As Harry read through the several pieces of parchment that Teddy had left for him he couldn't help but marvel at the man's competence. Despite the general lack of ambition that Teddy had showed over the last several days that Harry had spent in his apartment he could not deny the man's ability. With some nudges in the right direction from Harry he had crafted a complete background for a Mr. Harry White, complete with family and medical history and most importantly a detailed overview of his education and test scores.
Harry White was born to a British couple that traveled the world to provide magical education to children in some of the poorer countries of the world. This not only left Harry with a plausible explanation for why he did not receive a formal education at any of the established wizarding schools but also provided a cover for why no one in England would actually have any recollection of a White family.
"This is excellent work Teddy," Harry said as he dropped the parchments onto the table that had quickly become his makeshift desk. "Is it all verifiable in the Ministry as well?"
"Rock solid on all layers," was Teddy's reply as he leaned on the nearby kitchen counter with a rather haughty look on his face. "It wasn't easy but not even a full on Ministry investigation will turn up a single suspicious document."
"Good work," Harry said while turning back to his desk and half-heartedly making an attempt to organize all of the papers lying haphazardly over it. "This will allow me to immediately begin to assimilate myself in society here in England."
The last few days had largely been frustrating for Harry, who had forced himself to remain inside at all times. Without an identity it had been to dangerous to risk moving about in public. On the other hand, this had provided him with ample time to study the current events of the world that had now become his own. His eyes caught sight of the most current edition of The Daily Prophet that seemed to always be on top of the other papers on the desk despite Harry's best attempts at covering it with other documents.
POTTER FAMILY FOUND MURDERED IN HOME
Son, James, only surviving member of the Potter lineage
The news hadn't been shocking to Harry but it did provide a wide range of emotions that had only served to distract him from more pressing matters. Relief that he had arrived to late to help and thus risk the entire plan as soon as he arrived. Guilt over not being able to save the lives of his grandparents and sadness that he had not been able to prevent the sorrow his father must be feeling, a sorrow that only orphaned children and teenagers truly know.
Most distracting of all his emotions was the feeling of loss that always accompanied his failures. He had traveled back in time to prevent such terrible events from occurring and yet he had already failed as he seemingly always did. The other emotions he would force to change into determination to help drive him towards success but the feeling of loss was something he would carry with him always. It would serve as a reminder of the consequences of his shortcomings.
Teddy had apparently noticed the headline too as he sighed and said, "So it begins."
Harry nodded distractedly as he continued to stack up all the papers that were on the desk, unconsciously placing the mocking headline of his family's murder at the bottom of the stack. It would not do him any good to continue to brood over it.
"And what a beginning it is," Teddy continued, "I met Charles Potter a few times. He seemed to be a very good man. I think he would have been a very capable ally for our cause." Teddy had taken to calling it "our cause" almost immediately and it had served to reinforce Harry's belief that he had chosen the right person to reveal his story to.
Teddy's revelation did nothing to quell the feeling of failure that had arisen in Harry since his self-imposed imprisonment in Teddy's apartment.
"Events are moving quickly and I cannot waste anymore time here or I'll find myself chasing to catch up when I should be two steps ahead of every move Voldemort makes," Harry said after a moments pause.
"What's next then?" Teddy asked, eager to continue helping this man that had forced himself into his life.
"Tomorrow afternoon there will be an attack on a small trinket store in Diagon Alley that I intend to prevent. You have done well providing me a background so quickly. With it I will be able to make myself known to the Ministry while also striking a blow at Voldemort while he remains relatively weak."
"Two birds one stone," Teddy nodded along appreciatively. "And yet a full fledged assault on Diagon Alley seems rather different from weak, Harry."
Harry stood and stretched, his back giving an audible pop at the sudden movement after the last few days of relatively little use. He really had spent to much time being idle and he was beginning to feel anxious to proceed with the plan. "It will be more of a robbery than an assault. I believe he uses this opportunity to steal several rare pieces of jewelry that will provide him a large sum of money on the black market. He is weak because as of yet he has a relatively small following but with that money he will have the foundation to begin a more vigorous recruitment."
Teddy did not immediately respond and Harry took advantage of the momentary silence to walk over to the large window that overlooked the front of the complex. The view was never spectacular and the day's dreary weather did nothing to improve the image but it had become a sort of ritual spot for Harry to spend his time since he had moved himself into Teddy's apartment. The far side of the street was jam packed with storefronts and buildings where apparently space effeciency took precedent over arcitectural beauty.
It was the normalcy of it that made the view so enjoyable to Harry. There was no boarded over windows or businesses with closed signs hanging from the door. The young family that walked down the street had never really had to fear for their lives or worry that someday soon their lifestyle could possibly come to a crashing halt. That mentality felt so foreign to Harry and yet he felt himself striving to maintain it at whatever cost. For what he hoped was the final time Harry squashed his inner feelings of failure and turned his mind to what he could help to preserve for the future.
