Harry groaned as he sat up, holding his head, which felt as if it'd been used as a Beater bat.
He blinked, realizing he wasn't wearing his glasses, and looked around, feeling odd.
"Where… am I?" He asked softly as he stood.
He was in a living room of some kind, but it wasn't the Dursley's or the Weasley's living room; it wasn't any room he knew at all, for that matter.
It was warm and cozy, a fire crackling merrily in the hearth a few feet to his right, a large pale green couch pushed against the wall in front of him, a window behind it showing a snowy street.
Beside the couch was a small table, covered in books, magazines, and a round mirror lying on top of it all.
There was a small foyer to his left, a burgundy front door leading outside. Stairs were behind it, leading up to an unseen second floor.
A doorway behind Harry led to a cozy kitchen, filled with warm colors and red-tinted wood cabinets. A table sat beside the doorway, big enough for a few people, pushed up against the wall now, making it comfortably big enough for three.
"What is this place…?" Harry whispered, wondering why he felt so… safe here.
Something in the back of his head told him he remembered this place, or that he should remember it, but currently didn't.
It had the feeling Hogwarts usually had, the sensation of belonging and welcome, but it was even stronger here as if he were meant to be here.
"Harry," A soft male voice said.
Harry turned and stopped, his throat going dry at the sight.
The spitting image of Harry stood a few feet away, albeit older and with hazel eyes instead of emerald. Stubble lined his face, which was strong and royal, with high cheekbones and a strong jaw.
The man was tall, only a few inches shorter than Thanatos, with a strong build that seemed built for power. He wore the power like a second skin, along with a rugged confidence that Harry had seen a bit of in Sirius, though here it was pronounced and proud.
Beside him was a red-haired woman, her eyes the same emerald as Harry's, though they also held such a sharp intellect that it'd make Hermione look like an amateur. Freckles spattered her nose and cheekbones, her face softer yet just as strong as the man's.
She was tall for a woman, though nowhere near as tall as Aahna, but had a lither figure that gave itself to speed. But kindness seemed to radiate from every part of her, along with good-natured humor.
"Who…" Harry trailed off, his eyes widening.
The man gave a mischievous grin and bowed low, one hand over his chest.
"James Potter, prank extraordinaire, Marauder, and Auror, at your service," He said once he stood.
The woman rolled her eyes, hiding a smile as she did.
"I'm Lily, and what he should've said is that we're your parents," She said, hitting James in the side with her elbow.
"OW!" James exclaimed, rubbing his ribs. "I mean– err– Yeah… We're your–"
Harry tackled them into a hug, nearly knocking the two over from the surprise.
Lily laughed as he hugged them, and she lovingly ran her fingers through his hair.
"Such a shame," She sighed dramatically. "I never could find a way to get your hair to settle."
"You know you like the natural charm it has," James grinned, wrapping his arm around her waist.
"Natural mess that's for sure," Lily muttered, leaning her head against his shoulder.
Harry's grip tightened around them, hot tears falling down his face as their arms rested on his back.
"H–How…" He croaked, looking up at them. "Am I– Am I–"
James sighed. "Not exactly, Harry. It's a long story."
Harry blinked. "Then… how?"
"You're technically dead at the moment," Lily told him. "But you won't stay dead, not if Aahna and Thanatos have anything to say about it."
Harry's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"That isn't our place to say, sport," James replied, rubbing Harry's hair.
He grimaced. "Merlin, that makes me feel old."
Lily grinned and nudged him. "You do have a kid, after all. Better start preparing for those gray hairs."
Harry blinked. "You guys age? I thought you were dead."
"We age if we want to," Lily explained. "We can't de-age to a time younger than we were than we died, and we can only age to what our age would be if we were alive."
"Huh?" Harry asked.
"We can be as young as 21 or as old as 33 at the moment," James supplied. "Since we were 21 when we died, and if we were alive, we'd be 33. We can pick any age between those too."
"Huh, that makes sense," Harry nodded slowly. "So… why am I here?"
"Let's sit down instead," Lily sighed, dropping her head. "This'll be a long talk."
The trio sat down on the couch Harry had noticed earlier, and Harry blinked as he sank into it.
"Wow, this is soft," He said, trying to sit up.
James laughed. "You always liked sinking into the cushions when you were a baby. Nearly gave Lily a heart attack once or twice."
Harry flushed in embarrassment and Lily swatted James' arm goodnaturedly.
James shook his head, his good humor fading quickly.
"Harry… you know that scar you're so famous for?" He asked, drips of venom in his voice as if he loathed the very idea of the scar.
