A disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter franchise. The Harry Potter franchise is copyrighted by J. K. Rowling, Scholastic Books, and Warner Bros. Entertainment. The only materials that I CAN claim the copyrights for Original Characters, Original Themes, and Original Plotlines. I wrote this story with only entertainment purposes in mind, and as such I have made no monetary gain off of this work of fiction. Please do not sue me. Thank you.

Summary: June 22nd, 1969. A time displaced Harry Potter ripped from a war torn future appears before a conflicted Bellatrix and her sisters. To Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa Black, the time traveler appeared to be the answer to their greatest wish. Harry/Multi-ship. Harry/Bellatrix/Andromeda/Narcissa.

"SISTER'S SCHEME CHALLENGE",

By

WHITETIGERWOLF

I enjoy Harry travels back in time stories. Anyway, I had a rather long train of thought that I won't explain travel through my brain and I came up with this idea. The premise is that all three Black sisters had arranged marriages, and Andromeda ran off and to marry Ted to get out of hers, while Narcissa and Bellatrix went through with the marriages out of family loyalty, despite not liking their future husbands.

Anyway, that's the course canon took. My idea is that a time displaced Harry appears in front of the three sisters, who use him as an out of their arranged marriages, while still pleasing their family.

REQUIREMENTS:

Harry must have claimed three lordships by blood, magic, or conquest, besides the Potter or Black families [AN: Accepted]

Harry must travel back in time and be stripped of the Potter and, if he has it, Black lordship because there already is a Lord Potter/Black [AN: Accepted]

Bellatrix (the oldest Black Sister) cannot be older than eighteen, having just graduated Hogwarts [AN: Accepted]

Narcissa (the youngest Black Sister) cannot be younger than fourteen [AN: Accepted]

The Black sisters MUST each marry Harry, becoming the Lady/future Lady of one of Harry's Houses [AN: Accepted]

Harry cannot be older than Eighteen or younger than Fourteen [AN: Accepted]

RECOMMENDED:

Harry only has two lordships, and Bellatrix, as the oldest, convinces her uncle to name her husband Heir, making Harry and her the future Lord and Lady Black [AN: Denied]

Harry has the Slytherin Lordship by blood (through his mother) and conquest [AN: Accepted]

The sisters trick Harry into marrying them [AN: Accepted]

Harry appears at the beginning of summer and spends time with the Black Family before marrying the daughters before they (and possibly him depending on the age you make him) go to Hogwarts [AN: Accepted]

Bellatrix and Andromeda are twins [AN: Accepted]

Not entirely sure how this would work, but FemHarry [AN: Denied]

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED,

By

PROFESSOR IMAGE

[Author's Note: Professor Image]

I feel as if everyone deserves an explanation.

This is a rewrite/continuation of "The Scheme of the Three Sisters", which seems to be a fan favorite. However, I was getting a lot of reviews and criticism from my readers poking holes into my story which really made me think. After reviewing my work, I understood the criticism, and decided that something just had to be done about it.

The main issue that I wanted to address was how I introduced Harry in the past. There were just too many issues in the plot with the direction that I had taken the story in, so I decided to look over the original challenge again and rework the story so that the plot wasn't just an eyesore anymore.

I decided instead of Harry appearing in the middle of London, he appears in front of the Black sisters in Potter manor, thus revealing his status as a time displaced grandson of Charlus and Dorea Potter. This, in effect, clears up the majority of the plot issues that I was having.

As I said, I won't post anything online unless I feel as if it was written to the absolute 100% best of my ability to write. And I just didn't feel that way with the original story. There were a lot of moments while rereading it where I went, "I done goofed!" complete with slapping my own forehead.

Obviously, not everyone will agree with the rewrite, but I'm hoping that a majority of my readers will appreciate reading this over the original.

I do think that I should discuss some issues with the plot that were of some of the concerns of the majority of my readers.

1: Harry's anger; I didn't straight up give the reason why Harry was angry all the time, and most of my readers' reactions to his anger was, "Harry's an ass, this story is fucking stupid!" I'd like to think people would give me the benefit of the doubt for Harry's character, because I had a reason why I made him that way. You see, my design was to make it so that Harry had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from the year of constantly being at war with Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Naturally, he'd have a very contradictory personality and be very emotionally unstable. My design was and still IS to have Harry treated for it throughout the story and eventually overcome it with the love and affection of Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa. But since the majority of my HP readers just won't trust me to write the damn story, I'm telling you all in right now what the hell it's about. NOW SHUT THE HELL UP!

2: The slow development of the story; it's a fairly obvious one. I admit, the original was pretty slow going, but this rewrite is more balanced. I write character drama, and character interaction is a big part of my writing style, so a good majority of the story will be talking, talking, and more talking. Of course, with the retooled story, there will be more action, fluff, and other events to spice up the story.

3: Harry is a dumbass; again, I'm the writer, and a lot of what gets put down in text that you, my readers read is what I WANT YOU TO READ, NOT WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON. A lot of people were concerned why Harry didn't try to immediately expand his power or research politics or wizarding law as soon as he knew that he was in danger of a marriage contract. The answer is quite obvious, really. He did. He just did it all off screen. The problem is, Harry's human, doesn't really know what to do and where to go to find out information or invest into things or build up his army. So a lot of the floundering that he did during the waiting period was off screen, though I had intended to refer back to it. Eventually, he'd start adjusting to his power, responsibilities, and the people around him, but when the story started he was limited by his lack of knowledge, his PTSD, which made it difficult for him to socialize, and the generally unhelpful attitudes of most wizards and magical creatures.

4: Why all the cliches: Obviously, because it's the way I wanted to write Harry. Yes, Harry was the richest son of a bitch in the world, but I just wanted to use that to explain how little value he placed on money. It's pretty ridiculous, but I didn't give a flying fuck. Now he's more balanced in that respect, with the way I set up his inheritances. He's also not so unbelievably powerful, though he is powerful, just not SUPER. The Deathly Hallows is still his ace in the hole, and as I have claimed in this chapter, he is only able to go toe to toe and barely win against the future version of Voldemort who has been weakened from the creation of 13 Horcruxes. He is nowhere near ready to face a mostly sane Voldemort, who is in the midst of his physical and magical prime, though he can easily duel most of the Death Eaters from the past and win in a one on one confrontation, though he has his limits on the amount of people that he can face in battle.

5: All the plot holes and universe breaking; again, I'm the writer, and a lot of what I plan to write is only known to me, so while certain events seem like they break the rules of the Potter-verse, I'm telling you now that if I don't explain them right away then I intend to in later chapters unless I goof and forget about them. A lot of my reader's reaction to Chapter 3's "breaking the HP-verse" stuff was to say "this sucks" and abandon the story. Honestly, why no one has any faith that I actually have a damn plan in the first place is beyond me.

Anyways, that looks like all that I need to cover right now. I don't really have anything else to say. Just read the damn chapter and give me a review when you're done.

Enjoy:

Edit: Corrected Grammar.

