You find yourself watching a piece of paper fluttering on the breeze in a room that seemed to have been designed by M.C. Escher. You follow the paper up what seems to be a ramp of interwoven tree roots and into a stone walled hallway lined with torches. The paper is snatched out of the air.

"Hello Again, reader." Brandy says as he places the page in his binder, "It seems this one is complete, this way please." He leads you to a section of wall and pulls down a torch, three bricks on the wall light up and flash 7's before the floor beneath you disappears. After a short tunnel ride you find yourself in the study, Bloody Brandy sitting in a chair across from yours, he waves a hand over the cover of the binder before handing to you, "I hope you like it, and the name may change someday."

You look at the binder cover, which reads in golden letters.

The Death and Life of Harry Potter

Chapter One- The Office of Souls, Death and the Hereafter

Harry Potter was having a bad day.

No, scratch that, he was having a bad year.

Well, to be frank, every year was pretty bad for him in one way or another, but this past year had been especially bad.

First, there was the whole debacle at the World cup, death eater attacks and Harry being accused of casting the Dark Mark, never mind the fact that until that moment he didn't even know what it was, let alone how to cast it.

Then, he gets to school and learns of the upcoming tournament. At first he was happy at the prospect of having a relatively normal year with someone else in the spotlight… as if fate would be that good to him. All hopes of a normal year came crashing down around his ears with two words from the headmaster's mouth, "Harry Potter."

Once in the meeting room with the other champions and their headmasters, Harry practically begged Dumbledore to tell him there was some way that he wouldn't have to enter, his gut telling him something bad would come from his participation, only to be disappointed when told the opposite. He slumped in defeat into a chair, and a reassuring hand was placed on his shoulder, one he found to belong to Cedric, who said he believed that Harry hadn't entered himself, Fleur Delacour looked caught between belief and disbelief, but Viktor Krum just stared at the younger seeker, saying nothing.

Harry headed back towards his tower, met by his friend Hermione in the halls, who gave him a bone crushing hug, telling him she believed him and was behind him all the way. Harry was grateful for that, especially when he got back to the common room, where he found almost everyone celebrating Harry's defeat of the age line, no one even bothering to believe he didn't, and the worst was Ron, who pretty much cut ties with him when Harry wouldn't reveal how he got his name in.

Most of November passed, and almost half the school was against him, the Slytherins mostly because he was Harry Potter and the Ravenclaws because they were mad that he seemed to outsmart even Dumbledore to get in the tournament, but he still had the support of Gryffindor and, surprisingly, Hufflepuff. It seemed that Cedric told them he didn't believe Harry put his name in, and convinced the rest of his house of the same. He and Cedric became friends, and once Harry learned of the dragons, they both knew.

Another notable occurrence of November was another new friend. Harry had been wandering the halls late one afternoon, reluctant to return to his common room and face Ron, when he had heard a whimpering cry.

Terrenus Ostendo Sum

Harry followed the sound to a closet, he could hear a soft voice inside, and muffled weeping. With bad memories surfacing, Harry tried to open the door, and when that failed he tried the Alohamora charm, and when that failed, he got desperate and stepped back from the door, pointing his wand at the hinges, he called out the spell he had been practicing, "Accio Door!"

He promptly jumped out of the way as the door, and part of the wall, flew past him. As the dust settled, he looked in the closet and found a girl about Ginny's age, with long, dirty-blonde hair, and rather large, grey eyes filled with fear. She backed up against the wall a little as Harry slowly approached after the extreme show of force.

"Are you okay?" he asked, holding out a hand, at which the girl flinched, her system seemed to have had enough, and she fainted. Completely forgetting magic, Harry lifted her and rushed to the hospital wing.

Madame Pomfrey gave the girl a once over and said she was fine, but it would be best if she were allowed to rest. Harry stayed with the girl, and later after a short explanation, so did Hermione, until she woke up. The girl looked confusedly at the two watching over her.

Harry was the first to break the silence, "Are you okay?"

The looked at him silently for a moment before answering, "Why did you help me?"

Harry looked sheepishly at Hermione before answering, "Let's just say I have had some bad experiences with cupboards too. I'm Harry, Harry Potter," he said, holding out his hand.

Hermione looked at her friend for a moment, deciding she would learn about these 'bad experiences' and held her own hand to the other girl, "And I'm Hermione Granger, pleased to meet you."

The blonde girl eyed them a moment before tentatively taking the offered hands, "I'm Luna Lovegood."

Terrenus Reverto

Luna had quickly become a close friend to the pair, and filled the missing space in the trio. Harry found the light hearted and dreamy way she went about her ways amusing, and soon she was as good at cheering him up as Hermione was. Hermione constantly played the straight man for Luna, and despite their differences in belief, the girls still got along well, instead of the angry arguments she had had with the former third, Luna provided her with friendly, yet heated debates and, in spite of her many unique beliefs, the Ravenclaw would almost always have a carefully balanced argument for her side, but was willing to back down if Hermione's explanation was more logical.

So when Ron had tried to apologize after Harry's encounter with the dragon, he found there was no longer a place for him, and his chances were further damaged when he asked why they would rather hang out with a 'Loony'. Before he could take any satisfaction in said girls drooping expression, he was nailed with a pair of hexes from his two former friends, thereby ending the redhead's chances at reconciliation.

Following the first task, the three of them quickly solved the clue in the egg after learning that Luna knew mermish, and they spent a good amount of their free time looking up ways to stay underwater.

