I have serious abandonment issues, in that I can't abandon something entirely, it'll come back sooner or later.

This is a Harry Potter/Rise of the Guardians crossover

It is Bunny/Harry -Seriously Don't ask, I haven't a clue.

Semi Implied Tooth/North

Implied Sandy/Pitch

Implied Original Mother Nature(- Not Seraphina)/Death

Jack Is Alone Forever!(Or he's just so childlike it's creepy)

30. Rise of the Guardians/Harry Potter Crossover

Harry never truly fear what dwelled in darkness, his entire life was filled with fear and his dreams were always nightmares of a highpitched laugh and a horrible green light, so when the man come out from under his bed he knows that this is the Nightmare King, all Pitch Black knows is that this child, this three year old is his only believer, his last dark light.

*Harry's aunt tells him the Boogie man will come take him away, Pitch really wants to, he can't

*Pitch gives Harry his own Nightmare, to safe guard him in his nightmares

*Harry doesn't believe in any of the regular guardians, Bunny because he is never allowed out to hunt for eggs, Santa because the presents go to Dudley, Sandy because he doesn't have good dreams, and Tooth beacuse Petunia always made him throw his teeth away. He believes in Jack because Jack has always kept him warm when he was locked outside in the cold-not as Jack Frost but as someone who keeps him warm and Safe(Bonus for him calling him his mother when Pitch asks why he loves the snow 'Jack Frost makes it snow and keeps the cold away, Jack Frost also makes Dudley and the others go away because the wind makes them cold.').

*Later he doesn't believe because No Hope, No Wonder, No Dreams, No Memories worth visiting, because he lost most of his teeth before he met Pitch, and No Fun

*Pitch tries to foster belief in Harry for the others, Painted eggs on Easter, Presents from Santa's workshop, The NightMare that watches Harry's dreams, Coins from different countries for the Teeth Pitch knows he lost. Harry lets Pitch believe that his believes in the others, really he knows that Pitch is the one that is giving him eggs, presents, coins, and peaceful dreams.

*Pitch makes a special sand just for Harry's dream problem, Silver sand=no Dreams.

*Man in the Moon makes Pitch a Guardian because of how he takes care of Harry- Guardians are wary and Manny ain't talking

*Pitch keeps Harry a secret from them

*Harry dies during battle-becomes Death Spirit, since so many people believe in death everyone can see him(Grims and Threstals as minions, and any other 'Death harbringers' you can think of, Bonus for favorite grim being called Snuffles.

*Harry personally goes to children to collect their souls, Can make himself invisible if he wants, the Hollows are a part of him now, a black band on his throat for the Cloak, a black band on his left middle finger for the Resurrection Stone, and a black band for the Elder Wand on his right wrist.

*Harry returns everything Pitch ever gave him before he goes to face Tom one last time, says good bye to the closest thing to a parent he has ever had

*Pitch uses Harry's Nightmare, which becomes a necklace when Harry is awake, to check up on him, he freaks out when he finds her in North's Workshop with a box for him

*Others are all what the heck-then awww-then how sad

*Cue Harry trying to find Pitch to tell him he is fine(He still can't see the others, because he doesn't believe)

(Harbingers of Death= Banshee(Foretells death by wailing screams, Is also said to be seen washing the clothes of those soon to die(Irish Families), Each Uisge, their screams are said to predict storms and foretell death same with the Kelpie, one is fresh water the other is Salt water, at least that is my understanding correct me if I am wrong, Reaper, brings untimely death, Wichtlin, knocks three times to foretell death, Woman in White, I think this one is just a vision, I am not sure, Etc, there are more but these are the ones I can Think of.)- Original Prompt (Chapter Three Prompts)

Harry didn't fear the monster that hid under the bed; in fact he thought the man was rather nice all things considered.

His aunt used to tell him when he was bad, because he never did manage to be good, that The BoogieMan would come and take him away. Harry believed her, especially when the man came out from under his bed. The man had turned around in the small space and had seemed quite surprised to see Harry there.

Harry had looked up at the man until the man had knelt in front of his cot; Harry's thumb in his mouth.

"Hello, little one." The man had said quietly, smiling a little.

Harry had pulled his thumb from his mouth, "Awr you hewe to ta'e me 'way?"

The man had frowned, "Why do you ask that?"

"Auntie said if I wasn't good the BoogieMan would ta'e me 'way." Harry had whispered.

"I'm afraid I don't steal children, though I might make an exception."

Harry had felt hope fill him for a second, "Weally?"

The man's eyes dimmed, "I wish I could, little one."

"Oh." Harry stuck his thumb back in his mouth, sadly.

The man picked Harry up and cradled him in the small space, "Why were you bad?"

"'Lways bad. Bad boy, fweak." Harry had answered.

"Why are you a freak?"

"Don't know, but uncle 'lways says so."

"You are not a bad child, little one; can you tell me your name?"

Harry looked up into golden eyes, "Fweak."

The man's arms tightened around him for a brief moment, "Can I give you a better name, little one?"

"Otay."

The man looked into Harry's green eyes and smiled softly, "Angel."

Harry frowned in confusion. "Why?"

"Because you still Believe in me, my angel."

Harry smiled at the man.

"My name is Pitch Black," Sand began to take the form of a small horse on a chain of glass, "This is your very own Nightmare, if you ever need me send her, she'll find me."

"Bad dweams?" Harry asked as the elder placed the chain over Harry's head.

"Yes, I don't deal in good dreams."

"No goo' dweams." Harry whispered, cuddling into the man's arms, hands tight around his sand horse.

Pitch froze, had the Sandman missed this child?

"Do you get presents on Christmas? Easter? Coins for Teeth?" Pitch asked.

Harry shook his head, and reached for a jar of teeth, teeth that he had lost, "No faiwy, no pwesents, no bunny."

Pitch curled Harry into his arms, how was it possible that all the Guardians had missed the same child?

"Jack Frost?" Pitch asked suddenly, remembering the newest Guardian.

"Snowfwakes, pretty." Harry had squealed happily.

Pitch smiled, "He does make pretty things."

Pitch stood and tucked Harry into his cot.

"No leave." Harry had grabbed his hand tightly.

"I have to, Angel, day is coming." Pitch pressed a kiss to Harry's forehead, "I will be back tomorrow to tuck you in."

"Pwomise?"

"Promise."

To Harry it was the best birthday present he had ever received.

