Hey everyone. Me again. Well this was to be the last chapter, but then I wanted to add someone else and then I got some bright idea which was supported by my beta and it ends up changing the whole story. the title pretty much gives it away, but I hope yall will like it.
Umm…ok after re-reading it, my original plot has changed a lot. so all those who didn't want Harry to die…well read on before I say anything else and ruin the surprise. and now I have one more chapter and an epilogue in the works
Jen
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.
-----------
Family Reunions and Second Chances
Harry stood there looking down on the scene from his spot in heaven. This was it; this was the day his little girl was getting married.
He had watched the two most important women in his life grow and adapt to the world around them for almost twenty-four years now. Man, how the time had flown.
It seemed just like yesterday to him that he left to battle Voldemort. After making love with Hermione, he vowed to bring that bastard down so his loved ones wouldn't suffer anymore than they had already. What he didn't plan on was losing his life in the process.
He couldn't blame himself for it anymore; he knew what he was doing. After all he went into battle with his eyes wide open wanting only one result: Voldemort's death. He didn't expect to die as well.
He could still remember that day, not for the fighting, but for the vision he saw on the way to fight Voldemort. Hermione holding a baby, a baby girl. His baby girl. He knew then that this was it. The end of the modern Dark Ages. The end of Voldemort, for once and for all.
Things didn't go as planned. Just as Harry cast the Killing Curse, Voldemort cast a spell Harry had never heard of. One that didn't cause instant death, but caused death all the same. A much more painful death; one that shut down each internal organ one at a time. He could still sometimes feel the pain when he let his memories drift to that day.
"Don't think about that now, Harry. Today's the day your little girl is getting married," came a voice from behind him.
"Ah ha, so you can still read minds, eh, Albus? I always knew on some level you could, you always knew everything that happened at Hogwarts. So that is how."
"I always knew you were a bright young man, Harry. However we do have to discuss how Miss Lily came to be. I don't condone premarital relations, Mr. Potter, but I accepted it. And Lily is a bright young lady. Congratulations."
Harry chuckled. "Sir, I do believe you are about twenty-four years late on that. But thank you anyway. I am so proud of her. She's just like her mother. I couldn't have asked for anything better than that. But as for being bright, look around to where it got me. A lifetime of not being with Hermione, Lily, or any other children we might have had."
"Harry James Potter, don't you dare say that. You saved them. You saved the whole entire Wizarding World. That was the most selfless and wonderful thing a person can do for his family and friends." He knew that voice. He hadn't heard it since he was a little over one year old, but he knew that. It sang to him on more than one occasion when he couldn't get to sleep.
"Mum?" He had to turn to see the speaker. He wasn't disappointed.
"Yeah, it's me, Baby." She said as she enveloped him in a hug.
Lily Evans Potter looked just as vibrant and wonderful as she had in the pictures that Hagrid and Sirius had given him for in those brief seven years he was in the Wizarding World.
Her red hair wasn't a red like the Weasleys had, nor was it the near orange that plagued most redheads. Hers was an auburn color that hung in ringlets down her back. She was beautiful. Her skin was a creamy white and her eyes were exactly like the ones he saw in the mirror everyday of his life.
And next to her stood a man that could have been a replica of Harry himself if he had lived to see that age.
"Hello, Son. My, how you've grown."
"See, Prongs. I told you that he was a spitting image of you at that age. You didn't believe me, did you?" Harry just shook his head. Sirius. He knew that had to be him. "And believe it or not, Harry, Lily is more like you and your father than she is Hermione or your mother. I've seen it." Yep. It was.
"I knew it was you somehow, Sirius. I didn't want to, but I knew you would be up here too."
"Well, who did you think it was? The Easter Rabbit? Of course it is me! You can be such a dolt at times."
"But how? How come I never saw you guys before?"
Albus spoke up that this. "Well, I thought that it was time that you were brought into the circle here. And meet your parents. Of course you know Snuffles." He said the last with a bit of humor in his voice that received a growl of disapproval from Sirius.
"Padfoot, behave." Lily scolded. "How would you feel if I hissed at you? I know you don't like cats, so don't make me change."
"O-kay, Lily." Who would have ever thought Sirius could be reprimanded by anyone.
"Oh, my dear sweet Merlin. Today has been a trip. First my little girl is getting married, now I get to meet my parents, and I get to see Sirius afraid of my mother. I can't believe it."
"Believe it Harry. It's real. And this time we are not leaving. We promise." If Harry didn't know that the man speaking was his father. He would have seriously thought that he was in a twilight zone, seeing himself a few years older.
"There is just one thing I wish, though. I wish that I didn't go rushing to get Voldemort. I should have resisted and then when I was more prepared I would have been able to get him without being killed myself."
"If that is what you want, I suppose I can grant that."
Everyone around Harry gasped at who had just joined the circle of family and friends. He didn't know who this person was, but apparently he was some sort of great wizard or something.
"Yes, Harry. I am a great wizard `or something'. I am Merlin, at your service. And you, as I understand correctly, want another chance at life." Now it was Harry's turn to gasp in awe. He had definitely heard of Merlin. Hell, what witch or wizard hadn't?
