Disclaimer: I make no claim to the rights of any characters that are owned by J.K. Rowling or Warner Bros., and make no money from this venture. This work is purely for entertainment purposes. I also make no claim to the rights of "My Sweet Prince" by Placebo.

—PROLOGUE—

Sacrifice

The old-school Muggle CD player filled the room with music long-forgotten by all but the two who sat opposite each other, apprehension written on their ageing faces. They knew that it had to be done. They had spent too long on it to back out now. Would it work? Could they save anyone? Would they finally, after so very long, fix everything?

Never thought you'd make me perspire.
Never thought I'd do you the same.
Never thought I'd fill with desire.
Never thought I'd feel so ashamed.

Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood, the last true remnants of humanity, sat on either side of a pewter cauldron that had two wands sat either side of it and one lying across the rim.

Holly. Phoenix Feather. Eleven inches.

Ebony. Phoenix Feather. Nine inches.

Elder. Thestral Tail Hair. Fifteen inches.

They continued to look at each other and knew with absolute clarity what the other was thinking. This is it. We've waited fifty-two years to fix things. This is it.

Harry Potter was the first to move, running his hand through his now very grey-streaked hair. There was very little trace of the black he had inherited from his father any longer. His glasses were no longer round but rectangular and were a dark brown colour. His famous scar was on display due to his very slowly receding hairline. His eyes were as vividly green as ever.

Luna Lovegood shook a lock of her still blonde hair out of her left eye. Her face was marred by age but her eyes looked the same as they had all those years ago. She reached to her neck where she fondled her Butterbeer-Cork Necklace, the last remnant of her past life.

Me and the dragon can chase all the pain away.
So before I end my day, remember...
My sweet prince, you are the one...
My sweet prince,
you are the one.

Being so close to achieving what they had held onto life for made both of them reminisce about times past. Without knowing, both of their minds went to the same thing.

For nineteen years, all had seemed well. Harry Potter had defeated the Dark Lord, Tom Riddle. You-Know-Who. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Voldemort. The Wizarding World was in a state of constant rejoicing. During this immensely happy period of time, Harry Potter married Ginevra Weasley and, together, they had three beautiful children. James Sirius Potter was the first, followed by Albus Severus Potter and then Lily Luna Potter. Harry and Ginny could not have been happier.

Luna Lovegood became a famous Wizarding Naturalist and frequently left the country in search of many magical and mystical beasts, some of which she found and some of which she did not have the good fortune of finding. It was on one of these expeditions that she met Rolf Scamander and fell in love. By the time James Sirius Potter was on the train for his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Luna and Rolf had twin sons Lorcan and Lysander. Luna and Rolf could not have been happier.

Then came September 1st, 2017. Albus Potter was due to leave on the Hogwarts Express for the first time, finally headed to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry and Ginny accompanied him to King's Cross Station along with their young daughter, Lily. It was there that they met up with Ronald and Hermione Weasley with their son Hugo who were there to see off the eldest daughter of the two, Rose.

It seemed to be a beautiful picture of love and innocence. It wasn't until the end of the day when word came from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that the Hogwarts Express had been attacked, derailed and had the Dark Mark floating above it. Not a child was left alive. Not one.

The memory feeling so fresh and real in their minds, Harry and Luna each let the tears flow, but did not reach out to comfort each other. They both knew that they had to persevere and press onwards. Yet it was difficult and wrought with pain and sorrow.

Never thought I'd have to retire.
Never thought I'd have to abstain.
Never thought all this could backfire.
Close up the hole in my vein.

Hours later, when the two had stopped weeping, they looked at each other once again. Both faces were now tear-stained as well as age-worn. They each knew that they were looking into the eyes of the only other human being left on the planet. Tom Marvolo Riddle did not count. That was not a human being.

The Wizarding World was in a state of mourning and panic. Near enough to a whole generation had been wiped out in one fell swoop. Nobody knew who was responsible for the feat. Many pointed the finger at Lucius Malfoy and his son Draco, being the only true Death Eaters remaining who were not dead or imprisoned for life. Lucius was thrown through the Veil of Death at the Ministry of Magic without so much as a trial, but Draco was spared through the help of Harry Potter.

Despite his grief and anger, Harry knew that Draco would not have sent his son, Scorpius, on the Hogwarts Express to die and should not be held responsible. The Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, agreed with Harry and announced that Draco was to be exonerated. The Weasley and Potter families were broken. They had lost many children and grandchildren. The only Weasley who did not lose a son, a daughter or a grandchild was Charlie who was unattached at the time, and had no one to lose. It seemed that poor Charlie was destined to be the rock of the family.

