Interlude
INTERLUDE: FATE, DEATH, AND.. WHO?
Fate watched as Harry slowly settled in his new life. His dreams were getting less vivid and becoming fewer. Fate was glad that the boy who once knew nothing but pain and sorrow finally had happiness.
Yet, Fate also knew he could not escape danger. A person's life is already written. No, not every detail but some events do need to happen to keep the balance.
Harry would have to live another adventurous life. At least now he'd have someone there for him and no interfering old coot. Fate was so glad Dumbledore could no longer manipulate her little chosen one. Even though the end result of Riddle dying was as written, the journey had Fate mourning and seething. Harry was supposed to know love and happiness and joy as he'd known pain and suffering. He wasn't supposed to be the one to kill the Dark Lord. Tom Riddle was supposed to die on the hands of Severus Snape, a competent wizard of almost the same childhood. Not a mere baby.
Dumbledore took away the balance. He changed Snape's future due to disregarding the extreme bullying he went through. And then he went on to change another's AND all because he had to shape his own weapon however he seemed fit and rise to become a hero once again.
No, Fate decided Harry Potter, now Stark, must live his destiny as it is. Severus Snape did his unfortunate part in the war but that was always meant to be his, not Harry's. The prophesy was a complete hoax. A mere plot of one tyrant to end another tyrant's rule. Harry Potter's real destiny was to become a savior, not a soldier with no self-preservation and a broken mind. No. Harry Potter's enemy wasn't Riddle. His enemy was another darkness set to disrupt the balance between life and death. And it wasn't meant to happen until he was past mid-age.
This is what it's supposed to be. Harry should experience what it's like to love and be loved. Everyone in his past either used him for fame, money or survival, or didn't care enough at all. Even now as she looked over the Britain Wizarding World, they still see Harry Potter as The-Boy-Who-Lived, not as who he really was. To them, he was the boy who sacrificed himself to save them. They sing his praises yet forget his life. They tell stories of being Harry's friend yet failed to help him during all the hardships he went though. Fate saw how undeserving they were of Harry Potter.
It's a good thing the Wizarding World in America were a bit more open and advanced than its counterpart in the UK. Tom Riddle had not reached his influence across the pond. Which actually says a lot about British wizards and witches. They were too caught up with their secrecy, ban on the dark arts, and corrupt governments that they failed to look for answers outside their country. If they only bothered asking for help, the war could have died before it turned bad.
"Have you decided on a course yet?" Death asked.
Fate hmm-ed. "Things will play on its own. No need to interfere. The Brits can't link Harry Stark to Harry Potter. The scar is gone. If they even bothered to look at him beyond the scar, they would have noticed he had a birthmark shaped like a phoenix under his left ear."
Death rolled his non-existent eyes. His young master definitely had a fangirl. Too bad the boy would be his in the end. When the time comes, Harry will take up the role as his Master as it is his legacy. That old wizard thought owning all three of the hollows will make him his master. Senile, naïve coot. Harry's ancestor was his original master when he managed to escape Death until the man decided (on his own) that it was his time. Dumbledore should have realized it when Harry failed to die over a hundred times since he was a year old. Only the Master of Death can decide when he passes. He'll greet Death as an old friend.
"You are getting way too fond of the boy, haven't you realized?" Death mused.
Fate looked at him innocently and shook her head.
"Anyway, the Brits think he's dead anyway. I've made sure of it. Harry will be safer in American soil than he ever was in Europe. He won't get to be around any of them 'till the only one who saw Harry as who he was will come teach him."
Luna saw beyond what human eyes are capable. She could see the deepest, most raw of souls in people. Every wizard and witch had original white clean-slate cores from the moment they were conceived. These cores slowly change colours as they develop their personalities. Luna could see those colours. Her mother told her her abilities were sought among powerful sorcerers. It was a myth until she came. And for that, she hid behind the eccentricity. It was her safe place. She couldn't be used if no one knew what she could do. And knowing who exactly were the people around her kept her from trusting the wrong people.
In her time, she saw people who had the darkest souls hiding behind friendly faces. The headmaster was one of them. Luna couldn't understand why until she looked into his mind (not legilimency per se but close. She could only feel emotions rather than the events). Albus Dumbledore craved power and he'd go for lengths to achieve it.
She saw bright yellow souls even inside those society deemed dangerous. Professor Snape was the brightest she'd seen inside Hogwarts. And she understood why. He was downright mean and vicious on the outside but was kind and caring behind closed doors. He was the only adult who cared enough to find her shoes and secretly punished the bullies. The only one who noticed the many abused kids who hid behind smiles and helped them. It was Professor Snape who brewed the nutrition potion and placed it secretly on all of Harry's meal. He was the sneaked in pepper-ups and dittanies on his bag every detention.
There were people who had leeching souls, as what she described them, who only knew how to use people. Those were the majority. Their souls weren't dark but they weren't light either. Sort of like a dim red colour. They had jealousy. They had hatred. But not too much to cause another's death. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Luna couldn't believe those two. One was after money and fame, the other after knowledge and control. Not the most loyal of friends.
There were those who had blue-ish souls who Luna came to realize at a young age were the bravest people that lived. These were the scared ones who continue to face their fears. They had strong wills yet weak emotions. Neville Longbottom and Draco Malfoy stood out among many. Two very different attitude yet very similar personalities. Bravery, she decided, can be in many forms. Neville feared Snape yet still attended each Potions class, and Draco feared Voldemort yet joined him to save his mother.
And then there was Harry Potter. A soft green glow. She'd never met anyone with the same soul. She still hadn't figured it out. Harry was too good at hiding real emotions. He'll lash out occasionally and those were the only times Luna ever saw him feel. Sometimes she would observe him when he's alone.
Pain. Suffering. Burning out.
Luna could not understand how even after all those he could still have such a bright soul.
Green.
Everybody thinks green is the colour of jealousy. But Luna knows it isn't. No, green is balance. Green is tranquility and self-control.
Harry Potter is green. The only green in the world.