Chapter 11. The End of a Journey
Henry calmly listened as Dumbledore explained how everything was supposed to go, as he revealed all his plots.
Henry kept his anger suppressed as there was no time for that. It wouldn't do anything if he just yelled angrily and pushed the old man out of the window again.
No, that would do nothing.
The Headmaster, seeing that the boy was far more capable than any of them and apprehensive of the army at the school's door, had revealed to him why the Dark Lord couldn't be killed. He told him why there was a cursed scar on Harry Potter's forehead. He told him everything and hoped that maybe this miracle maker could solve his problems too.
"Okay." Henry said at the end of the explanation.
Dumbledore and Snape were anxious at his blank look. They had expected anger and judgement, but Henry didn't show any emotion. They stared at him as he closed his eyes and mumbled.
[Soul Searcher]
Few seconds later there was a clattering noise as various artefacts were summoned and dropped on the floor.
[Soul Searcher]
– Gives the user power to search and summon souls.
Dumbledore couldn't believe his eyes, all of Voldemort's Horcruxes were in front of them, lying innocently on the floor.
Before he could say something, Henry waved his hand over them and they were turned to ash.
Dumbledore couldn't stifle a disappointed sound as he watched the legendary historical items turning into nothing.
"There, done. Though one horcrux is still left. I can't summon Voldemort's snake since it's alive. But don't worry, I will take care of it. Also, don't tell Harry that he is a horcrux too. I will discreetly remove it from him. I don't want to give him more mental trauma by revealing he has a piece of Voldemort inside him." Henry said with an edge to his voice as he walked towards the tower window, peering out at the horizon.
"What are you going to do now?" Dumbledore questioned him, relieved of the burden that he now passed on to the boy.
Henry shot him a flat stare.
"I am going to kill them all. Every single one of them. You two go guard the students in the Great Hall. Not that it will be needed, but better be safe than sorry." Henry ordered frankly.
Snape scowled at his command, not wanting to bow before the little boy while Dumbledore just sighed tiredly, knowing he couldn't stop Henry from spilling so much blood. Still, if he had to choose between his innocent students and criminals, his choice was obvious.
"You think you alone are enough against thousands. You will die, Potter." Snape spat condescendingly. Henry bared his teeth in a smile as he jumped from the tower.
The last thing the two teachers heard was "I am not alone. I never am. I have my own army."
~xXxXx~
All the students were gathered in four groups in the Great Hall. Though there were many students who were surprisingly absent. It wasn't a coincidence that all of them had the dark mark on them. They all had fled Hogwarts to join the army at its gates. They all had abandoned their beloved school to become the scum of society. And this would be their gravest and last mistake.
The anxious murmurings stopped abruptly as the doors of the Great Hall opened and admitted the Headmaster and the Potions' Professor.
Harry and the other professors were gaping in shock at Dumbledore while others looked relieved to have the powerful Headmaster among them.
Harry had only told the professors about Dumbledore's death and Snape's betrayal, not wanting to cause mass panic. Before Harry could start casting another Cruciatus Curse on Snape, he was pulled in a corner by Dumbledore who gently told him how his death was just another part of the plan and that it wasn't Snape's fault.
Harry shot them a venomous look for being kept in the dark. He didn't like when he was played like a pawn.
"Where is Henry?" He hissed in a furious tone, remembering that his younger version too was back in the castle.
"He said he was enough to stop Voldemort and his army. He went ahead to do just that." Snape answered with a sneer.
Harry glared back at the worst professor, wanting nothing more than to hear his screams once again.
He gave them a disbelieving look for letting a young child go on his own. He turned around and ran for the door. Voldemort was his problem, he wouldn't let Henry get hurt because he was stubbornly involving himself where he wasn't concerned.
How would he forgive himself if Henry died tonight against that army?
The last thing he heard was Dumbledore's regretful voice.
"Somnus!"
And then Harry was forced asleep.
'Henry needs no one's help, I am afraid. All I hope is that we never need help against him. Because that boy may be the end of the world with his endless and unnatural powers.' Dumbledore thought fearfully.
~xXxXx~
Voldemort stared at the green skull in the sky. Dumbledore was dead.
That's what the signal meant.
Finally, there was no one left to oppose him. Well, there was one, but he was just a teenager and would be taken care of soon.
His lips thinned in a cold smile before he waved his wand in a mighty swirl. The land before the Hogwarts' gates cleared with a loud crack. Trees and grass and stones, all disappeared as willed by the powerful Dark Lord.
All that was left was the dry land between his army and Hogwarts' front gates.
A hundred metres of space between him and the castle.
It looked like a barren battlefield now. A brown lifeless field which would turn red with life after soaking the blood and sweat of the fighters.
Soon, Voldemort's forces arranged themselves neatly in front of him. He watched down from the ledge, on which he was standing with Nagini by his side, as his great army stood in its all glory.