HARRY POTTER and the BLACK SCHEME

A Harry Potter Fanfiction by

PROFESSOR IMAGE

Chapter 1

The Boy who Leapt through Time

HP HP HP

"Longbottom," Andromeda inquired, squinting down at the yellowed paper in her hand.

"Too young," Bellatrix denied immediately, frowning. "He hasn't even started Hogwarts yet. Even Narcissa wouldn't be interested." Bellatrix leaned down over her own document, frowning. "Jeremiah Selwyn is within an acceptable age, and he is reasonably good looking. A bit of a dunce, though."

Andromeda's face scrunched up as if in pain.

"No."

"Right – idiots out," Bellatrix growled, and slashed aggressively across the name that she had just jotted down. "Lucas Abbott's of age, and he's polite and intelligent."

"Shy, though. Have you heard Lucas's stutter?" Andromeda commentated. Bellatrix agreed.

"What about the House of Greengrass? The heir, Xavier seems about what we're looking for..." Bellatrix recommended. Andromeda shook her head immediately.

"They only have two Wizengamot seats, being Barons. That won't impress anyone like cousin Orion," Andromeda pointed out. Bellatrix nodded, weighing the option.

"Still, not too bad a choice. Between Lucas or Rodolphus, I know whom I would choose," Bellatrix smirked. Andromeda gave an amused shake of her head.

"Why are you even looking for an alternative choice, Trixie. I thought that you and Rodolphus got along pretty well." Andromeda inquired, looking in askance to her twin.

"Oh, please. That neanderthal?" Bellatrix snorted, rolling her eyes as if she couldn't believe what her sister asked. "You know that I want a powerful husband, Dromeda, and you know what Rodolphus is like. Did he ever strike you as magically, or physically powerful in any way? If not for their age and wealth, they wouldn't even incur a smidgen of interest from our cousin." Bellatrix told her sister meaningfully.

Andromeda rolled her shoulders in disregard. "Still, a Count is better than a Baron in our cousin Orion's eyes. Is this about that challenge that you gave in the common room last year?" she questioned, peering in concern to her older sister.

"Yeah. That idiot Rodolphus challenged me to a duel the Wednesday before we left for break, and I ended up beating him within the first five seconds by summoning a shield from the suit of armor behind him. His brother Rebastian then tried to stun me as I was walking away, so I disarmed him, hit him with a hex of boils on his balls and banished them both into a wall."

Andromeda winced at the explanation. "The Lestranges won't like that."

Bellatrix arched an eyebrow, then flicked her eyes over the documents on the table meaningfully. "No, you don't think that I might not have known that? Considering that I'm going to all this trouble just to find a way around the marriage contract that cousin Orion set up for me with Rodolphus in the first place."

"He's no doubt got something planned for your honeymoon," Andromeda commented sourly, turning back to the contracts in her lap and sighing.

"Why are you even looking, Dromeda? Considering how well Tobias treats you, why are you even interested in overturning your contract?" Bellatrix questioned this time, trying to understand her twin.

Giving a resigned sigh, Andromeda set aside the contract in her hands and then reclined in her chair to eye her elder twin with a sheepish smile on her lips.

"Sorry, I can't help it," Andromeda held up her hand to supplicate her sister. "He's fifteen years are senior, Trixie. We might get along, but he's already told me that he only cares about the dowry and an heir. If we were to marry, I have a feeling that he won't think anything of straying."

Bellatrix smirked, arching an eyebrow. "Are you sure that this has nothing to do with a certain muggleborn?"

Andromeda's cheeks tinted red.

"It has nothing to do with Ted," Andromeda snapped, making Bellatrix's smirk widen. "Honestly! He's a sweet guy and all but he's just too childish for my tastes."

"Uh-huh. So what kind of guy is 'to your tastes'?" Bellatrix leaned in, anticipating juicy gossip. They were teenage girls, after all, and besides being twin sisters, they were the very best of friends.

Andromeda's face glowed pink as she offered an embarrassed smile in answer to her sister's harmless taunting. She laid her document on the table, forgotten for the moment, as she turned fully to the other teenager.

"Uh-uh. We aren't playing that game. If you want me to tell, then you have to offer something in return." Andromeda beckoned her twin on. Bellatrix frowned at the chiding, scrunching her face up in annoyance.

"Fine," Bellatrix huffed, and sat back in her chair. Giving it a thought, she decided to be honest.

"Obviously, he's got to have powerful magic, and also be powerful physically, and politically," Bellatrix reasoned.

Andromeda nodded her understanding. "Naturally, a Daughter of the House of Black will want for a man that is their equal or better, from a family that inherited the title of Duke or better, right?" Andromeda claimed, arching an eyebrow in challenge.

Flashing an amused grin, Bellatrix continued. "I would also prefer if he treats you, Cissy and I in a courteous and gentlemanly manner, though appreciating our beauty, power and intelligence."

Andromeda sniffed disdainfully. "Something that very few pureblood heirs can claim." She commentated. Bellatrix nodded her agreement.

"Too true." Her face soured briefly at the thought of such few choices, but shook herself and continued regardless. "And though I'd prefer him to be handsome, I could overlook most imperfections on and in his body should he genuinely care about me as a woman and a possible wife rather than a trophy to be won."

"Picky," Andromeda winked, the teasing lilt in her voice making Bellatrix shake her head in good humor.

"Bite me."

"All teasing aside, I figure that your prospects aren't good if those are the requirements that you want in a future husband. Any purebloods that Orion and Walburga draw a contract for you won't be the type to treat you as a person. Most pureblood families still think of women as their property," Andromeda's ancestry showed itself as she offered a sneer of disgust in answer to these words.

"But if we can find an alternate option for a husband, why wouldn't we try and steer the situation to our advantage?" Bellatrix claimed. Andromeda held up a hand to forestall her sister.

"True, but remember... We only get one chance to defy the Lord of our House. If he sees are secondary suitor as unsatisfactory then he could see us banished from the House of Black just for daring to question his choice." Andromeda countered. Bellatrix sneered.

"If it comes to that..." Bellatrix snarled, reeling her anger back in at her twin's flinch. Bellatrix sighed and reached out to her sister. "Sorry. This marriage contract business is driving me raving mad."

With a look at Bellatrix as if she wasn't sure of her sister, Andromeda accepted the offered arm and hugged the older girl. "Don't worry none, Trixie. We'll get through this. We always do."

"Hn..." Bellatrix mumbled noncommittally.

Bellatrix's head jerked up at the same time that Andromeda heard a loud crack from behind her.

Bellatrix shouted, "Get back!"

"YOU!" someone roared, and a jet of red light flashed over Andromeda's head as Bellatrix threw them both to the ground.

Instantly, Bellatrix was rolling one way while Andromeda was rolling the other. As Andromeda rose to her feet, she realized that a constant slew of spells was following her sister, who was up with her own wand, firing curses left and right.

The target that Bellatrix's spells was aiming for was a crouched figure in front of the family tapestry. He was tall, judging by the height of her crouched body, and lean. His skin was pale and he had unruly dark hair and piercing green eyes.

