Beginning of the Future
Harry Potter, 4th year student and unwilling participant in the Tri-Wizard Tournament was up very early on November 1.
He had been awoken when an echo of rage and fear had echoed through his scar. Unlike the dreams he had over the summer, these dreams had no joy or triumph for the snake or its master.
Still, he was thankful. The night before the absolute worst thing that could have happened, did: His name came out of the Goblet of Fire. And although he had daydreamed for just a moment about being the Hogwarts Champion, he truly had no desire to go through another year of pains and travails.
However, an unknown wizard had almost taken over and ensured that the truth was told. No, he hadn't entered. No, he wasn't interested in fame and glory. No, he was not a cheat.
And then they students had been horrified to find out that Mad Eye was actually a polyjuiced Death Eater and Crouch had been under an Imperius Curse.
Most of the students, except the Champions and his friend, had been dismissed before details had been gotten.
The staff had been horrified when the previously-thought-dead wizard had been questioned under Veritaserum.
They had found that Crouch had helped his son escape Azkaban but the Imperius had been defeated. Harry had been livid: This was the man that had thrown his Godfather in prison without a trial. And then Crouch Junior had testified that Peter Pettigrew was helping Voldemort. Amelia Bones had been horrified to find out that Sirius Black was innocent and they had testimony which backed that up.
Harry had begun to hope that Sirius might be cleared, especially when plans were made to capture the rat and his dark master.
Harry was sent off with the rest with the admonishment to not tell anyone any details.
When the Gryffindors saw Harry and his friends, all were disappointed when the three students absolutely refused to divulge details, citing Dumbledore's orders. But they would all find out soon.
With that, they had to be satisfied.
And now, Harry had woken up and decided to give up going back to sleep as a bad idea.
Hermione was the first to join him in the common room and both decided to go get breakfast, though it was still fairly early.
And so at 8:00 the two fourth years entered the Great Hall. They found that there were only a few students awake and none of the staff were present.
About half an hour later, they saw the Traveler and Albus Dumbledore coming in.
Harry quietly got up to go find out what happened. "Did you catch them?" he asked the Headmaster.
With a smile the Headmaster said, "Good morning, Harry. Yes. The mission was a success. I do believe that you should be getting some good news soon regarding a certain wizard that your father was friends with."
Harry looked at Dumbledore with hope and then over to the other wizard, who nodded. "We had to stop a certain toad from interfering, but the truth has been verified. A certain rat has already been questioned under Veritaserum and there were too many witnesses for them to hush it up. I believe that even the Daily Prophet won't be able to screw this one up."
Harry didn't understand the toad comment but the Headmaster definitely seemed to. Hermione, who had followed behind, actually squealed. "Isn't that great, Harry? Sirius is going to be free!"
In that moment, Harry didn't think he could be happier. Until the wizard who was with Dumbledore said, "By the way. Headmaster. Can we talk to Harry in the little room? I've one more thing to show you."
Dumbledore looked interested and the four (the wizard said Hermione could come) went into the small room.
The Headmaster said, "What is it that you want us to see?"
The wizard grinned. "Okay, Harry. Close your eyes and I'm going to give you a big surprise."
Harry looked at Dumbledore who nodded, looking curious. Hermione looked confused. But, he did as asked.
He heard the man say, "Finite!" and suddenly he felt his scar … well, it felt like a large pimple had burst. And he felt the sudden relief that one felt when pus is suddenly released. He heard a vanishing spell and then, "Episkey."
The man said, "Open your eyes."
He opened his eyes and the man said, "Go to a loo, fully clean your forehead, and then look in a mirror. Come back after."
As he rushed off to do as directed, he heard Hermione almost scream behind him, "What was THAT?"
He got to a loo and rushed to a sink. He turned on the sink and used a towel to wipe away whatever was on his forehead. He then looked in the mirror.
He was absolutely shocked to see that the scar which had cursed his existence from the time he found our where it came from was now just a faint line upon his forehead.
For quite a bit of time, he could only look in the mirror and stare in shock. He closed his eyes and almost cried with the release of the scar being lost. After he had calmed himself, he finished cleaning up and then deliberately walked back to the Great Hall and went to the little room.
Hermione was looking worried, but the Headmaster was almost beaming. Hermione said, "Let me see!"
With a smile he reached up and pulled his hair away from the former scar and Hermione gasped. "It's almost gone!"
The man who had given him this tremendous gift said, "That should take care of your part of getting rid of Voldemort permanently. I've given the Headmaster a list of the other steps needed to ensure he won't come back from where the Department of Mysteries is sending the small possessed homonculous which contains Voldemort's soul." The man grinned. "I only have one piece of advice for you: Remember that one of your strongest skills is flying. And soon you'll learn the summoning charm. That should help with the first task."
Dumbledore looked away and hummed to himself. "I know nothing of whatever you just said to Harry. I know nothing. I see nothing. I hear nothing!"