Not long after the first task, Harry arrived to breakfast and found Luna was nowhere in sight. A quick check of the Marauders' Map showed she was once again in a closet; Harry rushed to get professors Flitwick and McGonagall. The teachers freed the girl, who was quickly caught in a hug from her two friends, who were trying to calm her claustrophobia. After she calmed down, they convinced her to tell the professors who had been tormenting her, which made up a large list of Ravenclaw girls, including one Cho Chang, and a smaller list of boys. The following day saw a few suspensions and a large number of detentions issued, with Filch, Snape and many other teachers wracking their brains to come up with tasks for the offenders. However, of all those punished, only Cho stepped forward to apologize after a stern talk with her boyfriend, Cedric.

When the Yule Ball was announced, the first to come to mind was Hermione. Harry spent a couple weeks trying to get himself together enough to ask her, always fidgeting and chickening out at the last second. By the time he finally managed to stammer out the question, she said she had already been asked by someone. When her friend seemed downcast, she said she would save a few dances for him. He ended up going with his other friend, Luna.

When the ball came and he met her outside the Ravenclaw common room, he had to admit she was beautiful, her dress seemed to shimmer and change colors like an aurora, her hair in a smooth braid, and her turnip earrings and cork necklace forgone for a pair of sapphire earrings and a simple pendant, surprisingly adorned with a stag. When he asked about it, she just said she had seen the pendant the previous summer, and something about it gave her hope.

When they got to the Great Hall, Harry got another pleasant surprise when he saw Hermione. She certainly looked as beautiful as Luna in her dress, although Harry thought she would have looked better if she had left her hair normal instead of slicking it down, but she still looked wonderful. He wasn't so pleased about her date though, he wasn't afraid she would betray him, like Ron yelled later on, but he got a fearful weight in his stomach when he looked at Krum. Aside from that, the ball started swimmingly well. Harry had a good number of dances with Luna, and a few with Hermione.

Had he known those would be some of his last happy moments of the school year, he would have seen if Colin had snuck in and asked for a picture.

After a while he finished a dance with Luna, and noticed that Krum and Hermione weren't in sight. Luna, who could see Harry's anxiety, pointed out Krum re-entering the hall alone from the gardens before moving to speak to some other Bulgarian, laughing with a smug look on his face. Harry's blood ran cold as he looked to Luna, only to find her already dragging him outside. After searching for a bit, they found their friend.

And they almost wished they hadn't.

Hermione was huddled in a bush with her dress torn, bruises appearing on her face and arms, blood coming out of several small cuts and scratches, crying her eyes out. Harry could see a torn pair of knickers nearby and put two and two together, and he was pissed. He and Luna quickly led their friend to Madame Pomfrey, who led her to the infirmary. Harry saw many of her teachers look downcast, and searched for the perpetrator, spotting him walking out the door, laughing with his friends, and Harry was PISSED!

Terrenus Ostendo Sum

"ACCIO BASTARD!" Harry cried, his voice carrying surprisingly well and silencing the whole room. Krum was lifted off his feet and skidded across the floor, stopping in front of the angry Potter, who turned to his Headmaster and head of house, "Are you going to do anything about this!?"

Dumbledore sighed and shook his head, "Harry, I'm afraid he has Diplomatic Immunity as a champion in a foreign country, we can't do anything?"

Harry saw Krum climb to his feet, brushing himself off with a smug look, "She vas good, she should be thankful her first was a star."

Harry glared at the older seeker, as did many others in the room who had put things together, including the other two champions. Harry did the first thing to come to mind.

"Viktor Krum, I, Harry James Potter, challenge you to a duel of honor, here and now. Do you accept, or are you a coward?"

Krum glared at him, "I haff no need to duel a whining child…"

He was cut off by Harry, "So you are a coward, attacking younger girls, and running and hiding from someone three years your junior!"

"Watch vat you say Potter!"

"Why!?" Harry yelled, "Why should I beware a cowardly little cocksucker like you!?" Harry was on a roll, remembering the insults he had heard Dudley use so often, "What do I have to fear from a limp-pricked donkey-fucker like you!? That's probably why you attack young girls, thinking maybe they'll feel something from the little jellybean-"

"I ACCEPT!" Krum roared, his anger rising.

Harry calmly turned to his charms professor, "Professor Flitwick, as a former dueling champion, would you please be the referee of this duel?"

The diminutive teachers expression was set in stone, and he nodded, harry turned to Luna, "Please, go to Hermione, Luna, I'll be there once I'm finished with the trash."

Luna hesitated, "Harry-"

"Luna, please…"

The blonde waited a moment and nodded, before she hugged him for a moment and whispered in his ear, "You'll win, the wrackspurts are after him as well, they hate such acts." She quickly left as Dumbledore moved towards his student, but before he could say anything, Krum put a new nail in his coffin.

"Move it Potter, Herm-own-ninny might want a repeat soon."

Harry's back was to the students, but they could see him tense at that. "Harry, please reconsider this-" Dumbledore began.

"Shut it, headmaster!" The students heard Harry growl as he turned around, the other students unconsciously taking a step back.

Draco Malfoy watched this all closely, as did his bookends and his date, they had seen Potter angry many times in the past, and many times they had been the ones to anger him, but what they saw now made them reconsider ever doing so again. Because, as he turned, Harry disappeared, and in his place stood Harry Potter, the one who faced down one of the most feared dark lords in centuries multiple times, and won each time, there stood the young man who had driven off scores of dementors with a single spell, who had out flown a dragon, who had felled a basilisk. He looked like a force of nature; his eyes seemed to glow with anger, and his wand, held tightly in his hand, seemed to be cycling through colors at the tip, as if trying to decide which curse or hex to use.

Fillius gave them that rules of the duel, to end when disarmed, and no unforgivable curses. The two champions stared each other down for a few moments, before Krum let loose a venomous purple curse towards Potter, and saw something that filled him with fear.

