Chapter Text
Harry thought that perhaps his life would have been simpler if he had stayed an Auror. Ron had told him of his ability to stay in the office if he wished or calling out sick without being questioned due to his status of being a war hero. Ron had also been extremely upset when he made his decision clear about not being initiated as an Auror. Kingsley had tried to bribe him with the promise of making him ‘Head Auror’. But he was no longer fighting a dark lord devoted to his destruction, these days he faced the stark disappointment of those around him.
It hurt.
Words were thrown and they cut like serrated knives, no one seemed happy with his decisions. Everyone seemed so certain they knew what was best for him, so certain that his actions were due to his inability to think clearly.
“Isn’t this what we always wanted, Harry?!”
He looked at Ron; whose frustration was clear by matching the hue of his hair, who was screaming and starting to grate on his ears. It was so very similar to all he had been hearing since he was young. Others who could and would never know what it was like to be in his shoes; a boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders, expectations he could never achieve, shadows of the dead he would never step out of, and lives he failed to save.
Ron stopped with his yelling he wasn’t used to this Harry, a man whose emerald eyes pierced like the very spell that promised them an end so many times. “Enough, Ron…” His voice was quiet, but the effect was the same as the prior screaming, “Perhaps it has slipped your mind, Ronald, that this is my life and I am entitled to change my mind. I do not answer to you…and while I do care a lot for you Mrs. Weasley, I do not answer to either of you. And the ministry can go fuck itself. I have spent my entire life being either their perfect little ‘ Light ’ savior or an attention seeking lunatic. Is it so hard to believe that I would finally like to do something for myself without everyone telling me how incredibly selfish I’m being?"
The Weasley family was in shock and Hermione could only shake her head along with George. Mrs. Weasley was too shocked to scold Harry about his language and before anything else could be said, Harry left the Weasley burrow.
“Harry!” Harry turned to see Ginny who had tears in her eyes, she reminded him too much of a ghost he had been chasing since he was old enough to understand death. “I’m sorry, Ginny.”
She nodded with a mirthless chuckle, “I can’t say it doesn’t hurt. Part of me will always love you Harry James Potter. And even though you may resent the title, you have and will always be my hero. I hope you find whatever you are looking for. I have some words of advice Harry.” Harry smiled at Ginny, “and what would that be?”
“You are probably one of the most oblivious and hard-headed wizards I have ever known. I also really like this new Harry. He’s really hot.” They erupted into laughter and Harry was happy he hadn’t lost Ginny as a friend. “See you later, Harry. I have to go talk some sense into that idiot brother of mine. Hopefully, Hermione hasn’t strangled him.” Harry chuckled and watched as Ginny ran back into the burrow, and he disappeared with a pop.
Hermione had finished lecturing Ronald on the various times Harry had been ruined by the people who continuously reiterated they had Harry’s best interest in mind. It seemed she was the only one with common sense to sit down and have a conversation with Harry. At first she was shocked with his decision to continue his education, when he had been so against it immediately after the battle. Hermione knew that Harry’s education was purposely sabotaged and disappointed in herself for never questioning it, until it was too late. Harry had told her that training to be an Auror had opened his eyes in seeing how much curriculum he had learned in Hogwarts...or the lack thereof. Hermione had been glad to help Harry with his expansion of knowledge, but she saw hesitation when he asked for her assistance. Part of her couldn’t help but feel anger for him; he had been conditioned to act so by adults. Harry was constantly dismissed by teachers and even his peers throughout his life, she also knew that the Dursleys also held some blame, but Harry refused to talk about them.
Harry has been horrible at potions in class, but Hermione was certain it was due to Snape’s ire and Draco and his stooges sneaking unneeded ingredients into his cauldron. She helped him with the extensive studying needed for magical plants and creatures, she was stunned by his determination and felt that perhaps if Harry hadn’t always been in fear for his life, she would have had competition. She was also very relieved about his struggle in becoming more adept in his healing spells, now she could sleep a little better at night knowing he wouldn’t come to her half dead.
Harry had grown up and she really hoped Ron would before his immaturity cost him a friend.
This was one of those days, when the comforts of a perfectly placed fluffed pillow and the warmth of blankets should not have been left.
For four years he had kept himself busy by diving into different aspects of magical and muggle learning with Hermione’s help. Martial arts, muggle first aid healing, a potion's mastery, creature handling and identification, herbs and poisonous plants usage, all these subjects were a part of learning to become an auror. Other subjects were expanded upon through his travels and he learned he was still shit at healing spells; Luna had suggested one time when he had fallen out of a tree in the Amazon to vanish all the bones in his arms. He had laughed at her suggestion but told her they should continue their search for the creature she was looking for; Harry had a hunch that Luna was looking for ghosts of what had once been. He never bothered to try to confirm his suspicion; he enjoyed her quirky company in the humid hot rainforest.