The man laughed and said, "Oh look! He's pulling a Schultz!"
Hermione actually seemed to be the only one who understood. "Hogan's Heroes?"
The man nodded and chuckled.
Harry looked to Hermione who said, "I'll explain later."
Harry shrugged.
The man turned to Dumbledore and said, "Don't forget to call the Lovegoods and Weasleys about that trunk and the paperwork." He looked at Harry and then Albus and said, "If they need an investor, Sirius is going to need something to do when his name is cleared. Also, introduce the Weasley twins to him as Padfoot. And suggest that they would make a worthy investment. They want to open a shop. It will tweak Mrs. Weasley a bit if they went into business with the Marauders – but Gred and Forge will be ecstatic."
Albus looked at Harry and Hermione and said, "Never tell Minerva what you just heard. While I will enjoy seeing what those two will come up with, she will never forgive me if she learns that I helped set this up."
Hermione looked almost scandalized but Harry had to laugh. "They are going to go nuts if we can introduce them to Padfoot! I promise!" He looked to Hermione.
She looked reluctant but finally said, "I promise too."
The man nodded and said, "Enjoy life, kids. And Albus? If you want to be the Grandfather, be the Grandfather. He won't mind." The man turned and started walking to the door but before he made it, the man disappeared into blue light. What sounded like phoenix song filled the room.
Harry finally asked the Headmaster, "What was that? Where did he go?"
The Headmaster was smiling as he looked to where the man had disappeared from. "Sometime in the next few days, I'll have to tell you all about it. I think that you will find the tale quite … interesting."
Harry was looking forward to it.
Albus Dumbledore felt lighter than he had in the last … 35 years, if he was honest with himself. Ever since Tom Riddle had attempted to obtain the Defense post, there had been a tension within him.
His greatest concern had been the unknown Dark magic within Harry Potter's scar. And just 16 months earlier he had started to worry that it was something which would require Harry's death to dispel.
He had spent a considerable portion of the limited free time he had trying to find out how to get rid of it or how to ensure that Harry could still come back. The only thing that he had considered might work was somehow tying Tom's return to Harry in such a way that any attempt to kill the boy would result, instead, in that small portion of soul being destroyed instead.
And now … now that horribly narrow path of chance and manipulation would no longer be necessary.
If he was perfectly truthful with himself, he would have to admit that the steps needed to accomplish that might irrevocably taint his image in the boy's mind. But he would have much preferred to be viewed harshly by the boy for the entirety of his life than to deliberately place him in so much danger.
Albus Dumbledore would damn his own eternal soul to ensure that such a boy had the chance, just a chance, to finally live and thrive rather than being under the constant pressure of Dark influences. Tom, he felt, was his own sin and it should not fall upon such an innocent soul to clean up after him.
When he finally made his way to his office on Sunday, 1 November, he pulled the parchment packet that the alternate Harry had given him and considered it for a long moment. The visitor had given him this right after that horrid woman who worked for Cornelius had been prevented from interfering. The only comment the Traveler had made was, "It seems that was the main reason I was here – to prevent Dolores Umbridge from interfering. I have one item to take care of and I will be moving on."
While finally defeating Tom was of prime importance, and he would have really wanted to see the cleanup of the Ministry, his immediate concern was ensuring that Hogwarts remained running.
With the visiting schools and with what had occurred the night before, his presence within the school was too vital to allow himself to become involved with what was occurring in London. Ensuring Alastor was made ready to teach or finding a long-term replacement was a more immediate concern.
He chuckled grimly to himself as he remembered the Traveler forcing Cornelius to agree to allow the DMLE Director to operate unimpeded.
It had been immediately after the Dementor medallion had been confiscated from Dolores Umbridge. A few pointed questions about the attacks against young Harry the year before by Dementors had uncovered the woman's attempts to destroy anyone who might have influence against the Minister.
Fudge had been horrified when the notes Dolores had made regarding her tactics were uncovered. It had been Dolores who had convinced the Minister to send Hagrid to Azbaban (her first advice once she had been installed as Senior Undersecretary). It had been Dolores who had insisted on Dementors surrounding Hogwarts. It had been Dolores who had ordered the Dementors to try to kiss the Boy Who Lived.
Dolores had attempted to get Pettigrew kissed immediately. She had received word somehow about the capture of the Crouches and had wanted to hush things up. Luckily both the Traveler and the Headmaster had the power needed to keep the Dementors at bay.
Also within her notes were the things she had convinced Rita Skeeter to report (although it didn't seem that hard to do). This was the source of the nasty articles on anyone who had influence on the Minister other than herself and the financial backer behind the woman and whoever her financial backer was. Albus suspected Lucius Malfoy.
Amelia had things well in hand when the two powerful wizards had withdrawn from the Ministry to give Amelia a defense against undue influence.