And Pitch had returned, every night for the next eight years, when Harry had started Hogwarts his visits became longer in between, which Harry didn't mind, Pitch was there when he needed him.

Harry packed the box quietly, in went the teddy bear Pi' had given him for Christmas one year, he claimed it was from Santa but Harry had seen the tag, there had been no name on it, in went the handle-less basket that held all of the eggs that Pi' had given him every Easter, their themes just a tad darker than they ought to have been, and in went the jar of coins, from too many different countries to have been left by the Tooth Fairy, which had replaced the jar of teeth one summer.

Harry sat back on his knees and pulled the black glass chain up over his head, he looked at Nox for a long moment before carefully tucking her into the box, he then closed the lid and penned 'To: Pitch Black, From: Your Angel.'

The letter he had written was at the bottom.

"Hedwig?" Harry called to the Snowy Owl.

She hooted softly as she landed before him.

Harry tied the box to her leg, "Can you take this to Pi', I think he's spending Christmas with the Guardians at the North Pole."

Hedwig hooted softly.

"And Hedwig, don't come back, I won't be here, and Pi' will take care of you, he promised." Harry whispered.

Harry watched the bird fly away and stood up to walk to his meeting with Tom in the Forest, the Elder wand in his pocket, the Stone on his finger, and the Cloak about his shoulders.

"Pitch, is present for you." Santa Claus, known as North to the Guardians, shouted excitedly.

It had been a surprise to all of them when Pitch had come to them, waving a white flag (it had actually been a flag made of silver sand), he had then explained that even fear has to die, but it is always replaced, and that children needed fear, as did adults, and he had promised to use fear to help protect the children, siting a few examples when he was questioned on how he would do that, like giving a child about to take candy from a stranger an extra bit of fear to discourage them from taking it.

"You guys really shouldn't have gotten me anything." Pitch said as he took the present and wandered back to sit next to Sandy.

"It's not from us, mate." Aster muttered from his spot next to Jack, arms crossed over his chest.

Tooth hovered with her Fairies near North.

"What?" Pitch asked.

"Is true, pretty bird brought, was tired, is sleeping now." North explained.

"Was she a snowy owl?" Pitch asked quickly.

"Yes, why?" Jack asked.

Pitch tore open the box and stilled at the contents.

"Well, what is it, mate?" Aster asked.

Pitch looked at the others. "A goodbye."

"What?"

"He gave them back, all of them; I didn't even know he kept them all." Pitch whispered, pulling the well-loved bear from the box. "I gave this to him for Christmas, only a few months after we met." He set the bear to the side, pulling the Easter basket out, filled with painted eggs, "I painted an egg for him every Easter because his 'caretakers' didn't let him hunt for them," He set the basket with the bear, and took out the jar of coins, "I took his jar of lost teeth and counted them, collecting enough coins to replace them, because no child should have a jar of their own teeth." He set the jar aside, carefully lifting the necklace from the box, "This is Nox, she's been his NightMare since I met him, she took care of him when I had to leave him." Pitch traced the lines of the NightMare.

"So, I'm confused." Jack said after a moment of shocked silence.

"You all missed one, missed a child, the same child." Pitch said, looking at the others, "Don't ask me how, or even why, I don't know, but he Believed in me, he thought I would take him away and I dearly wished to, but I knew you would take him away from me, so I tried to foster a belief, I didn't succeed, he always knew it was me."

"Why give the items back?" Tooth asked looking at the jar, "And where did his teeth go?"

"I don't know, and here." Pitch pulled out a necklace of teeth, handing them over to her, "I meant to give them to you but... "

Aster took the box from Pitch's lap and looked at it, "There's a letter." He said surprised.

"What, I didn't see one." Pitch said reaching for the box.

"It's stuck to the bottom." Aster said returning the box.

Pitch took the box and pulled the letter out, letting the box fall to the floor as the letter opened itself and a little holographic person stood from the paper and began talking.

'Hi, Pi',

'If you're listening to this then it's Christmas and Hedwig got to you, are you enjoying your time at the North Pole?

'But I suppose you are,' The image wiped his hands on his pants, 'I... I... have no idea of what to say. What do you tell the closest thing to a parent you ever had? How do you say good bye to them, when you know you're about to die.

'Sometimes I wish I believed in the Easter Bunny, you told me he was all about Hope, remember? I don't have any Hope left, none, why should I, an entire society wants me to take care of their problem for them, I know I'm going to die, I just wanted to say good bye and that I'm sorry, sorry for everything, sorry for the look of sadness I know is on your face, sorry that I have to do this on Christmas, of all times, and sorry that we'll never get to ride in Santa's sleigh, I know you loved the stupid DeathTrap, everybody does, except for Bunny, but I can totally understand that, well not really, I love flying.

'I miss you, you know, I wish you were here with me, I wish I could feel enough fear for you to be here, but I don't, I'm not afraid, not of Tom, not of dying, I know that's one of the most common fears people have but I don't, death is just a part of life, like fear is, and, like fear, we all have to die eventually.

'You know when I was little I used to tell the other kids that I had two dads, Jack Frost and the BoogieMan, because even when I was locked out during winter I never got cold, and even if I had NightMares every night Nox was there to remind me that they were just dreams.

'I'm sorry, Pi' and I'll miss you.

'Thank you, for everything.

'P.S. You called me your second chance when we met, your Angel, well, you always were and always will be my Guardian.' The image disappeared and the letter paper burst into flames.

Pitch stared at his lap for a long moment, and was surprised when Aster placed his hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." He said.

Pitch felt tears fill his eyes, "He's not even eighteen yet. Still a child. My child, and he is probably dead already."

Harry leaned against one of the beams in the North Pole, watching Pitch and who he assumed was Jack Frost, he wondered who else they were talking to but he couldn't see who they were. Pitch was right, he was dead, but dead in a different way than he expected, the Spirit of Death, and he hated it, especially when it was children, but he could control anything that could possibly cause death, which meant that he could bring up happy memories for the children that needed it or put children in pain to sleep, that didn't mean he liked it.

It had taken him a few months to notice that something was wrong, that he was different, and it had taken a pull to George to make him understand, like he had written everyone fears death and that means they believe in it, it meant that everyone could still see him, even after he had died. The Cloak had helped him leave that World, letting him choose when to be visible or not. When it wasn't in use it was a black choker-like mark about his throat, the Stone a black ring-like on his left middle finger, and the wand a black bracelet-like mark around his wrist.

