TITLE: Beforewards

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: Don't forget to leave a review.

SUMMARY: At Kings Cross, Harry meets someone other than Dumbledore. That someone sends Harry back in time to change things. Can Harry, with his future knowledge and new mentor, change his future for good? Or will this time travel not have the desired effects?

CHAPTER: 1

He lay face down, listening to the silence. He was perfectly alone. Nobody was watching. Nobody else was there. He was not perfectly sure that he was there himself, if he was honest.

A long time later, or maybe no time at all, it came to him that he must exist, must be more than disembodied thought, because he was lying, definitely lying, on some surface. There he had a sense of touch, and the thing against which he lay existed too.

Almost much to soon as he had reached this conclusion, Harry became conscious that he was naked. Convinced as he was of his total solitude, this did not concern him, but it did intrigue him slightly. He wondered whether, as he could feel, he would be able to see.

In opening them, he discovered that he had eyes.

He lay in a bright mist, though not a mist he had ever experienced before. His surroundings were not hidden by a cloudy vapor; rather the cloudy vapour had not yet formed into surroundings. The floor on which he lay seemed to be white, neither warm nor cold, but simply there, a flat, blank something.

He sat up. His body appeared to be unscathed. He touched his face. He was not wearing glasses anymore.

Then a noise reached him through the unformed nothingness that surrounded him; a small coughing noise. As though someone was trying to get his attention. But as he peered around, he discovered that there was no one there. Not that he could see anyway.

But, even though he couldn't see anyone, for the first time, he wished he were clothed.

Barely had the wish formed in his mind, than robes appeared a short distance away. He took them and pulled them on: They were soft, clean and warm. It was extraordinary how they had appeared, just like that, the moment he had wanted them.

He stood up, looking around. Was he in some great Room of Requirement? The longer he looked, the more there was to see. A great domed glass roof glittered high above him in sunlight, perhaps it was a palace. All was hushed and still, no noise whatsoever.

Until...he heard that sound again. Like someone clearing their throat.

Harry turned slowly on the spot, looking for the person or thing emitting this noise and as he did so his surroundings seemed to invent themselves before his eyes. A wide-open space, bright and clean, a hall larger by far than the Great Hall, with that clear, domed glass ceiling.

And...suddenly Harry no longer was alone.

Before him stood an old man, with long sliver hair and a beard that could have been tucked into his black buckle shoe. He wore long and sweeping deep purple robes and donned a pair of wire framed glasses, not unlike Harry's...or what Harry's glasses used to be like as he had no idea where his were now. The old mans cloak, which was dark blue and clashed horribly with his robe, hide his obvious thin frame and by the way the man held himself, Harry could tell he was important.

The man spread his hands wide and then clasped them behind his back, "Harrison James Potter, I presume?"

Harry simply stared at the man in confusion and he continued to do so for at least three minutes until his company chuckled lightly, "Perhaps you do not recognise me. My name is Merlin of the Clan of Merlin-" He was cut off by a Harry slumping to the ground.

"Merlin? As in...in Merlin? Are you-Merlin?"

Merlin chuckled appreciatively and snapped his fingers. Harry then blinked and found himself in a comfortable plush green chair. He looked over at Merlin to see him in the same kind of chair opposite.

"Yes. I am Merlin, and I imagine that you have heard stories about my magical prowess?"

At Harry's weak nod, he continued, "Yes, well they are all true. Apart from the one about me killing a gigantic lizard, that is a mere myth. I really and truly despise all reptiles. I wouldn't be able to stay in the same room as one let alone- what?" he asked as he saw Harry staring at him strangely.

Harry shook his head and answered, "Weren't you in Slytherin?"

Merlin rolled his bright green eyes, "Slytherins, believe it or not, are not actual reptilian creatures, Harrison."

"Why are you calling me Harrison?" Harry asked, still not certain of what was occurring.

"Because that is your birth name. Even if Albus Dumbledore named you as 'Harry' to the rest of the world."

Harry nodded and Merlin obviously took his silence and ran with it, "I can imagine that you are rather confused at the moment." Harry nodded again, "Well, I should explain then, yes?"

