[a/n0]Yes, I do enjoy dropping Dune lore in from time to time.

[a/n]This is a wayback request Slytherin66 from SoHDD "What if Harry took the Elder wand from Dumbledore's tomb before the horcrux hunt? If he could kill Nagini when she tried to trap Harry things would be easier and a spare wand handy."

Harry Does Different DXXIII

Elder wand

Harry Potter felt broken and defeated. He'd watched, uselessly, as his beloved Headmaster's body fell past him. To splat on the courtyard below. Even chasing down the murdering Snape had futile, an attempt to kill the bastard led to him learning all his Potions achievements of the year were due to Snape's book. Now he stood at the head of a coffin, in which laid the greatest wizard of the age.

"Looks like he could just sit up and take on the world, doesn't he?" the now Headmistress squeezed the boy [young man's] shoulder. "As professors we are not supposed to have favorites, but every few years …you, Harry, are a unique one. If he thought anyone a grandson …well, add a great or three… it would be you."

He did two things he never would have thought of even a month ago. Hugging her, he replied quietly "Thank you Minerva." Then deeply surprised, had to support the older witch as she collapsed, sobbing. While holding her, Harry watched others pass by. Eyeing the body, he thought, or rather Dumbledore's wand with avarice. Seeing a Slytherin at the coffin just a bit too long made him act. Just a finger on his wand and a whispered "Accio!" snapped the world's most powerful wand into his hand. He never told a soul.

Abcij

Never, in the months of the Horcrux hunt, did Harry draw the wand he'd spelled in place on his thigh. And he continued using his tried and true phoenix-core.

Anger at Ron's departure had left the remaining questors distraught and directionless. Weeks worth of it. No other ideas, Hermione posited "Something covering both issues, Harry. You've never seen your parents' grave. Might be a good tribute for Christmas. And an off-chance Dumbledore left the sword there for you."

"Why hello there." An aged woman greeted the pair "A disgrace really. Our supposed national heroes and if it wasn't for an ancient historian the place would fall to dust."

Harry started to speak, but received a cautioning look from Hermione "We do not learn about it in History of Magic. Professor Binns concentrates on goblin rebellions."

"Yes I wonder why my books are even on the text list." She went on "Cuthbert Binns is older than history."

The young witch blinked "You're Bathilda Bagshot! Author of - -"

"Yes yes my dear. And quite able to see living history in front of me." She wheezed "Your name escapes me, girl, but that scar is legend Mr. Potter."

He refrained from sighing but shot back "I'd rather have parents."

"I might have some information that will help with your current situation. If you would care to follow me?" Bathilda indicated the staircase. At Hermione's approach she held up a hand "Not for you. Mr. Potter and ONLY Mr. Potter."

A look between the teens conveyed a whole conversation. And Harry, alone, followed the famous author up the flight of stairs. He did not wish to seem too eager for his main objective, so asked "Your books are great, Mrs. Bagshot, but what about what doesn't go into them? Like the Dark Lord? What do you know about him? Or the Sword of Gryffindor? What do you know about it?"

"I know a great deal about a great many things, Harry Potter." answered the old woman silkily "All value my counsel."

The tone set the hair on the back of his neck on end. He nodded easily "Then you're exactly who I was looking for. Hermione had her doubts. It's why she was suspicious of you. I'm sorry for that. But please. Tell - -YAHH!"

~~You lie poorly, boy~~ the witch retorted.

Being blasted off his feet was plenty clue to Harry he was in trouble. He wasn't aware of the second aspect until Hermione's frantic "Harry! She's a parselmouth! It can't be Bagshot!"

~~Clever girl~~ came more hissing. ~~Getonmydinnerplate~~ Parseltongue did not use Latin words for curses. In this case, this was a parseltongue death spell. Based on typical reptile behavior, but especially cruel to an intelligent thinking person. It would leave them alive and fully awake, but unable to move and completely irreversible. The victim would remain that way until starving, or as implied, eaten by the caster.

