Here's a random idea that came to me about three days ago. It just... happened. You tell me what you think.

Pro-tip: Listen to the song "Ocean Princess" by Two Steps from Hell for most of this.

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In Scotland, near a large castle, was a stadium filled to the brim with teenagers yelling and cheering for several figures that were zooming around the air in broomsticks. It was obviously a sporting event, as seven of these figures were sporting red and gold colours, while the other seven were sporting dark brown and yellow colours. However, with the unrelenting rain that was falling all around the stadium, you'd be hard pressed to notice this right away.

If you haven't figured it out yet, the place is the Hogwarts quidditch pitch, and it's the Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff quidditch game.

It's also the day where the life of a certain boy-who-lived would change drastically.

Harry Potter, also known as the Chosen One or the Boy-Who-Hates-The-Moniker-The-Masses-Have-Given-Him, was currently flying around the stadium in slow circles, his mouth bared in a snarl as he focused as hard as he could, trying to find the game-winning Golden Snitch through the unrelenting falling piss that was the rain.

He miraculously caught sight of it a few moments later. He also caught the not so miraculous sign of the Hufflepuff Seeker Cedric Diggory already chasing it.

With the determination that always came with the chase running through his veins, Harry sped off after the guy and the small flying ball. They had just done a few turns following the bloody thing when it decided to suddenly start flying directly up, in the direction of the thunderous clouds. Harry and Cedric, being the competitive types, immediately chased after it, Cedric being a few feet ahead of Harry.

From Harry's point of view, he could see Cedric get closer and closer to the snitch, making him spur himself forward in an attempt to get closer. However, just as Cedric's hand was about to close over the snitch, Harry watched in shock as a bolt of static from the clouds around them flashed and attached itself to Cedric's hand, traveling down his arm and to his body in hardly a second. Cedric froze for a moment before suddenly jerking and falling back, directly to the ground. Harry twisted around him and jerked to a stop, floating nearly a hundred feet above the ground and watching as Cedric fell for a short time before he was caught by Hufflepuff's Beaters, who proceeded to bring him to the ground softly.

As if to remind him that he was still in the game, the snitch flew in front of Harry's face for a second before flying away before Harry could grab it. With renewed determination, Harry turned his broomstick around and chased after it, going farther and farther up until he was several hundred feet above the arena. He was approaching the snitch and had almost closed his hand around it when what appeared to be a piece of ice struck his cheek, making him cover it by reflex. The snitch took advantage of the movement and dove between two clouds, causing Harry to lose sight of it. Harry, however, had other things to worry about.

For the moment he looked up, he had noticed that he was surrounded by several Dementors.

Fear clawed at Harry's heart as the cold feeling of despair that normally came with Dementors hit him. One Dementor dashed at rapid speeds towards Harry, who nimbly dodged and flew away, trying to get some distance between himself and the monsters.

It was all for naught.

Two Dementors noticed the movement and dashed around him, coming up to him as soon as he looked forward again. Before he could react, both of the hooded demons opened their 'mouths', and in that instant, Harry felt all energy leave him, all of his strength wane, and his vision blur.

He was dimly aware of a woman's scream reverberating through his head before he felt his hands let go of his broomstick and his vision went black.

As soon as Harry passed out, his grip on the Nimbus 2000 loosened, making him fall to the side and subsequently off the broom, on a crash course for the ground several hundred feet below.

Harry's form twisted and turned as he fell, and it wasn't until he was only a hundred feet from forming a very bloody crater that some people in the stands noticed his falling form. The thundering sky was rent by several screams of 'HARRY!', the most prominent being from Hermione Granger and the three Gryffindor Chasers: Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell.

Of course, the screams also drew the attention of the professors, who immediately noticed the falling form of Harry Potter. Albus Dumbledore immediately stood, raising a hand in order to stop Harry's momentum or at least slow him down, but before he could, Harry was partially surrounded by a white aura before a bright light flashed from his body, blinding everyone in the stands for a few moments.

Meanwhile, in a place not defined by earthly time...

Harry's vision was filled with inky darkness for a short while, but it eventually became bright again. Harry had to close his eyes for a bit as his sight was filled by white, and when he could finally open them again without difficulty, he found himself slack jawed.

He was currently standing in what appeared to be a large field, one full of tall grass that reached up to his waist. He idly ran his hands over the blades as he looked at the tall trees to the distance and at the blue sky that was dotted with a few white clouds above him.

"So this is what it's like to be dead, is it?" Harry mused out loud, "Well, it's actually not too bad. I sure hope that this is what my parents saw when Voldemort got to them."

Harry hadn't expected to get a response, so he was severely startled when he heard soft, tinkling laughter behind him. He immediately turned, hand going to his wand but not finding it there. He was about to bring his fists up when he finally processed who was in front of him.

It was a woman of average height, perhaps only a few inches taller than him, despite the fact that he was still slightly short for his age. Her facial features were sharp and regal, yet held a soft quality to them, making it appear almost motherly in nature. Her eyes were a teal colour, and the pupil was in the shape of a small slit, similar to a feline's eye, but again, of a softer nature. Her hair seemed to be both black and blonde, both colours intermingling all over. She was wearing a simple, all white dress, which reached down to her ankles. The dress was slightly see-through, and it showed that she was wearing short white pants and a simple plain t-shirt underneath. She was barefoot as well.

