Paid In Blood - REVISED (Originally by Zaterra02)

by FrostyTheDopeMan

An aged Dark Lord Harry Potter sends his soul and that of his most loyal friend back in time to prevent multiple tragedies. He won't be making the same mistakes this time around, and he definitely won't be forgiving those who wronged him. 4th Year AU. Zaterra02's fanfic, completely rewritten to improve grammar, language, and clarity.

27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The atmosphere at Hogwarts was charged with excitement in the moments leading up to the third task. The stands had been almost completely filled with spectators, including the entire Black family, who were all sitting together to support Harry. Even Draco was sitting with the Blacks, albeit begrudgingly and only at his mother's behest.

Sirius was particularly excited and being quite vocal about his belief that his godson would easily win the task and the tournament. He was looking for someone to make a wager with, but no one in the vicinity was willing to bet against Harry. The best he could do was make a bet with Remus about how quickly he would complete the task. Sirius's enthusiasm was so infectious that even the more stoic Blacks couldn't help but crack a smile. Ted even managed to make Andromeda roll her eyes in amusement when he tossed a few galleons into Sirius's betting pool.

Enacting their own display of solidarity for their leader, the members of the Black Wands had all decided to sit together in the direct centre of the stands. To the many audience members not acquainted with the current goings-on at Hogwarts, the multi-house group must have seemed like quite an unusual sight. Just the visual of a small Gryffindor boy sitting amongst older Slytherin and Ravenclaw students was enough to stir conversation.

The hour was almost upon them. The three official school champions had already gathered, with only the fourth still unaccounted for. The judges had all taken their positions, and Moody was stalking around the area near the champions - supposedly performing his duty as chief of security.

Erected near the entrance of the maze was a humongous canvas stretched over a wooden apparatus, which had been divided into four sections. It was charmed to broadcast the progress of the champions to the audience, with one quarter of the canvas being dedicated to each champion. It was the fourth quarter unexpectedly flickering to life that first caught the audience's attention.

The buzzing of conversation mostly came to a halt as Harry and Dobby suddenly appeared on the display, both of them already in the maze and standing right next to the Triwizard Cup. Harry appeared to be in a towering rage. His eyes were glowing a vivid green, and his magic was swirling so violently that his hair was blowing as if he were caught in a windstorm. As stunning as that visual was to most people, it was Harry's words that caused the most commotion.

"That son of a bitch dug his own grave."

The audience gasped and started looking around at each other, wondering who the boy was talking about.

"Dobby, find Daphne and keep her safe."

"WHAT?!" Astoria Greengrass shouted, suddenly fearing for her sister.

Many in the stands shivered when Harry started hissing in Parseltongue, but the Slytherins were used to it. What shocked the silver and green contingent was the sudden appearance of a familiar serpent, which had been coiled around Dobby's waist.

"Is that…Scylla?" Eliza asked in surprise.

"It has to be," Brian responded, a look of confusion on his face. "But didn't Potter say he killed the basilisk?"

"He said he had taken care of it..." Alistair mumbled, and then his eyes widened in comprehension. Harry never actually said that he killed Scylla, he just let them assume that he did. "Clever boy..."

"What about the Horcruxes?" Dobby asked. Harry scowled at the question, and most of the audience frowned at the unfamiliar term. Dumbledore, however, knew exactly what Horcruxes were and immediately feared the worst.

"Albus, what is going on?" Bagman asked, but he didn't receive a reply from the thunderstruck headmaster.

"Shit, I forgot... Go now, and hurry damn it!" Harry ordered, and everyone saw Dobby popping away after a quick nod. The audience remained quiet as they watched Harry circle the cup like a predator readying to attack.

"What is going on?" Astoria asked again, a little desperately. "What happened to my sister?"

Nobody had any answers; all they could do was watch and wonder. It was only a minute later when Dobby popped back into view.

"It's done, Master," Dobby announced, and Harry grabbed the elf's shoulder.

"Then let us go to war," Harry snarled as he reached for the cup's handle.

"Daphne is the priority. All others are meaningless."

"Every one of them will die," Dobby agreed, and then Harry grabbed the handle of the cup and both wizard and elf vanished from view.

As soon as the pair disappeared, the image on the canvas went blank and the walls of the maze vanished. All of the creatures in the maze for the task were magically returned to their cages, just as they were supposed to once the Triwizard Cup had been claimed.

"What happened to my sister?" Astoria demanded again.

Jason looked over at Astoria, then back down to the spot where Harry had vanished. "Something bad happened to Daphne..." he mumbled to himself, still in shock. He had witnessed Harry getting angry a few times, and he hoped to never be on the wrong side of his wrath. Whatever else happened tonight, whoever managed to piss Harry off that much was certainly doomed.

"DUMBLEDORE! BAGMAN! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!" the magically amplified voice of Lord Sirius Black roared over the noise, as the man himself stalked towards the judge's stand. "WHAT HAPPENED TO MY GODSON AND MISS GREENGRASS?"

"Lord Black, we don't know..." Bagman started, only to see an equally angry Remus Lupin join the conversation at Lord Black's side.

"You are supposed to be in charge! Are you telling us you don't know what just happened?"

The discussion went on for some time, as everyone was demanding the answers that no one seemed to have. Accusations were made and there was shouting all around, but Dumbledore remained quiet, still pondering the Horcrux revelation. How on earth had Harry even learned about those foul things? And did he actually say Horcruxes, as is more than one?

He was dragged away from his musings when he saw Severus suddenly wince in pain and grab his left arm. Albus's eyes widened in recognition, and his suspicions were mostly confirmed when he glanced over at Karkaroff and saw him acting similarly.

"What is it, Severus?" Dumbledore asked.

"I feel... I feel the Dark Lord's summons..." he whispered in response, before shouting in pain as an intense burning sensation took over his arm. It felt like his skin was burning and blistering in the spot where the Dark Mark was embedded. At the same time, Karkaroff collapsed to his knees howling in pain. Madam Pomfrey happened to be standing nearby and intervened by stunning the man.

"Severus," the headmaster started. "I know it is much to ask of you, but can you go to Voldemort and try to ascertain the whereabouts of Mr. Potter and Ms. Greengrass?"

Snape was clearly still in pain, but he stood up a little straighter and responded with a curt nod. He turned on the spot, but nothing happened. He looked back at Dumbledore with a slight look of confusion.

"I can't, Headmaster," he said. "Something is preventing me from apparating to his location."

"The transportation wards around this area of the grounds have been taken down for the task, so whatever the obstacle is, it must be on Voldemort's side," Dumbledore replied thoughtfully. He removed his spectacles and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He hoped that wherever they were, Harry was prepared for whatever challenges he was facing.

Snape and Karkaroff where not the only ones in attendance affected by the Dark Lord's summons. Up in the stands, Isabella Black had paled in fear and grasped her left arm at the exact same moment. Narcissa gasped slightly when she noticed what was happening, and she could swear that she heard Andromeda actually growl at the sight. When the burning sensation intensified, Bella nearly screamed out in pain and was saved only by Andromeda's quick decision to stun her. Fortunately, all the commotion meant that nobody who didn't already know Isabella's secret even realised what had happened.

The last person affected was Mad-Eye Moody, but he didn't have the good fortune to be in an inconspicuous position when it happened. It was quite a shock for those who witnessed it to see the veteran Auror and war hero clutching his arm in the exact same place as two known former Death Eaters. Sirius was the first to make the connection, followed closely by Remus. Their Stunners dropped Moody in an instant, and the two men marched furiously to where he lay crumpled on the ground. Remus immediately started casting diagnostic spells on the man.

"What can you tell me, Moony?" asked Sirius in an uncharacteristically authoritative tone fitting for the Lord Black.

"Whoever this is, it's not Mad-Eye," Remus growled. "He's under Polyjuice."

"Polyjuice?" a voice asked from behind them, and they both turned back in surprise to see Amelia Bones approaching them.

"Director Bones, what are you doing here?" Sirius asked, greeting the woman with a polite nod, which she immediately returned.

"My niece Susan called me through a two-way mirror, claiming something had happened to Daphne Greengrass that put Harry Potter on the warpath. Imagine my surprise when I arrive to find not only two known Death Eaters holding their arms, but also my own mentor. I want answers, and I want them now."

"We're not sure exactly what's happening," Remus replied, taking the lead in bringing the director up to speed on everything that had happened.

"If I didn't already know better, Mr. Lupin, I'd think you were mocking me," Director Bones sighed, turning back to the unconscious man wearing the face of her dear friend and mentor. "So, if this man is under Polyjuice, then who is he? And where is the real Moody?"

A short distance away, Severus Snape dropped to his knees as the searing pain on his arm intensified yet again. He gritted his teeth and was struggling to remain conscious when the pain suddenly vanished, leaving behind only a dull ache. He took a few deep breaths while his heart rate slowly returned to normal, grateful for the reprieve. Concerned for his Potions Master, the headmaster stooped down beside him.