Harry and Ginny continued onwards, albeit with very broken spirits, and took care of Lily as well as they could. Luna and Rolf both retired from field work, knowing that their friends needed their help. The two helped the Weasleys and Potters through the time between the attack on the Hogwarts Express and the attack on St. Mungo's on New Years Eve later that same year.

The whole building was destroyed and all of the patients killed. Not only that, Neville Longbottom, his wife Hannah and Augusta Longbottom, his ageing grandmother, who were visiting Neville's parents, were also killed in the destruction. Hannah had just found out that she was pregnant and they were there telling Neville's parents.

Even that was not the most shocking, or even sickening, revelation to be had. When the ruins of St. Mungo's was found, the Aurors who were sent, including Harry Potter, saw a figure floating above the ruins. A figure that had chilled them to their very bones. A figure that was laughing a very high-pitched laugh. Tom Marvolo Riddle had found a way to survive all those years ago. No one was able to do anything as he disappeared.

After that incident, Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Luna and Rolf all gathered around the portrait of Albus Dumbledore to find out the possible cause of Voldemort's continued life. Albus Dumbledore looked to be at a loss for words.

"Ah …" the old headmaster pondered as he sat his elbows upon his painted desk and stroked his beard. "It appears that Tom was much more cunning then we were prepared to believe. If I were to guess, I would say that he had one last Horcrux."

Those words had sent chills down the spines of all present as they realised what it meant. The Final Wizarding War had begun.

Harry and Luna both reached out for their wands at precisely the same time. They looked deep into each other's eyes as they both took hold of their wands. In sync, they raised the wands and chanted in a mixture of Greek, Latin, French and English, the words that were needed. The music continued to play.

Me and my valuable friend,
Can fix all the pain away.
So before I end my day,
Remember...
My sweet prince,
You are the one.
My sweet prince,
You are the one.
You are the one.
You are the one.
You are the one.
You are the one.

The two continued to chant as their wands created a strange link. It was like a multi-coloured thread, combining in the shape of a rainbow star. It made its way above the cauldron and settled, changing colour constantly, as Harry and Luna continued to both chant and reminisce.

There were fourteen. The Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry held the last fourteen magical residents of Europe, not including the Dark Lord himself. Harry Potter. Ginny Potter. Luna Scamander. Teddy Lupin. Fleur Weasley. Poppy Pomfrey. Minerva McGonagall. Charlie Weasley. Susan Bones. Kingsley Shacklebolt. Dennis Creevey. Ernie Macmillan. Viktor Krum. Draco Malfoy.

They all knew that they were fighting a losing battle. It was all but over. The Muggles were nearly wiped out. The European Magical community was dead except for them. Voldemort had found that working alone worked best for him and it was the end of the world when he had.

They were preparing to fight. That was all that could be done. After Voldemort's attack on St. Mungo's, Hogwarts was warded even heavier than it had been after the Final Battle. It was made so difficult for Voldemort to get to them that they had been able to live there for the last six years with no sight of him. It was, at that point, sixteen years after the attack on the Hogwarts Express.

They knew that Voldemort would attack eventually. That much was absolutely certain. There was an eerie feel about that day as they all sat in the Great Hall at the one table. No one spoke of it, but all of them knew it was there. They all knew that it was that day that would be the Wizarding World's last stand. The only fourteen remaining against Voldemort, who still had a Horcrux. They all knew they were fighting a losing battle. Even with Harry once again in possession of the Elder Wand, it would not be enough.

Voldemort had, indeed, found a way through the wards. He had spent the better part of the past six years researching the Curse-Breaking profession and even created a few spells of his own to get through them. And when he did, all hell broke loose.

The first to be killed was Viktor, the victim of a severing charm to the throat, as he tried to head Voldemort off before entering the castle. Luna, Poppy and Ernie all saw him die. They had all seen so much death and destruction that it had barely any effect on them whatsoever and they immediately went on the offensive. Voldemort disposed of Ernie rather quickly with a well-aimed Killing Curse at Poppy which Ernie jumped in front of to take the hit. He died in vain, however, as Voldemort immediately sent a second sickly green spell towards the Healer. As the wards were down completely, Luna Apparated away to the Great Hall where the rest were waiting. There was no mourning as they all awaited Voldemort's inevitable appearance.

He appeared suddenly with a loud bang as he blew away the door of the Great Hall with such velocity that it hit Teddy and Susan, killing them both instantly. Harry could not control his emotions as he saw his godson and one of his closest friends killed and sent a Killing Curse at Voldemort which the Dark Lord deftly avoided and then taunted Harry before striking down Fleur, who had been firing off spells at him at an intense speed, with a Killing Curse.