And when she spoke, it was with a soft, regal voice that spoke of power yet had a friendly nature to it.

"Harry Potter, it is good to finally meet you. To answer your previous question, this is not what it is like to be dead, as you are not. And yes, your parents did stop by here first before their souls were sent on their way."

Harry could only stare at the woman that had appeared behind him. Just from the aura that this woman seemed to be giving, he knew this was not someone you would want to cross.

"Pardon me," Harry said politely, "But who are you?"

The woman sighed and looked to the sky before responding, "I have gone by many names Harry. I have been known as Kami, Palutena, Aphrodite, Hades, and many other monikers. But in truth, I am merely a goddess. The goddess of life and death."

Harry's eyes widened at the woman's explanation. He couldn't wrap his head around it. This woman was a goddess? One of life and death? But then...

"Are you here to send me to the afterlife, or to wherever it is that souls are sent after the body dies?" Harry said morosely, his head hung. "Will I be able to spend some time with my parents, at least?"

He was surprised when a soft hand grabbed his chin and lifted his eyes to those of the goddess, who only smiled at him softly. "Silly boy, did you not hear me when I spoke earlier? You are not dead, Harry."

"But... the Dementors... I remember letting go of my broomstick, and falling... and I was very high up. For all that people say about me, I am not invincible, and that fall would most definitely kill me."

The goddess giggled, a sound that Harry came to enjoy very much. "While that is true, the reason you are not dead is because your consciousness is currently here. This is what you could think of as the King's Cross station to Heaven and Hell. The soul stops here and is given a path by me, depending on their thoughts, actions, and motives during their life. However, in the odd cases such as yours, a soul can take a third kind of path: the path back to their body."

The goddess waved her hand to the side. What appeared to be a small pool of water gathered in the air for a moment before it blackened and became an image... of Harry falling from his broomstick and down several hundred feet.

"This is the point that your body is in now, as the time has come for you to take up the mantle you were given as a child."

Harry gulped. "And what mantle would that be?"

The goddess smiled at him and said, "Why, of the Destroyer of Darkness, of course."

At Harry's slightly incredulous and confused look, she elaborated, "Sometimes, the gods and goddesses, especially me, need a vassal in the mortal realm. For me, the point has come in which I need one to fight the encroaching darkness that is Voldemort. When you were born, Harry, you had extraordinary potential. And when you were marked by Tom Riddle, I knew that you would one day need to face the man again. Yes, Harry, he is still alive, though barely. He has taken steps to cheat death, creating magical objects which house parts of his soul, which he has shattered by committing so many murders over the years. As my vassal, an archangel under me, so to speak, you would be tasked with destroying these soul fragments and finally bringing to me the man that had brought many evils upon Britain, and possibly the world if he were given the chance. He has tampered with that which should never be tampered with, and his experiments have gone too far."

Harry sat down and crossed his legs, digesting the story and proposition that the goddess had given him. He was meant to destroy Voldemort and the pieces of his soul that were scattered goddess-knows-where? But he couldn't! He was just a teenager! How could he possibly match the skill, strength, and knowledge of a man almost fifty years older than him and come out as the victor when he couldn't protect himself from a single Dementor?

That's when he realized that the question wasn't 'How could he...' but 'Why should he...' and the latter was immediately answered when several faces flashed in front of his eyes: the Weasleys, Hagrid, Oliver, Alicia, Angelina, Katie, the professors of Hogwarts, and many more, until it stopped at one face... Hermione's.

'I do it for them... So that they could have a brighter future, I will walk through a dozen curses! If I have to tear down Voldemort, I will! I don't do this for me... I do it for my friends... nay... I do it for all of my loved ones!'

The goddess watched Harry's face as it went through several emotions, from shock, to thoughtfulness, to despair, back to thoughtfulness, and then to determination. She smiled as he stood up from his position then immediately went down on one knee and bowed his head, saying, "I will become your vassal, my goddess. I will do anything necessary to help my friends and bring justice to the monster who murdered my parents and countless other innocents for the sake of evil!"

The goddess beamed and said, "Excellent, Harry. And please, stand. You are not only my vassal, but my friend and partner." When Harry stood with a smile, she continued, "The road ahead of you will be tough, Harry, but always remember to keep your loved ones close to you. Do not push them away merely because you believe that they will be Voldemort's target. Instead, do your best to make sure that if he does try to target them, he will regret it."

Harry nodded and asked, "What must I do now?"

"Now, Harry, you shall be sent back to your body, which is incidentally still skydiving. Do not worry, as I will impart several gifts to you as my vassal to help you in the road to conquer the man known as Voldemort. However, many will only come at a later time, when I believe you are ready to wield them. Is this agreeable to you?"

Harry nodded with a content smile, and with a reciprocated smile, a kiss on the cheek, and a whisper of four names, Harry's vision was once again filled with darkness...

Back with Harry's falling body...

Harry's eyes snapped open when he felt the wind coursing around his body as he fell. He noted that he was about a hundred feet from slamming into certain death, and the ground was approaching quickly.

Instinctively, he reached inside him for the power he now knew he could wield, and let it out with a powerful yell.

A bright flash of light covered his body, blinding almost everyone in the stands, as Harry felt a strange change happen to his body as something appeared on his back and ripped through his quidditch robes like they was made of wrapping paper. It felt like another body part of him had suddenly sprouted from his body. He also felt his energy increase, to the point where he felt several times stronger than he had at his highest point this entire year.