Twenty giants stood foremost, acting as the tank of the army. Giant spiders and Dementors were just behind them. Then ten metres behind the beasts was a crowd of hundreds of Death Eaters and werewolves, appearing restless, eager to taste blood. And the last were eighty vampires who had joined him in the end and subjected themselves to his rule.
This should be enough to intimidate the professors of Hogwarts into submission or if nothing else then to take over the school by force.
The Dark Lord amplified his voice and whispered his grave warning.
"Give me Harry Potter or perish, you have five minutes to decide."
~xXxXx~
The warning was heard by everyone in the Great Hall. There was a rush of whisperings as the students grumbled among themselves, frightened and anxious. But no one said out loud to give Harry Potter to the Dark Lord, they couldn't in the presence of Dumbledore.
While more than enough people thought it was fair to trade one life to save theirs, they didn't voice it out loud, knowing that they would be turned into social pariahs.
~xXxXx~
Henry stood outside the gates, far away from the army that they wouldn't notice him.
Usually, Henry would have walked up to the army and started his assault directly, knowing he was capable of killing all of them by himself. But he was still wary of Voldemort. He wouldn't take rash actions. The last time he did that, he returned with his sister's dead body.
It wouldn't happen again. Not when he was so close to achieving his aim. He decided to do his work from a safe distance and let his minions be the face of the resistance.
He was a Necromancer after all, he didn't need to do it himself. He didn't need to be seen. He set his strongest minion to the task.
"Dai Deam. Go." He said as he leaned against the metal gate while using his magic to sharpen his eyesight and look hundred metres ahead, where the war would take place.
~xXxXx~
Voldemort was mildly surprised to see a lone man walking towards them from Hogwarts. His surprise grew when he realised that the man was stark naked. The old man with bald head and long beard stopped ten metres before the army. The attackers swayed with excitement, but remained where they were, waiting for the Dark Lord's order.
In the silence that followed, Voldemort stared from above, gazing at the old emaciated man. He looked so weak that a gust of wind could take him away. But after further observation, he saw the minute details with his enhanced sight.
The skinny body of the man was covered with dark black veins and his eyes were red and glassy. Voldemort's own eyes widened in disbelief at the sudden revelation.
Yes, there was no doubt. This man was an undead. There was a Necromancer here, controlling him from afar, from some hidden hole.
Before he could do anything with this new information, the undead raised his right hand to the sky and mumbled something under his breath.
The grey clouds turned black, the wind turned into a storm, thunder rumbled deep in the valley, spooking the Death Eaters deeply. And then the mightiest bolts of lightning fell from the heavens, directly on the heads of the twenty giants.
The night turned into a day. The darkness was swallowed by light. The clouds shone with ethereal brightness as the giants screamed in agony, as they were set on fire, as the chaos ensued and snuffed out the lives of the tall behemoths.
Voldemort's army acted like headless chickens and they ran back, trampling their fallen colleagues. But one word from the Dark Lord was enough to calm them temporarily.
"Stop!" Voldemort yelled and pointed his wand at the sky in defiance. A black ray of light pierced the clouds. His pale hand trembled from the power flowing through his body. His powerful spell passed through the ethereal clouds and a second later there was a loud boom that shook both the heavens and the earth.
There were no more clouds.
The starry sky was clear.
It was odd that a battle was being fought under such a beautiful night sky.
But the damage was already done. The giants were nothing but ginormous charred carcasses. Their bodies burnt to crisp, leaving no life in their eyes. With one swoop, Dai Deam had taken away the strongest members of the opposing army.
Voldemort glared at the single undead that had caused so much havoc for him in such a short time. Just as he was going to level his wand at the old man, loud cackles filled the battleground. The mocking laughter surrounded them like a humongous wave, coming to wash them away.
Suddenly, 600 skeletons rose from the ground behind Dai Deam. They began banging their swords on their shields and laughed loudly. If that wasn't enough to scare the army of living, 150 undead archers too materialised behind the skeletons. They wore deep red armour over their peeling skin and their glowing blue eyes burned with hatred. Immediately, they aimed their bows at the sky and pulled the bowstring before letting loose.
"Shield!" Voldemort roared just a second later.
The Death Eaters and the few werewolves conjured protego shields while the vampires and the Dementors nimbly dodged the arrows.
Few fell and many didn't, but it was enough to infuriate the Dark Lord. He hadn't come here to fight a prolonged battle. He hadn't expected a slimy Necromancer to be here, defending the castle against him. But he would do it, he would play this useless game to win the castle.
"Attack!" He commanded imperiously. His army reluctantly surged forward. While they were still scared, they easily outnumbered the skeletons and their number advantage assured them a bit.
That was a mistake.
A big golden dome of light rose from the ground, capturing the battle forces inside it, preventing everyone from leaving the boundary.
