Guardian of the Soul: Infinity Saga

As Harry's consciousness ebbed back, he found himself lying face down on a cool surface. All he could feel was the chill of the floor beneath him. His heart thumped in his chest, the beat ringing in his ears.

'What is happening?'

A flash of green and Voldemort's triumphant face flashed in his mind.

'But am I dead?'

The question reverberated through his body as he felt goosebumps rise on his bare skin, a chill spreading over his body. Harry's eyes fluttered open with a groan, only for him to see a bright white mist that stretched as far as he could see, drifting over his naked body too.

Harry felt the coolness seep into his skin from the floor, the white marble below him colder than the Hogwarts dungeon in winter.

He slowly sat up, wincing as the cold pierced his skin like icy daggers. His body appeared unscathed, devoid of wounds he had received… and something else. His fingers immediately sought his glasses only to be met by the skin of his eyelids.

'I can see perfectly without my glasses.' Harry breathed, his breath misting, dissolving into the mist that surrounded him.

A faint noise reached him through the unformed nothingness surrounding him: the small soft thumping of footsteps.

'Someone's coming.' Harry looked down, wishing he was wearing clothes or had something to cover himself.

The mist around him leaped up, and enveloped his body like a cozy cocoon before sinking into his skin, leaving him fully clothed, wearing what looked to be an expensive suit that would've made Vernon treat him like royalty.

Why did the mist clothe him in a suit that too one so expensive? Harry had no idea.

'Maybe I am in heaven.' Harry smiled sardonically to himself. 'White mist and nice clothes.'

"I assure you that you aren't in heaven, Harry Potter," An ethereal voice rang, echoing through the mist and Harry turned.

A woman dressed in a pitch-black silk gown stood behind him, watching him curiously with her beady black eyes. Her pitch-black hair was tied in a bun, only allowing a few strands of black hair to fall down her face.

Harry felt goosebumps erupt across his body at her sight.

"Rise, young one."

Harry felt his feet obey the command before he could process what was happening.

"W-who are you?" Harry stammered. "And am I dead?"

"In a sense, yes. You are dead." She inclined her head. "But you aren't."

Harry blinked. "Thanks. That clears it up."

The lady's lips quivered into a smile. "It is rather confusing, isn't it? Then again, the mortal mind isn't meant to comprehend every single thing."

'She called me a mortal.' A flicker of hope stirred in Harry's breast. 'Which means I am not dead perhaps as she says.'

"No, you are not dead, but you are," She replied as if reading his mind. "Maybe, I should introduce myself. I am Death."

The word seemed to hang in the air. Harry felt shivers run down his spine as he met her eyes.

"Death. Like the one who gave the three brothers the Hallows?" He licked his lips.

"Indeed." The beady eyes glinted with approval. "And from what I gather, you united all three of them. The Cloak of Invisibility, the Resurrection Stone, and the Elder Wand— the latter which you obtained from Draco Malfoy."

Flashes of his fight at the Malfoy Manor flew past his eyes.

"But Draco—"

"Disarmed your headmaster, winning the allegiance of the wand. And in turn, you disarmed him, winning the wand."

"So, I am the Master of Death now?"

No sooner had Harry uttered the words than he found himself kneeling at the feet of Death, an invisible force holding him in place. His breath misted and his heartbeat seemed to vanish.

"I assure you, Harry Potter," Death said, each word ringing through his body. "That I have no master. My existence predates the Multiverse and most other beings in it. It would take more than you uniting three objects made from a mere iota of my power to even challenge me."

"I am sorry," He said breathlessly.

The invisible force pressed him for a moment before vanishing into nothingness. His heartbeat returned and the cold vanished.

"I do not blame you. But, to answer your question, you did become the Master of Death in a sense. The master of your own death." She said amiably.

"Excuse me?" Harry blurted.

"The Hallows carried a boon. The one who united them shall decree the moment of their demise. In other words, they get to decide when they die, regardless of the circumstances they face." Death gave Harry an impassive stare. "And you, Harry Potter, decided to die moments after touching the third Hallow."

"I had no choice," Harry said. "I couldn't let my friends die. So, I surrendered."