Lately he had become obsessed in testing the boundaries of magical artifacts, since the reappearance of the elder wand and the resurrection stone had caused him to ponder how these items hadn’t stayed destroyed. Yet there was only so much one could find on myth and lore in the Black library, this led to him having to go to Gringotts bank which didn’t end well either. Not even Hermione knew about his experimentation with the Deathly Hallows; which thinking upon it now would have been a safety measure he should have taken.
Hermione had been the one who asked him for a favor, since she was still busy with the reconstruction of the Wizarding government which still faced a few minor problems. She had asked him to fix a time-turner, so if anyone was to blame it was her. She had found it broken among the ruins of Hogwarts and it held sentimental value to her. She knew that Harry had now a good grasp at Arithmancy and trusted him to get it back into working condition. She never expected him to use the Elder wand on it, which she had seen him destroy after the battle.
The time-turner was being particularly stubborn, and he needed more power to mend it. So he had put his Phoenix wand away in one of his coat pockets and brought the elder wand out. That had been a mistake, he had overloaded the time-turner with so much magic that he had found himself in his current situation.
August 15th, 1943.
“Bloody bollocks.”
He didn't know where he was, probably on the outskirts of the country by the looks of it. He mentally thanked himself for his specialized clothes that stored emergency supplies and personal objects he wished to keep close. Its magically extended pockets were something he was quite proud of, even Hermione had been impressed. He had promised to give her a custom-made coat for her birthday, which might not happen anytime soon by the looks of things. He thankfully had both wands on him, luckily putting his phoenix core wand in his pocket rather than his work table. His invisibility cloak was safely away in one of his pockets, and it gently wrapped around the resurrection stone.
It seemed he would be staying a while and he knew that if something happened and he didn't have identification trouble could arise. He needed to go to Gringotts immediately so he apparated without a second thought to the bank.
He smiled as the bank seemed unchanged from the first time he entered the giant doors as a child. He walked over to one of the goblins who paid him no attention. “ Greetings, I would like to talk to Griphook about a lineage test and other matters .”
The goblins in the vicinity that could hear him stopped what they were doing, after all it was not every day a wizard would speak a language spoken by Goblins. “ Your name ?”
“ Harry or Hadrian, my last name has yet to be decided. I would like these matters discussed behind doors and away from eavesdroppers. ”
Many were curious to this young man who didn't treat them as if they were a lower species and spoke one of their names in their native tongue. “Please come this way.” Harry followed with a smile on his face, because if one thing he could count on to not change in the wizarding world it would be the goblins.
“Greetings, Griphook.”
“I am surprised to hear of a wizard asking for me, one I have never met. Who are you?”
Harry smirked as he sat down across from Griphook. “I'm an accidental time traveler, Griphook. You guarded my family assets well and I thought of no one better to help me with my current situation. You would of course be well compensated.”
The goblin’s eyes now held a greedy glint at the possible idea of money. “Very well then, all information in these walls in confidential.”
Harry nodded already knowing this, “In the future I am Harry James Peverell-Gryffindor-Potter-Black. Surprisingly my mother against all odds had more than mud in her blood.”
The hiss that followed the last statement sent a chill down the goblin’s spine.
“Very well, which surname would you like to take?”
“Gryffindor and Peverell…..for obvious reasons I cannot claim the Potter and Black lines.”
Griphook nodded at this, “Let's take a heritage test and then I will have the paperwork done for you, for a fee of course.”
Harry smiled, “I will pay extra in order to have it unquestionable, Griphook. I cannot afford any suspicion, especially not in these times.”
The goblin harrumphed and went to bring the necessary items for the heritage test. Griphook and Harry were both startled by the name next to what he had already given, ‘Master of Death’.
“Bugger. I hoped it would have gone away.”
“Lord Gryffindor-Peverell. I would suggest not using Peverell, there are rumors Grindelwald is obsessed with becoming the Master of Death or at least finding all the Deathly Hallows. Your papers will be in order in a few hours. You can stay here but I advise not to wander, Lord Gryffindor-Peverell.”
Harry hummed, “Please call me Harry even with just two surnames it is still a mouthful. Good day, Griphook, may your enemies tremble before you.”
The goblin smiled at the strange wizard, “ and may your gold always flow. ”
Harry beamed he had always loved their sayings more in Gobbledegook, it lost something with translation.
The goblins watched as the man left their establishment, they had promised to keep a close eye on the young lord.
He decided to enjoy the cool air of August on his walk. When he got enough of the outdoors, he would apparate to the Peverell mansion which he would have to work on in getting it to be habitable. And as his luck would have it, he heard a reptile hiss, he could tell by its tone that it was under stress.
‘ Just wait till I get my jaws around your puny little heads. I will take great joy in crushing them. I bet you taste terrible… ’ Harry smiled at the viciousness of the animal, snakes were amusing but whatever animal this was, was quite entertaining. He saw as two wizards had their wands out, all the spells they were casting were being deflected. “Can't wait to skin this stupid beast, cost too much trouble for what we are getting out of it!”