Any further thoughts of the future were interrupted by Teddy who had taken Harry's former seat and was reading through the article about the Potters. "There's something I have been having trouble wrapping my head around since you told me of this Voldemort."
Harry allowed himself a small smile as he took a seat across from Teddy, "I'd expected this conversation days ago, Teddy. You have been entirely to trusting of me."
Teddy scowled and set the paper down, "I am not doubting the validity of your story Harry nor do I need a lecture on caution, least of all from you."
Harry ignored the jab and simply shrugged his shoulders, "Then what's the problem?"
Teddy once again fell silent and returned his attention back to the paper. Harry had learned long ago that rushing Teddy while he was thinking did nothing but draw out the length of time it took him to speak what was really on his mind. It was a trait that he felt himself lacking.
"It's just- why?"
Harry forced himself to not mock Teddy's barely lucid response after such a lengthy silence and simply said, "Why what?"
"What is the purpose of this," Teddy exclaimed while brandishing the now rather wrinckled Daily Prophet, "What about this drives people towards him?"
Harry did not immediately reply and it seemed to put further fire to Teddy's words, "Everything you have told me about this man makes no sense Harry. What does this man offer people other than torture for failings and their very own personal room in fucking Azkaban?"
Harry made to reply but was interrupted by Teddy's continued tirade, "I mean I can understand the sociopaths that gain enjoyment out of other peoples suffering but that requirement won't leave him with much for followers, will it? So my question is why?"
Harry waited a moment to ensure that Teddy was done before saying, "Power, Teddy."
His answer did not calm Teddy down any and an angry look came on his face, "Power? A lifetime of fear and pain all in the hope of gaining power?"
"Mankind's greatest weakness, the desire to be strong, lies within all of us. Even in the weakest of people," Harry said, "Perhaps even moreso in the weak. It will drive people towards him just as weak and strong alike have been driven towards all men who achieve power."
The room once again fell to silence as both men sat in thought. Harry, who had moments before been despairing about the future, felt confidence blossom within him for the first time since his arrival in 1977. Teddy was proof that these people had the mindset that had been eroded in Harry's time. The belief in doing what was right had all but disappeared despite Voldemort's defeat at Harry's hands. Fear and propaganda had carried on his message even in death.
With Teddy and others like him by his side Harry knew that he could prevent that from happening again even if he failed to bring down Voldemort for the third time.
"But you killed him right? I mean even if this guy was all powerful and people truly do seek to gain power at any cost, which I don't agree with by the way, why didn't people chose you over him?"
Harry pulled himself from his thoughts and said, "Maybe I was being a bit short-sighted in my answer. Voldemort used many methods to bring people to his cause. Fear, threats, and lies can be very persausive if used correctly. As for killing him, yes I did that. But it was no battle of equals. I simply got lucky."
Teddy frowned, "What are the odds you'll be able to get that lucky again?"
Harry looked away from Teddy to mask his uncertainty. Would he be able to kill Voldemort again? He would have no horcrux inside him to take another killing curse. Any familial protection that Dumbledore believed so strongly in was likely voided now that he didn't have any real family. Those protections were lost to him yes but he could overcome that simply by being better than he had been.
What truly concerned him was the prophecy. It had haunted his thoughts ever since he had intially began to consider rewriting history. Was it possible that the as of yet unborn baby of James and Lily Potter was the only person who could truly kill Voldemort? Or was his very exsistence in this timeline enough to meet the prophecy's requirements. Perhaps the prophecy would not even be made due to his intervention. Time-travel was damn confusing.
"It is unlikely."
Teddy snorted and shook his head, "Great, I've aligned myself against a homocidal maniac and my only ally considers in unlikely that he can be stopped." Shaking his head some more Teddy stood from his seat forcefully and walked towards the door. He stopped and looked at Harry his face displaying his annoyance, "If you need me I'll be outside digging my own grave."
Harry rolled his eyes at his partners antics and said, "Would it make you feel better if I hugged you and told you everything would be okay?"
Teddy glared again, his previous anger returning to the surface, "You know, I understand it, I really do. You enjoy being a shitty person to everyone around you. Whatever, you be who you are Harry but it seems to me that the future sent back it's glorious warrior when it should have sent back a peacemaker because so far the only fucking thing you've been able to accomplish is pissing off the only real help you have."
Teddy's retort cut Harry deeper than he let it show. Harry had become a product of his environment or at least that was the excuse he allowed himself.
"My point," Harry said while motioning for Teddy to wait, "Was that we won't be relying on luck. I know every single thing that he will do and we must use that to our advantage before he changes his plans."
It was a bold-faced lie but Teddy was right. Alientating himself would change every already difficult situation into a border-line impossible situation. When had he gotten so good at lying?
His reply seemed to be enough for Teddy because he returned to his seat. "I'm still going to buy a shovel though."
"Yeah," Harry said turning back to the documents on the table, "Maybe you should buy me one too."'