~xXxXx~
Henry smiled in satisfaction as his own small army did pretty well against Voldemort's massive one.
The Dementors were useless against the undead and hence they lay still in the air, not contributing in the least.
The magical beasts were effective against his army, but the skeletons were dauntless and fanatic in extreme. They fought with a manic grin even when they were dismembered or decapitated. The skeletons always rose back and healed. And they would keep on doing that until Henry ran out of mana.
Slowly, but gradually, his small army pushed back the dark lord's forces. It wasn't a big achievement since his pawns were undying, not staying dead while the opposing force suffered loses every second.
It was a nightmare for Voldemort's army. They hurled spells and used swords and claws and everything, but the undead kept on shrugging off those attacks as if they were gentle love taps.
The battleground was filled with the dying screams of the living. The sounds of swords piercing flesh, and mad cackling had already seeped off the living's courage.
Only the Vampires and the Dementors hadn't lost any of their numbers while the other groups were halved in the last hour.
Their thousands of members had been reduced to a measly few hundreds. The brown muddy ground was splattered with blood and gore. Dead glassy eyes shone from the moonlight. There were more corpses than the living at this point.
Dai Deam was the Avatar of death as his divine retribution left corpses in his wake. He flicked his hand in front of him and a purple fire burned dozens of enemies in seconds. It didn't matter if they were werewolves or Death Eaters or magical animals. All suffered the same fate. Death. He was the strongest undead and he proved it why.
Voldemort's sigh was barely audible as he witnessed his once massive army dwindling into nothing. Still, he was confident in his own power and prepared himself to take on the whole army. But before he could swish his wand to show these undead pests who they were fighting against, he was suddenly surrounded by his inner circle.
Voldemort looked bamboozled at the sight of his loyal pets who had been turned into undead. Now he knew what had happened to his prime Death Eaters.
"Voldemort. Master sends his regards." Bellatrix's smile was blank as she trained her wand at him.
The sliced body of Nagini was lying beside her. Voldemort screamed in fury as he was forced to dodge the piercing curse. He yelled at the sky, he called for the preposterous bastard who had dared to throw his own once loyal servants at him. His call went unheard and he engaged in a deathly fight with his former loyal inner circle.
~xXxXx~
Henry looked amused as he hovered in the sky, watching how Voldemort tried to kill Bellatrix and Lucius again.
His undead had risen and healed from everything. Voldemort had already killed all the members of his inner circle tens of times, but they never stayed dead and continued their relentless assault on the Dark Lord.
It went on like this for another hour. By this time, Voldemort's army was destroyed absolutely, not a single soldier was left alive. The battle in the end had turned into simple execution. Henry even took care of the Dementors and annihilated the dark spectres. The vampires had tried to run away, but Dai Deam had cornered and killed them mercilessly.
Now only Voldemort was alive, still fighting against his inner circle on the very same cliff where the duel first began.
The last few hours hadn't been good to him. While his body was still pristine and unhurt, his energy levels were at their all time low.
Henry's army had disappeared after their work was done, except these undead Death Eaters who hadn't been successful in taking down Voldemort. But the way the fight was going, he was sure it would be over soon.
Henry didn't even give the Dark Lord the satisfaction of knowing his enemy. In the end, he died by the hands of his pawns.
You could have unlimited power, but if you couldn't move your body in time for defence or offence then it was for nothing. Unlike Voldemort, Henry's undead didn't get tired or out of breath and hence the boogeyman died by the hands of his own people. Or more accurately by the hands of the bodies of his own people.
Bellatrix jumped onto his back and carved a crimson smile on his white neck with a dagger.
Henry lowered down on the ground and dismissed his undead who then disappeared in a puff of smoke. He looked down at the lifeless body of the terror of Britain and his rage wasn't abated in the least. Maybe because this wasn't the Voldemort who killed his sister. He wasn't the one who took away half his soul. He wasn't the one who drew a permanent scar on his heart.
Henry sighed and took a deep breath and abruptly gagged. The stench of blood was just too strong. Thousands of corpses lay sprawled down the cliff and the vultures flew overhead in circles, peering down at the meaty feast.
Henry juggled between the decision to turn them all into undead or leave their bodies in peace.
Since he had reached the level 300, no further quests were given to him. So, he didn't exactly get anything out of this massacre other than future safety for Harry. But that also meant that he wasn't forced to turn them into undead for any quest.
He didn't have a valid excuse. It was all up to him. Did he need any more undead? No, but it wasn't like he was running out of any space. Then again, there was that skill [Army of Dead] which gave him the skill to summon 30,000 soldiers in an instant.
…
He shrugged.
Extra undeads were extra undeads. He wasn't going to waste the bodies. You never know when a few thousand soldiers might be needed to change fate.
"Repair. Arise."
