p class="MsoNormal"strongspan lang="EN"Chapter 120. No fate/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"The time machine appeared above the heads of the homunculi from the air. It buzzed down onto the soft grass like a giant chromed steel and fiberglass beetle, startling a flock of birds. The fog that lazily swirled above the ground cleared, revealing a view of a dense forest, bathed in the morning sun. Harry Potter emerged from the belly of the machine, his emerald eyes reflecting fatigue and determination, as if he had just survived a storm, but emerged from it not broken, but hardened./p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He was followed by Jeanne d'Arc Alter, her black and red armor shimmering in the sunlight, and her cold beauty and majestic posture revealed her as a warrior accustomed to victories. Selenike Icecall, with impeccable posture and piercing blue eyes, stepped onto the ground next, her snow-white hair fluttering in the wind like a banner. Suzuha Amane, dressed in her combat suit, stepped out of the car, scanning her surroundings with her eyes, ready to repel an attack at any moment. The last to emerge from the car was Okabe Rintaro, in a white robe and with tousled hair, his gaze burning with the incredible fire of a genius balancing on the brink of slight madness./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""We're back," said Harry, looking around at the familiar landscapes. "Britain, 1997. It seems like everything went smoothly this time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Is it smooth?" Jeanne Alter chuckled, her voice ringing with sarcasm. "You could say so if it weren't for Voldemort's runaway servant."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Complaining won't help," Selenike snapped coldly. "We completed the mission. Harry is alive, reality has been restored. This is the main thing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Selenike is right," Suzuha nodded. "We must move on. Voldemort is not asleep, and we need to be ready for his next move."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Oh yeah!" Okabe exclaimed, waving his arms dramatically. "The great battle for the fate of the world continues! El Psy Kongroo."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Okabe, please, without these yours..." Harry began, but he was interrupted by Jeanne Alter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I agree," she snapped. "Enough of the theatricality. We need to see the others."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry, with slumped shoulders and dull eyes, approached Selenike. Her equanimity, her cold logic, always seemed incomprehensible to him, as if she were a creature from another world, where there was no place for emotions and doubts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Selenike," he began, his voice quiet, full of unspoken pain, "I... I don't understand. Why did you then offer me to save my parents?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Selenike turned to him, her green eyes like shards of sea ice looking at him with piercing clarity./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Do you doubt your decision?" she asked, her voice was calm, even, devoid of any emotion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... I don't know," Harry admitted, clenching his fists. "Jeanne said that I did the right thing, that there is no need to interfere with the past. But... wouldn't it be better if my parents were alive? If Voldemort had been defeated back then?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Perhaps," Selenike answered, her gaze directed somewhere into the distance, as if she saw in front of her not a dense forest, but endless options for the future. "But you can't know for sure how everything would have turned out. Changing the past always entails unpredictable consequences."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But wasn't it worth the risk?" - Harry objected. "For the sake of my parents, for the sake of all those who died because of Voldemort..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""You don't understand," Selenike interrupted him, her voice becoming a little harsher, "that changing the past can lead to even greater victims. You could save your parents, but at the cost of the lives of other people, at the cost of destroying the world as you know it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry paused, considering her words. He never looked at it that way. He thought only about his parents, about his pain, but not about what consequences his decision might have./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... I just wanted them to be alive," he whispered, feeling a lump rise in his throat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I understand," Selenike said, and for the first time there were notes of sympathy in her voice. "But you have to be strong. You are the Chosen One, and you are responsible for the fate of this world."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry raised his head and looked into her cold but honest eyes. At that moment, he realized that Selenike was not just a cold and calculating machine, as he had previously thought. She understands his pain, but at the same time she sees further, sees what is hidden from his eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Thank you, Selenike," he said, feeling the weight of doubt lifting him a little. "I... I'll try to be strong."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Selenike nodded, and a barely noticeable smile flashed on her lips. For the first time, Harry saw in her not just an ally, but also a friend who, although he does not know how to express his feelings, will always be there to support him in difficult times./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"The sun had already risen above the treetops, casting long shadows across the forest clearing. Harry looked at Selenike, her snow-white hair shimmering gold in the sun's rays, as if she were an angel descended from heaven. He felt that an invisible connection had arisen between them, as if they had gone through fire and water together, and this brought them closer, despite the difference in character and worldview./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Selenike," he began, but she stopped him with a gesture./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""No words are needed, Harry," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "We'll meet Again."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She turned to Okabe, who was already tinkering with the time machine, muttering something under his breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Okabe," Selenike turned to him, "make sure that the connection between us is always open."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Don't worry," Okabe replied, without looking up from what he was doing. "El Psy Kongroo. We will always be in touch."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Selenike nodded and turned to Harry and Jeanne and bowed slightly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""See you later," she said, and her figure disappeared into the air, as if it were woven from fog./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry looked at her, feeling a strange emptiness inside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Let's go," Jeanne Alter said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "It is time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry nodded and, together with Jeanne, headed in the direction opposite to where Selenike had gone. They walked in silence, each immersed in their own thoughts. Harry thought about what lay ahead, about the upcoming battle with Voldemort, about the friends who needed him. Jeanne Alter walked next to her, her face was inscrutable, but in the depths of her eyes Harry saw anxiety and determination./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Soon they left the forest and found themselves on the road leading to the Burrow. Harry looked back to where the time machine had recently stood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Goodbye," he whispered, knowing that Okabe and Suzuha could hear him. "See you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"And he, together with Jeanne Alter, walked forward towards his destiny./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan lang="EN"***/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry and Jeanne Alter, tired and exhausted from their time travel, entered the cozy living room of the Burrow . The smell of freshly baked bread and home comfort filled the room, creating a feeling of peace and security. Ron and Hermione, who were sitting by the fireplace, jumped to their feet when they saw their friends./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry! Jeanne!" Hermione exclaimed, rushing towards them. "We were so worried! What's happened? Where are Selenike and Okabe?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""They... left," Harry answered, sinking onto the sofa. "They have their own business."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But... what happened?" Ron asked, sitting down next to him. "You went back in time to..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""We fixed everything," Jeanne Alter interrupted him, her voice was even, but Harry felt that she was hiding her emotions. "Voldemort is no longer a threat to reality."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But how?" Hermione asked, her eyes full of curiosity and worry./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry sighed and, gathering his strength, told them everything that had happened in the past. About how he saw the death of his parents, about how Selenike offered him to change the past, and about how he refused./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanspan lang="EN""Harry, you could have changed everything," said Ron when he finished his story. "It would probably be cool to live your life differently."