Finally, the light began receding, allowing the Hogwarts students and staff to look once again. The sight they came to was... jaw dropping, to say the least.

Harry Potter was no longer falling. He wasn't even unconscious anymore. He was now floating in the exact middle of the quidditch pitch, courtesy of the large, white wings that had sprouted from his back. Those with better eyesight could see that Harry's eyes had changed from their vivid green to a sky blue colour, and the sight of the owner had sharpened considerably, becoming a strong and calculative stare. His body had also changed, becoming stronger, more muscular, and leaner, with his height increasing as his body was pushed to its peak for a thirteen year old. To add to the image, small arcs of plasma energy were jumping around his body at random intervals, giving a look of power to the bespectacled young man.

Harry looked around the quidditch pitch, his eyes looking at every face there. He noticed that most were in complete shock, others were almost reverent in their expressions and actions, and some others were curious, most of these latter ones being the ever-studious Ravenclaw students.

Harry looked up when he somehow sensed the dark feel of the Dementors' energy. His eyes caught sight of several Dementors flying directly toward him, and subsequently, the quidditch pitch itself.

"Oh, no you don't," Harry muttered, immediately going into his 'battle mode'. He gathered his magic inside and around him, thrust his hands to the oncoming Dementor pack, brought up the memory of how he felt when Hermione had hugged him at the end of second year, and performed a spell that he had never learned but somehow knew.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Instead of the white wisps of light that the shocked teachers had expected when they heard the name, a massive wave of light blue energy erupted from Harry's body, going out in all directions at a rapid speed. When it hit the people in the stands, they felt... happier, lighter even, and more energetic, as if the wave of light were bringing out their happiness.

The effect on the Dementors was something else altogether.

As the first Dementor hit the wave of energy, it began disintegrating as the serene energy of the wave overwhelmed its body. The other Dementors barely noticed this, and by the time some had tried to turn away, several of the Dementors were no more than shredded pieces of black cloth in the rain.

As the last Dementor fell, Harry lowered his hands and sighed. He allowed his wings to remain in an arched position, thus softly floating down to the ground. Almost as soon as his feet touched the ground, however, Harry felt nearly all of the energy in his body leave him, and he staggered as he landed due to this. His wings became limp, and his eyes went back to their vivid green. With a small groan, he began to fall forward.

He was surprised when he felt three pairs of soft, gloved hands grab his body and prevent him from face-planting into the ground. He summoned the strength to look up, and drank in the sight of the three chasers of the Gryffindor team looking at him with something akin to reverence.

"Hey... girls..." Harry muttered before letting his head drop. "Do you think... you could get me to... the infirmary...?"

Alicia softly smiled as she threw one of Harry's arms around her shoulders and helped him up. Angelina took the other arm, helping to fully bring him up, while Katie trailed only slightly behind, keeping watch should anything happen.

"Gladly, Harry," Angelina said to him.

As the Gryffindor team gathered around him, he remembered something and motioned for Angelina to check his left hand. To the entire team's surprise, inside Harry's fist was the golden snitch!

"I caught it... while I was falling..." Harry chuckled lowly.

Katie shook her head and said, "Even when unconscious, his Seeker skills are still second to none."

The team laughed as Fred and George yelled out that Harry had captured the snitch, bringing the team to an outstanding victory. Oliver Wood went to show proof to Madame Hooch, who awarded Gryffindor the victory, bringing loud cheers from the supporters of the red and gold colours. The Gryffindor Seeker had heard none of it, however, as he was already in the locker rooms and well on his way to the Hospital Wing with the three chasers of the team.

As they travelled the halls of Hogwarts, Harry became slightly more aware of his surroundings. He conversed slightly with the girls as they went, doing some small talk while avoiding the subject of his transformation for as long as he could.

As soon as they had entered the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey came out to see what the issue was. She immediately recognized Harry, but had to do a double take when she noticed the large, white, folded wings sprouting from his back.

"What have you gotten yourself into this time Mr. Potter?" the matron asked in her no nonsense tone.

"To put it bluntly, I became an archangel," Harry responded, drawing looks of shock from the four females.

Shaking her head, Madam Pomfrey took Harry to a nearby bed and laid him on his stomach, as it would be uncomfortable for him to lay on his back. She cast some spells on him to determine what was the issue, then said, "It seems your body is fine, Harry. However, your magical core was almost completely depleted."

"I guess I'm not quite used to having full angelic abilities yet," Harry muttered, laying his head sideways and looking at Katie, who was sitting to his right on another bed. He gave her a wan smile, which she reciprocated with a small blush.

"These wings... they're extraordinary. They seem to have melded to your muscles flawlessly, as if you've had them for years. The muscles are all well maintained. In fact... all of your muscles are well maintained. You seem to have had a major growth spurt in the last few hours."

"I kind of did. Glad I don't have muscular atrophy or something," Harry said, closing his eyes for a second. Angelina and Alicia sat on either side of Katie and were about to start questioning Harry when the doors to the infirmary opened and Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, Oliver, Harry's dorm mates, and professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Lupin all stepped in.

"Harry!" Hermione was the first to react, running to his limp form and hugging him for all he was worth. "You scared the living daylights out of me!"

Harry smiled and said, "I'm sorry, Mione, but there wasn't much I could do against Dementors before my transformation. I'd totally hug you back, but I sort of don't have any energy left to move a muscle."