Harry nodded hesitantly. "Yeah…? What about it?"
Lily reached over and grabbed a mirror from the small table, handing it over to Harry.
Harry blinked as he saw his reflection. His emerald eyes were brighter, almost identical now to his mother's, and his jaw looked a bit sharper, though his face was still significantly boyish.
But the biggest difference was his scar, or lack thereof.
His infamous lightning bolt scar was gone, only a thin white line in place of the raised angry flesh he was used to. It looked about a week old, and Harry wouldn't have been surprised if it faded completely.
"Wha– How?" He asked, blinking and looking up at his parents.
"Harry, do you know how your scar would hurt whenever Voldemort was around?" Lily asked.
Harry did a double take, not having expected his mother to say the name, but nodded nonetheless.
"Do you know why it hurt?" She asked, getting a shake of the head. "Well, that's why you're here."
Harry's brows furrowed but James picked up the explanation from there.
"Harry… you…you know of Horcruxes, right?" James asked, getting a hesitant nod. "You… well, you were a Horcrux of Voldemort, or well, the scar was."
Harry paled drastically, and his throat went dry again.
"I– I was–" Harry stammered, feeling panic begin to rise in him.
Lily pulled him into a hug, stroking his hair gently.
"Shh, it's ok," She whispered, rocking him slightly. "It's ok, it's gone now."
"G–Gone?" Harry asked.
James nodded. "When that fight broke out between Dumbledore and Thanatos, with that explosion, you died. Or, well, you almost did. There were two souls inside you, yours and Voldemort's, meaning one of them had to go."
Harry blinked. "Wait, but if I'm here… then does that mean Voldemort's soul is still in my body?!"
"No," James said firmly. "Remember, you did die for a moment, and that's why you're here, but only one can stay dead. Voldemort's Horcrux is much weaker than your soul, so it'll naturally stay dead instead of yours. You'll be able to return to your body once it's fixed."
"Fixed?" Harry's brows furrowed.
"You know how your eyes and face are slightly different?" Lily asked, letting go of him.
"Yeah?" Harry replied. "Is that part of the fix?"
Lily nodded. "Both souls were forcefully expelled from your body thanks to that explosion, which I have issues with what you did there mister, throwing a hyper-powerful protective amulet into an unknown spell like that, what were you thinking?!"
Harry flushed in embarrassment, bowing his head and rubbing his neck.
"I… wasn't?" He tried hesitantly.
Lily harrumphed, crossing her arms. "Obviously not. I swear if I were alive I'd ground you SO badly!"
Harry snorted a bit, since his mother was still in her 21-year-old body, so it didn't have the same impact it would normally have.
Lily raised an eyebrow, and a moment later, an older version of her was sitting on the couch, staring down at him.
Harry shrunk back at her glare, being forcefully reminded a bit of Mrs. Weasley. Even James gulped a little, pulling at his collar a bit.
Lily's eyes widened a bit at James' reaction, though it was immediately replaced with a mischievous glint that made James gulp again.
"Anyway, as I was saying," Lily continued, reverting to her 21-year-old self again. "Both souls were forcefully expelled thanks to the damage your body took. Once it's repaired, the stronger soul, yours, will return to the body while the weaker one will pass on."
"So I only have a bit of time with you guys?" Harry asked, slightly disappointed.
"We'll always be here waiting for you, Harry," James said, hand on his shoulder. "Though, I hope you don't ever come to visit until you're old and gray."
"Preferably if you've given us grandkids, too," Lily grinned at Harry's embarrassment.
"MOM!" Harry exclaimed, his face turning beet red.
Both James and Lily laughed at his reaction, causing Harry to bury his face in his hands.
"As long as you don't have them too early," James warned. "At least graduate Hogwarts and start working first."
"And keep up with your training," Lily added seriously. "Dumbledore is still a threat even if he's been removed from Hogwarts."
Harry blinked. "You know about that?"
Lily nodded. "We can watch the mortal world every once in a while, though it tires us quite a bit. Thanatos says it's because we still have connections on Earth, so it's like dying a little again every time we do it."
"Wait… what?" Harry did a double take. "Thanatos… how? He's alive?!"
"Long story, not ours to tell, kid," James told him, messing with his hair. "Thanatos and Aahna will probably tell you soon, especially since Dumbledore's gone."
"Dumbledore's a big threat, and just because that trial revealed his shady side doesn't mean he's powerless now," Lily warned, jabbing a finger Harry's way. "There are many kinds of power, and Dumbledore held almost all of them."