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""We already talked about this with Okabe," Harry replied. "And he supported me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Supported you in what? To let your parents die?" asked Ron, perplexed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""He said that by changing one small event in the past, we can create a completely new future. And we can't know for sure whether it will be better than the previous one," Harry explained./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Do you think there is anyone else as completely screwed up as Voldemort, or even worse?" Ron asked, frowning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Yes," said Harry. "But it's not just Voldemort. You see, you and I became who we are only thanks to the path we have traveled throughout our lives. All our troubles and joys, mistakes and victories, and even the people around us have shaped us. Change something in our past, and we will be completely different people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Are you saying that we wouldn't even become friends?" Ron asked, his eyes widening in surprise./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... I don't know," Harry spread his hands. "I don't have all the answers. And that's why I don't dare play God."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "You understand that no one will appreciate or understand your action?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry looked down and thought about something for a second, before looking back up at Hermione./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I didn't do this for the sake of someone's assessments or understanding," he said firmly. "But I did it for the sake of all those people who lived happily all these years. Let everyone blame and condemn me. If this is the way, I am ready to bear it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Hermione and Ron looked at him silently, their faces expressing a mixture of surprise, admiration and sympathy. They understood that Harry had made an incredibly difficult decision, and that this decision had changed him, made him even stronger and wiser./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan lang="EN"***/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry nervously turned the envelope in his hands, on which was written in elegant handwriting: "To Harry Potter. Personally in hands". The letter arrived in the morning, from Irisviel von Einzbern, with an invitation to dinner at a Japanese restaurant. In the letter, she mentioned that her husband, Kiritsugu Emiya, wanted to meet Harry personally and discuss their future cooperation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry looked curiously at the restaurant's sign, which had hieroglyphs spelling out a name he couldn't read. He remembered Kiritsugu Emiya from their first meeting at the Dursleys' house. Then, surrounded by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, Kiritsugu seemed to him just a polite and taciturn man who came on a visit with his charming wife Irisviel and daughter Illyasviel./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry remembered how he was struck by Irisviel's friendliness and openness, who seemed to see the world through the eyes of a child, full of surprise and delight. He also remembered Illya, a girl with large violet eyes and snow-white hair, who, despite her young age, was already full of determination and purpose./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"However, that day, Harry never found out what Kiritsugu was doing. He had only heard from Ron that the Einzbern family was one of the most ancient and influential magical families, but Ron did not know the details./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Today's meeting promised to be more informative. Harry entered the restaurant and immediately saw Kiritsugu sitting at a table by the window. He was dressed in a simple black suit, but even in such unremarkable clothes one could feel his inner strength and confidence. Before starting the conversation, Harry took out his wand and waved it under the table, whispering the cherished spell "Deaf" as quietly as possible. They don't need extra ears, even if they're dining among Muggles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry Potter," Kiritsugu nodded in greeting. "Glad to see you again."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Mutually, Mr. Emiya," Harry replied, sitting down opposite him. "Thank you for agreeing to meet."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanspan lang="EN""No need for gratitude," Kiritsugu said. "I heard about your latest...adventures. You showed courage and determination by refusing to change the past."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... just did what I thought was right," said Harry, embarrassed by the praise./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Right or wrong, it doesn't matter," Kiritsugu replied, his gaze becoming piercing. "The important thing is that you made a decision and took responsibility for its consequences. This is what distinguishes a real magician from an amateur. Sometimes... you have to make choices that others may find illogical or even cruel."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry looked at him in surprise./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Are you... talking about my decision not to save my parents?" - he asked, feeling a wave of pain rise within him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Including," Kiritsugu replied. "Sometimes... you have to sacrifice a little to save a lot." Sometimes...you have to make a choice that tears you up inside, but you know it's necessary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... I'm not sure I understand," Harry said, feeling confused./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Once upon a time, I also had to make this choice," Kiritsugu continued, his voice becoming quieter, as if he was drowning in painful memories. "My father... he created something terrible that threatened the whole world. And I had to... stop him. At the cost of the lives of many people, at the cost of one's own soul."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry listened with bated breath. He saw the pain in Kiritsugu's eyes, the pain that he tried to hide behind a mask of indifference./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I don't want you to go through what I went through," Kiritsugu said, looking Harry straight in the eyes. "But I want you to be ready. Ready for the fact that you will have to make a choice that will change you forever. A choice that will make you stronger... or break you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry was silent, considering his words. He knew that Kiritsugu was telling the truth. The war with Voldemort is not a child's play, it is a battle for the fate of the world, and in this battle he will have to make difficult decisions on which not only his life, but also the lives of many other people will depend./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... will try to be strong," he said, feeling his determination grow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I know," Kiritsugu replied, a barely noticeable smile flickering across his lips. "Now let's just enjoy dinner."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"They ordered food and continued their conversation, discussing magic, the war with Voldemort, and the upcoming battle for the Holy Grail. Harry felt that Kiritsugu was not showing him all his cards, but what he said made Harry think about a lot of things./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"At the end of dinner, Irisviel and Illya approached them. Irisviel, as always, beamed with a smile and looked at Harry with curiosity. Illya, on the contrary, kept herself a little distant, but in her gaze Harry saw not hostility, but rather curiosity and... interest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry," Irisviel said, "I'm so glad that you and Kiritsugu were able to meet. I'm sure you will become good friends."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I hope so too," Harry replied, smiling back at her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He looked at Kiritsugu, who nodded slightly, as if confirming his wife's words./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Illya will never live in the terrible world in which I live. I promise." - Kiritsugu answered the silent question frozen in Harry's eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry left the restaurant feeling that this meeting had changed him. He still didn't know who Kiritsugu Emiya really was, but he felt that this man would become his ally and maybe even his friend./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan lang="EN"***/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry lay on the bed in his room at the Burrow, staring at the ceiling. Outside the window, an old oak tree rustled its leaves, and somewhere below muffled voices and laughter could be heard - life in the Weasley house went on as usual. But Harry could not get rid of the depressing thoughts that, like clouds, were gathering over him, threatening to burst into a thunderstorm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He thought about Selenike, about her cold logic and calculation, about the fact that she is a professional killer of magicians. He thought about Kiritsugu, about his dark past, about the fact that he, too, had shed a lot of blood. And he thought about himself, about his decision not to change the past, about the fact that