"A noble sacrifice," Death commented.

Closing his eyes, Harry took a deep breath. "Why am I here?"

"That is an interesting question."

Harry's breath echoed through the place as he opened his eyes and rose. "I— see, Miss Death, I— I just want to know what is about to happen. It is not every day that a simple incident leads to me meeting with— well, you."

"Indeed. If you call dying a simple incident." Death inclined her head.

"Can I… go back?"

"No."

"So, I am dead?"

"Not quite."

Harry's eye twitched, irritation and frustration burning in his chest, like a hot knife beneath his ribs.

"Can you not speak in riddles?" He scowled.

Death tilted her head to the side, gazing at him with her black eyes. Harry stared right back into them until he took a step back as her eyes turned into swirling black vortexes.

Images flashed past Harry's eyes. Wars. Carnage. Nuclear bombs going off. A peach-colored planet burst in a spectacular explosion.

Suddenly, he was shoved back into reality.

"I see. Let me put this simply. You are dead in your universe. And, by my own rules, what is dead can never be resurrected. Not truly. You may return as a ghost, your spirit may be called by the Resurrection Stone or your body may be reanimated as an Inferi. But the result is nothing more than the faintest glimmer of who you were. An echo."

"So, I— I cannot go back, then?"

"No, you can't go back, Harry Potter." Death replied. "You died in that world, taking down Tom Riddle's Horcrux that was in your scar alongside the power of the Elder Wand."

"Where did the wand come from?" Harry asked, irritation slipping out in his voice.

"You were the last master of the Elder Wand. You died on your own terms instead of being defeated or murdered. It was a glorified suicide. The power of the wand died with you. The wand is nothing but a stick now."

"But Voldemort is still alive," Harry said sullenly.

"No, he is not."

"But his snake—"

"Was killed by Neville Longbottom shortly after your demise." Death informed. "Minerva McGonagall, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Filius Flitwick, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley then fought Voldemort himself at once, taking him down once and for all to avenge you."

Harry felt his heart hammer in his chest. 'We won. We killed Voldemort.'

"I am afraid that you have already been dead for days in that world," Death continued. "Days since the war ended. Your funeral has also taken place and you have been buried beside your parents at the cemetery in Godric's Hollow. The world mourns your sacrifice. And that is why it is too late to go back."

The news of his death didn't dampen Harry's elation. What mattered was that Voldemort had been defeated. That Voldemort was dead.

"We won," Harry whispered. "We actually won."

"Now, that leaves you, Harry Potter. Here, in front of me. And I offer you a choice."

"A choice?" Harry breathed.

"To die. Or make a new life."

"You said I couldn't go back," Harry said carefully.

"Not to your universe. To another one, a little similar to your own, yet very different."

"What do you mean?" Harry frowned. "Are there… more universes than one?"

Death sighed, showing the first real emotion in her voice. "Does the word Multiverse mean anything to you?"

"No?"

She took a deep breath. "The Multiverse is a cumulation of infinite possibilities. Every action you, or any living being, takes influences the reality of the universe they are in. For instance, there are universes in which Neville Longbottom was the Boy Who Lived. Universes where your parents lived. Universes where Sirius Black raised you. Universes where you went to Slytherin. And there are universes where… you and the wizarding world don't exist."

"Oh," Harry said. "And… you were created before these universes?"

"Yes, I, alongside Eternity, Infinity, and the living tribunal, created the Multiverse, in fact."

"Who are they?"

"All-powerful beings like me." She waved dismissively. "But that is not important. I need an answer. Do you want another chance? Or do you wish to die?"

"What will lie ahead of me if I choose the former?" Harry arched an eyebrow.

"A new chance. A new life. You are still very young. You can live your new life. Settle down. Have a family. Do what mortals do." Death shrugged.

Harry paused before narrowing his eyes. "What's the catch?"

"For someone who has a choice, you are particularly ungrateful." She stared down at Harry.

"Maybe. But there is always a catch. Why would an all-powerful being who created thousands of universes gi—"

"Millions." Death said.

"Pardon?"

