Azkaban…
A name that sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it…
Wizards and Witches knew of this place…
An Unplottable island in the North Sea where stood a rectangular-like fortress…
A prison where were locked their rapers, murderers and other type of convicts.
A place guarded by Soul-Sucking Creatures called Dementors and protected by many wards.
In one of the cells, stood a young man in his early twenties who was also alarmingly skinny. He had long, dirty, messy black hairs that reached the middle of his back. His face looked haunted and skeletal-like. His green eyes was looking at the outside, reflecting in life.
This man was Harry James Potter, son of Lily and James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived…
His life had been nothing but a series of dangerous situations and hardship ever since he was born.
First, his parents, James and Lily Potter gave up their life to protect him from the evilest Dark Wizard in History, Tom Marvolo Riddle (aka Lord Voldemort) and had been hailed as the Boy-Who-Lived because he was the first one to survive the Killing Curse.
Why had they been attacked ?
Because of a prophecy…
'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...'
He didn't know it back then as no one told him… Maybe if he did, a lot of things would have been prevented…
Anyway, following the death of his parents, he had been placed in the care of some relatives of his, the Dursleys… who were far from good people as they hated him with passion. For a decade, he had been nothing but a slave to them… Doing all the chores in their 'perfect house' and being punished if he dared doing something they didn't liked.
Aka doing magic, having better grades than his cousin etc…
Then things changed when he turned 11 because he learned of his true heritage : he was a Wizard.
He entered a prestigious Wizarding School, Hogwarts and became a Gryffindor like his parents. He had thought that life would be a lot better because of Magic…
But it was far from it…
-In his first year, he saved a girl (Hermione Granger) from a Troll, helped Hagrid the Half-Giant to send a baby dragon away to avoid trouble, and prevented a possessed Quirrel to steal the Philosopher Stone to resurrect the Dark Lord.
-Second year, the famous Chamber of Secrets had been re-opened ! Only the Heir of Slytherin could do it ! When it was discovered that he was a Parseltongue, the whole student body ostracized him, seeing him as a Dark Wizard for it. Which was stupid as he had nothing against Muggleborns.
When his friend Hermione was petrified, he went in the Chamber and discovered that it was his best friend's sister, Ginny Weasley, who was responsible of the attacks but she was possessed by a diary containing a piece of Lord Voldemort's soul. He had to fight against the Slytherin Monster, a Basilisk, with the Sword of Gryffindor and managed to kill it but was bitten by the gigantic snake. Thankfully, Fawkes the Phoenix healed him with his tears and he then destroyed the diary with a fang of the beast he slay.
- Third year, the mass murderer Sirius Black escaped Azkaban and was apparently looking for Harry to kill him ! However, it was letter discovered that Sirius had been framed by Peter Pettigrew who was the Potters Secret Keeper !
Sadly, the rat animagus managed to escape thanks to Remus (the DADA teacher at that time) who turned into a Werewolf after having forgot his potion. Later, he and Hermione used a Time-Turner to save Sirius from receiving the Dementor Kiss and they succeeded… even if Sirius was now on the run.
It was during his Fourth Year at Hogwarts that things turned uglier to him.
He had been forced to participate in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, a magical contest held between the three largest Magical Schools in Europe : Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons.
Cedric Diggory became Hogwarts' Champion, Victor Krum was Durmstrang's and Fleur Delacour was Beauxbatons'. Much to Harry's shock, his name came out of the Goblet of Fire, the artifact used to choose who will represent their respective schools.
Afterwards, many saw Harry as a cheater and an attention seeking brat… even his best friend Ron Weasley. The young man had to survive the Three Tasks of the Tournament : getting an egg from a Dragon Nest (of course he got the most dangerous breed of Dragons), saving his hostage from the bottom of the Black Lake (it was Ron Weasley who apologize to him after the first task for not believing him) and then passing through a Maze to retrieve the Cup.
Sadly, the moment he and Cedric touched it, they were send to a Graveyard where Pettigrew killed Cedric and Harry's blood was used in a Ritual to resurrect Voldemort. The Dark Lord and the young man dueled for a bit but then Harry managed to escape with Cedric's bod.
The Cup took them back to Hogwarts where they were instantly greeted by horrified people. Harry loudly said that Voldemort was back but the Minister of Magic didn't believed him… Dumbledore tried to convince the man but Cornelius stubbornly refused to listen.
Even worse, Cornelius ordered the Aurors to arrest the young man ! Lord Diggory, Cedric's father, demanded justice for his son's death and had been the one to pressure the Minister to arrest the Boy !
During his trial, he had tried many times to warn everyone that Voldemort was back but Fudge accused him of wanting to start a panic ! The trial (it was more of a farce than an actual trial) had been really short… too short.
Harry, while being shocked by it, was even more shocked when his own friends Ron and Hermione started to say that he had been studying Dark Arts in secret ! Even worse, they even said that he probably killed Cedric because it was the only way he could have won the Tournament !
