Wrongs Of The Past (Book 1)

Death's Embrace

A/n: I don't own Harry Potter. He and the rest of these characters belong to J.K. Rowling and whatever movie studio she shares rights with. I don't speak for them nor do they speak for me. This is a fanfiiction about Harry Potter. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you.

Harry might not show it, but knew and understood many things. One thing he knew for sure was that he did not belong here at the Dursley's residence. You see Harry has always had a perfect memory. No amount of fists or frying pans to the head could impair his memory in the slightest. He knew that magic was real and that he was a wizard. He knew his name was Harrison James Potter-Black, no matter how many times his Aunt Petunia tried to convince him it was Freak. He knew that his parents Lily and James had loved him with every fiber of their being. So much so, that they willing died for him. He knew his Uncles Padfoot and Moony were supposed to take him if anything bad happened. And he knew that Albus Dumbledore had done something to both his uncles and parents that led to his 'imprisonment'. Despite all his knowledge Harry couldn't do anything to change what was happening. He was, after all, only five. How could a five year old escape an abusive household? Where would he go? How would he live? How could he find his uncles? How could he stop Albus Dumbledore from dragging right back to the Dursley's? The simple answer to that was, he couldn't. He just had to bide his time and wait for the right moment to strike. There was only one problem. Harry didn't think he'd live long enough to actually be able to strike back. Since his first bout of accidental magic things at the Dursley's had progressively gotten worse. In the beginning he was subjected to severe neglect. Unchanged diapers, periods of starvation, yelling, and a couple of slaps here and there, along with being kept in a cupboard since his arrival was all he had to endure. Understandably the conditions were far from ideal but Harry had not thought it would escalate in the ways it had. At the ripe age of three he was forced to clean and do chores around the house. The occasional slap had turned into almost daily beatings, complete with broken bones. The starvation was transformed into some sort of psychological torture in which he was forced to watch the Dursley family eat lavish meals, never able to eat anything himself. On the rare occasion they did let him have food it was always stale and boarding on inedible. His cousin had also taken to shoving him around and blaming him for every little thing. When he was four his aunt had deemed him tall enough to take over the kitchen duties. Harry was forced to learn how to cook even the most complex of dishes to absolute perfection or face the consequences. Inadvertently this led Harry to become quite literate as he had to study cookbooks and write grocery lists so he remembered what to buy. Harry had also developed fast reflexes and the ability to become invisible. Not literally, although that would have been quite the feat. He could move silently and blend in with his surroundings enough that he could go completely unnoticed. This drastically aided him in many ways. Primally allowing him to steal some much needed food from both his muggle relatives and from the stores he was forced to shop at. Unfortunately Harry was not perfect. He had been caught stealing an apple by his cousin. Which is why today, August 20th 1985, Harry was certain would be his final day amongst the land of the living. "DADDY!! THE FREAK STOLE AN APPLE!!!" Dudley screeched at the top of his lungs, running as fast as his cubby legs could carry him. The absolute silence that followed his cousins declaration only solidified his belief that death was close at hand. When his Uncle Vernon appeared in the doorway with murder glinting in his beady eyes, Harry was suddenly filled with a sense of calm. He was going to die today. With Aunt Petunia out shopping with friends, there would be no one to reign in Vernon's temper. Instead of the terror he knew he should be feeling as his whale of an uncle approached, he could only feel peace. Maybe, once this was over he would be free. Harry only had time to glance at his, now terrified, cousin standing in the kitchen entrance before his uncle was on him. The beating lasted for ten brutal and agonizing minutes until Harry finally was claimed by the dark embrace of Death. Just before he died, Harry was certain he heard the horrified scream of his Aunt Petunia along with the terrified sobbing of his cousin Dudley. For what seemed like a long time, Harry knew nothing. He was nothing. But then he was in a white room, standing in front of a figure cloaked in darkness. "Who are you?" Harry asked the figure before him, softly. "Hello, Harrison. I am Death. I am here to help you right the wrongs of the past and guide you to a better future." Death answered in an equally soft tone. "Right the wrongs of the past? Better future? But haven't I died?" A soft chuckle was all he got in response before Death gently led him to a bench. A bench that had just materialized out of nowhere. "Young Harrison, you are only mostly dead. Though there is not much difference, it would seem that the soul of another is fighting to keep you alive. Since you are still slightly alive I have the ability to manipulate your soul in ways I never have been able to before. I have spoken to the other deities and we have all agreed to aid you, so that you may fix what Albus destroyed." Harry frowned at the dark figure on his left. "I don't think I understand." "Come with me young Harrison and we will show you." With that Death stood and took Harry's hand. They began walking until they came to what looked like a train station. Five people stood waiting for them. "Young Harrison, let me introduce Life, Fate, Fortune, Magic, and Time." Harry waved shyly at the deities before him. "Little one, we are going to show you memories of the past. These are things we are hoping to undo. Once you have seen them, you must decide whether you will aid us." The women known as Magic said, stepping forward. All Harry could do was nod.

P.s. the pictures on the first six chapters are Harry's animagus forms.