A/N: Here's the second half of the prologue. I hope it'll explain some of the last chapter. This has a lot of my thoughts though, and if you really like Albus Dumbledore, sorry... Or the Potters. Or Ron, Ginny, or Hermione. This is where the bashing mentioned previously comes in. Though I have embellished and switched some things around. Enjoy if you're still here and okay with bashing.
Prologue B:
-The Final Battle: End-
Harry James Potter collapsed to the ground in exhaustion as the last of Voldemort's defeated body turned to ash. Being blown away in the slight breeze that also brought the distant shouts of victory from the school. Harry wasn't even sure how he and Tom had wound up so far away in an old, unused courtyard that seemed almost untouched from the battle that had raged so viciously just moments before. He was in pain, but not just physical pain. It was like a part of himself had died, and maybe that was true. They had lost so many people: Remus. Tonks. Fred. Lavender Brown. Colin Creevey. Severus and Tom themselves. More that he didn't even know! Last he saw, it looked to be 50 or so. More if you included both sides. Far too much blood had been spilled. He couldn't stop the silent tears that streamed down dirt and grime covered cheeks. 'Why was this how it all had to end?' He wondered desperately. 'Why did so many have to die in the pursuit of madness and power?'
Even now, his mind was being bombarded by all the ways things could have been different. The many divergent paths he could have taken. How he could have stopped so much of this if he had thought things through, or approached things rationally, rather than the reckless way he had jumped into everything up to this point. If he had just been more Slytherin in how he did things! He had seen enough proof over the years that Slytherin didn't mean evil: Look at Narcissa who only wanted to protect her family, so she lied to the Dark Lord. To his face and got a way with it. Draco who had broken down at the very thought of killing someone. Who then risked so much by lying to the face of Bellatrix Lestrange about who he had been when they had him in their grasps. Look at Severus who had been abused and ridiculed by so many, and had only gone to somewhere he would be accepted. And even then, he returned to a side that didn't care about him, blackmailed into being a spy due to his guilt and mistakes. This wasn't evil. They were out casts who hadn't been given any real options simply because of the color of their ties. Speaking of Severus's situation:
Harry noted, how there had been a chance for Severus at one point that could have changed everything. Prevented all of this from even happening: That night when he begged Lily for forgiveness for his mistakes, even promising to give up the Dark Magic he had started being drawn too. However, she refused to do so. And he understood both sides, after all Lily was tired of being second place to Dark Magic, but... Okay. Maybe he wasn't being truthful here. Especially when he considered his own experiences with Ron, who had betrayed Harry several times over the years due to his own jealousy, and Harry had forgiven him each time. Hell, he had even forgiven the school for all the times they had turned on him at the slightest sign of something that didn't align with their views of who their Boy-Who-Lived should be. He just... honestly couldn't understand Lily. She had refused to see things from Severus's perspective- or maybe, he mentally corrected- because she had been perfect in almost every way to almost everyone, there was just no way she could ever understand his perspective. Years of being abused and belittled. Years of constant torment and bullying with no one doing a damn thing about it, only encouraging it by brushing it off as a prank, or 'boys will be boys'! Even being rewarded for it! He knew that feeling, that helplessness as years of 'Harry Hunting' replayed in his own mind. Every hit or slap he had suffered at the hands of family. Every broken bone. The isolation that was forced on him if he didn't conform to the ideals of others.
Then there was what was practically an attempt on his life by Sirius, only to be saved by someone who hated him- not for his sake but for the sake of the perpetrator of such a crime: Sirius. Then he was sworn to never reveal the truth of the situation to anyone by someone who was the closest to a trusted authority figure he had ever had- Albus. And then to be so humiliated by those same people in front of the one person who had ever been there for you. Someone can only go through so much before they're liable to snap under the pressure, stress, frustration, helplessness, and anger at the unfairness of it all. Yes, Severus should never have called Lily a 'mud-blood' but why was that never forgivable, yet nearly killing a student, as well as cruelly humiliating innocents who hadn't done anything wrong, was? He would never understand it, because he had forgiven worse than name calling, no matter the slur used. He had forgiven things that no normal person would forgive as easily as he had.
