Chapter Text
Death, like all the beings of their nature, was immortal with time having little meaning to them. Being able to witness what mortals called the past, present, and future at will Death did not like what it saw happening to two of its Masters. Death knew both men were his Master even if they had not held all three of his gifts to Mortal kind as of yet. Unfortunately, Death could not act within the Mortal realm apart from taking souls without a set of very specific events taking place. The good news for Death is that two such events happen during the lives of both his Masters. One of the events happened way too late to do either Master any good, so while a lot of damage had been done to both Masters had already been done in the first event he chose that one to act on. What was even better was that he had the perfect tools to do his will and free both his Masters at the same time as he summoned two Magicals who now inhabited his side of the Mortal realm.
Harry tried to keep his wand steady and connect to Voldemort's knowing that if he broke the connection he would be killed, if not by the madman then by one of the Death Eaters prowling around the Magical enclosure he found himself in. At least he was not alone as the ghost of Cedric Diggory and two others walk within the walls of the enclosure offering him words of support while hissing something he could not hear to Voldemort. His wand began to shake even harder, forcing Harry to use both hands and shift his stance as the head of a woman began to appear from Voldemort's wand. When she fully formed out of the wand, Harry's heart both sank and lifted as he laid eyes on his mother's ghost. She smiled at him as unlike the other three ghosts walked over to him. "It will be alright now Harrison, your father is coming and we shall sort this out very soon," his mother's ghost said leaning down and kissing him on his forehead. Which felt like an actual kiss rather than an icy shock that would happen if Harry accidentally walked through one of the Hogwarts' Ghosts. Sure enough, no sooner had his mother kissed him than another ghost began to appear from Voldemort's wand as his father came into being.
Rather than come over to Harry, however, the ghost of James Potter turned to give Voldemort a sad look. "Oh, cousin what has that bastard done to you?" James ghost asked shaking his head before he reached down and touched the stream of light connecting Harry and Voldemort's wands. Harry almost dropped his wand as it stopped shaking and lay still in his hands.
"Pottah," Voldemort hissed for once directing his words not at Harry but towards James's ghost.
"Riddal," James responded with a snort of laughter only for Lily to elbow him in his ribs.
"James, the job," Lily said admonishing her husband.
"Oh, right sorry," James said blushing a little which looked strange on a ghost.
"Dad?" Harry asked wanting nothing more than to run up and hug his father even if it meant letting go of his wand possibly destroying the barrier around him.
"It is alright Harrison, your mother and I were given a very important job by Death to help you both," James said looking between his son and cousin to the nth degree. "Now don't worry, we are not here to kill either of you but to save you. It seems that Albus was not to be trusted as much as we thought. Don't feel bad we trusted him as well only to find out what he had done to us after we died but Death did not want either of his Masters to deal with it longer than you could. So seeing the connecting of your wands coming, he sent Lily and me to straighten everything out. It will be clearer in just a moment," James said as he and Lily moved to stand before Voldemort and Harry respectively.
Before either living Magical could react, James and Lily inserted one hand into Harry and Voldemort's heads and another into the pair's chest to reach their hearts. Both males let out piercing screams, which if the graveyard had not been under Wards to prevent Muggles from knowing what was going on, would have led the place to be overrun by concerned citizens or police. As it was only the three other ghosts and the surrounding Death Eaters stood witness as Harry and Voldemort collapsed into the ground. "What did you do to him?" Cedric's ghost asked as he rushed to Harry's side wishing he could touch the still-living boy.
"I have healed my son as well as Cleansed all sorts of spells, potions, and enchantments that were in his system. He will be fine soon enough," Lily said as Harry and Voldemort started to come around.
"What have I done?" Voldemort cried out as he regained consciousness clutching his head with two streams of tears falling like twin waterfalls from his eyes.
"TOO LOUD!" Harry cried out clamping his hands over his ears. But to Cedrid's astonishment, it was not his normal ears on either side of his face but a pair of fox-like ears that had grown out of the top of Harry's head.
"Harry, has creature blood?" Cedric asked turning to the ghost of the Potters. At once James' form shifted slightly showing off his own set of fox ears and a single tail that he wrapped around his waist.
"For over fifteen generations the Potter family has had Kitsune Blood running through our line, unfortunately, Albus cast spells to block Harry from coming into it at the proper time. This was one of the things, Lily and I were sent to correct," James said kneeling next to his son and helping him deal with the noise increase he had to deal with due to his ears.
"James," Lily said in shock as she rubbed Harry's back.
"What is it Lils?" James asked.
"That," Lily said pointing at Harry's back where not one or even two fox tails were located but a total of five each of them a different color.