Harry, without taking his glare of the one who had hurt HIS Hermione, listened to his instincts, and reached up and caught the curse in his bare hand. The purple light cackled there for a moment before Harry crushed it, throwing sparks to the floor. He then wordlessly waved his wand in a wide arch, leaving a trail of light behind it for a moment before the arch released six separate spells, which curved, homing in on their target. Seeing this, Krum threw up a shield spell, but the first spell, a blasting charm, punched right through the shield before contacting his face, knocking his teeth out and tearing his nose off his face and into pieces. The other spells met even less resistance, one, a Reductor curse, completely destroyed the three things that made him a man, and the other four, all of them Severing charms, effectively disarmed Krum, at the shoulder, and also removed his legs at the knees.

All this happened in the span of several seconds, and the observers where so shocked that they said nothing as Harry cast an Incendio spell, burning the severed parts to ash and cauterizing the bleeding stumps. No one moved until Harry turned to Flitwick and broke the silence with a cold, humorless voice.

"Professor, I don't think I can disarm him any more than I already have."

Flitwick nervously announced the end of the duel and Harry made his way out of the hall. One brave, or stupid, Durmstrang boy stepped forward to try and curse harry from behind, until he was hit in the chest with a stunner, courtesy of Fleur. Harry looked to his helper, who nodded sadly.

"Go to 'er, 'Arry, your friend needs you."

Terrenus Reverto

Hermione had been a wreck after that; she shied away from physical contact, and took a while to even get comfortable with her two friends; she couldn't even be around groups of people, which kept her out of classes, so she ended up returning home to try and get help from her mother and father. Harry, Luna and Professor McGonagall, were allowed to visit her in their free time, but with McGonagall's busy schedule, they weren't able to much more than just weekends. It wasn't enough.

The day after the second task, in which Harry pulled both Luna and the young Gabrielle Delacour from the lake, they received the news. Hermione Granger had taken her own life.

When he heard, Harry broke down and locked himself in a classroom; nobody was able to get close to him, save Luna. The funeral was, with little doubt, the hardest thing he'd ever done. He couldn't speak or even bring himself to look at Hermione's parents. He moved through the service like a zombie, Luna at his side, and near the end, placed three things in the coffin, her Vinewood wand, her copy of "Hogwarts, A History", and a new copy of Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale", with a small note written inside the cover.

Hermione

I'm sorry, I loved you, but I failed you

The following weeks, Harry spoke very little to anybody, even Luna, he ate less than he should, and he seemed to ghost around the castle. After a while, Luna enlisted the help of a ghost, Myrtle, who was heartbroken to see Harry in such a state. The two Ravenclaws cornered and forced him to sit down and talk through his pain. Harry spent an hour sobbing with his head on Luna's shoulder while a cold, reassuring hand rubbed his back, sometimes phasing into his body.

Harry was a bit closer to normal after that, but the others knew he wouldn't be the same, the twins, Ginny, Neville, Cedric, and even Fleur tried to cheer him up, as well as a number of well wishers after Rita Skeeter's latest article, and for once it seemed even she saw a line she shouldn't cross.

Terrenus Ostendo Sum

The Heartache of Harry Potter

A boy like no other- who suffers like no other, writes Rita Skeeter. Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his parents, fourteen year old Harry Potter thought he had found steady solace in the arms of his loyal female friend, Muggle-born Hermione Granger. Many students admit that the two were rarely seen outside of each other's company since young Harry's valiant battle to save her life from a troll in their first year."She was very intelligent," says Mandy Brocklehurst, an attractive Ravenclaw of the same year, "Most of us wondered how she was sorted into Gryffindor."

Indeed, many other students say the young Miss Granger was never far from Harry's adventures, and that she had been helping him prepare, along with a Ravenclaw friend by the name of Luna Lovegood, for the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Harry had even asked her to attend the Yule Ball with him, only to find she had been asked a short time earlier by someone else. Choosing to honor the first commitment, she told him she would still be willing to share a few dances with him. Although saddened, Harry accepted, and instead attended with his other close female friend, Luna, not knowing that he would shortly be suffering yet another personal loss.

Miss Granger had attended with professional seeker and Durmstrang champion, Viktor Krum, and it seemed all seemed to go swimmingly for all at the ball, until a couple hours past. Miss granger was sexually assaulted and raped by her date, and left in the garden outside. When he found his friend in that state, Harry, in a rage, saw her to the infirmary before finding Mr. Krum in the ballroom and challenging the criminal to a duel, after being told, by Albus Dumbledore, that the Bulgarian held diplomatic immunity as a visiting champion. In one of, if not the, most one-sided duels this reporter has ever seen, Mr. Krum only fired one hex, which Harry caught and crushed in his bare hand, with no injury. Then with a single wave of his wand, Mr. Potter left his opponent unable to smell, walk, reproduce, or even feed himself ever again, let alone play Quidditch.

Ms. Granger spent the rest of her winter break recovering in the Hogwarts Hospital Wing, but was still mentally unprepared to return to class, and was returned home to her family, getting visits weekly from her friends, Ms. Lovegood and Mr. Potter, as well as her head of house, Professor Minerva McGonagall.

Unfortunately, the trauma proved too much for the bright, up and coming witch. The day after his heroics in the second task (see article by Isadore Freleng, re-posted on page 3) Harry received news that his longtime friend and confidante had committed suicide. A simple muggle service was held, the only magical presence being Potter, Lovegood and McGonagall.

This reporter asks what the actions of one cruel teenager may have cost us by causing the world to lose such an intelligent witch with such a bright future. In the mean time, Harry Potter's well wishers hope that his heart hasn't been forever lost to the world, and wish that his friends will help him through his loss.

*

*

R.I.P.

Hermione Jean Granger

September 19, 1979-Febuary 24, 1995

The Heart of our Savior

Terrenus Reverto

Harry, although wondering how Skeeter had gotten some of her information, was thankful that she had told the truth and had honored Hermione's memory. Harry received several condolence letters in the following weeks, not that he opened most of them.