He was also wounded, judging from the bleeding cut on the side of his face running down from his forehead and the gaping wound drooling blood from his abdomen.

A reducto followed one of his animalistic snarls, smashing through the door to the study that they had taken refuge within. Bellatrix dived into a roll and slashed down with her wand, screaming, "Diffindo!" which sent the severing spell at their intruder.

The man made a flick with his wrist and summoned a cushion from the sofa which burst into feathers. His answering cry of, "Confringo!" had Andromeda hurriedly raising her own wand to support her sister.

"Flipendo!" Andromeda cast the spell at the half destroyed table in front of her sister, throwing the whole thing in front of Bellatrix.

Shards of wood and spouts of flame were spat around the room while the table went up in a miniature explosion. Bellatrix rolled aside, casting a new spell at their enemy.

The man was forced to retreat, leaping over a chair and turning on Andromeda. His eyes caught her eyes briefly, then twin emerald eyes flashed all over her body. His hand halted in mid rise, his lips pursing.

"Andromeda?" he hissed.

Bellatrix threw herself over a half destroyed chair in her path, screaming, "Get away from my sister!"

"Stupefy!" the man's arm arched out and a red spell smacked Bellatrix in the chest, sending the young woman spiraling over the chair. Andromeda's wand rose, but found the man already jumping into her personal space, his hand gripping her arm and preventing her from aiming the tip at him.

"It can't be," he gasped. His surprise and horror was making Andromeda worried. She could see that he was sweating now, and that his face was paling further from lack of blood. Despite this, though, his grip on her hand was strong.

"Trixie! Dromeda!" the worried voices of her aunt and uncle shouted from the doorway. As her eyes turned to the door, she found both Dorea and Charlus Potter hurrying into the room with wands slashing through the air.

Andromeda held out her hand to stop them, crying, "Stop!"

Pensive, Dorea and Charlus watched with baited breath as the mystery man reached out to brush bloody fingers across Andromeda's chin.

"You're...young...too young," he panted. His eyes rolled in his head, and he swayed on his feet. "Sorry about this..." he apologized. Then he promptly fainted.

Andromeda reached out for him, dropping to her own knees as she had to support the man's extra weight on her own.

Meanwhile, Dorea went to stand over Bellatrix, casting a silent reviving spell that was followed by Bellatrix immediately shooting into full wakefulness.

"Dromeda!" Bellatrix exclaimed, head turning to find her sister. She took in the collapsed form of her attacker in her twin's arms and scowled. "Don't tell me that you beat him?" she questioned dubiously.

Andromeda shook her head.

"No, he passed out from blood loss about the time that aunt Dorea and Lord Potter showed up," Andromeda explained, knowing her sister's pride.

"Oh."

"Who is he?" Dorea questioned, ignoring her husband who was righting the rest of the room with casual applications of the repairing charm. Both Andromeda and Bellatrix shrugged.

"No clue, honestly. He just appeared, kind of like apparating, almost." Andromeda explained. Dorea frowned.

"Impossible. We have anti-apparation wards put up around Potter Manor. There's no way that he apparated here," Dorea immediately denied. Bellatrix and Andromeda shared a glance.

"Be that as it may, auntie," Bellatrix smoothed over. "It doesn't change the fact that he apparently did apparate into the manor. I was watching as he appeared from thin air right in front of me and Andromeda..."

"I see..." Dorea eased, turning back to her nieces. Her glare intensified as she eyed the man in Andromeda's arms. "Well, I should probably go inform the Aurors about our... guest..." she turned to march out of the room, but was stopped by her husband's voice, who was standing in front of the family tapestry.

"Hold on, dear," Charlus warned, turning gravely to his wife. "You might wish to come and see the family tapestry before you decide on anything..."

Pensive, Dorea stepped up to her husband in front of the family tree. She had only been there for a moment before she apparently found whatever it was that her husband wanted her to see, if her gasp was anything to go by.

"It's impossible!" she denied.

"Some would claim that magic is impossible, my dear," Charlus chuckled, turning to approach Andromeda and the unconscious young man in her arms. He waved his wand at the destroyed couch, easily repairing it, and ordered, "Set him down, lass. That's a good girl."

Andromeda sat the man down, paling at the blood that covered her robes. Charlus frowned, prodding at the edge of the other man's battle cloak.

"Invisibility cloak," and then he examined the armor that the younger man wore, tutting, "And dragonhide? My, weren't you a busy lad?" Charlus chuckled.

"How is he?" Dorea stepped up, the worry in her voice a complete 180 spin on the anger that she had previously used when talking about their intruder.

Andromeda caught Bellatrix's eye as her older twin curiously stepped towards the tapestry. Following her sister's lead, she climbed to her feet and approached alongside her twin.

"Not too good. We'll likely need to fetch him a healer. But first, we'll need to get him out of these clothes and clean his wounds. Bellatrix dear, why don't you floo call the St. Mungo's for a healer. Andromeda, why don't you check on Narcissa, James and Sirius... Bellatrix, Andromeda?" Charlus asked, trying to get the two teenagers moving.

But Bellatrix and Andromeda weren't listening. Because they suddenly knew why Dorea's personality had done a complete 180 reversal on the subject of the twin's attacker.

Because a new name had appeared on the Potter Family Tree's Tapestry, reading: Harold James Potter.

The son of James Charlus Potter and Lily Daisy Potter nee Evans.

HP HP HP

Harry Potter was dreaming.

Unlike most dreams, Harry was lucid. He knew that this dream was in fact a dream. But that didn't calm the raging emotions inside him.

Voldemort stood before him, now more bestially and mutated than ever before. This form was a byproduct of the dark lord's mangling of his soul. The magic at work warped and corrupted his image, so that he was now more beast than man.

All that stood in Harry's way was a mad witch.

"Awh, is widdle baby Potter gonna cry?" Harry hated her voice. She'd tormented him for the last year, stalking and murdering everyone that he had ever cared for. "Potter, so scared and alone now that all his friends are dead!" she cackled.

"Defodio! Reducto! Stupefy! Crucio!" Harry roared, slashing his hand threw the air while he ran. Bellatrix laughed, weaving through the spells. Her arm flashed out.

"Crucio!" she returned. Harry ducked the curse, turned his duck into a roll, and came up with a new spell on his wand.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry cried, hitting Bellatrix in her chest. His jubilation was short lived as she pulled her knife with a shriek.

"DIE!"

Harry dodged her slash, summoning the elder wand from wherever it was hidden when he didn't need it. It appeared in his outstretched hand just as Bellatrix turned around.

Harry formed the words on his lips, ready to end her life, when he heard a high voice shout the very same spell.

Harry immediately called all three Hallows to him, throwing them up around his body as his only shield against the green light heading for him. He ducked, screaming, "Incendio!"

He felt the killing curse hit the thin shield of the cloak, bouncing off towards the edge of the dais and cleaving a clean wedge of stone from the ascending antechamber around them.