"Severus?"

Steeling his courage, Snape rolled up his left sleeve and gasped at what he saw. The Dark Mark that had resided on his flesh for nearly two decades had completely disappeared. There was some blistering leftover from whatever had caused the burning feeling, but there was no mistaking the fact that the all too familiar skull and snake design of his former master had vanished.

"Remarkable," Dumbledore stated contemplatively. A thought suddenly occurring to him, he strode over to the unconscious Igor Karkaroff and pulled up his sleeve. He was struck by a rush of optimism when he saw that just like Severus, the Durmstrang Highmaster's mark had also disappeared.

"Could it be?" Dumbledore thought to himself. "Is it possible that Tom has been defeated once and for all? If so, what was young Harry's involvement?"

"Professor Snape!" a familiar voice called from behind them, and Dumbledore turned to see Amelia Bones and Sirius Black approaching Severus, who was still staring at his arm in wonder.

"Snape!" the woman repeated, a little more loudly after the man ignored her first attempt.

"Madam Bones, it is a pleasure to see you, as always. May I ask what business brings you to Hogwarts?" Dumbledore asked politely, albeit with a slight touch of trepidation.

"My niece called me saying that Harry Potter was on the warpath, and that Daphne Greengrass had been kidnapped. Would you care to explain that?"

"As I explained to Lord Black, I regrettably have no idea what is happening. May I ask why you are calling for Severus?"

"Let me ask you a question first. Have you noticed anything different about Alastor over the past few months?"

Dumbledore frowned slightly.

"Well, his teaching methods have been rather...extravagant, and I admit his behaviour has sometimes seemed a bit off. I had assumed it was his old age finally catching up to him."

"Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle," Sirius mumbled, rolling his eyes while ignoring the looks the others were giving him. "We need a cleansing solution to nullify the effects of the Polyjuice Potion that 'Alastor' is under."

Dumbledore was speechless.

Snape recovered from his shock and immediately summoned a house-elf to bring him the cleansing solution for Madam Bones from his own private stores, while the woman herself went to summon more Aurors. Less than thirty minutes later, Barty Crouch Jr. was arrested and taken to the Ministry holding cells, while the real Moody was freed from his trunk and transported to the hospital wing.

Madam Bones massaged her temples, no doubt attempting to stave off what was bound to be a tremendous headache.

"Aurors, spread out and investigate. Set a perimeter to make sure nobody leaves and start interviewing witnesses. I want to know exactly what happened up to and including Mr. Potter's disappearance," Madam Bones ordered, before turning back to Sirius and Remus. "I promise you, Lord Black, Mr. Lupin-Black, we will discover what happened here this evening."

"Make sure you do, Madam Bones," Sirius replied gravely. "Now if you'll excuse us, we need to go back to our family and tell them what we know."

"Of course," replied Amelia, who was intent on finding Susan and asking her a few questions herself.

Sirius and Remus re-joined the confused group to relay what the little information they had uncovered. While Remus was filling them in, a subtle change in the recently reawakened Isabella's demeanour caught Sirius's attention. She seemed somewhat unnerved, but at the same time there was the tiniest of smiles playing at her lips as she absentmindedly touched her left arm.

Sirius suddenly realised that whatever happened to Snape, Karkaroff, and the imposter must have happened to Bella too, and it took all of his willpower to refrain from reacting. Their eyes met, and Sirius saw the joy and unshed tears behind the woman's eyes. He wanted nothing more than to give her a big hug, but that would have to wait.

"So Mad-Eye Moody was a Polyjuiced Death Eater?" Ted asked in astonishment. "How? And for how long?"

"Most importantly, how did Barty Crouch Jr. escape Azkaban? He was supposed to be dead," Andromeda added.

"That much is still unknown," Remus replied. "He's still unconscious, and he will remain that way until he's in the Ministry cells."

"And what about..." Narcissa started, but she was interrupted by the sound of a massive pop, followed by a chorus of screams and shrieks.

A gigantic black snake had inexplicably appeared in the exact spot that until recently was the centre of the Triwizard maze.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THAT THING?!" someone shouted from the stands, pushing the gathered witches and wizards into a collective panic. Most of the adults drew their wands and stepped up protect the students, but there was no need.

"STOP!" shouted the unmistakable voice of Harry Potter, fortunately before anyone started throwing spells.

The crowd stopped and took a closer look at the snake, finally noticing the three figures on top of its head. The snake lowered its head to the ground and allowed Harry and Daphne to jump down.

"Harry! Daphne!" many happily shouted - the Slytherins, the Black Wands, and the Black family in particular. Sirius chose to embrace his Gryffindor side and rushed to his godson, Remus following close behind him.

They could now easily see Daphne standing next to Harry, who was holding the Triwizard Cup in his hand. They were both looking up and speaking with Dobby, who was still standing on top of the giant snake's head. Coiled at the elf's feet was a familiar green snake, whose presence would need to be explained at some point.

Sirius and Remus halted their approach when the enormous snake lifted its head again, then opened its jaws and dropped several bodies on the ground, triggering another round of screams from the crowd. Next, Dobby placed his hands on the snake's head, and with a pop it vanished along with Dobby and Scylla, leaving Harry and Daphne standing alone near the pile of bodies.

"Harry!" Sirius shouted.

Harry turned back to see his godfather approaching, looking as if he was ready to unleash a rant on them. Daphne noticed that Harry had taken a step back and suddenly seemed nervous, so she moved closer to him and entwined his arm with hers. Harry blushed at the contact but made no attempt to free his arm.

"Harry... Ms. Greengrass," Sirius repeated, much less aggressively after having observed Daphne's protective posture and the small scowl she was directing at him.

"Are you two alright? What happened, and who are..."

Sirius's eyes bulged he caught sight of the robes and masks the bodies were wearing.

"...Death Eaters..."

"What?" Remus rasped, a crowd starting to gather behind him.

"That group arranged for my kidnapping from the school grounds," Daphne explained with a look of disgust, still holding onto Harry's arm. "Obviously, they had help from within. I am sure you will know who it was once you identify the Death Eaters."

The crowd started murmuring and exchanging looks with one another.

"Harry and Dobby came to my rescue and defeated them," she continued, and then turned her gaze to Amelia Bones, who was standing at Sirius's side.

"I will not share anything further unless we have a proper and official meeting."

"I am most interested in hearing about it, Ms. Greengrass," Madam Bones noddingly agreed.

"As am I. May I offer my office as a suitable venue?" Dumbledore offered at once.

"Your offer is appreciated, Headmaster, but for the moment I believe our priority should be to visit Madam Pomfrey," Daphne replied promptly, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Sirius's enjoyment at seeing Dumbledore being rebuked by a teenager was short lived, because he had finally taken a good look at the couple and noticed their injuries. Harry looked like he had been through a war; Sirius wasn't sure how he was even still standing. He examined Harry more closely and couldn't help but feel like there was something off about him. He hadn't spoken a word, and he seemed exceedingly uncomfortable being under so much scrutiny.

"Harry, is everything alright?" Sirius asked, and the boy looked down in embarrassment.

"Yeah..." Harry he replied in little more than whisper. Daphne gently nudged Harry in the ribs with her elbow, and he almost instantly straightened up and altered his speech.

"I'm fine, Sirius. Exhausted, but fine."

"Good," Sirius replied, refraining from commenting on the interaction he just observed. He placed a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Come on then, let's go see Madam Pomfrey. I want to make sure the two of you really are okay."

"I'm fine, really," Harry quietly insisted.

"Please, Harry," Daphne chimed in, and Harry half-heartedly agreed after briefly making eye contact with the blonde.

Sirius laughed jovially while Remus just smirked and shook his head.

"You just reminded me of your father," Sirius chuckled. "He'd complain whenever Lily wanted him to go to the healer, but in the end, he always did as he was told."

Daphne felt Harry flinch slightly at Sirius's words while his hand tightened into a fist.

"Yeah..." Harry concurred with a forced smile. "Women tend to be smarter than us when it comes to that stuff. They usually know better."

Everyone laughed, although some of the males in the crowd didn't seem to agree.

At Madam Bones's command, the Aurors approached the bodies of the deceased Death Eaters to begin the identification process. Daphne was jumped by Astoria, who hugged her sister tightly before peppering her with rapid-fire questions. That seemed to be all the prompting everyone else needed to start asking their own questions, Dumbledore in particular.

Harry remained tight-lipped, and it looked like his anger was on the verge of boiling over when he was rescued by Madam Pomfrey herself.

"What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time, Mr. Potter?" the matron asked, although this time there was a clear sliver of pride and respect behind her words.

"Just the usual, Madam Pomfrey," Harry replied dryly.

The matron chuckled and passed her wand over Harry a few times until he was enveloped by a soft blue glow. She gasped when the glow went from blue to purple, and her demeanour grew serious as she continued her examination.

"This can´t be..." she mumbled, and everyone around them quieted down.