he allowed his parents to die./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry knew that his allies were not angels. They are people with a dark past, with blood on their hands. But he couldn't break off relations with them just because of this. He needed their help, their strength, their experience to defeat Voldemort./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He understood that his decision not to change the past was not an easy one, and that not everyone could do this. He didn't look for excuses for himself, he just knew that it was necessary to maintain the fragile balance of reality./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"But he desperately needed to talk about it with someone who would understand him, who wouldn't judge him, who would support him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He thought about Dumbledore, about his wisdom and kindness. But Dumbledore is no more./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He thought about Sirius, about his devotion and love. But he was afraid that Sirius would not understand his decision, that he would turn away from him after learning the truth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry felt alone and lost. He was surrounded by friends and allies, but at the same time he was alone in his struggle with his own demons./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He closed his eyes, trying to sleep, but thoughts continued to spin in his head, like squirrels in a wheel./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""What am I doing? - he thought. – "Am I doing the right thing? Will I be able to defeat Voldemort by collaborating with people like Selenike and Kiritsugu? And what will happen to me when it's all over?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He had no answers to these questions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He sighed and turned on his side, hoping that sleep would bring him some peace./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"A knock on the door pulled Harry out of his dark thoughts. He rose from the bed, feeling exhausted and tired, as if he had been fighting dementors all night./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry, are you there?" Ron's voice came from behind the door. "Come down, Hermione found something interesting!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry sighed and opened the door. Ron stood in the doorway, his face aglow with curiosity and excitement./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""What's happened?" Harry asked, trying to hide his tiredness./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Hermione found something interesting in Ellen's papers!" - he exclaimed, as if he had discovered the secret of the universe. – "Let's go, quickly!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry felt his heart beat faster. He had already experienced these events, he knew what would happen next. But at the same time, he couldn't help but be curious./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry walked down the stairs, feeling curiosity fighting with anxiety. He had already seen this scene, he knew what would happen next. But he couldn't just ignore this conversation as if it never happened./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Ron, with sparkling eyes and an impatient smile, was already waiting for him downstairs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"In the living room, Hermione was sitting at the table, bending over her papers. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her lips were pursed - she was clearly puzzled by something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry, Ron, come here!" she called, without looking up from the documents. "Look at this!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry and Ron leaned over the table and their eyes fell on Ellen's passport photo. A young girl with golden hair and piercing blue eyes looked at them from the photograph./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""She... looks like..." Ron began, his voice full of surprise. "To Mordred, or what?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Or Jeanne Alter," Hermione added, her eyes widening. "But this is impossible!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry's head began to spin. He remembered how last time he, Ron and Hermione began to speculate, suspecting Ellen was a distant relative of Mordred or Jeanne, although both did not leave descendants. Moreover, Jeanne Alter did not exist as a historical figure. He remembered how Jeanne Alter, having heard their conversation, sarcastically compared them to Gilles de Rais, who simply confused women's faces./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Wait," said Harry, deciding on a desperate step. "I'm here now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He quickly left the living room and headed to the room where Ritsuka Fujimaru was staying./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Fujimaru, I need your help," he said as he entered the room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Fujimaru, who was reading a book, looked up at him questioningly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""What happened, Harry?" he asked, putting the book aside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Ron and Hermione... they..." Harry paused, not knowing how to explain. "They found Ellen's ID and... well, they need your help."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Fujimaru rose from his chair with a slight smile and followed Harry into the living room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""What's happening?" he asked, looking around the crowd./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""We're trying to find out who Ellen is," Hermione replied, her voice filled with excitement. "She's very similar to Mordred and Jeanne Alter, but that's impossible!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Fujimaru chuckled./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""You forget," he said, "that Servants are heroic spirits, and not ordinary people. They can take different forms, and sometimes they are very similar to each other."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But..." Hermione began, but was interrupted by Ellen's voice coming from the corridor./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""What are you arguing about here?" she asked, entering the living room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Everyone turned to her. Her gaze slid over Fujimaru and then settled on Harry. There was curiosity and... a subtle smile in her eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""We... were just discussing..." Harry began, but Ellen interrupted him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I know what you were talking about," Ellen repeated, her voice was calm, but there was a hidden strength in it. "And I can answer your questions."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Hermione, Ron and Fujimaru froze, unable to take their eyes off Ellen . Harry felt the tension in the room rise, as if before a thunderstorm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Ellen," Hermione began, her voice trembling slightly with emotion, "we... we don't want to offend you, but... you look so much like..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""To Mordred and Jeanne d'Arc?" Ellen finished for her, a barely noticeable smile touched her lips. "Yes, I've heard this more than once."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But how is this possible?" asked Ron, unable to hide his amazement. "They are…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Heroic spirits," picked up Ellen, "who can take on different forms. Fujimaru has already explained this to you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But... why are you so similar to them?" Hermione did not let up. "Is this... is this just a coincidence?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Ellen looked at her, and a mischievous sparkle flashed in her eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Perhaps," she said, "this is not a coincidence? Maybe there is some connection between us? A connection that transcends time and space?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but Ellen stopped her with a gesture./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Don't rush to conclusions," she said. "The world is full of secrets, and not everything can be explained logically."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She fell silent, as if giving them time to think about her words. Harry felt his brain working at full capacity, trying to wrap his head around everything he had heard./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But..." Hermione began, trying to find the words, "you look so much like... some of the heroic spirits we know about. Those who... who had the power of a king."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""The power of the king?" Ellen asked, raising an eyebrow. "Interesting observation. But haven't many heroes possessed this power? Wasn't each of them, to one degree or another, a leader, a warrior, a defender of his people?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Yes, but..." Hermione continued, feeling her arguments crumble under Ellen's gaze, "there are... there are certain features... certain similarities..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""A resemblance," said Ellen, "which can be deceptive. Don't they say that all people are alike? That each of us has a double somewhere in the world? And heroic spirits... they are also a reflection of human history, human aspirations and ideals. It is not surprising that among them there are those who are similar to each other."