At Harry's third nod (his neck was getting tired) Merlin sat straighter in his seat and cleared his throat:

"Now, you clearly know of the Horcruxes, but what you don't know is that you were the seventh Horcrux, Harrison, the Horcrux he never meant to make. He had rendered his soul so unstable that it broke apart when he committed those acts of unspeakable evil, the murder of your parents, the attempted killing of a child. But what escaped from that room was even less than he knew. He left more than his body behind. He left part of himself latched to you, the would-be victim who had survived. And his knowledge remained woefully incomplete, Harrison. That which Tom Riddle does not value, he takes no trouble to comprehend. Of house-elves and children's tales, of love, loyalty, and innocence, Thomas knows and understands nothing. Nothing. That they all have a power beyond his own, a power beyond the reach of any magic, is a truth he has never grasped. He took your blood believing it would strengthen him. He took into his body a tiny part of the enchantment your mother laid upon you when she died for you. His body keeps her sacrifice alive, and while that enchantment survives, so do you and so does Riddle's one last hope for himself."

Harry stared at Merlin, open mouthed, "I...wait. So as long as he survives, I survive? But I thought that it was the other way around?"

Merlin eyed Harry as he answered, "But are the two so different that they cannot be distinguished?"

"Uh...what?"

Merlin rolled his eyes and seemingly ignored Harry's question, "I am afraid, young Potter, that the next step is upon us and I can feel Death's breath on the back of my neck."

He laughed as Harry whipped his head around, suspecting to see someone else.

He gestured for Harry to stand, "Come here, Harrison." Harry complied and walked closer to the wizard.

"I am going to change things. I am going to send you to change things. We will change for the goodness of all, that is not to be forgotten, yes?"

Harry stared at him like he was crazy and nodded, not knowing what he was talking about. But Merlin merely smiled widely and grasped Harry's shoulder.

"Prepare yourself, Harrison."

"Prepare myself? What-?"

And with that Harry and Merlin vanished from the room on the spot, disappearing into nothingness.

It felt like forced apparition, only several magnitudes worse. His body was twisted and compressed, there was pressure on all sides, and Harry would have cried out, except there was no air left in his lungs. The sensations of pain and dizziness grew to almost unbearable levels, before abruptly ending as Harry slammed into solid ground. He lay down on the ground and his face buried into something soft and that smelt like washing up liquid, gasping for air with his eyes squeezed shut, fighting off the wave of exhaustion and nausea that threatened to overwhelm him. It took a long moment for his stomach to settle and his breathing to even out, but eventually he was able to drag himself to his feet and look around.

He felt the new air in his lungs disappear as he peered around his surroundings.

He was in his bedroom at Privet Drive. But...how?

'That would be my doing, Harrison.'

Harry almost shat himself and he hit the floor again with a loud, 'BANG', as a loud voice seemed to rings in his head.

The voice chuckled as Harry held his head and tried to fight off another wave of sickness.

'Relax, Harrison. It is I, Merlin."

"What?! Merlin-!?" yelled Harry.

'Calm yourself, boy. Goodness forbid Vernon Dursley hears you. I do not want to have to wait another century for this.'

Harry shakily stood and then dropped himself onto the small bed, head in his hands, "And what exactly is 'this'?"

'Good question, but one we do not have time for, seeing as Mr Dursley is coming this way. Under the quilt, there's a good lad.'

Harry, for some unknown reason to himself, quickly listened to Merlin's voice in his head and scrambled to get under the blanket. There, he pulled it up to his forehead and pretended to be asleep. He had just closed his eyes when his Uncle Vernon smashed open the door, face bright red.

The large man stared at the 'sleeping' Harry for a long minute before cursing to himself about 'freaks' and 'changes' before slamming the door shut behind him.

'That was rather close.'

"Alright, what is this? How did I get here and how the bloody heck are you in my head?"

Merlin laughed again, 'When you came to me, Harrison, you had three options. Go back to where Tom Riddle had killed you and reap his wrath for not being able to kill you again. Simply die, and become no longer existent…or merge with myself and go back to a time in your life where you needed to make a difference and to save as many people as you could.'

Harry snorted, "And you made that decision for me, did you?"

'Think about it, Harrison-'

"Call me Harry."

'Harry. Think about it, use your head. We can save all of the people who died, who lost people. We can stop Tom Riddle from destroying everything. We can save Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks. Albus Dumbledore.'

Harry mulled over that for a moment, before ripping the quilt back and swinging his legs over the side of his bed, "When did you bring me...us too anyway?"

'I believe that it is sixteen hours before your 'rescuers' come for you.'