Harry stepped down from the beam and walked invisible to the two by the fire, though he did note that Jack Frost was the farthest away from the flames. After a moment of watching Pitch Harry sighed before vanishing, a little girl was dying from cancer, he had promised himself that he would collect children personally; Pitch would just have to wait.

Harry held out his hand to the dying little girl and when she took his hand he walked with her out of the hospital room, walking on the air as if there was floor beneath their feet, her favorite movie, the child had told him, was Howl's Moving Castle and she had wanted to walk on air like Sophie and Howl, so they were walking on air.

Harry then lead the child to the place where the AfterWorld met the current world, he walked with her until he could go no further, her family waiting at the far end with their arms held out to embrace her.

Harry smiled as he watched the happy reunion for a bit until he felt another tug, another child.

Harry knelt on the end of the bed as he watched the little girl breathe, her breath was labored and uneven, her brother slept in the bed next to her, according to what he had overheard the doctor saying they had been in an accident, neither parent had made it.

Now the doctors would be looking for a new guardian for these two children, should they live.

Harry looked up as two nurses entered and began fiddling with the I.V. lines that were keeping the children unconscious.

"The doctors said the Mother's will named their guardian a man named Harry Potter, the only problem is that none of his friends have seen him in nearly ten years." One of the nurses said.

Harry frowned, how long had it taken Hedwig to find Pitch?

"Unless Mr. Potter comes around soon, the little ones will go into foster care." The other nurse said.

"Poor dears, they'll be heartbroken if they ever wake."

Harry growled silently at the two, if they were right then these two children were his responsibility and even if it was against Death's little Code of Ethics; they would not be dying, not this young.

"I'll be back, Jaime, Sophie, just hold on for a bit." Harry whispered after the nurses left.

First he needed to find out just who had named him Godfather to their children and second he had to tell Death that they would not be his for a while yet, maybe he would take care of that first, Harry thought as the Sophie's monitor screeched loudly.

Harry vanished as the doctors rushed in, he was invisible to their eyes but since they Believed they would feel him if they bumped him.

Harry walked into Death's lair, there really was no other word for it, Harry had looked for one.

"Ah, there you are, I was wondering when you would show up." Death said as the creature looked up at Harry as he entered the Other's office.

Harry looked at the robed being, even he had never actually seen what lay beneath the robe, he did not even know if Death was male or female.

"What brings you here, Master?" Death asked.

"You have two children slated for death soon." Harry said.

"Ahh, yes, Jaime and Sophie Bennet, car crash injuries, parents dead at the scene." Death intoned after flipping through the large book on his desk. "What do you want to know?"

Harry looked at Death's shadowed face.

"I can't, you know that." Death cried.

"I have never demanded anything of you, Dea', their Mother named me their Godfather, that means they are my responsibility, mine to protect and what kind of Guardian would I be if I could not protect them from Death?"

"A Mortal Guardian." Death said.

"But I'm not am I?" Harry asked, "I'm your Master, the only reason I collect the children for you is because you asked and I had nothing better to do."

Death looked at Harry, "And if I do this?"

"I only wish them to make it out of childhood, anything after that and I won't demand you leave them be." Harry promised.

"But that won't stop you from trying to persuade." Death muttered.

Harry smiled, "Thank you Dea'."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Death mumbled. "Now are you off to collect your new charges?"

"In a moment, I need to know who named me their Godfather." Harry said as he moved to look at the book.

"Ah-ah, my Book, when I'm dead you can have it." Death growled, lifting the book up to ze's chest.

Harry looked at the other, lifting an eyebrow, "Aren't you already dead?"

"You died to become as you are, very few Spirits do so, I am not one of them, I was born the first time someone died after people began to understand death." Death explained, "Much like the first Mother Nature."

Harry frowned, "The first Mother Nature, you mean Sera isn't the only one?"

"The first one died, Sera replaced her, and I had to teach Sera how to control her sudden powers." Death sounded sad.

"You loved her, before Sera took her place." Harry said softly.

Death hummed, "We were created only a few years apart, and for a long time we were all we had. Yes, I loved her. We were two halves of one whole, Life and Death."

"I'm sorry." Harry whispered.

"She was dying anyway, her power was killing her." Death said softly, "I knew that and told her, she wanted to go out with a bang."

Harry smiled slightly, "I wish I could have met her."

"Me too, now your ducklings, according to the Book, their Mother was a Hermione Bennet, ring any bells?" Death asked.

"A few." Harry said, "Thank you."

Harry flew over to kiss Death's cheek through the robe before he was flying as fast as he could back to the hospital.

Death sighed, "That child, you would have liked him, my Love." Death said into the silence as he set the Book on his desk, opening it and beginning to change a few things so that the two children would live, their current doctor would be dying in a house fire so that they would be getting a new one, one that would be able to fix them up and the nurse that wasn't giving them the right dosage of medicines would slip and take a tumble down three flights of stairs, she would bleed out internally before someone found her, there was after all a balance to be kept, a life for a life.

Harry walked into the children's room, dressed in a nice black tux, it had been easy to convince the doctors that he was Harry Potter; of course the I.D.s that Death had given him helped a bit.

"They should be waking up soon; one of the nurses didn't think to give them a child's amount and was over dosing them." The doctor said as he led Harry into the room.

"I hope she will be punished." Harry said, raising an eyebrow.

"She died, and if she hadn't we would have been letting her go."

Harry nodded, "Might I stay here for a while?"

"Of course, and we wondered if you had a plan for their parents." The doctor said.

"No, Hermione and I had not spoken in years; I did not even know she named me her children's guardian until I got the call." Harry answered quietly.

"Very well, we will take care of it."

Harry smiled, "I can pay for it."

The doctor nodded and left.

Harry sat in a chair that sat between the two beds, what were Hermione's children like, were they like Mia? Did they love to read? Did they Believe in Monsters and Creatures? Or did Mia keep that part of her life secret? Were they being raised Muggle, Magical, or some combination?

He had so many questions and he couldn't ask any of them.

Harry sighed and stood up to straighten Sophie's blankets.

"Who're you?" A voice from the other bed drew Harry to the other bed.

"My name is Harry; I was an old friend of your Mother's." Harry told the child.

"Are you here to see her?" The boy asked looking up at Harry with his brown eyes.

