Harry looked up and saw a woman, dressed in similar robes to the monk who had let him in. Her head was shaved and around her neck was an amulet radiating more power than he had ever felt before.
Noticing his weary gaze, the woman spoke, "This artefact is the reason we knew you would come here. It has allowed us to look into the paths of the future to determine the possible and likely outcome of events. This allows us to fulfil our primary objectives of protecting this world from within the shadows, from the constant threat of trans-dimensional intruders who seek to do harm and keeping the artefact itself safe."
"Why are you telling me this? You don't even know my name. Surely you don't go around telling every random stranger about the tenets of your apparent secret order?" Harry asked still highly uncertain whether he should trust this person.
She cocked her head to the side and looked at him with a small smile before responding to his questions. "Your name is Harry Potter. You came to this world accidentally while trying to stop a monster who had already destroyed your world, who would doubtless wreak havoc on ours should his attempt have been successful. You have power within you, much like ours, but where you absorb and store power, we channel the energies from other dimensions. You have yet to tell me your entire life's story in all the possible futures where I have experienced this conversation thousands of times. You have always respected and responded well to the truth and so, I have decided that we would follow that path, since it seems your path now lay in this world."
"I'm going to have a headache after this conversation aren't I?" Harry deadpanned. He had never been a scholar of time-theory, but even so, he had spent enough time with Hermione to know that there are massive implications to what he was hearing now.
The woman smiled brightly at him. "You always say that. You cannot imagine how many times you have said that to me from my perspective. Come, Master Potter, we'll have tea. I have your favourite ready for you upstairs."
Having no reason to argue and thinking he might at least get some answers, he started following her up the stairs. "I don't have much time. The government minders are likely already almost at my door." He had left a muggle-repelling charm along with an alarm ward, which would tell him when he had to leave, but he hadn't felt anything yet. It had only been a couple of minutes since he had left, but he was almost certain they'd be there quite soon.
"Ah, they have unfortunately been delayed by someone having pressed the button for the elevator on every floor. Any moment now, they will decide to take the stairs, rather than stop at every level. By the time they arrive, you will have returned. As I understand it, you have an hour."
"What?!" Harry exclaimed. Running up the stairs should buy him a couple of minutes at best. She couldn't be talking about…
"How did you save your godfather the first time, the second time around?" she asked with a cocked brow.
Harry stopped dead in his tracks. She knew. There was still a small doubt in his mind up until that exact moment. "You do know." He said in awe-struck amazement. So many questions were running through his head, that he missed a step and almost tripped, had it not been for the deceptively strong hand catching his, having apparently been there waiting for it.
"Did you tell me that at that exact time, knowing that I would trip so that you could catch me?" Harry asked.
"Who knows?" she said mysteriously. Harry was certain he saw a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.
He looked up and couldn't help smiling back at this mysterious woman, who apparently knew him better than anyone had in so many years. "How is this possible?" he asked, half expecting her to simply give him the answer as she had when he met her just minutes ago.
She frowned a bit. "Here is where the problem starts. While you may know, sense and understand certain things because of your gifts and past, there has always been some figure in your life keeping the most important information to themselves or that's what it seemed like from your perspective. Not once did they explain why it is necessary to do so. Not really. This has jaded you and as a result you are weary of giving your trust to those who might otherwise help you. You have lost so much because of both your own issues with sharing information and your mistrust of those who keep things from you."
They arrived at a couple of couches and Harry sat woodenly, realizing what she was saying. "You aren't going to tell me, are you? Once again someone is keeping things from me 'for my own good'" It was not an accusation. He was just disappointed that this always seemed to happen to him and that he was not used to it by now.
"Yes and no. You don't understand yet, but you will…" she started.
"In just a couple of years, when I'm ready for the information, when it's too late to use it to save anyone? Yeah, I've heard similar things in the past. Well-meaning elders or people in power hoarding information once again…" Harry trailed off.
She scowled at him, but the amusement had yet to leave her eyes. "As I was saying, you don't understand yet, but if you listen, you might by the time you leave here. Today."
At this Harry felt a bit of the tension he had felt building up leave him. "What do you mean?" he asked, just now noticing the cup of tea right in front of him, having been there before he sat down. He picked it up and tasted it. It was perfect. He was struck again by how surreal this situation was. Not knowing what he may or may not have said to this person in the past, or was that the future. Present but past tense? His head started hurting.
