Daphne nodded. "Who was the one that betrayed you?"

Harry grit his teeth. "It was Ron. Ronald Billius Weasley. That waste of magic and life was the one responsible for it all."

Daphne widened her eyes. "What did you do with him?"

"I obliterated him."


"You..." Daphne hesitated, "You killed him?"

Harry sighed and stood up from the couch. "No, not just kill. Killing would have been too easy for the bastard. I hit him with a withering curse that caused his body to rot, and then sent a pulverizing spell at him. His rotten body withered off in the breeze."

"He-" she looked up at him, "I have no idea how you deal with it. Living in the same castle with him every day, seeing him every day and-"

"It does not matter. Most people here in this castle turned up dead. So as it is, I have this feeling all the time that I am living amongst future corpses anyway." He replied offhandedly, causing Daphne to reminisce about the way her life had ended. The memory of the spell, and the slice on her neck- she shuddered for a moment and shook her head, trying to get rid of the memory of her future self's death. Why her future self would have joined hands with some monster as Inferno Corporation was beyond her-it was a mystery, one she had no idea how to solve.

"What happened after that?"

"As I said, Sebastian Delacour prohibited me from entering his property and visiting her dead body for the last time. I was grieving; I was contorting in rage, wishing to kill myself now and then. I had lost the only person that was close to me. Hermione-she was a sister but not someone I could trust with everything. That was only Fleur."

Daphne frowned but did not comment. He continued. "After her death, I lost all purpose of living. My parents were dead-Sirius was dead-Arthur and Ginny Weasley were dead- Dumbledore was dead-nearly anyone and everyone I could think as family was dead. I was desolate, filled with hopelessness and misery, alone in the family manor."

"Granger?"

"She was shocked at Ron's betrayal. She was in love with that arse, and after all that deception, she lost heart, becoming silent. Then, we heard the news about people being attacked by Death eaters in Australia and she had to race there to try to find her family. I did not see her for the next month after that. Someone had to remain here to hunt for the horcruxes and so I stayed back. The Weasley twins accompanied her there."

"Then?"

"Alone in the manor, I deviated...I lost my sense of purpose, and was filled with only vengeance. The Potter family library- well let's just say that my family isn't as light as they say—I immersed myself into the darker aspects of magic, studying, practicing and going down the offensive path."

"What did you do?"

"I used his powers against him."

"As in?"

"The scar—my scar—it had a direct connection to his mind. I would peek into his mind, and try to know his plans, and then do my best to counter it. He had cast a 'taboo' over his name-a way to hunt down the resisting forces, and I used his technique against him."

"Like?" Daphne asked.

"I realized that I had a good affinity with fire, especially the Fiendfyre spell. I had learnt how to create anti-portkey and anti-apparation wards from the family library, and learnt how to tweak them using Parseltongue. Then, I used to set the wards at random locations, disillusion myself and yell out his name. Immediately, at least a dozen of death eaters would apparate in, triggering the wards. I set Fiendfyre inside the warded property and apparated myself out."

Her forehead puckered. "How did you apparate while the wards remaining active?"

"A Parseltongue password. Since only I knew the language, I could very well shout it out but none others could use it. I used the password, giving me an exit while the others burned inside. It wasn't overtly great but the idea worked."

"It was brilliant."

"It is hard to try breaking wards and resist Fiendfyre." Harry smirked, "one of my earliest battle strategies."

"Simple and efficient." Daphne praised. Harry nodded in gratitude and continued. "I continued that policy for quite some months, putting in a slight variation every now and then so that it didn't turn predictable. Since none of the death eaters escaped, it was difficult to ascertain what caused their deaths. I did my best to hide any circumstantial evidence. Given how Voldemort's ministry had declared me their 'Enemy number one', I thought it was a good thing to do. I thinned his army by half by that alone."