Merlin chuckled. "Yes, I do believe almost every magical person has heard of me. There is a reason for that as well. It's not because I can read minds, my boy. It is because I have been able to do some of the most powerful magic ever known without consequences.
"I heard your wish just now, Harry. And if you are willing, I would be happy to send you back to the night that you died to change the past, to learn how to right it. I know you want to say yes immediately, but know this: you will never forget what it was like to be hit with that curse, to see Hermione in pain when you died in her arms, and you will never forget what it is like to be up here too early. I saw the night you died and I knew that you were going to be here far too early, and for the past twenty or so years I have been debating coming to you and letting you do this. It wasn't until watching you look down on Earth with such a longing for life that my decision was sealed. I want you to have this opportunity, Harry, not just for you, but your family and Hermione and Lily, too. Just tell me when you would like to leave and I will be ready."
Many thoughts swam through Harry's head at once. He was getting the opportunity to go back to Earth to be with Hermione and Lily. Not just that, but he was being given the chance to go back into time and fix everything and be there through everything. Something else crossed him mind also. He looked around at the people standing there by him. There was Albus Dumbledore, whom Harry knew he would see when he got back to Earth. However there was his mum, his dad, and Sirius. He had gotten his family back. But deep in his mind he knew that they would always be able to watch down and see him live and he knew that when his time really did come he would be able to spend Eternity with them; he would only get one lifetime and only living seventeen years didn't qualify for one.
He just had to get back to the past; and to Hermione. To Lily. To everyone else at Hogwarts. An unshed tear fell down his cheek
"Harry," said James, "I know that you are thinking of leaving us. But your mother and I couldn't be happier that you are given the chance to go back and change everything. You have another chance at life. I would have given anything for that. We understand and we love you, that's why we are pushing you to do this. It sounds like it is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Take it."
As his mother wiped away another stray tear off her son's face, she spoke quietly to him. "Sweetheart, I want you to know that your father and I are so proud of you, and nothing will change that. We just want you to be happy, and if having you leave now lets you be happy, then we will see you when it is your time." As an afterthought she turned and smacked her husband in the arm.
"What was that for? I didn't do anything."
"That was for the `once in a lifetime' remark a few minutes ago! Don't do it again."
"Yes, Love."
"Harry, I know we weren't there for you your whole life, but know this, we were up here watching you grow into a wonderful young man. So now, go back down there and make us even more proud to be your parents." Lily was crying now. It wasn't the first time she let her baby go, but this time she let go willingly so Harry could live a wonderful life. He turned to Sirius.
"Harry," said Sirius, "I want you to know that what happened that night at the Department of Mysteries wasn't your fault. If I had taught you how to use that damned mirror, you wouldn't have been tricked to think that I was in trouble, and neither one of us would be here right now. But know this. It happened, don't blame yourself for it. Don't blame anyone for it. Well except Bella, she was to blame. But don't go avenging my death, at least not now. Maybe later." He paused to duck from a hit from Lily. "I was joking Lil. Calm down. Before we let you go Harry. I never told you this, but I love you. You were the child I never got to have. Well, to my knowledge anyway. Ouch, Lily, that one hurt. Go have fun, Harry. See you around."
Harry was freely crying now. Never had he felt such emotion running through him: happiness, sadness, hope, fear, and desperation. He turned to Dumbledore and put his hand out. "Sir. Will you still let me graduate from Hogwarts?"
"It will be my pleasure, Harry. See you on the other side, shall we?"
"We shall."
He then turned to the rest of the members of the group. He went to Sirius first and hugged his Godfather tightly and whispered in his ear, "The next kid we have will be named after you, but Merlin help me, if he acts like you I'm going to kill him."
Then he moved to his father and hugged him for the all the missed hugs for the past forty years worth. And then for the next forty to come. "I know I never got to know you, but I want you to know that you were always my hero. I will do everything in my power to be like you, and be the dad that I always knew you would be. I love you, Dad."
"I love you too, Son." Now James was added to the crying masses around him.
Harry wasn't able to get to his mother before she rocketed herself to his arms and hugged him tightly. "Harry, be careful! I don't want to see you here for a second time within the next 60 years. You hear me?"
"Yes, Mum." He buried his head into her hair. "I love you, Mum. And I promise that I will change everything when I get there. I won't screw up this time."
"Harry James, you could never `screw up' if your life depended on it. Well, this time it kind of does matter, so don't mess this chance up. I love you, Baby."
He reluctantly let go of his mother and turned to face Merlin again.
"Sir, I do believe that I am ready now." Merlin nodded.
"There is one thing that I must warn you about first, Harry. Absolutely do not tell anyone about you dying and going to heaven and then being given a second chance. They will want to do it then and I will not allow it. You may say that you had a dream about it, but do not go into detail or everything will change. With that said, good luck, Harry. Enjoy your second chance."
"Thank you, Sir."
"Now then. How did that spell go? Ah yes… reciproco aevitas.
And with a whoosh, he was gone.
----------
I gotta thank my beta HHRLVR and I am going to promote her story The Bachelorette…so go and read it! and if you think that spell is wrong for sending Harry back…it is also her fault, because she thought it up for me! (by the way…reciproco means reverse and aevitas technically means time, but it more like age)
don't forget to review!
Jen
-->