"But enough of that!" James exclaimed, throwing a hand over Harry's shoulders. "Interested in any girls yet, Prongs Jr?"
"DAD!" Harry exclaimed, his face bright red. "I'm only 13!"
"So?" James shrugged nonchalantly. "At 13 I was already wooing your mother."
"You mean annoying," Lily rolled her eyes. "Your father was a prick at your age."
James gave a lop-sided grin. "But I won you over eventually, didn't I?"
Lily's lips twitched. "I do suppose you could be… convincing when you want to be."
Harry cringed a bit at his mother's slightly flirtatious tone. No matter what, hearing his parents flirt felt deeply disturbing.
James noticed this and his grin widened. "Say, how about you get a crash course on charming people from your old man?"
"Don't listen to him, Harry," Lily jumped in immediately. "Most of his advice consists of pranks, cheesy letters, pranks, loudly asking you out in the middle of the Great Hall, pranks, leather jackets, 70s music, and more pranks. Oh, and did I mention pranks?"
"But it worked," James' grin nearly split his face open. "That's all Harry needs to know."
Harry blinked. "You asked Mom out in the middle of the Great Hall?!"
James puffed his chest out. "Sure did. It worked too."
"I was already dating you, you goof," Lily hissed, swatting his arm, though she seemed to struggle not to laugh. "It doesn't count if I was going to say yes anyway."
"A win is a win," James replied, winking.
Lily sighed. "Harry, please, for the love of Merlin, if you like a girl, just go up to them and say that. Invite them out to The Three Broomsticks or Honeydukes or something, just… DON'T do anything remotely close to what your father or Sirius did."
James rolled his eyes. "It was one time!"
"McKinnie's hair spelled out sentences around me for a week!" Lily countered.
Harry looked between them, utterly lost.
"What are you talking about?" He asked, genuinely confused.
"Your father had the amazing idea to charm my best friend's hair to ask me out on his behalf until I said yes," Lily explained, somewhat fondly. "It was in our third year, and it was about to be our first Hogsmeade weekend."
"Yeah, I kept pestering her," James grumbled, suddenly looking bashful.
Harry turned to his mother. "Did you say yes?"
Lily snorted. "Oh heavens no! I charmed his hair to turn into a lion's mane that would declare its love for Sirius every half an hour. One of my better counter-pranks, if I do say so myself."
"Woah…" Harry said, eyes wide in awe. He knew his parents were amazing at spells, but this was way better than he expected!
Lily puffed her chest out in pride, sticking her tongue out at James when he flushed.
"Oh quit it, I did apologize, you know," James huffed good-naturedly.
"After Remus got a crush on her and forced you, you mean," Lily rolled her eyes.
James blinked. "You know about that? How?!"
"Oh, please, Remus might've been good at lying to teachers, but he couldn't hide a crush to save his life," Lily scoffed, lips twitching. "She would've said yes, is the thing. Or at least before that thing in our sixth year that was."
Lily scrunched her nose, and even James pulled a face, shaking his head.
"I'll admit, that prank was in bad taste," He replied, holding his hands up in surrender. "But in our defense, it'd been a bloody terrible full moon a few days before and Remus was usually the level-headed one, so we didn't second guess him before then."
"I am so lost," Harry said, looking between them.
James shook his head. "Not all of our pranks were good, Harry. We hurt some people we really shouldn't have, though we tried to make it up as much as we could."
"Quick bit of advice," Lily butted in. "Just because you can doesn't mean you should, ESPECIALLY when it comes to other people's belongings."
James sighed. "And don't believe everything you hear. Jumping to conclusions never gets you somewhere you wouldn't get with a rational decision, and usually just ends up hurting people."
"Uhh… Ok?" Harry nodded slowly, not sure why his parents were telling him this, but deciding to mentally jot it down anyway.
James took a deep breath. "Now, I'm kind of tired of the serious stuff, want to talk about Sirius stuff?"
Lily groaned loudly while Harry looked slightly lost for a moment, blinking at his father's wide grin before it dawned on him and he groaned too.
"That's the spirit!" James exclaimed. "So, there was this time in our fourth year, right…"
The time passed with James and Lily telling Harry about their times in Hogwarts, about the Marauders and their adventures, Lily's counter-pranking, and James' continued failed flirting with Lily.
They carefully danced around Peter, with James only mentioning him by Wormtail and only when necessary, and Lily saying 'The other Marauder' or some variation instead of either name.