Hermione blushed and moved back, sitting next to the Gryffindor Chasers.

"You gave us quite a fright there, mate," Ron said, standing on the other side of Harry's bed.

"Yeah, we thought you'd-"

"Died on us there, Harry. You probably-"

"Shouldn't do that again." Fred and George said.

"Like Katie said, Harry," Oliver said, "Your Seeker skills are present even when you're unconscious. We were losing the match, but your capture of the snitch catapulted us to the top of the championship."

"Thanks, guys. I'll try not to have any more near death experiences... although, trouble usually likes to follow me around like a lost puppy. "

Most people chuckled at this, while Hermione and Ron muttered 'Damn right' almost simultaneously.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Well, barring the whole 'no energy left to move a muscle with the exception of my brain' dilemma, fine and dandy, professor," Harry said cheekily.

Everyone, even the teachers, had to chuckle at his response.

"Harry," Professor Lupin said, "That was the most powerful Patronus Charm I have ever seen. Where did you learn how to perform it?"

"I must admit, I am rather curious about that as well," Dumbledore said.

"Well, it came with my new job, I suppose," Harry responded.

"What new job would this be?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes curious like a young child's.

"Like I told Madam Pomfrey, I have become something similar to an archangel," Harry responded seriously.

Everyone around his bed reacted with differing levels of shock and scepticism, so Harry asked one of the professors to erect a barrier to block all outgoing sound, which Professor McGonagall thoughtfully provided. With that in place, Harry was helped into a sitting position by Hermione and Ron, where he allowed his wings to stretch out so he wouldn't be too uncomfortable. He followed up by asking them all to swear a magical oath on their lives that they would not say any of what would be discussed inside the barrier to anyone. Some, like Dumbledore, McGonagall, Lupin, Katie, and Hermione took the oath instantly. The rest were a little wary of said oath, but eventually also took it, with Ron being the last one after a long glare from Hermione.

Finally, Harry described to them what had happened to him as he fell from his broom and towards the quidditch pitch. He explained to them about meeting the goddess, most of what she had explained to him, and his decision to serve her and become an archangel under her command. He explained that according to his new instinctual memories, his main goal was to find and destroy the six parts of Voldemort's soul that he had separated from his body before going after the final piece: Voldemort himself. Along the way, he was also tasked with stopping any evil he knew of, as a sort of side mission, per se.

After he had explained this, Harry looked directly at Dumbledore as everyone around him stared at him in shock and said, "Professor Dumbledore, when I mentioned the pieces of Voldemort's soul, I noticed a flash of recognition pass through your eyes, though you hid it well. Anything you'd like to share with us?"

Everyone looked at Harry with shock once again, but this time for a different reason.

Dumbledore sighed, having an internal debate for a moment. On one hand, he didn't want to tell Harry because he wanted him to enjoy his childhood a bit more, but on the other hand, the boy had already grown tremendously in the last few hours and withholding the information would only exacerbate any problems.

"Yes Harry, there is one thing. That which you told about is a rather dark branch of magic. The objects that his soul pieces are hidden in are called Horcruxes. Each is made right after the person using one commits the darkest of acts: the cold-blooded murder of another." Gasps followed his proclamation, while Harry merely narrowed his eyes.

"There's more, isn't there?" Harry said in a low voice.

Dumbledore was understandably surprised but nodded hesitantly and continued, "I believe I know what some of the Horcruxes may be, but have had no luck in locating any of them with the exception of one, which you handed to me after you had destroyed it, Harry."

Harry's eyes widened when he understood what Dumbledore was saying. "The diary?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Indeed. I believe that I have correctly guessed what the rest also are..."

"Then tell us!" Harry exclaimed at the man, "Voldemort *cue flinches from the gathered people except the professors* is gaining strength even as we speak, and if we don't stop him, then he'll murder countless innocents, something that I cannot stand for!" A stray thought passed through Harry's mind when he noticed and felt Dumbledore's hesitant attitude, which made his eyes soften in understanding. "You're afraid, aren't you, Professor?" The question left everyone gaping, none more so than Dumbledore himself. "You're afraid to share this knowledge. Possibly to avoid an information leak, but more likely because you have done things on your own for a while and don't like to depend on others. Am I right, Professor?"

"How...?" Dumbledore left the question in the air, too surprised to even finish it.

Harry sighed and let his head fall back, leaning it against the headboard of the hospital bed. "My transformation gave me more than just fluffy wings and a new charm. I'm still trying to fully understand it, but I believe I can sense certain emotions and feelings as well. Such as the darkness that came from the Dementors on the quidditch pitch or..." Harry glanced at the four girls that were sitting to his right, but continued, "... Anyways, I could sense several conflicting emotions inside of you, Professor. Please, help us understand. You don't have to do things alone any longer. You have plenty of friends that are willing to help you with whatever you need. Furthermore, to beat Voldemort, we must work together."

