A response to Leicontis' Someone to stop you challenge

Summary: - Harry was in love. His love interest (abbreviated LI from here on) is whoever he's paired with.

- LI was killed by Death Eaters.

- After LI's death, Harry went dark in a big way. He replaced the kid gloves with spiked gauntlets.

- At some point, he realizes just how much of a monster he's become, and that he needs LI as an anchor, to be the Jiminy Cricket to his homicidal Pinocchio.

- In an act of desperation, he [insert method here] to send his soul/mind/whatever back to his younger self, in order to save and be reunited with LI.

- Pairing for Harry (i.e. the "LI" above) can be just about anybody, but it has to make sense, both in terms of their relationship, and in terms of fitting as an external conscience for Harry. Hermione's steady moral compass and Luna's gentle nature make them the two I'd call best suited to the role, but if you feel another works without taking them far OOC, that's fine.

No incest or otherwise inappropriate ships (like teacher/student or pairing an adult with a much younger child).

While I have no objections to slash pairings (for Harry or anyone else), slash is not something I personally enjoy, so I'd prefer het for at least the main pairing.

Other details:

- No SI's or OC's in central/major roles unless said role is required and there is no canon character to fill it (such as Barchoke in Harry Crow).

- Please no pairing Hermione with Ron or Draco without the boy in question undergoing some major character growth.

Silence. In the silence of the room it gave the sole occupant a sense of emptiness as he looked upon the dead bodies that filled the corners floor to ceiling. On one side he had his enemeies, those who opposed him always; the unrepetentant schemers and manipulators, remnants of Dumbledores idiocy. Oh how he had detested them so. "Give them second chances you said! They can be redeemed you said!" There was a snarl on his lips as his hands clutched the weapons in his grasp, one hand clasping the elder wand he murdered the old fool Dumbledore for and the other holding a short sword dripping blood from the central fuller. "You were fucking fools!"

Anger filled eyes swept to another corner and his rage continued to build. Before him were the corpses of Voldemorts Death Eaters, what was left of them to be more precise. Some bodies were more complete than others but the visible theme was uncontrolled torture and mutilations leading to the terrorists bleeding out. "And you lot! You..." the mans form trembled with fury. "You killed her. Took her, took them from me!" A controlled burst of fiendfyre was launched towards the corpses. The crackling of flesh and the smell of burning corpses filled the air as his eyes closed for a moment as he took a deep breath, his grip slacking on the sword to the point it fell to the ground.

Another turn and his eyes opening once more met a sadder sight as he saw his friends, his real friends, as dead as the others in the room though they were laid out with respect. Men and women who swore bonds of unwavering friendship, brothers and sisters in arms- dead but apearing at peace. Weak sluggish steps were taken as he looked over their faces one last time before incindiary charms were cast. While they were not proper funeral pyres he would honor the request that they had all made upon first swearing loyalty to him and his vengance. '

If we fall brother, give us a proper send off. Thats all we could ever ask of you, that and the same love loyalty & honor we give you.' The flash of memory came to his ears and he had to shake it off.

'This isn't goodbye brothers, sisters."He wiped at his face to clear blood from his eyesight. "We will see each other again. I promise you that. But it won't in this lifetime. Not this outcome anyway." A final turn had him facing the center of the room where a floor to ceiling crystal resides. Dressed in a snow white dress in the heart of the crystal was the body of a young woman. With fine blonde hair like spun gold and creamy skin it was impossible to call her anything but beautiful. "Things weren't supposed to end the way they had my lunar rose."

For a moment the mans eyes were almost misty with sorrow and heartache as he placed a hand on the crystal. "We were supposed to see old and grey. Kids of our own, generations of grandkids to spoil." He swallowed once pressing his forehead to the crystsl closing his eyes once more. "But they killed you. Stole you away from me. The love of my life, queen of my kingdom. My light..." The man allowed a singular tear to fall as the strength failed in his legs. "But I avenged you my love. Everyone who had a hand in it is dead. On both sides."

"Master Potter..."

The man raised his wand without looking and a piercing hex silenced the person. The gurgling told him his spell hit true and the person who dared to intrude would now contribute their blood to the ritual circle. "Sometimes I wonder what you would think of me, of what I 've done and become.." His eyes opened and the sorrow grew. "Would you fear me love? Hate me for what I have done in the name of avenging your honor and stolen life? What would our daughter think of me? Would she think her daddy is a monster..."

A pop sounded followed by softly spoken words that made the man freeze up. If that was true he had minutes to complete the ritual and not a moment more. "Your service and loyalty all these years Dobby, I cannot thank you enough."

The elf smiled sadly at his master. Despite the darkness that tainted the heart of his master Dobby knew that the great man Harry Potter was was still in there. He had done many horrible things and this was true but it came after the tragedgy. After the mistress and the yet to be born young mistress were murdered by the hands of Malfoy. The darkness that claimed his masters heart that day terrified him to this day even decades later. "It was an honor and a privilege master" the elf said bowing his head slightly.

"This is where we part ways for now Dobby. If we did this all correctly my soul and yours will sent back to a time before this. Before I..."

"I know master. I miss them as well. The world has been a far darker place after they were stolen from us" Dobby said supportively. Pulling out a wand from his suit he pointed the business st his chest as the room began to glow an ominous dark grey-ish red, the blood magic and soul runes activating in full filling the air with magic.