Lily also mentioned Snape as little as possible, though Harry was still shocked at the fact that his mother, of all people, was best friends with Snape.
After Merlin knew how much time had passed, Harry felt his body begin to lighten, his parents beginning to slowly fade from view as the room swirled around him.
"Mom… Dad?" Harry asked slowly, choking up a bit at the thought of leaving them again.
"We'll always be here, Harry," Lily whispered, kissing his cheek and hair as she hugged him.
"And I'm proud you're our son," James whispered as he hugged Harry too. "I would've loved to be the young man you are at 13, and I'm proud to call myself your father."
"We love you Harry," Lily whispered, her voice fading as Harry's vision went black.
Harry's voice caught. "I… I love you too… Mom… Dad…"
Lily and James heard his voice fade away as Harry's soul returned to the land of the living, and Lily broke down at Harry's final words, with James barely holding it together better.
"That's our son," James whispered as Lily cried into him. "He's really our son… That's amazing."
Lily nodded tearfully, leaning into his chest. "I– I'm so proud," She croaked. "I hope Sirius and the others can help him always be happy."
"He'll be fine," James reassured her, though mostly to reassure himself too. "He's got some good friends."
Back in the real world, Harry awoke with a gasp and a groan-like scream, his soul being pushed roughly back into his body.
Sensations assaulted his senses— the bright lights piercing his closed eyelids, sounds of rustling and sharp whispers, the horrid smell of a sterile hospital, and a heavy blanket pinning his body and arms down.
"He's back! Get the…" A voice called, trailing off as Harry faded in and out of consciousness.
He could swear he knew the voice, but for the life of him, he couldn't place a name to it.
"I've got the…" Another voice, deeper, gravelier this time, said.
Harry groaned as a liquid touched his lips, and he instinctively swallowed as it washed over his tongue.
He gagged loudly a moment later, the foul taste assaulting his freshly reborn tastebuds.
"Yeah, he's stable," The deeper voice declared.
Harry blinked blearily as he found the strength to open his eyelids, groaning aloud when the bright hospital lights hit him dead in the eyes.
He turned to his side, trying to block out the light and being moderately successful.
Harry felt a burning hot hand touch the side of his neck, and a tingling sensation crawled underneath his skin.
He gasped again, sitting bolt upright as his body suddenly kick-started.
"WHAT THE–" Harry winced at his own volume, his head pounding like a madman.
"Easy, Harry, you're safe here," A soft, warm voice told him, and the same warm hand touched his shoulder.
Harry stopped, the voice felt familiar, yet different. As if he'd heard the voice of a childhood friend after years, but even in his slightly delirious state, he knew he didn't have such a thing.
"How are my…" Harry went to pull his glasses off, confused at them still being intact, only to not touch anything.
Harry's eyes widened as he realized his vision was perfect, even better than with his glasses, to the point where he could make out the individual fibers on his bedsheet.
"Cool, right?" The warm voice asked to his right.
Harry turned and froze again.
To his right stood a tall woman, a bit taller than Aahna, with dark golden skin, white-gold heavily curly hair, and a flowing gold robe, her perfect face morphed into a kind smile.
The woman was ethereally gorgeous as if every beautiful thing to ever exist had been poured into human form.
Stars shone in her eyes, and it was as if someone had taken the galaxy and poured it into her eyes, a mix of dark blues, purples, pinks, and other colors Harry couldn't describe.
Instead of a pupil, it was a nebula, swirling lazily in the center of her eyes in bold reds, oranges, and purples.
Harry rubbed his eyes quickly, wondering if he was seeing things, and blinked several times, staring at what he could only describe as a goddess in front of him.
"Yeah… I usually get that reaction," The woman laughed, a beautifully musical laugh that reminded Harry a bit of the smooth jazz music Vernon would quickly switch off but Harry enjoyed.
"Who… Who are you?" Harry asked, more than slightly intimidated.
The woman stared at him in amusement, quirking an eyebrow up.
"You really don't know me?" She asked, hands on her hips. "Come on, really?!"
She sighed at Harry's lost look. "Focus on my voice, not my face, it'll help. I know you'll recognize me like that."
Harry closed his eyes, trying to remember if he'd heard a voice like that before.
"Come on, surely you remember me?" The woman asked, her voice tinged with amusement. "10 points from Gryffindor, Mister Potter!"
"Aahna!" Harry exclaimed, eyes flying open.
Aahna threw her head back and laughed again, grinning at him after a moment.
"Right in one!" She exclaimed, messing up his hair. "Knew you'd recognize me."
