Hero Summoning - Chapter 4

The ray of sunlight on his eyelids woke up Harry Potter.

Emerald green eyes fluttered open, and our black-haired hero fisted the sheet he was sleeping on as the memories of the previous day flooded through his mind.

With a heavy groan in the sheets, Harry confirmed that yesterday was indeed real.

His life has always been crazy and filled with the most impossible of things, but what happened last day triumphed over everything that happened in his past and has left him stunned.

Somehow he had been summoned to another world through a ritual to defeat the same monster he just killed a few months ago.

Still, none of that was the most surprising thing, because finding out that your parents in this world were not only alive but also had twin daughters was truly a groundbreaking shock.

He had not even met that many people in this world, and already so many of them he had wished he had growing up were alive and healthy here.

He had thought that it was all a dream and he might wake up in his old, dusty room back in Grimmauld Place, but after finding himself on the soft, comfy bed of the big room of Potter Manor, Harry finally accepted that it was all true.

Pushing the sheets off, he stood up and, yawing, stretched his arms out to loosen the knots in his joints.

Once he felt his rigid body more flexible, Harry wandlessly conjured a hair band and tied up his long, messy hair. He realised as he was tying that his hair was so long now that it went past his shoulder.

But then again, this was supposed to happen because he had no time to cut his hair while on the run for the last two years.

Although the main reason for his long hair was that Harry’s girlfriends liked his hair like that, it was in their memories that he had not cut it for so long.

Remembering them, he recalled yesterday evening when he bumped into this world, Ginny. Only Harry knows how hard it was for him to not let take her in his arms and experience the warmth of her he had missed so much.

If there was one thing Harry was most sacred about in this new strange world, it was how he would face the counterparts of the girls he had loved in the past.

Facing Ginny itself was an attack on his broken heart.

After washing the sleep off his face and brushing his teeth, Harry went outside to the balcony of his room and took a deep breath of the fresh air.

Leaning on the rail, he looked around the peaceful greenery covering the Potter manor, and Harry wondered if maybe all of this that happened was for good.

After standing there in silence, enjoying the peace and fresh air, he pushed off the railing and decided to go down to see what was going on.

Half of him had expected someone to come wake him up, but maybe they forgot and didn’t remember him.

And Harry wouldn’t mind that because he could understand it. After all, he was just a stranger to this happy family.

Which was the reason why, when he climbed down and entered the living room, Harry was surprised as he got bombarded with a loud yell.

“Happy birthday, Harry!!”

He stopped dead in his step as he looked around the room and saw the smiling faces of all four Potters.

Lily put the spatula down and rushed over to hug the stunned young man.

“Congratulation on turning 19, Harry,” the red-haired woman said with a beaming smile.

“Th-thank you,” Harry said hesitantly, and after seeing the bright smile on her face, he hugged her back tightly.

Breathing in her scent and the feeling of motherly love he had always missed, Harry thought maybe his life was really changing.

Lily pulled back and then excitedly pushed him to the empty seat. “Come on, we have been waiting for you,” she said, and once Harry was in his chair, she spread her arms around the table. “I have made this special breakfast for you, and I hope you like it.”

Harry's mouth flooded, seeing the variety of dishes there were. It was so much, and for a second, he wondered if it was right to have so much for just breakfast. But then, inhaling the tasty aroma, Harry banished that thought away and dove into his breakfast.

James chuckled as he watched him fill his plate with everything. Picking one of the bacons from his plate, he handed it to Harry, wishing him a “happy birthday, Harry.”

Harry swallowed the mashed potatoes in his mouth and smiled warmly. “Thank you, um, James?” He asked more than he said.

James nodded with a grin. “You can call me James; I wouldn’t mind that.”

“Then once again, thank you, James, for the birthday wish and for having me at your home,” Harry said gratefully.

"Harry, how many times do I have to tell you?" Lily stepped in, glaring half-heartedly at him. “Don’t you dare thank us for what we should be doing. I know it might still be very weird for you, but for us, you are already a part of our family.” She told him softly, and her husband and daughter nodded with her.

