AN: Hello, ladies and gentlemen! Before I say anything else, I'd like to thank everyone who stuck with this story even though this bad, bad author hasn't updated this story since...wow, March 21? Anyway, I hope you guys have been checking my profile for notices on my stories, because on there I mentioned that I was going to rewrite 'Death's Mistake'. And this is said rewrite!

I hope you guys enjoy, and don't forget to review to tell me what you think of the rewrite!

Chapter One

Soft, slightly wheezy breathing filled the darkened room in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Two figures could just be made out through the dim lighting, one lying on the bed and the other at his father's side, clutching one shaky and withered hand between his own. James Sirius Potter felt the tears in his eyes, but he didn't bother trying to wipe them away. It was only natural when your father was dying, right?

The door opened softly, creaking only a little bit as it admitted two more figures into the room. Lily Luna and Albus Severus offered shaky smiles to their older brother before also going to their father's side. Harry Potter was a very old man now, no trace of once-black hair among the white, and he was one of the only ones left from his own generation. Hermione, Ron, Neville, even Draco had already passed on.

Harry shifted on the bed, green eyes dim with age opening as he realized that his three children were there to visit him. He smiled a little, trying to sit up to greet his children properly, but Albus shook his head, walking over to his father and keeping him from trying to use strength he no longer had. "Don't try to sit up, Dad," he said quietly. "The Healers said you shouldn't move too much, remember?"

Lily snorted. "Not that that ever stopped Dad from trying to escape any sort of hospital before." But she was smiling down at her bed-ridden father, her own eyes glittering with unshed tears. All three of them could sense it; the feel of Death in the air. Harry James Potter was going to join his parents and other family in the afterlife very soon.

"Well, I think the Healers are actually right this time," Harry admitted, voice weak and wobbly. So different from how he used to sound! "I'm just glad that you three are here. For my final hours."

"Of course, Dad," James said, still gripping his father's hand. Ginny had died years ago, from a case of dragon pox like their great-grandmother Dorea Potter, but Harry's three children still had trouble accepting the fact that their only remaining parent, the man who had always been there for them even if he had no idea how to be a father, was going to be gone. "We wouldn't be anywhere else."

The four of them spent the rest of the time they had either talking or simply enjoying their father's warm, steady presence. And James, Albus, and Lily didn't allow themselves to cry until after their father drew his last breath; they didn't want the last thing their father ever saw to be his children's tears.

None of them saw the pale hand cupping a small ball of silver light, which had come from their father's body, before placing it carefully into a simple ring.

Death looked down at her Master's soul, carefully placing it in the ring she had prepared. Harry Potter, she had decided long ago, was an enigma. He had refused, all those long years ago, to control her with his status as the Master of Death and then they had found out that his own sol would not be able to move on without something to help. Maybe it was because of being her Master, maybe it was because of being an accidental Horcrux, or maybe it was because of dying so many times. Even she didn't know. This ring, however, was special, specifically made for holding her Master's soul for a short time before being taken to the afterlife. It was forged of her essence, like the three Deathly Hallows had been.

She glanced at her Master's children and turned to leave; she would leave them to their grief and acceptance of their father's death. But before actually vanishing, she felt a tug on her very being. "A Summoning?" she murmured aloud. Whoever was Summoning her must be truly desperate, to go to her for help. She placed the ring on her finger and changed her destination. As she left, cold air drifted through the entire building, causing every occupant to shudder with an unknown primal fear.

The sun had long since set on the village of Konohagakure, being replaced with the chill of night, and in this moment, the sun would be a long while in coming. It seemed like an ordinary evening for many citizens, shinobi and regular villagers alike, with only a few (like Kakashi Hatake, Itachi Uchiha, and Hiruzen Sarutobi) feeling uneasy even if they couldn't explain exactly why. Kakashi tensed as he looked all around him, ignoring Might Guy with practiced ease, an urge to check on his sensei and Kushina welling up at that moment. Wasn't Kushina's due very soon? Had something gone wrong?

And somewhere in an empty part of the village, a masked, threatening figure appeared out of thin air. Only one eye, red due to the Sharingan bloodline, could be seen, unholy glee and satisfaction just as bright in that lone orb. As soon as his sandals touched the ground, the figure slammed his open palm on the dirt, inky symbols winding their way across the ground and up the building behind him, as he cried, "Summoning Jutsu!"

Before the echo had even died away, there was an enormous explosion not far off, the shockwave destroying buildings and sweeping shocked pedestrians into the rubble before they had even registered what had happened. But when the dust began to settle, fear began to choke their hearts. "N-n-no way...!"

Blood-red fur, size to rival the Hokage Tower, and eyes that glowed crimson with his possessor's power, but the most noticeable feature was the one that gave the beast its' title; nine fox tails.

"The Nine-Tails!"