Harry nodded and stood, stretching his arms out behind him. He felt a lot calmer than he did before, he suspected that Merlin had addled with his brain somehow, making him less angry. But, if Harry was honest with himself, the idea of saving everyone who he loved was very appealing.

"So, how does this work?" he asked and rolled his eyes as Merlin's whoop of triumph. That man could be rather childish when he wanted to be, although Harry suspected that all old and great wizards did, Dumbledore was.

'I can talk to you in your head, no one else can hear me. I believe the positives rather out way the negatives; it means that nobody can access your mind, a natural Occlumens if you will. And then, of course, you now have the knowledge of all the spells I know, you also posses my magical skill and abilities, and that also means that there is no longer any trace on you-

"I can do magic?"

Merlin scoffed, 'Yes, although I did think that the most exciting thing would be the fact that you have the greatest wizard of all time in your head but...'

"Your so modest."

'And yourself sarcastic, clearly. Anyhow...you no longer have the trace, and you no longer have the Horcrux inside of you. Which means no connection to Mr Riddle, no scar burning and no visions.'

Harry nodded as Merlin continued, 'In addition, your physical appearance seems to have taken a turn I did not expect.'

Harry's heart dropped into his stomach, "What do you mean, Merlin."

'I did not know this would occur, Harry. But, of course, with mine and your magics merging, you were bound to take on some of my characteristics when I was your age.'

Harry found himself waving a subconscious hand and a mirror appeared there, his shock at this wandless magical feat stalled him before Merlin spoke again.

'You can expect more of that happening, Harry, I was very proficient with wandless and non-verbal magics. Now, your appearance?'

Harry nodded, sucked in a shaky breath and peered into the mirror.

He recoiled quickly.

Where before his complexion was pale from malnourishment and lack of sun, he was now naturally tanned and seemed to glow golden slightly. His hair was straighter and came to his shoulders, but it still held some of it's Potter madness. His nose was straight, his jaw more defined and his face seemed rougher, like he had the beginnings of a beard. But his eyes...his eyes were the most noticeable. They, instead of being the familiar bright green, were a startling white that sparkled and twinkled in a way not unlike Dumbledore's.

'I suppose we can blame it on the dementor attack, say that they almost got you. I can imagine that would work.'

Harry nodded, not really paying attention and peered down at the rest of his body; it seemed that he was taller, more muscular and had the actual makings of a seventeen year old, but, of course, in this time he was only fifteen. Physically.

'Yes, I was a rather handsome youth.'

Merlin laughed loudly as Harry rolled his eyes at Merlin's modesty. Or lack thereof.

"I suppose."

If Merlin could smirk, Harry supposed he would be now, but he just ignored him in favour of asking him more questions, "What do we do now?"

'Well, it is six in the morning, so we have until ten o'clock to do whatever it is that you used to do.'

Harry scoffed, "All I used to do was sit in my room and wait for summer to be over."

'I suppose we could walk through what we should do tonight? And perhaps go through your new abilities.'

Harry nodded in agreement and listened as Merlin set out a plan and explained all about Harry's new skills.

It was about 10:55 when Harry heard the tell tale sound of Tonks smashing something downstairs.

'Now, Harry. Move.'

Harry got off of his bed, leaving his wand on the bedside table, before creeping over to a dark corner of his bedroom between the door and his wardrobe opposite his window.

After a tense few minutes of waiting, he heard footsteps trying to creep up the stairs, however they stood on the third step from the bottom step that had always creaked loudly, so Harry knew that they were coming. And also Merlin was giving him a non-stop review of where they were (how he knew that was beyond Harry), so he couldn't exactly miss them.

Another few minutes passed before the locks on his door clicked open and his door swung inwards, revealing a group of people cloaked in darkness.

Harry moved quickly. He followed Merlin's directions and sent a wandless and silent stunner out to where he knew Tonks was, the loud bang made him smirk at his stunner hitting it's mark.

'Down! Crawl to the left quickly! Moody is entering.'

Harry followed the orders and as he turned around, he managed to send a tripping jinx at Mad-Eye, who, caught out, fell flat on his face, and before he managed to stand up, Harry transfigured his wooden leg into a concrete block, keeping him weighed down on the floor. He kept low and as he did so, sending multiple stunners out to the three other Order members, they all hit their mark.

The last person left was a very nervous looking Remus Lupin.

"You move, you die." Harry said in his coldest voice as he smoothing grasped Remus' neck in a tight hold(something that made him cringe, even if Merlin was telling him to man up).