Through March and April, his friends, especially Luna and Myrtle, helped Harry get back on his feet, he even managed a small smile after talking with Luna's father over Easter Holiday, Harry had been invited and, while the man was a bit more off kilter than his daughter, Xeno knew when to be serious, and knew what it felt like to lose someone close to him.

Harry returned to school a fair bit better than when he left, and as the next couple weeks passed, he seemed to get as close to normal as he was going to get, then, two weeks before the third task, all that progress was lost, and Harry sank deeper than any could pull him back from.

Terrenus Ostendo Sum

A Hero's Shattered Heart

By Rita Skeeter

Another heavy blow has been dealt to the already bloodied heart of Tri-Wizard Champion, Harry Potter.

Luna Lovegood, only daughter of Xenophilius Lovegood and the late Serena Lovegood, first started attending Hogwarts in the fall in 1992, during the incident concerning the legendary Chamber of Secrets, but that was not the problem the girl had.

After being sorted into Ravenclaw, Luna began to be bullied by others in her house for her belief in the whimsical creatures portrayed in her father's magazine, The Quibbler. She'd have her possessions stolen, her name insulted and, once her classmates found she suffered from claustrophobia, she would be locked in closets for hours without her wand.

This was all the poor girl had to look forward to until this past November, when she was rescued from a closet by none other than Harry Potter. She had become fast friends with him and his possible love interest, Hermione Granger. In early December, she was once again locked away by one of her classmates, and once again saved by Harry, this time accompanied by the head of Ravenclaw house and the Deputy Headmistress. The following days saw many of that house given heavy detentions, and some were suspended, among those suspended was Marietta Edgecombe, daughter of Floo Network Authority Official Maureen Edgecombe.

Marietta returned to school after Easter holidays with thoughts of revenge. A few days ago, she cornered Ms. Lovegood alone and put her in a Full Body Bind and levitated the younger girl into a secluded closet and locked the door, but not before pouring a purgative draught down her throat. What Ms. Edgecombe didn't think of, was that she left Luna lay, still under the body bind and, most importantly, unable to even turn her head. Harry soon found Luna again, but he was too late to rescue his friend again, despite the use of muggle CPR (See a short description by St. Mungo's Healer Faust on page 6) and soon after the aid of school healer Poppy Pomfrey, Luna Lovegood passed away.

Ms. Edgecombe was arrested for murder once the purging draught was traced back to her. She had gotten it from Madame Pomfrey by claiming she had accidentally swallowed the key to her school trunk. She was tried and sentenced to twenty five years in the mid-level security wing of Azkaban, despite many of the public calling for her to receive the Kiss.

Harry Potter has been unavailable for comment, but this reporter has found that, after the funeral for Ms. Lovegood (she was placed near her friend, Hermione Granger), he has sealed himself in an empty classroom in a mostly unused section of the castle, only allowing in a house-elf, who brings him food, and the ghost of Myrtle Frisbee (died June 13, 1943).

When asked for comment, the elf, identified by the name Dobby, refused, but the ghost of Ms. Frisbee yelled, "HAVEN'T YOU PEOPLE HURT HIM ENOUGH!"

It seems that the happenings of the past year may have proven too much for even the great Harry Potter. One can only hope that we can save the one who saved us.

Terrenus Reverto

Harry didn't leave the room until the day of the final task. With a silent Myrtle hovering nearby, Harry washed and prepared himself, never saying a word, even to the Weasley family when they came to show their support, even Dumbledore, who before had believed Harry to be strong enough to get through this, began to worry. At breakfast, Harry was joined by Hedwig, who stayed on his shoulder to show her support to her human.

Later, the three remaining Champions stood at the entrance to the maze. Harry, being in first place, entered ahead of Cedric, who would then go in before Fleur, who was in last. The older champions watch with worry as Harry walked, quiet as death, into the maze.

A few hours and a flash of green later, it was all over.

)()()()()()()(

Harry's vision was blurred as he came to. Once he could see clearly, he saw he was in what seemed to be a normal muggle waiting room, a blond woman at the desk behind the window typing away on a computer. He looked down at the coffee table in front of him, there was a copy of the Daily Prophet, what got his attention, thought were the two pictures, one of Peter Pettigrew, and the other was of Harry himself, lying as motionless as a normal photo. He unfolded the paper to read:

The Death of the Broken Hero

By Rita Skeeter

Yesterday marked the final task of the Tri-wizard Tournament, and it also marked the end of Harry Potter's life. The goal of the third task was to reach the center of a maze, where the Tri-Wizard cup lay for a champion to claim.

"Harry wanted me to take it," confessed Cedric Diggory, the other Hogwarts Champion, "He said he didn't want to win. I managed to convince him that we should both win. A complete Hogwarts win."

What neither champion knew was that for the entire year, Bartimus Crouch Jr., thought to have died in Azkaban years ago, had been posing as former auror, Alastor Moody by means of the Polyjuice Potion. Crouch had escaped prison with the help of his father, and days ago configured the trophy into a portkey, which took both boys away to the graveyard of Little Hangleton.

"We landed and I suggested we get out our wands, I heard someone say 'kill the spare' before Harry pushed me to the side, he took the killing curse head on." Diggory struggled continue, "I fired a stunner at whoever it was, then a severing charm at a snake that was coming after me. I grabbed Harry and the cup, and we were back."

Ministry Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones, as well as a few Aurors, traced the portkey to the graveyard, where they found the stunned form of Peter Pettigrew, who was soon questioned under Veratiserum, although no sign of the snake mentioned by Diggory.

Under the potion, Pettigrew revealed that it had been him who had revealed the location of the Potter Family to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and also him who had killed the thirteen muggles, before going into hiding in his animagus form (which, fittingly, is a rat). Madame Bones gave the statement that if he is willing to turn himself in, Sirius Black, now revealed to be the godfather of Harry Potter, will be cleared of all charges.