"Millions of universes."

"Yes, Millions." Harry paused. "But why would you personally give me this choice? That, too, such a tempting one."

"Indeed. Why would I choose you?" Death hummed. "The answer is simple. Because I have a job for you."

'Ah, the catch. Here it is.' Harry felt a thrum of satisfaction burn through his chest.

"And what is the job, if I may ask?" Harry asked steadily.

"Are you accepting that offer, Harry Potter?" Death smiled triumphantly.

"I will decide once I know what job you have for me," Harry replied.

Death pursed her lips before waving her hand. "Come, let us sit and talk. Tea?"

A table had appeared beside them with two steaming cups of tea on it. Harry shrugged and took a seat across from Death picking up the cup of tea on the table.

"As you seem interested in going forward instead of dying, I will enlighten you a little about the workings of the greater Multiverse." Death dropped a cube of sugar into her cup. "To keep it simple for your mortal brain, each universe is different in more ways than one. And, then, there are levels of universes. The highest level universes have divine interference and cosmic beings working actively amongst them."

"Like gods?" Harry asked as the taste of Earl Gray flooded his tongue.

"You could say that, yes." Death stirred the cup with a silver spoon that formed out of the mist in her hands. "In a sense, or even in mortal terms, they are gods. But in reality, they are only beings with greater and innate access to the multiversal energies or at least one of them." Death took a sip of the tea. "There are levels of cosmic beings as well, depending on how well they can manipulate the energy. At the top, is me along with Eternity, Infinity, and the Living Tribunal. Us six—"

"Wait, you, eternity, infinity, and Living Tribunal. That's four." Harry interrupted.

"The Living Tribunal is a cumulation of three minds. He has three heads. Don't bother." Death added with a glare, as Harry opened his mouth. "Now, as I was saying, it is us, the creators of the Multiverse. After us, things change. Now, I shall talk of the universe I plan to send you into. It is a prime universe, one of the closest to us. Close enough that we sometimes interfere— indirectly and very, very, very seldom, if it catches our fancy."

Harry's eyebrows rose. "Like right now?"

She smiled thinly. "Yes, like right now."

"Tell me more about this universe." Harry shifted in his seat. "How is it different from my own, Miss Death?"

Death nodded. "It all started with the dawn of the universe. The Big Bang happened under our influence, multiplying the power we put in exponentially and going boom. It was one of the first universes created, and we didn't anticipate the exponential multiplication of our powers."

"But… aren't you omnipotent? Shouldn't you have known what would happen?"

She hesitated. "Not really. We may exist outside time, but that doesn't mean that we didn't make rookie mistakes when we were young. This was one of them. And by the time we realized it, it was too late to just erase this universe without disturbing the greater Multiverse."

"What happened?"

"The excessive energies resulted in interesting things. The Big Bang sent six elemental crystals hurtling across the new, virgin universe." Death took a deep breath. "These were the Infinity Stones. Each one controls an essential aspect of existence."

As she spoke, the air between them rippled, and images, almost seemingly real, began to appear between them.

A glowing blue cube as big as Harry's face shattered into pieces, revealing an uneven blue stone pulsing with power within.

"Space."

A moment later, the blue stone drifted to the side and a writhing mass of red energy appeared before merging into a glowing red stone.

"Reality."

It joined the blue stone at the side before a gray sphere appeared. It, too, broke away to reveal a glowing purple stone.

"Power."

As the power stone joined the space and reality stone at the side, an orangish-golden stone appeared.

"Soul."

A spear-like object appeared before a yellow stone separated from its crown, pulsing with power.

"Mind."

And the last, an amulet appeared before opening to reveal a glowing green-colored stone.

"—and Time. These are the Infinity Stones, formed with the birth of the universe. Objects of near infinite power." Death waved her hand.

Harry stared at the space, as the last pinpricks of the images vanished.

"How powerful are these stones?"

"To quantify their power would be to quantify the drops of water in the sea or the stars in the sky." Death said. "Each stone controls a vital aspect of existence. To manipulate even one at full power— Let us say, if a being powerful enough to stand the power of these stones wields them at once, they would possess enough power to break down the boundaries of the universes and dismantle the guardians of the boundaries we have created."