"Woah…" Harry whispered, feeling as if he'd been saying that a lot lately. "How…"
"You died, died, and came back," The deeper voice said from his left. "We brought you back."
Harry turned and stopped, staring.
There was a tall man to his left, standing a bit taller than Thanatos, seemingly made of black smoke.
Harry blinked again, as he realized the smoke wasn't its body but rather clothes.
If he squinted, Harry could make out the vague shape of a long coat and baggy pants draped over the man's body, dissipating into smoke and regenerating at a constant rate.
His skin was an odd dark brown, like dried or burned wood, and seemingly had the same texture too. His face, though, was stone gray and perfectly smooth, his eyes covered with what seemed like a blindfold, though it was the same color as his face.
Power thrummed around the man, a slow and quiet power that felt a lot like a small breeze. It didn't make it any weaker, just more subtle and discreet. The feeling of death surrounded him, like the feeling Harry got when he passed by the graveyard to get to his muggle school.
But Harry oddly didn't feel fear, or at least not a lot of it. The hairs on his skin still rose, and his skin still prickled as he stared, but that seemed to be more of an instinctual response than anything else.
"Thanatos?" Harry asked, connecting the dots much quicker this time.
"Good, your brain seems to be waking up," Thanatos spoke without moving his mouth, in a voice that seemed to suck out the rest of the sound in the room.
It wasn't like a dementor's ability to empty a room of joy, but rather as if the air itself was quiet out of respect.
"Long story short, you died," Thanatos told him. "You had a bit of Tom's soul in you that passed on instead of you, your parents should've told you that, correct?"
Harry nodded numbly before his brows furrowed. "Wait… how do you know about that?"
"I'm Death, Harry," Thanatos replied calmly. "Or rather, the Spirit of Death if you want to be specific. I'm the concept of Death in a somewhat physical form, and hold all power over it."
"And I'm the Spirit of Life," Aahna added, making Harry turn to her. "Like Thanatos with death, I can control all life throughout existence."
"Wow…" Harry blinked before perking up. "Can you bring my parents back?"
"Can as in, 'Do I have the power to?' yes. Can as in, 'Will I?' no," Aahna replied seriously.
"Huh, why?" Harry asked, more than slightly disappointed.
"For a life to be brought into the world, a life has to be taken out," Thanatos told him, arms crossed. "If we brought your parents back, two equally valuable lives would have to be taken out. In this case, the two closest to you would die to bring back James and Lily, so Ron, Hermione, Sirius, and Remus, could all fit that description."
Harry paled slightly at that, realizing how much of a terrible idea it would be.
"I can allow you to communicate with them," Thanatos added, making Harry perk up again. "However, that won't be right now, as there's a lot that we have to tell you."
"First," Aahna jumped in. "I've fixed your body while you were out. You obviously don't need your glasses anymore, but over the next few weeks, you'll grow taller, and more muscled, and your magic will have a huge surge you'll have to get used to."
"Tom's Horcrux was sucking out around 25% of your raw magical power to keep itself alive," Thanatos continued. "Another 10% was subconsciously used to contain it, which kept it from corrupting your mind to any significant degree."
"And finally, you had five ruptured Gateways in your magic, so your control is going to increase by quite a bit," Aahna stated. "In short, you're going to experience a pretty hefty buff."
"Woah, that's awesome!" Harry exclaimed before his brows furrowed. "Wait, what's a Gateway and how did I rupture five?"
"Ok, for that, I'm going to have to explain a few magical medical stuff," Aahna took a deep breath. "You know how your heart pumps blood, right? Arteries have high pressure and pump blood with oxygen through your body; veins have low pressure and pump blood without oxygen back to your heart. Got it?"
Harry nodded a bit, idly wondering how excited someone like Hermione would get from this.
"Good," Aahna said. "Now, magical cores are located by the heart and have similar structures. Gateways are the high-pressure arteries of your magic and Helixes are the low-pressure veins of your magic."
Harry paused, his brows furrowing. "Wait, but I thought magic was released from the body, how is it pumped back to my magical core?"
"Ok, there are two kinds of magic produced by your core," Aahna explained. "The one you're used to hearing about is known as a Diamond-Crystalline Magical Structure, and it's the one that pours out of your body when you cast spells."
"The other kind is a Warzite Lattice Magical Structure and is the one people refer to when they say 'raw magic' such as runes, ley lines, and magical cores," Thanatos continued. "Magical structure is pretty complex so we won't go into detail, but basically, the second kind of magic is what your core naturally produces."