That was the last straw for Ginny as she fired three consecutive stunners at the Dark Lord followed by her very own Killing Curse. Voldemort laughed as he dodged them all with the speed of a man far younger than he was, and hit her with his own Killing Curse, all the while dodging and deflecting spells from the rest of the magical population. Harry had tears in his eyes as he lunged forward before being physically restrained by Kingsley. The Ex-Minister For Magic forcefully pushed Harry behind him as he, Minerva and Charlie all stepped forward, looking to attempt to out-duel Voldemort.

"The Room of Requirement!" Minerva yelled just before being hit with a Killing Curse and slumping to the ground. Harry, Luna, Dennis and Draco all nodded and Apparated away to the seventh floor corridor, just before seeing Kingsley fall.

When they got there, Harry immediately began pacing, thinking intensely of a completely indestructible room that Voldemort could not enter. The Room of Requirement provided exactly what he had wanted. A door appeared and Luna swiftly opened it, letting Draco and Dennis in before herself and Harry. As she slammed the door shut, she heard the sound of apparition and knew that they had just narrowly avoided the clutches of Voldemort.

Even as the chanting continued, the tears flowed. Harry and Luna had so many bad memories and they couldn't seem to get rid of any of them, even for a second. It was painful and they often felt it would be easier to die. But then, that would let Voldemort win. And they simply could not allow that.

Never thought I'd get any higher.
Never thought you'd fuck with my brain.
Never thought all this could expire.
Never thought you'd go break the chain.

They finally finished chanting and the rainbow star flashed bright before descending into the cauldron, slipping through the Elder Wand which glowed with a bright yellow light, so bright that Harry and Luna had to avert their eyes so as to protect their own vision.

They still had one thing to do before it was completed and they both pointed their wands at the cauldron and the sickly green liquid inside. Before they spoke their eyes met and they both felt a strong surge of love.

"Avada Kedavra," they both whispered and two identical green flashes hit the liquid in the cauldron, causing the potion to bubble fiercely and loudly.

The Room of Requirement provided what was needed for the four surviving human beings for fourteen years and provided an even greater resource in the very first day. Harry Potter, still deeply in mourning, sat with Luna Lovegood, Dennis Creevey and Draco Malfoy surrounding him as he cried to the heavens above: "I want to change it all!"

And the room, as it always had, and always would, provided.

The room swiftly put in front of them two objects. A pewter cauldron and a large, leather-bound book that seemed very old but looked as if it had not aged a day. There was a red strip of fabric in the book, left at a certain page. Dennis opened the book carefully to the marked page and gasped at what he saw.

"A Time Travel Potion!" he whispered in a voice that made it seem as if he had yelled it from the top of the Astronomy Tower. Draco plucked the book from the other man's hands and studied it carefully.

"It's extremely Dark," he said as he handed Luna the book. "It requires human blood and a human sacrifice. And it can only take two backwards."

"It doesn't really send a person back," Luna corrected quietly. "It sends selected memories back to a date of your choosing. To the younger bodies of yourselves."

As she spoke, Harry read the book carefully.

"I don't care that it's Dark," Harry declared fervently. "All that matters is that this gives us a chance. A chance we wouldn't otherwise have. I'm sure we can do this, though it will take fourteen years to brew. The room should be able to supply us with the ingredients."

It was then that the four chose to do what needed to be done. The human sacrifice was not required until sometime in the seventh year and when it came around, Dennis bravely stepped up, ready to lay down his life for the world and his friends. Before Harry could cast the Killing Curse at him, Dennis took him aside and asked him one favour.

"I only ask of you one thing, Harry," Dennis said quietly. "Please. Please befriend Colin when you get back. Let him live knowing he had a friend at Hogwarts. Please," Dennis begged as two lone tears ran down his face. Harry pulled his dear friend into a hug from which neither man wanted to be extricated.

"I'll do it. Don't you worry, Dennis," Harry said to his friend as they held each other. "You're laying down your life to save the world. That's something most could not do. I will honour your request."

With those final words, the two broke their embrace, Harry kissing his cheek lightly before standing with Dennis as the doomed man hugged Draco and kissed Luna on the cheek before standing in front of Harry, a determined look on his face.

"Remember, Harry," Dennis pleaded. "Remember Colin."

Harry nodded and, with tears flowing down his face, he pointed his wand at Dennis. "Avada Kedavra," he said in a forceful whisper. The sickly green light hit its target and Dennis Creevey fell to the ground, his eyes still open and a look of determination on his face. Luna burst into tears and was comforted by Draco as Harry enlarged the pewter cauldron to fit Dennis' still relatively small body.

Another seven years later, the potion was mere days from done when Draco came to Harry and Luna with an idea.