"And eventually, they might pose a threat to you." Harry deduced.

"Not really. Enough to injure one of us? Yes. To defeat? That is a very far-fetched possibility." Death gave him a piercing stare. "But the thing is, if someone breaks the boundaries of the Multiverse, they might get access to the powers of the other universes… including Infinity Stones or similar items in other universes. Together, they might be enough to… overthrow us."

'So, this is the real reason. The actual need for me.' Harry leaned back in his chair.

"Also," Death continued. "If the boundaries of the Multiverse are broken, there will be consequences. Very grave consequences that your mortal mind would be unable to comprehend. Every action has a ripple effect, Harry Potter. But someone using the Infinity Stones to break the boundaries of the Multiverse will be akin to a tsunami sweeping the Multiverse. Something that will eventually lead to the annihilation of every single universe."

Harry could hear his heartbeat through his silence. Death's voice still echoed in his ears.

"And, what do you want me to do? Keep such threats in check?" Harry asked.

"That would be a mammoth of a job. No, I have an easier way. This."

She extended her palm to reveal a glowing orangish-golden stone in her hand. Power pulsed from the stone, sending a tingle down Harry's spine. A tingle of fear, excitement, and power. Uncontainable, unfathomable power.

"Is that—" Harry asked as the stone pulsed with energy. An aura of golden energy seemed to surround it.

'It is beautiful.'

"The Soul Stone, yes." Death nodded. "One of the six Infinity Stones. It has— DON'T TOUCH IT!"

Harry immediately jumped and retracted his hand that had been drifting to touch the stone without him even realizing it.

"Touch it with your bare hands, and it will turn you to ashes even in this realm," Death hissed. "What part of infinite power went above your head, Harry Potter?" Death gave him a venomous glare. "You are still a mortal who is yet to channel higher energies beyond your own magic. Even with your magic protecting you, the stone will burn your being to ashes if you touch it with your bare hands."

Harry apologized hastily as Death's eyes bore into him.

"Good," She said as he wilted under her continued glare. "In due time, you would know how to touch an object, even an Infinity Stone, without being harmed. But, for now, precaution is the best."

The stone rose from Death's palm, and golden and black strands of magic began to form around it, encompassing it from all angles. The tingle of unbidden power receded as the lines solidified into a beautiful amulet attached to a golden necklace.

"This shall limit the stone's power to a mere fraction of its full potential unless you consciously and properly channel its powers." Death placed the amulet on the table. "And even then, it shall only go to a part of its full potential… which admittedly will be more than enough to raze a full planet to ashes in a single stroke if used destructively."

Harry's eyes widened. 'The stone can destroy a full planet while limited to only a part of its full power.'

Before he could speak, Death held up a hand.

"Do not fret, Harry Potter. It would take a lot more than a mere mishap on your side to do so. It would take you practice and knowledge to channel that much power. Right now, the power is limited. Very very limited."

"Are you—" Harry hesitated. "Are you sure it is wise to give me this much power?"

"You would need it," Death replied bluntly. "This is both a responsibility and a gift. The Soul Stone is the least fickle of the six. It doesn't seek to harm, destroy, or possess its wielder. It is the most stable of them all. Also, it has rather unparalleled healing abilities as it harnesses the very life force of existence. In your hands, this power will do nothing but good for both humanity and the universe. And before you ask how I know this, remember whom you are speaking to."

Harry closed his eyes before taking a deep breath.

Death herself was assuring that the stone in front of him would do the world… No, the Multiverse, a great service if he took up the duty to protect the stone. He only had two choices: To shoulder the responsibility of guarding an all-powerful object from madmen who threatened countless worlds or to just… die.

To him, the former was looking much more attractive. And sane.

Could he live… well, die, knowing that he could've saved the universe— Multiverse but didn't?

"To make your decision a little easier, or perhaps, more complicated, I assure you that regardless of the decision you take, I will do everything possible outside direct interference to make this threat fail." Death cleared her throat. "But, if you do go, remember that you will save countless lives that might be taken in the process and increase the chances of defeating the threat exponentially."