~xXxXx~
Henry teleported directly into the Great Hall, getting more than a few surprised screams. He ignored them easily and walked to the corner of the room where Dumbledore had laid Harry down on a blanket.
Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny and a blonde haired girl were standing guard by his unconscious body. They parted for him quickly, recognising him, giving him space. Ron nodded at him while Hermione shot him a nervous smile.
Dumbledore and the Professors watched him carefully from some distance away but didn't interrupt him.
Henry kneeled by his older counterpart and touched his forehead gently. He unceremoniously destroyed the horcrux in his scar and then rennervated him. It was an easy task now since he had mastered necromancy.
Harry gasped awake, sitting up and panting loudly.
"Henry! Are you fine?" Harry immediately asked, grabbing his shoulders and checking him.
"I am fine, but let's talk in private." Henry replied reassuringly and teleported them to a wall on the seventh floor, not caring that he was flaunting his power in the public.
Henry signalled him to unlock the room and Harry did that, keeping a lid on his worry and curiosity and fighting against temptation to ask him thousands of questions.
They both entered the Room of Requirement. Currently, it was in the form of a small cosy living room. They both sat in comfortable cushioned chairs which were facing each other.
For half a minute they were silent, just staring at each other.
"Voldemort is dead. And I decimated his army too. It won't surprise me if Draco and Professor Snape are the only Death Eaters alive." Henry broke the silence and gave him the most important information.
Harry kept his surprise and relief in check and didn't do a happy dance, which he was sorely tempted to do. He was finally free. Finally free from fate and responsibilities. This feeling was… liberating.
"I see." He muttered.
Henry raised his eyebrow curiously.
"You don't look as excited as I thought you would after hearing this." Henry said bemusedly.
"I am. That you can be sure of. I am just digesting it. Slowly." Harry smiled, scratching his cheek.
Henry shrugged and made himself comfortable on the chair.
"How is Dumbledore alive?" Harry asked since he still didn't know how that happened. He had been present when the killing curse hit Dumbledore and hurled him through the window.
"I revived him. I am powerful enough to truly raise the dead now." Henry bragged a little. And he had the right to do so after he spent almost a year just levelling up.
Harry looked at him comically but instead of accusing him of lying, he slowly nodded. He had seen enough weird things to know that nothing was impossible in the magical world.
Suddenly, his face was full of hope and he asked his most secret wish.
"Then can you resurrect my mum and dad?" He asked, almost hungrily as he leaned forward in the chair.
Henry's face fell and he shook his head.
"I am sorry, I can't. My power has a limit. I can only revive those who died in the last five years. Otherwise, I definitely would have decided to revive my own dad." Henry explained sadly.
Harry slumped back in his chair.
"It's fine. At least you can bring back your sister." He smiled, suppressing his disappointment and looking at the bright side.
Henry nodded in agreement.
"Yes. She was the sole reason why I became a Necromancer after all. She will finally breathe again."
"That's good. I am happy for you."
"You know, if you want I can bring back your parents' soul for a brief time. It won't be a true resurrection, but you will have a few minutes to talk with them."
Harry's eyes again shone with hope and he agreed instantly.
Henry smiled sympathetically at him and used his power to search and summon the mentioned souls.
[Soul Searcher]
Beside them, two motes of golden lights hovered out of the floor. It grew rapidly and then turned humanoid before taking the form of Lily and James Potter.
The two boys stood up and turned towards them as they finished taking shape.
The man had messy black hair and warm hazel eyes. He was grinning at them proudly. The woman too was smiling at them motherly, her long red hair tied behind her in a ponytail. Her emerald eyes twinkled as they approached them. Both James and Lily looked as if they were in their early twenties. That made Henry remember that in this world they did die young.
Henry couldn't help but compare Harry's mother with his.
While this Lily Potter too was immensely beautiful, she wasn't anywhere close to his mum. Or maybe he was just being biassed. He smiled bashfully as he realised he was staring at her. It was silly how there was a competition going on inside his head at this heart touching moment.
"Mum. Dad." Harry mumbled with wet cheeks as he touched their faces, testing if they were real.
Henry pumped more mana into them to make them semi-corporeal. What Harry touched wasn't warm flesh, but it was solid enough that he chose to hug them. They embraced each other and the older teenager cried like a baby while Lily caressed his hair and kissed all over his face. James ran his hand over his back soothingly and his own eyes were blurry with tears.
It was five minutes later that their reunion calmed down and they finally looked at Henry.
Lily walked up to him and captured him in a tight hug, sobbing and thanking him repeatedly. Henry was embarrassed, but put his arms around her waist and patted her back awkwardly. At least Henry got to know how it felt to hug a mana empowered ghost.
It was like hugging a soft squishy cloud.
"You were a blessing to my son's life. Thank you for doing so much for him even when you didn't have to." Lily smiled softly at him and caressed his face.