Dumbledore himself, testified against him by telling everyone his past adventures and how of a threat he was to anyone. Harry had looked at the old man with wide eyes of shock and horror.
In the end, Harry was convicted for Cedric's death and sentenced to a Life in Azkaban. Because he was a Minor, he couldn't be given the Dementor's Kiss. The young man tried to defend himself but was stunned by Dumbledore before he was carried away to his new home.
For the following five years he had locked in the Worst prison in the World… For five years, he endured the Dementors… Every night, he dreamed of his Mother's lat screams or the sight of Peter killing Cedric… over and over again.
Unknown to him, people were heading his way…
Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Albus Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge.
While he was in his cell, many things happened… both good and bads. Voldemort, thanks to his discretion, had gathered a large army and recently he sent his Death-Eaters in the Department of Mysteries to retrieve something. Apparently, he had failed thanks to the Unspeakables and some members of the Order of the Phoenix.
His attack had caused Fudge to FINALLY accept that Harry was right all along : the Dark Lord has returned ! Even better, some of the Death-Eaters had been captured and among them was Peter Pettigrew !
Sirius Black received a trial and was declared a Free Man while Peter received the Kiss !
Many people, after hearing of the attack, felt guilty for not believing Harry and had pressured the Ministry of Magic for his liberation.
That's why Sirius, Cornelius and Albus were in Azkaban. Opened the cell's door, the four were greeted by a sight they will never forget.
"Harry ?" Albus called out softly as he, the Minister of Mmagic, and Sirius stared at the young man before them.
Laying on his back, Harry was alarmingly skinny and his black hair, while still messy, were now dirty and long enough to reach the middle of his back. When he turned his head to face them, the green eyes, once filled with kindness and warmth, were now devoid of any emotions…
But then they noticed another thing…
The lack of scars on his forehead…
The lightning-Bolt scar was no more there ! At the sight of it, Albus was a bit concerned but then focused back on the young man when the latter spoke.
"What the hell do you want?" he sneered at Dumbledore and Fudge while keeping his head pillowed in his hands as he laid on his back.
"We've come to free you !" Sirius answered as he made himself visible.
Harry's eyes looked at his godfather and a tiny smile made his way on his gaunt face
"Hey Padfoot… You look good… I heard you were a free man ?" the young man asked him, ignoring the other people present.
"Thank you pup and Yes I am ! I FINALLY got a trial !" Sirius retorted while shooting a sideway glance toward Cornelius who looked away in embarrassment.
"As for coming to free me… why ? Am I not a 'murderer' and a 'Future Dark Lord' ?" Harry inquired with a sneer as his eyes landed back on Fudge and Albus.
"About that… It seems we made a regrettable mistake…" Fudge started to grumble with slight fear as he tried to look anywhere but him.
Harry burst out in mocking laughter at his words and they all looked at him, confused by his reaction.
"Oh that's good, Fudge ! That's just wonderful, YOU PATHETIC IDIOT! You call it a mistake that I wound up here after you gave the orders ?! You are some piece of work ! Get Out !" Harry snarled in anger at the Minister of Magic who cowered in fear.
"Harry we are terribly sorry for it but we didn't know ! How were we supposed to react ?" Dumbledore tried to say but was interrupted by Sirius's sarcastic words
"Maybe giving him Veritaserum would have been a good start..."
Albus and Fudge grimaced at this but they knew it was true. Maybe many things would have been prevented if they used Veritaserum that day.
"Indeed… But now we know the truth… Voldemort has become really active recently..." Albus explained in a soft tone, ignoring the way Fudge flinched at the Dark Lord's name.
"So what ?" Harry asked him apathetically.
"You are the only one who can beat him… We need you !"
"Why me ?"
"There was a prophecy : 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...'"
"So ?" Harry asked blankly with a raise-brow.
"You have been marked by Voldemort Harry… Or at least were…" Albus began to explain before pointing at his forehead where the scar should be.
"Oh that ? I lost it after a Dementor almost sucked my entire soul..." Harry replied with a shrug.
Cornelius, Sirius and Dumbledore stared at him with wide eyes of shock.
"And about your prophecy… You can FUCK YOURSELF WITH IT !" Harry snarled at both Cornelius and Dumbledore.
"Now see here ! I'm the Minister of Magic ! I won't be spoken to like that !" Fudge tried to say in a stern tone… only to cower when Harry's glowing eyes landed on him
"Do I look like I care ?" Harry hissed to the man before adding harshly
"You mean nothing to me ! Everyone in this world turned on me because of you ! So I don't owe any of you a damn thing ! Now GO AWAY !"
"You will come out and do your duty or..." Fudge began to say only to stop when he realized that he had nothing to pressure the boy with.
The young man sneered at him before turning his way to look at the moon shining outside of his cell, ignoring everyone.
"Please Harry we need you !" Albus pleaded him, trying to reach the boy.
"Save yourselves ! Because to me, none of you deserves to be saved !" Harry snarled at them but not once turned his head to look at them.