Harry's eyes shot open before narrowing again. "So there is a threat already?"

"Yes, a threat is emerging in this universe. A threat that seeks to unite the Infinity Stones in order to sacrifice half the life in the universe as a means of balance… and a proposal gift for me. He seeks to court me."

"That's insane!"

"So is he." Death commented dryly.

"And so… what do you want me to do? Prevent him from acquiring the stones and sacrificing the Universe to marry you?" Harry confirmed.

"Yes. Would you rather sit idle and let a universe full of zillions of innocent souls die?" Death asked.

No. He couldn't just let that happen.

"Why don't you just… you know? Kill him with a snap of your fingers? You are Death, after all." Harry suggested.

"Direct interference is prohibited by the council. Why do you think that I want to send you?" Death raised an eyebrow.

"The council as in—"

"The Living Tribunal, Eternity, and Infinity. If I do so, they will merely reverse my actions to prohibit a ripple effect. Introducing you, on the other hand, is not a direct interference." Her lips curved into a smirk. "Merely a boon granted as I was happy by your actions to save a school full of innocent children."

"Which means they won't reverse your actions?"

"No."

Silence reigned for a few moments. Harry felt thankful for the tea, as it gave him an excuse to sit quietly and contemplate.

If he went, he would have to deal with a dark lord again. Or whoever this threat was. On the other hand, he got to live. Have a new life. Have a family. And save lives. Countless lives.

But he still had to face a threat that sought to end every life in the universe to propose to the lady across him.

"If this threat comes for me…" Harry said, trailing off.

"You would need to learn things, of course. Become more powerful. You would be the Guardian of the Soul Stone. Wield it to guard the world." Death leaned forward. "As I said, its power is near infinite. There is nothing you possibly cannot do with it."

"What are its exact powers?" Harry questioned.

Death's eyes glimmered. "That is an interesting question. One you need to find answers for yourself. But, as I have told you, the Soul Stone's greatest power remains to be the manipulation of the very life force of existence. It has unparalleled healing power for one. So, if you get injured, anything short of being beheaded completely and your mortal body being destroyed, the Soul Stone will heal you. And, in time, you will be capable of channeling that power to heal others. This is just one of its prime powers. Rest, you shall have to discover for yourself in time."

That was good. No, great. Healing powers could save lives easily.

"What of magic?" Harry asked suddenly. "Is there—"

"There is no wizarding world in this universe, I am afraid," Death answered his unasked question.

Harry's heart fell, and his shoulders slumped.

"Nor are there any known faces… Well, not exactly. You might recognize a few. There are mainly mortals who exist in both these universes, but there won't be any wizards or witches." Death added.

'No Hermione. No Ron. No Weasleys. Not even Malfoy.'

"Then how will I learn more?" Harry pushed past the thoughts, crumpling them into a corner of his mind. "How will I grow more powerful, as you said if there are none of my kind on the planet?"

"This Earth that I am sending you to has a group of mortal magic wielders who channel dimensional energies to protect Earth against mystical threats. They call themselves Sorcerers." Death ran a finger through her curls. "The Sorcerer Supreme, who is the most powerful sorcerer of them, shall seek you out soon." Death paused for a second. "The Sorcerer Supreme is also the guardian of the Time Stone in this universe. Their job is to protect the earth, reality, and the natural order."

"So this Sorcerer Supreme will seek me out and… teach me their kind of magic?"

"Yes. To protect the natural order and reality, the Sorcerer Supreme makes use of the Time Stone to ensure the safety of the Earth. She will know of your arrival within moments once she uses the Time Stone and will seek you out to determine if you are a threat or an ally."

"Wonderful," Harry muttered sarcastically.

"It won't be as bad as you think." Death waved him off. "It will do you good. You will learn and grow. It will be essential for you when you protect the earth against threats. Sorcery is a rather powerful art, with the ability to empower mortals to face lesser cosmic beings as an equal. So, tell me, Harry Potter. What do you choose? Will you go and save lives, or will you choose to die?"

Silence filled the room as Death waited for Harry to answer.