"No, Jaime, I'm not." Harry said quietly.

"They why…No, No!" The child screamed.

Harry sat on the edge of the bed, "She named me your Godfather; do you know what that means, Jaime?" Harry asked.

Jaime sniffled and rubbed at his eyes, shaking his head.

"It means that I am going to do my best to raise you, I won't make you do anything you don't want to, except maybe a few chores, like cleaning your room, and if you think I'm being unreasonable you need to let me know, my childhood, according to the person I consider my father, wasn't much of one." Harry explained, "You're going to have to help me out, if you can. It's okay to be angry; it's okay to cry, alright?"

Jaime nodded, "What do you want us to call you?"

"Anything, within reason, you can call me Harry, Mr. Harry, or Mr. Potter, if you'd like, or you can call me Uncle, it doesn't matter much to me, there are a few words I never want either of you to say within my hearing, they are, Freak, Monster, and Boy, none of these are to be used when you are referring to another person, and you will be punished for using them so, understood?"

"Can I ask why?" Jaime asked.

"Until Pi' found me I was called Boy or Freak, and during school several people called me a Monster." Harry explained, "There are a few more rules, One is always tell me where you are going, if you can't find me leave me a note where I'll find it, and Two, don't lie to me, be honest even if you think I won't believe you."

Jaime nodded, "Alright."

"You can sleep, Jaime, I'll tell you this again later." Harry said.

"Are we going to move in with you?" Jaime asked.

"Would you like that?" Harry asked.

Jaime shook his head, "All our friends are here and this is where Mom and Dad lived."

"Then here is where we will stay." Harry said, "My job is flexible."

Jaime nodded as he fell asleep.

Harry stood up from the bed and tucked the blankets up under the child's chin, and in a fit of curiosity Harry looked under each bed, hoping slightly that Pitch would be hiding there, he wasn't.

Harry carried Sophie into the House that Hermione had lived in, Jaime holding tight to his hand as they entered the building, it had been two weeks since Harry had met Jaime, and this was the first time that he had been to this house, this place where Hermione had made a home, built a family.

Harry carried Sophie up to her room, smiling slightly at all the pink that covered the room, he lay her on the bed and tucked her in pressing a kiss to her forehead and giving her one of her stuffies, before he left her to see what Jaime was doing.

"Harry?" Jaime asked when he saw Harry in the doorway to his room.

"Did your Mother have a guest room?" Harry asked.

Jaime nodded, "I'll show you."

Harry smiled at the green and silver room, she had been the only one that Harry had ever told that the Hat wanted to put him in Slytherin. Harry sat on the bed as Jaime trudged back to his room.

Harry found himself laying on the bed and before he could stop it he was crying, he cried for the children that had been orphaned, he cried for the friend he had lost and he cried for a million other things that he couldn't name.

Sophie's scream made him jolt up, hands brushing over his eyes as he ran down the hall to her room.

"Sophie, wake up it's just Pitch's nightmare sand." Harry heard Jaime say.

Harry entered the room and sat on the side of the bed closest to the door, Jaime on the other side.

"I'm afraid, Jaime, that this Nightmare is a product of her own mind, most likely of the crash." Harry said softly, "Sophie, it's time to wake up."

Sophie whimpered and burrowed deeper into the blankets.

"The Easter Bunny is coming later." Jaime said suddenly, "I called Jack, he said that the other are coming to visit."

Sophie woke up suddenly. "Bunny." She squealed happily.

"Alright then." Harry said confused. "And who are these people that are coming over?"

Jaime hesitated but told the truth, "The Easter Bunny, Santa, The Tooth Fairy, Sandman, Jack Frost, and, maybe, Pitch Black."

"Right then, who wants to bake cookies?" Harry asked, "We can make sugar-free ones for the Tooth Fairy, and Easter and Christmas Themed ones, maybe some fanciful creatures for the Sandman, and snowflakes for Mr. Frost."

"Cookies!" Sophie yelled running down the stairs.

Harry smiled as he and Jaime followed her.

"What about Pitch?" Jaime asked.

"You leave Pitch to me." Harry said calmly, "Now tell me how you met these Avatars."

So Jaime told Harry about his meeting the Guardians and Sophie told him how she got lost in The Easter Bunny's Warren as they made cookies.

"When are they supposed to get here?" Harry asked as they pulled out the last of the cookies.

"In about an hour." Jaime said, looking at the clock, "They all live in different time zones, plus Santa and Bunny are probably arguing on how to get here."

"Hmm, then that means we have time for something real to eat before you devour all the cookies." Harry mused, "I know, Pi' taught me how to make Pooka soup."

"Pooka soup?" Jaime asked. "Is it made from Pookas?"

"What? No, it used to be their specialty, when Pi' and Sera spent a vacation there, one of them taught Pi' to make the soup, 'course you have to substitute several ingredients because when the Pooka fell, the conquerors left nothing behind." Harry explained as he began the soup.

Jaime watched in awe as Harry cooked the soup, trailing off into a story about how Pi' put this or that instead of this because it was better for human consumption, or that because it made it taste better, and little mouths would eat more of it like they should.

When the soup was ready Harry dished three bowls and was setting them at the table when the doorbell rang.

"Jaime, why don't you go let your friends in." Harry said as he lifted Sophie into a chair in front of one of the bowls.

"Okay!" Jaime shouted.

"And make sure they wipe their feet!" Harry shouted after the child shaking his head, wondering who the boy got to ring the bell for them to pretend to let these Guardians of Childhood into the house.

"Harry?" Jaime asked.

"Yes?" Harry returned as he turned to the child, he managed to keep a straight face as he looked at Pitch and Jack.

"This is the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, The Sandman, Santa, Jack Frost, and Pitch Black." Jaime pointed, to each Harry could only assume.

"Bunny!" Sophie cried, "Bunny soup." The child offered her bowl out to air.

"Ah." Harry said, "Nice to meet you." Harry held his hand out the air between Jack and Pitch, he tried very hard not to jump when what felt like fur enveloped his hand.

"Bunny's shaking your hand." Jaime said.

"I suppose he is." Harry said smiling at Jaime, pulling his hand away, "Offer your friends some soup."

"You guys want to try Harry's Pooka soup, it tastes really good, for being made entirely of vegetables." Jaime said. "They'll have some, Harry."