"Wow Death, left that part out," James said with a snort of laughter.
"What does this all mean, what is going on with the boy?" the ghost of the Muggle Frank Bryce asked.
"Well for a Kitsune the number of tails they have show off the number of mates they will have. My grandfather, father, and I only had one tail meaning we had only one mate but since my son has five he will have that many mates. Also unless I am mistaken his mates are already set in place."
"How can you tell?" a weak voice asked as Voldemort got shakily to his feet and hobbled over to them looking down at Harry. Cedric did not want the madman anywhere near Harry and tried to push him away but only caused the man to stop in his tracks and raise his hands as if in surrender.
"Well cousin," James said shocking Cedric and the other ghost that had been a Magical, "if Harry just needed five mates his tails would all be just normal foxtails, but since they are different colors it shows he had predestined mates and unless I miss my guess all of them are creatures as well."
"While this is interesting what are your plans to do with, Harry?" the ghost of Bertha Jorkins asked glaring at Voldemort.
"Well, my mind is clear is the first time in nearly four decades, I would be inclined to send him back to Hogwarts if not for the fact that would place him back under Albus's thumb," Voldemort said.
"He has to go back," James said with a finality that broke no argument.
"But what about Albus?" Voldemort asked shocking the other ghost with a hint of concern in his voice towards Harry.
"Thanks to the gifts we passed on from Death, both you and Harrison are safe from being enchanted again even from the Elder Wand," James said giving Voldemort a pointed look.
"Yeah, we just have to do something, before he returns to Hogwarts," Lily said she took a small crystal from her robes and dropped it to the ground letting it shatter. "There that should do it."
"Do what?" Cedric asked.
"This is a gift from an ally of Death which will stop time for a bit allowing us to get Harrison to a state to let his creature features return to his body thus preventing him from raising alarm when he returns to the castle," Lily explained nodding to the Death Eaters that were outside the barrier. Everyone turned to look to see the Death Eaters standing as if they were statues in various stages of movement.
"Wow, more actual magic," Frank said going to stare at one Death Eater who had his foot lifted off the ground that did not look very stable yet did not even wobble.
"How long will this last?" Voldemort asked.
"Well we hope it won't take as long as its maximum limit for we were told that would last fifty years," James said.
"Please tell me that the crystal does more than just stop time on the outside. For if it takes years for your son to gain control of his creative side that would show that he is free of Albu's control," Voldemort said.
"Ah, Death did add a side effect to the crystal so that no matter how long this takes neither you nor Harrison will appear older than you are now," James explained. "This is also a good thing for it would prevent us," he said indicating the other ghost that had come out of Voldemort's wand, "from being sent back before our mission is complete."
So began the group helping Harry learn how to control his creature side, which started with a week-long task to let Harry deal with the extra noise that his body received from his Kitsune ears. A couple of days were also required to help Harry learn how to walk with his tails out. In that time as Voldemort helped Harry walk around the small area, which had been magically changed to resemble a small one-floor house, the pair had looked into each other's eyes for the first time since they had both been cleansed. As soon as their eyes meet one of Harry's tails stood up straight. "Well that is unexpected," James said.
"What does it mean?" Cedric asked who while not being able to help Harry learn how to deal with his Kitsune form was working to help Harry know more about the Magical World and its culture.
"Tom, what creature does your blood hold? James asked.
"Well, since Salazar my line has been gifted with the blood of snakes-kind," Tom answered a little confused.
"It seems your creature calls for Harrison's Kitsune," James said.
"And you don't have any problem with that?" Bryce asked.
"No," Lily said understanding where he was coming from having been raised as a Muggle herself, "for if Harrison's mates were predestined as they are they were brought forth by Lady Magic herself, or if it helps you to understand it a little better God themself."
"Ah, so even though their ages are so far apart there will be no issue," Frank said still not fully behind it, but knowing that it was not his world and not just because he was now dead he let it go.
"Well, there might be some issues due to what I had been enchanted to do," Voldemort said having made a vow to change how his plans a little for the Magical World starting with bringing his Death Eaters under control.
"That was not you so it should not be a problem, Tom," Lily said after all thanks to Death's gift you don't look anything like the monster you had become during the last war. And now that I talking about it. Thanks to Death's gift your soul has been repaired and your Horcruxes have been returned to their previous states." With a small gesture of her hand, a small ring with a black gem appeared in it.
"My Ancestor's ring?" Tom asked recognizing one of the objects he had used to create a Horcrux.
"Not only that it was one of the Death's treasures they gave our kind long ago. It is also one of the items whose ownership marks a person as their Master," James explained having Harry also touch the ring connecting the bond between the item and his son.
"What are the other two gifts?" Voldemort asked.