Harry gulped down the heavy emotion he was feeling and said thickly, “Thank you for being... so amazing and supportive of a guy you didn’t even know yesterday.”

“To us, it feels like we have known you for our whole lives, big brother,” Dorea said with a grin.

“Big brother?” Lily James and Ivy asked collectively.

Dorea nodded proudly. "Yes, big brother. Harry told me he had no problem with me calling him that.”

“And when did he tell you that?” Lily narrowed her eyes at her.

“Last night when I went to his room, I was the first one to wish him a happy birthday as well,” Dorea told them smugly, but then she realised what she said when her mother's accusing gaze bore at her.

“And what were you doing in his room last night, because I hope you were not disturbing when I told you to let him rest?” Lily scolded her daughter.

Thankfully for Dorea, Harry came in for her defence. “Don’t be angry at her, Lily,” he said, leaning forward. “Dorea only came into my room to ask if I needed anything or not; she was not disturbing me at all.”

Lily's eyes softened, and she smiled guiltily at her black-haired daughter. "Sorry, sweetheart, I shouldn’t have been so harsh on you without knowing your reasoning,” she apologised.

“Don’t worry, mom, I don’t mind it." Dorea shrugged, and when Lily turned her attention away from her, she turned and smiled gratefully at Harry, who winked back at her.

After that, the Potters silently enjoyed the big breakfast, with Harry gulping down like a hungry man.

It wasn’t until Lily finished hers that the silence was broken.

"Harry, do you have any plans for today?” She asked while wiping her mouth. “If you need to do anything, you can tell us.”

Harry dabbed his lips while thinking about what she asked, and then shook his head. "No, I don't, Lily.” He told her, "Actually, I haven’t even thought about doing any stuff in this new and different world for me.”

"Well, I have an idea,” Ivy piped in with a mischievous smile.

“What is it?” Lily raised her eyebrow.

“We should go shopping!” Ivy pumped her hands excitedly, her eyes sparkling. “Harry needs a new wardrobe, and with this excuse, we can also give him a tour of our world shopping district.”

“What an amazing idea, Ivy!” Lily grinned widely, thumping her daughter's shoulder.

Harry confusedly looked at the mother-and-daughter trio, smiling widely like lunatics. He then turned and saw James, whose face was fully pale, and he was shaking his head with a horror look while he mouthed, 'Don’t go for your own sake.'

Harry knew when to take the advice of an experienced man. Which was why he was about to open his mouth to reject the idea, but he was left with no option when the twins dragged him from his chair.

“Come on, Harry…”

“…let’s get ready; we have a lot to shop for.”

The twin sister, who had both of his arms in theirs, said it all at the same time in the perfect syncing tone.

Harry, the poor guy, realised that he just couldn’t say no to his new sisters, and with a heavy sigh, he decided to just go shopping with them.

After all, it couldn’t be that bad, would it? He had suffered shopping with his girls in the past; surely, he can face the mother-daughter trio of potters as well.

.

-

In the afternoon and almost evening, after six hours from the breakfast, a very tired and exhausted Harry Potter realised how wrong he was.

These Potter women were absolute shopping demons.

Harry should have known it once he saw the glint of madness in their eyes when they entered their first shop—this was about to be a long day. But like the oblivious idiot he was, he ignored it.

And now, after a full five-hour shopping trip that went from one shop in the corner of the Diagon alley to another, he has finally accepted that this was his biggest mistake of his life.

If it took so long for everyone's shopping, Harry could understand, if barely, but the fact that all this time only went on the shopping for him, he couldn't fathom that.

Like, why does he need to try every single piece of clothing a shop has? And for someone who has been raised at Dursley's, it was a shock for Harry to see how many new clothes they brought for him.

Thankfully, they at least let him choose his own boxers and briefs, because trying those in front of them would be one humiliation he didn’t think he could live down.

Now, while the sun was on his way down, their shopping trip was finally finished, and they were on their way back home.

And there was one thing Harry was very sure of after today: he would rather fight Voldemort than go shopping again in his life.

Though in between his torture, Harry hasn’t missed noticing this world Diagon alley. The magical shopping district was not like his at all.

