Master of Death

Chapter II

"We have something more to discuss, I'm afraid," Death said, as the Returners vanished.

"What would that be?" Harry didn't try to hide that he was annoyed, he really was. 

"Being Master of Death means more than just getting twenty-five beloved and twenty-five enemies back, I'm afraid," Death said, amusement back in his tone. "It also means that you have some completely unprecedented - since Merlin was too stubborn to bring back the dead - powers and qualities, for lack of a better word, that you might want to be knowing about."

"Can we make it quick?" Harry groaned. Really, this was just what he needed.

"As you wish. The first thing I want to tell you about, is the elemental powers. Once you return to the world of the living, you will find that you are able to control the elements without the need for a wan- yes?" Death looked slightly startled when Harry held up a hand.

"What are the elemental powers, can we clear up on that?"

"Elements, like fire, lightning, air, water, earth, crystal, that kind of thing. You can control it without a wand. Create, mutate, and eliminate it. However, your powers are also directly connected to your emotions. Hence, when you experience strong emotions, you may cause unexpected events which include these elements, much like accidental magic. It takes time to gain complete control over them. That is probably the first thing you will experience."

"The first?" As if that wasn't enough, but it was interesting enough to draw him in.

"Yes. You also have all the abilities of a full-fledged Zumagus. This ab- yes?" 

"Sorry, but I don't know what a Zumagus is?" Harry said.

"It's... well, it's technically a naturally occurring Animagus. You can turn into an animal, or, depending on how much of the gene you have inherited, a number of animals, at will, without the need for an incantation, potion or wand. A pure Zumagus is able to transform into any magical or non-magical creature at will. Unlike Animagi, this also includes other species that are closely related to humans, such as centaurs and merpeople. The only exceptions to this rule are elves and goblins as you cannot transform into them."

"But these abilities are under my control, right?" Harry asked worriedly.

The last thing he wanted was to go around transforming into random creatures uncontrollably.

"Of course. On a side note, along with the Zumagus abilities, you also have the full powers of a Metamorphagus. This, of course, has everything to do with your appearance, though you'll find that you won't be in need of Polyjuice Potion once you master the abilities."

"Isn't that what Tonks is?" Harry asked, slightly startled. "A Metamorphagus?"

"Her powers are nowhere near the scope of yours. She is only capable of changing her hair color, and facial features. However, you will find that you can change the appearance of any part of your body as you wish. The Metamorphagus abilities are a part of the Zumagus abilities."

"Okay, so I'm a Zumagus and I have elemental powers," Harry said, still trying to get his head around the completely baffling information. "Is that all then?"

"Unfortunately not." Death seemed amused once again. "You are, unknown to everyone including yourself, the heir of Hogwarts. That, once again, makes things interesting, amusing and complicated all at on-"

"I'm the heir of what?" Harry had heard him perfectly, but that was simply ridiculous.

"Hogwarts. Your mother is a Pureblood witch, and your father is a Pureblood as well, though of course, you knew that. I shall have to go all the way back to the Founders to explain this. Godric Gryffindor had two sons. One of them continued the tradition of marrying only Pureblood spouses, until three generations later, came the infamous Peverell brothers. Antioch married a Pureblood witch, while Cadmus was unmarried. Ignotus married the only Pureblood heiress of Hufflepuff, and their children thus became the heirs to not one, but two houses of Hogwarts. On the other hand, Salazar Slytherin, as you know, only ever had Pureblood offspring. However, while Riddle was his legal heir, there was Slytherin blood elsewhere. Slytherin, before his marriage to Morrigan, had an affair with Rowena Ravenclaw. This was also before she married and begot Helena. They had a child. That child continued the tradition of Pure marrying, until nearly twenty generations later, the last heiress' parents were brutally injured while traveling in the Muggle world. Muggles were the first to approach the scene, and they found the living baby girl. She was taken away, and when the wizards from St. Mungo's came, all they could find, were the cold, dead bodies of the child's parents. As for the Ravenclaw-Slytherin heiress' whereabouts, she was put in a Muggle orphanage, barely a couple of months old, and was adopted by a Muggle family, whose surname was Evans, and they already had a daughter. I believe you have understood the gist. Though most do not know it, the Potters were not only descendants of Gryffindor, but Hufflepuff as well. And your mother was the heiress of Ravenclaw and Slytherin. That is how, and why, you are the heir of Hogwarts itself."