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But..." Ron, clearly confused, scratched the back of his head, "you know what we mean, right? You look not just like some random heroes, but like... like those who..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Those who left their mark on history?" Ellen finished for him. "Those whose names have become legends? But doesn't every hero strive for this? Doesn't each of them want to be remembered, wants to leave their mark on this world?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Yes, but..." Hermione didn't know what to say anymore. Ellen's logic was impeccable, but at the same time, her words left more questions than answers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Ellen," Fujimaru began, "are you saying that..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I don't want to say anything," Ellen interrupted him, her voice becoming serious. "Don't look for simple answers where there are none. The world is a complex puzzle, and not all of its pieces fit together. Sometimes... we just have to accept what we can't understand."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Ellen..." Fujimaru began, but paused, as if not daring to continue. "Sorry, but... sometimes Mash and I... call you... other names."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Ellen turned to him, her gaze calm and penetrating./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""By other names?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Interesting, and what kind?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Well..." Fujimaru hesitated, feeling the color filling his cheeks. "Sometimes we call you... Mysterious Heroine X... or Artoria... or Nero... or..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Or someone else who looks like me?" Ellen finished for him, a slight smile touched her lips. "I understand. You see in me a reflection of those you knew before. Those who left their mark in your memory."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But..." Mash, who had previously silently watched the conversation from the corridor, could not stand it and came in. "This is... not just a resemblance. You... you are so similar to them..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Similar, but not identical," Ellen said, her voice soft but firm. "I am me. And I have my own story, my own destiny."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She looked at them, and a spark of understanding flashed in her eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I know this is difficult for you to accept," she continued, her voice softening, notes of sympathy appearing in it. "But believe me, I'm not who you think I am. I see that you yearn for those who have left. For those who were an example for you, who inspired you. And I understand your desire to see them again, to see them alive and well."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She paused, as if collecting her thoughts, and then continued:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But remember," she said, "that every hero, every leader, every defender is not just a name and a face. These are, first of all, the ideals that they represent. This is courage, justice, compassion, the willingness to fight for what you believe in."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Ellen looked at them, and a spark of hope flashed in her eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""And these ideals do not die," she said. "They live in each of us. And as long as we remember them, as long as we strive to be better, as long as we are ready to fight for what we think is right, heroes will never leave us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She smiled at them with a mysterious smile and left the living room, leaving them in a state of complete confusion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""What... what was that?" Ron asked, looking around at the others./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... I don't know," Hermione replied, her voice filled with confusion. "But... I feel that Ellen is hiding something."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Fujimaru silently watched them leave, his face unreadable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry felt confidence growing inside him. Ellen, whoever she was, played her role flawlessly. "She not only did not give away her secret, but also made them doubt their own guesses./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She's a master manipulator", Harry thought with admiration. "And she's on our side."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan lang="EN"***/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Night fell over the Burrow, shrouding the Weasley house in soft darkness. Harry lay on the bed, but sleep did not come to him. The conversation with Ellen, her mysterious words, left a deep imprint on his soul. He felt that she was hiding something, but at the same time, her words were full of wisdom and compassion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Suddenly he heard a quiet knock on the door./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry," Ellen's soft voice reached him, "are you awake?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry jumped out of bed and opened the door. Ellen stood on the threshold, her hair was loose, and a slight smile played on her face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Can I come in?" she asked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Of course," Harry replied, letting her into the room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Ellen sat down on the edge of the bed, and Harry noticed that her eyes were full of anxiety./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I see that something is bothering you," she said. "Do you want to talk about it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry hesitated. He was not used to sharing his experiences with others, but at that moment he felt that he could trust Ellen./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... I keep thinking about what happened in the past," he said, looking down. "About the fact that I... let my parents die."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I understand," Ellen said, her voice full of sympathy. "It was a difficult decision. But you must know that it is not your fault. You did what you thought was right."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But...wouldn't it be better if I changed the past?" - Harry asked, clenching his fists. – "If my parents were alive..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Perhaps," Ellen replied, "but you can't know for sure. Changing the past always entails unpredictable consequences."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She paused, as if remembering something, and then continued:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""There were also moments in my life when I had to make difficult decisions. Decisions that influenced the destinies of many people. And believe me, it's not easy to bear such responsibility."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But you... have you always done the right thing?" - Harry asked, looking at her hopefully./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Not always," Ellen answered, her voice quiet and sad. "I made mistakes, like all people. But I always tried to do what I thought was best for my people, for my country."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""And... you don't regret your decisions?" - asked Harry./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I'm sorry," Ellen replied. "But not about the decisions themselves, but about the fact that sometimes... you had to choose the lesser evil."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She looked at Harry, and in her eyes he saw wisdom and understanding./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""You are strong, Harry," she said. – "Stronger than you think. And you can do it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry felt his heart fill with warmth. Ellen's words were like a balm to his soul./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Thank you, Ellen," he said. "I... I don't know what I would do without you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""You could handle it," Ellen smiled. "But I'm glad I'm here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She got out of bed and headed towards the door./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Try to rest," she said. "You will need strength."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Ellen," Harry called out to her as she was about to leave. "Who are you? Why do you care so much about me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Ellen stopped and turned to him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""In time you will find out everything," she said, her voice full of mystery. "For now... just know that I'm on your side."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She left the room, leaving Harry deep in thought. He looked at the calendar hanging on the wall and saw that today was August 3rd. The day when the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, is supposed to come to them. So tomorrow is August 4th. The wedding of Bill and Fleur, which last time took place on August 4th. Thinking about her, Harry looked at his hands. Not a single wound, not a single scratch from the flowers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I wonder", thought Harry, "how this visit and this wedding will change after everything that has happened?