"What is it, Poppy?" Dumbledore asked, genuinely curious.

"Mr. Potter, it seems you were hit by a curse, and a powerful one at that," Madam Pomfrey declared.

"Yes, he was," Daphne replied for him, since Harry didn't seem interested in responding.

Madam Pomfrey turned to her unofficial apprentice and saw everything she needed to know in the girl's face. She looked at Harry again and saw him staring at the ground.

"How are you alive, Harry?" Madam Pomfrey asked, triggering a round of excited whispers.

"Love..." Harry whispered, turning away in an attempt to hide the tear rolling down his cheek.

"Pardon?" asked Dumbledore.

"Isn't that what you've been preaching all this time?" Harry asked testily, looking back at the headmaster with a frosty expression. "That the power Voldemort knew not was love?"

"I..."

Dumbledore hesitated, not comfortable discussing matters such as this in front of such a large audience.

"I don't believe this is a conversation to be had in public."

Harry scowled.

"This is not a conversation to be had, period," he retorted. "It's none of your business."

"Mr. Potter..." Dumbledore started, balking at the boy's anger. "Harry... I just want to understand..."

"So did I..." Harry snapped. "But you refused to tell me anything, even when I asked you all those years ago. So, why should I bother telling you anything now? I am not my father. I'm not your faithful follower, and I don't care what you want."

Harry balled his fists in anger and shrugged off Sirius's attempts to calm him.

"Dobby! Get me the hell out of here!"

There were two short pops, and then Harry was gone. Loud conversations immediately started up all around them, with everyone shouting out their questions or wildly speculating on what had happened.

Daphne was furious. How dare they treat Harry like that after the night they'd had? Hadn't he been through enough already? She had questions for Harry too, of course, but crowding around him like that and interrogating him when he was clearly hurt and distressed was unconscionable. She knew she had to get to him as quickly as possible.

~BREAK~

Harry appeared in the living quarters of the Chamber and immediately threw up, his accumulated anxiety finally breaking through the weak mask he had been presenting to the Hogwarts crowd. He took a few deep breaths and then went down to his knees and threw up a second time. Once he was sure he was done, he hid his face in his hands while tears streamed down his cheeks.

Dobby vanished the vomit from the floor and cleaned up his young master. He placed his hand on Harry's shoulder and squeezed it gently, and they just sat there in silence together for several moments.

"Master, do you need to talk?" Dobby asked, while Harry tried to pull himself together.

"You were family to him," he said in a muffled tone. "He saw you as a brother."

"I know," Dobby replied softly, himself struggling with the pain of loss.

"Thank you," Harry whispered. "Thank you for being there for him. For taking care of him."

"Before he was my master, he was my friend," Dobby answered. "What… What happened to him?"

Harry hesitated for a moment, uncertain of how best to explain.

"He…he was… At first, I hated him for what he did to me. You know, trapping me in my own body and taking my place. I hated him, but then he told Greengrass the story of his life, and... I don't know. When we died..."

Harry's breath hitched, and he started shivering slightly.

"When we died, he..."

He let out a choked sob and just shook his head, unable to continue.

Dobby stiffened. "Master, Mistress is summoning me."

Harry didn't react.

"Master..."

"Do as you wish, Dobby," Harry replied, wiping his tears and once again regaining control of himself.

Dobby considered Harry's words for a moment and then popped away. He knew his old master better than he knew himself, but the child before him was much younger and in need of a different kind of support. In their former life, his mistress had always been his master's best source of comfort. Perhaps she could become so again.

Harry stumbled out of the room and into the main chamber. He saw Vael coiled there, motionless, and he sighed as he thought of its creator.

"I'm sorry," Harry mumbled to himself, wiping a tear. "You deserved better than oblivion. It's not fair."

"And I'm sorry for what I said. I understand now."

He didn't speak for several moments.

"What happened?" Daphne called from behind him, her voice fraught with emotion. Harry didn't react at first, he just kept standing there and looking up at the giant snake.

"What happened to him?"

"I told you what happened," Harry replied.

"You told me he died, but now you say he deserved more than oblivion," Daphne countered, tears leaking from her eyes. "Tell me the truth, Potter."

"He's gone," Harry answered. "That's all that matters."

"I need to know," Daphne replied more forcefully.

Harry closed his eyes. "Yeah, I know," he replied, exhaling slowly. "I know you loved him."

Daphne was taken aback by the way said it, sensing a degree of bitterness and envy behind his words.

"Yes, I loved him," Daphne admitted unashamedly, making sure to look Harry directly in the eyes. "But you're still here. You're him."

"That's not..."

"I love Harry Potter," Daphne replied fiercely. "Yes, I fell in love with the Harry Potter who stood by my side this year, the one who helped me and encouraged me all this time, but I know that you're still him."

"I'm not him. I'm not as powerful as he was..."

"I don't care about that!" Daphne replied angrily. "I don't care if you're not as powerful as he was, I don't care if you're not as charismatic. You are him! You can become everything he was and more! All I care about is if you still want me to be your partner, if you can still be as supportive..."

She choked out a sob, unable to finish her thought as her heartache truly set in. Harry stood and observed the crying girl, but not without compassion. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and carefully considered her words.

Harry didn't think he could be any more different from his older counterpart, but was that really true? The other Harry had been tempered by years of war and loss, but surely it hadn't always been that way. Harry recalled seeing the memories of his early relationship with Daphne, and at that time, the other Harry wasn't all that different from himself. Was it truly possible that he could have the same things?

Upon further consideration, he had to admit that Daphne had a point. They were both still Harry Potter, weren't they? What was stopping him from having all that he had and more? He could no longer deny that he had the potential to be great - he had seen the proof!

"I want that..." he slowly admitted, and Daphne looked up in surprise. "I want... No, I need to become all that he was, apart from being a bitter and lonely old man."

"Why?" Daphne asked curiously, wiping her tears as a glimmer of hope set in.

"I want everything he had," Harry responded cryptically.

"I don't understand," Daphne replied, frowning slightly.

"I'm not sure I can properly explain it," Harry replied sadly. "I just... I want to be better than him. I need to, for both of our sakes. It's almost like if I can be just as great as he was without becoming a Dark Lord, it would redeem him somehow. I think he would like that."

Daphne said nothing for several moments while she absorbed what Harry had just told her.

"I can help you," she said hopefully.

"I was hoping you would," he replied, a slight grin forming. "I will need your help, that's for sure."

"But what about us?" Daphne asked, almost dreading the answer.

Harry blushed slightly, knowing what he wanted to say but uncertain of how to say it. The words seemed to be stuck, and he had to clear his throat three times before he was finally able to speak up.

"I want a chance," was all Harry managed to get out, but that was apparently enough for Daphne. Her eyes widened slightly, and then in a flash she was leaping into his arms and kissing him with everything she had. In the shadows off to the side, Dobby chuckled at the sight.

"There is something I want you to see," Harry said, after finally breaking the kiss.

"What is it?" Daphne asked, leaving Harry's embrace and smiling at how he awkwardly tried to wrap his arm around her waist. She leaned into him encouragingly, fully understanding that it would take a little while for him to be as comfortable with her as she was with him.

"Dobby!" Harry called, and Dobby stepped out from the shadows. "I want the two of you to know what really happened when we died."

"Are you sure, Master?" Dobby asked, and Harry nodded as Daphne guided him to the Pensieve.

"Do you know how to extract the memory, or do you need help?"

"I think I can do it myself," Harry replied. He brought his wand to his temple and removed a long, silvery thread and dropped it into the basin. Harry looked down at the swirling substance for a moment, his demeanour growing even more serious.

"I just want you to know one thing, before we start," he said. "Despite what you'll hear me say at the beginning, I came to greatly respect the other me."

With that, the three went into the Pensieve together.

Harry, Daphne, and Dobby found themselves in a white void. Unlike the King's Cross Station they remembered from older Harry's memories, there were no buildings or structures of any kind. There was nothing but vast empty space except for the two figures laying prone, one a teenage boy and the other an older man wearing battle robes. They both started stirring at the same time, but the boy was the first to climb to his feet.

"Ugh…what happened," he groaned, and then he caught sight of the older man.

"You!"

"What the hell?" the older Harry grumbled, every muscle and joint in his body complaining as he rose to his feet.

"Wait… You're younger me?"

"Yeah, the one you trapped inside his own body, you bastard," younger Harry snapped. "What the hell happened? Last thing I remember, you went off to fight the Thoth in the real world, and then..."

Older Harry looked around and recognised the unnatural feel of the place.

"And then I was hit by a spell while fighting Rhassel'Thoth..." older Harry recalled, sighing deeply. "I guess I died."

"You mean WE died," younger Harry seethed. "If we're dead, then where are we? And where are all the people?"

"It reminds me of the place I was sent after being killed by Voldemort," older Harry observed. "Except it's just a big white void instead of a copy of King's Cross."