But one wonders if he will return to the news of his godson's death.

"Harry died as he lived," says Albus Dumbledore, "A noble young man."

One person disagrees. Fleur Delacour, the Beauxbatons Champion and a quarter Veela, said, "I think it was just an opportunity for him, yes it was noble, but I think he more saw the chance to see his friends again. I could tell," Ms. Delacour continued with tears in her eyes, "even if he didn't realize it at the time, he loved the both of them more than anything. I think he wanted to be with them."

Myrtle Frisbee, the only person to speak with Harry since the death of Luna Lovegood, could not be found for a comment.

We can only hope wherever he has gone, the Boy-Who-Lived is finally with those he has loved and lost.

A service will be held later today before Harry's body will be laid to rest between his two friends.

Harry looked at the article for a moment, before looking around the room. Everything seemed to be normal enough; it certainly wasn't what he expected it to be. He stood and walked to the only other person in sight. As he approached, he noticed two things; first, above the desk was a sign, which said in an elegant type:

Office of Souls, Death, and the Hereafter

The second thing he noticed was the woman's nameplate on her desk: Georgia Lass. She seemed to be in her early twenties.

"Um…Excuse me?" Harry said, unsure of what she might be.

"Just a minute," she said, she sounded American, not taking her eyes of the screen. After a couple minutes, she finished typing and faced Harry, her hands still on the keyboard, "Name?"

"Uh, Harry, Harry Potter."

"Middle name too, please."

"Oh, sorry, it's James, after my father."

"Right," Georgia typed that into the computer, "Date of birth?"

"July 31st, 1980." Harry replied.

"Oookay," she entered that as well, "Date of Death?"

Harry looked blank for a moment, "So, I really am dead?"

"Oh, yeah," Georgia looked remorseful, "Sorry, I know it can be a bit hard to accept at first."

"No, it's fine," Harry assured her, "It's just…"

"Hearing it from someone else?" Harry nodded, "Well, I'll tell you, your death couldn't be worse than mine."

"You were alive?" Harry asked, looking surprised.

"Yeah, I know, but a lot of us who work in death were alive at one point." The young woman sighed, "So, do you know when you died?"

"June 24th, 1995," Harry said, waiting a moment before asking, "So…how did you die?"

She sighed again, "Don't laugh, but I got nailed by a toilet seat that fell from a Russian space station." She looked at him for a moment, "Go ahead, say it, it was a crappy way to go," he didn't even smirk, "Man, were you a suicide or something? Usually people at least smile at that." She saw him flinch at the mention of suicide, "How did you die?"

"I moved in front of a curse that was aimed at someone else, a killing curse," Harry looked around a minute before asking, "Will I be able to see my friends soon?"

Georgia looked sorry for a second, "Sorry, kid, but if you're here, then there was some sort of complication with your death." She typed something else in.

"So I can't see them?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, I just got promoted to this job. Someone will be here in a soon to take you to your case worker."

As if on cue, the door opened and a middle aged, slightly balding man came in. "Hey, Peanut," he greeted Georgia before facing the young man, "Harry?" he nodded, "Come with me please."

Immediately after entering the door, Harry knew this wasn't some prank, first he saw a waist high skeleton in a black robe, arguing with a twelve foot tall, purple skinned, white haired creature with horns on its head in white robes, arguing loudly next to a water cooler, Harry could only catch the words 'fox' 'tail' 'and 'paid vacation days'. As they worked their way through a cubicle maze, he saw a blue haired woman fly over them, riding side-saddle on what seemed to be a boat oar. After a while, they stopped and entered an office door, inside the office was a middle aged woman with shoulder length, silver hair, tan skin, and two different colored eyes, one blue and one black, dressed in a pinstriped suit and skirt. She seemed so into her paperwork that she didn't notice the others enter.

The man spoke up, "Morana, one of your cases is here."

"Yes, yes, thanks Rube," she said, not really paying attention as she waved him off, the newly named Rube left, closing the door behind him. After a few minutes she finally looked up, when she saw who it was, she stared for a few minutes, slowly turning red before yelling, "HARRY JAMES POTTER, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING BACK HERE!?"

"Back here?" Harry asked, surprised as hell, but he was ignored.

"YOU HAD TO DIE AGAIN? I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! YOU'RE HERE ALMOST TWO CENTURIES EARLY AGAIN!" Morana was picking up steam, "WE GAVE YOU A DESTINY, I SENT YOU BACK, READY TO KICK ASS, YOUNEEDED A REASON TO FIGHT, WHAT MORE REASON DO YOU NEED THAN TWO FUCKING SOULMATES, SO SOME GRANGER GIRL AND A BLOND CHICK AREN'T A GOOD ENOUGH REASON!?" Her rant stopped in its tracks when she saw his eyes fill with tears.

"Hermione and Luna were my soul mates?"

"Yes," Morana said in a strained voice, "I told you this last time, remember? You fought Riddle, died at seventeen; we sent you back to first year with those memories, any of this ringing a bell?" Harry shook his head and Morana sighed, reaching into her desk and putting a three inch thick file on the desk, "Every time you die before you're supposed to, it's a count against me, now I know the first three times can be blamed on that so called uncle and cousin of yours, but how could you forget meeting death? Or leave your soul mates?" Harry sobbed something that made her freeze, "Beg your pardon?"

"They already died!" Harry all but yelled, getting to his feet, tears flowing, "I don't know about all this death, and destiny, and soul mate and sending back shite, but they died and I missed them more than anything! I felt empty and I-I just wanted to see them again! Cedric had a reason to live, he had family, he had Cho, and I was alone, so I blocked that curse! I just wanted it to end!"