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He felt that the future was full of mysteries and surprises, but at the same time he was determined to face it. After all, there is no destiny except the one we create with our own hands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"The time machine appeared above the heads of the homunculi from the air. It buzzed down onto the soft grass like a giant chromed steel and fiberglass beetle, startling a flock of birds. The fog that lazily swirled above the ground cleared, revealing a view of a dense forest, bathed in the morning sun. Harry Potter emerged from the belly of the machine, his emerald eyes reflecting fatigue and determination, as if he had just survived a storm, but emerged from it not broken, but hardened./p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He was followed by Jeanne d'Arc Alter, her black and red armor shimmering in the sunlight, and her cold beauty and majestic posture revealed her as a warrior accustomed to victories. Selenike Icecall, with impeccable posture and piercing blue eyes, stepped onto the ground next, her snow-white hair fluttering in the wind like a banner. Suzuha Amane, dressed in her combat suit, stepped out of the car, scanning her surroundings with her eyes, ready to repel an attack at any moment. The last to emerge from the car was Okabe Rintaro, in a white robe and with tousled hair, his gaze burning with the incredible fire of a genius balancing on the brink of slight madness./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""We're back," said Harry, looking around at the familiar landscapes. "Britain, 1997. It seems like everything went smoothly this time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Is it smooth?" Jeanne Alter chuckled, her voice ringing with sarcasm. "You could say so if it weren't for Voldemort's runaway servant."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Complaining won't help," Selenike snapped coldly. "We completed the mission. Harry is alive, reality has been restored. This is the main thing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Selenike is right," Suzuha nodded. "We must move on. Voldemort is not asleep, and we need to be ready for his next move."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Oh yeah!" Okabe exclaimed, waving his arms dramatically. "The great battle for the fate of the world continues! El Psy Kongroo."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Okabe, please, without these yours..." Harry began, but he was interrupted by Jeanne Alter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I agree," she snapped. "Enough of the theatricality. We need to see the others."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry, with slumped shoulders and dull eyes, approached Selenike. Her equanimity, her cold logic, always seemed incomprehensible to him, as if she were a creature from another world, where there was no place for emotions and doubts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Selenike," he began, his voice quiet, full of unspoken pain, "I... I don't understand. Why did you then offer me to save my parents?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Selenike turned to him, her green eyes like shards of sea ice looking at him with piercing clarity./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Do you doubt your decision?" she asked, her voice was calm, even, devoid of any emotion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... I don't know," Harry admitted, clenching his fists. "Jeanne said that I did the right thing, that there is no need to interfere with the past. But... wouldn't it be better if my parents were alive? If Voldemort had been defeated back then?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Perhaps," Selenike answered, her gaze directed somewhere into the distance, as if she saw in front of her not a dense forest, but endless options for the future. "But you can't know for sure how everything would have turned out. Changing the past always entails unpredictable consequences."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But wasn't it worth the risk?" - Harry objected. "For the sake of my parents, for the sake of all those who died because of Voldemort..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""You don't understand," Selenike interrupted him, her voice becoming a little harsher, "that changing the past can lead to even greater victims. You could save your parents, but at the cost of the lives of other people, at the cost of destroying the world as you know it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry paused, considering her words. He never looked at it that way. He thought only about his parents, about his pain, but not about what consequences his decision might have./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... I just wanted them to be alive," he whispered, feeling a lump rise in his throat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I understand," Selenike said, and for the first time there were notes of sympathy in her voice. "But you have to be strong. You are the Chosen One, and you are responsible for the fate of this world."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry raised his head and looked into her cold but honest eyes. At that moment, he realized that Selenike was not just a cold and calculating machine, as he had previously thought. She understands his pain, but at the same time she sees further, sees what is hidden from his eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Thank you, Selenike," he said, feeling the weight of doubt lifting him a little. "I... I'll try to be strong."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Selenike nodded, and a barely noticeable smile flashed on her lips. For the first time, Harry saw in her not just an ally, but also a friend who, although he does not know how to express his feelings, will always be there to support him in difficult times./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"The sun had already risen above the treetops, casting long shadows across the forest clearing. Harry looked at Selenike, her snow-white hair shimmering gold in the sun's rays, as if she were an angel descended from heaven. He felt that an invisible connection had arisen between them, as if they had gone through fire and water together, and this brought them closer, despite the difference in character and worldview./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Selenike," he began, but she stopped him with a gesture./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""No words are needed, Harry," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "We'll meet Again."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She turned to Okabe, who was already tinkering with the time machine, muttering something under his breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Okabe," Selenike turned to him, "make sure that the connection between us is always open."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Don't worry," Okabe replied, without looking up from what he was doing. "El Psy Kongroo. We will always be in touch."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Selenike nodded and turned to Harry and Jeanne and bowed slightly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""See you later," she said, and her figure disappeared into the air, as if it were woven from fog./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry looked at her, feeling a strange emptiness inside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Let's go," Jeanne Alter said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "It is time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry nodded and, together with Jeanne, headed in the direction opposite to where Selenike had gone. They walked in silence, each immersed in their own thoughts. Harry thought about what lay ahead, about the upcoming battle with Voldemort, about the friends who needed him. Jeanne Alter walked next to her, her face was inscrutable, but in the depths of her eyes Harry saw anxiety and determination./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Soon they left the forest and found themselves on the road leading to the Burrow. Harry looked back to where the time machine had recently stood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Goodbye," he whispered, knowing that Okabe and Suzuha could hear him. "See you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"And he, together with Jeanne Alter, walked forward towards his destiny./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan lang="EN"***/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry and Jeanne Alter, tired and exhausted from their time travel, entered the cozy living room of the Burrow . The smell of freshly baked bread and home comfort filled the room, creating a feeling of peace and security. Ron and Hermione, who were sitting by the fireplace, jumped to their feet when they saw their friends./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry! Jeanne!" Hermione exclaimed, rushing towards them. "We were so worried! What's happened? Where are Selenike and Okabe?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""They... left," Harry answered, sinking onto the sofa. "They have their own business."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But... what happened?" Ron asked, sitting down next to him. "You went back in time to..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""We fixed everything," Jeanne Alter interrupted him, her voice was even, but Harry felt that she was hiding her emotions. "Voldemort is no longer a threat to reality."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But how?" Hermione asked, her eyes full of curiosity and worry./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry sighed and, gathering his strength, told them everything that had happened in the past. About how he saw the death of his parents, about how Selenike offered him to change the past, and about how he refused./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanspan lang="EN""Harry, you could have changed everything," said Ron when he finished his story. "It would probably be cool to live your life differently."