Henry smiled back and nodded, not knowing what to say or how to address her. He didn't want to call her mum since he already had one and he couldn't bring himself to call her Mrs. Potter or Lily, that would be just plain weird. Thankfully for him, she didn't expect a reply and stepped back, looking at her own son.
Henry gave them ten more minutes before sending them back to the afterlife.
Harry was finally content after having an opportunity to properly say goodbye to his parents. It wasn't the best outcome, but it was better than never having met them.
"It's time for me to go, Harry. I have to say goodbye to Daphne and Tracey too."
Harry shot him a small smile and pulled him in a hug, ignoring his feeble protest.
"Thank you for everything, Harry." The teenager gave his heartfelt thanks and used his real name.
"Goodbye, brother." Henry sighed and pulled back before teleporting away. His cheeks were flushed red at calling him that. He didn't know why he felt so shy calling the teenager his brother.
Harry chuckled alone in the Room of Requirement and mumbled a goodbye to no one.
That was the last time he ever saw his younger counterpart.
~xXxXx~
Roy stood in front of a warehouse in the middle of night. In his hand was the [Spirit Sword, glowing faintly in the dark. He wore a black hoodie with black trousers. The hood was thrown over his head and a black face mask covered his face from nose down.
It had been months since he was given this sword by that strange boy. It didn't take him too much time to decide what to do with his lonely life. After his mother and father, there was no one left to love. So, he easily chose vengeance. He would burn the evil out of this world. Even his childish brain knew how impossible it was, but he had to try. He didn't want anyone else to suffer like him.
This warehouse was a centre of children trafficking. He had been watching for a day, confirming his suspicions. And what he found made him grit his teeth in anger. Apparently magicals ran this business, exploiting the defenceless humans.
It was just like that night. Entitled magicals thinking that they were above everyone.
He would show them. Yes, they would see their arrogance leaking from between their legs. He gripped the sword handle with his two hands and felt the power surge through him, he watched how the time slowed for him.
And then he ran.
In a second, the door of the warehouse was blasted open. The three low level wizards inside, trained their wands at the boy, taken aback by such strange attire.
Roy though didn't look at them, he watched the tens of children whose ages ranged from 12 to 16, huddling in the corner. They wore rags which barely covered their bodies. They were shivering against each other, staring at him with wide frightened eyes.
"Reducto!" one of the wizards yelled. Roy just scoffed at the sluggish ray of red light advancing towards him at the pace of snail. With the sword in his hand, he was something more. His powers and agility rose to a godly level. He almost felt like King Arthur with Excalibur in his hands.
A single leap was all it took for him to reach the perplexed adults. They weren't able to utter a single scream as Roy decapitated them cleanly, their heads rolling on the floor and blood spurting like a fountain from their severed necks.
Roy whizzed through the warehouse like a flash of lightning and killed any adults he found.
In the end, he murdered 12 wizards in cold blood with not a single bit of remorse. He justified his actions, stating he was a hero who only killed the evil.
He returned to the front where the children were. They now stood uncertainly, away from the dead bodies.
They froze when they spotted him. Roy dropped his sword and raised his hands placatingly before throwing back his hood and pulling down his mask.
"It's fine. I am not here to hurt you. I am here to save you. And you are saved. There are no evil men left alive." Roy said softly and a bit pompously.
They all looked at him shockingly before breaking down in relieved sobs, clutching each other in tight embrace. Roy smiled sadly at the scene and let the warmth reach his heart at the job well done. The satisfying feeling after helping others was just indescribable.
He led them out and pointed them to the nearest police station.
"Just tell them that Nemesis sends his regards."
Roy smiled as they shook his hands and gave him hugs before running away to their freedom. Seeing their joyful smile almost filled the void in his heart.
Almost.
He went into the nearest forest where he had set up a tent for himself. After his parents' funeral, Roy had run away from his house for his destiny which was to weed out evil.
In lay man's terms, he was homeless.
As he neared towards his current abode, he saw a boy standing before his tent. Roy's hand quickly went towards the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist. But when he realised who the boy was, he felt hopelessness and fear. Had he finally come to take back his prized sword?
"We meet again, Nemesis. At least that's the name I know from your infamy." Henry said, sitting on the log of wood in front of the tent.
"Call me Roy."
"Then you can call me Henry."
Roy didn't question why he went by Henry instead of Harry. No, he was far more interested in the objective of their sudden meeting. He went towards him and stood before him.
"Why are you here?" He asked frankly.
"I have got a gift for you." Henry smiled genuinely.
Roy quirked up his eyebrow and motioned him to continue.
"I have become strong enough to do resurrection. I am here for that. Do you want me to bring back your parents?" Henry asked gently.
Roy was still for a second before he dropped on his knees and looked up at him with teary eyes.