By this point, Dumbledore's eyes were moist with unshed tears. The man took off his half-moon glasses and wiped them away with a smile. "You are correct, Harry, and I can't tell you how proud I feel at how you've grown." The man got serious again, the twinkle in his eye gone for now. "Listen up, then. I have looked through several memories of Voldemort's time as a child, teen, and adult, most of them my own, as I have had quite a bit of interaction with him. The way I have seen him act tells me that Tom was not a man that would store his soul into any random object. He was vain, and thus he would believe that his precious soul should reside in a place of importance. He was also quite taken with the castle and its founders during his time here in Hogwarts. Combining these facts suggests that he would use something related to the founders, perhaps even their personal items if he could get his hands on them. In terms of Gryffindor, the only known relic of Godric Gryffindor is his sword, which Harry gave to me last year and which has been sitting in my office all this time. I have checked it time and again, and I have not discovered any piece of Voldemort's soul. Through the memory of one Bob Ogden, I believe another Horcrux would be the locket of Slytherin, which had been in his family for a long time." He conjured an image of what the locket looked like, which everyone memorized to the best of their ability. "One other item I believe could be a Horcrux is the Gaunt Family ring, which I also saw Bob Ogden's memory. Unfortunately, I have not managed to locate any of these, and the other two Horcruxes remain a mystery as of now." Everyone nodded at the information, but were surprised when Dumbledore's eyes were filled with sadness. "However, I believe I have located one Horcrux, one that Tom did not intend to make."

"Well, what is it?" Hermione asked impatiently.

"Not what, but who," was Dumbledore's cryptic reply.

"You can make these Horcrux thingies from living people?" Ron asked.

"Yes. One can make a Horcrux out of almost anything, but it is not advisable to make one out of living creatures because if the creature dies, the soul dies as well," Dumbledore explained.

Harry's eyes widened as he finally understood Dumbledore's implications, and his whisper shocked everyone as well.

"Me."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, Harry, you. On the night of his attack on your home, the rebounded Killing Curse destroyed his body, but his soul remained. The murder of your parents had already shattered his soul, and one piece of it broke off and attached to the only living thing that remained in the house. Namely, you."

Harry was so shocked at the moment that he hardly registered when Hermione and Katie both hugged him tightly, quickly followed by Angelina and Alicia, all four of them crying. The twins and Ron looked sick, while Oliver was silent and somber. Professors Lupin and McGonagall were staring at Dumbledore in shock and sadness.

The mood remained so until a soft voice broke the silence. "Oh, pish posh, did you really think I'd let one of my most promising angels go around with that piece of darkness in his head?"

Everyone's head turned immediately towards the cot on Harry's right, where a barefoot black-and-blonde haired woman with teal eyes was sitting with her arms and legs crossed, looking at the group in amusement.

"V-Veronica?" Harry sputtered.

"Who else, Harry, my dear?" the now named goddess Veronica replied.

"B-but you told me you couldn't come to the mortal realm or something, hence me being an angel!"

"Yes, I did say that, but you see, the thing is..." Here, Veronica adopted a sheepish expression and rubbed the back of her head, "I sort of forgot to explain to you certain things I did to you make your job here slightly easier."

Everyone stared at the goddess with varying amounts of disbelief.

"What?! I know I'm a goddess but I'm not overly superhuman!" Veronica cried indignantly.

"So, how are you here now, then?" Harry asked with a massive, invisible sweatdrop hanging from the side of his head.

"Oh, I told the other gods of the problem after some berating, I was given the go-ahead and arrived just in time to hear Albus here call you a Horcrux, which I very happily denied, as you saw," Veronica explained with a smile.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold the horses," Hermione exclaimed, "You're the goddess that Harry met and who gave him his angelic powers?"

"Why, yes, I am, young lady," Veronica replied.

"I... don't believe that," Hermione said stubbornly, "Prove it."

Veronica cocked her head to the side, not seeming at all offended by the question, instead saying, "Yes, I suppose by the standards that religions hold in your world and your studious nature that it would be difficult to accept the presence and work of a deity, but trust me, I am heavenly enough to know that keeping your silence on your feelings is only going to hurt him more in the long run, Hermione Jane Granger." As Hermione froze in shock, Veronica looked at the three Gryffindor Chasers and said, "The same applies to you three, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Katie Bell."

The four girls stared at the deity in complete shock while the males, with the exception of Dumbledore, looked on in confusion. McGonagall and Pomfrey were looking at the girls with a similar expectant look that Veronica was giving them, while Dumbledore chose to merely smile in understanding.

The silence was broken as all four girls said simultaneously, "You know?!"

Veronica chuckled and said, "I know that and much more!" She winked at the girls, who all blushed strongly as they understood what she meant.

"Alright, I believe you," Hermione said, "I've told that to no one, not even my parents. If you know, you're either a stalker or a deity."

"Same with us," the chasers said simultaneously, making Harry wonder if they weren't fraternal triplets.

"You know who we are?" Oliver asked.

"Oh yes, I know all of you," Veronica said happily, pointing out each person. "Ron Weasley, Fred and George Weasley, Oliver Wood, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore *this she said in a sing-song voice* Minerva McGonagall, and Poppy Pomfrey!"

Everyone looked at the woman with some modicum of surprise, but none more so than the twins, who immediately said, "She can-"

"-tell us apart! She really-"

"-is a goddess!"

Veronica laughed at the twins' speak. "Oh, I've always loved that for some reason!"

Fred and George laughed along with her.

"Now, listen up, Harry," Veronica started, getting serious. "I have done several things to your body to ease your job as an angel. First and foremost, I have altered your body so that you're at the peak condition for your age, as you no doubt noticed. Secondly, I have given you the ability to sense emotions. This ability is like any other, which you need to train in order to improve. At the moment, you can sense basic emotions like happiness, love, and fear, but also positivity and negativity in thoughts, such as the pure darkness you felt from the Dementors. And finally, I also slightly increased your mental capacity, adding some spells that you'll find useful once you train in them, such as the Patronus Charm you performed earlier, and increasing your general knowledge and skills, which I think you'll need. Every other ability I give you from here on out will also come with 'instructions', per se, in the form of memories, but you will have to train in them as I cannot award you physical experience."