A fireball flew from Harry's wand to smack the floor in front of the pale figure watching their battle. Harry turned his attention to Bellatrix as she snarled out his name and slashed down with her knife.

"POTTER!"

Harry kicked out with his legs and brought the woman to the ground. His knee came out to knock her in the temple. Bellatrix's screech was deafening, her blade threatening to castrate him as she swiped wildly through the air. She rolled, and Harry was forced to pull away as she left a long, red cut on his left leg.

"Crucio!" he snarled, aligning the tip of his wand on her unprotected back. That was one thing that he appreciated about her; she'd taught him how to mean his curses.

And he meant this one.

There was no one person that he hated more than Bellatrix Lestrange. Oh, sure, Voldemort was his arch nemesis and the one that he had been destined from birth to either slay or be slain by, but if asked who he hated more, Harry Potter would always claim Bellatrix.

Voldemort wanted to take over the world and become a tyrant with no equal and rule for eternity. Bellatrix was just crazy. Unlike Voldemort, she didn't care about whether or not she lived or died. All that she cared about was causing pain and suffering, and her favorite victim by far was Harry Potter.

She'd made a game of tormenting him over the year since the Battle of Hogwarts. Hunting the majority of the people that Harry held dear down and torturing them into madness and then death.

This battle, for Harry, was as much to kill Voldemort as it was to kill Bellatrix.

So, yes, Harry meant the pain spell.

Bellatrix shrieked, her body writhing on the ground with a twisted and joyous expression on her face. Harry was furious to learn that she was actually getting off on the pain, clutching at her body as if she were in the throes of passion.

"Ssstop..." a high voice hissed, and Harry mastered his anger with the little bit of occlumency he knew to silence the woman with a banishing charm into one of the stone pews. He turned to Voldemort to see the reptilian man circling the dais, stroking the pale length of his phoenix wand in his fingers with a sneer on his face.

"Potter.." said Voldemort. Harry nodded.

"Tom."

Voldemort's eyes narrowed, the nostrils that were the only part of his nose on his face flaring with anger.

"Today this ends."

"Yes," Harry agreed. He could hear Bellatrix climbing back to her feet with a groan. Voldemort raised his wand, but Harry's body was already in motion.

"Expulso!" Harry shouted, but had to duck as Voldemort conjured a magical shield that sent the explosive charm flying back at the young hero. The chamber shook around them as the spell hit one of the supports.

Harry threw both his wands forward, crying, "Sectumsempra!" firing two slashing curses from his dual wands.

Voldemort drew his wand forward, casually blocking the cutting curse from Harry's phoenix feather wand, but not the one from the Elder Wand, which severed his left arm from the elbow. His eyes widened with pain and renewed fear.

"So... It isss true," Voldemort snarled. To Harry's deep disgust, he watched as the dark lord's mouth opened wide and a second Voldemort stepped out of the husk of his shell, like a snake shedding skin. With his own wand back in hand, Voldemort waved Harry on. "It doesssn't matter. You die here..."

"Bellatrix! Kill him." Voldemort ordered.

"Accio!" Harry snarled, pointing his wand casually behind him. He barely ducked as Bellatrix's knife came whirling past his face, slicing him from his forehead to his chin, and spearing into Voldemort's shoulder. Harry whirled upon the surprised dark witch, seeing her appalled expression as she stood primed to skewer Harry's spine despite half his vision being impaired by the flood of blood down his face.. Harry's wand flashed, landing between her eyes.

"Reducto." Harry's whisper was drowned out by the sound of the spell crashing in between Bellatrix Lestrange's eyes. Blood and brain matter splashed over the hero, who immediately turned around to fire upon Voldemort once more.

"DIE!" Voldemort roared, "Avada Kedvra!"

Harry grit his teeth and pushed on through the curse. Each killing curse impacting his shoulder and chest felt like the bite of a buckshot bullet. Bruises and abrasions formed on his chest, shoulders and abdomen, but thankfully the spells wouldn't, couldn't kill him while he was the Master of Death.

The Killing Curse couldn't kill the man beyond Death's power.

As long as Harry wore all three Hallows, he could escape a brush with the killing curse relatively unharmed. And as long as Harry wore the Hallows, he needn't fear death at all. Mutilation and disfigurement, sure, but not death.

Voldemort seemed to realize this too, pointing his wand between Harry's eyes and snarling, "Crucio!"

Harry cursed, throwing himself immediately to the side and willing his cloak to turn him invisible.

As the Master of Death, he no longer needed to drape the whole cloak over his whole body to turn invisible. Just a simple thought and he would turn invisible, even if it was just hanging off an arm or a leg.

Harry vanished, at the same time that the unforgivable hit the stone floor. Voldemort's head snapped to the Veil of Death that was fluttering innocuously, perhaps realizing that he had made a grave error. Harry didn't give the man a choice.

Raising his wand, Harry trumpeted, "Fiendfyre!"

Hellfire, living, ravenous, and evil was spat from Harry's wand. It took the form of a large jungle cat, a panther of some kind. It leaped around the dais quickly, barring both the dark lord and the hero's escape.

There it was. No more running. No more last minute escapes. Today, both of them would die.

Voldemort whirled upon Harry, roaring, "YOU!"

"Bombarda!" Harry snarled, slashing at the snake faced man. Voldemort conjured the same silver shield that Harry had first seen when the dark lord had battled Dumbledore in his fifth year. The spell rebounded, and Harry leaped to the side.

"Avada Kedvra!" Voldemort exclaimed. Harry threw up his phoenix feather wand.

"Expelliramus!" Harry shouted, knowing that this was his only chance.

The two spells hit, connected, and formed a golden thread between their outstretched wands. Voldemort roared his fury at the trick at the same time that Harry laughed.

"Did you forget, Tom? Twin wands!" Harry pointed his Elder Wand at Voldemort. His arms were shaking from the effort of holding up both the Fiendfyre and the Prior Incantum. "Now... Sectumsempra!" Harry exclaimed. The white spell hit Voldemort, cutting him easily from right shoulder to left hip, breaking the Prior Incantum.

As if in slow motion, Voldemort fell backwards. His cruel, hideous face sneered, his lips forming soundless words as he fell. Harry watched him, tiredly pointing his wand for one last spell.

A bright, red light slammed into Harry's abdomen, throwing the boy off his feet. His grip on the Fiendfyre vanished. The fire immediately leaped upon the dais. Voldemort's shrieks fell on deaf ears while Harry staggered to his own feet, carelessly walking through the Veil rather than the painful death of raging inferno. He didn't know what would happen if the Master of Death stepped through the Veil of Death, but he figured that whatever awaited him was better than the fate of living through fiendfire.

The last sounds he heard in this life were Voldemort's scream of agony, which soothed Harry's conscious.

