A/N: Hey guys! SteinMon here! Just something I've been working on sparingly for fun between my other stories.
That being read, I welcome your Reviews. If you have criticisms, I welcome those too. Please keep them constructive. I want to grow as an author, and I can't do that if people aren't willing to critique, or only want to tear me down. If you can't... well, thank you for padding my Review count. I'm not here to please everybody, but I am here to learn. There is a method to my madness, even if I don't always fully understand it. 90% of what I write, I don't write baselessly. If there is something not canon or changed from canon, there is generally a reason. If something doesn't make sense, feel free to let me know (constructively), and as long as it doesn't creep into SPOILER! territory, I'll do my best to explain it.
If you don't like it, DON'T CONTINUE READING IT! Save us both the time and effort, 'ey?
Other Descriptions: Stronger/Smarter Harry and D.A., Minimal Bashing as necessary (No hostages taken), some world reconstruction, new and obscure magics, and the power the Dark Lord knew not? A main/supporting character with common sense. Pairings are known and will be revealed as needed.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or any of it's subsidiaries. Those rights belong exclusively to J.K. Rowling, and anyone else who had a hand in their creation. I just get to have some fun sharing the experience.
Without further ado. *Que the dimming of the lights*
Prologue: Here, at the End of All Things
He'd found a good spot this time. Sitting along a beach of black iron sand that shifted and sang with the planet's magnetic polarity. The serene sound was an exceedingly rare phenomenon, something he'd only found on a few other planets.
The ocean was sulfurous, steams of volcanic vapor ever-present; roiling and boiling since the re-beginning of time. The air itself was poisonous, and the vapors pumped forth were thick, making the atmosphere unbearably hot. The oceans reminded him of better times. Of home. His new beginnings always started in the ocean, even if his end wasn't always as such.
When he looked up into the yellowed sky, it was a sad thing to see, no stars. They'd all died out, succumbing to their ends just as they always did. Even then, he could remember the shape of every one of them. Feel every breath they had taken before their last. And how everything they were was now within. But he enjoyed the planets more. Each one more wonderous than the last.
Still, all the wonders of the Universe, all the vast and beautiful arrays across the cosmos, and he'd trade it all away, just to be home. But Earth had been among the first of countless planets to fade to aether. There'd only been… what…? One time that it had lasted longer? Or maybe he was just imagining it to console himself? But it hadn't happened since. It never lasted until the end.
The faint singing of the beach altered slightly, his ears perking as he heard shifting behind him. It was about that time, was it? He felt both immense relief. And immense sadness once again.
"You picked a spot with a view this time." The dark cloaked figure stepped closer, almost shimmering into view, joining him as they looked out over the vast ocean. He sat down next to him, both just being present for a moment, on the last planet, of the last solar system left in all of existence.
It'd be over in a moment. Just like it had before. And just like it would again.
"I missed the sea," he answered. "Figured it would be a good view to go to."
His companion nodded in understanding, but otherwise kept a companionable silence.
Once more, they neared the end.
And once more, they'd go back into the fray.
"They're getting worse, you know?" his companion stated in concern, flicking at the black sand, somehow his cloak blending in near seamlessly with the beach as it continued to shimmer. "Each iteration keeps getting darker and darker."
"Just come out and say what you wanna say," he demanded, his good mood suddenly spoiled.
His opposite sighed. It had gone this way for the past 361 reiterations. Every one of them a little bleaker and bleaker. This last one had been especially bad. Even if they couldn't technically "die", it didn't mean everything couldn't be stripped of their iterations before they incarnated.
"When was the last time your incarnation lived a decent life? Settled down? Had a family?" he asked.
"You know the answer to that," he bit back. "Last time I got married, she tried killing me the moment I remembered everything. Same as the others. What's the point of it if every person I love is just going to try sticking me with a piece of metal? And the time before that? My wife killed my children before killing herself." He sighed in reminiscent agony at the pain his incarnation had been inflicted with. But the agony faded to a simple acceptance. His precious humans... and the worst they had to offer.
"Bit ironic if you ask me," his companion stated. "Life, not truly living."
"I could say the same thing with you bringing comfort, Death," he shot back.
Now identified, Death settled back, still watching the waves. He'd never really cared for them, just as long as he was in the open air. He despised enclosed spaces. They'd been at this point an Infinium of times before. A different sky. A different planet. A different star. All at the end of all things.
It was a cycle they couldn't remember the beginning of, even if they possessed perfect recall in their current forms. Enough eternities, and enough Universes lived, so many things were different. And yet, so many things remained the same.
Some of those special "rules" they lived by.
In a moment, Death would finish killing the last planet. And the last star. Priming Life with the last vital essence of this Universe. And finally Death would kill Life. Again.
And from his death, Life would burst forth once more, recreating a new cosmos. Just as they had done since the never-beginning. Once more, the primordial dust would coalesce into the Universe, remembering how it was once formed and reformed itself again.
And once more, the stars would form. And the planets. And Earth. And of all the wonders of the Universe, Life and Death had never seen another planet teeming with such life. With such essence. Sure, some planets would develop bacteria and maybe some algae and foliage.
But they had yet to come across other intelligent life. Such… self-awareness. And stupidity. And cruelty. And hope.
Somewhere in their infinite restarts, Life instinctively put all his efforts into one place. One very special place in the Universe. And once more, the cycle would continue.
Death would operate over this new Universe. And once Life's incarnation was born, so too would Death's incarnation follow after. The same as every Universe. The same as all following before and after.
But lately, the restarts had lost their luster. Life was just… empty. Sure, restarting the Universe continued as always, but even Death could see that Life was set to live the rest of their unnatural lives alone. It was not good for Life to be alone. And Death couldn't always be there to kick him in the ass.