Harry smiled sadly looking up his bleoveds body one last time and placed a kiss to the crystal structure, watching as it & she became little more than traces of glittering dust. "I'm coming back for you love. I won't let this come to pass. Not even if it kills me. If I can have you again I will be the happiest man alive but even if I can't... I'll settle for protecting you .My lunar rose, my queen... My Luna."

When the highest wave of magic in the room twin jets of green light hit both wizard and elf in the chest. Instead of killing them the two bodies began to disappear like ash on the wind. The last thing that anyone ever heard of the Dark Menace Harry James Potter-Black-Slytherin was two sentences tinged with what sounded like relief: "Its working.. Wait for me my love, I'm coming back."

The explosion that followed claimed the lives of his enemies invading the stronghold, a hundred lives lost to violent traps and the explosion itself that brough the stronghold down to the foundation. One hundred lives of Britains strongest and fiercest fighters, the so called Millenial Palladins, were brought to absolute stand still. With no trace of the Dark Menace or those dubbed his followers Britain would celebrate his death and fear his return. Even with its short comings the British magical population had learned from Harry Potter in his youth about the false hope of a monster being truly dead with the debacle that was Voldemort.

There would be time for those thoughts later though. They would need to collect their dead, bury rhem and try to find any trace of the monster who terrorized their great country.

The next time Harry James Potter opened his eyes he was in the middle of Diagon Alley. A suspicious look entered his gaze as he looked around himself.

"Harry come on! We need to get to Gringotts to grab out money to buy our supplies for schools!" Hermoine said with a huff and a bit of a keeening whine.

"What year Hermoine?" Harry asked stiffly. They were young so they couldn't be more than third year ag most. If that was the case he would be more than pleased with where he landed due to the ritual. While he had no way to be sure of where he would end up he knew given his calculations he would end up within the first four years of Hogwarts. Not only would he have to time to hopefully get his beloved back in his arms and burrow his way into her heart but also begin to get revenge on all those involved in the events lead him to become the blackest terror that Britain ever knew.

"Honestly Harry I think sometimes you pay attention less than Ronald does after the dinner feasts" Hermoine said with a shake of her head. "One would think you'd be more excited for our second year. I mean-"

A rather happy but cruel cackle escaped his mental lips. Second year, she would just be starting! He couldn't have lucked out anymore if he had prayed for it to happen that way! Before anything could he said or done Harry was gone in the blink of an eye, his body fading with the wind The alarmed cries of Hermoine, Ron and the rest of his brood didn't deter him in the least as a deranged giggle escapped his lips. So much to do and so little time! But it would be worth it to see her once more and by the grace of Morgana win Lunas heart for himself. "Heir Potter to see the Ancient and Noble House of Potter vault manager. As the last blood of my House I would ask to enact the Rites of The Last Son" he said presenting his trust vault key to the goblin he recognized.

"Heir Potter" Griphook said leaning forward with a bloodthristy grin "or should I call you the Dark Menace?"

Harry blinked at that. He and Dobby were the only ones supposed to be returned yet here was Griphook calling by the branded title the idiots who drank Dumbledores kool-aid had given him. "Salutations Griphook, Mother Magic is truly mysterious isn't she? Things went wrong and we are back to correct them. The logical start is claiming my titles and vaults. Though I did not count on you being ejected back as well, glad as I am I to see you my sub-terranean brother." He brought a closed fist to his chest just above his heart and bowed his head.

Some of the goblin tellers around Griphook raised eyebrows at the wizards display. While each teller window was fitted with privacy charms to keep customer information private they were not fitted to block views of other customers. For a human, a young one at that, to know how to properly address and show respect to their kind was rare.

"Mysteriois indeed Heir Potter. I would ask you explain to me your plans at a later date but for now" Griphook motioned to the gap between teller desks "I will lead to the House Potter vault manager." Leading the younger self of his once liege lord to the office was nostalgic in a way. "Answer me one question."

A careless gesture of Harrys hand erected a privacy ward around them. "I already know what you want to ask. Its not solely to do with her though she is a big part of it, the main reason really. Too much blood was needlessly shed, too many good lives lost...for nothing but pathetic ideals." The curling of his lip was more than enough to say just how precisely he felt about the topic at hand. "I don't want to repeat the future Griphook. We lost too many friends, too many brothers and sisters because imbecilic mudbloods traitors and muggleborns tore down the walls & laws that protected the magical realm from muggles" he spat with a sour look. "I'm not letting it happen again. Not to her, not to our allies and families. If I have to become a Dark Menace again to make it so then so be it."

Griphook seemed to be thoughtful for a moment before his head inclined respectfully. "Let me be the first then to offer my services to you my Lord. Too many were indeed lost needlessly, especially the Mistress and your unborn child, and if my blade can be of assistance then you need only say the word" the goblin said making the same motion towards Harry the young wizard made to him.

"Thank you old friend, your loyalty like Dobbys is invaluable." Harry shot Griphook a truly grateful smile before the pair entered the office of the Potter vault manager. It would be just two hours to do the Rites but as the door clicked shut a pulse of magic rocketed out from the bank.

Witches and wizards across the British Isles shivered a sense of malicious magic filled the aether & washed across them. Whoever or whatever was powerful enough to make such a feat possible was powerful to make such a feat appear to be childs play was something to give fearful respect.