"Well one is the Elder Wand, while the other was my family's old cloak," James said.
"Oh I recall that thing," Voldemort said shocking Harry a little. "Did you know, I needed it when you had me use it when you were a kid?"
"Not a clue," James said with a small chuckle.
It took over three weeks before Harry was able to fully bring in his ears and tails as he started to form a small bond with Voldemort, who just told him to call him by his birth name. Tom was quite shocked when without being asked what the name had been Harry instantly called him Tom. This led Harry to explain the adventures with Tom's diary Horcrux in his second year. Lily and James quickly comforted Tom, informing him that, unlike the books he had read, the destruction of a Horcrux had not destroyed the soul fragment that was inside. Rather the fragment had been returned to Tom's body, they also shared that the Horcrux, that Tom had unknowingly created during his attack on them while he had been enchanted, that had been attached to Harry had also been returned to him as well.
Harry had also learned that he would only be able to recognize his Mates when his tails were out and he looked one of them in their eyes. The only issue was that now that a bond had started to develop between Tom and Harry, it made Tom really hesitant to send Harry back to Hogwarts, and under Albus's thumb no matter how much James and Lily said it was alright. The only thing that calmed him was the fact that thanks to one of his followers at the castle Harry would have some protection for the rest of the school year. "Now Harry, as you can probably guess I had someone working for me at Hogwarts that turned the Cup into a Portkey that brought you here. Most likely when you show back up at the castle, he will assume you escaped my clutches," Tom said with a small smile as he brought Harry into a tight hug before releasing him. "He may try to finish off the job of killing you. Before he does just tell him one thing."
"What?" Harry asked making Tom lean in and whisper the message to Harry sharing a secret only with him, even though they were the only two living people present.
Before they ended the time crystal's enchantment they ended the spell that had to give Harry and Tom a place to live for the last few weeks. Cedric also asked Harry to make sure his body was returned to his folks. As the barrier came down Tom pulled Harry into his arms to prevent his Death Eaters from attacking as the five ghosts waved to the pair giving them their final goodbyes. "Alright listen up everyone," Tom said still holding Harry tight in his arms. "Change of plans."
"My Lord?" many of the Death Eaters asked in confusion.
"It seems Albus-too-many-middle-names-fucking-Dumbledore not only messed with my mind but as you are all aware being making a cat's breakfast out of our world. Heir Potter and I have come to an understanding. He will be working with us to bring the man down, but we need to make it look like all that happened after he grabbed the Cup was getting knocked out," Tom informed everyone.
"But the cut I gave him," Peter protested.
"Already gone," Tom said lifting Harry's arm to show an already healed wound due to both magic and the time the pair had spent in the Time Bubble. "Also to keep my return a secret we will send both boys' bodies back to the castle via the cup."
"But the spare?" Peter asked only to be cut off by Tom.
"His name was Cedric Diggory and I can only blame myself for ordering his death while my mind was in such a state," Tom said as he used his wand to gently summon Cedric's body to him and wincing a little cast a spell at the corpse's head making it look as if when it and Harry had landed, Cedric had caught something at a bad angle, unfortunately, killing him while he had been knocked out. Once Cedric's body was in position the Death Eaters stared in shock as Tom gently laid Harry on the ground and gave him a small kiss on his cheek. Tom then stunned Harry before using a spell to magically produce a small bruise on Harry's head. Once Harry and Cedric were laid out Tom summoned the Cup and without touching it changed the nature of the Portkey spell on it so that it would seem the spell on the cup had miscast on it. So rather than bringing the one who first touched the Cup out of the maze it took them somewhere else for a random amount of time and would bring them back if they were still in contact with the cup. After changing the enchantments on the Cup, Tom floated the cup over to the pair and made sure it came into contact with both Harry and Cedric's hands at the same time.
Harry woke up looking up into the worried face of Albus Dumbledore. He had to stop himself from attacking the man having heard some of the things the man had done to both him and Tom. "He is alright," Albus called out making Harry realize a large crowd had gathered around him. "Can you tell me what happened, Harry?" the man asked giving Harry a smile that looked grandfatherly look that Harry no longer trusted.
"Well Cedric and I took hold of the cup, and then I woke up to your face," Harry said making his voice sound confused. "How is Cedric?"
"I am afraid, Harry, whatever happened to you both he did not make it," the man said causing a gasp to run through the crowd making Harry guess that no one else had been aware of Cedric's death yet. Harry's estimation of the man which had been low since his time in the Time Bubble got even lower for sharing such personal information before it was most likely told to Cedric's parents. Harry heard the phrase "Cedric's dead," repeated over and over again as the crowd passed the news along yet from what Harry could see of Albus's face he showed no remorse for his actions.
