Disclaimer: I don't have any.

Harry pushed the cover off his form slowly as he enjoyed every second of the renewed feeling in his limbs. He ran his hand over his bare chest admiring the feel again ignoring the squeak that came when he did.

He could feel the wiry power under his skin, coiled and ready to spring out in a burst of power. It was pure ecstasy to his mind.

He had become deeply familiar with the interworking of flesh and was very appreciative of it. Liches couldn't grow magically, they were dead, stagnant at the point they turned themselves.

They could expand their knowledge and their experience but for humans the body was integral in pushing the boundaries of what you could truly do, unlike more unique magical species that had no need for a physical body.

Moving to the edge of the bed he glanced towards his sister, who was laying on her belly, her chin under her interlocked fingers as she smirked, humming watching him like a hawk with the curtain of her hair over her left eye.

'No more akin to an eagle.'

He enjoyed the bitter pang of amusement that filled him at the correction. His little sister had become an animagus just like their dad had. When did she even have the time?

He knew he was acting a bit sloppy but he simply couldn't fathom what was going on now. So when his feet touched the ground he spoke hoping to solve the mystery.

"Rose, what did you…is this even real? Are you my Rose?" He posed the question watching the appreciative flash that crossed her eye for some reason.

She didn't answer him at first simply taking him in, before taking a long deliberate glance at the door where their peeking guest was as she spoke.

"Maybe you should experience it yourself. The best things in life are those we live through vicariously." She told him seriously before her tone lightened.

"Hermione? Be a doll and get inside the room. You're letting the cold air in." She said, clearly amused as Harry took in her advice about trying it himself.

The next voice came quickly as if it couldn't stand something so blatantly wrong being said.

"That's not true at all! The house is charmed and enchanted against such things. You told me that already…wait you're messing with me!" The young voice spoke, tickling his ears akin to his sister's.

'I love hearing.'

Slowly as if contemplating what the hell was going on herself, the bushy haired girl came in.

Dressed in white cotton pants and a long sleeve thin sweater she shuffled dragging her fuzzy flip flops, her shoulders hunching looking at the floor religiously as she marched, her movements jerky.

'Like a squirrel.' Harry made the comparison as he looked away and down at his feet wiggling his toes wondering why she wasn't looking at him.

He felt the depression in the bed when the girl sat in it meekly speaking softly, clearly trying to whisper as he got up shakily onto his two feet.

"R-rose? What is going on with you a-and why is your brother half naked?! Also shouldn't we be getting ready?! Also when have you ever been so-eep! You're squeezing too tight!"

"Hermione? Shush. Let me enjoy this please. I've been waiting too long." Harry got up hearing the bushy chipmunk-like girl squeak as he threw his arms out to balance himself from the sudden vertigo.

"Ah." He fell back into the bed with a silent grunt wondering why walking was so hard as the soft cotton cushioned him.

"...oh yeah a skeleton only able to move by magic…"

He paused.

"Right."

He mumbled under his breath, as he immediately launched into trying again.

He was way too excited to stay stationary and had no wish not to test out his new (old?) body.

"Rose, is everything alright?"

Holding onto his drawer as he steadied himself he heard his sister sniffing the girl near obsessively.

"It's nothing but its so good to have you back Hermione. I didn't realize how much I would miss you." Rose spoke softly as she hugged the girl whose face slowly reddened at the honest admission clearly baffled at what she was hearing.

"It's only been a week since I've been away though and please stop that. You're tickling me!" The two girls struggled in his bed and Harry finally was able to walk properly while holding onto the wall leaning on it as he got better with each step.

He glanced back amused however, seeing a flash of red light as the bushy haired girl slumped in his sister's arms stunned.

"What? She won't question it too much and I'll wake her up soon. We have to go to the cup anyway." His sister spoke defensively as she rested down the girl gently.

"I didn't say anything." Harry shuffled to his bathroom wanting to feel warm water on his skin. Why was she assuming-

"It was all over your face Harry and don't go yet let's talk for a bit. We haven't had time alone to ourselves for quite a bit have we? Of course that's not my fault."

'I was so close too. Perhaps another day.'