Older Harry sat back down for a moment and observed the angry, scared young boy glaring back at him.

"Out with it, boy," older Harry demanded, getting up from the floor once again and standing directly in front of his younger self, who tried his best not to flinch.

"Say whatever it is you want to say. You clearly have something on your mind."

"I… I… Why? Why the hell did you do it? Why did you trap me in my own body? Why did you do all those things? Why did you have to kill so many people?"

Younger Harry gritted his teeth and tried to hold back his tears.

"You were no better than Voldemort; a murderer and a madman!"

"That's a bit harsh," older Harry replied, but otherwise just shrugged it off. He reached out and placed his hand on his younger counterpart's shoulder, not fazed by the boy's anger and vitriol in the slightest. Younger Harry stiffened at the contact, but he didn't brush the hand away.

"You're a bastard, you know that?"

Older Harry chuckled, which only succeeded in enraging young Harry further.

"There's a lot I could say, Harry, but I won't lie to you," older Harry replied, sighing deeply. "If you were aware when I told Daphne my tale, then you already know why I came back. Yes, I killed hundreds of people in my original life, and I'm not sorry I did. If given the chance, I would do it all over again, for the simple reason that it was the right thing to do."

"The right thing?" asked a baffled younger Harry. "How can murder be the right thing?"

"The Paladins had a lot of blood on their hands," older Harry scowled. "Their sympathisers hunted so-called dark creatures, either for sport or to collect the bounties offered by the research camps. Some were more guilty than others, but I killed as many as I could. That's what they deserved for their crimes against me and my people."

"Ron and Neville hadn't done anything yet," younger Harry argued, which only served to infuriate his older self.

"So what?" he hissed. "Do you honestly believe they deserved a second chance? Are you that much of a fool? They took everything from me, and for no reason except their own selfishness. It was a shame that Weasley and Longbottom died so quickly this time, but some things more important than vengeance. My only regret is that I didn't get around to killing Granger again."

"You..." young Harry started, but he was swiftly cut off.

"Are you really going to sit there and tell me you would forgive the people responsible for killing your entire family? The people you loved more than life itself? Because that's what they took from me. They took my wife, my unborn child, and my daughter! They took my FAMILY from me!"

Older Harry was breathing heavily after his rant, but he adjusted his expression to try to convey to his younger self that his fury wasn't directed at him.

"I had lordships, I had money, and I had respect, but none of it meant anything. Daphne was everything to me. She was my partner, my best friend, and the one person I trusted in the entire world. She always gave her best and expected nothing less from anyone else. She took me from the mess that I was and made me a better person, and I always loved her for that."

He took on a pained expression and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"It didn't matter how bad my day was, the moment I saw her I instantly felt better," he admitted. "It was one thing to lose my parents when I was a baby. I never really remembered them, but Daphne... Daphne died in my arms. I can't even begin to describe how helpless I felt, holding her as she lay dying and knowing there was nothing I could do. You should be thankful that you will never know that feeling."

Older Harry looked away in an attempt to get his emotions under control. Young Harry had been listening in contemplative silence, his outrage waning as he slowly began to empathise with his older self. Experiencing the kind of loss the man was describing would leave a permanent mark on anyone.

"All I wanted was to be with her again," he continued, turning back to young Harry. "I wanted the life that was stolen from us; to have her back, whatever it took. Was that so wrong?"

"At least I was able to hold her in my arms again after decades of loneliness, even if it was only for a few months."

Younger Harry tried to maintain his glare at his older self, but he was obviously experiencing conflicting emotions. They stood there looking at each other in silence for a while, but they were soon interrupted by two newcomers.

"Stay away from my son, you dark bastard!" a voice shouted from their left. They both looked in that direction and were surprised to see James and Lily Potter, the former nearly on top of them, with his fist cocked back to deliver a punch. Even though he was caught by surprise, older Harry managed to dodge the punch, only to be tackled to the ground by an enraged James Potter.

"D-Dad?" young Harry asked in shock, just as he was being embraced by an angry redhead.

"Mum?"

"Everything will be fine, darling."

Lily tried to focus on her son, but it was difficult when she was busy scowling at his father. With a grunt, older Harry pushed James off of him with his legs before rolling backwards and leaping to his feet. He instinctively drew his wand, his eyes bulging slightly once he realised he was holding the Elder Wand.

"James, that is enough!" Lily demanded. Older Harry glanced over at Lily, seemingly surprised that her anger wasn't directed at him.

"But Lily, he's dark!" James insisted. "He possessed our son, he killed all those people and children, he..."

"He IS your son!" Lily roared, sounding very much like the lioness everyone had always claimed her to be.

"Come on, Lily, not that again," James shot back, a deep scowl on his face. "He is not Harry. He can't be our Harry, he's a murderer! He claims to be a Dark Lord, plus he's a Slytherin! There's no way my son would ever be a snake!"

Younger Harry's shoulders sagged at his father's condemnation, and Lily stared at her husband in astonishment. James had always been outspoken against all things dark, but this was beyond the pale.

"Enough," older Harry grunted, casting two spells in close succession and leaving James silenced and bound in heavy ropes. He briefly shot an inquisitive look at Lily, but his attention was quickly drawn to the boy in her arms.

"Harry?" older Harry asked, taking note of the boy's slumped posture and the fact that he was staring at the ground. "Harry, talk to me. Are you alright?"

"Harry, darling, what's wrong?" Lily asked, letting him go for a moment so she could look at him properly.

"M-Mum?" younger Harry asked, the dejection in his voice almost breaking the woman's heart. "Do you also believe your son could never be a Slytherin?"

"Oh, honey..." Lily whispered, her heart aching for her son. She lifted his chin to make sure their green eyes were locked on one another. "I don't care what house my child is in, as long as he's happy."

With a relieved sob, young Harry threw himself into his mother's arms. Lily closed her eyes and hugged him to her tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Older Harry lowered his wand and looked on in envy at the tearful reunion between mother and son. He thought back to all the times he wished he could be with his parents, to finally feel the love of a family. That was something he never experienced until Daphne came into his life, and that had been stolen from him.

He felt a sudden pang as a terrible realisation occurred to him. He was dead. Daphne was not. Daphy hadn't even been born yet. That meant that nobody was waiting for him in the afterlife. There were his parents, of course, but his thoughts honestly hadn't lingered on them very often over the years. His trauma had always been centred around his wife and daughter.

And he had failed them, again.

He might have succeeded in killing Oberon and destroying Rhassel'Thoth, but so what? His only real goal in coming back to the past was to have a new life with the woman he loved. Instead, he had gotten himself killed and left Daphne alone. On top of that, his soul had failed to merge with his younger self, and now they were both dead. The only bright spot was the way Lily had immediately accepted her son once they were reunited.

Good for the kid.

Older Harry sighed and turned his attentions back to the fallen James Potter, not even bothering to hide the scowl that formed on his face. He knew his father hadn't been the brightest of his group, but he never thought the man would be such an imbecile. He did his best to ignore Lily and Harry's emotional conversation and knelt near James, where the two exchanged hateful glares at one another.

"You know, 'Dad', I really don't give a shit if you accept me as your son or not," older Harry said in a low tone, intending for only James to hear him. "I am dark, I am a murderer. I was a Dark Lord and a snake, and I'm proud of it. My only regrets in life were failing to save the lives of my wife and daughter."

James looked furious, but being bound and silenced, there wasn't much he could do about it.

"I just realised I will never see them again," older Harry continued. "I will never hold either of them in my arms again, I will never kiss my wife's lips. I'll never even hear their voices again. I will never..."

His words died in his throat as his emotions got the better of him. He closed his eyes tightly and took a few deep breaths.

"I see now that I never fully considered the consequences of my time travel," he muttered, more to himself than to his fallen father. "Maybe I was too sure of my own power. It wouldn't be the first time I was the victim of my own hubris...but you don't really care about my problems, do you?"

With a scowl, older Harry scowled and placed the tip of his wand on suddenly anxious James Potter's forehead.

"Did you even care that your son, your fourteen-year-old son died?" he scoffed. "Or should I feel honoured for taking up all your attention? I remember being that age...being him. I remember being the boy who wanted a loving family more than anything in the world. If I were in his place, I'd be very disappointed that my father paid more attention to a dark bastard than the son he was seeing for the first time in over thirteen years."

Older Harry chuckled darkly at the man's disconcerted reaction, but his laughter did little to mask his own disappointment.

"Veritas Imperio."

James eyes glazed over for a moment before sliding back to normal.

"Now, go be a proper father to your son," older Harry ordered, then released the man.

He never realised that in the silence of the white void, young Harry and Lily could easily hear every word he said to James. He stood up and began to walk away, not bothering to look back at the family but still half-listening to James making excuses to his son. He shook his head and continued walking. There was nothing for him there.

"Wait!" younger Harry yelled, once he realised his older self was leaving. "Where are you going?"

"Why do you care, brat?" he replied softly. "Enjoy your family."