Fudge and Albus flared up again but Sirius stepped forward, interrupting them
"Harry, if you don't want to help us then its fine..."
The other two looked ready to protest but a sharp glare from Sirius stopped them
"But allow me at least to take you home with me !"
Harry looked at his godfather for a moment before nodding
"Alright..."
Sirius smiled at his godson but then growled when Dumbledore spoke again with despair
"Please Harry reconsider !"
"FUCK OFF OLD MAN !" Harry snarled at the Headmaster as he slowly went back on his feet to approach Sirius who opened his arms in a welcoming way.
A few moments later, Sirius took him to a place he brought in Ireland and for the following weeks, he did nothing but eating and sleeping. After all he had to recover from Azkaban. However, much to his anger, people had sent him letters of apologize but they were destroyed without being read.
Once he was back on his prime, Harry decided to be tutored as he didn't wanted to go back to Hogwarts. Sirius accepted and he hired a nice American woman to be his teacher. Albus, when he heard that Harry didn't wanted to attend Hogwarts again, had tried to reason the boy but was strongly repelled.
The Weasley Clan had tried to apologize to him but he refused to see them. He was still hurt by how quickly they turned on him… especially RON, his supposed best friend. Hermione too had tried to apologize but was ignored as well.
A year later, Harry took his OWL and came out with flying colors… even in potion (which were easier now that he didn't have to support Snivellus). People were still begging him to save them but he ignored all the letters. Voldemort, him, was having the time of his life as slowly he was taking over the Wizarding World… as least in Britain.
The Ministry Of Magic was taken over and people were becoming more and more alarmed and despaired.
But Harry didn't cared…
His time in Azkaban made him colder than ever… especially to people who were nothing more than sheep.
Things turned even stranger when he received a package from Dumbledore… A Snitch… the first one he caught. Inside it was a strange stone… He didn't know why but he felt a great power coming from it.
He also got his Cloak back ! Harry had kept them despite knowing that Albus was trying to do.
However, the Old Man soon died… killed by Severus Snape.
He didn't went to the funeral, much to many's shock and when asked why he declared with contempt
"I don't honor bastards like him !"
Many were outraged by his disrespectful words to the Greatest Wizard since Merlin but again he ignored everyone.
Voldemort, later, stole Dumbledore's wand from the dead man and attacked Hogwarts. From what he heard, many people died that day… and were all blaming him for his lack of help.
Again in he didn't care as many of them were those who betrayed him…
However, among the dead, two caught his attention : they were none other that Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. He had been saddened by their deaths and he instantly stopped hiding to avenge them.
Every Death-Eaters he came upon died… in a gruesome way.
While the Wizarding World was happy to see him fight, they were horrified by what he was doing. Harry Potter was supposed to be a Champion of the Light, not a Killer !
The Dark Lord, hearing about this, went to directly confront the boy and challenged him to a dual to the death ! Harry accepted, not because he wanted to put a stop to his tyranny, but to avenge his parents and loved ones.
The fight was long but in the hand, Harry killed Voldemort. The Death-Eaters, at the sight of their Master being defeated, fled like the cowards they were, leaving Harry with Dumbledore's wand.
The Wizarding World, after hearing of his victory, tried to congratulate him but they couldn't find him anywhere.
Why ?
Because he disappeared.
Not only him but also all his money disappeared in thin air and never be seen again.
But what truly happened to him ?
The following day after he killed Snake-Face, he woke up in a strange place filled with… darkness. That's where he met Death and discovered the stories of the three artifacts he unconsciously gathered : the Cloak, the Stone and the Wand.
All three artifacts belonged to Death who gave them to three brothers. Two of them died early because of their greedy nature but the youngest Cadmus Peverell lived an happy life before he joined the Afterlife.
Harry was shocked to discover that he was Cadmus's descendant and that because he gathered the Hallows, he was now the new embodiment of Death. Harry had of course refused, stating that he wanted to meet his family but Death showed him something that shocked him to the core.
His parents, because they helped him without asking Death's permission were sent to Oblivion…
Hearing this, Harry wanted to cry : he always thought that the day he died, he would be greeted by his smiling parents… but it was impossible now.
Having no other option, Harry decided to accept his new destiny as Death. The problem ? He cannot stay in this place of existence. He had to be sent elsewhere… in another universe.
For a moment, Harry didn't say anything as he weighed the pros and cons of such an offer. On one hand, he could start a new life elsewhere but he will be immortal, on the other, he could stay here, in a world filled with stupidity, bigotry and prejudice.
After a moment, he made his decision and looked back at Death to say those words
"Very well… I accept..."
The Obsidian Skeletal Creature nodded in acceptance before touching his forehead with a bony finger. Harry felt pain like never before just as vision started to blur. As the pain was becoming too intense, he could clearly hear Death saying in a calm tone
"Good luck Harry James Potter… You will need it..."
Then everything turned white to him.
(To be continued…)