"Exactly," Aahna nodded. "Warzite Lattice has a lot of energy in a small volume, and the energy is released as it passes through your body's Gateways, a lot like how blood loses oxygen as it passes through arteries."
"O…k?" Harry said slowly, feeling his head begin to spin.
"I'll explain in more detail later, but for now, all you need to know is that Gateways are highly important to your survival, and just one being damaged can instantly kill you, or at a bare minimum, cripple you for life," Aahna explained.
Harry blinked. "You said I had five…" He gaped. "How?"
Aahna shrugged. "One had torn open near your eyes, right where your scar was, which explained your eyesight and how the Horcrux had absorbed your magic. Two were burned in your left arm, one got cut in your abdomen, and the last one was by your lungs and literally shredded open."
Harry blinked slowly. "That's… How did I not die?!"
"Ironically, the Horcrux absorbing the magic acted as a patch, allowing you to keep your eyesight. The ones in your arms were in a cycle of being destroyed by Basilisk venom and healed by phoenix tears, so the damage was light enough to survive, albeit painfully. The one in your abdomen was offset by your magic literally creating a new Gateway, and the one by your lungs was close enough to your core to heal slowly enough for you to survive, albeit barely."
"In short, you're probably the luckiest kid I've ever met," Thanatos told him. "Though, the one by your lungs was overwhelmed by the explosion in the courtroom. That's what killed you."
"But… I haven't had much issue with spells or magic," Harry said, confused. "Like, apart from my glasses, I felt fine."
"That's because you have an absolutely monstrous magical core," Aahna stated. "Several times that of a kid your age and quite a bit stronger than most adults. That, and the fact that you're a kid means you can survive a lot more than most could."
"But now, you're healed and will start feeling the effects in a few minutes," Thanatos explained. "Fair warning, you'll be eating a LOT for a while as your magic recovers, though it'll be almost immediately used to push those changes in your body, so you won't get fat."
"Not that that's possible for most magicals anyway," Aahna smiled. "Magic burns quite a bit of energy, which is why some magicals can have the appetite of five people and be as thin as you can imagine."
"But moving on, there's still stuff you need to know," Thanatos told him. "You can't tell anyone about us, that's important. Our physical forms are powerful but still susceptible to blood rituals, and there's a severe risk to using our true forms outside of a warded area. No one can know who we are, got it?"
Harry nodded numbly before his brows furrowed. "Wait, do Sirius and Remus know? I remember Remus saying something about teaching me some stuff after I learn Occlumency."
Thanatos nodded. "They know but are under an Unbreakable Vow to not tell anyone who doesn't already know. Luna knows as well and she's under a lesser oath not to tell."
Harry blinked. "Is that why Luna kept calling you guys weird names?"
"Yes," Aahna sighed. "Luna has… a special ability that allowed her to recognize us for who we truly are. It is not my place to tell, but she will probably tell you eventually. Which brings us to our next point."
"Harry, you've been Marked," Thanatos explained. "Specifically, a Death Mark."
"Woah, woah, WHAT?!" Harry asked, panicking slightly. "A Death Mark? Am I going to die?!"
"No, not unless you choose to," Thanatos replied. "An unawakened Death Marked, otherwise known as a Death Touched, has control over their own lifespan, can control the lifespan of others to some degree, can sense when someone is about to die, and can remove souls from bodies or objects."
"Unawakened?" Harry asked, head spinning. "What's… What's an awakened Death Marked?"
Thanatos took a deep breath. "Harry, have you heard of the story of the Deathly Hallows?"
Harry shook his head and Thanatos sighed.
"Well, to make it short, it's a story of three brothers, who outsmarted Death and, in return, received a gift each," Thanatos explained. "The Elder Wand or Deathstick, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Unsight, otherwise known as the Cloak of Invisibility. These three things are the Deathly Hallows."
"The thing is, the story is real, mostly," Thanatos continued. "The Peverell brothers didn't outsmart me, instead, the youngest created something that severely reduced the deaths in an area, and the other two got cocky and did some things I won't go into detail about."
Thanatos shook his head. "I cursed both the Wand and the Stone, making them lull their users to their deaths for their cockiness. However, to the youngest, for his kindness and sincerity, I blessed his item instead, tying it to his bloodline after he came to me as an old friend."
Thanatos stared at Harry, or Harry assumed he was, it was hard to know when Thanatos' eyes were covered.
"The youngest Peverell, Ignotus, is your ancestor Harry, and so, the Cloak is your rightful possession," He stated. "You know it as your father's Cloak, but James knew it as his father's Cloak, and so on."