"Harry James Potter, you come back here this instant!" Lily shouted forcefully, making both Harrys flinch.

"Your son is there with you," older Harry replied, feeling a sudden pang of longing as he turned away again.

"You are my son as much as that Harry," Lily declared, swiftly closing the distance between them and grabbing hold of his ear.

Young Harry's jaw dropped at the sight of his mother dragging his taller and older self by the ear. A smile took over his face, which quickly gave way to laughter. James seemed to find it amusing but didn't outwardly react, likely a side-effect of still being under the Veritas Imperio.

"Ow! That bloody hurts," older Harry complained, which only made her pull harder.

"Language," Lilly admonished. "You are going to stay with us, and you are going to tell me everything about your life. I am very sorry you had such a difficult time, but I want to know everything about this lovely Daphne of yours, and your daughter. I am very, very impressed by everything you achieved, and the fact that you became a Dark Lord doesn't make me any less proud. I am very, very proud of you."

Older Harry had no idea what to say. His mind had gone completely blank, as he had been left reeling by Lily's...by his mother's words.

"Don't worry about your father, he's just being an idiot. He and I are going to have a conversation, and he will behave. You can release him from your spell."

"Way to go, Mum," younger Harry snickered. "Even a Dark Lord is powerless against his own mother."

Lily flashed her younger son a smile, then released the other's ear and looked at the two of them contemplatively.

"I can't just call you Harry One and Harry Two," Lily muttered, tapping her chin with her finger. "Okay, from now on, you are Harrison," she said, first pointing to the older Harry before turning to the younger boy. "And you are Harry."

The newly re-named Harrison rubbed his ear gingerly, mumbling something about crazy redheads and earning an amused glare from his mother.

"If you think I'm bad, you should have met my mother," Lily replied. "In fact, you might, when we leave here. Oh, there's so much I want to know..."

She turned to address both of her sons.

"First of all, I ought to spank you both for your early years at Hogwarts. Jumping onto the back of a troll? Facing a thousand-year-old basilisk alone? Let's not forget last year with the dementors! I am so proud of you both for learning to cast such a difficult charm at thirteen, but really? What were those imbeciles at the Ministry and the school thinking?"

"Lily, dear, I'm sure Albus..." James attempted, but his wife just snorted contemptuously.

"Oh, I can't wait for that decrepit moron to get here. I have a thing or two to say to him, McGonagall, and Severus."

"That decrepit moron?" Harrison quoted wryly, and Lily just folded her arms and looked back at him questioningly.

"What else could he be, after putting so much faith in Divination? Old age clearly got to him."

"Lily, Albus is a great man," James said, coming to the headmaster's defence.

"Shut up, James," Harrison hissed, and he wisely complied.

"Harrison, he is your father..." Lily scolded.

"Not according to his own words. Apparently, no son of his would ever be sorted into Slytherin," Harrison replied coldly, taking note of Harry's dejected look and the flash of anger in Lily's eyes.

He placed his hand on Harry's shoulder in support. His younger self looked up at him questioningly, and Harrison gave him a nod of encouragement.

"It hurts..." Harry started, understanding his older counterpart's intentions. "It hurts to know he thinks like that. Slytherin was the hat's first choice for me too."

"Really?" Lily asked in surprise. "Mine too. The only reason it didn't put me there was because I'm a muggleborn, and we were living dangerous times."

The other three seemed shocked by the revelation, one of them in particular looking slightly betrayed.

"It all made sense when I discovered my ancestry, of course, but I never regretted going to Gryffindor. I made some really good friends there."

"I didn't," Harrison responded bitterly, before turning back to his younger self. "It doesn't matter what he thinks, Harry. Personally, I hate Gryffindor because most of them sided with the so-called Light side during the Mudblood War, but those are my own reasons."

"You went back to the house, didn't you?" Harry asked. "After your first task."

"Yes, I did," Harrison sighed. "I shouldn't have, but I was young and I was lonely. They apologised after the task, and even though I didn't trust them..."

He shrugged and threw his hands up.

"I don't know. I probably wouldn't have gone back if I had someone else to talk to, but I was hurt and afraid of being alone."

"I get the feeling..." Harry replied sombrely.

"Loneliness breaks the spirit," Harrison stated. "Believe me, I know."

"But you didn't break, even after everything that happened to you," Harry told him. "You even still had a family."

"Perhaps," Harrison replied, nodding slightly.

"As lonely as I was, I still had Astoria. She was the sister I always wanted, but never had. I had a godson, whom I loved like a son - even more so after he ruined his grandparents. I had nephews and nieces from the Notts and the Zabinis, but nothing could replace what I'd lost. I simply couldn't find it in myself to move on, as so many demanded of me. Astoria was the only one who understood."

"But you endured," Lily replied soothingly, placing her hand on Harrison's chest. "That says enough about your character."

"I endured because Daphne and Daphy would be disappointed in me if I hadn't," Harrison replied. "I tried to remain strong for them, but you have no idea how many times I wanted to just give up."

"You foolish man..." a voice whispered from behind them, and the four Potters realised they were no longer alone.

"Daddy..."

Harrison's head snapped towards the voices, his eyes widening in recognition. Standing together were a beautiful, blue-eyed blonde woman and small, dark-haired girl with green eyes and a face just like her mother's.

"D-D-Daph? Daphy?" Harrison asked in disbelief.

Both girls' faces took on a look of surprise, and they briefly exchanged a look with one another.

"You can see us?" Daphne asked, hope flaring in her chest.

"DADDY!" Daphy cried in glee, running to her father as tears streamed down her cheeks. She jumped into his arms and Harrison pulled her tightly to him, hardly able to believe what was happening. Daphy buried her head in her father's chest, happiness pouring out of her.

"Daphy..." Harrison whispered, and he felt his daughter hugging him tighter.

"Daph..."

Daphne joined them and caressed his cheek, her blue eyes filled with tears.

"You foolish, foolish man," she whispered. "My love..."

Daphne pulled him into a deep kiss, and Daphy didn't even complain about being sandwiched between her parents. Daphne linked her hands behind her husband's neck, while the arm that wasn't holding Daphy wrapped around her waist.

Meanwhile, the other three Potters could do nothing but look on in bewilderment, but that certainly didn't stop Lily from shedding a tear of happiness for her eldest son. She couldn't keep the smile off of her face as she witnessed the happy reunion between her son, her daughter-in-law, and most importantly, her granddaughter. Questions could wait.

Harry had been closely observing his older self's interaction with his wife and daughter, and something changed inside of him. The way he held them both, the happiness the three shared, the love... This was nothing like what he felt with his parents. It was so much more.

"I would do everything to have them back! Whatever it takes!" his older counterpart had said. Harry thought he finally understood, and he found himself agreeing.

"How?" Harrison asked, leaning his head against his wife's. "How is this possible? How can you be here?"

"We have always been here, Harry," Daphne replied softly. "I never moved on after my death. I stayed with you, even if you never felt me or saw me."

"And I stayed with Mummy to look after you, Daddy," Daphy added. "We would never leave you alone."

Harrison's eyes widened in shock. Daphne pulled back so she could look him in the eyes, but the tender expression never left her face.

"I was there every day, Harry. I was there when you killed Weaselette, and when you went to Azkaban. I cried as I watched you slowly go insane, and cheered when Dobby helped you escape. I was there when Millie told you about Daphy, and believe me, I was just as astounded as you were! Watching you be a father to our daughter made me so happy, even though I couldn't be there. I was so proud of both of you."

Daphne wiped her eyes and gave him a watery smile.

"I was there with you whenever you went into battle. When Daphy… When Daphy died, I was there waiting for her, and we held each other and cried as you mourned her. It broke my heart to see you like that."

A pained expression came over Harrison's face, and all three members of the little family were now in tears.

"We were together from that moment on, even when you killed Titania. When that book tried to possess you, we did everything we could to try and help you fight it off."

"I remember," Harrison replied. "I think I actually saw you."

"Behind a glass wall?" Daphy asked as Daphne nodded. "We tried really hard, but he was so strong..."

"Then, we watched as you got stronger and led the country through difficult times," Daphne continued. "We were there for every minute, and we were so proud of you."

"You were amazing, Daddy, you're the best ever," his daughter said gleefully, and then frowned slightly. "Except on Christmas. You were always so sad on Christmas."

"She's right," Daphne replied, cupping his cheeks in her hands. "I should slap you for even considering suicide, but I'm glad you didn't do it. Maybe all of our screaming in your ears was good for something, even if you couldn't actually hear us. I just wish you would've used the bloody Stone instead of crying and drinking yourself into oblivion every year."

Her eyes suddenly narrowed.

"That being said, I ought to curse you for risking your soul for your stupid time travelling idea. But not as much as I'm going to curse you for cheating on me with my younger self!"

Harrison gulped. He had never thought about it that way, and now he was in for it.