Harry had destroyed all six of Voldemort's Hocruxes before the Dark Lord had hit Harry with a killing curse. What they hadn't known was that Harry was a seventh Horcrux that only Dumbledore had known about. Voldemort's act had unintentionally turned the dark lord into Harry's very own Horcrux, and with the protection of Lily Potter's love Harry had been revived. But Voldemort had felt the destruction of his last Horcrux, and fearing his new mortality he had fled from Hogwarts to create more.

Harry had hunted another six. Now, there was no more.

Voldemort had died, finally, at last.

Harry Potter died with a smile on his face.

HP HP HP

"I don't think that I've ever met a person who actually liked dying enough to try for a second time," Dumbledore greeted Harry as the young man sat down on the bench.

Once more they were sitting on a bench within the curiously pristine halls of King's Cross station.

"Sorry, things didn't quite go the way that you planned, sir," Harry apologized immediately, feeling strangely sheepish to be standing here, talking to his dead headmaster again for dying, well, again... Dumbledore smiled, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Still, you've done it, at least," Dumbledore smiled reassuringly, reaching out to comfort the boy. "You've fulfilled the prophecy and helped punish Voldemort for cheating Death by making sure he died."

"There's something, at least," Harry sighed.

Dumbledore peered over his half moon spectacles at the teenager, giving one of his proud, grandfatherly smiles that made Harry feel self conscious about everything that he messed up in his mission.

" Unfortunately, the Veil is a doorway to Death's domain, so here you are. But your mother and father are very proud of you, Harry," Dumbledore soothed, sensing that the boy was struggling with his guilt. "Now, with your sacrifice the board has been swept for the next generation."

"Maybe they can do better than my generation," Harry agreed. It made Harry remember his friends that he had left behind, either battling in the remnants of the Department of Mysteries with the rest of Voldemort's forces, or living safe and secure far away from Britain and the battlefield.

"I can assure you that they will be fine," Dumbledore offered, somehow knowing what was on Harry's troubled mind. Harry looked up.

"How do you mean?"

"Andromeda and Luna will take good care of Teddy," Dumbledore smiled. Harry closed his eyes and relaxed gratefully into his seat.

"That's one less thing for me to worry about," Harry gave an untroubled sigh. Dumbledore placed his hand onto the teenager's shoulder.

"You've sacrificed much for this world, and gotten so very little. That is why it's been decided to offer you a reward..." Dumbledore explained. Harry cracked open an eye.

"Is this one of those 'we'll send you back to live again' deals?" Harry inquired.

"I suppose you could say it is..." Dumbledore agreed. Harry sagged into his seat, his mannerisms troubled.

"Forget it, really," Harry denied immediately. Opening his eyes, he affixed an annoyed glare at the aged headmaster. "Truth be told, sir, I'd rather just move on. I've lost too much to wish to stay." Harry had given so much to see Voldemort destroyed and a new era of peace created for his world. He'd left behind loved ones and friends, a whole life so everyone would have a chance to live. And now he was tired enough to want to move on.

"I figured as much," Dumbledore stated, removing his hand from Harry's shoulder and stroking his long beard. "Truth be told, you more than anyone deserve the rewards of the other side. Unfortunately, you weren't supposed to die for a long time. As you said, things didn't exactly go as planned."

Harry closed his eyes and groaned, somehow having expected the headmaster's words.

"Yes, I understand." Dumbledore agreed with Harry's sentiment. "Your parents are also very against the idea of you joining them just yet. I'm afraid that everyone is very adamant that you take this chance and move on with your life, while you have it."

"Sorry, I'm not seeing any inclination to accept the offer." Harry gave a disinterested shrug. As much as he missed Teddy and Luna, he was afraid that he wasn't good enough for them to return.

Dumbledore smiled, and offered. "Well, I never said that this 'second chance' would be in this world, did I? I'm afraid that since you 'died' in this world, you just can't simply be brought back. There are certain rules about revivals in our world. Horcruxes are one thing, resurrection is completely another. No, to do that we'll need to send you somewhere else."

"I'm not sure if I understand, sir." Harry grunted. He looked through one half lidded eye on the older man.

Dumbledore chuckled, leaning on his knees with his elbows. "Then let me be frank. We want to send you to another world, one early enough in the timeline that it is virtually untouched by Voldemort. One where you will have a family, friends, and a life of your own.

"If you agree to it, events will be put in place to give you that family you always wanted. You won't ever be alone again. But because this world is before Voldemort even began his first war, you'll be could potentially be able to change the events of the timeline so that a war never begins in the first place, so that the world never has to suffer," Dumbledore explained, sounding very impassioned as he tried to tempt the young hero.

Harry sat up from his sprawled position, narrowing his eyes at the temptation.

"So... We're talking about the past, here?" Harry demanded. Dumbledore nodded.

"Among other things. Do you know the Many Worlds Theory?" Dumbledore questioned. Harry frowned, trying to pull up a distant memory from the edges of his mind.

"Hermione may have talked about it, once," Harry turned his head away, jaw stiffening and gaze drifting.

"Essentially, for each action, and for each thought a person has, an infinite number of worlds are created, almost exactly alike but differing in the choices that are made in that particular instance where the original began..." Dumbledore elaborated on the theory.

"I see..." Harry's gaze returned to Dumbledore's, "My friends won't be in this world... Ginny won't be... And Luna," Harry clenched his eyes shut and took a deep breath, unable to imagine it.

"I'm afraid not. But even if they did, they wouldn't be the people that you remember. They wouldn't share your history or experiences. They'd be absolute strangers to you," Dumbledore reasoned. Harry nodded, accepting the logic, but not exactly pleased with it. He could never be pleased with a world where neither Ginny & Luna existed.

"And the people in charge want to send me to that timeline... For what?" Harry inquired in the lull that followed. It seemed suspicious that upon his death, he'd be approached for such a reward when death itself would be reward enough. He'd miss Luna and Teddy, sure, but he'd finally be at peace.

"Death, or the entity that we could call Death, is very intent on destroying anyone with Horcruxes. Horcruxes are a way to cheat Death, and that's not something that Death takes lightly.

"The circumstances of the events that lead up to your own Death, Harry, are especially important to Death. Anyone who does Death a service is to be rewarded greatly, and anyone who dies before their time is to be rewarded on principle alone, since there is a set time and place for when a person dies... But to have the 'Master of Death' die before his time, after rendering a service for Death? Your reward must be beyond measure just to match your deeds," Dumbledore explained evenly, trying to help the teenager see.

"I'd still just prefer moving on, honestly. I'm just so tired of war," Harry argued immediately. He envisioned what awaited him on the other side, of the people that had left him behind in the hopes that he would clean up the world. Dumbledore weighed the boy's words seriously, stroking his beard absent-mindedly.

At last, he began, "Give the matter some thought, Harry. This particular reward wouldn't have been offered to you unless it was felt that you would find some measure of happiness, a measure beyond what you would simply gain from crossing over. It's a new chance for you, a chance to have the family and happiness that you always wanted... would you really give it up before you even had the chance to experience it yourself?" Dumbledore warned.

