Over Again

The Beginning

Harry glanced at his surroundings, his senses attuned from the war, cataloguing Dumbledore beside him, the wailing of the Horcrux behind him, the unnatural stillness of the world surrounding him. His mind going over all that he had learned in the past few minutes.

"You want me to go back."

It was a statement, one said with the surety of someone who knew it, who foresaw it.

"I would, admittedly want you to my dear boy, after all you have come so well, so long."

Sharp resentment built up in Harry, bile rising in his throat. How could he? How could he ask that of him? When finally, finally he felt he could go on, be with his family, see Sirius again, meet his parents for the first time. Hadn't he already done enough? Sacrificed enough? Fought for them enough? He was just beginning to speak when another voice spoke over him.

"Or you could do over."

Both him and Dumbledore whipped around. There, standing leaning against a pillar was a girl, a teenager really, probably younger than him. Her white, white, white hair almost mixing in with their surrounding, piercing gold eyes studying them calmly. Her white dress moving to a tune of it's own, weaving it's own melody in the absent air.

"My dear girl-" Dumbledore began.

"Enough!" The sharp retort rang out as the girl held out a hand to silence him.

"You have done enough Albus Dumbledore. You have no right to influence him anymore. This, this is not your domain anymore. You are no longer the ringmaster."

"Who are you?" Harry asked curiously, he wondered who she was and why she was looking at Dumbledore in so much contempt.

A wince graced her face, pulling her sharp features even more taunt against her bones.

"That is a long story better told when the others arrive."

"Others?" Dumbledore interjected alarmed.

"Yes others, you didn't think you could interfere in the Master of Death's life anymore once he had gained the title did you?"

"Master of Death? I can control Death?" Harry exclaimed surprised.

"No. No one has control over me." A deep voice rumbled to the side. It was old yet young, male, female, childlike at the same time. A person? Thing? No, a being stepped out of a tear. Billowing black robe covering every inch of the being, glowing green eyes, the same shade of the killing curse, the same shade of his eyes and bony claws the only thing escaping the anonymity of the cloak. Harry knew, without a doubt, this was Death. The premating chill of the air, the was the shadows seemed just a tad darker, the way Dumbledore seemed a shade paler. Strangely, he didn't seem to be effected by it, neither did the girl, the aura of the being felt familiar, calm, good.

"Hello Death." The strange girl greeted, a strange mirth swimming in her eyes.

"Evangeline." Death greeted back. His glowing green eyes swept over her, over Harry, stopping on Dumbledore. The chill increased in the air.

"Leave." He intoned to Dumbledore.

"Harry, you need to-" His words cut off as he dissolved into nothing.

"Well, time for explanations I believe?" Evangeline said as the mist rose again and developed into a large tea table with seven chairs, tea pots and various pastries piled high.

"Please sit." Evangeline said as she glided over to the table, Death already seated, was daintily selecting a couple of strawberry pastries to eat.

"Er..right. There seem to be more chairs...?" he stated hesitantly even as a cup of steaming tea settled beside him and a plate of treacle tart moved towards him.