"You're in trouble, Daddy," Daphy added with a giggle, and then she untangled herself from her father and stood off to the side.

"I'm a jealous witch, Potter, and I don't like to share, not even with myself," Daphne fumed. She sighed and shook her head, then grabbed him by the front of his robes.

"I will curse you later," she said, before pulling him to her and kissing him soundly, this time while pressing her entire body up against his. Daphy giggled at her parents' antics, and then looked around and finally noticed the other three people present.

"Hi," she said shyly to the people she knew to be her father's younger self, her grandmother Lily, and her grandfather James, having recognised the latter two from her father's photo album. Lily actually squealed and ran to hug her granddaughter, who squeaked in surprise but happily returned her hug.

"You are so precious," Lily gushed. "So pretty, and so cute! Oh, I am so happy to meet you..."

James seemed unsure of himself, but Harry smiled broadly at the little girl.

"Should we...?" Harrison asked his wife, momentarily distracted by Lily fussing over Daphy.

"No," Daphne responded, before going back to kissing him.

While the Potters were having their reunions, a lone figure had been silently observing them the entire time. He was a thin man wearing a charcoal grey pinstriped suit, with a black travelling cloak overtop and an ebony cane in his hands. His coal black eyes betrayed no emotion, and his stiff upper lip would make even McGonagall jealous.

Deciding he had seen enough, the figure willed himself to be visible to the family of six and released his aura to alert them to his presence. Harrison recognised the magic straight away. It was the same power behind the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility.

"Who are you?" Daphy asked curiously.

The man's dark eyes swept over the girl, but he didn't respond. He focused his attention on Daphne and Harrison, not even acknowledging the presence of the other three Potters.

"You're the power behind the Hallows, aren't you?" Harrison asked.

The man nodded slowly.

"What should we call you?"

"I have had many names throughout the millennia," the entity replied, his voice cold and raspy. "In your time, most simply refer to me as Death."

There were gasps all around, but Death merely leaned on his cane and continued to stare at Harrison.

"You are the annoying protozoan that goes by the name Harry Potter."

"Yes," Harrison replied.

"I wasn't asking," Death replied. "Are you going to attempt to invoke your authority as my Master?"

Harrison snorted.

"I never believed the Hallows gave me any sort of power over you. I find it difficult to believe that Death would gift three mortals the means to its own enslavement."

"Then you are a protozoan slightly smarter than most," Death stated condescendingly.

"What would happen if I did attempt to claim the mantle of Master of Death?"

"I would have obliterated your soul," Death replied casually, the coldness of his voice causing the others to recoil slightly. "However, you are correct in one thing. The items you mortals call the Hallows are mere tools - imbued with my own power, but tools nonetheless."

"Why did you make them?" Daphy asked in a burst of childish curiosity, although the others were almost certainly wondering the same thing. Death peered at the girl for a moment, almost as if he was measuring her worthiness.

"As an attempt to bring some order to the chaos you protozoa tend to create around you," he responded simply, saying no more on the subject.

"I'm sorry, but didn't the story say you were bested by the three Peverell brothers?" asked a somewhat confused Lily, unable to help herself.

"Do you really believe three mortals could best me?" Death asked coldly, and Lily shrank back at the rebuke and fell silent.

"The Peverells were nothing more than useful fools, though I did hope they would be more useful than they turned out to be," Death scoffed. "They failed the tasks I gave them, even before they started."

Death turned his gaze on Harrison.

"I am not here to speak about my items, however. I am here to speak about you..."

He pointed a bony finger in Harrison's direction as he spoke, and then directed it towards Daphne and Daphy.

"…and the two of you."

"If that's true, then why are they here?" Harrison asked, gesturing towards Harry, James, and Lilly.

"I was curious, which is something that doesn't happen often," Death replied bluntly. "Two souls of the same human, who at one point existed in separate timelines are brought together. Such an event has never occurred in all my aeons of existence. The other two came to greet you of their own accord."

Death shrugged indifferently, though his expression remained serious.

"Their presence is inconsequential. You three, however, are not supposed to exist."

"What do you mean?" Harrison asked in alarm.

"I think he means the time travel, Daddy," Daphy whispered loudly.

"Your spawn is certainly smarter than you," Death remarked. "You are not supposed to be here. Your soul comes from decades in the future. I can sense the threads of time and magic upon you."

"I..." Harrison started, only to be interrupted by Death.

"I was curious when I sensed that someone had united my items, only to find out that my items were still separated," he continued. "I could feel my mark, my items' mark upon your soul. That is what prompted me to investigate you. Tell me, why did you never use the Hallows in your past life?"

"I kept the Wand as a backup, and the Cloak had sentimental value," Harrison replied, feeling compelled to speak the truth. "I didn't like using the Stone."

"Why not?"

"I was afraid. I couldn't bear to face the people I loved," he admitted, as his wife squeezed his hand in support.

"You could've used it to learn, Daddy," Daphy pointed out, capturing everyone's attention, even Death's. "I... I mean, you could have called for Merlin..."

"Huh..." Daphne muttered, impressed by her daughter's insight. "I never would've thought of that."

Harrison smiled and knelt down before his daughter.

"You're right, I could have. But that would've meant disturbing Merlin's rest, and you know why I didn't like to abuse the power of the Stone."

"You're right, Daddy," Daphy replied after a moment, somewhat abashed. "It's not nice to bother someone like that for selfish reasons."

"Exactly," Harry replied with a smile, which Daphy happily returned.

"A sensible decision," Death stated, as he gazed at the child. "Regardless, you united the three items in your original timeline, yet you barely used them. Had you used them together, I would have been able to come to you and inform you of the lingering connection between you and Rhassel'Thoth, the very same link he exploited when you travelled back in time."

"It was true, then? What he said about having come back with me?" Harrison asked.

Death nodded slowly.

"From what I have gathered from the two of you, he attempted to manipulate you, but he was too weak and did not succeed. I was also able to sense that I, or rather, the version of me from your other timeline, was willing to offer you a quick passing in order for you to be with your family. It was only your wife and daughter's constant interference that discouraged you from taking your own life."

"What?" Daphne exclaimed.

"You wanted my Daddy to kill himself?" Daphy asked, clearly horrified.

"It would have broken the connection with Rhassel'Thoth and freed yours and your mother's souls at the same time," Death replied. "The three of you would have been reunited, and that foul wizard would have no longer been a threat to the living."

"Can you explain why Daphne and Daphy remained with me after they died?" Harrison asked.

Death raised an eyebrow and cocked his head slightly.

"Your wife made a vow upon your marriage that you would be together forever," he replied after a few moments. "There are some magics that even I cannot break."

Harrison looked at Daphne in amazement and she smiled back at him, perhaps a bit smugly.

"Your daughter simply refused to leave either of you," he added.

"Is Rhassel'Thoth dead, now? Completely dead?" Daphne asked, and Death nodded in confirmation.

"Your husband's actions have ensured that Rhassel'Thoth will not be a threat to anyone from now on."

"Why didn't we merge together when he came back in time?" Harry asked, still irritated about the ordeal he had been put through over the past several months.

"Because unlike the elf, who recognised himself and accepted the merging as a way to better serve his master, you subconsciously resented your counterpart for forcing himself upon you," Death replied, and Harry and Harrison exchanged looks. "A partial merge was achieved, but no soul can be entirely forced upon the unwilling. Your soul was repressed simply because his was stronger."

"I... I see," Harry replied, looking slightly downtrodden. Daphne elbowed her husband softly in the ribs and nodded towards Harry.

"Harry..." Harrison started, understanding his wife's intention. "I told you that I didn't regret anything I'd done, and that's true, but I am sorry for forcing my soul on yours and trapping you inside yourself. I honestly had no idea that could happen, and I'd convinced myself that you'd welcome the merging."

Harry said nothing in response. After a moment of awkward silence, Daphy went to him and hugged him tightly.

"Whenever I was sad, Daddy would always hug me and I'd feel happier," she said. "You seemed like you needed a hug."

"I did..." Harry chuckled, stroking the hair on top of her head while she giggled. "You really do look like your mother."

"But I have my Daddy's eyes and hair colour," Daphy replied with a brilliant smile, as her parents looked on happily. Lily sighed wistfully at the scene and exchanged watery smiles with her daughter-in-law.

"What now?" Harrison asked Death a moment later. "Are we all to move on?"

"No," Death replied, looking at Harrison and earning a surprised look from everyone. "Lily and James Potter will return to their afterlives, but the boy Harry Potter will be returned to the world of the living."

"What?" Harry asked in shock. "Why?"

"But...my son died," Lily replied in obvious confusion. "Shouldn't we take him with us? Shouldn't we all go together?"

"Oh..." Daphne and Harrison said, both coming to the same realisation simultaneously.

"What is it?" Lily asked.

"When someone dies, only one soul has to cross over," Daphne replied, remembering what Harry had told her about his experience after Voldemort killed him. "There were two souls residing in his body, and only one of them has to go on."