After dinner was eaten, Pitch kept looking over at Harry and opening his mouth as though he was going to speak and it took calling upon the training the Dursleys gave him to keep him from speaking to him. Jaime would ask questions that Harry wasn't supposed to answer. It had been hard enough keeping from jumping when the four Guardians had appeared halfway through dessert.

Harry sighed as he lifted Sophie from her chair and nuzzled her nose. "Jaime, if you are all done, it's almost bedtime, go get ready for bed and maybe one of your friends will tell you a bedtime story."

Harry went upstairs to help Sophie get ready for bed and Jaime came into the room, dragging the six Guardians with him.

"Story… Story." Sophie said happily.

Harry shook his head slightly as he tucked the little girl under her covers.

"Who should tell?" Harry asked, making a fight break out among the older Guardians.

Pitch sat on the edge of the bed and tapped his lips, "You know I wasn't always like this." He began, "Once, long before I came to Earth I was a General."

Harry smiled softly as Sandy managed to silence the others and they began to listen to the story that Pitch told.

It had been years since Harry had heard this Story and never like this, when Pi' had first told him it was in stops and starts as memories or images had popped into his thoughts. He had told bits of it back to Pitch when the Badness tried to hurt him.

"No way!" Jaime whispered.

Pitch chuckled and nodded, "Yes, I protected instead of attacked, but then…"

"Lights out." Harry said, "I'm sure the story is over now. To bed Jaime."

"But it wasn't over yet." Jaime whined.

"Maybe they'll finish it tomorrow." Harry returned, he hoped not, he had always hated what happened at the end of the Fearling War, it was when Kozmotis had fallen and Pitch had risen.

Harry made sure both children were safely tucked away and that the Guardians had left before he settled into his meditation, before he had Hermione's children he would go to the children physically, but now he couldn't and since he didn't need sleep he could use Meditation to send his spirit to the Children he needed to collect.

Harry blinked his eyes open when he heard Jaime stir from his sleep.

Harry walked downstairs to begin breakfast, smiling at Jaime as he helped Sophie into her chair.

"Pitch told us a story last night." Jaime began, "I never thought the BoogieMan would tell us a goodnight story."

Harry hummed, "You are going to school today Jaime, and Sophie to daycare."

"I miss school." Jaime said quietly, "Do you have to work?"

Harry nodded, "But as I said, my job is flexible, so if you need me I can come get you."

Jaime nodded and they finished breakfast and Harry walked the two children to school and daycare.

Harry was in charge of the children as they skated on the pond, Jaime and his friends were having a sleepover and they wanted to go to the lake before, normally Harry would have said no seeing as it was late winter, however Jack had promised, through Jaime, to make sure that the ice stayed thick enough to hold the children.

Harry smiled softly as Tooth and Santa danced across the Pond together, Bunny refused to go near the Pond and was standing next to Harry as he watched, every now and again he would say something but Harry refused to respond.

Pi' and Sandy were leading Sophie around the edge of the Pond and Harry wondered if the child brought back memories of Sera and Harry being that young.

Harry suddenly frowned as the air shifted; he turned as a Large creature appeared behind Bunny and him, rising out of the shadows.

Harry's first thought was 'What the hell is that' and then he thought about the children.

He threw his arm up as the thing came towards them, the children on the Pond frozen in fear and the Guardians no better.

The creature hit his shield hard and Harry wavered only a little at the impact.

"Rabbit, you get those kids to that warren of yours, they'll be safer there." Harry shouted as he threw the creature away from the shield, it would only buy them moments more than they had.

Bunny opened his mouth to say something.

"Now is not the time, rabbit, that Fearling will be back soon, I couldn't make it go far, not with the children so afraid, I need them safe." Harry snapped, "Pi', you and Sandy were there for the war, can they be killed?"

"They can't, it's why we locked them away." Pitch said softly, "It will consume the world, Harry."

"There is a way to kill everything. We just have to find it, until then we save who we can, children first." Harry said softly to the Guardians, "If you can get the parents to go along then good, if not…"

Pitch nodded and vanished into the shadows as Santa disappeared into a globe, Bunny took Tooth and the children to the Warren while Jack went to warn the Children that someone would come to get them, and Sandy went to tell the other Spirits bout the newest threat.

The Fearling returned, and Harry wondered why it avoided him, trying to move passed him into the town. Harry stopped it with a shield forcing it into quarters with him; only it seemed not to notice him.

Curious Harry reached out to the Fearling and when he touched it, not seeing Bunny come back and not hearing him shout not to, he smiled, "Now is no time to fear, come back, come home." He whispered.

A thousand tiny voices filled his mind, thoughts, ideas, visions of death, "You are not alone, children, we are here, fear not, and return."

As if a spell was broken the black creature shattered and twelve children were sitting on the ground before Harry, Harry smiled at them before he lost consciousness.

"Are you awake now?" A young voice asked as Harry blinked awake.

"Yes, little bunny." Harry said, for the children he had released from the Fearling had been like the Easter Bunny.

"Clover." The little bunny said, "Or near'bout as your language can get it."

"Alright, Clover." Harry said sitting up, "Where are the Guardians?"

"They are talking with all the other Myths, mostly arguing." Clover said, "Aster had to expand the Warren to fit everyone here, it's apparently the safest place, Not even Mr. Black could get it when he was trying to take over the world, he had to wait for the tunnels to open."

Harry smiled softly as he got out of the makeshift bed. "Do you mind taking me to the others?"

Clover smiled back at Harry, "Okay."

The little Pooka lead Harry out and Harry still for a moment to watch the children run through the Warren, playing games, from Tag to Ring around o' Roses, children ranging from zero to seventeen, very few adults were present and Harry knew that the children of the world were now orphans and the these were all the children of the world.

The child tugged Harry's hand and they moved forward through the children, eleven little Pookas coming over to give Harry a flower, a thank you, before going back to playing.

"They're in there." Clover pointed to a door that was covered in poison ivy, "The children are not allowed, thus the Ivy."

Harry nodded, "Thank you, Clover."

Clover smiled and then vanished into the children.

Harry reached for the handle and was pleased that the Ivy parted for him to open the door.

"You should not be up." Bunny said as Harry entered.

"Whatever," Harry said as he walked over to Dea' "What did I miss?"

"We're focusing on keeping the Fearlings contained, what you did, Harry, I can only assume that no one else can do." Dea' said.

"It avoided me, Dea', why would it avoid me?" Harry asked.

