Chapter 16

The Beginning

Hogwarts was silent. It was as if everyone was waiting for the worst to happen. A few teachers and students were standing outside, staring at the heavens for any sign of trouble. Others were sitting restlessly in the Great Hall or running from dorm to Hall.

Ginny, Ron and Hermione were amongst the once that were standing outside. Ginny was crying silently. Ron had wrapt an arm around Hermione's shoulders in comfort. Hermione had rested her head on his shoulder and was wiping her tears away every once in a while.

Jack walked up to them from behind and placed a comforting hand on Ginny's shoulder. She turned to him and fell into his arms, needing the comfort and understanding. Remus and Sirius were silently whispering to each other, each with a worried expression.

Unable to resist his curiosity, Severus Snape joined the other teachers in their silent watch outside. When someone would have told him what he was feeling now the first time he met Harry Potter, he would have declared them insane.

In the last half year he had gotten to know Harry Potter better and what he saw had shocked him. Harry may have his father's looks, but on the inside Harry was so much more like his mother. Severus now looked at the boy in faith and admiration, although he would never admit it.

Unaware of what he was doing, he scratched his arm. After the pain the mark had faded. But he wasn't jet sure if it was a good sign or a bad one.

Fang broke the silence. Everyone looked up as they heard the dog bark at the trees of the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid tried to calm him down, but a noise from within the Forest brought the gamekeeper to silence.

Everyone had turned their attention to the forest and the students and teachers that had stayed in the castle came outside when they heard the noise. There was a rustling of wings and suddenly every owl from the owlery flew above their heads. Toads, cats and rats came out of the castle and the house elves and ghosts from the castle appeared on the field as well.

Before anyone could wonder about what was happening, a strange singing came from the forest and animals appeared on the border of the Forest. Some of the younger students whispered amongst each other as they laid their eyes on the unicorns, hippogriffs and centaurs of the forest.

In answer to the singing from the forest, Fawkes the Phoenix flew out of the open doors. He too started singing as another Phoenix greeted him. This phoenix was a little bit different then Fawkes because it had green and black strips amongst his feathers, but apart from that the phoenix was much the same.

They greeted each other and flew together to the edge of the forest. Seconds later a dark figure appeared. He was dressed in dark robes and was holding a bundle of blankets in his arms. The figure was walking with great confidence between the animals and they all parted for him. Some of the bystanders even thought they could see the animals bow their heads to the stranger.

When the light of the setting sun lighted up his face, the stranger was instantly recognized.

Harry Potter looked up from where he had been staring at the baby that was trusted in his care. He looked around. The whole school seemed to be standing outside and he grinned at them with ease. "Hello everyone."

A stunned silence followed his words and the animals behind and next to him returned to their homes. Then a few people broke away from the crowd. Ginny Weasley was the first to reach him and she hugged him with all his might.

"Um, Ginny," Harry said with a small grin on his face. "Watch the baby. I know it's asleep but we want to keep it alive."

Ginny blushed and stepped away from him. "Sorry Harry. I didn't mean to hurt it."

Harry smiled at her and kissed her softly on the lips. "Don't worry about it."

Finally the rest reached them. "Welcome back mate!" Ron said, slapping him on the shoulder. He was grinning from ear to ear and seemed to be glowing with a strange kind of pride.

Hermione gave him a hug too, maybe not as firm as Ginny, but just as loving. Harry felt a few tears as she brushed her cheek against his. When she let go of him, he noted that her eyes were very watery. "Where did you get the baby?"

Harry smiled. "Nothing ever escapes your attention does it? But I think everyone wants to know what happened." And so he spoke to the rest who were looking anxious. "Voldemort has been defeated. The war is over!"

Everyone cheered after that. People were congratulating each other and rushed forward to give Harry a hand.

…………………………………………………

They had all retired to Dumbledore's office. Snape, McGonagall, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Remus, Sirius, Jack, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry. Ginny and Hermione were both playing with the baby, who had woken up the moment they had settled within the office.

Peace finally came over Harry as he took a seat in one of the armchairs. He sighted with relieve and closed his eyes for a minute. God, what did it feel well to have a body for your own.

Harry opened his eyes again and saw Sirius looking down on him. He smiled. "I can live with you now." Sirius' own smile widened. "Yes you can if you still want to."

