Harry sat awake on his bed, sleep had eluded him for days since the death of his wife Ginny. Yet as time passed Harry began to realize that he didn’t miss his wife and that lead to questions. Questions that Harry did not really want the answers to, but Ginny’s last will and testament answered some of those questions and raised many more.
My dearest Harry,
If you are reading this then I have passed away before you and you have realized that you never really loved me. I admit that I have been dosing you with a low strength love potion since we were teenagers. I had hoped one day you would come to love me like I love you but that never happened. Did you ever wonder why at times we fought so hard and then made up like nothing happened? Those were the times where I tried to ween you off the potion to see if you truly loved me. I hate that you never loved me, and I hated when I found out you were spending time with Daphne Greengrass. Were you starting to develop feelings for her? I admit now that I was the one who killed her, I didn’t want anyone getting in our way.
Harry froze after reading that, remember the incident that happened 30 years earlier. After a fight with Ginny, Harry went looking for a friend to talk to. Ron and Hermione were having their own issues so Harry avoided going to see them. He went to see Neville but he was too busy since Hogwarts was in session and he was the herbology professor. A chance encounter with Daphne though lead to Harry questioning his life so far. Daphne was one of the nicest women he had ever met, and she treated him like a person, not the buy-who-lived or the boy-who-conquered or the Minister of Magic. She was the friend he had been looking for years. They talked about their respective marriages (she was married to Draco who had actually turned into a decent person but they didn’t love each other), how their kids were doing in school and how they should keep in touch.
After that wonderful meeting Harry went home to an angry Ginny who wanted to know why he seemed so happy. Harry stated he had run into an old friend that helped him relax and deal with some of his stress without wanting anything from him. Harry thought that was the end of the conversation and went to bed but little did he realize that Ginny knew what happened and decided to make sure Daphne had an accident, no women would get near her man. Ginny didn’t expect that accident to lead to her death though and Ginny felt guilt over it for the rest of her life.
Harry started to read the document again with more anger over the current revelations.
I hope that you will continue to take care of our kids since they are not to blame for what happened. I know that I was wrong to do what I did but I did my best to make you happy. Forever yours,
Ginny Potter.
Harry needed to talk to someone, anyone about what he had learned in this document so he went to the one person he thought he could trust Hermione Weasley. Hermione read the document and decided it was time that she came clean as well. “Harry what I’m about to tell you will upset you, but I want you to know I have always been your friend. Harry, Dumbledore came to me in our third year and asked me to help set you and Ginny up as a pair. He said that it will help you stay true to the light and help you feel connected to the magical world. I was sworn to secrecy with an oath that I couldn’t tell you unless he or Ginny told you about it. I’m so sorry Harry, will you please forgive me?”
Harry didn’t know what to say in response to that and left to return home to Potter Manor, the house his parents left him. Harry sat there questioning everything he had learned in his long life and wondered how much influence did he really have?
The next day in the Daily Prophet “Harry Potter to step down as Minister of Magic, wants to be left alone after 20 years as Minister. Who will lead us now?” Harry grimaced at the headline, why was he expected to lead everyone forever? Why did he keep having to solve the magical world’s problems, why didn’t he get to be truly happy?
Harry spent the next year going through every book he could find in the Potter estate for answers about how he was controlled. One night Harry, upset with his progress, called to the Potter elves to ask if there were any secret books or rooms in the Estate that he did not know of. Blue, the head elf stated “Master Harry there is one room that we have never been about to open, if you follow me to the basement, I will show you where it is.” Harry wondered how he had never asked his elves about it before but figured it was due to his busy life. Upon reaching the door Harry made another discovery, the door had the symbol of the deathly hallows on it. Harry then returned to his study to grab the 3 hallows, glad that he didn’t destroy the elder wand all those years ago.
When Harry approached the door with the hallows, the door started to glow and then opened. Upon entry into the room Harry found a ritual room and a small book. How to Speak with Death was the title of the book and it explained that the ritual was actually quite easy, one had to place each Hallow in their respective location, place some blood in the middle and place the Peverell lord ring into a slot on the ritual stone. Luckily the ring was on top of the book with a note from Harry’s grandfather Charlus Potter on it. “To any descendent who gains entry into this room, yes we are descended from the Peverell family, to claim their lordship place some blood on the ring and state your name.”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Harry placed his blood on the ring and claimed the lordship, but froze before starting the ritual to speak with death, was this something he really wanted to do? He was 78 years old, really only middle aged at this point and still had life ahead of him. Yet, he had no real friends in this world and found out his marriage was a lie. Years ago he found out the truth about how much Dumbledore was manipulating his early life when Fawkes delivered the old mans journal to him before Fawkes disappeared. What was the right way forward? Did it really matter when he already had children? Harry decided to sleep on it and decided at a future date, there was no point in rushing to meet death.