"What were you feeling, Apprentice?" Sera asked, as she looked at him with her many faceted eyes.

"What do you mean, Sera?" Harry asked.

"What were you feeling, fear, hope, love?" Sera asked.

"I felt confusion." Harry answered.

"Nothing else?" She continued, "Not even fear?"

"What have I to Fear?" Harry asked.

"So, you did not fear it." Sera whispered, though it echoed in the silent room. "And before?"

"I feared for the children I was charged with, once they were safe there was nothing, would you explain, Sera." Harry returned.

"It did not know you were there." Pitch said suddenly, "You had no Fear, so it didn't see you."

"Even when you reached out to it, you did not fear, it was like you did not exist, you were not afraid." Sera whispered.

"What does that mean?" Someone asked.

"It means that we have a way to defeat them." Harry said.

"You can't just wipe away all fear." Pitch said, "It's impossible."

"Pi' is right, I don't fear because I have faced the Fearling many times, while it possessed Pi', no matter what, I knew that Pitch would not allow me to come to harm, not if he could help it." Harry explained. "That is why I am not afraid; I had no true reason to fear, for fear was my friend."

"We are wanting Story… Later." Santa said.

"Now, to how we take care of this Fearling before it takes this world too." Bunny said.

In the lull after each battle the Myths found reasons to play with the children, days turned into weeks and weeks to months, months to years and many became worn and tired unless faced with a child. But soon the children began growing up as all do, while they continued Believing; like no adult ever had before, they began to have adult desires, that is how it came to be that Sera presided over weddings, Tooth was given teeth as soon as they fell out, North came to tell the children how one thing became another and Aster was the one to tell young ladies when they were pregnant.

Sandy still gave sweet dreams and Pitch gave nightmares to remind the children of the real world, but he was there too to sooth it into sweet dreams.

Harry and Death planned battles, sometimes with other help and sometimes they battled the Fearlings alone, neither afraid but every now and again Harry would search out Sophie or Jaime and just sit with them and remember, sometimes he would tell stories about their mother, and many children would gather to hear the stories, it was a time when all movement came to a halt, where there were no Fearlings, there was no war but for the story, where good triumphed over evil and friendships never ended, not even in Death's Realm.

"You're good with them." Aster said as Harry tucked Sophie under her blanket.

"I always wanted children, never thought they would be Mia's." Harry said quietly.

"Thought you'd have a few ankle-biters of your own?" Aster asked as Harry floated a few inches above the sleeping children so he was eye level with Aster.

"No, I thought I would bring a child into my home and love them." Harry smiled at Aster.

"Not like this though?" Aster let his hand roam over the Warren, where children had been tucked in where they had dropped, a few favored Myths sitting by their favorite little ones.

"Never like this." Harry drew his legs up under him as he floated.

"I have to thank you." Aster said suddenly.

"Oh, why?" Harry turned to look at the Pooka.

"I never did thank you for saving the Pooka kits. Thanks to you I'm not the last." Aster said looking over to the Pooka sleep pile.

Harry smiled softly, "Do you think there might be a chance for others?"

Aster shook his head, "These ones were the last to be taken, after the other kingdoms had already fallen."

"I'm sorry, Aster." Harry whispered.

"We all are, Pitch more than most."

"I know, he told me the story." Harry said, "I stopped him that night because I always hated what came after him volunteering to Guard the Fearlings. I had nightmares after he told it to me, only Nox kept me from truly fearing."

"You knew Pitch as a child?" Aster asked, looking sideways at Harry as he sat on one of the Eggs Guards.

Harry sat next to Aster, "He became the closest thing to a Father that I remember having."

"What happened to your real parents?" Aster asked.

"They were killed by a mad man, Pi' crawled out from under my bed and I wanted so bad for him to take me away with him, but…"

"He couldn't." Aster finished.

Harry nodded, "He would tell me stories, and tuck me in; he brought me Christmas presents and Easter Eggs, and Nox, not to mention my jar of coins."

"I'm sorry we forgot you." Aster whispered.

Harry looked at the Pooka, "You didn't forget me, you just couldn't reach me because I was hidden away, since you don't come into homes to give to children you didn't find me. Pitch wasn't looking when he found me, that is why he found me."

"I don't understand." Aster said.

Harry smiled, "You don't have to."

Harry stood suddenly and offered a hand to the Pooka, "Dance with me?"

Aster took the hand, "I think we'd fall off."

"Trust me." Harry whispered as he positioned them so that Aster's hands were around his waist and his were around the Pooka's neck, then they were dancing to music that only Harry could hear.

When North went to look for Bunny he found himself looking up and feeling a smile cross his face when he saw Harry and Aster dancing above the heads of the children, dancing on air as though there was ground beneath their feet.

North sighed; they could wait a few minutes more, this was the closest to relaxing that he had seen Harry and Aster do since the Third Fearling War started.

After their dance, Harry and Aster found reasons to search each other out during the Lull, more often Harry would wrap his magic around Aster, making it feel like the Pooka was walking on the ground when they were up in the air, away from nosy, excited children.

Aster would tell Harry about Pooka culture that Pitch didn't remember and Harry would tell him about things that he found fun, or things he had wished he had been able to do before he had become a Spirit.

"How did you become a Spirit?" Aster asked as they picnicked on one of the Sentinels.

Harry lifted an apple slice up to his lips and took a bit before he answered.

"I died." He said simply.

Aster froze, "What?" He asked.

"Yes, I died, only I did it while in possession of three things that made Dea' unable to 'Harvest' me, I think that was the wording he used." Harry mused, "Anyway since I had these things he sent me back, I figured out the whole Spirit thing a few months later when I felt one of my friends died."

"You didn't notice?" Aster asked incredulous.

"Hey, it's not like people started walking through me." Harry complained, shoving at Aster.

Aster swiped at Harry who floated out of reach laughing.

"How did you become a Guardian?" Harry asked curiously, "Pi' said you were the first."

"Pitch told you a lot of things, didn't he?" Aster asked in lieu of an answer.

"He tried really hard to foster some kind of Belief in me." Harry explained, looking out over the children to find where Pitch and Sandy were telling a story with sand for some of the Younger children. "I just…" Harry looked at Aster, "It just didn't work, I couldn't bring myself to Believe, no matter how much he told me, or how many things he claimed you guys got me."

