Author's Note: Here is where my part of the story begins.
Ten years. It had been ten years since what people had come to call The Battle of Hogwarts. Ten years since he'd willingly walked to his own death. Ten years since he'd taken possession of the three Deathly Hollows. And ten years since he'd aged at all. It hadn't been obvious at first, but over time it became increasingly hard to miss as his friends changed and he remained the same. It was Hermione who figured out the reason, because who else could it be. He may have scattered the three Hallows, but he was still their Master. Under her instruction, to test her theory, he called the Hallows to him. Neither of them had truly been surprised when they appeared on him, the Cloak settling into his back, the Wand and Stone in his hands.
Honestly, he'd felt more resigned than anything else. He'd known something was different from the moment he woke back up after being hit by Tom's AK. Felt it in his bones and in his magic. He was the Master of Death and while he still wasn't certain exactly what that meant it clearly wasn't just an empty title. Magic came more easily to him now and he could actively feel it around him, thrumming in the air and in the earth. Pulsing through the bodies of those with magic.
As always Ron and Hermione had his back. Neville and Luna did as well. They did their best to help him through these changes and discoveries and to keep the Wizarding World off his back, but they had their own lives to live. Time wasn't standing still for them. Hermione was even pregnant, a boy if the tests were right. He didn't want them putting their lives on hold for him. So he decided to move on, find somewhere he would fit in a little better.
None of his friends really liked the idea, but they understood. People were starting to become uneasy around him. Whispers about dark magic were beginning to circulate and it would only be so long before people took these new ideas to heart. He didn't want to deal with that, nor did he want his friends caught in the crossfire. It wasn't like he couldn't come back to visit them. Apparition was pathetically easy these days and illusion magic even more so.
So he left. He wasn't sure where he would go. Anywhere really. Without really thinking about it he ended up back in Surrey as night fell. He didn't go to number 4, knowing the Dursleys had never returned after the war (and not really wanting anything to do with them even if they had). Not entirely certain why he had come, but not ready to leave, he made himself invisible with a slight twist of magic and settled on a roof of a building just across the street from the park he'd met Jack in for the first time. He missed Jack. It had been far too long since he'd seen the winter spirit. Long enough that he wasn't sure how to find him, or if Jack would even remember him. And with it currently being late spring the chances of him running into his first friend in Surrey was slim to none. If Jack even came through this town anymore after all the time that had passed. But something caught his eye as the sun finished setting, something that gave him an idea of how he could find Jack. He couldn't help but grin as familiar golden sand began streaming through the sky, snaking into various houses.
Suddenly feeling energized Harry leaped to his feet and into the sky with barely a thought, speeding off to find the source of the sweet dreams spreading through Surrey. He couldn't help but laugh as he felt the wind swirl up and around him, picking up his speed and pushing him along towards the dream giver. He saw the Sandman long before the little golden man caught sight of him and hurried up to him. But it didn't take the little man long to notice him as he got close.
Sandy turned to look at him as he approached, eyes wide and a startled exclamation mark over his head. Harry just grinned and waved. "Hey there Sandy, remember me?" There was a pause while Sandy scanned over him in thought before settling on the, much fainter, lightning bolt on his head. His eyes widening again and he formed the same lightning bolt that he had used as Harry's symbol before, clearly in shock. Harry nodded, still smiling "You do remember me! I hoped you would." Sandy nodded quickly before flashing several symbols over his head.
"Wow! Slow down!" Harry requested with a breathy laugh, holding up a hand "I didn't understand most of that. Something about Jack?" Sandy nodded and began forming shapes, slower this time. Harry frowned as he did his best to translate the symbols. "Jack...was in pain? You thought I'd died?" Sandy nodded again, eyes crinkled in concern. Harry grimaced slightly "Yeah...I did die, but it didn't stick. It's kind of complicated. I don't think I'm a spirit, not like you and Jack are, since people can see me, but I'm not quite how I was before either. I'm still working things out. Is Jack ok? Can you help me find him?"
Sandy's eyes lit up at that and he nodded quickly, beaming. He raised a hand and sent off several more streams of sand before gesturing down at his sand, patting it in what appeared to be an offer. Harry tilted his head thoughtfully before shifting to sit on the sand next to Sandy. He was intrigued to find he could sit on it as well as he could on solid ground. Sandy beamed again and turned to face him more fully, sitting on the cloud cross-legged as the cloud started off. It was moving fairly fast, but the wind barely jostled either of them. Harry couldn't help but grin back at the little golden man, turning on the cloud to face him as well. Unbothered by the shifting of the world as it passed them by Sandy formed several more shapes and Harry took a moment to translate.
"Where have I been?" Sandy nodded and Harry could only sigh "I...it's kind of a long story, but I was brought into a world of magic, sort of. Apparently, my Mom and Dad were a witch and a wizard and I'm a wizard as well. I think that the magic we have effected the magic of what you spirits do because no one I met there had ever interacted with any of you. And none of those who were raised in the magical communities had ever believed in you guys. And I never saw any of you, or even your golden sand, while I was at school. I was at a magical boarding school almost all year. I would have come back during Christmas break, but the Dursleys wouldn't have liked that. We did our best to avoid each other." Sandy flashed several more symbols at that, growing in confusion. "You looked for me during the summer?" Another nod caused Harry to frown "There were wards, magical shields, on the Dursley's house. They must have gotten stronger after I started school. I didn't mean to worry you or Jack. I really missed you both. Especially Jack. Is he doing ok?"
Sandy beamed and nodded, flashing several more symbols. This time it took several tries for Harry to understand what he was trying to say "He's one of you now? The Guardians? Like Santa and the Easter Bunny?" Another symbol "And the Tooth Fairy?" Sandy grinned and nodded and Harry had to smile as well "I'm glad. It's good that he made other friends." Sandy nodded in obvious agreement. There was a lull in the conversation and Harry looked around, noting how the world below them had changed drastically already.
"Where are we going anyway?" Another bright smile from Sandy followed that question along with several symbols. A large building, reindeer, and a large man that Harry was starting to recognize as Santa "The North Pole?" Sandy nodded again, clapping happily at their continued success at communication. "Why are we going to the North Pole?" Another set of images. Strange lines going out from the building, spreading across the world, and then the other guardians traveling across the globe to the Pole. Including Jack. Harry couldn't help but grin at that, his own excitement building "If you go there you can send out a signal for the other Guardians? And Jack will come?" Sandy beamed and nodded again, clearly excited as well. Harry took a deep breath in and let it out in relief.
"That's good. Thank you Sandy." The small man's expression gentled and he reached over to pat Harry's leg in understanding and reassurance. They fell into an easy silence then as Harry's mind was drawn to some of the other senses he'd gained over the last ten years. Thankfully Sandy seemed content to let him think.