any of these?" Death asked her 'son' with an amused smile.

Harry severely wanted to glare at the being for that name, but he kept up his charade as a precocious child. He pointed to one of the more high end satchels in dragonhide from a Romanian Longhorn. The scales were a green so dark they almost appeared black. Harry found it beautiful with its silver clasps.

It was a simple yet elegant bag. It was something he could use now as well as when he went to Hogwarts. The inside held an Expansion charm and had various compartments that could be changed, each with a different purpose in mind. One was a cabinet for storing potions and ingredients, another held a shelf for books, the third was for writing implements like quills, ink and parchment, and the final room was for various items. There was even a Muggle version that could be activated, showing the bag as it should have been if it hadn't been enchanted. That would come in handy since he planned on using the satchel at his primary school.

In addition, the bag came with some standard Anti-Thievery and Feather-Light enchantments. Harry planned on adding his own security measures to the satchel once he got home. Ignotus had taught him some obscure ones that would make the bag open only to him and no-one else. Simply having something password protected wasn't good enough.

"This one?" The cashier asked and picked up the satchel, showing off the bag and it's features to Death. "It is a very good choice!"

"Yes, that will do." Death said and smiled

"Would you like me to wrap it up for you?" The young woman asked as she brought it over to the cash registry.

"No that's not necessary. I think Tom would like to carry it himself." Death smirked and glanced over at the small child.

The cashier wanted to coo at the boy but seemed to pull herself together. Instead she grinned brightly at the two.

"Of course! That will be 124 Galleons, Ma'am."

"Go on, Tom, pay the nice lady." Death said and leaned closer so she could mock whisper to the young witch. "He's been ever so excited, carried the money all the way from the bank he did."

Harry glared at Death, but did as told and dug the required amount of Galleons out of the money pouch. Merlin how he hated being a child. He couldn't wait to brew his potions. His companion merely laughed at his plight.

Next stop was Slug & Jiggers Apothecary. When they got inside, Harry fished out his shopping list again. He let Death have a look so they could get what they needed as quickly as possible. There were a few people milling about the aisles, mainly checking out the ingredients.

The duo decided to split up to save time. The blonde woman drifted off to the ingredient section while Harry went to find a good set of stirrers and phials.

Who he saw there made him stop in his tracks. It was his first time seeing someone from his past in the magical world, and green eyes soaked up every detail.

He looked tired, more drawn and weary than a man his age should. Still, he appeared young, so much younger than Harry had ever seen him. He should be only twenty-six right now. It was hard to think how much five years was going to change the man.

Harry had never associated the word handsome with him before, rather the opposite, but now he could awkwardly admit that he found him somewhat attractive. And wasn't that a psychiatrist's wet dream?

His silky, black hair was pulled back in a small ponytail, looking much healthier and cleaner than he was used to seeing it. However, his skin was pale, almost sickly so, and held large, shadowed bags under his eyes. Harry felt himself worrying about his health. He looked too thin, did he eat enough?

"Excuse me sir, could you lift those phials down for me? I'm too short." Harry asked in his most polite voice, pointing to the unbreakable crystal phials next to the ones the man was looking at.

Black eyes stared down at him. Harry made sure not to look directly at them. He doubted his old Professor would use Legilimency on such a young child, but it wasn't a risk he was willing to take. He really needed to start on his Occlumency.

"And what, pray tell, do you need crystal phials for?" The sullen man asked in his baritone voice, an eyebrow quirked. He didn't look very impressed.

"My mother is tutoring me in potions and she promised we would do some brewing when we got home. We just have to get my equipment first!" Harry beamed up at him, playing all the cute and innocent cards that he had in his arsenal. "I just love potions, don't you? They are incredible!" Harry gushed. For some reason he wanted Snape to approve. He wanted it so badly.

If anything the man seemed slightly baffled by the young child's proclamations, and his dark eyes widened when he caught sight of those startlingly green eyes that immediately made him think of Lily, despite the shade being wrong. Hers had been more of a deep forest green, whereas the child had brilliantly emerald eyes, similar to that of the killing curse.

His posture softened and he picked the phials off the shelf, holding the set out for the boy.

"Is your mother here with you?" He asked.

"Thank you sir." Harry replied when he took the phials. "She is picking out our ingredients I think." He fished out his list and scanned it quickly.

"Do you know which knives I should get? She said to get a good set that had a silver one in it"

Snape studied him in silence, as if weighing his worth, before sharply turning around, black robes flaring out dramatically behind him. "Follow me."

Harry scrambled to keep up with the potion master's long strides, keeping a tight grip on his phial set so he wouldn't drop it.

He watched as the Professor carefully selected the best knives. They weren't cheap, but Snape probably figured that if his mother had asked him to get crystal phials instead of glass, then they could afford it.