And then there was Tom himself. Harry curled in on himself as the emotional turmoil and pain continued to build. Tom had been an orphan, and Harry had seen enough of the world and Tom's memories to know how he was treated there for what he was. A freak in the eyes of the muggles. A wizard who didn't know what he was and struggled to find belonging and acceptance in a new world because of his supposed blood status as a muggle-born at the time. Not only had he been handicapped, due to the actions of his squib mother Merope, who was desperate to get out of her horrible situation by latching on to the first person she had seen as a chance, in the only way she was raised to do. But what he grew up in wasn't helpful in the slightest. Isolated, neglected, abused by the children so the adults couldn't get in trouble as they brushed it off as kids being kids. They had even tried to have him exorcised! And exorcism meant days of no water and food. The only way Harry could see Tom having survived, was due to the other half-blood's magic- much like Harry's own when he had gone days or weeks without real food at the hands of his ever-loving family, that Albus kept shipping him back to without care. And finally, after years of this, Tom fought back. Yes, he did things cruelly. Harry would forever mourn Billy Stubbs's rabbit, as that had been a pebble thrown in the lake that caused the ripples that followed. But once, in retaliation to abuse and neglect as severe as Tom's over years, didn't make you evil. Neither did stealing things from the children who tormented you and were rewarded for it. Just as speaking to snakes didn't make you evil.
But that was what the great Albus Dumbledore decided after meeting Tom for the first time. Not only had he chosen not to see the obvious signs, but he added to it by seemingly setting the wardrobe that had everything Tom treasured on fire, convincing the boy it was gone. And Albus Dumbledore saw nothing wrong with what he had done! Because already, he thought himself above every law or moral decency normal adults followed. He treated Tom like a Dark Wizard, and it showed to those around him. Any hope Tom had of fitting in anywhere would have been gone after the first few days or weeks, no matter the effort he put in. And he knew that Tom had suffered greatly, entering Slytherin House as a supposed muggle-born in that time. No one stepped in to help and he had been completely on his own as every house turned on him, until he perfected the mask that fooled them all. It had all bee about survival!
Albus Dumbledore tried playing up the part of a professor that did all he could and failed. Lies. Albus never tried. Every 'attempt' was with the intention of making things worse for a literal child 45 years his junior, with far less knowledge of the wizarding world than Albus had when he was Tom's age. Then there was World War 2. The bombings. The Blitz. Growing up with that was terrifying. Not knowing if closing your eyes one night means you don't open them the next morning. Being on edge, always expecting that siren to go off and wondering if your were close enough to a shelter to even try... It's no wonder Tom was so afraid of Death. On top of all of that. Despite it, even, he had been vulnerable to Albus Dumbledore and Amos Dippet once, when he asked to stay at Hogwarts over the summer during those summers that the war raged. And Albus knew. You can't convince Harry that the man didn't know what Tom had been through, all because the man had been too cowardly to face his ex-lover. After all, the muggle WW2 was entwined with Grindelwald's own war. One that Albus had helped get started before he backed out of it before the blood shed could happen. And still, they both refused him sanctuary. Maybe Dumbledore had been hoping that the boy would perish in the bombings. Who bloody knew anymore!?
Tom was a product of what he grew up with, isolation to an extreme during his formative years, and the way he was treated. Tom would have been fine after just one horcrux, and yes what happened to Myrtle was awful. But honestly, could anyone say she was better off any other way? Tom had no one to confide in. No one to turn to. No one to tell him that he didn't need a horcrux. No one to tell him that one was enough! No one was truly by his side until he revealed his true heritage. And even then, never for himself. No one had been able to understand him and his struggles. -Why did Harry's chest hurt so bad? Harry took large gulps of air, wondering dimly how long he hadn't been breathing. - Tom was the opposite spectrum of Harry. He hadn't forgiven those that had harmed him. And really, could Harry blame him, when he himself seemed incapable of not forgiving? He gave a soft laugh that was hollow, containing no mirth.
Harry had forgiven all those that had hurt him. Tom had refused to forgive the ones who hurt him. Severus had refused to forgive himself. They were all betrayed, abused, and neglected by muggle and magical society both. And Albus Dumbledore had a hand in how all three of them had turned out. He gave a bitter laugh. 'They always said hindsight is 20/20.' he mused, feeling presences that were so familiar to him, approach him from behind. 'And here we are at the end; three pawns who played their parts well, without them even realizing it. Merlin, if only I could change everything.' he thought as a voice that hurt his heart sounded.
"Oh Harry! I'm so proud of you." Lily Potter's voice spoke tearfully with pride, conflicting emotions storming through his chest at the sound. She made no move to embrace him. And he made no move to do the same, merely turning his body painfully to face them. All of six of them. "You've grown into a strong young man." she continued, taking in the sight she had denied herself for 16, almost 17 years. For the greater good.