Several weeks later Harry realized that without his Minister of Magic seat he really had nothing to do, his kids had lives of their own now and while he did love his children and grandchildren, he was reminded of what Ginny had done to him. Harry decided to meet death and hopefully have a conversation with him.
Upon completing the simple ritual, a creature similar to a Dementor appeared in front of Harry. “Hello Harry, I am one of Deaths Angels, you are the first descendent of Peverell to gather all 3 hallows in hundreds of years, for what do we owe this pleasure?” Harry stared at the creature and asked a simple question “Is there a way to change my past life, I have been controlled since before my birth and never really had any freedom to speak of, I want find true happiness, and maybe the love of my life. I am willing to forget most of what I have learned, I just want to remember who I can trust.”
Deaths Angel froze for a minute, not expecting a question like this at all. He expected Harry to ask how to bring Ginny back to life, but once Death went through Harry’s memories he began to understand why this question was asked. “Harry, this is not something I can give you an answer to, you did us a great service by destroying Tom Riddles Horcruxes as they are a most foul creation. I will do you one favor if you truly want this, and go speak with Death himself about your question. Know that this will be the only question you will be allowed of me or Death so think about this before you say yes.”
Harry realized he really didn’t need time to think about it, he didn’t want to sit around miserable and he didn’t know who he could trust anymore. With his mind made up Harry responded “Deaths Angel do you have a name? I really don’t want to keep referring to you as Deaths Angel but to answer your question yes I am sure that his is what I want. There is no real future for me, please ask death if there is a way to return and change my past. I will still go after the Horcruxes and defeat Riddle, I will also help death in any other mission he has but I want a chance to decide my own fate. My one condition would be that I find love and it is not taken from me, and that I go back to when I was young like 4 or 5 so I can start to prepare my body earlier for what is to come. Thank you for your time, should I wait here?”
Deaths Angel was awed by the answer from Harry. “Harry you may call my any name you choose for I have had many over time, you may wait here for an answer. I will be back in only a moment, what may seem like a second here can be years in the realm of Death so you will have your answer as soon as I return.”
Harry was intrigued by the fact that time moved differently in different realms but held any further questions he had. Harry then began to think of names for his new friend Deaths Angel. Harry decided on the name Gabriel from the Christian religion who was a powerful angel.
Gabriel returned shortly. “Before you give me your answer, I was hoping you would be ok with me calling you Gabriel. I though it was a fitting name for one of deaths angels. I also want to thank you for your time I am sure you are busy.” Gabriel was amused by the name choice and decided to go with it.
“Gabriel will be fine, and I have an answer from Death himself that I think will intrigue you. Death has reviewed your memories and memories of Dumbledore and Ginny Weasley. He has decided that as the holder of the Hallows given by him that he will grant you wish with a few conditions. Death has stated that you will be allowed to return to the age of 4 with all of your memories and some of your power to strengthen your young magical core and help you grow stronger. Part of the deal is this, you will have to take the had of the Peverell family when you come of age which for you will be during the Triwizard tournament, you become legally an adult because of the rules of the tournament. Yes that also means you must follow your life relatively close to what it was before, you must find the Sorcerers Stone, open the Chamber of Secrets, free your godfather, compete in the Triwizard tournament, and defeat Riddle. Those are things that must happen, but you can make sure your godfather survives and make changes to how and when parts of these occur. The Chamber has to be opened by Ginny though, that you cannot change. Also, I will give you a tip, you are not a parselmouth because of Riddle, you are a descendent of Slytherin not Gryffindor as many believe, do with that knowledge what you want but there are secrets you can access in Hogwarts once you accept it.”
“Death also stated that you must agree to do 3 favors once you finish off Riddle, these favors will not put any future family in harms way. Death would also like you to help protect muggle born children, and protect them from muggles who think they are possessed but that is far in the future once everything else is done. Death has also informed me that I will follow you back in time and merge with my past self so that I can continue to be your point of contact with Death. If you agree to these terms when you go to sleep tonight you will wake up tomorrow as a 4 year old child under the stairs on Privet Drive.”
Harry was excited by the opportunity and immediately agreed to the terms. He was going to have a chance to change his life for the better, and hopefully help others as well. He will pick new friends this time around and will hopefully by happy. Harry could barely for himself to fall asleep that night.