Harry thought about the offer for a moment, admitting that yes, the thought about whatever possible family that he might have in this alternate world did indeed appeal to him. He was tired of death and war, and knew that more would follow him into this new world, as Death and suffering were his constant companions. He'd been using that conviction to bolster his resolve since he'd fled into the Veil. He'd been using the hope that he'd finally be reunited with his family, and with Ginny to give him strength.

But no more. Harry happened to be just selfish enough to admit that he was tempted by the offered reward. A family, a life and a form of happiness of his own? It sounded too good to be true.

"What's the catch?" Harry caught onto the game. In Harry's experience, nothing was free. A "reward for services to Death" was a nice selling point, but even that had to have a catch.

Pensive, Dumbledore studied the boy in front of him for a full minute, something that Harry bore with resolute frustration, grinding his teeth in anxiousness. At last, Dumbledore nodded.

"It's quite simple, Harry. Voldemort's actions have upset the natural order and have doubly infuriated Death. Should you be reborn in this world, Death requires that you rid the world of Voldemort once and for all. Furthermore, those in charge would like you to fix the Wizarding World of Great Britain, if that is not too much a terrible thing to ask of you." Dumbledore elaborated with casual difference to those who governed the world.

"That seems... Fair," Harry said at last after some moments, giving the matter some thought. "Far too gracious for something that I probably would have done in the first place."

"Yes, it seems a paltry price to pay in return for what you'll be given, doesn't it?" Dumbledore agreed, the wrinkles around his eyes frowning with his thoughts. At least he didn't point out that the price that Harry would pay would be only a minor thing to Harry, and no one else that would have to pay it. For a boy who had never known the love of a family, the price that he was being asked to pay was more than fair. "But, taken into account that the Voldemort of this new world will be within his prime, largely before the majority of his Horcruxes were created, and you can imagine the danger, can you not?" Dumbledore inquired.

Harry thought about this suggestion, eyes slowly widening as he realized what Dumbledore meant.

"Voldemort's soul is still mostly whole, so then..."

"Yes," Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Voldemort's soul is mostly whole, meaning that his mind is still his own, making him a far more terrifying opponent than the one that you fought to the death."

"And how am I supposed to defeat him if that is the case?" Harry narrowed his eyes, uncomprehending how the aged headmaster expected him to succeed where he had failed in his last life. Dumbledore's answer was to merely smile that same grandfatherly smile that had comforted Harry throughout his years of schooling.

"Have faith, my boy. This offer would not have been given to you if it wasn't felt by everyone in charge that you were not capable of it. So long as you do not squander this chance and actually survive the encounter, this offer will not be wasted on you."

"I still don't understand how I will succeed, though," Harry growled his frustration. Dumbledore smiled and reached out to place his hand on the teenager's heavy shoulders.

"You are more than capable, rest assured. It may not seem it now, but in time you will rise up more powerful than any who have come before you," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with new radiance. His look was that of a proud parent and a teacher seeing the efforts of his pupil pay off.

"Will I ever return here, sir? I don't want to give up my friends and family," Harry implored. Dumbledore removed his hand from the boy's shoulders, thoughtfully stroking his long white beard.

"Yes, I can imagine so. Fear not, for when you cross over all your loved ones from this timeline and the other will be waiting for you." Dumbledore let his beard go, instead slowly rising to his feet.

"As to the matter of your family, Harry, I think that I should give you the words of your parents and friends." Turning back to the Potter scion, Dumbledore continued, his eyes twinkling, "Your parents wish you well and tell you not to follow them to the grave for a long time yet. Sirius hopes that you'll find a good girl to share your life with, or possibly more." Harry's mouth twitched at the suggestion. That sounded like something that Sirius would recommend. "Remus and Miss Nymphadora give their wishes that you settle down somewhere and be happy. Hermione, Ginny, Ron, and Neville ask that you keep an open mind."

"An open mind, sir, of what?" Harry asked, hearing the foreshadowing of things to come. His eyes still twinkling, Dumbledore answered.

"Though your experiences with them have no doubt given you a prior impression of the people that you will soon come to know, I do hope that you will offer everyone the courtesy of the benefit of the doubt. It's a new world, before many have gone through the experiences that made them who they were in your world. It wouldn't be fair to be judgmental before you got to know anyone."

"I'm sorry, sir, but what?" Harry demanded, sensing that the headmaster knew more than he let on. Dumbledore merely chuckled.

"Just keep an open mind, Harry," Dumbledore instructed. And with a wave of the old Professor's hand, Harry felt a dizziness overtaking him.

HP HP HP

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Grand Sorcerer, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and a plethora of other titles, found himself surprised as he finished viewing the memories of the young man that he had been sent in to investigate by one of his staunchest supporters, Charlus Potter.

The young man in question, whom Dumbledore came to know as Harry James Potter while viewing the lad's most recent memories, was a truly interesting individual. The aged headmaster had not at first believed his eyes and ears when Charlus had informed him of the boy's appearance in his home, nor the sight of the tapestry of the Potter Family's Tree. However, upon use of legilimency to delve into the teenager's memories, Dumbledore came to know that this story was indeed factual.

Dumbledore's trip through the boy's thoughts finally culminated with the events that lead up to the child fainting in the Potter family's study. Seeing the boy react to the sight of a whole and sane Bellatrix Black and his memories of the boy's final battle with Voldemort allowed Dumbledore to infer that the child had some history with the Bellatrix of his own timeline, made worse than the battle showed.

At the same time, the boy's reaction to Andromeda's presence was curious. This lead Dumbledore to the conclusion that the Andromeda of Harry Potter's timeline did indeed not follow the same path as her elder twin.

Dumbledore withdrew from the teenager's mind, contemplating what he had seen. It was enough that he had been given such a glimpse into the future as it was. He knew the dangers of time travel as much as any knowledgeable wizard of his age, and knew that such knowledge was dangerous in the wrong hands. Whatever had convinced the powers that be that the boy was worthy of this second chance was beyond him, what mattered was how it affected the timeline.

"Albus?" Charlus prompted. Dumbledore considered the other man, observing the agitation in the wizard's posture and expression. Dumbledore understood the man's panic and frustration. Learning about a grandchild that hadn't even been born was wearing thin on the Lord's patience and sensibilities.

In a rare moment of weakness, Dumbledore waved his hand and causally summoned a bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey from his private collection. Before Charlus could comment on the out of character response, Dumbledore conjured a crystal goblet and poured himself a glass and downed it in one large gulp.

Dumbledore's skin reddened from the heat, steam rising from his ears. He shook himself of the effects of the whiskey, and drew another glass for himself. Upon seeing that Charlus did not possess a goblet of his one, the older wizard conjured another and poured another glassful for the other man.

Seeing Charlus' incredulity at Albus's indulgence, Dumbledore offered a hopeless sigh and set down his own glass.

Motioning to their patient, Dumbledore began uneasily, "The tale of this boy is a troubling one indeed, my friend." Dumbledore once more downed a glass, before postponing from his endeavors and wearily cleaning his spectacles. When at last that Charlus' patience seemed to be wearing thin, Dumbledore did clear his throat and begin again. "Indeed, this boy's name is Harold James Potter, and as you have speculated, he is indeed your grandson."