She smiled at him. "Relax, you don't need to worry about what may or may not have been. Trust yourself, as you would certainly not divulge anything, at any time, which you would not have felt you could trust me with. And that is the crux of the matter we need to discuss. At some point in your near future there will come an opportunity for you to trust someone, someone you've already met, who does know things you'll find useful, but cannot divulge said secrets. Not without you providing a method for that information to be kept 'secret'. I am very much aware that it sounds like I am speaking in riddles for no reason, but you have had time to consider a certain prophecy pertaining to yourself and have realized that had you been given straight answers you would have acted differently, correct?"
She was no longer smiling, knowing what was to come. She didn't have to wait long.
"Of course I would have acted differently! I could have saved so many more lives! My home might not be destroyed. I could have saved them all!" Having let go of bottled emotions he didn't know he had, he felt a tear roll from his eye. He looked down and realized he had stood up in his outburst, having let go of his teacup. And she had caught it handily, having obviously expected it. Not a drop of tea having been spilled. He then realized this was all part of what she had to tell him. Having been through this before. He did not like feeling controlled and was about to say as much when she looked up at him and for the first time he felt small in her gaze. What had those eyes seen to make them look so old?
"Yes. You see now, don't you? I have been through a life twisted by fate and necessity more times than I care to recall. Why do you think I came to you? Allowed you through the barriers protecting this place from even one such as you? It's because we share a common burden. In some ways, even a common past. We do not wish to see innocents suffer. If we have it within us to save a single life, we could make a deal even with the devil himself."
"How many times?" Harry asked. How many times had he lost control on her, taken his anger out on a person who, for all he could tell, was only trying to help him, at her own expense?
"More than you care to know, but rest assured, it is not your fault. We both know that you have very good reasons. You've got a good heart, Harry, and that is why I know you will like what I have to say next. At the end of the journey you are about to take there is a very good possibility you might be able to save your old world, even if you may never be able to go back to it, and them." She looked at him with a sad smile, the intensity in her gaze having faded.
He had frozen again. Hopefully for the last time that day. The very possibility that he could, somehow, fix his broken old world and restore life to it, gave him something he had thought lost so many years ago: Hope.
"Them? As in, the people I lost? Everyone?" not daring to hope, to make eye contact and see the denial in her eyes. He looked down at the teacup again.
"Everyone." Was her solemn reply.
A world where his family lived, real and adopted, even if he could never see them again, was a world worth saving.
"I'll do it." he whispered, knowing that for this to be only a step in his path, and if the horrors he had seen was any indication, the horrors he might have to face would have to be great, but still, there was hope. The smile he saw on her face was one he thought he'd see if he had a mirror. Hopeful, but resolved for a long fight.
"You see, Harry, you thought your journey was over, but I think you were meant to be here, at this time. You were meant to come here and learn what you did. If you had done anything different, would you not carry the weight of those you failed with you anyway? Even if you destroyed your foe, would you not have lost many loved ones? This is your chance: the one your noble spirit would not have shied away from had you known that you would have the opportunity."
And she was right. Had he known for a second that he might be able to save one more person, would he not go through everything again, just as he had, so that he would be given this opportunity now? And now he finally understood why the hallows had chosen him. He was, after all, the only person who could save so many souls. He'd not trust that responsibility to anyone else. He could save so many souls that died much too early. And as if the thought had connected to a presence he was before unaware of, he suddenly felt the rightness of the thought. Like someone, somewhere had whispered: "He finally understands". Stunned, he just sat there going through the thoughts.
They sat there for a couple of minutes in silence. Then started discussing lighter subjects. Somehow ending up discussing some of the pranks Harry had pulled with George. Just to lighten spirits in those dark days. Somehow feeling more dark days were coming, made him think of those little rays of light. How he missed his friends, comrades, family.
She told him that if he was ever unsure about his path, he could come and visit. Even if she could not lighten his burden or give him information that would change the things he'd do, she could still confirm he was on the right path, simply by not pointing out his mistakes.
"What is your name?" Harry suddenly asked having realized he hadn't ever asked.
Her shocked expression had him worried for a second, before she smiled at him. "This is the first time you've asked me that."
Shocked, but elated that he'd somehow done something right for the first time that day, he asked, "Well?"
"My students call me The Ancient One, but since you've shown me so much trust I'll trust you with this. My name is Yao, Master Potter." she smiled at him kindly.
"Why do you call me Master Potter? And why do they call you The Ancient One? You couldn't be more than… Wait, there is nothing I can say that would end well for me is there?" he ended lamely.
"You are wise beyond your years. And here, we call any person that has mastered sufficient aspects of their power that they could pass the knowledge on, a Master. If I am not mistaken, you have mastered many of the aspects of your power, yes?" she smiled at him again, not needing a reminder that she recently commemorated her 500th year.