The people began to run, heedless to where they were going as long as it was away from the monster before them. The robed figure who had brought the Kyuubi no Kitsune to the Hidden Leaf was on the Bijuu's head, giving out his only command. "Go, Nine-Tails! Destroy everything in your path!"

The Nine-Tails was only too happy to comply, using not only his large, sharp claws to destroy the buildings but his nine tails as well. Just one roar could destroy buildings within his immediate vicinity, killing anyone unlucky enough to be caught in the destruction. Each tail swung without care, quickly followed by teeth and claws.

But despite being caught so severely off-guard, each and every Leaf shinobi able to fight began to advance toward their foe and fight back. Some solely protected the villagers, blocking any debris or attacks from reaching those they protected, while others fought the Tailed Beast itself. Kunai and exploding tags were thrown near the Kyuubi's eyes in an attempt to distract or wound it, but each attack only seemed to enrage and annoy their target. The Kyuubi swatted them away with claws or tails, roaring with fury.

"Lord Third! It's the Nine-Tails! The Nine-Tails is inside the village!"

Lord Sarutobi Hiruzen, the renowned Third Hokage, had not wasted any time as soon as the Nine-Tails had appeared. He was dressed for battle, tying up any loose ends and strapping on his arm-guard.

"Yes, I know that. I'll go restrain him; you and the others go protect all the people of the village." The ANBU operative nodded and vanished to relay the order to everyone else, leaving the Sandaime to give a brief moment to worry about his wife. "Was Kushina's seal broken? We failed even with all the safeguards we put in place? Biwako…"

This was the situation that Death found herself in, at least half an hour before the actual Summoning would happen. She raised an eyebrow at the Nine-Tailed Fox, eyes roaming over the partially-destroyed village below. So many already dead, both from the Kyuubi's direct attacks and its corrosive chakra. Their souls departed for their afterlife, none really needing her direct interference, so Death was understandably confused about why she had appeared so early. Normally she got there once the Summoning had actually been done.

She got her answer not long after. There was a presence she had had not felt for a long time; the presence of someone who had escaped her. Someone who should have died yet, for either their own efforts or someone else's, still remained among the living. It infuriated her, cold silver eyes flashing with the intense rage she felt. That heightened emotion served to wake her Master's spirit, making him almost perk up and take notice on what was happening around them. So consumed with her righteous fury was Death that she didn't notice the horror and sorrow welling up in Harry Potter, his desire and urge to help the Hidden Village of the Leaf despite being a different world entirely and not even being a citizen of said village welling up in his soul.

She followed the soul of the one who had escaped her and found a masked, robed figure locked in combat with a blonde-haired man. The blonde was the one who would Summon her; Death recognized his chakra signature easily. So the masked man was the one who was arrogant enough to try and cheat her. Death and her Master watched their fight, how difficult it was for the blonde to even hit his opponent.

"Now that I've freed the Nine-Tails, there is no hope for any of you!"

Death noted the look of concentration on the blonde's face, his glance to his right hand. She could tell that he was trying to figure out his options for attacking, since the cloaked man could make himself solid and intangible at will, only solid when he himself attacked. The two combatants ran towards each other once more, but this time the blonde threw his tri-pronged kunai instead of trying to attack with it like before. It slid through his opponent's head like water, not even slowing the masked man down. As they neared each other, a swirling ball of blue chakra appeared in the blonde's right hand, and the millisecond before the masked man could touch the blond, said blonde disappeared, reappearing above the masked man as he grasped the kunai he had thrown.

"Rasengan!"

Death was mildly impressed with the man who would eventually be desperate enough to Summon her; his plan was flawlessly executed. And that one move, the Rasengan, was powerful enough to almost completely destroy their battleground. The masked man jumped to safety, holding his left arm as that arm's hand seemed to turn to goo and simply melt off. The blonde stood up, tense and ready for his opponent's next move. "You got me; you really are a slippery one. I never should have let my guard down around you."

Anything else the masked figure would have said was cut off as the blonde teleported to his opponent in the blink of an eye, burying his kunai into his opponent's stomach. Harry felt a thrill of triumph as the masked man let out a pained grunt, a seal appearing on his cloak where the blonde was touching him.

"A contract seal? Trying to separate the Nine-Tails from me?" Harry felt anther jolt; that fox was being controlled by this man?

"With this, the Nine-Tails is no longer yours!" the blonde snapped back, eyes hard and angry.

All the way from the village, Death, Harry, Minato, and Tobi could hear the Nine-Tails roar once more as it was freed from the masked man's control. Tobi used his opponent's distraction to jump farther away from the blonde, ignoring his missing hand and useless chains. The blonde turned back around at the noise, simply watching Tobi for his next move with wary eyes. "You're worthy of your title, Fourth Hokage. Injuring me and separating the Nine-Tails from me. But he will be mine one day." Tobi began disappearing, his whole body seemingly being absorbed into his Sharingan. But before he left completely, he left one final, ominous sentence.