"But, how?" Charlus implored unerringly, "My son, James, is still but a boy, and the tapestry claims..." but the aged wizard could not continue, for the ludicrousness of the statement was more than he could utter with any form of calm. Dumbledore nodded his own understanding.

"Yes, quite true. From what I have been able to gather, however, he comes from a distant point in the future. Where, exactly, I cannot say. The boy's mind is confused and conflicted at the moment, so I was not able to pry too far into his memories. What I do know is that he comes from a world devastated by a war..." Dumbledore paused, head jerking up to affix intense blue eyes onto the shut door.

"Albus?" questioned Charlus. Dumbledore raised a hand to forestall the other man, withdrew his wand and flicked. The door immediately swung open and smacked the wall with a heavy thud. This action prompted a loud squeal from the doorway, and a small shape tumbled into the room.

"Narcissa, dear, what are you doing?" Charlus demanded, standing to his feet in his fury to find the girl eavesdropping on his conversation with the headmaster. Narcissa scrambled to her feet, red in the face.

"I apologize, dear uncle," Narcissa Black said immediately, bowing her apology. "Please forgive me for my curiosity. When Trixie and Dromeda explained our 'guests' presence to me a few minutes ago I decided to search for him. I did not expect to find him under your care."

"How much did you hear?" Charlus demanded, rushing to the girl. However, Albus held an arm out to bar the Lord's passage, peering intently at the young blonde.

"I dare say all of it, my friend," Dumbledore chuckled, making Narcissa's blush deepen on her pale face so that it shone a vibrant pink. Charlus affixed the headmaster with an uncomprehending expression.

"Albus, what about the boy?" Charlus questioned the actions of his elder. Dumbledore gave one more chuckle, before waving to the young daughter of the Black family.

Curious, Narcissa stepped forward.

"Narcissa, dear, will you please fetch your aunt and sisters? I'll need to speak with them personally before I leave today." Dumbledore explained patiently.

"Yes, sir," Narcissa nodded uneasily, slowly backing towards the door. She spared one more glance at the dark haired boy lying unconscious on the only bed in the room before fleeing.

Narrowing his eyes at the professor, Charlus inquired, "What are you planning now, Albus?"

Albus placed his wand back into his vibrant blue robes, and crossed his legs before folding his hands onto his lap. He affixed a practiced smile onto his face, hiding the unease in his mind with practiced efficiency.

"You understand quite well the dangers of time travel, Charlus," Dumbledore explained dutifully, recalling Charlus work as an Unspeakable with in the past. "That being said, after reviewing our guest's memories I was able to determine that his presence does not endanger our timeline nor his. Taking that into an account, I feel that it is best that we make use of this virtually untapped source of knowledge. There are things in his future that we need to take heed, and the knowledge that your nieces' posses for your grandson is a danger to us all."

"I don't understand," Carlos said slowly, unable to see how his loving nieces could be a threat to the bigger world. Dumbledore gave a gentle smile, withdrawing his elder wand again as he felt the presence of Dorea Potter and her nieces approaching.

"It's quite simple, really. What family do your nieces claim allegiance to?" Dumbledore quizzed, causing Charlus' eyes to widen as he realized what the headmaster meant. "Even your wife still holds some loyalty to her original family, though her major allegiance belongs to her immediate family, which is you and her son, James. With Harry now in that picture, we need not fear her revealing his identity to her family, but her nieces are still a threat."

"Can you imagine what the Blacks would do with the untapped knowledge of the future that Harry posses?" Dumbledore inquired, making Charlus frown. Dumbledore raised a hand, explaining, "I'm not saying that we should take advantage of the boy, but I know he was sent to the past for a reason, and it is in our best interests to see that he accomplishes his goal.

"What we will need done is either to have your nieces take a magical vow of silence to not reveal your grandson's identity to anyone, even their family, or obliviate his presence from their memories." Dumbledore could see that his friend Charlus did not care for the second option at all, causing him to chuckle in relief. "I thought not, my friend. Will you agree to the first option, then?"

"Do I even have a choice?" Charlus questioned helplessly, giving a worried glance to his resting grandson. Dumbledore could tell that the appearance of Charlus' time displaced grandson had shaken the normally calm and rational man. All Potters put their family before everything else, and no matter how Harry had appeared in his life, Charlus had already taken responsibility for the teenager. "You say he was in a war?"

"Yes," Dumbledore agreed. Charlus sighed.

"I take it that he's here to stop this war?" Charlus queried.

"As far as I know about it."

"Charlus, Albus?" Dorea Potter's voice beckoned her husband's gaze to the doorway, where the elder woman was hurrying her nieces inside. "How is ou-he?" she hesitated to say. Dumbledore caught the slip. As surprised and confused by the presence of their wayward grandson as she was, the magic of the Potter family couldn't lie, and like her husband Dorea had already subconsciously added Harry into her little family.

"So, he really is from the future?" Bellatrix boldly commented, peering at the slumbering teenager curiously. She was stopped from further comment by Andromeda elbowing her older twin in the ribs, making the curly haired pureblood witch hiss in pain. "Dromeda!"

"Hush, you," Andromeda shushed her sister, nodding to the pensive Charlus and the expectant Dumbledore. "Let uncle speak."

"Please, sit," Dumbledore beckoned, conjuring his favorite chintz chairs for the four women. Once they sat and directed their curious eyes his way, Dumbledore motioned to the boy sleeping on the bed, introducing them to the unconscious lad.

"Everyone, this is Harold James Potter, son of James and Lily Potter," Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling again, enjoying the irony of introducing the family to their relative from a future point in time. Obviously, no one else shared his humor.

"James, as in little Jamie?" Narcissa questioned incredulously, eying the dark haired boy that looked around the same age as her two sisters. Both Bellatrix and Andromeda shared the thought.

"Ah, yes, where should I begin?" Dumbledore commented, giving the matter some thought. He decided to give the bare bones of the situation, and began to explain gently where and when the boy hailed from. When he was finished, everyone was looking at the lad in shock.

"Huh, so he really is Jamie's son from the future," Andromeda's astonishment mirrored that of each of her sisters. At the same time, Dorea had taken a spot on the bed to run her hands through her grandson's hair with that same stunned expression that she had worn upon reading the tapestry when the boy had first appeared. Whether she was aware of her actions or not remained to be seen. Charlus himself was concerned with the reactions of his wife and nieces.

"As far as we know it, yes," Dumbledore agreed.

"But there's a 'but', I can hear the 'but'," Bellatrix argued immediately, narrowing her eyes at the headmaster. Dumbledore gave the girl an amused smile, offering his hands in supplication, before tapping the tip of his wand against the armrest of his chair.