"You did well, my boy. No one could have done this other than yourself." Albus praised, honest pride in his voice at how well Harry had done, as he looked at the spot where Tom once stood. Then his eyes lost some of their sparkle and Harry almost believed the mournful tone and look he gave during his next explanation. "Unfortunately, there is something that I never told you. I hadn't been sure how you would react to the news." Harry stayed silent, once vibrant emeralds now dead and dull. "Due to how long Voldemort's horcrux was in you, the evil and darkness rubbed off on your own soul. Meaning that either he will return, or you will become corrupted after his passing and become something just as bad, if not worse." Albus told him.
But Harry was studying the others, even as his head was hung to not reveal that fact as he listened. That was the Potter Promise ring on Ginerva's marriage finger. Harry knew he had never given it to her. Had never even known about its existence until just very recently. It meant she was a member of the Potter Clan through marriage. He... didn't agree to a marriage with her. Especially since he hadn't been sure he would survive and hadn't wanted to leave her a widow. Also, she was only 16. You didn't get engaged until you were 17. And you didn't get married for the two years of the courtship process. It was different a couple decades ago, the years were lessened by one if he remembered right, but not now.
Neither Ron nor Hermione were smiling. Hermione was teary eyed but accepting the -what was probably hippogriff shit- coming from Albus. Ron was glaring at him, like he had been the one to betray Ron. Damn hypocrite. Lily looked proud, but also afraid of him. She seemed regretful of this outcome but was doing nothing to stop it. Accepting it just like Hermione was. James. He didn't even give a damn. He clutched his wife to him, as if he expected her to go running to their son to hug him. She obviously wasn't going to. And quite frankly, Harry would have done everything in his power to curse the red-haired witch even if she tried.
"You did so well, facing all your trials Harry. I'll never forget you. You'll always be my best friend." Hermione said earnestly through her tears, and Merlin, if he lungs weren't hurting so much from holding in the raw pain he was feeling, he would shout out everything he thought about those words. None of which were pleasant.
"I know we've asked so much of you Harry. And I hate that we're going to have to ask for one more thing." Lily said softly. Harry bit through his tongue to keep from lashing out. "But if we don't do this, another generation will fall prey to another tyrant of a Dark Lord. We can't allow that." She spoke.
"I know you don't want to be another Voldemort. No son of mine would." James finally said, looking proud of his spawn. The actual audacity of this bitch.
"Did Sirius and Remus know? Do you even care, that Sirius and Remus are dead?" Harry whispered, voice cracking.
He saw the sadness in Lily and James's eyes at the mention of their two friends. Their understanding of his questions. "Of course we care. They were our best friends." James said. "And yes, they knew. We had to tell them back in your fifth year so they could make the right moves for your path. They understood the importance of what they were fighting for. They knew the risks they were taking." James told him. Comforting Harry that his God Father and honorary uncle hadn't died blindly like Harry was going too. James thought he was helping, but he only made everything worse. They had all betrayed him. Everyone in his supposed family.
"Safe journey my boy. After all, Death is but the next great adventure." Albus said with a smile, like it was an inside joke between friends. It wasn't. And over Albus's soft 'Avada Kedavra' they heard Harry James Potter's final, most heartfelt words that he had ever spoken:
"I curse all of you with tenfold the suffering and pain I feel. On my last breath in this life, so mote it be." he barely got to see their horrified and anguished faces before the green light developed him. And darkness was all he knew.
He was floating in darkness for a while after that, before he felt a cold, bony hand clasp around his wrist and gently pull him from the void. He blinked, finding himself in an old, yet clean single room cottage. His eyes first went to a large, bubbling cauldron on the clean stone floor. The potion inside was one that he had never seen before. A swirling of greenish black goop. Then there was the tall figure in dark robes with a scythe leaning against the prep table next to him. 'Lord Death.' his mind supplied helpfully. He looked focused- as focused as a skull can look- on the potion he was working on, and he had spent plenty of years under Snape to know better than interrupt the brewing of what was probably some potion that was extremely difficult and time consuming to make. So, he continued to pursue his surroundings, even feeling eyes on him, watching warily.