"Yes. Please. You can even have your sword back. Just give me my parents." Roy cried like a kid he was, abandoning his roleplay of Messiah, placing the sword before him.
There was no reluctance in his movements as he denounced the sword to which he was so attached to a few minutes ago.
Henry shook his head and didn't touch the sword.
"No, keep that. Take it as a reward for playing hero. You can keep playing even after your parents are back. And honestly, this sword brings back bad memories. The price which I paid to acquire this was my sister's life. I will never be able to look at that sword fondly. It will always make me feel guilty and useless. It is better in your hands than in mine." Henry explained with a bitter smile.
"Still, are you fine with giving me such a powerful sword?" Roy questioned him with a frown.
"Yes. I am fine. It's not like I won't get better swords in future. Let's just say that my profession keeps on giving me interesting things to play with. It's not a matter of if but when I acquire even a greater sword than this." Henry reassured him.
After that, Henry cast [Reviver].
[Reviver]
– It gives the user the power to resurrect people who were dead in the last five years. Can only be used 100 times in a year.
Two golden spheres of lights rose from the forest floor and took on humanoid shapes before human flesh covered them. He waved his hand and they were clothed. He laid them over the ground, with Roy watching them like a hawk.
These two newly revived beings were currently sleeping peacefully.
"I suggest you change countries. It would be a hell if people realised that your parents were brought back from the dead. And here is some money to make the change convenient." Henry adviced and used his [Unlimited Money] perk to create a bag filled with cash. The 'some' money was actually worth millions, but it wasn't like Henry cared since he could never run out of money. This perk was really gold. It gave him power to conjure real money and any currencies and coins.
Henry didn't wait to see their reunion and teleported back to his hotel room. He hoped it would be the last time he met Roy.
~xXxXx~
At last, Henry was finally in his hotel room. All he needed to do now was to say goodbye to his friends and then he could go home. Easy, right? Wrong.
Henry was feeling very nervous about this particular farewell. Unlike with Harry and his friends, Henry had developed a deep bond with Daphne and Tracey.
In the start when he came into this world, he had kept a wall around himself, intentionally not befriending Hermione, Ron or Ginny during his stay at Grimmauld Place. Not because he didn't like them, but because he knew that if he made friends with them then it would be very painful to say goodbye when he had to return to his own world.
The crux of the matter was that when he leaves this world, he wouldn't be able to come back. And against his better judgement he still had let himself connect with Daphne and Tracey. He had done what he wanted to instead of what he should have. Now it was coming back to bite him in the arse.
Technically, Henry wasn't supposed to be able to do a world jump. At least not yet. For that feature, he needed to max a particular [Class] which he hadn't done. BUT since Isis was on his side and was his best friend, she somehow made it possible for him to leave his world. Her excuse for that was that it was a free trial of that feature.
It is a free trial which is over now.
Isis said stubbornly, still not accepting that she cheated to make Henry's life a little more convenient.
Yes, it was a free trial.
And that was also the problem. It meant that once he left this world, he wouldn't be able to come back, not until he maxed that particular class. Even then it wasn't a guarantee that he would come here at the right time. The world jump might bring him 100 years too early or too late. Maybe if he had that class, he might have had other options but alas he didn't have that.
Basically, he was screwed.
It was scary knowing that this might be the last time he would see Daphne and Tracey.
He looked at them. They both were sleeping peacefully on his bed.
Oh, they were also stark naked.
Henry scrunched his face in disgust and did his best to not think about what they might have done earlier on his bed. He shook his head and then looked at Aura who was staring back at him, perched on the bedside table.
"Papa, our slaves were doing strange things by tangling their legs and rubbing against each other. What was that?" Aura asked innocently.
Yes, he was able to understand her without needing to turn into a cat himself. That was the advantage of levelling up his cat.
He blushed furiously and discarded those yucky images from his mind.
"I don't know, Aura. Adults do their own strange things which we may never understand."
"Okay. I am going to sleep now that you are here." Aura yawned and curled on the table.
At least, Aura would be able to come to his world since she was his familiar. He couldn't even imagine how he would have felt if he was required to drop Aura alone in this world.
He shuddered and dropped that line of thought.
He decided that waiting for a few more hours wouldn't matter and he was very drowsy after expending so much mana anyway.
Now, where to sleep?
Henry let his eyes linger on the bed and chose to be bold. It was his bed. He wasn't going to take the sofa or something. And the bed was large enough for three people. So, it was not much of a problem.
He changed into a clean t-shirt and baggy shorts. Unlike these two girls, he wasn't comfortable sleeping naked. He hummed thoughtfully as he again looked at them. The two were sleeping on their sides, facing and hugging each other.
In the end, he climbed on Daphne's side. He was pretty sure that between the two girls, she wouldn't mind him sleeping beside her. Tracey could get offended but Daphne? No chance.