'There will be a time when we must choose between what is right and what is easy.' Dumbledore's voice rang in his ears.

"I… I will go." Harry decided.

"Excellent." Death smiled knowingly.

The amulet containing the Soul Stone rose in the air before tying itself around Harry's neck. Harry could feel the burning heat of the amulet right above his heart, through the layers of his suit, as the amulet settled itself on his chest.

Death rose to her feet, gesturing to Harry to follow her lead. The table and chairs between them vanished, merging back into the unformed nothingness.

"Harry James Potter. Do you swear to protect the Soul Stone with all you have, including your own life?" Death asked

"I do."

As he spoke, the amulet pulsed on his chest, sending a tingle through Harry's body. Every vein in his body burnt with power. The power of the stone. Its endlessness. The power of life. His blood sang as the power washed over him. He felt like he could take on Voldemort with a snap of his fingers.

Moments later, the power receded into the amulet, leaving Harry with nothing but a tingle of what he had felt. But he felt it. The connection to the stone. A connection that reminded Harry of his holly-phoenix feather wand.

"Then, by the powers vested in me, I declare you the guardian of the Soul Stone." Death declared. "It is tied to your life force. Use it well and guard it with all you have."

Harry just nodded dumbly, still stunned by the power of the stone.

"The amulet with the powers of the Soul Stone will also act as a focus for your magic and, once you learn it, advanced sorcery, negating your need for a wand."

"Thank you," Harry said, his voice sounding a little odd compared to what he was used to. It wasn't hoarse or squeaky but deep.

"Good luck, Harry Potter. Now, close your eyes. When you open them, you will be in a new world. You can thank me for the gift when we meet again, which I hope won't be in a long time."

Before he could do anything, everything faded to black.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1st August 2004

Bleecker Street, New York, Earth 616

The sun had risen, and like often in the concrete jungle of the Big Apple. There wasn't sunlight in his loft until halfway through the morning as the sun blinded him as soon as he opened his eyes.

A groan escaped his lips as he turned on his bed, away from the sunlight, blinking spots off his eyelids. As he slowly opened his eyes to this new world around him, he found himself face to face with something soft, fluffy, and white.

'I am in a bed.' Harry looked around. 'It feels like a lifetime since I have slept in a proper bed.'

Slowly pulling off the blanket, Harry sat up and squinted around the room only to find himself in a well-furnished room where sunlight was streaming through a huge window at the side of the room.

Harry rubbed his eyes before suddenly jumping as loud music blared from his bedside.

Turning, he saw a strange device on his bedside, showing the words 9:00 AM in big, bold letters on a screen.

'An alarm clock… no, a mobile phone. Didn't know such models were launched in the muggle world.'

He fumbled for the phone before pressing the call decline button to shut the alarm down before examining the phone. It had a bigger screen and was considerably less bulky than the one Petunia and Vernon had.

The alarm screen disappeared to show a simple photo of a pond. On top of it, the time and date were displayed.

9:00 AM

01 August 2004

Harry's eyes widened. It had been over six years since he… well, died in his universe.

Suddenly, the phone in his hand beeped, and a notification of a message appeared. It took two minutes for Harry to figure out how to open the message. It read:

I took a few liberties

to set you up in this

new world. Good Luck.

P.S. Check your bedside

drawers -Death

Harry blinked before turning to look at the two-drawer cabinet right next to his bed. On it was a photo frame containing a photo of himself, a book, a wallet, and a glass of water.

That was when he realized something. His spectacles were not by his bedside. Neither was he wearing them. And yet, he could see clearly. Harry touched his face and felt the familiar weight of glasses still missing.

Taking a deep breath, Harry focused on the task at hand.

'The drawers.'

Harry swung his feet off the bed and knelt in front of the cabinet before opening the topmost drawer, to reveal a thick file alongside a passport. Harry got the file out first, inside which was a bundle of papers, including a muggle birth certificate. It showed his legal name as Harry James Potter and his birthdate to be 31st July 1986.

'I am officially eighteen. And my birth year has been altered.'