Morana slumped back in her chair, with a blank look on her face and her anger diffused. It was a little while before she spoke, "Harry, this is about the seventh time you've died," Harry looked up in surprise as she continued, "The first three, as I said, can be laid at the feet of your so called 'uncle' and 'cousin'. The first time your uncle shook you way too hard when you were crying as a baby and snapped your neck. The second time was that time when you where five and he took your aunt and cousin on vacation, leaving you home alone, originally he left you locked in your cupboard and you starved. The third time, your cousin tripped you down the stairs; you landed on your head and snapped your neck." She took a breath and opened the folder, "Like I said, those ones were in no way your fault, they can be blamed on your family and Dumbledore for leaving you there and never checking in, the presumptuous, cocky old bastard." She added under breath, Harry looked like he was going to say something, but she beat him to it, "Don't get me wrong, he is on the side of good, but he always thinks he's right, and that he knows best, so his fuck-ups are usually on a much grander scale than normal people, and I wouldn't be surprised if he had something to do with why you don't remember. Anyway, your fourth death was after you entered Hogwarts, and was because of your stupidity and your nobility. Instead of jumping on the trolls head, which was still pretty stupid by the way, you moved between it and the girl, she still got away, but you ended up as a very fine paste on the floor. Amazingly, you didn't get killed by that basilisk, your third death was because you didn't hang on well enough when you first went on that little hippogriff joyride, you ended up as a splat on the ground, but somehow still alive, at least until the dementors found you."

Morana visibly shivered, "I fucking hate those things," she looked back to the file, "after that, you managed to make it to the age of seventeen, and died fighting Riddle. You got here, we had a very similar conversation to this one, and we had to handle things differently than normal. Normally, you die before your time, we send you back just far enough to evade your death, with a compulsion on the right people to do things just differently enough to stay alive, and that's why on your third death, you landed on your side and broke your arm, instead of your neck. But last time it was getting bad, Dumbledore held back information to 'help preserve your innocence'," you could taste the sarcasm in her voice, "and the world at large paid for it. So last time we made an agreement, I would get you sent back six years with your seventeen year old mind, you would save the day, you would get your happy ending, and I would no longer be a bigger joke in the office than that pint-size prick, Greg. So, what the hell happened?"

Harry took a moment to settle himself before answering, "I told you, as far as I know, this is the first time I've met you, I don't remember fighting Voldemort himself to the death, I don't remember going back in time or any of that. But I don't know how I could have forgotten." He stopped when his case worker stood and walked around her desk, stopping in front of him and staring into his eyes.

After a moment she headed back to her computer muttering, "Meddling, fussing old bastard." She spent a few moments typing before facing her charge again, "It seems Dumbledore is a bigger pain in our collective ass than I thought. Apparently, shortly after you returned, you tried to talk with him about all of this, Dumbledore, thinking it necessary, blocked out those memories."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he assumed he knew all that was needed to make that decision and that he knew best, he thought the time travel part was the same as wizarding time travel, he thought you might screw something up and erase yourself, or cause a paradox." A tone came from her computer and she read something before typing something in, "There are a few people here to see you, " she said as she headed to the door, "I need to check something out in the time office and I'll be back," she stepped out, "You can see him, I'll be back in a bit." She said to someone outside and walked off.

In walked three people he had desperately wanted to see, dressed in white robes, Lily Potter, Hermione Granger, and Luna Lovegood. Harry stared blankly as he stepped forward; the younger women darted forward and wrapped their arms around him.

Lily allowed a few minutes for the youngsters to comfort each other, watching her son cry with his soul mates.

Hermione was the first to speak coherently, "Harry, I'm s-sorry," she sobbed, "I just felt so lost a-a-and alone when you were gone, I don't know w-why I did it," she continued, "I never thought of suicide before, I felt horrible, but I didn't want to leave you like that."

"No," Harry said, "I let the both of you down," he shook his head, looking to Hermione, "if I'd have gotten my bloody courage together and asked you first, it wouldn't have happened," he faced Luna, "I should have kept a closer eye on you when the suspended students got back, I should have known they would try to get back at you."

"No, Harry, it is not your fault," Luna stated calmly, "Marietta chose a very non-Ravenclaw path by being petty and not learning from her mistakes. My death was not your fault, it was an act of stupidity."

"It appears it neither was any of your faults," Morana said as she entered the room with a couple of folders in her arms. She sat at her desk and opened a folder and read, "Hermione Jean Granger, born September 19, 1979, died February 24, 1995. Direct cause of death, overdose of E-Z-Doze brand sleep aids, indirect cause of death, a compulsion charm placed by one Vladislav Zhivkov on December 30th, 1994 at 3:47 A.M. in the Hospital wing of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Who is he?" Harry growled, wanting revenge at finding someone had actually murdered Hermione, HIS HERMIONE!

Morana flipped a few pages, "A Durmstrang student, I would guess he wanted revenge for your duel with Viktor Krum. Normally the charm wouldn't have been enough, but she was in a vulnerable state after the attack, and it eventually took effect." She paused for a moment, "We don't need to go over the known details of Ms. Lovegood's demise, but from what I could find, neither of you were supposed to die, apparently there was a major slip-up in the graveling department."

"Graveling?" Hermione asked.

"Agents of death, they're little gremlin things that usually handle some 'accidental' deaths in some worlds. They screwed up, your death should have caused a short rewind like Harry went through a few times, and Luna's death should have too. Your deaths led to Harry's, making it my business now." She worked on her computer for a moment before another tone sounded from it, she stood, "I need to make a trip to legal. I'll be a little while, so you guys can talk," she looked at Harry, "You seem to have another visitor, they'll be here shortly," she said as she left the room.

The group was silent for a moment before Lily stepped towards her son, "Harry…I-" she was cut off when he wrapped his arms around her, crushing the wind out of her.