The walls were a warm golden brown, wooden hue. And through a window was a field of bright red poppies with a willow tree standing proudly across a large river that had probably taken many lives... If they had been in the land of the living, which Harry knew he wasn't thanks to Albus, his friends, and his own parents. Only now did he recall that Lily was pregnant when they killed him. He took a deep breath to calm himself, so his magic, if he still had it, didn't lash out and ruin the potion Lord Death was working so diligently on. He finally faced the center of the room. There was a large, black couch over a dark purple rug that held two familiar men.
And Harry froze, as he looked into eyes of glittering obsidian and eyes of melted chocolate. Too many emotions, and thoughts, and pain were coursing through him as his thoughts before his death hit him full force. Oh Merlin. They had all been played. They were all the same. They were all unwanted. Unloved. Betrayed. Out casts. Used. Betrayed. Used. Hurt. Betrayed. Used. Betrayed... "Harry, calm down. Deep breaths. Breath with me." the familiar, deep voice of his potion's professor- his protector- sounded, a little urgent but definitely concerned, as warm hands rested on his shoulders gently. Grounding him. His own hand was being held against a sternum that moved evenly and rhythmically. Breathing? Oh, he wasn't breathing. But he was dead...
"Technically. But not here." Another voice said. This one was less familiar to him, but it resembled what Harry thought Tom Riddle's voice would have deepened into, if he hadn't begun cutting apart his own soul and botched the process of growing up. He was surprised by how soothing both voices were to him, and how well they calmed him down from his panic attack despite who they belonged to considering their pasts together. Merlin, they had a past. That realization could be dealt with later, he supposed. The room was quiet save the bubbling of the cauldron and the slightly exaggerated breaths of three men who didn't need to breath. Somehow, Harry had joined the two men on the single couch in the room, which was rather comfortable. And eventually, Harry's breathing calmed down and his panic had subsided. He curled up on himself, feeling shame. He had only ever fought against these two men. He never tried to understand their situations. He had only insulted and disrespected them every step of the way and here they were, comforting him during a stupid panic attack. "In your defense, I wasn't sane enough to try to be understood. And I certainly made it easy to be disrespected with what I became. So, you shouldn't blame yourself for that. Also, a panic attack isn't stupid and quite frankly, Dumbledore's to blame." Tom's voice said next to him soothingly, causing Harry to startle, much to the two men's amusement.
"And I didn't make it any easier by ridiculing and tormenting you either." Severus added.
"Did I say that out loud?" he asked, not looking either man in the eye.
"No, you didn't. But here in this realm, it seems our thoughts are heard by each other. When the other isn't having a panic attack and dissociating like you were. Which, considering everything we know now, we can't blame you for." Severus answered. That answer startled him, but as he focused and returned to wherever they were, he could hear the underlying thoughts and emotions from the two men next to him. They were worried about him. Ashamed of their own actions. And both believed they didn't deserve forgiveness from the boy they had tormented and terrorized for the past seven years, despite wanting to ask for it and start over between them. Properly, without Albus's machinations pitting them against each other. He was so confused about everything that was happening.
'Allow me to explain things, Young Harry.' A voice older and deeper than time said, getting the young man's attention immediately. It was Lord Death. 'There is much that I need to explain, and since this needs to settle for a while-' he indicated the three vials of potion on the table. 'Now is the best time.' Harry nodded and took comfort in the men on either side of him as Death began. 'The three of you were never supposed to be enemies. What you were supposed to be would depend upon the time you three intersected and your own decisions on the subject. I will go no further than that on this one.' He added. 'The three of you represent a balance that the world needs. There is light. There is dark. And there is gray. All three are needed for Magic to prosper. And you three, and your very soul and beings, were the chosen sources for this balance. Dark.' He motioned towards Tom. 'Gray.' He motioned to Severus. 'And Light.' he indicated the final male in the middle. 'However, a rogue container of tainted light got a hold of all three of you and mucked around with what he shouldn't have, due to his own God Complex and greed for power. Not only were your cores stunted, bound, and tainted by his very existence in your lives. But he actively worked for it, unknowing of the consequences. I will, of course be fixing this. But onto the other items of interest first.' he said, knowing he had their attention, and them knowing that they wouldn't like what he said next.