"Of course I want to. I've wanted to live with you ever since third year!"

Sirius ruffled Harry's hair. Harry smiled up at his godfather.

The baby laughed and all stared at the child. Harry's eyes softened as they fell on the baby. "Let's give you another chance," he whispered. He stared at the child, taking in its features. He had bluish-grey eyes and blond hair that had just started to show.

A silence followed and Dumbledore looked at Harry with his piercing blue eyes. "What happened Harry?" he asked if it was as simple as that.

"It's actually as simple as it sounds. When I realised there was nothing I could do, nothing there could be done, and I had but one task to fulfil. And then it hit me. The only way to get rid of Voldemort was to get rid of myself. I was the only thing left that was keeping him alive. He took my blood, my life-force.

I asked professor Snape to make a Fear Fever Potion, so I could stun Voldemort when he had no magic working for him. We draped the cords with Aconitum. When you use it properly it paralyses your magic first and then your body.

I also asked for an Erasing Potion. I used this again him and me. Yes, against myself."

Everyone but Dumbledore looked at him with shock and confusion. "But that means you died," Sirius whispered.

"How could you die and still sit here?" Ron asked, confusion written al over his face.

"What you've got to understand Ron is that, when you have two other presences within your body, you can't get rid of them that easily. And they have to leave the way they came in. When Voldemort killed my parents that night, he killed me too, but kept me alive by 'giving' me part of his soul. When he killed me again last summer the Phoenix saved my life by entering my body."

Severus snorted. "How noble. Everyone is willing to share their souls with the great Harry Potter."

Harry chuckled, clearing away any pained and outraged expression from the others. "You may want to call it that, but I don't think Voldemort planned on saving me on purpose. Anyway to get rid of every extra soul residing in my body, I had to 'erase' myself.

Of course I risked turning out to be completely different then you would remember me, but I think everything turned out all right. I still have the gift of wandless magic though."

Dumbledore nodded in approval and the other seemed to be satisfied with the answer he gave them. But Hermione still looked troubled. "But I still don't get where the baby came from. I mean, if Voldemort died what's with the baby?"

Harry smiled at her. "He reincarnated. When I died I was given the chance to decide what to do with the one that I killed with me. After carefully thinking it through, I decided that he should be given another chance. If it hadn't been for his horrible childhood and his lack of support from his superiors, he would never have turned out the way he did."

"That is a very wise decision Harry," Dumbledore said gravely focusing his eye on the reincarnation of Tom Riddle. "And since you'll be staying with Sirius, I believe that the care of this child has been vested on you. I'm sure you'll be a great guardian."

Harry smiled. "I've called him Thomas William Potter."

……………………………………………

It was summer and Harry, Ron and Hermione were waiting for their O.W.L. results to arrive. Ginny was playing with Thomas. The child had grown fast since the 14th of November and now had a full grown bush of blond hair. It hadn't yet shown any signs of magic, but Sirius believed that it wouldn't show till the child was at least able to walk or talk.

Harry had fully moved into Grimmauld Place. The house had been completely cleaned and its door was always open to anyone. Sirius had accepted the fact that Harry was not his father and they had renewed their bond as Godfather and Godson.

Jack had found a job in the muggle world and was now dating a girl he had met one day when he was taking care of Thomas. He is still living in Grimmauld Place with the rest, but he is planning on buying his own house by next summer.

Remus had taken up the job of DADA teacher for the next five years. He had proposed to Tonks and they were planning on marrying in a few years time. Sirius was also in love, though he was still trying to hide it. He had taken up a job in st. Mungo's as a healer.

Harry was still trying to get used to the fact that he could live a normal live. There were still nightmares of course, but they were normal nightmares. He never woke up with pain in his scar anymore. And frankly, he liked it.

The End.

A/N: I'm giving that sequel a thought, but I'll be first finishing the other story. That's why it's such an open ending. And don't look at me like that. If Tom had been better taken care of when he was younger, he would have been an excellent student and would have made many friends, maybe even found a girlfriend. Anyway, think about this for a second, when someone reincarnates he or she releases their soul into the universe. Some who make a sacrifice gets a chance, others who are taken with the one that makes the sacrifice are chosen for. If you still have questions I am willing to collect them all and answer them in an update. But for now, nothing is true and everything is permitted. Happy readings and writings.