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""We already talked about this with Okabe," Harry replied. "And he supported me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Supported you in what? To let your parents die?" asked Ron, perplexed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""He said that by changing one small event in the past, we can create a completely new future. And we can't know for sure whether it will be better than the previous one," Harry explained./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Do you think there is anyone else as completely screwed up as Voldemort, or even worse?" Ron asked, frowning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Yes," said Harry. "But it's not just Voldemort. You see, you and I became who we are only thanks to the path we have traveled throughout our lives. All our troubles and joys, mistakes and victories, and even the people around us have shaped us. Change something in our past, and we will be completely different people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Are you saying that we wouldn't even become friends?" Ron asked, his eyes widening in surprise./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... I don't know," Harry spread his hands. "I don't have all the answers. And that's why I don't dare play God."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "You understand that no one will appreciate or understand your action?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry looked down and thought about something for a second, before looking back up at Hermione./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I didn't do this for the sake of someone's assessments or understanding," he said firmly. "But I did it for the sake of all those people who lived happily all these years. Let everyone blame and condemn me. If this is the way, I am ready to bear it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Hermione and Ron looked at him silently, their faces expressing a mixture of surprise, admiration and sympathy. They understood that Harry had made an incredibly difficult decision, and that this decision had changed him, made him even stronger and wiser./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan lang="EN"***/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry nervously turned the envelope in his hands, on which was written in elegant handwriting: "To Harry Potter. Personally in hands". The letter arrived in the morning, from Irisviel von Einzbern, with an invitation to dinner at a Japanese restaurant. In the letter, she mentioned that her husband, Kiritsugu Emiya, wanted to meet Harry personally and discuss their future cooperation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry looked curiously at the restaurant's sign, which had hieroglyphs spelling out a name he couldn't read. He remembered Kiritsugu Emiya from their first meeting at the Dursleys' house. Then, surrounded by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, Kiritsugu seemed to him just a polite and taciturn man who came on a visit with his charming wife Irisviel and daughter Illyasviel./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry remembered how he was struck by Irisviel's friendliness and openness, who seemed to see the world through the eyes of a child, full of surprise and delight. He also remembered Illya, a girl with large violet eyes and snow-white hair, who, despite her young age, was already full of determination and purpose./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"However, that day, Harry never found out what Kiritsugu was doing. He had only heard from Ron that the Einzbern family was one of the most ancient and influential magical families, but Ron did not know the details./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Today's meeting promised to be more informative. Harry entered the restaurant and immediately saw Kiritsugu sitting at a table by the window. He was dressed in a simple black suit, but even in such unremarkable clothes one could feel his inner strength and confidence. Before starting the conversation, Harry took out his wand and waved it under the table, whispering the cherished spell "Deaf" as quietly as possible. They don't need extra ears, even if they're dining among Muggles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry Potter," Kiritsugu nodded in greeting. "Glad to see you again."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Mutually, Mr. Emiya," Harry replied, sitting down opposite him. "Thank you for agreeing to meet."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanspan lang="EN""No need for gratitude," Kiritsugu said. "I heard about your latest...adventures. You showed courage and determination by refusing to change the past."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... just did what I thought was right," said Harry, embarrassed by the praise./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Right or wrong, it doesn't matter," Kiritsugu replied, his gaze becoming piercing. "The important thing is that you made a decision and took responsibility for its consequences. This is what distinguishes a real magician from an amateur. Sometimes... you have to make choices that others may find illogical or even cruel."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry looked at him in surprise./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Are you... talking about my decision not to save my parents?" - he asked, feeling a wave of pain rise within him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Including," Kiritsugu replied. "Sometimes... you have to sacrifice a little to save a lot." Sometimes...you have to make a choice that tears you up inside, but you know it's necessary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... I'm not sure I understand," Harry said, feeling confused./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Once upon a time, I also had to make this choice," Kiritsugu continued, his voice becoming quieter, as if he was drowning in painful memories. "My father... he created something terrible that threatened the whole world. And I had to... stop him. At the cost of the lives of many people, at the cost of one's own soul."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry listened with bated breath. He saw the pain in Kiritsugu's eyes, the pain that he tried to hide behind a mask of indifference./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I don't want you to go through what I went through," Kiritsugu said, looking Harry straight in the eyes. "But I want you to be ready. Ready for the fact that you will have to make a choice that will change you forever. A choice that will make you stronger... or break you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry was silent, considering his words. He knew that Kiritsugu was telling the truth. The war with Voldemort is not a child's play, it is a battle for the fate of the world, and in this battle he will have to make difficult decisions on which not only his life, but also the lives of many other people will depend./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... will try to be strong," he said, feeling his determination grow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I know," Kiritsugu replied, a barely noticeable smile flickering across his lips. "Now let's just enjoy dinner."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"They ordered food and continued their conversation, discussing magic, the war with Voldemort, and the upcoming battle for the Holy Grail. Harry felt that Kiritsugu was not showing him all his cards, but what he said made Harry think about a lot of things./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"At the end of dinner, Irisviel and Illya approached them. Irisviel, as always, beamed with a smile and looked at Harry with curiosity. Illya, on the contrary, kept herself a little distant, but in her gaze Harry saw not hostility, but rather curiosity and... interest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry," Irisviel said, "I'm so glad that you and Kiritsugu were able to meet. I'm sure you will become good friends."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I hope so too," Harry replied, smiling back at her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He looked at Kiritsugu, who nodded slightly, as if confirming his wife's words./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Illya will never live in the terrible world in which I live. I promise." - Kiritsugu answered the silent question frozen in Harry's eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry left the restaurant feeling that this meeting had changed him. He still didn't know who Kiritsugu Emiya really was, but he felt that this man would become his ally and maybe even his friend./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan lang="EN"***/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry lay on the bed in his room at the Burrow, staring at the ceiling. Outside the window, an old oak tree rustled its leaves, and somewhere below muffled voices and laughter could be heard - life in the Weasley house went on as usual. But Harry could not get rid of the depressing thoughts that, like clouds, were gathering over him, threatening to burst into a thunderstorm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He thought about Selenike, about her cold logic and calculation, about the fact that she is a professional killer of magicians. He thought about Kiritsugu, about his dark past, about the fact that he, too, had shed a lot of blood. And he thought about himself, about his decision not to change the past, about the fact that he allowed his parents to