"Yes, as you have no doubt inferred already." Dumbledore confirmed for the elder of the twins. "Harry's situation here is quite precarious. His knowledge of the future is a veritable gold mine for anyone who may wish to take advantage of his situation, you see." Dumbledore claimed. "Unfortunately, Harry has been sent back for a purpose and people knowing about that purpose will simply endanger his chances of accomplishing that purpose. That is why I've called you here."

"You're over posturing, professor," Narcissa drawled, getting Andromeda to shush her. Instead of annoyance at the interruption, Dumbledore's smile widened.

"You are correct, my dear," Dumbledore's suggestion could prove dangerous if they did not agree, nor if he could safely obliviate the knowledge from them. Sighing, Dumbledore continued, "It is imperative that you understand, however. What I have seen in young Harry's mind is a danger to the whole world. If anyone were to get wind of this knowledge, it could mean the end for all of us. That is why I must ask you, whether you will agree to an unbreakable vow never to reveal Harry's existence as a time travel to anyone who doesn't already know of this knowledge, including your families, or to allow me to obliviate the knowledge from your minds."

Dorea's head jerked up from where she was blankly staring at the relaxed face of her grandson, her cry of "No!" splitting the quiet of the room. Immediately upon which all three girls gave cries of denial.

With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore silenced the three young girls, while Charlus reached out to calm his wife who was rising to her feet in answer to Dumbledore's actions.

"Easy, Dorea! Listen!" Charlus cried.

"Please, Dorea," Dumbledore nodded, lowering back down to his seat and calmly surveying the room of panicked females. At last he nodded and began to explain.

"You must understand, in the wrong hands Harry's knowledge could threaten the whole world," Dumbledore tried to reason with them. "Harry was unfortunate to be the pivot which turned the war from his future. As such, he's been given the task of stopping the war in this timeline. He cannot do that if his enemies know this knowledge. Knowing this, I cannot in good conscious entrust this knowledge to anyone without precautions being taken. So I implore everyone that they take an unbreakable vow with me to protect Harry's secret, or I will be forced to obliviate everyone in this room and take Harry into hiding." Dumbledore ended his explanation on a threat. As expected, both Charlus and Dorea reacted to the threat by going for their wands, which Dumbledore removed from their hands with a silent Expelliarmus faster than they could react.

"Albus, you said…" Charlus argued immediately.

"Relax, Charlus, Dorea, girls. Sir, we still have things to discuss," Dumbledore implored, and begrudgingly the adults and children sat back down, waiting to hear him explain himself.

Choosing his words carefully, Dumbledore claimed, "The things in the future that I have seen, I'm ashamed to say that I haven't managed to put the pieces together already until now. Harry's enemy lives amongst us already, and his very existence threatens everyone, purebloods, half bloods, muggleborns and muggles alike. Harry has been given the task of removing this blight from the world, but he can't do that if his enemy or his enemy's allies know of his existence. I would rather prefer not to obliviate any of you, but as I have said before, it is imperative that his existence remain a secret for as long as possible. If I have to obliviate everyone in this room for that secret to remain so, then I will do so, make no mistake. Please do not force my hand. I value your friendships too much to want to forsake it just protect your own grandson, Charlus, Dorea," Dumbledore implored the two adults.

"And yet you threaten to remove the existence of our own grandson if we do not comply with your terms?" Dorea spat. Charlus placed a hand onto her arm, offering silent support.

"I apologize, truly," Dumbledore offered. Dorea turned away from the man in disgust to set back down by her grandson and anxiously brush at his face,

"We'll accept your terms for now, Dumbledore," Carlos sighed, sitting beside his wife to watch her tend to the boy. From the hard line of his jaw, Dumbledore understood that he had overstepped his bounds. "However, our friendship ends here. Whether we can recover after this is for you to decide. If you ever try and take our grandson from us, we'll do everything in our power to see that our revenge is served."

It wasn't the threat of revenge that unsettled Dumbledore, for the aged headmaster knew that he was more than capable of defending himself as he had proven by handily disarming the couple earlier, nor did he fear them politically for that matter as well. No, what hurt is the spite in Dorea's eyes and the disappointment in Charlus's face. Dumbledore was sure that he had lost two of his closest friends at this moment, and the fact that he had no way of knowing if he could ever earn their forgiveness for his actions today remained to be seen.

Gathering his emotions with a liberal use of occlumency, Dumbledore turned to the three girls silently watching with wide eyes and pale faces.

"Well, what say you, girls?" Dumbledore inquired, curious what Dorea's nieces had decided. When it became apparent that they still couldn't speak as they tried to answer the headmaster, Dumbledore gave a shake of his head and flicked his wand to remove the silencing charm.

Considering the shocked expressions on each of her sisters' faces, Bellatrix flicked her tongue over her suddenly dry lips and decided to answer.

"Well, I guess we'll–"

HP HP HP

Scritch-scratch!

Scree-scratch!

Harry's head was hurting. One side of his face was throbbing, and his brain felt like mush. It didn't help that that scratching noise was driving him insane. He didn't know where he was, but he certainly felt alive, if he wasn't mistaken by that familiar pain. Harry did a quick check on his body's condition; two legs, two arms, head, all working senses except for only one working eye, though considering that he could feel something covering his wounded eye, Harry felt positive that it wasn't a permanent condition. He was in pretty good condition, if he ignored the pain in his skull, abdomen and leg.

Screeeeeetch!

Harry whirled into motion, instincts born from a year of constantly being on the run forcing him into action. He rolled off one side of the bed, the adrenaline helping steady him as he landed on the ground, primed to run or fight. Someone gasped across the room, before soft footsteps rushed towards his position.

Harry didn't think, he just reacted. He kicked out his uninjured leg, swept his kidnapper up from under their legs, before climbing on top of them to wedge his arm across their throat in a move to emphasize his control over the situation.

A furious green eye met two blue eyes, both teenagers freezing as they got a good look at each other.

Strangely, the girl underneath him looked familiar, but Harry couldn't place where. The girl held herself still, barely breathing.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Harry demanded, snarling at the girl.

Breathlessly, she gasped, "I'm Narcissa Black! And you're currently in Potter Manor!"

Harry's breath clutched at his chest, but it had nothing to do with his surprise at the girl's answer and more to do with the pain and chill spreading from his abdomen. Harry gave a strangled groan, and rolled off the girl.

He heard the girl gasp, horrified. "AUNTIE, UNCLE, COME QUICK! HARRY'S REOPENED HIS WOUNDS!" she shouted to the rest of the house, before lowering herself over Harry to press her small hands to his bleeding stomach.

Harry felt his strength waning, his vision swimming again. He closed his eye against the dizziness, gasping in pain. When his eye next opened, he looked up into the frightened blue eyes of Narcissa Black, the future Lady of the House of Malfoy, and remembered.

As he began to lose consciousness again, despite the pleas of the teenager trying to stop the bleeding, Harry swore.

Just shoot me now.

To Be Continued...

[Author's Note: Professor Image]

Now, don't forget to leave me a review and let me hear your thoughts on the chapter and any concerns that you might have for the story.

Ta.

– Professor Image.