"The same thing happened with Voldemort's Horcrux," Harrison explained, one arm around Daphne's waist and the other around Daphy's shoulders.

"But...I can't go back!" Harry responded, sounding positively alarmed. "I can't! I'm not strong enough to maintain what you started! I'm nothing like you, and people will notice!"

Harry shook his head vigorously, a sense of panic starting to set in at the prospect of picking up where his older self had left off.

"You need to go back. It has to be you. I... I..."

"I don't want to go back," Harrison replied bluntly, giving his wife and daughter a gentle squeeze. "Not anymore. I'll never leave them again."

"What about Greengrass?" Harry asked, but Harrison wasn't given a chance to reply.

"You seem to be under the impression that any of you have a choice," Death stated, and they all turned towards him again.

"You do not. The boy will return to where he belongs, and the paradox created by the presence of three extra souls will be corrected."

"How?" asked Lily.

"Their souls will be destroyed," Death pronounced, gesturing to Harrison, Daphne, and Daphy.

"Destroyed?" Harry demanded, visibly upset, while the others began to protest and the three in question held each other tightly.

"Will we be together?" Daphy asked quietly, putting an end to all other conversation.

"If you wish," Death replied, and Daphy squeezed her father tightly with one arm and grasped her mother's hand with the other. Harrison and Daphne exchanged resigned looks and knelt down to comfort their daughter.

"At least tell us why," Daphne requested.

"It is as I said, your souls do not belong here," Death replied. "Your presence affects the natural order and creates an imbalance."

"And that means we need to be destroyed?" Harrison asked angrily.

Not one for allowing himself to be challenged by mortals, Death directed his icy stare towards Harrison, silencing the man under the weight of his gaze.

"Yes, Harry Potter. You, your wife, and your daughter must be destroyed for the sake of all existence. Know that I could have taken this action at any time. I permitted this reunion first in recognition of your plight, and as a reward for successfully uniting my items. But now, your time is over, and I will do what I must."

The more Death spoke, the more powerful his voice seemed to become. Harrison could actually feel the icy chill of Death's magic blanketing him, making it difficult to breathe.

"Harry..." Daphne said as she caressed her husband's cheek. "There's nothing we can do, is there?" she asked, neither of them needing Death's confirmation to know the answer.

"At least this time we're together," she added tearfully.

"I just got you back," Harrison lamented, choking up slightly.

"Mummy's right, Daddy," Daphy said sadly, and Harrison wrapped her in his arms.

"It's all my fault..." Harrison muttered, fully aware that he had only himself and his time travelling excursion to blame.

Daphne sighed and placed a kiss on her husband's cheek, and then walked over and knelt down in front of young Harry. She could tell he was having a hard time coming to terms with everything, and she hoped some last-minute advice might help him in the long run.

"If you are going back, there are a couple of things I would like to tell you."

The boy was obviously still in shock, but he nodded in agreement.

"I was raised to always use this," Daphne said, pointed to Harry's head. "But because of my husband's influence, I learned that listening to your heart is a good thing. If you can learn to do that without letting your emotions rule you, you'll be just fine."

Harry didn't look entirely convinced, but he agreed with her anyway.

"Just remember that you also need to think before acting. There are often many ways to solve a problem, and the most obvious solution isn't always the best one."

Harry nodded again, and this time Daphne smiled at him.

"You are powerful in your own right, Harry, and you were even before my husband took your place. All you need to do is apply yourself, and you'll quickly grow into your potential. Trust me on this, because I know what I'm talking about. That's how we did it in our fifth year," she added, gesturing to herself and Harrison.

"Finally, I'm not sure how my husband's presence may have influenced the other Daphne, but if she's anything like me, then she will probably want to remain at your side, as long as you continue to be supportive of her and treat her as a partner. She'll also be happy to help you with whatever situations you find yourself in regarding politics and society. Keep her close, should you want to."

Daphne smiled at the small blush that crept onto Harry's face.

"That's how my husband won my heart, and I have never regretted it. Although, the occasional back rub certainly didn't hurt," Daphne chuckled. "Remember, Harry, fortune favours the bold...and those cunning enough to make their own fortune."

"Was... Was it worth it?" Harry mumbled, and Daphne smiled at him and touched his cheek. "The time you spent with him? Were you as happy as he was?"

"Every moment," Daphne replied earnestly.

Harry nodded as a tear leaked from the corner of his eye. Daphne wiped it with her thumb, and then leaned in and gave him a soft kiss on his lips.

"Oi!" Harrison yelled.

"You have been kissing another me for months, so you don't get to complain," Daphne replied without even turning back, also choosing to ignore Lily and James's spluttering reactions.

"Er..." was all Harry could say, his brain having temporarily short-circuited from the kiss.

Daphne stood up and walked back to her husband and daughter. Daphy was giggling, but Harrison was glaring at his younger self.

"Mummy, I think you broke younger Daddy," Daphy laughed, earning a smile from her mother.

"Of course, I did," she replied smugly. "And I got a bit of revenge on your father as well."

"I'm sorry for kissing another you," Harrison apologised, as his wife flashed him amused smile. "Please don't do that again."

"Jealous? Of yourself?"

"Yes," Harrison replied honestly, making Daphy start giggling again.

"Good," Daphne replied, pulling his head down to hers and kissing him deeply.

"Humans... Annoying protozoa," Death muttered in exasperation, rolling his eyes. He snapped his fingers, and the family of three exploded in a puff of ethereal smoke.

"NO!" Harry shouted, shocked out of his stupor by the sudden action. He fell to his knees in disbelief, tears streaming down his cheeks. Lily immediately ran to comfort him while James looked on in shock.

"Now it's your turn, boy," Death stated as he turned to Harry. "Time to go back."

"Wait!" Lily begged. "At least give us a moment."

"Your son will have the Resurrection Stone available to him," Death replied shortly, his patience having apparently reached its limit. "You can have as many moments as you wish."

He snapped his fingers one more time, and the memory ended.

Instead of reappearing back in the Chamber of Secrets, the trio found themselves surrounded by blackness. Harry looked around in confusion. They could still see each other plainly, there was just nothing else there. Even if he had made a mistake withdrawing his memory, if anything they should be watching their conversation in the graveyard after he woke up. Instead, the stark white void of the memory had been replaced by an empty black one.

Looking to his companions, he saw that Dobby had his head bowed in sorrow for his master and his family, while Daphne was quietly crying. He glanced down to their linked hands and gave hers a comforting squeeze.

"Daphne, are you going to be alright?" he asked softly. She nodded her head, but her choked sob betrayed her true feelings.

"I'm fine," she replied quietly, but Harry obviously didn't believe her. He pulled her to him with his free hand, and Daphne allowed herself to relax into him. Neither of them spoke for several moments.

"I want everything he had," Harry said as he ran his hand up and down her back, older Daphne's advice about back rubs coming to mind.

"He did a lot of things I didn't agree with, but I can't help but respect him. I want to be like that, only better. I want to be even greater than he was."

Daphne took a step back and looked up at him with a radiant smile.

"I think you can be."

"As long as you're there with me?" he asked, somewhat nervously. Daphne suppressed a grin and gave him a playful smirk instead.

"Bold words, Potter."

"It's been said that fortune favours the bold, and those cunning enough to make their own fortune," Harry replied in a fair attempt at a sagely tone, which came off sounding oddly like their headmaster.

Daphne raised a curious eyebrow.

"Hey, I listened to what the other you told me. I'm not a complete dunderhead," Harry replied cheekily.

Daphne laughed, and then hugged him tightly.

"So, what is it that you want? I mean what you really want," she asked.

"In a way, I want the life he always wished for," Harry replied softly, taking a moment to appreciate the smell of Daphne's perfume. "I want a wife who loves me as much as I love her. Someone who can be my best friend and my partner. Someone I can trust. And I want children, so I can finally have a family to call my own. I want to be powerful enough to protect them, but I also want to be my own man. If I'm going to be famous, I want it to be for my actual deeds and not because of the Boy-Who-Lived rubbish."

"What about for the magical world?" Daphne asked, and Harry thought about it for a few moments.

"I don't have any specific ideas, but...perhaps we could do something to improve our world. That is, if you want to..."

Daphne chuckled, loving the confident way Harry expressed himself almost as much as the actual words.

"I think we might be able to work something out together," she replied with a teary smile. They gazed at each other happily for a few moments before Daphne became impatient.

"Just kiss me, you foolish boy," she huffed.

Harry hesitated for half a second, then with a grin he leaned in and enthusiastically complied with her request. Daphne smiled and tilted her head up, eagerly returning his kiss.

"I never really understood why humans feel the need to exchange fluids in order to show their appreciation for one another," a familiar voice spoke, startling the two humans and Dobby.

Harry and Daphne turned to the voice and saw none other than Death himself, appearing just as he had in Harry's memory. All three of them felt a cold shiver run up their spine as Death's icy gaze swept over them. Dobby stepped forward and placed himself protectively in front of Harry and Daphne.