die./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry knew that his allies were not angels. They are people with a dark past, with blood on their hands. But he couldn't break off relations with them just because of this. He needed their help, their strength, their experience to defeat Voldemort./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He understood that his decision not to change the past was not an easy one, and that not everyone could do this. He didn't look for excuses for himself, he just knew that it was necessary to maintain the fragile balance of reality./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"But he desperately needed to talk about it with someone who would understand him, who wouldn't judge him, who would support him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He thought about Dumbledore, about his wisdom and kindness. But Dumbledore is no more./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He thought about Sirius, about his devotion and love. But he was afraid that Sirius would not understand his decision, that he would turn away from him after learning the truth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry felt alone and lost. He was surrounded by friends and allies, but at the same time he was alone in his struggle with his own demons./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He closed his eyes, trying to sleep, but thoughts continued to spin in his head, like squirrels in a wheel./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""What am I doing? - he thought. – "Am I doing the right thing? Will I be able to defeat Voldemort by collaborating with people like Selenike and Kiritsugu? And what will happen to me when it's all over?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He had no answers to these questions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He sighed and turned on his side, hoping that sleep would bring him some peace./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"A knock on the door pulled Harry out of his dark thoughts. He rose from the bed, feeling exhausted and tired, as if he had been fighting dementors all night./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry, are you there?" Ron's voice came from behind the door. "Come down, Hermione found something interesting!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry sighed and opened the door. Ron stood in the doorway, his face aglow with curiosity and excitement./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""What's happened?" Harry asked, trying to hide his tiredness./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Hermione found something interesting in Ellen's papers!" - he exclaimed, as if he had discovered the secret of the universe. – "Let's go, quickly!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry felt his heart beat faster. He had already experienced these events, he knew what would happen next. But at the same time, he couldn't help but be curious./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry walked down the stairs, feeling curiosity fighting with anxiety. He had already seen this scene, he knew what would happen next. But he couldn't just ignore this conversation as if it never happened./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Ron, with sparkling eyes and an impatient smile, was already waiting for him downstairs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"In the living room, Hermione was sitting at the table, bending over her papers. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her lips were pursed - she was clearly puzzled by something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry, Ron, come here!" she called, without looking up from the documents. "Look at this!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry and Ron leaned over the table and their eyes fell on Ellen's passport photo. A young girl with golden hair and piercing blue eyes looked at them from the photograph./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""She... looks like..." Ron began, his voice full of surprise. "To Mordred, or what?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Or Jeanne Alter," Hermione added, her eyes widening. "But this is impossible!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry's head began to spin. He remembered how last time he, Ron and Hermione began to speculate, suspecting Ellen was a distant relative of Mordred or Jeanne, although both did not leave descendants. Moreover, Jeanne Alter did not exist as a historical figure. He remembered how Jeanne Alter, having heard their conversation, sarcastically compared them to Gilles de Rais, who simply confused women's faces./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Wait," said Harry, deciding on a desperate step. "I'm here now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He quickly left the living room and headed to the room where Ritsuka Fujimaru was staying./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Fujimaru, I need your help," he said as he entered the room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Fujimaru, who was reading a book, looked up at him questioningly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""What happened, Harry?" he asked, putting the book aside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Ron and Hermione... they..." Harry paused, not knowing how to explain. "They found Ellen's ID and... well, they need your help."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Fujimaru rose from his chair with a slight smile and followed Harry into the living room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""What's happening?" he asked, looking around the crowd./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""We're trying to find out who Ellen is," Hermione replied, her voice filled with excitement. "She's very similar to Mordred and Jeanne Alter, but that's impossible!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Fujimaru chuckled./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""You forget," he said, "that Servants are heroic spirits, and not ordinary people. They can take different forms, and sometimes they are very similar to each other."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But..." Hermione began, but was interrupted by Ellen's voice coming from the corridor./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""What are you arguing about here?" she asked, entering the living room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Everyone turned to her. Her gaze slid over Fujimaru and then settled on Harry. There was curiosity and... a subtle smile in her eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""We... were just discussing..." Harry began, but Ellen interrupted him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I know what you were talking about," Ellen repeated, her voice was calm, but there was a hidden strength in it. "And I can answer your questions."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Hermione, Ron and Fujimaru froze, unable to take their eyes off Ellen . Harry felt the tension in the room rise, as if before a thunderstorm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Ellen," Hermione began, her voice trembling slightly with emotion, "we... we don't want to offend you, but... you look so much like..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""To Mordred and Jeanne d'Arc?" Ellen finished for her, a barely noticeable smile touched her lips. "Yes, I've heard this more than once."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But how is this possible?" asked Ron, unable to hide his amazement. "They are…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Heroic spirits," picked up Ellen, "who can take on different forms. Fujimaru has already explained this to you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But... why are you so similar to them?" Hermione did not let up. "Is this... is this just a coincidence?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Ellen looked at her, and a mischievous sparkle flashed in her eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Perhaps," she said, "this is not a coincidence? Maybe there is some connection between us? A connection that transcends time and space?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but Ellen stopped her with a gesture./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Don't rush to conclusions," she said. "The world is full of secrets, and not everything can be explained logically."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She fell silent, as if giving them time to think about her words. Harry felt his brain working at full capacity, trying to wrap his head around everything he had heard./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But..." Hermione began, trying to find the words, "you look so much like... some of the heroic spirits we know about. Those who... who had the power of a king."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""The power of the king?" Ellen asked, raising an eyebrow. "Interesting observation. But haven't many heroes possessed this power? Wasn't each of them, to one degree or another, a leader, a warrior, a defender of his people?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Yes, but..." Hermione continued, feeling her arguments crumble under Ellen's gaze, "there are... there are certain features... certain similarities..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""A resemblance," said Ellen, "which can be deceptive. Don't they say that all people are alike? That each of us has a double somewhere in the world? And heroic spirits... they are also a reflection of human history, human aspirations and ideals. It is not surprising that among them there are those who are similar to each other."