He paused for a breath. "A month later, Hermione returned, but the sad thing was—her parents were already dead by the time she found them. They were tortured, and then mind-controlled. The death eaters, they collected huge numbers of muggles—imperiused them and made them rape and kill other muggles-it was sadistic fun for them. Hermione-she was never the same after she returned. Externally, she was the same but there was this thing about her—an insane hatred about purebloods and the hypocrisy against muggles and Muggleborns, something that led to something devastating later on."

"Inferno Corp.?"

Harry nodded. "We-me, Granger, the twins—we infiltrated Hogwarts which was under the rule of Snape and the Carrows. Neville was leading the Dumbledore's Army and then-"

"What exactly happened to Dumbledore? You said he had died but-" Daphne intervened.

"Snape killed him. Death eaters had infiltrated Hogwarts to kill Dumbledore and Snape was in it all along. He was the one who killed Dumbledore from behind, killing with the Avada Kedavra. Dumbledore was fighting against the other death eaters and knew that Snape held his back. The traitor-" he hissed.

"Is that why- you know...?"

"Yes. He is going to take months to regain his sanity, and then, I will break him again. He will suffer pain, and loose his mind. Gain it back and then loose it again, until pain becomes his reality."

Daphne winced. "Remind me never to get on your bad side." Harry chuckled.

"What was that Dumbledore army thing?"

"In our fifth year, we had a ministry hag as DADA teacher who refused to teach us anything. Granger and other Gryffindors set up a meeting to form a secret study group and forced me up to teach." He chuckled at the old memories, "it was awkward at first, but it did help. All my students got great marks in DADA owls."

"That gives you a good future profession, unless you want to pursue the 'dark lord' career." Daphne mocked, at which he laughed. "Neville was leading the DA army as a resistance against the Carrows and Snape, while there was a different kind of resistance in Slytherin. Strangely, Malfoy was a part of the resistance."

Daphne raised her eyebrows. "Malfoy? Draco Malfoy resisting the dark forces?" she glanced at his eyes, "you are not having one over me, are you?"

"As much as I wish, Malfoy was my ally in the later years. In fact if not for your contract, I was thinking of trying to divert him." At Daphne's look, he explained, "I will have to use a different track now." Daphne nodded as he continued. "We took over Hogwarts. Neville and the remaining of the DA, they overpowered the death eaters, though they escaped. Theo, Blaise and Malfoy, they overpowered the supporters in Slytherin and took over."

"What about me?"

"I do not know. I did not see you or your sister during the fight. Even if I did, I don't remember, we had no interaction, remember?" Daphne frowned but shook her head. "We took control of the castle and found the fifth horcrux- the diadem, and destroyed it. The castle was ours, the defenses were set, and supporters from all sides had come to our aid."

"What happened then?"

"Voldemort made his move."


Albus Dumbledore sat in his office with Flitwick, Moody and Mcgonagall, discussing about the recent events. Ever since the first task, everything had been in a frenzy and all of that originating from one single student. Harry Potter.

The boy was truly an enigma. Not only had been demonstrated several ancient spells at the first task (his revelation about the Chamber was interesting, but Dumbledore believed that there was much more to him than just the Chamber) and then the duel with Karkaroff. The way he used his wand- it was like a war veteran, one who knew what to do and when to do perfectly. Things just did not add up.

"Something is different about young Harry and I cannot figure out what that is." He mumbled.

"Are you going to allow him for the dueling tournament? Given his skills, he would breeze through it all." Flitwick commented, causing Mcgonagall to glance at him. "You know I am telling the truth, Minerva."

"That boy should teach a few Aurors. His reflex and casting speed is phenomenal. I would not want to be on his bad side." The other two professors stared at him with disbelief. "What?" Alastor questioned, "You saw how he fought. It was like..."

"Professional." Dumbledore muttered.

"Yes."

"He was playing with Karkaroff, Albus. I could see it. Only when Karkaroff began to use the more deadly magicks did he battle seriously, and what? Ended it in what...a minute? That boy is more than what he seems, and my gut tells me that there is much more to him than all that." Alastor returned.