'The prophecy was a false one. The plan of a meddling old man who bit off more than he could chew. And instead of fixing the mistakes he made, decided to make more mistakes to cover it up in hopes that no one would notice.' He allowed that news to settle before continuing. 'The Potters didn't know the prophecy was fake. However, they used decoys made with a very old and dark potion, and Voldemort's own madness for the trick that resulted in that Halloween Night. They had performed an old ritual that required the 'two sacrifices' – created through a special potion that was 1 part Polyjuice, 1 part devotion potion, and 2 parts liquid Imperio- oppose the aggressor and bargain with him. Once the bargain was completed, which it was: when Voldemort told her to step aside three times and she refused. That laid out the foundations. When she told him to take her instead, the offer was voiced. And then, when he killed her, the bargain was considered acceptance. Accordingly, the curse would rebound and hit him instead. However, that ritual was abysmally done since no wizard with a dark core was involved, and if I hadn't stepped in when I did, Harry would have died that night. And unfortunately, that also set into effect the timeline the three of you were just killed in.'
It was silent as the three of them absorbed that information. "So, because of what they did, it was all going to happen anyway?" Harry asked, a tone in his voice that none of them liked. "I couldn't have changed any of it, no matter what I did? All because they-?" he trailed off, eyes losing their focus. Immediately Severus and Tom were working to get him back with them.
'There are some choices that any of you could have made, and changed things, but even I can't tell at this point if they would have been for better or worse.' Death told the boy gently. He nodded. 'What I can tell you though, is that Albus's choices result in the literal Death of Magic.' that got alarmed and horrified looks from the three men. 'Indeed, it is grave. Without Magic's three radices, she falls and dies. This is the result of Albus's machinations. And as you three were supposed to live many centuries together, providing the restoration and purity of Dark, Light, and Gray magic... well, your deaths have quite frankly doomed Magic and the world in general.' he told them.
"What can we do? I have people that I actually trusted back there. They shouldn't have to pay for Dumbledore's mistakes." Harry said, shocked as his true friends faces flashed before his eyes. Neville, Luna, George, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.
'Yes, well, that's where our next conversation comes in.' Death informed them, getting their attention once more. 'Originally your existences were left up to fate to choose when and where. Albus and many other things hadn't been factored, so I am simply going to put you somewhere together where you can work together.'
"What? Where?"
'You will be returning to the year 1977. It's as far back as we can go, due to the separation between Lily and Severus needing to happen to ensure the proper direction things go, now that you three will be together.' Death informed. 'Once you return, you will all three be 16. However, the Voldemort from your original time will still be there and it will be up to you three to also deal with him, so Tom here can take on his role as the Dark Radix. And then you'll need to deal with Albus. At this point I need to take him myself to ensure he can no longer screw up the next line. This also means Harry here will be taking his role as the Light Radix. And since there is no Gray Lord, your place as the Gray Radix will be uncontested. How you choose to follow through with these tasks will be up to you, but Voldemort at least will need to be dealt with by the time the false prophecy is made. Which in the original timeline was in 1980. Keep in mind that this could change depending on the changes that will be made.' He spoke. 'Rest assured, however, that I will be there to help along the way. So, it won't be just the three of you. Though I cannot play any direct part in Albus or Voldemort's deaths.' Death warned. 'In addition, feel free to make the lives of Lily and the Marauders as miserable as you please.' Was added on as a vindictive after thought with a heavy insistence behind it.
"What about Harry's existence? We can't risk his not being born at all." Severus said firmly. Death sighed.
'That isn't a problem, as our Harry will no longer be the Harry James Potter that might be born in 1980. As he has been touched by me, and all three of you will soon taste Death, his continued existence no longer relies on Lily Evans and James Potter. And even if that Harry Potter is, somehow, born in 1980... They will no longer be the same person or with the same path. The timeline you left will be reset to where you go so you can change its course. But those you care for will not suffer. There will be a new timeline, hopefully for the better, by the stones you throw. The ones you truly care for, their existences in this new timeline are guaranteed as a reward for their loyalty. As for the ones who are already going to be present- or the ones who will be born... This is a different matter.' Death paused, getting their attention.
'Harry, you cursed them. All of them. And it was a powerful curse made upon myself as you drew your final breath. The conditions of this curse's affliction also make it impossible to disperse. Their souls are marked as traitors and their fates sealed. However, once you return, there will be an incubation period on the curse. It'll be up to your subconscious and latent observations and contemplation that will decide the verdict of a little at a time or all at once. This is your curse, after all. Do not feel guilty, for it will be fruitless and wasted.' Death told Harry. Harry thought over what the deity had said before, ultimately, nodding his acceptance of the situation. He would allow his subconscious to judge them on their actions and words in this new line, while still keeping in mind their actions from the last one. Albus though, would never be forgiven. And the three of them would hand him and the psychotic Voldemort over to Death to prevent another repeat of this.