Albus looked over to the warded trunk which sat within a corner of his office. This was the "Snorcack Transport." According to the Xeno who had given it to the two visitors, they had two weeks at least before they creatures had to be given access to the outside.
Finally, Albus decided to read the first letter from the Traveler. He picked up the sealed parchment with the number 1 on it and opened it.
Dear Albus,
So you've decided to defeat a Dark Lord!
Your suspicions are correct: He created Horcruxes. He intended to split his soul into seven pieces. That is the missing piece from your former professor.
By the time you have read this, I should have taken care of Harry's issue. The Diary is destroyed. We just returned from capturing Tom and the snake we had to kill was another. That leaves Ravenclaw's Diadem, Slytherin's Locket, Hufflepuff's Chalice, and the Gaunt Family Ring. Harry was unintentional and so it ended up being eight total pieces (including that homonculous that the DoM will be sending through the Viel).
Two of these will be easy. One will be quite dangerous. And the last will take some diplomacy.
First the easiest: Ravenclaw's Diadem.
This is located within Hogwarts. Do you remember that room which had the Chamber Pots that you needed most urgently on the Seventh Floor? That is the Room of Requirement, or as the elves call it, the Come and Go Room.
Find the painting of the Trolls being taught to dance, walk back and forth three times thinking, "I need a room to hide things," and the door will appear.
Right next to the damaged Vanishing Cabinet (the other part of the pair is in Knockturn Alley at Borgin and Burke's) will be a bust wearing the Diadem.
Don't tough it directly. Use silk. Or Dragonhide.
Yes the Sword can destroy it. But first find out if Gringotts can cleanse it – depending on the world, sometimes they can, sometimes not. It's a gamble.
In many worlds Goblins despise these things. This might help with Hufflepuff's Chalice. It is located within the Lestrange Vault. If the Goblins don't care, possibly Sirius (once he's cleared) can use his status as the Head of the Black family due to Bella's ties with same. The other choice is to get the Lestranges kissed and, as the Ministry is allowed to in certain cases, to ensure that anything inherited isn't Dark. Also, this item was stolen by Tom, and that might be a path for Gringotts to act: Goblins hate thieves.
The next item which will be fairly easy (with Sirius' help) is Slytherin's Locket. Originally placed within a cave near the orphanage Tom grew up in, it was guarded by a small lake filled with Inferi. Regulus Black, upon learning what Tom had done, paid his life to recover it and ordered his house elf, Kreacher, to detroy it. It is beyond Kreacher's resources to do so. It is currently within the Black Family Home.
It can only be opened by a Parselmouth. It can be destroyed with the sword or cleansed. I highly suggest gifting something that belonged to Regulus to Kreacher in acknowledgement for Kreacher having remained faithful in the attempt to destroy it. It will make a huge difference.
I suggest Fiendfyre to clean that cave of the inferi within. There are too many to destroy individually.
The last item is the Gaunt Family Ring.
In my world, as in many, you are a fool who attempts to retrieve this alone, fall to the compulsion to wear it, and get cursed with the withering charm which the ring contains. It requires, eventually, you forcing Severus Snape to kill you cement his position in Tom's circle because you were about to die anyway.
What makes this more likely is that the stone on the Gaunt Ring is the third item you and Gellert were interested in finding.
Albus gasped.
Don't get your hopes up. The Master of Death thing is as you eventually concluded; it does not give one power over death. You end up being responsible for taking care of people like Tom who cheat death. You don't live any longer than you would have. You don't become a demigod. Honestly? The title is usually more trouble than it's worth.
And as far as why you truly wish to use the stone: Your sister is waiting patiently for the time when you (and your brother) pass onto that next great adventure. She has no interest in seeing you hasten your appearance, she doesn't blame you, and she loves you. The damage she experienced in life did not follow her into the place where no shadows fall.
At that, Albus Dumbledore did as he hadn't done since he was a teenager: He broke down into loud and painful sobbing. And as anyone who had ever experiences the grief that large would attest, the release of it was experiencing the loss of a pain that one didn't know one was carrying until it was gone. The damage his own fears had caused was a large and terrible thing and he felt much cleaner for having lost it.
Fawkes, sensing this, cried a soothing and healing song. Until eventually he had overcome it. After thanking his long-time friend, Albus finished the letter.
I would heartily suggest bringing an experienced Curse-Breaker with you. I believe one of the Weasley family would be a great ally in this.
Once you have taken care of Tom, read the next letter. It will be time to bring Britain into the future. But you don't have to do it alone.
With Best Regards,
Harry Potter, the Lone Traveler, also known as Marak Ilumian, Fury of the Light, Patron God of Free Will, God of Travel, God of Knowledge, a Master of Death and an Agent of Life
PS: If we should ever meet again I will tell the tale of how I was elevated to Divinity for my part in righting a great wrong.
Albus was finally astonished with the final salutation. He felt a bit of awe at who and what he had been spending time with.
Albus resolved to let go of the chains of the past and move forward into the future.