"Who the bloody fuck are you, and what have you done with the Dursley's?"

"Harry-" Remus manged to croak out, but Harry cut across him, and repeated what Merlin was telling him to say.

"Seriously. If you don't answer me, I am going to fucking break your neck!"

"Bloody hell, Potter." Moody said in his gruff voice, "It's us. The Order of the Phoenix. Alastor Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Dedalus Diggle and Remus Lupin."

Harry let out a cold chuckled that made Remus visibly shiver, "Why do I find that hard to believe?"

Moody swore violently, probably because the concrete block was resting on his other leg, "Ask a bloody question then! Prove who were are!"

Harry pretended to mull over it and then turned back to a very red looking Remus, "What creature sat in the office corner the first time Harry Potter visited Remus Lupin at Hogwarts?"

"Gr-Grindylow…" gasped Remus and Harry immediately let go, but then he spun around to Mad-Eye.

"Where were you hidden at Hogwarts this last year?"

Moody rolled his eyes, "In a damn-stupid trunk with about ten thousand locks on it."

Harry let out a small chuckle at Moody's gruff mood, and easily transfigured the block back into Mad-eye's wooden leg.

"Fuckin' hell, Potter." muttered Moody as he stood, shakily. Harry merely shrugged and then waved a casual hand, causing the lights to come on and the four stunned to wake up.

"Harry!? What happened to you!" asked an incredulous Remus as he looked at Harry with wide eyes. Harry, well practiced for this very question, rolled his eyes.

"I imagine it has something to do with the dementors, Moony. Although one can't be sure. It could also have been Voldemort." he drawled as he leant back against his desk and crossed his well defined arms.

"Nice to see you taking your security seriously, lad." Moody said as he limped, heavier than usual, over to Harry bedside table, where he picked up his wand.

Moody turned to him, shocked, "You did all that without your wand?" The others turned to him with mixes of shock and awe also.

Harry shrugged, "I've been busy."

'Indeed we have.'

Harry chuckled at Merlin's voice and lightly took the wand out of Moody's hand, he waved it and his packed trunk levitated into his waiting hand.

"I assume Dumbledore sent you?" at Remus' nod Harry continued, "And I assume that one of you is appariting me to wherever it is we are going."

Tonks then cleared her throat, and flinched as Harry's face snapped to hers, "Err…not really."

Harry peered over at her, which, he was quite pleased to note, made her blush, "And pray tell, how are we getting there, Miss...?"

"Tonks." she muttered and turned her head away, so Remus answered.

"By broom."

Harry let out a laugh and stepped away from Moody, pointing out the window with his wand in hand, "You do realise that it's pissing it down, right? And really cold. And dark."

"It was Albus' idea." spoke up Kingsley Shacklebolt for the first time.

Harry shook his head, "I don't care if bloody Merlin himself suggested it, I am not flying in this weather." Harry let out a small smirk at Merlin's loud laugh in his head.

"Well what do suggest we do to get there then, boy?" growled Moody as he glared at Harry.

"Well, there two are fully qualified Aurors, correct?" Harry asked (with Merlin's direction), as he pointed to Tonks and Kingsley.

They all nodded and Harry shook his head again in utter confusion at why they actually rode brooms the first time.

"So just create a portkey or apparate us outta here."

"We could do that." interjected Remus as Moody looked ready to retort, "The portkey, I mean."

Kingsley nodded and picked up a pen off of Harry's desk, he cast "Portus." and then everyone grabbed a hold of the pen, Harry making sure to hold on tightly and bend his knees, just as Merlin told him as it would apparently make it easier for him to stay on his feet.

LONDON, HEADQUARTERS

Harry and the others landed in a dark and dingy street that Harry immediately recognised.

Remus handed him a small piece of parchment and said, "Read this and memorise it, Harry."

Harry nodded and read the words to reveal 12 Grimmauld Place.

'The Fidelius charm, and intriguing choice, wouldn't you say?'

Harry nodded, "The Fidelius. Interesting."

"You've heard of it?" asked Remus as he led the way up the stairs to the front door.

He smirked, "Like I said, Moony. I've been busy this summer."

"Keep your voice down as we go through to the kitchen, Harry." Remus whispered to Harry as Moody closed the door as quietly as he could.

'Be as loud as you can, Harry.'

'Why?' thought Harry, back to Merlin.