He lay on his side and sidled behind her. He threw his arm around her waist and held her tight. He pressed his face in her neck and silky blonde hair.
He closed his eyes and tried to sleep. He wouldn't lie. The sensation of Daphne's soft and warm body against his was exhilarating. Particularly, the feel of her bare bum on his groin. They felt so soft and squishy.
He flushed red and hid his face in her neck and desperately wished to fall asleep. His body felt so warm and tingly.
Was he turning into a pervert like Daphne?
Definitely not. He was just enjoying the hug with his best friend. It probably was the last of the few he would ever get from her.
…Sure. Whatever makes you sleep better.
Isis' sarcastic remark didn't help in the least.
~xXxXx~
Daphne was the first one to wake up as the first ray of lights fell through the window. She frowned when she felt two bodies sandwiching her. The last she remembered, there was only Tracey with her.
She reluctantly pulled her face away from Tracey's pillowy breasts and pushed away all the limbs surrounding her. She then turned around and laid on her other side.
She heard a soft whimper as Henry again grabbed her around the waist and pushed his face between her breasts.
Daphne stifled a gasp as his face nestled in her boobs. She was confused for a second, still not sure what the hell was going on. Then she remembered the last night and realised that she and Tracey were in his hotel room. After she silently checked that he was alright, a cheshire cat grin grew on her face.
She stifled a laugh at how Henry was hugging her, being so clingy like a monkey. His sleeping face was also just so cute. She had to stop herself from making cooing noises. She couldn't believe that Henry was being so open and had slept beside her. Usually, he was just so averse to physical affection.
She definitely wasn't complaining.
She embraced him back tightly, tucking his head under her chin and let their shared warmth lull her back to sleep.
Tracey was the next one to awake and she wasn't exactly happy seeing her naked girlfriend wrapped around a boy. She sighed and slid off the bed, standing up and crossing her arms under her impressive chest. She mildly glared at them, but an amused smile eventually broke over her face.
Was she really getting jealous of an eleven, almost twelve years old boy who wasn't even sexually active?
Yes, she was.
She huffed fondly and went into the bathroom, not waking them yet.
Henry finally awoke and felt very cosy. The heat and softness that surrounded his body was mind-blowing. He snuggled deep into this softness and instinctively squeezed what was near his hands. As the drowsiness went away, he realised where his face was and what he was fondling.
His face was buried in Daphne's big round breasts and his fingers were sinking in her curvy arse cheeks. Oh, she was absolutely naked. His face and his hands could attest to that.
He burned with embarrassment and shame. His eyes widened in fear and he hoped she wasn't awake. He chanced a look at her face. Amused blue eyes stared back at him.
"Enjoying yourself, I hope." Daphne grinned.
"Yes." Henry smiled nervously, his hands still on her bum, cupping her rear.
"Better put some distance between us, mister, if you want to avoid Tracey's wrath." She giggled and gently shoved him away so he wasn't pressed against her anymore. Henry groaned and scrambled away, burying his face in the pillow.
He wished he could die right now.
Daphne chuckled at his reaction and patted his head as she sat up.
"It's fine, Henry. I am not angry. You are young and curious. I get that. Oh, do you need me to give you that Talk?" She quipped playfully.
He really wanted to die right now.
~xXxXx~
Tracey and Daphne sat on the sofa in the living room while Henry dragged a chair in front of them and slumped down on it. The girls shared a concerned look between them at his anxious behaviour.
It was after the whole morning fiasco. Daphne hadn't missed a single chance in teasing him about his sleep groping. And it might be just him, but she really didn't need to keep the first three buttons of her shirt open, showing an indecent amount of cleavage. Tracey had just rolled her eyes at her, but had gone with the flow, not criticising her clothing.
Though Henry's mind currently wasn't occupied by Daphne's perky chest. No, he was far more worried about the topic of conversation to even give attention to Daphne's baiting.
"Henry, is everything alright? What happened last night at the school?" Tracey questioned him gently.
That helped Henry to begin the tale. He told them everything in detail. He told them how he resurrected Dumbledore, he explained to them how he controlled his own forces and thwarted Voldemort's attack. He even told them about the Horcruxes and Voldemort's secret that kept him alive all along. Though he didn't mention that Harry Potter himself was a horcrux. Then he revealed how he raised the enemy dead army and made them into his undead.
"Then I said goodbye to Harry and took care of a personal matter before coming back here. I saw how you were already asleep and decided to sleep myself since I was tired. I didn't want to wake you in the middle of night to explain all these." Henry finished with a sigh.
It was two minutes of silence as the girls took in the massive dose of information and digested it. Daphne was the first one to break the quietness.
"Okay. I believe you, but I am not sure why you are acting like you lost the war. You should be happy that you saved everyone, why are you so down then?"
"Because, now that I am done here, I have to go home. And once I go home I may never be able to return here. This is a final farewell. I am sad because I won't be able to see you anymore." Henry whispered softly, peering at them with narrowed eyes.