"How are we going to do this? Harry will be a new existence, and Tom too, I guess." Severus wondered.
'Visit Goblin King Ragnok. Tell him the Lord of the Hollows sent you. From there, things will be figured out.' Death replied. 'There are many things to take care of, so be sure to arrive as soon as you wake up.' he added.
"When, exactly, are you going to be sending us in 1977?" Tom asked.
'The 1st of July. I should also inform you, Severus, that I will be taking your father right before your return.' the man blinked at Death, trying to comprehend.
"You're taking him?" Severus's father had died after his 7th year, not before his 6th.
'Yes. Your return requires an inconsequential sacrifice from the year you're returning too that wasn't there in the last line. Just the one for all three of you will do. I know Eileen Prince died in your fourth year. I will remove him for your sake. The funeral took place just as it did in your last life, only a couple years earlier during the final week of June.' Death informed him. Seeing the three men open their mouths to no doubt say something, he continued. 'I believe, in 1977, the age 16 is more than old enough to be emancipated and take on a Lordship for orphans with one available. No matter what others have told you. And all three of you are orphans upon your return. It will be up to you to decide just what family you find.' they nodded, and Death motioned to the three vials. 'You will wake up together in Spinner's End. Make your way to Gringotts and request Goblin King Ragnok. Remember to tell him that the Lord of the Hollows sent you. He will know what to do from there.' Death reminded the three of them as they each grabbed a vial. 'Until next we meet.' Sharing one last look with Death and each other, they downed the vials, choking on the taste of ash, fire, and blood. 'Which will be sooner than you think.' Death's ancient warning was the last they heard of his realm.
-Time Travel Vortex-
Harry groaned at the sore muscles and aches that greeted him upon his awakening. He stayed still, adjusting to living again as he sent out his senses. He could tell there were two others near him. 'Must be Tom and Severus.' Harry mused, remembering their time in Death's realm.
'Harry?' Severus asked, hearing the voice. But there was just something slightly off about it. Like the man hadn't spoken out loud but...
'We're still hearing each other's thoughts.' Tom's voice realized, though again, it was off.
'Thoughts?' Harry echoed mentally, before forcing himself to knowingly speak. "That's still in play?" And sure enough, there was a clear shift in tone. 'Oh.' there was a pause as all three thought about that information. Harry shrugged. 'Alright then. Maybe Goblin King Ragnok will have some ideas.' He thought sitting up, only to shout in alarm "Why am I naked?!" Well... All three of them were fully awake now. After several awkward minutes for all three of them, they were dressed and flooing to the Leaky Cauldron from Severus's living room, unanimously agreeing to forget about their return state.
The trio entered the large, white marble building, nodding respectively to the goblins they had passed. They arrived at an open teller, thankful that Gringotts wasn't too busy so early into summer. "Hello Terror Claw." Tom said respectively, noting the name of the goblin. "We need to speak with Goblin King Ragnok. The Lord of the Hollows sent us." Tome told him softly. The goblin's eyes widened as he nodded and called for another goblin to fetch their king.
"Our king will arrive shortly. I hope everything will be settled in your visit today." Terror Claw told them somberly. They nodded and thanked the goblin when another goblin arrived. He was tall for a goblin, and he had a badge of the purest goblin silver with the Goblin Nation's Crest.
"Goblin King Ragnok." the three wizards and surrounding goblins bowed to the goblin in respect. He nodded.
"Thank you for arriving so swiftly. Please come with me." He beckoned the three wizards to follow him while the other goblins returned to their work. The three of them followed the goblin as he led them down a long corridor with many doors on either side. They lost count of how many doors they had passed and how deep they had gotten when Ragnok turned a corner that led down another corridor, though not as long as the one they had just left. At the end was a large, black door. He motioned them in and they followed him through into his office. "We have much to discuss. As you three are back, I suggest we do blood tests to see where to start." Ragnok told them, bringing out three sheets of parchment and a beautiful silver dagger.
The trio did as he instructed, watching the blood red swirls that formed beautifully depicted words onto their parchments. And they read about their options in this time. Thomas Antioch was the closest blood relation to the died-out Sayre family. He was eligible for the Lordship of this family so long as his blood and magic were accepted. Until Tom Marvolo Riddle was dealt with, the Slytherin title was out of reach as both had too equal of a hold to the honor. It would only be claimed by a blood conquest, and only upon or after Tom's majority.