"Wait, wait, wait, what?!" Harry asked quickly, shaking his head. "You're saying my Dad's Cloak is a thing blessed by Death– err– you?"
Thanatos nodded. "Yes, it is. Ignotus' daughter, Irealia, inherited the Cloak and married your ancestor, Akmorst Potter II, and the Cloak has passed through your family ever since."
"Woah… Wait, why are you telling me this?" Harry asked. "Does my Dad's– err– my family's Cloak have some other ability?"
Thanatos nodded again. "I made it so, if a descendant of Ignotus were to collect all three Hallows, they would become what is known in the story as the 'Master of Death,' though the word Avatar would be much more appropriate."
"So you're saying…"
"Harry, if you wish to, collect my Hallows," Thanatos told him. "If you collect all three, you shall become my Avatar, gaining more of my power. It will also allow you to freely communicate with your parents, or anybody dead for that matter, whenever you wish, along with several other perks."
Harry tensed a little, gulping nervously. "And, uhh, what happens if I don't do it?"
It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to his parents, but being the Avatar of Death itself seemed like a lot of responsibility.
"You don't have to collect them now," Thanatos explained calmly, glad Harry wasn't outright rejecting it. "In fact, I'd recommend you wait until you're 16 or 17 to get the best benefit. But if you don't collect them, then I will offer them to your child, the eldest, if you have multiple."
"Even if you don't Awaken," Thanatos continued. "You will still be Marked, and have the powers I mentioned. You will be able to Awake whenever you wish by collecting the Hallows, which only you can do."
"Only me? Wait, why?!" Harry demanded. "First the prophecy, and now this?! Why only me?"
"Because you are the last descendant of Ignotus," Thanatos answered calmly. "Usually, only a descendant of Ignotus or a Death Touched can become an Avatar of Death, and you are both, so it falls more on your shoulders than any of those before you."
Harry shook his head, beginning to feel severely overwhelmed at all the information he was receiving.
"Wait… hold on… how am I both?" He asked, rubbing his temples. "You didn't explain that."
"You experienced Death young in your life, yet you continue to protect those who are alive, and didn't let the death consume you," Thanatos said. "Which made you a perfect candidate for a Death Mark, and so I did. However, Fate has also Marked you, which is why the prophecy about you exists."
Thanatos shook his head. "So you have a few choices, either you Awaken the Death Mark or the Fate Mark, both, or neither. It is up to you."
"Wait, what does the Fate Mark mean?" Harry questioned. "Is it just the prophecy or something else?"
"Mostly the prophecy," Thanatos answered. "Though, as a Fate Marked, your actions will always, and I mean, always have severe effects on the present and future. The smallest step you take will eventually bring down empires."
"That's… That's a lot of responsibility," Harry squeaked, feeling fear crawl up his spine.
Aahna put a hand on his shoulder. "Harry, it's alright. No one will force you to Awaken either Mark, and we'll always be here to help, as will Luna."
"Luna?"
Aahna nodded. "I can also Mark people, and Luna is the one I chose to Mark, for several reasons. No matter what, you two will always work together. What that means is up to you two to decide."
Harry took several deep breaths, rubbing his eyes.
"Ok… Ok… so, what happens if I Awaken both Marks?" Harry asked timidly. He didn't like the extra burden, but he liked putting it on another person even less.
Thanatos shrugged. "You become the Avatar of both Death and Fate. You'll have a pretty hefty power buff and control over both aspects. It'll also mean you could kill Tom and destroy the prophecy with enough practice."
"I'm in!" Harry said immediately. Anything that ensured the destruction of the prophecy and Voldemort's death sounded good to him.
"Patience," Thanatos held a hand up. "You need to collect the Hallows, which is no easy task. Albus has the Wand, and the Stone is hidden under some hefty wards you'll have to break through. To Awaken the Fate Mark, you'll have to find the prophecy in the Department of Mysteries."
"Which won't be hard," Aahna grinned. "I can get you in under official business. As the person the prophecy is about, they won't have any issues letting you in."
"But that's for later," Thanatos added. "Right now, you'll have to get used to your new body and everything else. Rest, eat, and relax. The press knows about Albus' escape and your apparent death, as neither of us managed to get here fast enough to stop them. You'll have to deal with that once you leave St. Mungos."
Harry blinked. "Wait, I'm in St. Mungos?"
He looked around for the first time, noticing the sterile hospital room and the closed door behind Thanatos.
"Yep," Aahna said. "The Healers are under the impression I'm using experimental Unspeakable techniques to bring you back."