Sending a longing gaze to the bathroom hoping he could feel the stinging of hot water soon he made the arduous journey back to the bed.

"I've never seen you be this expressive before. It's….nice, I hope you don't stop." Rose spoke softly as he sat back down in the bed laying on his back.

"I've never felt like this either. Well maybe expect sometimes with you but otherwise…"

He admitted feeling strange about it himself. Obviously it was because he didn't allow himself to feel that way with others he considered strangers but it was true all the same.

It was the embodiment of the saying "You didn't know what you had until it was gone."

'And boy did I have no clue what I had.' He put a hand up admiring the look of it. With his studies he could tell this was a 15 or 16 year old frame.

Rummaging through corpses did that to you.

His hand was grabbed softly as his sister's hair hung in front of his face, bright green eyes staring down at his very own.

"You don't know how happy it makes me when you say something like that about me. I thought it was only me who got pleasure from being in your company. You had always acted so unaffected by everything you seemed a bit otherworldly…"

His eyes were transfixed on the innocent smile that donned her face. The way it lit up her features unlike that world weary expression she had when she fought him.

He preferred this one more.

"I'm glad."

"..." Liches weren't built for this mushiness.

He did not like the way his heart skipped a beat at that or the way he felt pleasure all the way up to his very bone marrow from a single touch.

Finally he loathed how much he didn't want it to end either as he squeezed it.

"Are you embarrassed bro, that's rare. Hehe." His eyes twitched when she spoke in that annoyingly knowing voice of hers as she pulled her hand away quickly.

Still they quieted down after the light banter looking into each other's eyes silently not knowing what to say for a bit.

Rose pulled away first as she spoke sitting on her rump fluffing her hair. "We're going to the world cup later today for our final hoorah for this summer. That's why Hermione is here, we're supposed to meet up with Sirius as well but you know how he is."

Harry got up sitting up in a slouch as he glanced at the girl he knew as his sister's friend.

"She died didn't she? Granger." He glanced at Rose, seeing her smiling sadly as she shrugged looking miserable.

"What are you talking about Harry? She is right here. In all her bossy glory." Rose patted the boy's cheek still holding some stubborn baby fat. Just a bit.

'Denial? No, she moved on.'

"Sorry." He never really needed a filter before.

"Huh? You're acting really strange bro. Don't apologize when you did nothing wrong." Her eyes glinted as she looked at him, clearly accepting his apology yet contradicting herself with every word she spoke.

'Why is she acting like this? Like she doesn't know. Is this how she copes?' Harry didn't know why but considering she was the one responsible for their freedom from the world of ashes he didn't call her out.

In fact he may copy her, everything that had just happened was nothing more than a horrible dream, the worst case scenario imaginable.

He had enough confrontation with his family to last a lifetime. If he could help it he didn't mind going the extra mile to make sure it was avoided.

"I may be a bit sleepy, it was a rough year." He yawned, faking it as stretched the kinks out of his body.

"Was it? I don't remember anything happening, though I feel like it's about to get rougher soon." She scooted over to him, her thigh bumping with his speaking in a roundabout manner that he began picking up on.

'Let me guess. This is so nobody knows where we are from right? Good idea.' He emulated her, deciding getting in the habit would be good.

"You did huh? Think it has anything to do with the cup? I'm sure many would like to use it to their advantage." Harry spoke slowly trying to get into the groove.

Rose eyes opened wide before they closed, a smile appearing too.

"Yep!" She popped the p continuing.

"It isn't all too far-fetched really. Maybe we should keep an eye out to make sure nothing strange happens. Y'know just in case."

Harry nodded in some agreement not really wanting to but knowing he owed her much.

"We should enjoy ourselves too though. I would like to enjoy the things I couldn't before…if you don't mind." His tone came out a bit wooden, unable to express how much he wanted that.

"Of course. Is that even a question? We can do it all together as a family this time. That is how it should have always been. With our pleasure first and everything else later. Our problems can be killed later." Her cheeks dimpled as she glomped him into a hug.

"A family huh? What about her? Did you put her in your little equation?" Hugging her back after a minute of contemplation he asked the dreaded question as he enjoyed how soft she was without her notice.