Severus Cadmus Prince was eligible for the lordship of his family as the last blood member of said family. All he had to do was give an offering of his blood and magic to the Prince Lord Ring. In addition, he could claim Ravenclaw upon reaching majority as the Prince line was the closest living relation to the honorable house.
Harrison Ignotus was the only direct, living being eligible to claim the Peverell Lordship, having tasted and been touched by Death three times as well as the three hallows at one time. He had to offer a blood and magic sacrifice to test if he would fully be accepted. Upon acceptance, as the rightful Peverell Heir, he would have power over any off shoots of the Peverell family, including the Potter line, which would be claimed by one James Fleamont Potter after his 7th year of Hogwarts, or his father Charles Potter died. In addition, should the acceptance happen, he would have the strongest claim to the most honorable house of Gryffindor at 17 over the Potter family and its members. Harrison would then have power over their vaults and the vaults of all lines from Peverell save the ones he willingly gave away such as the Sayre and Slytherin lines.
None of them however, had expected old bindings on their cores to be broken and their magic becoming a purer form of their affinities- despite what Death had told them about taking care of the issues- when they accepted their Lordships and were accepted in turn. This also unlocked abilities that had been kept from them, perhaps even unknowingly on Albus's part. Tom for one, had natural Animagus abilities. He had never been able to complete the Animagus transformation in his original time, let alone even showed signs of possessing a form. This ability meant he needed the barest minimal to access his form or forms, as naturals tended to have at least two. Severus was a parselmouth, much to their shock. It turned out that the Prince line was distantly related to the Slytherin line, though not enough for Severus to be considered an heir to that line. But Slytherin family magics gifted him worthy of the snake language.
Harry was, of course a parselmouth still, the Peverell line distantly related to the Slytherin one, meaning it wasn't just because he had been a horcrux that he had had that ability. In addition, Harry possessed mage sight, meaning that if he focused and meditated, he could see actual magic and the cores of others. And all three were naturally occluded as natural occlumens. Which was a relief, since it would protect their secrets from Albus and Voldemort. Though, their shields didn't work on each other, meaning that was part of why they could hear each other's thoughts. Ragnok said that with some practice and meditation, they should be able to put up some flimsy barriers to prevent that. With thoughts only being heard if intended so, or if their emotions were in too much chaos to hold them.
After they confirmed their options and had claimed their proper lordships, the trio looked over accounts and other such necessary itinerary items, including a new home for them to live in. Goblin King Ragnok gave them a list of such locations and the keys, and with a promise to inform him of their decision once it was made, their business was concluded. By then, it was well past lunch, and the trio got some food before checking out the properties available to them. They settled on Peverell Cottage due to how similar it was to Death's realm. It was a beautiful, two-story honey wood cottage surrounded by thick forests with unplottable wards and powerful defenses. It rested in a large meadow of bright red poppies with a river and large, ancient willows on the banks. After their decision was made, they informed King Ragnok and had the three house-elves bound to the property and three of them to begin furnishing it. They did some much-needed shopping and Severus had started on necessary potions for all of them as soon as the cottage was ready to be inhabited. Harry's eyes being corrected as well since glasses were a disadvantage in a duel or battle.
They spent the last two months of summer teaching Harry everything he needed to know to survive in the house of serpents- none of them fooled about their placement at Hogwarts when the time came- as well as catching him up to Severus's 5th and then 6th year curriculum. His own self-study leading him to the beginning of the 7th year curriculum. Turned out Harry loved learning when he didn't have a red head on one side whining about studying being boring. And a pushy, know-it-all brunet on the other side who had to be the best. Tom and Severus had both been meant to be teachers, Harry decided at one point, as they easily and patiently walked him through what had been sabotaged out of him last time. It was nothing like the front Severus had to put up in their last line.
They also spent those months getting used to the wizard world politics, though all three had decided to wait until the first Wizengomet meeting of the year in January to take their places so they could brush up on who was in what seat, which side, and what either side was reaching towards. One of their house-elves, a female named Daisy with large gray eyes and white hair, was very good at stealth and had been tasked with listening in at these meetings to inform them of any laws or moves made. And since she was the elf of three lords, they had every right to have one of their elves present in their stead. But as lords that weren't taking their spots yet, their seats would remain empty. That would change if anything untoward happened. At some point, Severus had hunted down Mulciber to remove the knowledge of some kind of curse he had performed the year before. They also wrote to inform the board of governors about the two new transfers into Hogwarts esteemed halls. Their names allowed a rush to be put on the process. And by the time August had come around, all three had received their Hogwarts letters.