It reminded him of the time in his world when Voldemort was still assumed to be dead. The shops were lively and filled with buyers, and the street was overflowing with running kids and their parents following behind. And Harry even got to peep into the Quidditch ship like he used to when he was as small as these kids.

Though he wasn’t alone in that, both Ivy and Dorea also looked inside the shop with him like toddlers. It was then that Harry found out that both twins were on the Quidditch teams of their respective houses.

And yes, both were in different houses, with Ivy being the one who was more mischievous and braver, like her father was in Gryffindor, while Dorea was more studious, like her mother was in Ravenclaw.

But their passion for quidditch was just like their father's, something Lily didn’t like.

It was a nice change of display in the Diagon alley that Harry really enjoyed seeing, but there was one thing he noticed. Even though Tom had been back for seven years in this world, the people were still living with less concern, even though they were losing the war against the dark side.

And that was one other point that added to Harry already growing suspicious about this world, Tom Riddle. He continued to sound like a dark lord who was much smarter and less bloodthirsty than the one he defeated.

“Are you ready to go back home, Harry?” Lily asked him, jutting him out of his thoughts.

“I have never been more ready for anything in my life,” Harry groaned, rubbing his sore arm after the heavy bags he had to carry.

"Oh, don’t be like that, Harry." Ivy scoffed, hitting the same arm he was rubbing. “It was just some light shopping.”

“Light?!!” Harry's face paled in shock.

"Yes, Harry, relatively, it was quite light." Dorea nodded, patting him. “In fact, I think there is still something left to buy.”

Harry's face, if possible, became even more pale after hearing those dreadful words.

“Come on, girls, stop teasing Harry." Lily said, stopping in front of the fireplace in the leaky cauldron, "Now, one by one, both of you floo straight home.”

Once Ivy and Dorea went through the green flames, it was Harry’s turn.

“Harry” Lily broke him from the stupor he was still in, and she pointed him to the fireplace with a raised eyebrow.

Harry nodded his head, picked up the powder, and threw it into the fireplace, muttering, ‘Potter manor.'

What Harry missed noticing was the excited smirk on Lily's face when he went through the floo.

And the reason for that was that he found it soon enough when Harry tumbled out of the floo, like he always does.

After dusting himself, he looked up and was shocked to see the big hall of Potter Manor filled with loads of people.

“He is here!” Ivy yelled, and everyone’s attention went straight to Harry, who had no idea what was going on.

And soon enough, he was bombarded as everyone came one by one to wish him a happy birthday on his special day.

“Happy birthday, Harry,” Dumbledore went first, wishing him with a joyous smile on his old face.

“Thank you,” Harry muttered, and then looking behind the old wizard, he asked, “Is everyone here for my birthday?”

“Of course they are Harry,” James said, handing him a butter beer.

“But when did you plan all this?” Harry frowned after taking a sip of his drink.

“Before you came for breakfast this morning,” a voice behind him said, and Harry turned around to see Lily coming out of the floo.

“We had planned all this early in the morning,” she told him with a warm smile.

“Which was the reason why Lily and the girls took you shopping so that I could get enough time to invite order members to celebrate this day.” James stated with a smirk.

“But why?” Harry whispered as he looked at the Potter couple, “Why did you do all of this?”

“Because it's your special day, and from your history, I know you have not spent it like this with your family, and we wanted to give you that, Harry,” Lily said softly while cupping his cheek.

“And we also wanted to introduce you to everyone else,” James told him while pointing behind him at the gathering of people.

Harry bit his lips and shook his head. “I don't know why you are doing all this for a boy you didn’t even know before yesterday,” he said, then smiled warmly. “But I really appreciate this. I didn’t know I needed this because I have never experienced it in my life, so for that, I am really grateful for you.”

“You have nothing to thank us for, Harry,” Lily whispered with a loving smile, hugging his waist.

James joined in, wrapping his arm around Harry’s shoulder and giving him a pat on the back.

All the while, Dumbledore watched on with a satisfied smile as he realised that maybe his ritual that everyone was opposed to had changed a young man's life.