"Stand aside elf, I am not here for you," Death stated, but Dobby continued to stand his ground.

"Then why are you here?" asked Harry, summoning his courage. "I didn't think you could interfere in the mortal world."

"We are not in the mortal world, Harry Potter," Death replied, indicating the black void surrounding them with a sweeping gesture. "You are standing in a pocket dimension, which I have connected to the memory of your experience in the realm of the dead."

Death locked his eyes on Harry's.

"My realm."

"But...but why?" Harry asked. "I thought all was well. The other me, Daphne, and Daphy are all gone. You destroyed their souls..."

"I lied," Death replied bluntly.

"What, then?" asked Daphne as she anxiously squeezed Harry's hand. "Why are you here?"

"For a Slytherin," Death drawled, "you certainly don't seem to understand manipulation, girl."

Harry and Daphne both raised their eyebrows and looked at one another.

"I have no real need for the elf, but I don't object to his presence," Death said as he raised his hand.

Harry jumped in front of Daphne, but the expected attack never came. Instead, Death snapped his fingers and three more figures appeared out of nowhere. The souls of older Harry, Daphne, and Daphy appeared as if no time had passed since they were vanished, with the two parents still kissing while holding their daughter between them.

"Master? Mistress? Little Mistress?"

The three time travellers looked up in surprise, with the youngest's expression swiftly changing to a look of excitement.

"Dobby!" Daphy squealed, jumping down from her father's arms and running to hug her favourite elf.

"Thank you for taking care of my Daddy and always being there for him! You are the best elf ever!"

Dobby was so overwhelmed that he didn't know what to say, so he just hugged the little girl back and appreciated the moment. Older Daphne smiled at the interaction before turning to look at the young couple. She noticed how her younger self was grasping Harry's arm possessively, and she realised she was holding her husband's arm in the exact same way. Even ignoring the fact that they weren't even supposed to exist anymore, it was quite a surreal experience to see their younger selves standing together, almost as a mirror image of themselves.

"Harry? Daphne?" older Harry said, looking at the teens in confusion. "Death? What's going on? I thought you needed to destroy our souls - not that I'm complaining, mind you."

"I lied."

Death ignored their reactions and leaned heavily on his cane.

"It was never necessary to destroy your souls. I never even had the power to destroy or create souls in the first place," he confessed.

"While you did break the laws of nature, you also assisted me by eliminating both Rhassel'Thoth and the self-styled Lord Voldemort, both in this timeline and in your original one. While I considered neither a high priority, I do find myself pleased that they were shown the folly of their choices and sent my way. I will make certain they learn that no one escapes me."

The others exchanged wary looks with one another. The look on Death's face while alluding to their enemies' punishment was positively vicious, and it was also the first time he had shown any type of emotion beyond boredom.

"Furthermore, you also united the Hallows without abusing their power or letting it go to your head. The fact that you largely refrained from using them at all is irrelevant. You also did this twice."

"Wait, I didn't have the Elder Wand in this timeline," older Harry disputed.

"You did defeat Dumbledore in his office a few months ago in a battle of Legilimency," older Daphne pointed out.

"Your wife is correct," Death replied, inclining his head towards the woman. "You earned the allegiance of the wand that day. How else could you have managed to summon it against your father?"

"Huh..." older Harry replied with a thoughtful expression.

"What does it mean for Harrison?" asked younger Harry, and the others all turned to him. "What? Mum's the one who gave you the name..."

Harrison shrugged.

"It means, young Harry Potter, that I feel your older counterpart is owed a reward. As such, I have two options to present. The first is that I simply guide all three of their souls to the afterlife, where they will remain for all eternity."

"This option will not affect either of you in the slightest," Death explained to Harry and Daphne. "You will live your lives, grow old, and die, just like you always would have. However, there is another option, one that is entirely dependent on you two young ones."

The two in question looked at each other nervously.

"That is one of the reasons why I lied earlier," he continued. "I needed to have the two of you here at the same time, and I predicted that Harry Potter would show Daphne Greengrass his memories of the event."

"What is it?" younger Daphne asked hesitantly.

"Should you agree, I can merge the older souls with their younger counterparts," Death pronounced, prompting gasps of astonishment from the rest.

"This would be similar to what you intended with your ritual, with one key difference," he continued, focusing on Harrison. "Since I would perform the merging myself, the balance between the young and old souls will be properly maintained, and the souls will truly become one."

Daphy's mouth was hanging open at the revelation, but she shut it quickly after a sharp look from her mother.

"When you say merge the souls, what does that actually entail? What would happen to our personalities?" older Daphne asked.

"The younger souls would remain the dominant personality, but you would retain the memories, experiences, and even the magic of your older selves. Naturally, some aspects of your personalities would end up being incorporated into the newly merged souls, but that is unavoidable. It is also largely irrelevant, because your souls would be combined into a new, single entity, so you would not even notice the difference."

"You would actually do that for them?" younger Daphne asked curiously. Death turned to her and nodded solemnly.

"It is as I said, Harry Potter's actions are deserving of being rewarded. I admit that I also see value in having a reliable contact in the mortal world."

"What about our daughter?" both parents asked the same time. They looked at each other and then down at Daphy, who was staring at the ground. They placed their hands on each of her shoulders as they awaited Death's reply.

"You should accept it, Daddy," Daphy replied with a sniff. She looked up at her parents with an honest smile. "You would get to live again and be happy."

"It doesn't matter, sweetheart," older Daphne whispered as she stroked her daughter's cheek.

"Your mother is right," older Harry agreed. "We are a family, and families should stay together. I am not losing you two again."

"Your child is a most peculiar case," Death acknowledged, as he looked to the little girl in question. "She has never existed in this timeline, therefore her presence does not create a paradox."

Death closed his eyes and appeared contemplative for a few moments, before opening them again and addressing Daphy.

"What do you want, child?"

"Me?" Daphy asked hesitantly, and Death nodded in confirmation. Gathering her courage, Daphy stepped up and gave her reply.

"I want my Mummy and Daddy to live, and be happy and in love," she said as tears fell from her eyes. "I just want us to be a happy family."

Both parents wrapped their arms tightly around their daughter, but the child's words had obviously touched the hearts of the other three mortals as well. They may not have the same connection to Daphy as their older counterparts, but young Harry and Daphne both felt like they would do almost anything for the adorable little girl who looked so much like her mother.

"I am able to offer a solution," Death responded. "I am willing to keep the child's soul for a time, and place it inside the first female child born to Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass, before a soul forms in the womb."

Both Harry and Daphne's eyes grew wide as they finally started to understand the consequences of this decision. If they were to accept the merging, they would essentially be agreeing to stay together forever and have at least one child together.

At first, young Daphne was overcome by anxiety at the notion, but after a long look at her older self with her daughter, she knew she wouldn't regret it. Harry glanced at his older self, but Harrison kept his expression passive as to not influence Harry's decision. He had to fight back a blush as he briefly looked into older Daphne's eyes, but the sight of little Daphy standing between her parents as the picture of childhood innocence was enough to make up his mind.

The two teens looked at each other in silent conversation, and with a gentle squeeze of their clasped hands they came to an agreement. They just had a few more questions that needed answering first.

"So, you would merge our souls, but I would remain in control?" Harry asked, and Death nodded.

"You would still be you, but with additional memories, powers, knowledge, and a few minor personality influences."

Harry's eyes flitted towards Harrison, and their green eyes locked onto one another for a moment.

"And you would do all this as a reward?" he asked again, simply looking for confirmation.

"Partially," Death replied cryptically. "As I mentioned, it would be useful to have someone powerful guarding my items and putting them to use, should I require, shall we say, a favour."

"Ah," younger Daphne replied, as the older couple's expressions also became suspicious. "What kind of favours? Showing the occasional wizard the error of his ways?"

"Perhaps," Death responded, and they all knew they were unlikely to get a better reply. "Remember, part of my duty is to maintain balance in the universe. It would be beneficial for me to have someone in the mortal world willing to assist me when necessary."

"Are you willing?" Daphne asked her older counterpart, who smiled back at her.

"Are you?"

"It's an interesting offer," Daphne replied vaguely, making older Daphne laugh.

"If you call several years of magical knowledge and memories of a happy marriage interesting, then yes, it is."

The two teens looked at each other to confirm the other's feelings, and then they each looked to their older counterparts. The adults first smiled at each other and then down at Daphy, who returned her parents' smile and nodded enthusiastically.

A sense of anticipation charged through all of them as the five seemingly came to an agreement. Young Harry and Daphne looked into each other's eyes one last time, and then together they turned to Death and nodded in the affirmative. Death snapped his fingers again, and the five humans knew no more.

When the three were ejected from the Pensieve, only Dobby remained conscious. The elf had a huge smile on his face, thinking that his master and mistress may finally get their happy ending after all.