"Ah…"

It seemed his sister finally had no answer for a question he had.

(Break)

'Why on earth do I only have one color in my closet and why is it so hard to dress myself.' Harry smiled as he pulled at the black long sleeve shirt feeling a bit stuffy.

Skeletons didn't need to care about clothes. Just pull some random cloak off a dead wizard and voila. He wouldn't change the inconvenience for the world though.

Even if he felt restrained.

His sister had swept away her friend leaving him with a kiss on the cheek and promise for fun times as the hurricane known as Rose left his room hurrying him up.

'Fun…what did she mean by that? She looked rather mean spirited when she said that. Like she was about to very much enjoy what was going to happen today.' Was it the Death Eaters? However he couldn't remember exactly why they would have gotten her ire at this point.

Well of course he wouldn't know. He only heard of the event from hearsay, nothing else.

Rummaging in his drawer he pulled out the gold watch, a gift from his godfather who still carried on the idea that he would one day become a born and bred marauder.

'I wonder how he died back then.' Harry thought peering at the watch feeling that it looked good enough. He could never remember caring about his appearance this much but he wanted to get away from his past image so he didn't fall back into his old ways.

Anything to never become an undead.

Adjusting his watch his ears picked up the sound of his knob turning as he glanced at the door.

"Granger? What are you doing?" The girl jerked for a second looking like she wanted to run before she slipped a single foot inside keeping one out clearly not knowing what to do being inside a boys room.

"I-I Rose just told me to come check up on you. I don't know why of course but I thought maybe she had a reason so-"She stopped, looking down and whispered the rest as she pulled her hair behind her ear.

"Let me guess, she also told you to come without knocking on the door." Harry stood near his mirror shaking his head as he looked at himself in it frowning deeply at the long hair that rested on his shoulders clearly never being cut for quite some time.

"How did you know?!"

'I need a haircut.' Harry thought as he touched it a bit, feeling the uneven edges.

He threw a bland look at a staring Granger who quickly looked up into his eyes.

"Firstly, she is my sister. She was messing with you obviously. Probably wanted you to catch me in a certain state of…" He let her come to the conclusion as her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed, her eyes struggling to look in his.

"Undress! What is wrong with that girl, she has never been this improper, this is just-"

Harry bent down pulling out another drawer as he observed the cologne inside the blue and white box he spotted.

Should he put it on? He sniffed himself before realizing he didn't smell too bad but still decided to add a little spray.

"Don't worry too much. I'm sure she knew I'd be ready by now." He reassured her simply as he began spraying.

" That makes sense. I don't think Rose would send me here otherwise but…I am a little curious though, if you don't mind may I ask a…question? Of course it's all right if you don't want to! " She trailed off behind him, clearly having been waiting to get an opportunity from the minute she arrived in his room.

"You may." He didn't find conversation nearly as annoying as he did before. At one point it was just unnecessary. He got nothing out of it unless it could satisfy his artificial curiosity.

A deep breath was taken giving him a warning of what was coming next.

"What happened when I was gone? I've never seen you so much as give more than a one word answer to anyone other than Rose and yet you're talking to me normally, as if I'm actually worth talking to! Also what on earth is wrong with Rose?! Why does she keep acting so mysterious and mischievous?! She just keeps answering me in riddles and sounds like professor Dumbeldore! Also why are you coming with us? Rose told me that you never go out and-

"Granger." Harry's head whipped as he connected eyes with her causing to stop, breathing in deeply.

"Stop." Goodness he forgot this girl could go on like a neverending volcano when she got ready.

"I'm coming with you all because I feel like going out with my family." He answered her as he walked towards the door, getting her to hurriedly move to the back then side.

"Ah?! My other questions-" She paused as he rested a hand onto her shoulder looking at it like it was a snake.

"Oh you're right. Come closer let me tell you." He saw the struggle but clearly curiosity ruled this girl and he couldn't help but wonder if that was what got her killed.

She came close and he leaned down whispering in her ear ignoring her shiver.

"No clue."

She pulled back looking at him with deep and utter surprise.