They hadn't heard from Lord Death again until the last week of summer holidays. The trio had received Lord Death as a visitor in his Athanasios Fawley guise. Apparently the Fawley clan had died out, but Death instead used this as an opportunity to take on a mortal identity that would allow him closer reach to his time traveling charges to offer the promised help. And of course, Death could make it happen, changing the documents on the last known member to match his own needs. And he'd take the D.A.D.A position as he himself was immune to the curse on the position. It would also provide a better opportunity to help change the course of time. Then it was time for Hogwarts.
Which was how they had gotten to this place: Three 16-year-old boys in their own Slytherin dorm room to have an overview of their plans for their upcoming year:
They would need to dispose of this era's Voldemort by 1980, giving them three canonical years to find and destroy the five horcruxes that had already been made, as Harry and Nagini hadn't happened yet, and defeat the man. Then they would need to deal with Albus, though they understood that before Albus could be given to Death, he had to lose the power and titles that kept him secure and protected. That would involve delving deeper into Albus's past and airing his manipulations and sins to the world. In a way that would be give way to cold, hard facts. Thankfully they had Aaron, another one of their house-elves, working on it. It was an honest boon; how much wizard kind overlooked the elves. So, few places had wards that circumvented or even picked up on elf magic. Which is how they would collect the information on Albus to start the process of taking him off his high horse. And it just so happened that they held the shares to about half of the Daily Prophet between the three of them. And with the wealth they had, they could either get their own paper, or work to take full control of the Prophet before the war truly got under weigh- which happened soon after Severus had originally graduated Hogwarts. As it stood now, the war was happening in the shadows. Everyone knew it was happening, but it hadn't gotten too far into the public yet to cause the most panic. They could also utilize Rita Skeeter who would still be a beginner journalist, if they could get her in a contract with their stipulations. But that would come later.
They had also silently agreed that they would try to get Voldemort dealt with by the time they graduated Hogwarts. But that would also mean getting many of his future Death Eaters- they found the name as insulting as Lord Death did- to follow them instead. And the best way to do that would be to prove to those followers that most muggle-born witches and wizards weren't actually muggle-born but descended from long lines of squibs from once extinct houses. And to prove that their version of pure was actually what created squibs, and that new blood from the actual, very few muggle-born mages was necessary to improve Magic. None of which would be easy, but with the help of King Ragnok and the goblins of Gringotts, they would get a good start on that topic. They would also need to show that they were worthy of being followed, which meant getting into the highest positions within Slytherin. Which meant that Tom, Severus, and Harry were going to need to face Lucius and Narcissa. Two of them would need to take the place of King and Queen of Slytherin with the other taking the rank of Royal adviser.
And according to Severus, neither Lucius or Narcissa had officially joined with Voldemort until a year or so after they graduated and got married. Which meant they only had this year to get Lucius and Narcissa on their side- and possibly their families- with facts and power. And by proving that they were worthy of Slytherin, the main reason so many had originally followed Voldemort. This would also involve airing out that Voldemort was in fact a half-blood and his horcruxes as even pure bloods found that ritual barbaric and disgusting. But they'd need to prove it by showing the horcruxes and revealing that Slughorn had told Tom Riddle about it during his schooling. They were going to be busy these next couple years... and they could only hope that they succeeded with their plans. It was only after the trio had come to these understandings that they finally turned in. They had to get to work soon after all.
A/N: And there we have it. I hope this chapter was acceptable to the readers. I know it was a bit rushed, but it's well past midnight when I finally finished it. I understand if it was a bit confusing, and if any clarification is needed, depending on the topic, I'll explain it in an A/N or a later chapter. Forewarning, I don't truly know anything about politics. So, I will probably brush over those meetings when they do happen, and instead give flash backs of important moments or a summarizing of the subject and outcomes of those meetings. Please bear with that. Next chapter will be their 6th year properly beginning, with probably some chess and official intros of some of our cursed antagonists. We'll see what happens. I cannot guarantee steady or frequent updates. My moods tend to just come and go. SO sorry if three months pass before the next chapter or something. Please leave a review!