Everyone stared at the goddess in palpable shock, with the exception of Harry, who was merely looking pensive.

"Alright, that was all I needed to explain, Harry, so I shall be going now," Veronica said with a wave.

Before she could leave, however, Hermione cried, "Wait!"

"What is it?" Veronica asked with her head cocked sideways.

"What am I supposed to do?" Hermione asked.

"Whatever your heart tells you," Veronica replied with a smile. "I will tell you this, however: He needs as much love as he can get, especially considering his status, and I know that he also has an almost unlimited amount of love to give if he is only given the chance."

With that, Veronica gave a wave of her hand and simply blinked out of existence.

"Well," began Harry, "That was interesting."

"Oi, Herms, what was she talking about?" Ron asked loudly.

Hermione growled at him and said, "First, I've told you to never call me Herms, and second, none of your business."

Ron turned red and was about to open his mouth when Harry looked at him and said, "Ron, drop it."

Ron and the twins looked at Harry with surprise. He hardly ever got in between a spat between Ron and Hermione.

"What Veronica talked about with her is hers alone. Neither you nor I nor anyone else has the right to know unless she wants to say it. So drop it."

Ron gave Harry a sceptic glance but relented and sat on the bed where Veronica had been sitting moments ago.

Harry felt a kiss on his cheek and, when he turned, saw Hermione leaning close to him with a small blush on her face and a wide smile.

"Thank you, Harry," she said fondly.

"No problem," Harry replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his head, "I realize that I usually let Ron push you around, something he should really grow out of." Everyone laughed as Ron sputtered incoherently before pouting and looking away with his arms crossed.

"Well, I think that's enough excitement for today," Dumbledore said with a clap of his hands. "What say we step out and let the sporting young man sleep? I daresay he has earned the right."

"If it's alright with you, Harry," Hermione said meekly, "I'd like to stay a bit longer."

Harry smiled and said, "Sure, I'd love that. Just don't take it personally if I knock out suddenly. I'm not fully sure what's keeping me awake but it might leave at any moment."

With a few goodbyes, most of the group left, the twins dragging Ron away and ignoring his protests. The last ones to leave were the chasers, who all grouped around Harry and gave him a group hug that sent his head into each of their cleavages, making him blush hotly when he realized that they were doing it on purpose if their Cheshire cat grins were anything to go by.

"Bye, Harry. Hope you recover soon," Katie said in a sultry voice, blowing him a kiss.

"Yeah, it would be a shame if you were stuck here for a long time," Alicia followed up in a similar tone of voice, winking at the increasingly reddening young man.

"Perhaps Madam Pomfrey would be willing to release you into our care soon," Angelina finished, completing the ensemble by running her hands up her thighs, past her stomach, over her breasts (slowly, mind you) and finally ending on her neck, her elbows pushing her breasts together.

They were having a load of fun teasing Harry, but weren't prepared when all the redness suddenly drained from Harry's face when he sighed in content. Harry, for his part, had just processed some experience he had never remembered having, and put it off to Veronica messing with his brain. With that in mind, he opened his eyes up to about three quarters, lifted one eyebrow, and gave the girls a lopsided, sultry smile that left their faces red and their knees wobbly. In his best deep voice, he said, "Oh, you can bet I wouldn't mind that. However, the question isn't how long I'll stay here but..." He slowly and sensually took his glasses off gave the girls a slow wink. "... If you can handle the new me at full strength once I get out."

The girls were left in stuttering messes, not having expected this left curve. Angelina was the first to recover and she reacted by grabbing Hermione's hand, saying something about girl talk, and proceeding to drag the other three girls out of the infirmary, leaving a laughing Harry in their wake.

The four girls stood outside the Hospital Wing, three of them breathing heavily while the fourth was stuck between being confused and annoyed at their previous antics.

"Oh Merlin..." Katie was the first to speak, "I don't know where this side of Harry came from, but that sexiness was almost overwhelming."

"He's certainly grown," Alicia responded, "In more than one way. The previous Harry would never have responded like that."

"Oi!" Hermione exclaimed, bringing the attention to her, "What was that all about?"

Angelina laughed lightly and said, "Oh, my, is someone jealous?"

Hermione blushed but vehemently shook her head.

"Don't try to lie, Hermione, it's unbecoming of you," Alicia said with a smirk. "Besides, taking into consideration what the goddess Veronica said, I have a feeling you are quite jealous."

Hermione groaned and threw her hands in the air. "Okay, yes, I am! I'm very bloody jealous that you can get a reaction like that out of him and I can't!"

The three other girls laughed and Katie asked, "Have you ever tried?"

Hermione drew short there and thought about it before realizing she hadn't actually teased Harry in such a manner.

"The reason why we can get Harry to react like that is because we've been teasing him since he first came into the team as a cute little boy," Alicia explained with a fond smile.

"You have to admit that he's gotten much better at resisting," Angelina commented.

"Well, right up until we drown him in our breasts," Katie laughed, causing the other two to laugh as well.