"What does being the heir of Hogwarts have to do with anything?" Harry asked.

"You are automatically on the board of governors, for one thing, as you are of age. Your word rules above all others, and you will be the ultimate decision-maker for Hogwarts' future. Of course, it is possible to have someone to represent you. Should you wish that, the goblins at Gringotts would be more than willing to help you. However, that is not all."

"Yes?" Harry looked at him warily.

"You, as the heir of Hogwarts, should by right, inherit the Hogwarts heirlooms. Four of them, in fact, until you destroyed three recently. All four - until they were tampered with - were heavily spelled to protect and serve the heir. Hence the heirlooms will be restored to you intact. In essence, this would have only meant the sword of Godric Gryffindor, the goblet of Helga Hufflepuff, the tiara of Rowena Ravenclaw and the locket of Salazar Slytherin. However, there is a last bequest, which, perhaps, no one was ever aware of. Marvolo Gaunt left his family ring to the heir of Hogwarts. The locket seemed to suffice for the heir of Slytherin. However, as you are to possess both, it will mean that you have inherited two Slytherin heirlooms in place of one."

"Is that going to be a problem?" Harry asked, not understanding.

"It means that you should have been in Slytherin to begin with," Death said. "Amusing, how you ended up in Gryffindor, managing to get a hold of the sword every time you needed it. It is not necessarily a problem, as few know of this. What is to be borne in mind, is that you cannot refuse to own any of these possessions, even the ring. It is spelled as heavily as the locket is. Just like you cannot retract yourself from the Hallows, you cannot retract yourself from the Heirlooms. You will have unrestricted access to the entire castle, and Hogwarts will reveal all its secrets to you. You have to claim your heirship of Hogwarts at Gringotts, and the heirlooms will be entrusted to you by the goblins. It is in your best interest not to challenge this."

"Anything else?" Harry asked almost cautiously. He didn't want to know the answer.

"You will find that your skill set, reflexes and intellectual capacity have also increased and improved beyond measure," Death said. "You can use the Resurrection Stone to summon me at any time. Also, take this book," he said, thrusting a huge book, well over a million pages, into Harry's hands. "You will be able to take a creature as your familiar with the spells in this book. It also has light, gray and dark spells that you are fully authorized to use. As the Master of Death and the Heir of Hogwarts, you are also entitled to more seats in the Wizengamot than is wise to count, and will be rightfully appointed Chief Warlock, though again, you can choose someone else to represent you. This will all be possible in Gringotts, again. Since you have mastered me completely, you will be undefeatable, even with your own wand, and the only way the Hallows may pass to another's possession is through inheritance upon your own death."

"My death?" After being called Master of Death, it did seem strange that he would die as well.

"That, of course, may well not happen. You are the Master of Death, hence you can choose when to die as well. I don't expect to see you anytime soon, but then again, it is quite your call."

"If there isn't anything else that is urgent, can I please return to the land of the living now?" Harry asked. "I can always call you through the Stone if I don't understand anything."

"Of course." There was a blinding light, an incessant ringing, and he was back.

Not in the middle of the Great Hall, which was where he had disappeared from, right in front of the entire school, the remainder of the Order of Phoenix, and half the Ministry to boot. Not to mention, every last Death Eater and Snatcher who wasn't killed by then. He was in the Shrieking Shack. Making a mental note to thank Death, he climbed shakily out of the dilapidated cottage.

He took a strand of memory, containing everything that had happened after he defeated Voldemort, and whistled how Ron did for Pidwidgeon. The tiny owl zoomed over happily. Smiling at the overly excited antics, Harry conjured a vial for the memory, tied it to Pig's leg, and ruffled his hair up in a sort of desperate exasperation. "Take it to McGonagall, boy." Pig flew off.

Heir of Hogwarts... Master of Death... if I go now... everyone will question about it... Harry began to walk in the direction opposite of Hogsmeade, heading for the low mountain cave Sirius had once told them to meet him in. He highly doubted anyone would find him there. He needed time to think about everything that had happened, and what he was going to do about it.