Chapter 1: Prologue

Crack

Harry James Potter appeared in the middle of a crowded boulevard after he had narrowed down the exact location of his quarry.

There was a round of surprised gasps and screams from the muggles the instant he appeared in their midst, but he paid them no mind and immediately leaped into action.

With his wand in hand, he barrelled right through the shock bystanders, pushing them away from him; blazing emerald eyes focused on the greasy mop of hair, whom he identified as his target.

"Get out of the way!" Harry shouted at the people as he gave chase, "I SAID MOVE!"

Sprinting and leaping past people, who had fallen down on the ground after he had inadvertently shoved them away. Harry felt mildly guilty at his actions, though it was nothing compared to the riot of worry churning in his stomach.

There are too many people around here. The body count will be numerous if that bastard throws that vial.

Harry weaved this way and that, trying to wade through the bustle of human bodies. Some people cursed and hollered at him. Yet he ignored them all, still continuing to yell, "MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!"

When people heard his yells and saw him dashing towards them, the sea of daily grinders and tourist alike, cleared a path for him. Their eyes wide in either curiosity, confusion and alarm when Harry darted through them.

However, Harry's eyes were only glued upon the tall figure, who tried to blend into the crowd, but ultimately failed to do so.

Derek Lovatt, of course, couldn't completely shake him off.

Harry had the wizard tagged earlier right before the potion brewer had broken through his leg-locking charm, and then apparated away. The locator spell had afterwards led Harry to this location; a crowded sidewalk, in broad daylight, and teeming with so many muggle-witnesses around.

It was a catastrophe bound to happen, especially when Lovatt was carrying that volatile potion that the dark wizard had taken from the Malfoy's Brewery; a new explosive concoction that the prestigious family had kept under wraps until someone had tipped the Aurors off.

Harry, and others from the Auror Division, had swept into the place and raided the cellars where they had made the explosives; tearing off wards and blasting through doors to enter the premise as they did so.

They had detained most of the men, except for the Potioneer, who was now making a run for it, and who was stupid enough to try and cross the busy street.

Fuck! Harry thought, stepping out of the curb and right into the middle of the road to follow the foolish wizard.

BEEP! BEEP!

A car sharply swerved away from him, honking loudly as Harry cut through the main street.

"HEY WATCH IT!" He saw a taxi driver call out at Lovatt, when the man was nearly ran over by the taxi cab.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Other vehicle owners started blowing their horns angrily. Despite the danger of being hit by a car, Harry didn't take his eyes off the fugitive, who was clumsily maneuvering around the moving vehicles.

Some cars veered into the sidewalk but most slammed into each other from behind or on the sides.

People began shouting and screaming in panic.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!"

"OH MY GOD!"

"He's almost run over by the car!"

It was becoming a huge pile up while more and more muggles in the area were drawn to the commotion. The chase was getting dangerous. If one of those cars would hit Lovatt, and accidentally have that potion dropped into the ground, it would be the end of it.

Everything within three blocks from there would be engulfed in flames and the scale of human casualty would be insurmountable.

Harry must stop him before it would happen. So, Harry ran. His heart hammering fast against his rib cage while adrenaline thundered in his veins.

The sound of wheels squealing against the asphalt could be heard along with the shouts of fear and confusion from the civilians. It added to the cacophony of noises in the area.

He smelled burnt rubber as he jumped over the hood of an unmoving car. It had been careening in his direction before it had come to a screeching stop in front of him. A tendril of white smoke emitting from the wheels as he leaped.

"YOU IMBECILE!" Harry heard the SUV driver yelling at him while Harry ran on top of his car. The car bobbing up and down as he bounded over, his steps thudding on the metallic hood of the red SUV.

THUMP- THUMP- THUMP- THUMP-THUMP

His foot hit the ground a moment later. He immediately rolled out of the way when another car suddenly appeared to his left. Regardless, the black sedan bumped him hard, but not enough to send him crashing to the ground.