"Alright, enough of that," Hermione said, wanting to get rid of the mental image of a cute first-year Harry being surrounded by the chasers' breasts, "Now why did you drag me out here?"

"Oh, we wanted to talk to you about Harry," Katie said, getting serious.

"What about him?"

"Well, you see, around the start of this year, the three of us noticed that Harry was growing up quite well. He'd grown enough to match us in height, and had also matured quite a bit," Angelina explained.

"So," Alicia continued, "We decided to have a sort-of bet between us: that if one of us ever became Harry's girlfriend..."

"After some time, we could decide if we wanted to share him with the other girls," Katie finished with a flourish towards Angelina and Alicia.

Hermione found herself speechless at this. These three were actually willing to share Harry between the three of them?

"But..." Hermione sputtered, "Pardon me if I sound a bit childish, but I thought relationships entailed one man and one woman."

"Not necessarily, Hermione," Angelina said, raising a finger. "Relationships are never truly defined. It's merely assumed that it should only entail one man and one woman, but if two women wish to share the same man, who's to say they can't? Sure, it may be looked down upon by some people, but if their happiness depends on the approval of others, that's not a very happy relationship at all."

"Plus, we've been friends for a long time, even before we came to Hogwarts, since our parents are friends as well," Alicia explained. "We've grown together, laughed together, cried together, and even... experimented together." Hermione blushed at the thought. "So when we realised that we'd all developed crushes on the same guy, we found it would be terrible to break up a friendship over one guy."

"However, we were also more infatuated with him that we first thought, as we came to realise several nights ago," Katie followed up, "so we made the bet. We'd leave it in the hands of whoever Harry chose, and let them decide if they want to share Harry."

"Furthermore, well..." Here, a sombre mood overcame Angelina as she said, "We... tried to visit him once during the summer... Katie's parents work in the Ministry, so it wasn't too hard to get a hold of his address. But when we got there... we came to a horrible sight. Harry was being yelled at by his uncle, for what reason we couldn't fathom. Harry was simply standing there, not saying anything, simply looking defeated. And then, that fat bastard punched Harry, first in the stomach, then the face. He was just beating him up mercilessly, all the while yelling at him. I'm ashamed to say that we were simply rooted to the spot, not doing anything. We also saw his aunt and cousin, looking on in what seemed to be... glee. It was absolutely sickening. And when the bastard finally stopped and Harry came back into view, we couldn't stop crying. His entire face was bloodied and bruised, and he was practically coughing up blood. We were surprised his glasses had somehow stayed intact. And then... that man had the gall to tell Harry that he'd be doing a list of chores that would put any parents' to shame. And when we thought that this would be how he had grown up... Merlin, we just couldn't take it... But we ran... like cowards, we ran away when Harry needed us..."

By the end of the tale, all four girls were crying: the chasers at the terrible memory, and Hermione at the thought of anyone treating Harry with such brutality.

"Because of that, we promised ourselves that we would give Harry as much love as we could possibly give. We'd always be there for him. And that's a promise we shall never break!"

Hermione smiled tearfully at the girls, glad at their thoughtfulness and unshakeable devotion to Harry.

"Then I'll join in on the bet," Hermione decided.

"Huh?" The other three girls said in simultaneous disbelief.

"That's what you brought me out here for, wasn't it? Well, I accept. If Harry somehow sees me as good enough to be with him, I'll ask him after some time if he'd consider you three as well. Although, I will leave the decision to him."

"Wow... is it bad that I'd honestly thought we'd have to haggle with you for a while before you'd even think of accepting?" Katie asked, wiping the tear tracks away.

"Oh, come on, I'm not that bad... am I?" Hermione said.

The chasers giggled at her half question, and Angelina decided to allay her fears. "As for you somehow not being good enough for Harry, don't even think about that. We're the ones who would have to ask that, as you've been with him through thick and thin. I know for a fact he sees you as a girl and, more importantly, a rather attractive girl."

Hermione was taken aback by this statement. "He does?"

The three girls nodded with smiles on their faces. "Did you know that Harry talks to himself in the shower?" Katie asked.

"N-no, I didn't," Hermione stammered.

"Well, he does. Last year, we were about to leave the locker room after a practice section when we heard him," Alicia commented. "He said so many things. Things we would've never guessed."

"Did you know he has night terrors frequently?" Katie asked, sadness palpable in her voice.

"No... I didn't..." Hermione muttered, "Ron hasn't said anything about that, and Harry even less."

"He was talking to himself about the one he's had the most ever since he came to Hogwarts..."

Katie trailed off here, so Hermione urged her on.

"What is it?"

"It's... Well, it's about you. Apparently, he's always had nightmares about... losing you."

"Losing me? As in, me being killed?" Hermione asked in a choked voice.

"Yes, but not just that. He's also quite a bit about you turning your back on him," Angelina said solemnly, "He's dreamt about that a lot. It's his most frequent nightmare. It's always a different way, and the way he said it, it always left him crying when he woke up. But he never said a word, instead choosing to be quietly but very much relieved when he saw you the next day. We actually kept an eye on him the day after the training session, and when he came down for breakfast, I could see he was seriously tense. But then, as soon as you walked into the Great Hall and he saw you, all of that tension left him, and I could've sworn I saw the happiest smile I'd ever seen on his face appear, if only for a moment."

"Wow..." Hermione uttered. "But... why hasn't he told me? I would have helped him if he had."