Harry sighed and now knew that his ‘saving people’ thing was now just ‘saving things’. Hermione would have a smug look plastered on her, if she ever heard of this. He smiled as he shot both, one with the Elder wand and the other with his phoenix wand. Immediately after he summoned both unconscious poachers away before the magical crocodile had a chance to sink its teeth in.
‘ Stupid human, you should have let me tear them apart. ’
‘ How rude, after I just saved you. ’
The crocodile comically swerved around and looked at him with interest. ‘ You speak the tongue of reptiles. ’
‘ I taught myself, not too much different from speaking to snakes. ’
The crocodile gave a hissing sound, ‘ don't compare me to those legless logs. Snakes are only good as a small snack. ’
Harry laughed and humored the talking reptile, ‘ I know some snakes that grow bigger than you... ’
‘ I'm a respectful size, human. And I will continue to grow much bigger than any dumb snake. ’
Harry nodded and was unsure what to do with the reptile. ‘ What is your breed? ’
‘ I am me. I don't know what you silly humans call me. I have no use for names .’
Harry sighed and rubbed his temples it was obvious the reptile was magical, perhaps it was one of those that went extinct before any laws were made to protect magical creatures. After all the poachers did mention of skinning it, he knew how often reptile skin was made to make accessories even back in his original time. It was a creature that Luna would have marveled at and tried to climb on top of and invited it to drink tea, he was pulled out of his thoughts by more hissing.
‘Take me with you, human. I think you would make a worthy companion. And you smell like death, I like it. ’
Harry sighed and put a warming charm on the reptile much to its pleasure. ‘ You will have to wait for a short while till I can get you food. I have to find somewhere to make sure I have a steady supply of meat. ’
‘ Yes. I like my meat, fresh and bloody and preferably alive. I could hunt for both of us human. ’
Harry scoffed, ‘ No you will only cause problems if you go around killing. I will provide for you. And my name is Harry .”
The crocodile hissed but it compiled a bit grumpily, it knew it owed the strange wizard its life.
‘ Then at least let me accompany you. It would be amusing to watch all these humans squirm when I snap at them. ’
Harry sighed and was unsure how he got himself stuck with a sadistic two-meter reptile. Harry stared into the crocodile’s beady eyes, ‘ very well, but I get to give you a name or you will give yourself one. ’
The reptile responded without hesitation, ‘ Skull Crusher. ’
‘ No. ’
The crocodile immediately whined, ‘ but you said I could pick my name. ’ Harry rubbed his temples once more, trying to make the oncoming headache recede, ‘ I am not going to go around introducing you as Skull Crusher. ’ The crocodile made a clicking sound clearly of annoyance, ‘Fine. Then name me something fierce. ’
‘ Cocidius,...a being known for its hunting prowess and violence, is it to your liking? ’
Cocidius snapped shut his mouth multiple times, ‘ You should have a better name as well. But my name will spread fear enough for both of us. ’
Harry rolled his eyes in amusement and walked with the crocodile next to him, which was moving quicker than he expected it to be. He decided to head back and go to Eeylops Owl Emporium and he saw the wide eyes of wizards and witches who parted for them like the sea did for that one guy in the Bible, that had made Petunia and Vernon almost self-combust in church. The memory made him smirk, because apparently the church was too full of freakiness and somehow Harry had a hand in influencing a book over 2,700 years old.
Harry rolled his eyes as the crocodile laughed and hissed getting the reactions he wanted from wizards and witches passing by.
The man behind the counter practically leapt out of his skin when he saw the creature and Harry enter the store. “I would like to inquire if there is a possible shipment of meat for a magical crocodile of Cocidius’ size.”
The poor man was stuttering as Cocidius opened his mouth wide in their general direction.
“Cocidius, enough! Stop or you will be eating rats and mice!”
The crocodile shut its mouth with a hiss terrifying the poor man more. “I need 480 kilograms of meat delivered to my manor each week.”
“That'll be 85 galleons and 10 sickles.”
Harry quickly signed knowing that this would draw attention from the man to have it come out of his account. The man gasped as he signed Lord Gryffindor. He winked at the man and gave him an extra galleon, hoping it would keep his name from the wizarding world for another day.
Silver eyes watched as the man who resembled a Potter and Black walked on without care, with eyes that outshined the reptile that followed behind him. His lord would want to hear about this development. Everyone watched as the young man walked on with grace of a pureblood, and with a large reptile following him snapping and hissing at anyone who got too close.
Suddenly the man stopped in front of Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour, happily ordering three scoops of chocolate. He handed the young woman at the counter more than enough money for his cone and a brilliant smile which made her stumble putting the coins away. Abraxas wondered how well financed the man was and if he was engaged.