Daphne shot him an incredulous look.
"And why, may I enquire that you won't be able to come back here from your home? Don't tell me you are from the Moon." Daphne grinned, trying to hide her ever-increasing worry.
"The Moon? No. I am from another dimension. My real name is Harry Potter." Henry confessed.
"And I am a blonde Lily Potter with three boobs." Daphne couldn't help herself, even in this tense atmosphere, especially in this tense atmosphere.
"Liar. You only have two boobs. I saw." Henry grumbled.
"Exactly." Daphne grinned, hoping that he would say that his confession was just a joke.
"I am being honest, Daphne. My real name is Harry Potter and I am from another world. I came here for a certain reason and now that it is done, I have to go back to my own world. And once I go, I won't be able to come back."
That claim brought another moment of silence. Daphne's grin vanished and her eyes filled up with tears while Tracey herself looked dejected.
"Then don't go. You can stay with me. I will take care of you. I will love you. I will be your family." Daphne yelled, hoping that she didn't sound as desperate as she felt. Tracey placed her hand on her shoulder and mumbled sadly.
"You can't ask him to do that, Daph. He has his own family. We shouldn't be selfish. We should part with smiles instead of yelling at each other."
Daphne didn't listen to her and looked at him imploringly. Henry stood up and came before her. He leaned down and cupped her face.
"I have to go, Daphne. I wish I didn't, but I have to." Henry whispered softly. Daphne broke down in tears after that and hugged him tight like it was the last time she would be able to touch him. And maybe it was.
"But I have a last gift for you which hopefully will lessen the pain. Go to the bedroom." Henry smiled, pulling her to her feet and shoving her towards the said room.
"But—oww!" Daphne gasped as she felt his playful slap on her butt.
"No talking, just go and take the gift out here." Henry smiled innocently as if he hadn't just touched her bum. She shook her head, a grin growing on her face and ran into the bedroom.
"Tell her I said goodbye and will always remember her. Goodbye, Tracey, take care of her." Henry turned to Tracey and gave her a brief hug before teleporting away. Tracey couldn't even respond before he was gone.
~xXxXx~
Astoria slowly opened her eyes when loud sobbing reached her ears. The first thing she saw was Daphne sitting beside her and crying her eyes out while holding her hand against her chest.
"Daphne, why are you crying?" Astoria asked dubiously.
"What was the last thing you remember, Tori?" Daphne queried, caressing her cheek. And just like that she sat up urgently.
"Voldemort! He attacked our house. And he asked father to join him. I don't remember anything after that."
"Voldemort is dead, Tori. Welcome back to the land of living. Come on, I will introduce you to Henry, he is your new brother." Daphne smiled blissfully and wiped her eyes before leading Astoria in the living room.
Henry was long gone and Tracey gave her an apologetic look.
"He said goodbye and that he will always remember you."
~xXxXx~
It was cowardly, Henry knew, but he couldn't say goodbye to Daphne. It was just too difficult. He hoped she would forgive him for leaving so abruptly. At least, his gift in the form of Astoria's resurrection would mellow her hurt.
"Isis. Let's go home."
World Jumping… initialising… Return!
Henry found himself back in the Potter Manor and sitting on the same sofa from where he had jumped worlds. He knew not a single second had passed in this world, but he felt old. Even if he was again in his smaller and younger body.
He gave out a drawn out sigh and closed his eyes briefly.
"Where are we, papa?" Aura asked who was cuddled in his lap.
"We are home."
~xXxXx~
Bonus Scene:
Dumbledore and the other professors stood frozen outside. The student population too was out, wanting to see what had happened in the last few hours.
What they saw would forever traumatise them.
A river of blood cut the path of Hogwarts and formed a lake some distance away.
A crimson lake full of viscous blood. And as far as they could see the ground was covered with red. There were no bodies, but it didn't need them much cajoling to realise that a massacre had taken place here.
"Merlin! What monster could have done something like this so that it didn't even leave any bodies behind?" a student in green asked aghast.
Harry's friends looked at him pointedly.
"What? He is adopted."
~xXxXx~
Another Bonus Scene:
The three girls calmed down after so much sad crying and relieved crying. Tracey and Daphne briefly informed her what had happened last night and who Henry Potter was and how he brought her back from the dead.
Astoria finally asked the most important question.
"Where are we? And how will we go back to Hogwarts? I don't think you know how to apparate. Do you?"
"No." Tracey and Daphne shared a look and ran to the window. The sight that was before them left no doubt about where they were.
Just a block away, the Empire State building rose to touch the sky.
"We are in fucking America."
~xXxXx~
Henry, who was on his way to wake up his mother from the sleeping spell, sneezed loudly.
'Why do I think I am forgetting something? Eh, whatever.'