"I shall rule this world...there are plenty of ways to do it."

The Fourth Hokage looked on for a few moments more before turning away and vanishing, heading back to his village and the Nine-Tails. Death followed, almost curious to see what was going to happen next. Harry could only hope that the Fourth Hokage would be able to stop the Fox's rampage.

"It's all I can manage now, with what little chakra I have left...but I'll be able to save you both. So thank you, for everything you've done."

"But most of all, if I were to imagine me alive, and our future, the three of us together as a family, I can't really picture us as being anything but truly happy. I guess...if I were allowed just one regret, I wish I could've seen Naruto...all grown up. I wish I could've seen that..."

"I've become convinced of two things today: first, that masked man who attacked you will bring catastrophe to the world. And second, the one who will stop him...is this child. He will open up the future as a Jinchuuriki! I know it. Somehow I'm sure of it."

"Let's believe in him! After all, this child is our son!"

"But he's our son, Minato! Which is exactly why, I don't want him to bear such a heavy burden!"

"Why does Naruto have to be sacrificed, for the balance of power among Tailed Beasts, for his Nation, for his village? Why do you have to sacrifice yourself at all...?!"

"To forsake one's nation and one's village is exactly the same as forsaking one's own child; your very own homeland was destroyed, so you should know that! A harsh life awaits those without a land to call their home. Besides, our family...is shinobi! Finally, even if I were to life, I could never be a substitute for you.."

"I'm not doing this just for you; I'm doing it for Naruto. I will die for my son...it is my duty, as his father."

"We won't see him for quite a while...so let's tell him what we wanna say."

"...Oh, Naruto, there's so much, so much more...there are so many things I wish I had time to pass on to you, so much more I want to tell you... I wish I could stay with you longer... I love you..."

Death sighed as she approached the gates to the afterlife, thoughts firmly on what she would need to do once her Master's soul was safely with his family and friends. The Deathly Hallows he had once owned would need to be taken out of the Wizarding World for good; well, perhaps the Cloak could stay with his family like it had since Ignotus died, but the Wand and Stone were simply too tempting and dangerous to be in the realm of mortals any longer. Their purpose had been fulfilled, reunited under one Master as it should have been, so there was nothing stopping her this time.

But when she glanced down at her hand, Death could not help but let out a string of curses.

The ring... the ring was gone!

Harry groaned softly, struggling to even open his eyes. He found himself half-lying in water, most of his face and nose submerged, yet he didn't panic at not being able to breathe. He didn't seem to need to. Slowly, despite not feeling the aches and pains that came from being old, Harry sat up out of the water, only his legs still submerged. He could recall that blonde man, Minato, and his wife, and their child, called Naruto. The most memorable parts of their conversation came back to him, and his heart felt heavy for the trials the little boy would go through in life.

"I shall rule this world...there are plenty of ways to do it."

Releasing a gasp, Harry scrambled to his feet, finally remembering the masked man Minato had been fighting. But when the Master of Death actually took in the sight before him, he could not help but collapse back on his knees, emerald green eyes wide and mouth gaping open. They were in what seemed to be a sewer system, with red-tinted water surrounding them everywhere Harry looked. And directly in front of him was an enormous cage, with strong iron bars wide enough to let to let a person through, a single piece of paper over where the lock would've been, the kanji symbol for 'seal' written on it.

But behind the doors was the very same Nine-Tailed Fox that Minato had sealed into his newborn son, the bijuu doing his best to destroy that which kept him imprisoned. But no matter how much he tried, Minato's seal held, the paper not getting so much as a tear on it. All nine tails swung furiously, crashing against the solid bars of his prison with no effect. Harry just barely resisted the urge to clasp his hands over his ears in hopes of muffling the noise, just taking in the sight that was before him.

"Why do these things always happen to me...?"

By his feet, the ring Death had created to house her Master's soul glinted one final time, before shattering into millions of pieces and dissipating on the non-existent wind.

A few little notes before I leave to start working on the next chapter of this revision:

I combined Chapters 1 and 2 into one single chapter to make it a little longer; I also decided to use more detail because that's a little bit of a shortcoming on my part. Death physically looks the same as in the original story, so just imagine Marvel Comic's Death with long black hair and cold silver eyes, and you've got the image I have for her. (I grew up reading the old Marvel Comics, so you see little hints of stuff like that in my various stories.)

I also decided to follow the anime English Dub for what the characters said during the Nine-Tails' attack. I had to rewatch those episodes SO many times to get the descriptions and wording right...

And finally, the italicized quotes are the parts of Minato and Kushina's conversation that Harry really took notice of. Their decision to sacrifice their lives for Naruto, Minato's decision to give as much help as he could to his son, and just the general situation really struck a chord with Harry, given what happened with his own parents. His desire to help Naruto is what draws him into Minato's seal and becoming trapped there, which is something I probably should've explained in the original version.

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