"Alright, you lot enough of this soppy shit,” Sirius barged in breathing the emotional moment.

“It’s time the birthday boy met with people other than you potters,” the head of black said with a scowl on his face.

Harry chuckled. “It’s good to see you again as well, Sirius,” he said while Lily and James left them alone.

“Good to see you too. You looked better than yesterday, by the way." Sirius complimented staying at his refreshed face, which no longer looked like a zombie.

“I feel better as well,” Harry told him with a smile.

“Good good” Sirius bobbed his head. He then looped his arm around Harry’s shoulder and, with a pout, noticed how he was taller than him.

Looking at the smirk on Harry’s face, he realised he was not discreet enough with his envy. “Come on, time to introduce you to others, starting with my family,” he said while dragging Harry to the only blonde woman in the hall.

Harry looked at the beautiful woman whose curious eyes were on him, and then he heard as Sirius introduced her. “This is my wife, Marlene Black, formerly McKinnon," Sirius said proudly.

And he should be proud because Marlene was a gorgeous woman, and the photos Harry remembered her from didn’t do her enough justice.

Looking at the way she was smiling fondly at her husband, Harry was pleased to see both of them together and happy in this world. He recalled the times when Sirius in his world told him about a girl that he was going to marry but couldn't because she was killed before that.

“Happy birthday, Mr. Potter." Marlene wished him with a very formal tone that Harry didn’t like.

“Please call me Harry. I feel old when people call me Mr. Potter." Harry said it with a disgusted face.

Marlene giggled "Alright, then, Harry, it is. I have actually been quite excited to meet you since yesterday when Sirius told me about you,” she said eagerly.

“To be honest, I have been excited as well." Harry agreed with her and then smirked at Sirius. “I wanted to see the woman who has this man, so in fear and scared,” he teased the sputtering man.

“Hey! Who are you calling scared? I am not scared of anyone,” Sirius said, puffing his chest out.

“Is that right, Siri?" Marlene raised her eyebrow, crossing her arms, and all the air left Sirius chest as soon as he saw the expression on his wife’s face.

"Darling, I meant that I wasn’t scared of you; I just love you so much." Sirius tried to butter his wife up, who knew his every trick.

Marlene ignored her husband and smiled at Harry, who was watching them amusedly. “When Sirius told me that the hero who was summoned is the son of Lily and James from another world, I didn’t believe him, but now I do,” she told him, roving her eyes on his face. “You look like the perfect mixture of them.”

Harry smiled back softly. “People have told me that all my life, but coming here and seeing it for myself, I finally realised how right they were.”

“You look as perfect a combination as our daughter does,” Sirius commented.

Marlene turned to him and titled her head. “I would say she had more of me in her than you, which is a very good thing,” she said playfully.

"Oi, what is that supposed to mean?” Sirius complained like a child.

"Wait, you have a daughter?” Harry asked in surprise, breaking the playful banter between the Blacks' couple.

“We do,” Marlene said, and Sirius nodded. “But you haven’t met her, have you?”

Harry’s shake of the head was the answer, and Marlene looked around to find her daughter and saw her with the twins sister.

“Elara!” She called the black-haired girl. The girl turned around, hearing her mother’s voice. “Come here?” Marlene waved her hands.

Harry turned to where she was looking, and he looked curiously as the black-haired girl walked towards them.

Once she got closer, he finally got a good look at her, and there was only one word in Harry’s mind for her.

Stunning

Elara Black, the daughter of Sirius and Marlene, was like a true Black with her shiny black-coloured straight long hair and grey eyes like her father.

But the similarities to her father end there, as the rest of her features were like those of her mother. And if Marlene was beautiful, then her daughter was absolutely breathtaking.

Her slim, angular face was like her mother but was much sharper, and her curvaceous body was a dream for every girl.

Harry always knew the Black family women were known to be very beautiful, and the girl in front of him was the literal proof of that.

"Yes, mother,” Elara said when she reached them while she kept looking at him discreetly.

Up so close Harry noticed she was quite tall and was only four or less inches shorter than his 6 foot 2 height.