Harry staggered for a bit at the impact, losing a few precious seconds as he tried to regain his footing.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU MAN?!" the owner of the car shouted after rolling his tinted window down. "GET THE FUCK OF THE ROAD!"

Once again, Harry ignored the muggle and broke into a sprint.

Considering the danger of what the potion could do the civilians within the vicinity, Harry was now tempted to simply apparate and stun Lovatt.

The Statue of Secrecy be damned.

There were already half a dozen muggles who had witnessed him apparating on sight. Surely the Ministry would understand if he use magic in front of these people? After all, the Obliviators could always alter the memories of the eye-witnesses present.

Still, if Harry did apparate and tried to stun Lovatt, the man might dropped the potion purposely and kill everyone and destroy everything within three blocks from there.

Lovatt had chosen this location for a reason.

Harry must act fast. There was no other choice but engage the fugitive directly.

Spotting the only man wearing a tattered robe, he concentrated on the place just ahead and hastily apparated.

CRACK

Harry popped back in, just between two cars, which was already in standstill due to the ongoing pile-up.

Lovatt was just six paces away when Harry appeared.

He saw the man's scrawny hand twitched around the potion tightly. Lovatt raised his hand up a scant inches, and was about to throw it down when Harry made his move.

At well past thirty, Harry Potter was at his prime. Leanly muscled from the years of chasing Dark Wizards and the last stragglers from the last war, Harry reacted without a second thought.

"Accio Potion!" he thought, and the potion instantly came sailing towards him.

Its contents a swirling purple pool within the small vial. The sight of it made Harry felt frightened at the possibility that it might explode from the abrupt movement.

What Harry did not expect, however, was for Lovatt to cast a Reducto curse at the potion while it was still flying.

"Reducto!"

Shit! Harry thought in alarm. His wand already flicking for a shield charm, when the door of the car beside him suddenly opened. The door slammed into him, Harry's shield charm disintegrated.

"What in -!" he heard the muggle say.

However, with lightning-fast speed, Harry's hand moved to cast one final spell that came to his mind, "Stupefy!"

A red light shot from his wand and towards Lovatt. He wasn't able to see what happened next as the vial reached his hand.

But the Reducto curse was not too far behind.

The curse hit him squarely in the chest, blasting him away. Fiery pain radiated from the new wound. He could almost feel his skin blister, the scent of burnt flesh and cloth hit his nostril a second later. Involuntarily, his grip on the vial tightened. He felt it crack from the pressure. Its contents swirled and shook, and then it began to glow within his hand.

Bright, purple light emitted from between his fingers, while he could feel the small, spiderweb crack of the vial begin to widen. The light from the vial bathed his entire hand in a violet hue and made his veins visible.

At once, Harry knew that the vial was about to explode. His heart stuttered at the thought.

Harry didn't hesitate.

Within half a second, he made a decision that would save many lives.

I'm sorry, Ginny….was Harry's last thought as he gripped the vial and apparated away from there, away from the muggle area teeming with so many innocent lives, and appeared into a deserted location where the superheated vial instantly detonated.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOMM!

It seemed that not too long ago, when he, Hermione and Ron had set a camp there, after leaping from the back of the dragon during the War.

Now, the explosion engulfed the entire area, incinerating everything in its path… along with the Boy-Who-Lived, who failed to escape in time.

...

There was the blinding light at first. Afterwards, he could only feel the all-consuming heat, the flare of pain, and then…. nothing.

In the darkness, he floated….Dead to the world, until a sense of awareness trickled into him.

He heard someone speaking to him, with a voice so cold like the winter, and deep like the dark abyss that kept him.

"As the one to have successfully joined the three hollows…and the one who had destroyed the wand that holds the power to control me. I will give you one chance at life. One chance to live in another World...Now, be reborn… Harry Potter."

He heard the voice said, before he was engulfed in a warm, white light.