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But..." Ron, clearly confused, scratched the back of his head, "you know what we mean, right? You look not just like some random heroes, but like... like those who..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Those who left their mark on history?" Ellen finished for him. "Those whose names have become legends? But doesn't every hero strive for this? Doesn't each of them want to be remembered, wants to leave their mark on this world?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Yes, but..." Hermione didn't know what to say anymore. Ellen's logic was impeccable, but at the same time, her words left more questions than answers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Ellen," Fujimaru began, "are you saying that..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I don't want to say anything," Ellen interrupted him, her voice becoming serious. "Don't look for simple answers where there are none. The world is a complex puzzle, and not all of its pieces fit together. Sometimes... we just have to accept what we can't understand."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Ellen..." Fujimaru began, but paused, as if not daring to continue. "Sorry, but... sometimes Mash and I... call you... other names."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Ellen turned to him, her gaze calm and penetrating./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""By other names?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Interesting, and what kind?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Well..." Fujimaru hesitated, feeling the color filling his cheeks. "Sometimes we call you... Mysterious Heroine X... or Artoria... or Nero... or..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Or someone else who looks like me?" Ellen finished for him, a slight smile touched her lips. "I understand. You see in me a reflection of those you knew before. Those who left their mark in your memory."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But..." Mash, who had previously silently watched the conversation from the corridor, could not stand it and came in. "This is... not just a resemblance. You... you are so similar to them..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Similar, but not identical," Ellen said, her voice soft but firm. "I am me. And I have my own story, my own destiny."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She looked at them, and a spark of understanding flashed in her eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I know this is difficult for you to accept," she continued, her voice softening, notes of sympathy appearing in it. "But believe me, I'm not who you think I am. I see that you yearn for those who have left. For those who were an example for you, who inspired you. And I understand your desire to see them again, to see them alive and well."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She paused, as if collecting her thoughts, and then continued:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But remember," she said, "that every hero, every leader, every defender is not just a name and a face. These are, first of all, the ideals that they represent. This is courage, justice, compassion, the willingness to fight for what you believe in."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Ellen looked at them, and a spark of hope flashed in her eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""And these ideals do not die," she said. "They live in each of us. And as long as we remember them, as long as we strive to be better, as long as we are ready to fight for what we think is right, heroes will never leave us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She smiled at them with a mysterious smile and left the living room, leaving them in a state of complete confusion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""What... what was that?" Ron asked, looking around at the others./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... I don't know," Hermione replied, her voice filled with confusion. "But... I feel that Ellen is hiding something."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Fujimaru silently watched them leave, his face unreadable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry felt confidence growing inside him. Ellen, whoever she was, played her role flawlessly. "She not only did not give away her secret, but also made them doubt their own guesses./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She's a master manipulator", Harry thought with admiration. "And she's on our side."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongspan lang="EN"***/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Night fell over the Burrow, shrouding the Weasley house in soft darkness. Harry lay on the bed, but sleep did not come to him. The conversation with Ellen, her mysterious words, left a deep imprint on his soul. He felt that she was hiding something, but at the same time, her words were full of wisdom and compassion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Suddenly he heard a quiet knock on the door./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Harry," Ellen's soft voice reached him, "are you awake?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry jumped out of bed and opened the door. Ellen stood on the threshold, her hair was loose, and a slight smile played on her face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Can I come in?" she asked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Of course," Harry replied, letting her into the room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Ellen sat down on the edge of the bed, and Harry noticed that her eyes were full of anxiety./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I see that something is bothering you," she said. "Do you want to talk about it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry hesitated. He was not used to sharing his experiences with others, but at that moment he felt that he could trust Ellen./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I... I keep thinking about what happened in the past," he said, looking down. "About the fact that I... let my parents die."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I understand," Ellen said, her voice full of sympathy. "It was a difficult decision. But you must know that it is not your fault. You did what you thought was right."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But...wouldn't it be better if I changed the past?" - Harry asked, clenching his fists. – "If my parents were alive..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Perhaps," Ellen replied, "but you can't know for sure. Changing the past always entails unpredictable consequences."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She paused, as if remembering something, and then continued:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""There were also moments in my life when I had to make difficult decisions. Decisions that influenced the destinies of many people. And believe me, it's not easy to bear such responsibility."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""But you... have you always done the right thing?" - Harry asked, looking at her hopefully./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Not always," Ellen answered, her voice quiet and sad. "I made mistakes, like all people. But I always tried to do what I thought was best for my people, for my country."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""And... you don't regret your decisions?" - asked Harry./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I'm sorry," Ellen replied. "But not about the decisions themselves, but about the fact that sometimes... you had to choose the lesser evil."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She looked at Harry, and in her eyes he saw wisdom and understanding./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""You are strong, Harry," she said. – "Stronger than you think. And you can do it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Harry felt his heart fill with warmth. Ellen's words were like a balm to his soul./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Thank you, Ellen," he said. "I... I don't know what I would do without you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""You could handle it," Ellen smiled. "But I'm glad I'm here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She got out of bed and headed towards the door./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Try to rest," she said. "You will need strength."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""Ellen," Harry called out to her as she was about to leave. "Who are you? Why do you care so much about me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"Ellen stopped and turned to him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""In time you will find out everything," she said, her voice full of mystery. "For now... just know that I'm on your side."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"She left the room, leaving Harry deep in thought. He looked at the calendar hanging on the wall and saw that today was August 3rd. The day when the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, is supposed to come to them. So tomorrow is August 4th. The wedding of Bill and Fleur, which last time took place on August 4th. Thinking about her, Harry looked at his hands. Not a single wound, not a single scratch from the flowers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN""I wonder", thought Harry, "how this visit and this wedding will change after everything that has happened?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span lang="EN"He felt that the future was full of mysteries and surprises, but at the same time he was determined to face it. After all, there is no destiny except the one we create with our own hands./span/p