'Just trust me and copy what I say.'

'Okay.'

Harry lifted his chin up slightly as they passed the familiar portrait, "Why's that, Remus?"

He couldn't help the small smile on his face as it's curtains swung open, "Filth, scum! By products of dirt and vileness! Half-breeds, mutants, freaks! Begone of this place! How dare you befoul the House of my fathers-!

Harry stormed up the portrait of Walburga Black and stared in her face. She stopped her screaming to glare at him.

"Be silent, wench. You have no power here."

This seemed, for some reason, to anger her. She was about to blow when Harry held up his hand and yelled back, "You will be silent! How dare you disobey the order of Harrison James Potter, Heir to the Houses of Potter and Peverell!? Do you not know your place?"

The portrait gasped and spluttered as Harry turned back to the very shocked group of people and pointed down the corridor, "The kitchen's this way?"

At Remus' nod, Harry strode down the corridor and pushed the door open to the kitchen, completely ignoring the do not disturb sign.

As he entered the room he was greeted with about fifteen eyes on him. He looked around the kitchen full of witches and wizards. Sitting at one end of the table was the Weasley family and Hermione. Ron and Hermione stood with nervous smiles to greet him, and seeing as Harry had had about three years to get over them not mailing him over the summer, he gave a mock salute and a grin as he jumped up onto the counter of the dark kitchen but, like everyone else, they stopped dead at his appearance. To the left side of Ron was Sirius Black, his Godfather, who gave him a roguish smile and even if Sirius' eyes were flickered with sadness and confusion, Harry still returned it.

Sitting at the centre of the table were the Professor's of Hogwarts; McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, Snape, Hagrid, and Snape gave him a very strong glare, but Harry could see that he was very confused.

And last but not least, Dumbledore was sat, looking pensive at Harry, beside McGonagall.

'Be civil, Harry. We do not need Albus getting all hot and bothered.'

"Harry, it is good to see you, my boy." the old man said and Harry smiled widely at him.

"And yourself, Professor. How was your summer?"

Dumbledore looked surprised that Harry wasn't berating him for leaving him at the Dursley's or asking about Voldemort, but smiled back all the same, "Perfectly busy, Harry."

"Sounds lovely."

Before Dumbledore could reply, Hermione's shrill, surprised voice cut across the table, "Harry, what happened to you? You look so different!"

'Again- no rolling your eyes! - civilness please.'

Harry settled for leaning back against the splashback on the kitchen wall and crossing his ankles that dangled just slightly over the floor, "I don't really know, 'Mione. It just sorta...happened. I didn't even realise until my Uncle pointed it out. It probably had something to do with the dementors."

"Ahhh, yes. The 'dementors'." drawled Snape, a sneer plastering his face.

'Okay, fine. I give you permission.'

Harry internally grinned, "Ahh, Dumbledore's lapdog, we meet again."

He ignored the snorts and bark of laughter from the Weasley's and Sirius, and continued, "I must say, I'm surprised you didn't run off the Voldemort with your tail between your legs."

"Potter-"

Harry scoffed and jumped off of the counter, walking around behind where Sirius was sitting. He placed two hands on his Godfathers shoulders and he grinned down at him.

"Alright, Sirius?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady, this was Sirius. Padfoot! He had thought that this was going to be a bad idea, but so far it was working pretty well.

'Don't get too caught up, Harry.'

"I will look into your claims about your appearance, my boy. However, do not fret. I believe that you look rather dashing." said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling madly, only to be copied by Harry's, to which he laughed merrily.

'Thank you, Albus. See, Harry? I told you I was a handsome child.'

'Yes, thank you, Dumbledore. It's not like your head can't get any bigger.'

'Hey!'

"I suppose if I'm dashing it's alright." Harry turned to the Weasley twins, "Forge, Gred, what do you guys think?"

The two twins grinned happily at him at shot out of their seats, putting their arms around Harry's shoulders.

"We think you look-"

"-positively-"

"-abso-bonkley-"

"-beauty-killed-"

"-fan-bloody-tastic!"

"Well, that's abso-bonkley fine, then!" Harry smiled as the twins chuckled and he brought his arms back around them to his sides and went and sat next to Ron, in one of the twins' vacated seats, much to their utter horror.

Ron clapped him on the back and Hermione nudged him in the shoulder, both smiling happily.

Yes, Harry thought.

He would make this work.