"What are you planning, Alastor?" Dumbledore asked suddenly, making the veteran Auror lookup surprised.

"What makes you say that?"

"You have been my friend for far too long. I know you, old friend."

Alastor chortled gruffly and then turned serious. "Just some little tests for him. I will tell you later."


"Voldemort made his move?" Daphne repeated.

"Yes, he attacked Hogwarts. I can show you the memory if you like."

Daphne considered it for a moment. "Not now. Later perhaps?" she asked, a bit reluctantly.

"Sure."

"Let us return to the original matter. About—you know-" for some reason, referring to Fleur, as Harry's dead girlfriend seemed strange to her.

Harry's eyes hardened for a moment. "What is it that troubles you?"

Daphne sighed. "This- you told me that you—you loved her", the statement hurt more than she expected, "—that you were broken completely on her death—and", she paused, "—you also told me that you came back for her."

"Go on." Harry could see where it was going.

"Then—why—you know-why, damn this is difficult!"

"Say it!" Harry countered his tone almost harsh. Daphne could see his fingernails cutting into his skin, as he clenched his fist tightly.

"Why did you choose to be with me?" she finally yelled out. "Why didn't you-oh I don't know- get her to fall in love with you once again? You fucking did not know me at all in your previous life as a person, only as some merlin-damned mercenary. You should not have made me fall in love with you. You should have just stepped on my feelings and returned back to your French princess!" Daphne was fairly shouting in the end.

"I would have done that. I would have done that very thing exactly." Harry spoke bitterly. "I was madly in love with her. I knew that you loved me, that you cared for me, and that you were dependent on my support. I am not blind. I saw you hide your feelings from the first day, but I was selfish. I was ready to squash it all- I almost squashed it all."

"Why didn't you?" Daphne asked in a whisper.

"Because that day when you saw my dream- I realized that my entire life had been a lie." Harry whispered bitterly.

"What do you mean?"

No answer.

"Harry answer me."

He just stood, clenching his fists. Blood had begun to seep through the bruised tissues. Daphne strode towards him and hit him on the chest. "Answer me, damn it."

"I have some queer powers. One of them is to bring back the soul of the dead and talk to him or her for a moment."

Daphne just gaped. "Don't joke with me."

"I am not." He looked up at her. "If you wish, I can show you the memory."

"Sure." Daphne drawled, not convinced at all. He walked up to the pensive, drew out the memory of the event from his mind and dropped it into the swirling liquid of the pensieve.

"Join me." He uttered, before vanishing into its depths. Daphne followed him in quick succession.


She found herself standing in a strange chamber—one she had never seen in her life. The walls were lines with serpent effigies with ionic pillars constructed parallel to each other on either side of the main hall. A humongous figure of a man rose from one end of the vast desolate hall.

"Harry, where are we?"

"Chamber of Secrets."

"The Chamber?" Daphne could not believe her ears. She was actually standing in the mythical Chamber of Secrets...

"I will show you sometime." Harry commented, almost as if he had heard her thoughts. Daphne nodded briskly in gratitude. She looked over and saw a memory projection of him standing in the centre of the hall, next to a makeshift bed, holding a piece of parchment in his hands.

"Oh Merlin, I am a mess." Memory-Harry spoke to himself.

"Merlin has nothing to do with your mess."

Daphne whirled around, mirroring memory-Harry's actions, and spotted an ethereal figure standing there. The face it looked very, very familiar. Then it hit her.

"Hey Potter."

"Theo...How...Wha-"

"Very articulate, Potter."

Theo. Theodore Nott. From the future. Dead. Daphne observed.

Memory-Harry controlled himself and replied, "How are you... you know..."

"Here?" Theo countered, "You are the Master of the Hallows. You should know... I just came here, because your powers told me that I needed to be here. Now pray tell me Potter, what exactly are you doing? I died so that you could-"

"I know, so that I could change the past and-" Memory-Harry began. Theo scoffed and continued, "To hell with your thoughts. I died so that you could live, damn it."

"What?"