"Also didn't you say you only had one question to ask, so I answered one, there is no need to thank me." His lips upturned as he left the stunned girl.

It felt good to joke around.

'Let's see how this will pan out.' He pursed his lips knowing he needed to confront the final person present in the house.

"Rose dear, what has gotten into you?!" Was the first thing he heard coming from the kitchen as he turned away from the living room heading there.

"I just wanted to let you know I love you!" Harry poked his head inside glancing at the interaction.

His sister had changed from her pajamas to a simple white flower print dress with thin straps.

His…the lady who gave birth to him was wearing dark jeans, along with a similarly colored sweater as she turned around hugging his sister as she snorted a bit.

"Can't remember the last time I didn't have to fight to get one of these."

His sister swaddled in that warmth spoke up her voice hazy clearly from the pleasure.

"I simply couldn't appreciate what was right in front of me. Please excuse my abysmal behavior, mother." The girl hugged tighter as Harry made his way closer.

The woman's face looked a bit startled. "Rose…what on earth-" She paused as she raised her head from the hug looking Harry directly in the eyes.

'What a change.' Harry couldn't help but wonder if the woman was a master of the mind arts by the way the healthy glow in her eyes dimmed and the slight annoyance that entered as her head turned away not even giving him a glance.

Rose caught his eye next clearly feeling the lack of strength in the hug as her eyes grew bigger in panic. She detached from the woman, moving to him before quickly gripping his upper arm as she spoke.

"Harry. Calm down, remember what I-" Raising a hand he placed it on her forehead before pushing her away.

"Huh?" The girl stumbled as he walked forward looking the woman in the eyes.

"Is something wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Complete apathy was the only description he could use as the woman he was rapidly outgrowing looked in his eyes like it was a bothersome chore.

Harry observed her silently truly wondering how he could never realize how completely and utterly unnatural this was. There was no hate, no love, nothing for him in her eyes. Like she was just a blank wall-

Just like him when he was a….lich.

Wow.

'It was so simple to see but I don't blame my past self for hating her. How could he know she was sick if she herself didn't?' Harry sighed looking away. What an unfortunate yet fortunate turn of events.

He spent most his life wallowing in hate, pouring it in his magic and mind, only to be told it was no one's fault. That it was all useless.

Life was strange.

'Yet I may gain someone I can depend on from this? Life is strange. So very strange. Yet I can't help but love where this is going.'

He didn't offer her a hug, he didn't swear he was going to cure her, nor did he tell her he loved her.

That would be a lie.

Instead he planted the seeds for when she did get cured so she didn't go down the same route. For it was too hard for him to muster up any kind of emotion that wasn't negative towards her.

"If you ever want to get to know me, your child." He paused looking at her again seeing her raise a delicate red eyebrow.

"I'm always willing to make time for you. It's the least I can do considering what you sacrificed for me and Rose." He was mature enough to realize what she lost that night

A child. A husband.

What he lost as well.

A mother. A father.

Turning away feeling a burning in his chest he didn't see the deviation on her face as she looked at him before it was washed away like the tide to a shore.

'Voldemort. How unpleasant.' He never felt much for the man who fashioned himself Lord but the seed of hatred that he once carried for another shift it sights for greener pastures.

He couldn't help but wonder how the man would feel becoming one of his many undying legion. He would be a special breed of course, one kept half alive whose only purpose was to suffer untold until the end of his immortal life-

"Oof-" He paused quickly, catching the body that impacted him in the torso as he sat waiting for everyone so they could leave. He had been expecting a reaction but not one so excitable.

"Did my performance please you that much?" He patted her head as she nodded in his neck without words for a second.

"...I really don't want to see her like that again. I-I don't think I can…"He held her, feeling the tears stain his shirt as he glanced around taking in the sights. Yes he was still adjusting. He may never be the same actually and he didn't mind at all.

"She's still here isn't she? Don't fret too much for something that hasn't come to pass." He wouldn't. He was about to live his life.

She sniffed.

"Was that supposed to help you prat? Be more considerate."

'...but I was though?'

He did not say anything knowing she needed to get it out as he coughed speaking after thinking of a solution.