"Shouldn't you deal with that Professor at least make sure you are the one to tell Mr. and Mrs. Diggory?" Harry asked stopping himself from calling Cedric's parents Lord and Lady as Cedric told him was proper protocol during his lessons on Magical World culture.
"Very well we shall talk later," Albus said a small look, of what, disappointment on his face as he straightened up and headed off into the crowd.
The crowd around him gave him some space after Dumbledore left him, he just stood there for a couple of minutes alone. "Come along, Potter, let's get you out of here and back up to the castle," someone said taking him by the arm and leading him out of the crowd. Harry guessed who it was that was directing him, but did not look around acting as if he was still a little woozy from the blow to the head Tom had given him. His guess was confirmed as soon as they reached the castle and he heard the sound of "Moody's" wooden leg on the stone pathway. "So, Potter, tell me what happened when you arrived?" "Moody asked.
"I have a message for you, sir," Harry said making the man raise an eyebrow at him. "I was told to tell you the Phoenix has risen but the Dementor will strike like a viper."
"Explain yourself, Potter," "Moody" said stopping their journey and tightening his grip on Harry's arm.
"I was told that was the phrase to let you know everything was good but to stay in hiding for a little longer. Did I not say it right?" Harry asked.
"Why would he entrust you with that?" the man asked.
"There was a change of plans, we reached an agreement and I will be helping him Fumbles," Harry said using the nickname Tom had shared with him was the name he used for the Headmaster to further prove he had allied himself with Tom.
"Very well, Potter, but I will be contacting him to confirm this," "Moody" said, "this does change my plans though." "Moody" started walking again leading Harry to the Hospital wing rather than his original plan of taking the boy to his office to deal with him.
"Alastor?" Madam Pomfrey asked as they walked into the Hospital Wing.
"Well, as you can see young Potter here was found but he also sustained some injury," "Moody" said gently moving Harry's bangs out of the way to show off the bruise.
"And Cedric?" the matron asked having come back to the Hospital Wing when Harry and Cedric had taken the Cup but had failed to show up just in case her services were needed and they were sent into the castle rather than to the edge of the maze.
"I am afraid from what I heard, he did not make it. I did not see the body myself but I expect it will be brought up here once things calm down unless Amos has it sent to St. Mungos," "Moody" said guiding Harry into one of the beds so Madam Pomfrey could look after him. The healing of Harry's injury took less time than he normally spent getting healed but Madam Pomfrey decided he would stay there until at least the next morning as she had him drink some Calming Draught.
Almost ten minutes Fumbles entered the room followed by Professors McGonagall and Snape all of whom had their wands out as if expecting an attack. "Albus, what is the meaning of this?" Pomfrey asked them moving to stand between them and her charge.
"Where is, Alastor?" Albus said not lowering his wand and looking around as if expecting to find the man hiding in one of the room's corners.
"He left after bringing Harry in to be looked after. Did he give me the truth when he told me Cedric died?" she asked.
"I am afraid so, which is why it was troubling that he removed Harry without a word," Albus said.
"But he did not remove me," Harry said quickly not wanting the man to find out Moody was one of Tom's people. "Just standing there I felt a little woozy so I asked if he could bring me here so I could get away from all the noise which was giving me a headache."
"See Albus, nothing sinister after all," Professor Snape said lowering his wand and slipping it into a pocket of his robes. The Potions Master turned and left the room with an expression on his face that showed he was upset that he had his time wasted.
Madam Pomfrey finally let Harry leave the Hospital Wing the next morning where he was met with a large black dog outside the room. "Snuffles," Harry said happily hugging his transformed Godfather's neck.
"You may keep the dog with you outside of classes if you want," Madam Pomfrey said, "at least according to the Headmaster."
"Thanks for letting me know," Harry said still tightly hugging Siriu's neck debating telling Sirius about what had happened in the Graveyard.
"Potter, I would like to talk to you about something," "Moody" said giving Sirius a once over with his magic eye. "Let's talk in my office," he said leading Harry and Sirius away from the hospital wing. When they reached the offices "Moody" had Sirius wait outside under the pretense that he had some delicate equipment inside he was worried a dog would break or mess with. Once he closed the door the disguised Death Eater locked and Warded it so they would not be disturbed. "Alright, I got in contact, and the story you told me checked out. I was directed to ask you one question, that he thought of only after you left."
"What does Tom want to know?" Harry asked.
"He wants to know where you are staying when you are not at Hogwarts," the man passed on. Harry gave "Moody" a quick rundown of where the Dursley's house was in the Muggle World in hopes the information would lead to him being removed from his abusive family.