6 Meeting Them

Harry awoke the second time slowly, and with much confusion. He had fully expected to wake up on the doorstep of the Number 4 Privet Drive with the Dursleys, to see their awful faces. However, the sight that greeted him was nothing at all like he had seen.

All around him there were stars; constellations, star nebula, and an array of color so beautiful it didn't seem possible.

{("Harry Potter,")} called a voice, vague and dreamy sounding. The tone and pitch were feminine and soft, but seemed more like a young male. Possibly pre-pubescent.

<{Prophecy Child,"}> another intoned, sounding just as vague as the first, but with hints of mischief; almost as though this one were delighted

[["Master,"]] came a third voice, sounding deeper. There was a raspy quiver to the voice, drawing out the 's' and 'r' in a gravelly tone. The third voice was unmistakably male.

Harry blinked-- or rather he tried to. His body seemed incapable of such movement. In fact, his body seemed incapable of any basic function. He wasn't even breathing! Strangely, he didn't seem to have eyes to see, or lungs to breathe.

Panic gripped him and the three voices, sans bodies themselves, spoke again.

{("Do not fear, Harry Potter,")} said the first.

<{"Beloved Child,"}> cooed the second.

[["You are safe, Master Mine,"]] rumbled the third.

Harry tried to ask them what was going on, but failed.

{("Yes,")} agreed the first entity. {("Safe. Harry Potter, you first entered My Timestream as Harry Potter, so Harry Potter you are. No matter the form or Timeline...")}

The second voice chirped in agreement. <{"Out of all others, you are Our Chosen One. The One who always succeeds in the tasks I give him."}>

[["The only creature who could covet and court Death and succeed; the only being who did not seek absolute Power with My creations,"]] agreed the third. This voice was deeper and shook his entire being to the core.

Harry felt like an ant before giants.

{("You are here... because you are finally... Enough,")} First voice drew out, sounding like it was nearly asleep.

<{"After eight hundred and ninety lifetimes, over nine thousand years spent living,"}> Continues second. <{"We can finally appear before you. You are ready for more."}>

Harry was suddenly doubtful; this sounded a lot like a pitch or sale, and he wasn't biting.

[["Because of your souls maturity, Master can now access and manifest abilities of Our nature."]]

{("As such, you may access portions of Our Domain.")}

<{"Each of Us have decided to bestow upon you Our own gifts."}>

[["From this point forward, I, Thantos, offer you the abilities thus: you shall have the Eyes of the Reaper. Capable of seeing a person's lifespan. With this you have a chance of changing their life course or death."]]

{("From this point forward, I, Chronos, offer you the ability to pause a single moment; with this, you can change a single instance in My Timestream.")}

<{"I, Moirai, offer you a gift as well. From this point forward, I offer you the ability to alter the course of Destiny. Things that are or were pre-determined are now possible and susceptible to change."}>

Harry's mind reeled. His main frustration with constant rebirth was possibly being solved! However, one thing stood out and cooled his enthusiasm.

'Why couldn't this have happened sooner? Why couldn't I save James and Lily?'

Moirai seemed to perceive his thoughts, for it was she that answered.

<{"For you to receive Our gifts, you had two requirements. One, you must first have experienced your first brush with Fate and Death; the incident with Dark Lord Voldemort."}--

<{"Two, you must have lived for ten thousand years. Only a cultivated and powerful soul could possess such gifts."}>

Harry felt confused. Hadn't they just said he had only lived nine thousand?

{("To be precise, you have lived nine thousand, nine hundred and one years combined from each lifetime. Since this is not ten thousand years, though you have received Our gifts and Blessings, you can only begin to access these when you reach ten years of age in your current body.")}

Lotta good that did him currently.

[["Master will slowly develop his soul and be able to access more than just memories and languages; over time, Master will develop all of his past abilities."]]

<{"A word of caution, however: you can only fully use certain magical ability and power through development of your core. Too soon and you'll burn through your current soul container."}>

{("This will also be the case with your physical ability and development. Though you remember well how to shoot a bow and arrow, your body is not developed enough to preform such a task. Your mind may remember, but your muscles and physical form do not.")}

This made logical sense to Harry, though he was a bit disappointed.

[["Remember this, Master: You are the Chosen One of Fate, Beloved Child of Time, and Master of Death. Magic herself has appointed you as Her Champion. Great expectations are ahead of you, but so comes power and blessings."]]

Harry suddenly felt very tired, and struggled to focus. It felt like he was fading, falling deeply into darkness. What was happening?

<{"Go now with Our protection and know We are watching."}>

{("Look for Our Avatars if you desire guidance or help.")}

[["We are always watching."]]

Harry fought to focus but their voices were suddenly sounding far, far away. He was falling, drifting down into darkness.

[["Goodbye, Harry Potter."]]

('... .. .... ...?')

Drifting further away, Harry missed the final words of the three as his soul slid back into his body. Slowly, he struggled to move and wake up, his body feeling heavy and cramped. Struggling to move, he opened his eyes to the sight of his Aunt leaning over him.

No, scratch that; not over him. Holding him! Pale blonde hair disheveled, light green eyes red-rimmed and watery. Tears streaming down her thin, long face, Petunia Dursley looked a mess. She was almost unrecognizable!

"Vernon, Vernon!" She screeched. "He's alive, he's breathing! Oh thank the Lord, he's awake!"

Thin arms held him tight against her frame, squeezing him like a vice till he coughed. Had she been worried? What sort of Twilight Zone had he slipped into?!

Harry felt his emotions churning, pressure building up in his chest. His parents were dead, he had a strange not-dream, and now Aunt Petunia was acting out of character. Overwhelmed, the small toddler began to cry.

"Hush, little one, hush. Your Auntie has you and you are safe. You won't be hurt ever again."

The shrewd voice of Aunt Petunia was confusing. Why was she so kind? Why did she care? What was going on?!

Harry closed his eyes and fell into a troubled sleep, brow still furrowed as Petunia rocked him in her arms and lap. Whatever strange happening this was, he would have to wait and worry about it later.

Mind spinning, little Harry Potter slid into sleep with tears on his lashes.