Harry lashed out in a panic as it was directed toward his friend "Hermione! No!" he shoved her and fired "Avada Kedavra!"

"You used an unforgivable!" the young witch gasped. But the effect on the wizard's target was more dramatic "Harry! Look!"

Bathilda Bagshot, instead of falling over, dead, cracked open and fell apart like an opened egg. Inside was a quickly uncoiling very large snake. One didn't have time to wonder about the still connected organs functioning. Its tail lashed out, deadly accurate, and whip-snapped Harry's wand.

"Impedimenta!" yelled Hermione, having some effect.

The wizard's next action surprised both friend and enemy; for invisibly spelled to his leg was that wand from many months earlier. The massive, though not nearly basilisk, snake did not have time to even blink as a second sickly green curse engulfed her "Avada Kedavra!"

"Great Merlin Harry!" it was probably the only swear Hermione allowed herself "I know you saved us, but another Unforgivable!"

The wizard slumped down, wearily "Spell takes a lot out of you. I didn't kill anyone, Hermione. At least I don't think so. Remember First Year? Quirrell? The snake was possessed , it was him. And Bathilda, I hope she was long dead too. Imagine living like that? No way."

"I just want to get out of here. Can we go?" she accepted the response unhappily "Where did that second wand come from? I did not know you had one."

He offered it, butt first "They were burying it with Dumbledore, but a couple of Slytherins looked like they were going to steal it. So I - -"

"Stole it first." She concluded, without rancor. After examining it briefly, returned adding "Something about it feels different. More powerful than others. Did Mr. Ollivander give you that wand chooses the witch speech?"

He nodded ruefully "Or wizard, but yeah. First time using it and it feels like I've been all my life." That was when Harry paused and located the broken pieces of his longtime-phoenix-feather wand. Looking mournful lamented "Wonder if wands can be fixed."

"Harry look! It's glowing." Exclaimed Hermione. As the pair watched, a bright yellow light engulfed the pieces, brought them together, sealed the jagged wound, and slowly faded. When done, the phoenix-feathered wand looked brand new.

Awed, the wizard picked it up gently. Not thinking it at all odd, looked at Dumbledore's and very moved said "Thank you."

"I did not know that was even possible." Hermione was no less impressed.

And they sat on the floor, not thinking of the rather gory mess that was not far away. Harry testing a few, first a few easy spells then working up through his spell knowledge. He hadn't got through Fifth-Year when he abruptly holstered the repaired wand and held out Dumbledore's. He snapped "Hermione, you feel that?"

"Harry? No I - - What do you mean?" the witch looked confused. Then far moreso, and angry when she was grabbed and manhandled "Stop this Harry!"

The wizard shoved his friend to the window and yanked the ratty curtain in front of both. He growled rapidly "Somone apparating in! Now Shut Up!"

"How can you - -?" Hermione began, but was cut off by a hand over her mouth. And the sound of air ripping that accompanied an unsubtle apparater.

The voice was instantly recognizable. That of an enraged Dark Lord "NAAAAGINNNIIII! WHO DID THIS? THERE WILL BE REVENGE!"

"I did!" Harry threw caution to the winds, pushed the curtain aside, and not even waiting for his enemy to face him, used Dumbledore's wand. For the third time in under an hour, cast "Avada Kedavra!"

The Dark Lord's magical-construct-body crumbled. A coherent mass of smoke rose, emitted a preternatural cry of fury and attempted to attack Harry. It had the same futile result as the same from 1992.

Hermione was quite distressed by the sight, and more of the time it took to revive her friend. Which, objectively, was just ten minutes "Harry. Harry! Harry! ! HARRY!"

"We won a big battle. It wasn't the war." Said the wizard as he sat up "Thanks Hermione. Now we know that snake had to be another horcrux or Voldemort wouldn't've shown up here like - - No, don't think we need to worry about the taboo. He's like he was before the Goblet."