Aster gave Harry a smile, "Some children are like that, although usually they don't Believe at all."

Harry grinned, "I'm special like that."

"You're special anyway." Aster said.

Harry's eyes shone brightly as he and Aster leaned forward to kiss for the first time, when Harry pulled away he was blushing red on his cheeks and he opened his eyes slowly and smiled shyly at Aster.

Aster returned the smiled. "We had better get to the War-Meeting."

Harry nodded, "But this will be continuing, right?" he asked.

Aster nodded, "Definitely."

Harry ducked away from the shadowed arm that reached for him, well the Fox Kitsune that was fighting behind him, he shouted a warning, hoping that the Kit' would move in time but the Fearlings moved so quickly, even with new trajectory that they had lost more than half of the Spirits to like happenings, where the arm would hit and consume the Spirit, it was why Dea' and Harry fought alone for the most part, although lately the Fearlings had been drawn to Dea' and Harry didn't know why.

Harry watched the Fearling consume the Kit and he lashed out with both his scythe and his Magic, cutting through the Fearling. The Fearling merely reformed itself a ways away and continued after someone else.

"HARRY!" Death shouted as Harry shot after the Fearling and moved in front of Jack as the Fearling reached out for the Young Spirit.

Harry felt like a Black cloud of Smoke entered his lungs as he tried to breathe, only no breath came, he heard someone shout 'Retreat' but he could not recognize the voice.

Harry heard the dying screams of all who had fallen in the first Fearling War, and those that had fallen in the second, he heard the dying cries of the Pooka and the children that had been consumed, and he heard the screams of the Humans that had died in the beginning of the Third Fearling war, he felt the fear of those that had known their end was coming and he saw Fear consume and devour them, leaving nothing, not even a husk behind.

'I am not afraid.' Harry thought as he closed his eyes, 'Not afraid.'

Harry opened his eyes and watched the sun rise; the Fearling squealed angrily and vanished with the shadows. Harry fell to his knees and then darkness took him.

Harry woke slowly; he was in Aster's nest, a place that the Pooka had taken to dragging to when he found out that Harry rarely slept. Harry sat up slowly; wincing as he pushed himself up, his arms ached.

Harry looked at his arms and when he saw the black vine-like lines trailing up his arms he knew he should feel more worry than he did, especially as he watched the lines grow longer, his fingers were nearly entirely black, and the vines were working their way up his arms to his shoulder, Harry was sure once they got there they would make their way over the rest of his body.

Harry looked up when the door to Aster's room opened.

"Hey." Aster said when he entered the room.

"Hi." Harry smiled, "How long was I out?"

"About two days." Aster said as he sat on the edge of the nest.

"Aster?" Harry asked.

"You…Pitch said you would turn, like he did, he said it might take weeks before you were finally consumed." Aster whispered.

"Why would it take so long?" Harry asked looking at his blackened fingers.

"Pitch and the others think it may be the fact that the Fearling has to find out what you fear, it has to dig for it." Aster said reaching to take Harry's hands.

Harry pulled away, "You are afraid."

Aster looked at Harry with tear filled eyes, "Yes, I lost my people this way, now I'm losing you."

Harry smiled softly, "I wish I could kiss you, but if I do…"

"I know." Aster whispered, "It will jump to me, I'll be consumed instantly."

Harry nodded, "I can't let that happen, I love you, Aster."

Aster let out a sob, "Love ya, too."

Harry let himself lay down in the nest, "Tell me about your home world again?"

Aster lay beside Harry, neither touching, and Aster began to talk, he spoke of his scholarly achievements, he spoke of being a warrior, if only briefly, and after a while Harry fell asleep, and still Aster talked, he whispered of the Marriage Ceremony he had wanted to share with Harry and the Children they might have taken in, Aster spoke of many things, and invented a few more to talk of as he watched the black bleed over Harry's wrists and the vines grow thicker.

It took many hours before Sandy took pity on the Warrior and pushed some of his golden sand at him, giving him good dreams… only for a moment before the image of Harry and Aster dancing turned black and Harry turned into a Fearling, keeping Harry's shape and the sand Aster could not kill it. Pitch appeared out of the shadows and blew a bit of silver sand at the Pooka's dream; the silver sand wrapped around the dream figures and dissolved them, leaving nothing above Aster's head.

Sandy made a question mark and gestured to the silver sand.

"Harry had nightmares for the longest time; I made the sand to give him a dreamless sleep." Pitch whispered. "Come, there are dreams to give the children, they need some good ones right now."

Sandy looked at the two in the nest and nodded.

Harry waited for Sandman and Pitch to leave before he opened his eyes, green eyes looked at Aster and he felt a smile cross his lips before it fell, the Fearling Spawn had found his fear, a recent addition, Aster, Aster falling with him unable to prevent it.

Harry let himself float up out of the bed, away from Aster, as the Black covered his arms completely and began moving over his face and across his chest.

"I love you, Aster." Harry whispered as he hovered over the Pooka. "I'll miss you."

Harry then made himself invisible and floated out of the Den, past the Myths making battle plans though Death looked up as he passed and since he had collected the items none of them worked for Death so the other saw him as he left the Den.

The other knew that Harry wasn't planning on returning, just like ze knew that Harry also planned to end the War.

Harry hovered above the children, watching them sleep, many of them dreaming dreams of gold, Harry smiled, he was doing this for them; he was giving them back their world.

Harry floated above Jack's lake, the trees that had once surrounded it broken and charred. Nothing remained untouched by the War, the only reason the Fearlings hadn't moved on yet was because it could still taste the fear that those in Warren felt.

Harry's feet touched the surface of the darkened water and the surface froze, that was the one of the only good things about being able to control things that brought death.

Harry turned to watch the sun sink behind the mountains and darkness fall over him and his surroundings, even the Moon was dark and the stars shone only half as bright as Harry remembered them being.

Harry let his eyes close as his fear was forced to the surface, his fear of losing Aster. When Harry's eyes opened the Fearlings were gathered around him, their golden eyes shining in the darkness.

"Are you ready?" Harry asked as his scythe appeared in his hand, "I am."

Harry's eyes gained a golden tinge around the iris as the Fearling Spawn covered his skin in black.

The Fearlings rushed forward and Harry began fighting them, Harry fought the Fearlings long into the night and as dawn began to peak over the edge of the world Harry grinned and he began his master plan.

Harry stilled, his scythe vanished and Harry watched the Fearlings surge toward him.