"And I just faded in," Thanatos shrugged. "Oh, and that's another thing you'll learn once you're out of here. You'll be able to hide in plain sight and teleport around in a way undetectable by wards or spells. Pretty handy."
"Will I have to wear a mask too?" Harry joked weakly.
Thanatos snorted. "No, not unless you want to. Though, I will recommend not showing off your power to anyone, or even mentioning it. If you do, it'll make the ostracisation during your second year seem like child's play."
"Again, Sirius, Remus, and eventually Luna are exempt from this," Aahna added.
Harry frowned. "Do I have to hide it forever? I don't think I could keep it from Ron and Hermione."
Thanatos and Aahna glanced at each other, having a mental conversation like only couples together for a long time could.
"Eventually, they'll have to learn Occlumency too," Aahna said. "But if you trust them enough, you can tell them once they do. Other than that though, no, no telling anyone."
Harry nodded; he could see why they were so cautious. There was no telling what could happen if people knew who Thanatos and Aahna really were.
'Who I'll be too, now that I think about it,' Harry smiled a bit as exhaustion suddenly hit him like a bludger. 'Luna too.'
He yawned, and Aahna gently pushed him down to lie on the bed with a smile.
Harry groaned in exhaustion, sleep overpowering him almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Aahna sighed. "He took that much better than anticipated."
"Must be the exhaustion," Thanatos replied as he stared at Harry. "He'll probably freak out a bit more once he's up and going."
He turned to Aahna. "And since when did you mark Luna? I thought you were going to wait."
Aahna sighed. "Luna often comes to talk to me after classes or during lunch, and her sheer passion for life, spell creation, and magic as a whole convinced me much quicker than I'd like to admit."
"Is she going to accept?" Thanatos asked.
"I'm not really sure," Aahna mused as she stood. "I would assume she'd see the difference in her magical aura after I Marked her, but I don't know if she'll become an Avatar."
Thanatos nodded and turned back to Harry, idly examining him.
"The training's going to get more specific," He sighed, letting go of his true form. "They're going to need it."
His body shrunk a little, and his clothing solidified around him as his face became skin once again.
The magic in the room quieted down a little, and Thanatos' eyes were pitch black and bottomless as he opened them again.
"I agree," Aahna replied, shrinking back to her human form. "But they'll need to be protected."
"I'll make another ring," Thanatos waved it off. "The first one was a prototype anyway, based on that necklace I used against Dumbledore. I'll make one for both of them, better this time."
"And not susceptible to exploding?" Aahna quirked an eyebrow up.
Thanatos rolled his eyes. "Look, I'm pretty sure most things would explode when in contact with the spell made specifically to blow up magic. It's not my fault."
"Just clear the area beforehand, hmm?" Aahna asked as she walked over and kissed his temple. "The Obliviators are having a field day last I heard. The entire Ministry showed up on Muggle radars once the wards fell."
Thanatos sighed and nodded, rubbing his eyes.
He faded back to his room after a quick kiss, falling into his bed a few minutes before a Healer came to check on him.
Thanatos smiled internally as he was scanned. Using his true form made his core go wonky, so it'd show up as extremely depleted under any spells, allowing Thanatos to simply claim magical exhaustion.
The same went for Aahna as she left Harry's room, wiping fake sweat from her forehead with a sigh.
"I managed to bring him back," She sighed to the Head Healer. "But it exhausted me. I'll be knocked on my ass for a bit, but Harry Potter is still alive."
The Head Healer nodded thankfully, going to check on Harry without further question.
.
Author's Note: And that's the chapter! Rather long and wordy, but I had to set stuff up for later. Plus, I think we need some relatively low stuff after last chapter.
So yeah, Harry has been Marked by both Death and Fate, while Luna has been Marked by Life.
Now, Harry has to collect the Hallows and prophecy, while Luna will have her own trials to go through.
Both Harry and Luna are going to be massively powerful, relatively equal to each other since the powers Luna will get from Aahna will be much wider in diversity than the ones Harry will get from Thanatos and Fate.
If anyone is still somewhat confused, Thanatos and Aahna are Death and Life themselves, are immortal, and have been around since the beginning of creation. However, their bodies are roughly 33-ish years old and are very much mortal, though with a highly lengthened lifespan.
There are several Spirits in this story, with Life and Death being the oldest and most powerful. There's also Magic, Time, Space, Fate, Knowledge, Creation, and Destruction. They may or may not appear in the story at some point, I'm not sure.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I'll see you all in the next one!