"Hi, mum," Harry whispered, holding the hug for a bit before pulling back a bit, "where's dad?"

Lily smiled sadly, "they only let the three of us come, but he wanted me to tell you he is proud of you, and," she let go and put her hands on her hips, deepening her voice, "I knew any son of mine would be a ladies' man, but two soul mates was a surprise even to me," she softened her posture, "Harry, we're both sorry we couldn't be there for you."

"It's okay, mum, it wasn't your fault."

"No, Harry, I always had a bad feeling about Peter, but he was an old friend of your father's and Sirius, and they thought they could trust him, I thought either I or your father should have been the keeper, but he reasoned that then the only way we could tell others would be to leave the safety, and we wouldn't have much help or people to bring supplies."

"Mum, it's alright," Harry was cut off by a knock at the door, and in walked Rube with his latest visitor in death, it was someone he had never really seen, he always saw through her, "Myrtle?"

Said girl was still dressed in the traditional Ravenclaw school robes she had died in, and spent 50 years of death wearing. The young former ghost ran up and for the first time, hugged him, with strength belying her size, "Harry," was all she said.

After a moment, Harry had to ask, "What are you doing here?"

Her expression fell a little, "You're here, I thought you wouldn't take that offer I made you two years ago, and, well, in fifty years, you and Luna are the only ones who were ever nice to me, and if the both of you were going to come here, and I couldn't haunt Olive Hornby anymore, so I…I just really didn't have any reason to stay as a ghost, so I moved on."

"Well, you won't be here too long," Morana said as she re-entered, followed by a young pale, blonde girl in a red sundress and something that looked like a demonic house-elf, with spines coming out of its head and back and a set of shark-like teeth. The death worker sat at her desk, "Harry, this," she motioned to the girl, "is Ceri, a senior member of the Office of Bonds, and the gremlin here is the head of the Graveling Department, whose name I can't pronounce," the little creature growled at her, "Shut it, you little turd, this crap is your departments fault anyways." She took a calming breath, "Harry, I checked with management and legal and, since this timeline and the inaction of certain creatures basically set you up to die early, we will, with your consent, be able to re-activate the contract you signed last time."

"Excuse me, ma'am," Hermione interrupted, "What do you mean he was set up to die early?"

"I can explain that," Ceri said, "My department handles the bonds mortals forge, good and bad. While Dumbledore may have used a memory charm on Harry's memories of his past life, his subconscious was still pushing him towards doing things differently than he originally had, which is why he met Luna sooner than he had in that life. Had he lived, the upcoming war might have been bad, but it probably wouldn't have been as bad as the original, with help from the two of you and without the Weasley boy slowing him down. The three of you had the beginnings of a very strong bond, but it was still in its infancy, it probably would have been finished and at full strength by the end of your education. However, because it was still in its infancy, the three of you had a bit more of a dependence on each other, thus the moment of weakness Hermione showed when she gave into the Compulsion Charm. Such magic needs a certain clarity and strength of mind that the boy normally wouldn't have, and, had the gravelings done their job, there would have been some distraction at the right time and the charm would have failed, but that fell through." The graveling growled, but looked somewhat sullen, "That started the domino effect, her moment of weakness caused Hermione's death. That weakened both Harry and Luna, Harry, however, felt it more because, as far as I can tell, he had never lost someone he loved so much," Harry was about to object, but she silenced him, "Your parents don't count, yes they loved you, but you were too young to realize the gravity of it. Luna had already lost a mother, so she could make it through a bit better, and had she lived, the two of you would have probably been able to support each other, the loss of your third would have stuck with you the rest of you lives, but you would have had each other to turn to."

"However," she continued, "the loss of Hermione still affected Luna, and weakened her, and through a combination of that and plain bad luck, she wasn't able to throw off the body bind. With both soul mates dead, Harry had all support cut out from under him, it was only a matter of time before he found a way to join them, and I doubt he would have made it through the summer with his family."

"So," Morana picked up, "Because of this whole cluster-fuck your case has become, Harry, the higher ups are willing to give you this last chance and re-activate the contract."

"You keep mentioning a war."

Morana nodded, "Tom Riddle will get his body back sooner or later, and then the war will start, the first time a lot of lives were lost before he killed Harry and we first enacted this contract, even with the memory charm, the body count could have been significantly less in this run, and if you try again it might be even less." She looked him over for a moment, "I don't want to seem like I'm trying to guilt you into it, but you don't have to go back, if you don't, it will turn out to be a rather high body count, but eventually, as all tyrants do, Tom's regime will fall, but that would be decades away."

"Why," Harry asked, "Why does it have to be me?"

"Because of Fate," Morana answered, "She's a stubborn bitch, nobody else but you will get her support, which means anyone else would be a lot harder pressed to succeed, and whether that person would be better or worse is unknown."

Harry's shoulders slumped, part of him wanted to just leave the wizarding world to its fate and spend eternity with Luna, Hermione and his family, but another part of him worried about the friends he still had on earth, and the innocent muggles who would eventually be dragged into the war. He felt a hand on each shoulder from Luna and Hermione and sighed, "I really just want to stay with you two and my parents…"

"But your conscience wouldn't let you," Hermione finished.

"If it weren't for that nobility, I would have been stuck in that closet a lot longer." Luna said.

Harry looked at his mother, "Your father and I love you no matter the choice you make." She was silent for a moment, "Although, this could be a chance for me to have grandchildren."

The three teens blushed as Ceri giggled at this, but Myrtle seemed oddly silent.

"So," Harry sighed, "I guess I'll have to go through First year again"

"Not for a while," Morana said, "The contract didn't say it would send you to your first year of Hogwarts, it said you would travel six years to the past. From this date, you'll end up around the 24th of June, 1989, give or take."

"Give or take?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Temporal Displacement isn't exact, but you should be within about three or four months of the target."