Harry closed his eyes and grinned darkly as he began to speak, "I am afraid, but my fear will not rule me, I am afraid but I will continue. I AM AFRAID BUT FEAR WILL NOT WIN OVER ME!"

The Fearlings covered Harry from view.

"I AM AFRAID BUT FEAR WILL NOT WIN OVER ME!" Aster heard Harry shout as North held him back.

"HARRY!" Aster screamed as the Fearlings consumed Harry.

Aster fought desperately against North's hold, trying to get to Harry, he couldn't lose him, not him to, Please, Man in Moon, Please.

And then the sun rose up in the sky and everything was too bright and it was not just the glare from the sun. Light began spreading from the place where the Fearlings had converged on Harry, the white light spread out and away, breezing past those that had come to try beating the Fearlings back and further still, if Aster had to guess he would say in covered the world.

When the light faded, leaving only the sun's light, the Myths blinked their eyes to clear them, and blinked again to be sure of what they saw.

Aster dashed forward, falling to his knees next to Harry. What had once been Jack's lake was now a block of black rock, and as soon as Aster picked Harry up and left the surface it shattered, first into large chunks of rock and ever smaller until it was nothing but dust in the wind, which greeted Jack as an old friend, lifting the Frost spirit up briefly.

"Harry?" Aster whispered to the man in his arms, not hearing the other's breath as he laid him down on the ground.

The Myths turned to the two, feeling sudden shame for their own gladness.

"Harry, please, wake up." Aster said into Harry's hair as he held him, "Please."

Tears streamed down Aster's face as seconds turned into minutes, and minutes to hours, although Aster had no knowledge of the passing time as he rocked Harry back and forth as tears coursed down his face, all the while Aster begged every Death Spirit he could think of to let him go, and Every Life Spirit to bring him back, and he begged Man in the Moon to 'please bring him back, please.'

Slowly the Myths began returning to the Warren as they always did when night began to fall, only Pitch and Death remained on either side of Aster, silent watchers, each mourning the young Spirit that they had come to see as their own child, one longer than the other, but in this moment how long they had known the child meant nothing.

Aster rocked and held Harry and he sobbed until he began to think that he had no tears left to cry.

When morning came again the sun rose up and winds blew over the three mourners, where Aster's tears had fallen flowers began to grow.

Seraphina walked towards her Father and the Pooka that had smuggled her to Earth, where she walked a trail of grass and flowers grew, trees sprouted at the sides of the path and Seraphina knelt before her once rescuer, the Pooka didn't open his eyes to look at her as she touched Apprentice's hair, merely clung to the body tighter, one paw on Harry's head, the other wrapped around his waist, Harry pulled close to Aster's chest, the Pooka's body curled around the other as if to protect him.

Pitch and Death both had a hand on Aster's shoulder, though the Pooka seemed not to notice.

Seraphina looked up at her father and smiled, she moved her had down Harry's hair so her hand rested on his forehead.

"And you will be the child of Life and Death." Seraphina whispered, "You will be Hope and you will be Fear, and you will be Childhood and Freedom."

Aster opened his eyes to look at the woman in confusion; she did not look at Aster, instead keeping her gaze on Harry.

"Wake, Apprentice." Seraphina demanded.

Harry blinked awake slowly, Death's Lady had told him it was time to go back, time to wake up, and she had called him son.

"Aster?" Harry asked weakly, looking up into green green eyes.

Aster opened and closed his mouth, when no words came he just hugged Harry tightly and tears fell from his eyes, only this time they were tears of Joy.

Harry smiled at Jaime's little boy, it was a long time in coming the Rebirth of the World but the Children enjoyed watching Aster bring flowers into bloom or have snow ball fights with Jack. And Aster and Seraphina taught the children how to care for their plants, and when the animals began emerging from Sera's Sanctuary they taught them how to care for those too.

As years passed Harry danced on air with Aster and Sera presided over their wedding, and Pitch handed Harry off to Aster with the standard Parental threat, and they disappeared for a year before they returned, and in that year new plants began growing, ones that were especially hard to kill.

Many Myths had snorted at the children who brought the plants to their attention.

And years passed, the children that had once lived in the Warren grew up, had children, told stories, and grew old. Pooka now lived side by side Humans and once or twice the intermingled. The Myths walked among the Humans and Pooka, like they had once so long ago, only a few still live to remember such a time.

And despite what Harry wished Jaime and Sophie passed, he walked them to the place where the AfterWorld met this world and he waved at Hermione and her Husband while her two children ran to them, changing from the old people they had aged into and becoming children again, the time they had been the happiest.

Harry smiled at the family and returned to Aster, for many hours Aster held Harry while he mourned the loss of the children he considered his.

And years passed, Aster would hide eggs and every now and again he would bring a child to the Warren just before Easter to help him paint eggs.

Jack made little ice animals to entertain children and as he got better he was able to put on shows for the children, Santa would listen to each child's Christmas request and hand them out personally. Tooth still received teeth as they were lost, and she would share with the child what memory the tooth held. Sandy and Pitch married, although it was a surprise marriage, for both of them but they didn't protest, they were happy and where one was the other followed, usually, if you had a nightmare it would turn into a dream soon after, that was the way it went.

Sera sometimes told stories or guided new life into being as did Harry and Aster, although Harry could make things die if he so chose.

And years passed, the small close nit villages that had been created after the Fearling War stayed close nit, though they grew in numbers, none of the Myths faded and if they began to be walked through one of the seen ones would tell about them.

None of them wanted to be forgotten again and they were much closer than they had been before the War, but that was something that tended to happen.

Harry had smiled and taught the first Magical child born after the War and he became the one to call on if your child had inexplicable powers, not all children chose to learn more than controlling it to a degree, but those that did used it to help others.

Harry and Aster watched the world; they danced during Spring and brought new life with them and they walked in Winter, watching Jack bring snow and Harry put to sleep many plants and sometimes he would have to touch one with Death's hand or an animal, Aster would hold his hand when he did this and they would dance in the Spring.

And so years passed.

I HAVE ISSUES LETTING GO ALRIGHT! Now that that is done, this is boredom and a bit of fun plus an idea that popped into my head. I'm sorry if you hated it but I had fun writing it.

How many of you Caught that Hermione was Jaime and Sophie's Mother?

Don't know who the Father is.

Seriously... don't ask.