"Ehm you know I could always bring her back right- ow." He winced, feeling the pinch on his neck as she mumbled "shut up." getting him to do so.

He supposed a reanimated corpse was less than ideal.

(Break)

It wasn't often he got to see her defense so broken down and that remained true as she sprung up pushing away from him.

Before she left she had given him a good look for some reason before leaving dashing in the direction of their rooms.

So sitting on the couch Harry reclined back with a happy sigh as he simply enjoyed himself in his new life.

He had about 30 seconds of that before he was interrupted by a cough.

"Ahem!"

He opened his eyes glancing at the irate girl who sat across from him. She had changed into a fuzzy sweater and blue jeans now clearly ready to leave with her little satchel at her hip.

After admiring for a bit he closed his eyes.

"Hey don't ignore me!"

"...I didn't? You didn't actually say anything…." He answered back lazily as he measured his breaths enjoying the way he could feel his lungs expanding.

"Don't act obtuse. You know what I mean, you didn't answer my questions!"

"I didn't want to obviously…."

"That's surprisingly truthful…" She sounded a bit astonished as if she expected an excuse as she deflated at clearly not getting to argue.

"Lying only gets people into trouble. It is necessary of course at times but not here." He answered truthfully. Lying was essential in life but why did he have to lie to her? To gain brownie points?

He only knew her name, that she was Rose's friend, and that she died.

After a bit of silence he thought she gave up and finally began drifting off to sleep as he happily wondered if he could dream now.

"...you aren't what I expected Potter."

'Hah. It's rude not to look someone in the eye when speaking.' He decided he wouldn't get to sleep with her here so he opened his eyes, adjusting properly.

Cheek on his fist his leg on top of the other he entertained her.

"What did you expect? A raving lunatic who didn't know how to socialize?"

The long silence and slowly reddening cheeks didn't inspire his confidence.

"I didn't think I made that bad of an impression, Granger…"

"...It's not that sorry! It's just I remembered some rumors and well-" She looked away at his interested gaze and he couldn't help but think this girl had no confidence at all.

She could hardly keep eye contact with him.

"If it makes you feel any better I never thought they were true. You may be a bit rude but you haven't been particularly unkind from what I've seen." She cupped her hands as the words rushed out quickly.

Harry observing her felt there was a bit more as he prodded just an inch to kill time and see why Rose was friends with this girl.

"I suppose you've been on the receiving end of this kindness before?"

What was the muggle expression?

Ah that was right.

'Bingo.' The girl began fidgeting, playing with her hair as her shoulders hunched over.

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that but you did help me out once before. When I was being accosted…it wasn't much but…do you remember?" Her voice became smaller and smaller as she spoke.

He didn't.

"No." So he said so.

"Oh. Understandable, I'm not very memorable after all." Harry was not sure why the girl looked like her world crumbled a bit but he did smack some sense into her verbally.

"Well if you wanted me to remember you, how about actually talking to me?" That was the wrong thing to say.

Her face hardened and she looked at him with eyes that seemed to say "Oh really? What a great idea, truly a problem solver you are."

After thinking about it he coughed realizing it would have perhaps been a bit hard with his previous behavior.

However a lich didn't lose to little girls.

"How about we start with names? I'll call you by your given and you to me the same." He conceded a bit to her as she paused before nodding quickly.

"I can do that…Harry."

"Great. Now it looks like everyone is coming-" Harry who was glad to get the little talk over paused seeing Rose come.

That wasn't what caused it though, it was what she carried.

"Here. Don't forget what you are now." She handed him back his old wand as he looked at it for a bit before gingerly picking it out of her hands, looking up and thanking her with his eyes.

'How long has it been?' He had only ever used wands that he took as his own had rejected him at one point but-

As soon as he touched it an unexpected reaction took place.

Like a child who had just been introduced into their mysterious little world his wand lit up in a brilliant display of golden sparks as he sat ramrod straight watching as it accepted him anew.

As if it knew he wasn't the same person he once was.

He ignored the stunned reactions as he took it, feeling the pulse of the connection running up his body, sending reverberations through him.

How precious. He'd make sure to treasure it this time around.

People make this stuff look easy. It aint.