"Great. Tell me Potter, did you hit yourself in the head during the Time-travel? I died so that you could live. Because if you live, you will be able to set things right. Our team, our circle, remember. Gabby, Susan, Neville even Draco has been scoffing in the afterlife looking at your idiotic behavior."

"I know- I lied to you all—I wanted to save Fleur and-"

"And what Potter? Shit happens, we move on. Stop being a right prat and get up. You are a dark lord damn it. We saw what you did to Raven, and I am very proud of the way you took her under your wing. You gave her a chance to the future she did not get previously. What I cannot understand is the reason behind you behaving like a moron and being distant from her!"

"Because Fleur-"

"-is her own independent person. You cannot make her love you. You are just chasing behind an old dream, and ignoring your own present. This Fleur is not the one who was your girlfriend. Never will be. Your actions changed the time stream too much for that. Daphne loves you, damn it. And yet you are completely blank about it, running behind an old dream of you and your Fleur."

Memory-Harry seemed to ponder over something for a moment before he looked up at his brother's form and smiled. "I will do it correct this time, my brother. Thank you for setting me right."

Theo smirked as the ethereal form began to fade away... slowly.

"Give them hell, Potter."

"I will."

Daphne turned back to Harry and shrugged. "What? I do not hear anything different."

"Hold on." Harry answered- his face a blank mask.

Memory-Harry looked at his brother's fading form before his reluctant smile turned back into a frown. Clenching the letter in his hand tightly, he muttered. Loud enough for Daphne to hear it.

"I will live for myself, but Fleur-I cannot betray her. She died for me. I cannot just-"

"You are a fool, Potter."

Memory-Harry looked up to find Theo reappearing again. "You are a fool. I tried to deviate you, but you are just too adamant, aren't you?"

"What do you mean, Theo?"

"I mean this—Master of Death, use your powers and figure out the truth. Then, I hope you will have enough mind to achieve your own salvation."

Master of Death?

Daphne turned towards her boyfriend, who simply mouthed 'later'. She turned back at the proceedings.

Memory-Harry just looked at Theo, stunned.

"Go on, try it." Theo taunted.

Memory-Harry closed his eyes, as a grayish aura settled like a cloak all over him. "Fleur Delacour." He chanted.

Nothing happened.

"Fleur Delacour." He tried again, much to an angry smirk on Theo's face. Harry turned at his former brother, "What is happening? Why can't I summon her?"

"Use your mind, Potter. You can summon the spirits of the dead. If you cannot summon Delacour, then it means..."

"She must be alive." Daphne muttered, as the revelation hit her. She glanced back at Harry whose hardened eyes tried their best not to shed tears.

Memory-Harry just stood dumbfounded. "She is-she is alive..."

Theo did not reply.

"TELL ME!"

"YES, SHE IS ALIVE DAMN IT! After she was injured in the attack at your home, her father took her away to France. She married Bill Weasley, who broke off from his family and took the Delacour name."

"No..."

"YES, that is the truth. Her father married her away and she did not fight his decision-Bill Weasley told me. Why do you think he always avoided having a conversation with you?"

"You are lying..." memory-Harry whispered- his cheeks drenched in tears.

"Then call her soul. Call her spirit back- You are the master of Death, not me. I am simply telling you the truth!"

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

Theo paused. "I was scared-I was scared about your reaction."

"Then...why would Sebastian-"

"Sebastian Delacour is a bastard. A ruthless, sanctimonious bastard. He shows that he cares for the world but all he cares is for himself. As for why he did what he did- I cannot answer."

Memory-Harry dropped down on his knees. "It was all a lie... it was all a lie..."

"Let's go!" harry muttered, waving his hand as he and Daphne returned to the Room.

"She... she cheated on you, faked her death and married Weasley?" Daphne whispered, unable to believe what she had just seen. "Harry-"

No answer came. The Room was empty. Harry Potter...was gone.


### A short chapter, but I suppose it fit best. Did you enjoy the revelations? As always, reviews please.