And whenever they restarted, Life's own essence was reflected in the new Universe. And while Life couldn't truly die, it could lose hope. And if Life lost hope, the Universe brought forth by his death would be deprived of it.
Death, on the other hand, had been fortunate. His incarnations were born in the same country, same general time period, same general people, and had been for as long as he could remember. His wives and lovers in each Universe were of the same. Every time his incarnation began to remember, there was always that moment of clarity where those that had died unto the point brought him such grief. And those that had gone on to live fuller and happier lives brought him such joy.
It also helped that he could manipulate certain events. Never impact them. Simply give certain pushes in certain ways. And over the Infinium, he'd gotten very good at it. Reveal himself here, ingrate himself there, stop a heart there, push a bullet in just the right direction, appear to a trio of brothers to kickstart the necessary events.
That was always his favorite. It meant his first and only eternal friend would be there. Soon.
"I don't have anything to look forward to," Life admitted, before gesturing vaguely to the empty sky. "Except this. These last few moments before a few millennia of just… vague emptiness. It's the only time I can rest.
"The moment I'm reborn though… I just can't, Death. I'm tired of having the people I end up loving continuously betray me." He may not have the scars to show for it, but he remembered every spell, every curse, every spear, every violation, every word. Every wail.
Death nodded in understanding. He'd had a few of those, but for the most part, he had a general imprint of who he could trust. Who he could love. It was among the few things that carried over between Universes.
"The last woman… she was Vietnamese right? Real spitfire?" Death asked.
Life just nodded sadly; the moment the realization of the infinite crossed her eyes burned into his mind. She hadn't hesitated to draw her wand. It was the last time his heart had broken. He didn't know if he could handle another one.
It seemed such a trivial matter for nye cosmic entities such as them. But the trivial was all they had to look forward to. The trivial matters were what gave them the drive for the next.
And also, was it mentioned that Life's death reflected on the next Universe? So, not so trivial.
"Ever thought about changing venues?" Death inquired. "You always go for those Western Pacific ladies. Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino. Though I still question why you ever got together with that Aussie sheila in the first place. Maybe try switching it up a little?"
"I stick to the area of my incarnations birth," Life stated back simply. "Same as you."
"Hmm," Death pondered, tapping a finger on the sand. Time seemed to slow as the planet began to crumble underneath their seats. Rather than explode or concave in, the planet simply faded, its entire essence and matter began to absorb into Life, making said person shiver as the dying dregs of the planet were forever cemented to his infinite memory. That experience was uniquely Life's. The whole of its matter and creation, consolidated into a single form.
Soon, they were simply floating. Not in space, but in emptiness, save for the last star in the universe.
"Any requests? Before the new?" Death asked, pulling out the weapon that would do the deed. A wand, thirteen and three-quarters, wood of Yggdrasil, and core of a Living Star, Unbendable. Made for one use, and one use only; disposable upon usage. The last material of existence. The final weapon in the Universe. And even that too would be absorbed in Life's final flickering moments.
Life huffed out a weak chuckle, even as the light of the last star began to flicker and fade. Soon, all would be empty. Nothing but the void, and those who would bring about its rebirth.
"Same story, different shit," Life admitted, and Death couldn't help but worry a little. His first and final friend… was weary. Betrayal and heartache in their incarnations were never a simple thing, and the self-inflicted loneliness Universe after Universe later only compounded this. And it seemed Life had reached his seemingly endless limit for it.
Even if they could never truly die, Death couldn't imagine what a Universe created from an empty and hopeless Life would look like.
"I'll try to help," Death stated, finally standing from where he'd been floating, the last of the star fading as it absorbed into Life. The progenitor's heartbeat was the only source of light in the void, highlighting his ribs and internals with every beat. And likewise, Death's wand began to beat in synch, its core lighting up within the wood as it sought the last and final ingredient.
"I don't care for romance anymore," Life stated simply, a sad and empty voice. "Just… if possible… could…." That Life itself struggled with the question, made Death take the request all the more serious.
"…Could we be friends? Before our incarnations awaken?" he finally asked. "If possible?"
If Death had a heart, it would have broken at such a complex, yet heartfelt askance. Instead, he smiled, that boyish smile that was all too familiar.
"I'll do you one better," Death stated, taking a gentle breath as the end approached far too quickly. He placed the tip of his wand against Life's chest. It was time. "I'll find you people to reignite that spark for life. And someone that can bring the fight back to Life. And if it works out, I can see the template for repeated Universes. It'll be fun."
Death's smile was far too conniving for Life's comfort. "I don't thin–"
"Avada Kedavra," Death stated quickly, before Life could get a protest out, still smirking.
The green blast that impacted Life's chest was quick, and Life just glared at the spell impact as the wand of Death faded and absorbed into his chest. Looking back up, his whole body began to glow, burning white.
"I'll see you sooner than later," Death stated, eyes soft and the same color as his final spell. "Take care."
Life's firm glare eased, before he smiled gently. "You're an ass, Harry James Potter."
And then there was light.
As Life once more exploded into the matter and particles of the known Universe, Death watched, smiling at the most beautiful sight in Creation: the formation of the Universe. One that none but Death would ever know.
"Be seeing you, Regius Nix Cernos," he whispered unto the newly expanding Universe, allowing himself to be 'just Harry' for the final time. That mantle would fall to someone else soon enough.
Author's Note: Don't forget to READ and REVIEW!
Let me know what you guys think, keep it constructive, and have a good one!
If this story does continue, it'll likely be irregularly. Mostly, it's just me writing this for fun.
Until next time.