"Harry," he looked to Luna, who was tearing up, and could only say two words, "My Mum."

Harry understood, he could save her mother, now that he thought of it; he could do more than fight Voldemort.

As if reading his mind, Morana added, "You're going to be changing things anyways." She placed a paper and a pen on her desk, "Just sign if you want, your memories will be restored and you'll be sent back."

Harry nodded and stepped forward.

"Harry, wait," Harry turned to Myrtle, and as he did, she sprung on him, kissing him full on the lips. Once she pulled back there was a stunned silence, once she composed herself, she looked him in the eye, "I…I have had feelings for you since you beat that snake, Harry. These past few weeks have been horrible for me, to see you so sad and heartbroken, but I couldn't hug you like Hermione, or give you a shoulder to cry on like Luna, and even if you started you life over, you wouldn't be able to save me. I…I just wanted that one kiss, even if I won't remember it."

Harry nodded, and she gave him a quick hug.

"Harry," Lily said, "Would you do something for me."

"Of course, mum." Harry agreed.

Lily hesitated for a moment, "Tell Tutu that I still love her, if you can. I know we had problems, and you did too, and I really didn't like her husband, but…she's still my sister, and I love her."

Harry nodded and faced his soul mates, after a couple quick kisses; he was in front of the desk Morana spoke as he wrote.

"I'll be checking at times, so don't screw up this time." He heard as his vision faded.

)()()()()()()(

Harry woke in a very familiar, very cramped space with a bad headache as his mind re-assimilated the memories of his first run, The Battle at the Department of Mysteries, Sirius's death, Dumbledore's death, the Horcrux hunt, his own last death. It raised some questions, like why was Viktor so different in the second run.

Any further questions were cut short by a soft sob. By a stroke of luck, his door wasn't locked, he stepped out and noticed it was fairly early, about 5:30 in the morning according to the clock on the wall. He saw his aunt standing in front of the kitchen sink, her back was to him, but her reflection in the window was enough that he could see a definite shadowing around her right eye.

"Aunt Petunia?" he asked timidly, his eight/nine year old personality still in the driver's seat.

She straitened, but kept her back to him, "What are you doing up, boy?"

"I-I had a dream, aunt Petunia." He said, thinking on the fly, "There was a woman and she wanted me to tell you something."

"Boy, stop this foolishness-"

"I love you Tutu," Harry said, which quieted Petunia quickly; "She wanted me to say that you had problems, but she still loves you."

Petunia was silent, but tense, "Bo-Harry, what did this lady look like?"

"She had green eyes and red hair. She had white clothes too." Harry said in a childish way.

Lily she thought, Tutu had been the annoying name her sister had made for her the summer they had tried ballet, and stuck with it. Petunia looked at the pan in the sink, which gave her a clear view of the black eye a drunken Vernon had given her hours before, usually he took out his frustrations on Harry, but at times he couldn't…perform, he would swing at the closest target. This wasn't the first time, but he always said it wouldn't happen again, and at that moment she realized, it would. Even if Harry was always around, there would be times when she was an easier target. Then she felt a sickening punch in her gut, she was using her sisters son as a sacrificial lamb, had things been reversed, she knew Lily wouldn't stand for such a thing. That dream could have really been her sister; Lily had said things about ghosts when they were children. Fresh tears fell from her face and she turned to her nephew.

Harry saw his aunt's bruise more clearly and the tears on her face, and despite his extra years of knowledge, his childish self acted and gave her a hug. She seemed to freeze a moment before, for the first time in any memory he had, she returned the hug. They held each other for almost ten minutes as Petunia wept.

When she pulled back, she told him to get his shoes and coat. Soon she lead him outside quietly and rushed to the street when she saw a passing police car. The officer rolled down the window and Petunia said something that changed things more than Harry expected.

"O-officer, I need to report domestic abuse."

Challenge by Reptillia28 (The following copied from Paladeus's "Deaths Pride"

CHALLENGE:

Challenge issued by "Reptilia28" - Originally on Portkey(dot)org verbatim:

A funny little challenge I just came up with. It's a comical twist on the time-travel category.

STORYLINE:

*Harry is killed at 17 during a fight with Voldemort. He's sent to his Death's office (explained later) and finds out that this isn't the first time that this has happened.

*Harry's Death (who can have a human name) is mad at his arrival. Apparently, people dying before their time is a black mark on the various Deaths' records, and Harry is getting perilously close to getting this particular one fired.

*When Harry asks what was supposed to have happened, Death goes off on a rant saying how he was supposed to have killed Voldemort, found his soulmate ("Some Granger girl...") and lived to be a centennial age. But since Harry keeps getting into life-threatening situations for one reason or another, he keeps dying before that happens. Harry is surprised about the soulmate part.

*Death gives Harry a paper to sign that allows him to retain his memories (the previous times, he wasn't given this option for some reason). Harry is deposited to a previous time of the writer's choosing.

*Eventually, Harry gets it right. He kills Voldemort, gets the girl, and lives to a ripe old age of whatever. And Death doesn't get fired.

REQUIREMENTS:

*Harry had to have died at least three times before this one.

*The memory keeping contract must be included.

*Death must refer to Hermione as "some Granger girl" when Harry's soulmate turns up in his rant.

*Obviously, must be H/Hr.

*Have fun.

OPTIONAL:

*Dumbledore's manipulations can be a factor in Harry's premature demises.

*Hermione may or may not be told of Harry's little "situation."

In the Study

"I do hope you enjoyed that," Bloody says, "And for any who wonder, incase I don't get around to continuing this, my explanation for the change in Krum and Petunia is this, Time ripples. One can't expect to work their way up the time stream without making a few waves. Now I must be off to collect more from the recesses of my mind" he pulls a drawstring on his lamp, causing his chair to sink into the floor.