“You have been raving about how you are excited to meet this new guy, and now that he is here, you are busy talking with your friends," Marlene lightly scolded her daughter.

“Sorry mum” Elara apologised and then turned to Harry, who was staring at her with fascination.

"Hello, I’m Elara Black,” she said with a smile on her pretty lips, and she politely handed him her hand.

Harry softly took her hand and gracefully kissed her knuckles while staring into her eyes. “Harry Potter, but I am sure you already know that,” he said, tilting his head with a smile on his lips.

Harry knew he was laying his charm, and he bit his lips to not smile smugly when he saw the blush on Elara's rosy cheeks.

“I did." Elara nodded. “Happy birthday, by the way,” she wished him with a wide grin.

And Harry almost lost himself in her alluring grey eyes.

“Thank you” Harry nodded and then playfully said, “Your mother was right; you do look more like her than your father, which I am grateful for."

"Oy!” while Sirius whined again. Marlene giggled and didn’t miss the way her daughter was blushing and still had her hands in Harry’s.

Maybe her and Lily’s wishes might come true after all.

“What? Am I wrong?” Harry smirked at Sirius. “I am just complimenting your daughter and saying that she is beautiful. Maybe you don’t agree with that because you don’t think your wife is good-looking." He asked while raising his eyebrow.

Sirius sputtered as he looked at him and then at her wife, who was looking at him dangerously, daring at him to say something.

But thankfully, being married for so long taught him one thing, which was when to shut his mouth and not hurt his own foot.

And that was exactly what he did when he sighed and just accepted that he had underestimated Harry Potter.

The little shit was only 19 years old and was already defeating a marauder in his own game.

Sirius pride has never been more damaged.

Her daughter's giggling sure didn’t help, nor did the smile his wife was throwing at him.

Harry leaned towards the giggling Elara and winked at her with a barely hidden smirk as she watched Sirius pout like a child.

"Harry, you’re still here when there are so many people still waiting to meet you." Lily came in and grabbed Harry’s hand. She turned to her best friend. “You won’t mind me taking Harry, would you, Marl?” she asked her.

Marlene scoffed and waved her hand. “Don’t worry about us; I know there are many people eager to meet Harry here.”

“Thank you,” Lily said gratefully with a smile, and then dragged Harry away, not even asking for his opinion.

As he was being dragged away, Harry looked back and smiled at Elara with a wave, who was looking dejected at seeing him go.

“He is handsome, isn’t he?” Marlene whispered in her daughter's ears.

“So handsome." Elara nodded without knowing what she said.

Once she realised this, she turned back and saw her mother smirking at her.

“I-I mean, y-yes he is, but I didn’t mean it-“ Her mother's giggling and wrapping her arm around her stopped her poor rumbling.

“Don’t sweat, darling. I am not upset or anything; in fact, I am happy to see you finally noticing boys and that you have already found the best one.” Lady Black smiled and bumped her daughter's shoulder.

“You think so?” Elara asked with hope.

"I do." Marlene nodded. “Harry looks like a great guy who is smart, powerful, and handsome. I can’t fault you for liking him so easily,” she told her, then smirked at her husband. “At least you have better taste than me.”

Elara bit her lips to not laugh out loud, seeing her father glare at her mother like a petulant grown man. The poor guy just couldn’t get a brake today.

And in Sirius eyes, it was all because of Harry Potter. In his mind, it was confirmed now that that boy would see what happens when someone goes against a marauder.

Marlene narrowed her eyes at her husband's suspiciously smiling face, knowing there was something brewing in his mind.

While Elara looked around to find Harry, she found him talking with her aunt Andromeda. and the feeling she was getting returned once again after looking at him.

She didn’t know what it was, but since her eyes fell on him, there has been a fire of desire ignited inside her.

It was a feeling she had never felt for any other boy in her life.

And that fire demanded that she make Harry’s hers. And Elara Black, like all the stubborn women in her family, got whatever she wanted, no matter what.

-

When Lily told him there were many people waiting for him Harry wasn't aware of how underestimating her statement was.

It seemed that almost the whole order of Phoenix was here to celebrate the birthday of a guy they didn’t even know before today.