"These knives will last you a lifetime if you care for them properly." Instead of picking one of the pre-made sets, the man had made his own and placed the knives in a proper case that would keep Harry from cutting himself, in addition to keeping them sharp. A cleaning cloth in soft leather was picked down from one of the shelves and added to the collection.

"Ah, Professor Snape! Lovely to see you again. Helping a muggleborn with his shopping?" A fat, middle-aged wizard with a receding hairline and washed out blue eyes walked towards them. "He's a bit young tho, ain't he?" The man frowned and peered closer at the boy. He wore the shop's logo on the front of his blue robe, so Harry assumed he worked there.

"No Mr Jigger. The boy is here with his mother, he merely required some assistance with getting the items off the shelves due to his stature." Snape replied monotonously, face not giving away any emotions. Those Occlumency barriers must be hard at work to mask his annoyance.

"Oh! How nice of you Professor!" The man was way too jovial for both Harry and Snape's tastes. It felt fake.

"Tom? Oh there you are. Who are you speaking to, darling?" Death in the disguise of his 'mother' swooped in. She held a cauldron in each hand, both filled with paper bags and glass vials containing various potion ingredients.

"Professor Snape and Mr Jigger. The Professor helped me get the phials and knives you wanted." Harry replied with a sweet smile, showing his 'treasures' to the being.

"Thank you for the help, Professor. Tom has been ever so excited about finally getting to brew with me and his uncle. I think I might have a little potions master on my hands!" Death exclaimed with a tinkling laugh, blonde curls bouncing enchantingly with her movements.

Mr Jigger was practically drooling all over himself as he stared at the beautiful woman. Harry couldn't help but sneer at the disgusting behaviour. Even if she was beautiful, that didn't mean she was an object to be ogled and lusted after like a dog in heat.

Harry's derisive expression was mirrored by the acerbic potion master.

"Mr Jigger, could you be a dear and carry these back to the till for me? They are quite heavy and my arms are getting tired. I would appreciate it ever so much." Death asked, batting her eyelashes coyly.

The round man fell for the act hook, line and sinker. He puffed up like a proud peacock and grabbed the heavy cauldrons, barely able to lift them himself even though they had looked light when the woman carried them. He could have simply levitated them, but apparently that didn't cross his mind. Probably due to all his blood going to a different place.

Snape quirked an eyebrow and seemed somewhat amused and impressed by her technique. "I don't think I have ever seen him that agreeable to physical labour before." His lips twitched in a wry smirk.

"Yes, sometimes it helps to be extra persuasive." Death chuckled and turned to Harry. "Did you get everything on the list Tom?"

"Almost, I still have to get the stirring rods." Harry replied.

"I saw some by the cauldrons, we can pick them up on our way to the till." Death said and fondly ran her fingers through Harry's blonde curls. "Again, thank you for the help Professor Snape. We should go pay before Mr Jiggers comes back."

"Bye Professor Snape!" Harry said and waved at the young teacher. He let Death guide him over to the till.

They left the young potions master curious about who they were and whether he might get 'Tom' in his class sometime in the future. He hoped so, it would be nice to have a child there who was polite and could follow instructions, not to mention not blow themselves up.

ΔΟΙ

Cauldrons, ingredients and other equipment were stored in the green satchel slung around Harry's shoulders, yet it didn't weigh more than it originally had. He didn't think he'd ever get over how much he loved magic.

After the apothecary they entered Needle & Thread: magical supplies for all your crafting needs. It was a shop Harry hadn't even known existed in his previous life. The inside was a colourful mishmash of craft supplies. The ground floor held fabrics of all types, colour, pattern and make. Everything from expensive silk to robust linen. There were rolls upon rolls.

A large cabinet in the corner was filled to the brim with buttons, thread and needles. From the bottom of the stairs he could see up to the first floor where they had yarn and knitting needles, and probably much more. He figured it was best to ask someone where to find what he needed, otherwise he'd spend hours in there just looking. Harry briefly wondered if this was where Mrs Weasley bought the yarn for her Christmas sweaters.

Death curiously wandered along the aisles, brushing her fingers over the different fabrics. At some point Harry lost sight of her and decided to finish on his own so they could go home. The shop wasn't overly crowded so he easily found a staff member.

"Pardon?" Harry piped up behind an elderly gentleman who was stocking one of the cabinets with new needles. His hair was tied back at the nape of his neck in a style similar to what he'd seen Mr Malfoy wear.

The man looked around in confusion.

"Down here, sir." Harry said, bringing the man's eyes to him.

"Oh! My apologies young man, I didn't see you there." He smiled kindly.

Yes, that was quite obvious, Harry thought, pushing down the instinct to roll his eyes. "I was wondering if you could help me find these things? Mother has a new weaving project she wants to do." He handed over the part of the list pertaining to the tapestry weaving.

There was nothing on there that would give away what the project was about. It was mainly the technique and blood that made it work the way it did, the supplies were average, if expensive.