There was a green flash from the amulet around her neck. "The time has come for us to part, it seems. Your journey begins anew and very shortly. I'm sure I'll see you again, young man. The only regret for today being that I won't be able to try the butterbeer that you've mentioned on occasion." She said with a smile.
He smirked, got up and walked to a glass decanter filled with water. Touching the glass with a finger the clear liquid became an odd mix between caramel and amber. Then the decanter started showing condensation as the contents suddenly became ice cold. "You're in luck. I just so happen to have perfected this one in the last couple of years. Normally this drink is alcoholic, but it will turn back to water once it heats up. But you must drink it soon, the transfiguration will only last a couple of hours, and then it will become water again, whether you drink it or not."
She couldn't help herself. This strange magic so different from their own, has so many applications. She poured herself a small glass and tasted it, her eyebrows rising in delighted surprize. "Delicious and healthy! May you never run out of wonders", she saluted him, before taking another, bigger drink. Already thinking of how her students will enjoy this.
"When you arrive you should have a short while to remove your magical protections and to get yourself settled. Good luck." She gave him a heartfelt pat on the shoulder and stood back waiting for him to do what she had already seen.
He removed a bag from around his neck and with a thought, it expanded. He next put the bag on the floor and slowly lifted it revealing a full sized trunk. He opened said trunk and started climbing down into it. The inside was quite large and it had to be for all the things he had found and stored over the years. He quickly went to a chest of drawers and pulled out the top one.
In it there was a single amulet with an hour-glass attached to it. He put it around his neck and hurried up the ladder. Packing the trunk away he took the amulet in his hands. "Good bye and thank you." he said. He turned the dial once and waved at the woman, before disappearing to an hour before.
He apparated back to his hotel room, not feeling at all any amount of drain he once would have covering such distances. Quickly he cancelled his magic on the door, so his past self wouldn't be interrupted from getting the best and possibly worst news of his life so far (no wonder they never went off). He heard a polite knock on the door mere seconds after deactivating his spells. 'I bet she knew I would make it just in time. Probably why she mentioned the butterbeer.' he thought with a smirk.
Of course, it made a certain weird kind of sense for future-traveling, magic, time monks. How his life had gone from weird to horrible and back to weird again. Just another day in the life of Harry Potter.
"Coming!" he called out walking to the door and opened it slightly.
"Can I help you?" he asked to the unknown men.
There were two of them and they were wearing suits similar to what Coulson normally wore. "We thought we heard sounds coming from here. Did you hear a gunshot just now?"
Oh, right he'd forgotten to put up silencing wards. To his own defence he reminded himself that he was not used to staying in one place for long. Hadn't been used to it for months. Luckily he had remembered to apparate to his room and not the living room. "Sorry? I'm not sure what you mean…" he trailed off putting a look of confusion on his face.
The agents looked at each other and him again. "Would you mind if we come in to check the rooms? Standard protocol, you understand."
"Identification, please?" as they presented their identification he elaborated, "Standard protocol, you understand." He actually saw one man's mouth twitch upwards. He'd count that as a win. Harry smiled and opened the door for them.
"Who would I be to stand in the way of protocol." he said easily, moving out of the way so the agents could enter the room. They looked around the small living room and moved quickly through the rest of the rooms while Harry just stood by the door. After doing their rounds Harry made to follow them from the room.
"Excuse me, sir, but where are you going?" One of them asked moving to intercept him.
"I'm going to get something to eat. Is that going to be a problem?" he asked.
"Of course not, sir. If you could wait five minutes, though, I've been informed that agent Coulson is on his way here at the moment." the man blocking his path said in a calm tone, taking a subtle step back out of Harry's personal space and also freeing his own. These men were well trained in combat awareness. Never get caught off guard. Moody would approve.
"Fair enough. I can wait a couple of minutes."
Harry then proceeded to make small talk with the two men, like he was simply catching up with some old buddies. For their part, this made them uncomfortable, which was, in turn, exactly what he wanted. He was finding that, after the revelations from… oh 30 minutes from now, he was feeling lighter than he had in years. The hopeless struggle he had found himself in over the last couple of years seemed to fall away.
Then agent Coulson arrived.
"Phil, so good to see you!" Harry exclaimed as he walked up to the man acting like he had not just been talking to the two agents and was dying for conversation. As they turned to leave Coulson noted a 'Kick me!' pinned to one of their backs. He glanced at Harry and then the note. Harry just shrugged. That'll teach them for lowering their guard when he was talking to them.
Phil smiled, and this time it seemed sincere. Harry smirked and started walking to the elevator. "Coming, agent Coulson?"
A.N(Special chapter with a larger word count.See you all in three days)