"I think I should leave the room and tell Tom that you two are coming out of here in four days," Draco said. "You know as well as I do that you have to be killed within an hour of taking the potion for it to work. It's too dangerous for you to kill each other as it might go wrong. At least Tom is certain to kill you. It's the best way."

It would be better if he kills the both of you, then you two killing each other or yourselves. It's the best way."

Luna, as she had done so much in the past, broke down into tears and cried into Draco's shoulder while Harry rubbed her back. Harry and Draco made eye contact and Harry nodded. Draco pulled Luna off his chest and put her into Harry's arms. He made his way towards the door and reached a hand out to open it before speaking, not turning back.

"You know, Harry," Draco began, his voice wavering. "All those years ago … on the Hogwarts Express, I mean … I was prepared to drop my family if you agreed to be my friend. But you didn't shake my hand. When you go back, try to talk some sense into me. I promise you, I will come around eventually."

When Draco did not move to open the door, Harry spoke.

"I will," he said simply.

With that, Draco inclined his head and exited the door, shutting it quickly, though Harry was acutely aware that the sky outside was blood red.

For the next four days, Harry and Luna prepared to take the potion and made their memories. They were each allowed to place sixty minutes worth of memories into the cauldron and they decided to, instead of using existing memories which would lack the context necessary to understand them, place memories of the other talking to them into the cauldron. That way they could get the most out of the sixty minutes. The potion would be able to differentiate between the memories and only give the memories of Harry talking to the younger Luna and the memory of Luna talking to the younger Harry.

On the second to last day, Harry and Luna placed their memories into the potion which changed from a deep blue colour to a sickly green, not unlike the colour of the Killing Curse. This showed them they had done it correctly. They then followed that up with a piece of parchment with the date and time they wanted the memories to be sent to. They had decided on that years ago. They had to leave it for a day and then do the final ritual the next. So they tried to sleep. Neither could.

Harry and Luna looked into each other's eyes again and knew what the other was feeling. Relief. Anxiety. Nervousness. They knew that within minutes they would be facing their death to save the world. Just as Dennis had. Just as Draco had. They felt no guilt. They felt no shame. They felt no anger. They felt no resentment. All they felt was love. For their fallen family and friends. For Dennis. For Draco. But most of all, for each other.

They leaned over the cauldron and their lips met for a brief moment, both knowing that anything more would be a waste of time. Their foreheads met and they both looked down at the now still potion. At that very moment the Room of Requirement provided them with two flasks.

When the two flasks were filled with the correct amount each, Harry and Luna both drank, not waiting for their brains to tell them to stop. They both shuddered at the ice-cold feeling that ran down their throats. Both were aware of the foul taste, but neither cared. They stood together and Harry took Luna's smaller hand in his as they walked towards the ornate door of the Room of Requirement, leaving the three wands, the pewter cauldron and the old-style Muggle CD player, still playing music after all those years, behind.

Me and you baby,
Still flush all the pain away.
So before I end my day,
Remember...
My sweet prince,
You are the one.
My sweet prince,
You are the one.
You are the one.
You are the one.
You are the one.
You are the one.
You are the one.
You are the one.
You are the one.
You are the one.
My sweet prince.
My sweet prince.

Harry opened the door and they both stepped through, gasping at what they saw. The world seemed to be on fire. The sky was blood-red, just as Harry thought he had seen when Draco exited the Room. There were no buildings in sight and there wasn't any plant or animal life left. Harry and Luna both wanted to cry at the sight but they kept their wits about them. Within seconds of stepping out of the room, there was a crack and there, in front of them, stood Tom Marvolo Riddle, not aged a bit since they last saw him. He was still bald, still had slits for nostrils and still had snake-like glowing red eyes. He laughed the high-pitched laugh that haunted both Harry's and Luna's dreams.

"I must say, you two certainly took your time. I was beginning to think you were dead," Tom Riddle said with a large, ugly grin on his face. "No matter. I have waited fourteen years for this. Prepare to die!"

Harry and Luna turned to face each other and Harry soon found himself with Luna's arms wrapped around his neck and they were kissing deeply and passionately. Tom Riddle laughed again but Harry and Luna ignored him, choosing to focus on each other.

"How … touching. It is very fitting that the last thing any mortals do on this Earth is engage in pitiful love," Tom Riddle sneered, his red eyes glistening. "The old man was wrong, Harry James Potter. Love is not your weapon. Love was never your weapon. Love can be destroyed. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

The Killing Curse hit both Harry and Luna at the same time and they fell to the ground in each other's arms, locked in an embrace that was the end of time itself. Two beings bound together by flesh and love would be the last thing the timeline would ever experience. The last thing either of them felt was the silent tears mingling together on their faces.

Tom Riddle was wrong.