Chapter 7

But why can't I... we... just destroy all the horcruxes before the resurrection?" whined Harry. "Can't I just destroy them all and have him... pass on... the next time he tries to jump bodies?"

John frowned back and said, "Don't whine, Harry James. It's unbecoming." With a sigh he continued, "The prophecy states you or he have to die by the other's hand; not pass on because you destroyed his soul anchors. To die he has to be alive. To be alive he has to be resurrected. Cum hoc, ergo propter hoc."

John then leaned back over the document file before him and said, "That's your first seven tasks. There'll be more; and I and Hermione Jean's and Daphne Anna's Grim Reapers will be visiting the three of you, from time to time, as Guardian Angels to keep you apprised of what those tasks are. I am not letting you get into another UDE situation. Not on my watch. I will not lose my job, and end up back as baritone in the Heavenly Choir just because you won't stay alive! I'm almost tone deaf, for Peter's sake!"

John then lifted a thick document out of his document folder, quickly glanced over it, and placed it in front of Harry, the right way around for Harry to read. Then took a fountain pen off his desk tidy and placed it on the document.

"You need to sign in each of the highlighted areas," said John.

Harry reached forward and picked up the documents, flicking through them. "What are all these?" he asked.

"The contract and forms, of course," said John. "The contract is what we talked about. Then comes our internal forms. One's your acknowledgement you're on your sixth, and last, UDE. The next is your acknowledgement you're returning with your memories intact, and that you cannot speak about future events with anyone but Daphne Anna and Hermione Jean. The third grants us permission to lock away that future knowledge. The fourth is the application for the Occlumency upgrade, complete with the knowledge of how to maintain it and modify it as needed. The fifth is the application for change of soul relationship status between you and Hermione Jean from 'soul mate' to 'soul bond'. The sixth is the same for Daphne Anna. The seventh is the application for special backstep status to the 1st of September 1994. The last one is your 'customer feedback form' that states I've done a good job in advising you of all this."

Harry gave him a funny look; but, John just looked back with a bland expression. He began to sign all the forms in the highlighted areas.

When he was finished, he dropped the documents back onto the desk, with the pen on top, and asked, "What now?"

John picked the documents up, checked through to make sure all forms were signed, placed them back in the document folder and closed it. "Now, we go and get you prepared for your return."

While tucking the folder under his arm, he rose and said, "Come with me."

John led him out of the office, down a corridor and into various other rooms. In one, Harry had his Occlumency shields installed, together with knowledge on how to maintain them. He went into what was called the Souls Relationship Room and had his soul relationship between he and the two girls upgraded.

Next, in the Memories Room, the memories of his previous deaths were returned to him, then all his memories from the 1st of September 1994 until then, and the previous deaths, were locked behind his new Occlumency shields. It was his job to push everything that happened from that time until he woke up behind the same shield. It was one he could get behind, but no one else. His memories of the tasks that awaited him were also organised so it was easy for him to recall them. It was also explained to him that, due to his Master Occlumens status, memory charms no longer worked on him.

In the Room of Fates he was shown the incredibly large and in-depth tapestry through a window, where he saw Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos working on the weaves of lives. Another window showed a very large hourglass that had about ninety percent of the sand still in the upper bulb.

"That's yours," said John, pointing to the hourglass. "Part of what is going to happen, in here, is that almost four years worth of sand... each grain representing a day of your life, by the way... will be returned to the upper bulb." With a wry smile, John said, "Like sands through the hourglass; so are the days of your life."

When Harry didn't react John seemed disappointed. Harry thought the man... angel... Grim Reaper... whatever... was just being weird. The reference was lost on him.

Pointing to the three Fates, John said, "They're in the process of rejoining the strand of your life... which snapped before it's time... back into the weave. They're also adding others back in, including Daphne Anna and Hermione Jean. The rest are the people you're going to save with this backstep."

"Who'll they be?" asked Harry.

"That would be telling," smiled John. "The only one I can tell you about is Sirius Orion. One of your tasks includes saving his life. You do that, in part, by organising that lawyer."

Finally, he was led into the Return Room.

There, he was shown to what looked like a seven foot tall inverted glass test tube with wires coming out of the top of it. There was a sliding door in the side of it.

"I... thought I was going back with Hermione and Daphne?" asked Harry.

"Harry James," sighed John, "You only have to arrive at near enough the same time. You don't have to be sent back at the same time."

"Oh," said Harry, feeling a little silly. "Time travel... of course."

"Neither Hermione Jean, nor Daphne Anna have been sent back yet. However, you'll be arriving after both." John smiled at him and instructed, "Get in the tube and we can get you on your way."

Harry stepped within and John stood holding the glass door open. "Remember," he said; "seven main tasks, for now. And, I'll be paying you visits, every now and then, to keep you on the right path. When I do I'll let you know if there are any changes to the overall plan you need to adopt."

"Yeah," said Harry, getting quite nervous. "Thanks."

John slid closed and latched the door. Harry noticed it appeared sound-proof, as he couldn't hear what was going on outside of it. All he could do was watch, as the others in the room seem to do something with a panel.

Next thing he knew, John turned to look at him with a grin and waved. Then the bottom floor of the tube he was in seemed to fall and flip out of the way, and he dropped. Not expecting it, he exclaimed, "Oh, shiiiiii..."

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