"A large loom, needles, silver and gold thread, Araknos silk thread…" The clerk read the list out loud, muttering the last few items under his breath.

"Quite the project your ma's attempting. I don't think we have that much Araknos silk in stock. Is she here with you today?" He asked, peering down at Harry.

The boy nodded his blonde head. "She's looking at the fabrics I think."

"Good good," the man mumbled. "Let's see if we can find her then."

But before they could start their search, Death appeared, holding some candles, carving tools and chalk in various colours. Harry realised that they had been on his list, just not the one he gave the clerk.

"Mother, I gave the man your list."

"You did? Wonderful! So, do you have what I need, sir?" The woman uttered with a dazzling smile worthy of Lockhart. Actually, the fraud should take notes from the deity.

"Yes ma'am, most of it. There is a problem with the Araknos silk though. We have some but not as much as you have written down. We import the silk from Greece and the demand isn't that big because of the high price. I'll be happy to order some more for you if you're willing to wait? If I put in an order today it should be here within a fortnight."

"That would be lovely. I'll pay for what I'm collecting today and then you'll get the remainder when the rest of the silk arrives. I will come back in two weeks." Death nodded.

Their purchase was soon gathered up and paid for. It came to a startling 5422 Galleons, 13 Sickles and 16 Knuts. Even though Harry knew he could more than afford it, it still made him squirm uncomfortably. The large amounts of gold thread and Araknos silk was what made it so costly. Hopefully the end result would be worth it. Honestly, it made sense why so few had family tapestries, looking aside of the whole 'illegal' issue with blood magic, you'd still have to be fairly rich to be able to afford it.

The Araknos silk was something he hadn't known about in his first life. He knew that Aragog and the other Acromantulas produced silk that was highly sought after, but hard to get due to their viciousness and sentience, but for some reason he never connected the dots that there might be other spider species that also produced silk. The Araknos spider was one of those.

Ophelia had explained how they were a species endemic to Greece and that they only thrived there. They were slow to breed and produced few offspring, hence why their numbers remained low, despite wizards trying everything they could to boost their fertility. In addition, the spiders were said to be the descendants of Arachne herself, a weaver from Greek mythology who challenged Athena to a weaving contest. She had originally won, but due to her insulting the gods, and Athena being a poor loser, the goddess had transformed her into a spider as revenge.

It was an interesting story, and Ophelia had insisted that Araknos silk was the only silk good enough for his tapestry. Whether that was because she came from Greece herself, and therefore had it as a tradition to use it, or it was the actual truth, Harry didn't know.

Harry decided to call their trip done for now. His body was getting tired and he needed something to eat. They had gotten almost everything he'd intended to buy, and whatever was left could be bought next week after he'd finished with his meeting at Gringotts.

"Can you take us back home now?" Harry mumbled quietly to the woman standing next to him.

"Of course, young Master." Death replied, grabbing on to his hand and whisking them away, back to Privet Drive through the shadows. No one seemed to notice the pair vanishing without a sound.

ΔΟΙ

Harry flopped down onto his bed face first. He was exhausted and his head was spinning. The day had been an emotional rollercoaster. He groaned.

A laugh came from his right and he startled. "You're still here?" Harry asked, barely bothering to turn his head around to look at Death. The deity was seated in a transfigured chair, once again in his gentleman form.

"What? Not even a thank you for escorting you?" The smirk on Death's face made Harry want to punch him. Death was a twat.

"Why the bloody hell did you choose the name Tom? " the boy grumbled.

"I thought it was amusing. No? Just me? Pity." The being laughed.

"You're horrible." Harry deadpanned. He closed his eyes and sighed, relaxing in silence for a few minutes. "Thank you."

"Any time, young Master. You only have to ask." Death replied softly.

Harry swallowed away the lump in his throat. After he'd been told he couldn't die he'd wanted to hate the deity, but he kept doing shit like this, making him feel wanted and special. He thought he was done seeking approval from a parental figure but apparently not. In moments like this, Death was like the father or grandfather he never had.

Harry realised that Death being, well, Death, meant that the deity would never die either, and thus never leave him. They would be stuck together for eternity, for better or worse. To a lonely child, turned lonely man, it was a somewhat comforting thought.

AN: Another chapter done. Again thank you for the mostly positive response this fic has been getting.

To those who commented that it was boring for Harry to go back in time to his own body and "repeat the canon plot and gain the same friends again" etc. you do not have to read this story. There are plenty of Marauder era or Riddle era stories out there for you to read. That being said, I never stated that Harry would have the same friends again, nor that the plot would remain the same. In fact, it is highly unlikely considering that Harry is an adult with knowledge of what might happen in the future. Anyway, this is a fic that I am writing for myself, and as I've stated in the summary that Harry will go back into his own young body and live his life again, it isn't as if this came as a shock. At least it shouldn't have.