Alongside that was a file of legal documents, including a school passing certificate. There was also the death certificate of Lily Potter and James Potter, and a pang went through Harry's heart.

Harry immediately closed the file.

He could deal with the documents later.

He went for the next drawer. Opening it, he found three things. A letter, a folded silver cloak, and an album. He opened the letter first.

Harry Potter,

As you might have gathered, I have taken a few liberties to set you up in this new world. Let no one say that I am not a benevolent benefactor. The house you are in belongs to you, along with a nice bank account containing the value of the Potter fortune converted to muggle currency.

Your backstory is that you are a loner, an orphan kid whose rather rich parents died in a car crash. Your aunt raised you and schooled you before she, too, passed away, leaving the complete fortune to you. See the legal documents to know more.

I have also left two gifts from your old world for you. One is your invisibility cloak, which I modified a little for your benefit. Second… Why don't you see that one for yourself?

Good Luck. Live your new life to the fullest and protect the stone at ALL costs.

Harry felt the coolness of the necklace hanging around his neck, the amulet right above his heart. It was not burning like it had been before he took the oath. Neither was it too cool. It was just… comforting. Like, it was a part of him.

But the fact remained. One of the most powerful objects in the universe was hanging innocently on his neck.

Reality crashed on him like a tidal wave. He felt the weight of the world. He had sworn to save the universe from a madman, and here he was, on his own, in an entirely new world, without a relative or friend.

'Oh, and I have a super-powerful object capable of razing planets hanging around my neck.'

He looked at the letter again, his hands already trembling.

With best wishes,

Death.

P.S. Do not worry. As an all-powerful deity and your benefactor, I want to assure you that you will be alright. I have given you the time to prepare. I repeat, do not worry, and live your life. Make new friends, raise a family, and protect the world. Have a good life, and I do not wish to meet you again for several years.

Suddenly, the letter burst into black flames and Harry dropped it onto his bed with a yelp. Instead of burning the bedsheets, it disappeared into nothingness.

Harry took several deep breaths to calm himself until his eyes fell on the book.

A gift, or so Death had said.

Harry took the book in his hand and flipped it open, only to be met by the smiling of Ron, Hermione, and his parents. On the second page, there was Sirius hugging him in Grimmauld Place alongside Molly and Arthur at the Burrow. The next photo was of the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore's army.

Harry began to flip through all of them until he arrived at the very end. A young Hermione, Ron, and Harry sat under the shade of the oak tree in the Hogwarts courtyard, laughing and smiling, completely carefree from the burden of Voldemort.

Harry felt hot tears trailing down his cheeks.

It was the best gift Death could've given him.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6th August 2004

Bleecker Street, New York

The soulful aroma of buttered toast and omelet drifted through the kitchen as Harry flipped the omelet in the pan. Petunia's lessons in cooking were proving beneficial as they allowed Harry to cook his own food.

Lifting the omelet a bit, Harry smiled before summoning a plate from the rack.

Wandless magic or seemingly wandless magic felt weird, Harry had decided. The glaring lack of a wand made Harry's hand feel empty whenever he performed magic.

He served himself the omelet, placing the toasts on the plate, and pouring himself a cup of steaming tea.

Before he could get to eating, the doorbell chimed.

Harry frowned. In the past five days, no one had rang the doorbell except for the pizza delivery man who had come to his floor by mistake.

Wiping his hands, he walked across the living room and opened the door of his mansion, to reveal a bald woman standing at his door, wearing yellow robes. Her hands were clasped behind her back as she inspected him.

Her eyes lingered on his chest where the amulet containing the Soul Stone sat behind his white t-shirt.

"How may I help you?" Harry asked politely.

"Harry Potter," She greeted, sending a chill down Harry's spine. "I am here to talk. May I come in?"

"Who are you?" Harry asked guardedly, a spell forming on his lips.

"I am the Sorcerer Supreme, the foremost guardian of the Earth from mystical threats."

Recognition flashed through Harry's eyes. Death had mentioned her.

"You know of me," she said, her dark brown eyes glimmering with interest.

"I do," Harry admitted.

"Then we are in for a long talk, Mr. Potter."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x