"I think he had already started seeing you in a romantic light by that point in time, Hermione," Alicia said seriously, "But you have to remember that Harry has grown up with next to no love in his life. Love only appeared when he came to Hogwarts, and he always had to go back to that place after the term ended. I surmise that he has a lot of self-esteem issues that he tries to play off. He actually said in the shower that he wondered if you'd ever see him like that."

"Of course I do! Harry's a wonderful guy! He's loyal, nice, strong... everything about him is endearing! How could I not see him like that?" Hermione responded heatedly.

Katie laid a hand on her shoulder and asked, "But does he know that?"

Hermione shut herself up at the question and looked down in shame.

"You three aren't the only cowards," the bushy-haired Gryffindor said quietly.

"Perhaps not," Angelina said, "But now is not the time to look at the past. Now it's time to look at the future and prepare for it."

The other three girls nodded resolutely and Hermione said, "I better go back inside. Harry will probably think I left without telling him."

"Alright then. Remember the bet, Hermione," Katie said, already walking away.

"We'll let you know if anything new comes up," Alicia continued and, with that, the three girls left.

Steeling her resolve, Hermione pushed open the infirmary doors and walked inside, catching sight of Harry once again on his stomach and with his face in the pillow. When she retook her seat on the left side of his cot, he picked his head up and looked at her, then smiled. "Hey."

"Hey, Harry," Hermione said with a soft smile.

Harry let his head fall onto the pillow again, then said with a grin, "That's the longest girl talk I ever remember you having."

Hermione blushed and muttered, "Prat," while half-heartedly punching him on the shoulder. Harry laughed and simply continued to look at her with a smile, one that she reciprocated. Her attention was diverted when Harry's right wing came close to her and tickled her neck, making her laugh and push it away.

"Harry, stop it!" Hermione squealed.

Instead, however, Harry stretched his wing as far as it could go, wrapped it around Hermione's shoulders and back, and, with surprising strength, pull her towards him. With a yelp, the girl landed directly into Harry's open arms, whereupon Harry closed his arms and began tickling her mercilessly.

"No! HAHAHA HARRY! HAHA STOP, PLEASE!" Hermione exclaimed while laughing like a maniac.

After some second of fun, Harry relented and stopped tickling her, though he didn't release her. And Hermione didn't mind at all. On the contrary, she wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his chest, drawing a chuckle from Harry, who wrapped his wings around her.

"When the heck did you get your strength back?" Hermione asked softly.

"About a minute ago, actually. Not sure what happened; my muscles simply said, 'Hey, we're up!'" Both of them laughed for a short while, then went back to comfortable silence. "So, what was that all about, if you're willing to share?" Harry asked a moment later, looking down at Hermione's content face. "I could sense a lot of emotions, from happiness to sadness to... something else I couldn't quite place."

"Oh, well..." Hermione thought about it for a long time and decided to hold back the information on the bet, but picked up her Gryffindor courage to ask him, "Why did you never tell me you had night terrors?"

Harry's eyes widened momentarily before he closed them and sighed. "I... didn't want to bother you. I felt like it was something I could handle on my own, and I can."

"Yes, but when it involves me, I'd like to know," Hermione said, surprising him once again before he sighed... again.

"Let me guess, the girls heard me during my shower after quidditch practice last year?" Harry asked, drawing a nod from Hermione. "I thought so."

Hermione smiled softly and brought her hands up to cup Harry's cheeks, making him look at her. "Harry, you don't ever have to worry about me dying, much less ever turning my back on you. I've stood with you for this long and that won't change anytime soon. I will always be next to you, that I can promise."

Harry's eyes filled with some tears, and he rubbed his eyes before tightening his winged hug on Hermione. "Thank you, Mione. Thank you so much. I promise you the same. I'll always be close to you, whether it's to be a study partner or a shoulder to cry on."

Hermione mustered up the courage to ask, "And as a... life partner?"

Harry looked at her with confusion, not understanding the meaning of her question, so, using her slight grip on his cheeks and bringing up the last of her courage, she leaned up and softly kissed his lips.

Harry's eyes widened at the sensation before he closed them and enjoyed the moment, pulling Hermione up slightly so their faces were even. With experience neither knew they had, they snogged for some time before they had to come up for air. It was at this point that they realised that Hermione was currently straddling him, a position that brought blushes to both of their faces.

"What I mean, Harry," Hermione asked, a little breathlessly, "is if you'd ever consider me as your girlfriend as well."

Harry stared at the bushy-haired girl, surprise clearly etched on his face. He stayed quiet for so long that Hermione was worried he'd refuse, but moments later he softly grabbed her cheeks surprised her by initiating a kiss, one into which she melded happily.

Once the kiss was broken moments later, Harry smiled at her and said, "I would be the happiest man alive to have you as my girlfriend, Hermione Granger."

Hermione grinned at him and, to his utter surprise, squealed and burrowed her head into his neck like a cat, which drew a chuckle out of him.

"It seems like your cat traits aren't fully gone, eh Hermione?" He asked cheekily.

Hermione sighed and responded with, "Let me have my fun, mister. I dreamed of this for some nights and it was better than I hoped."

Harry simply smiled and drew her closer to him, closing his wings over them like a protective blanket, which brought them warmth. With this position achieved, both Gryffindors eventually fell into a deep slumber, each one having a large grin before bed for once in their Hogwarts life, as the cold rain outside slowly came to a halt and left a glowing sun in its wake.