They first met the Tonks couple, and Harry couldn’t keep the smile on his face after seeing them happy and alive.

In his world, he had the memory of witnessing Andromeda pass away in front of him as she grieved the loss of her husband Ted to the death eaters while he was on the run.

Talking with them, he realised they were both the same as before, but for some reason he felt Andi was happier in this world.

He even noticed her not flinching when asked about her sister, which he remembered was always a sure topic for the woman who lost her sister to Voldemort.

But for now, he didn’t care about that thought and pushed it away.

After them, he met with Professor McGonagall, and it was no surprise that she was still the same strict, no-nonsense woman.

Although she was a little softer and easier to smile than the women who taught him, Harry could understand that. Not losing your precious students would stop you from becoming sterner and more hard-hearted.

After her, he met with other older members of the order who were looking at him with awe, which made Harry really uncomfortable.

Seeing them was the first time he understood how these people all depended on him and were looking for him to lead them to victory.

Until now, he had only met people who treated him like a normal person who had just entered their lives, and they had welcomed him with open arms.

And after that meeting with these old members, Harry’s was really weirded out, but thankfully he had Lily with him, who rebuked and stormed at them for trying to ruin a happy moment.

Seeing her be angry for him made Harry feel a sort of feeling he had never felt and had wanted to always feel.

It was the feeling of a mother's protection.

Once those old members left with their tails, Harry then met with the auror force of Kingsley and Hestia. Meeting them, he noticed there was someone missing, which led to the moment right now.

"Wotcher, ‘the hero that was summoned’” an excited, bubbly, and very familiar voice said from behind him, and Harry turned around to find one and only Nymphadora Tonks.

“Wotcher Nymphadora,” Harry smirked.

As he expected Tonks hair turned from pink to red as she hissed, “Don’t call me Nymphadora.”

But her glare didn’t work at all on Harry, who just chuckled. “You are still the same in every world,” he said fondly.

Tonks hair turned back to purple, which he knew meant that she was excited. “Does that mean we were friends in your world?” She asked eagerly.

“More than just friends,” Harry said softly, looking into her multicoloured eyes.

In his world, Remus ran away in fear, abandoning Tonks after he got her pregnant. And it was to Harry that she turned, and he, Ginny, and others welcomed her with open arms.

And it wasn’t long before they both acted on the feelings they had for each other. Tonks was one of the most important people of his life, someone who always made him laugh and loved him wholly. As he did her as well.

Which was the reason seeing her right now made him feel elated, like the same way he felt yesterday seeing Ginny. Unfortunately, he couldn’t tell her in front of others how deep their relationship was.

But the smirk on her face told him she had an idea of that. “I can see that,” Tonks purred, roaming her eyes on his body up and down and biting her lips.

“But I am surprised you are not like I expected you to be,” she said innocently.

Harry knew that mischievous twinkle in her eyes very well, and he decided to play along.

"Oh, how so?” He raised his eyebrows.

Tonks slyly smiled. “You are more handsome than I expected,” she said in a low tone, stepping closer.

“Too bad you are still as ugly as I remembered,” Harry replied with a smirk.

There were gasps around him as Kingsley and Lily looked at Tonks, fearing her reaction, while Hestia, who was the best friend of the girl, just shook her head with a smile.

She was too familiar with her friend's nature, although she was quite surprised to see someone for the first time match her crazy friend's energy.

Harry kept the stare with Tonks, who was looking back at him emotionlessly, and then, as he expected, she burst out laughing.

“I like you, Harry Potter,” Tonks said between her laughs, holding onto him.

“I do too,” Harry whispered, leaning closer, almost touching her lips.

Tonks stopped laughing and smiled sensually while staring at his lips. “I think you and I will be good friends,” she whispered to his lips.

Harry shook his head. “I don’t think we will be just friends,” he replied back, ghosting his fingers on her waist.

Both of them had forgotten about anyone else in the room, but fortunately Lily coughed loudly, breaking the sexual tension she could feel between the two.

Harry and Tonks separated slowly without any shame and turned to smile innocently at Lily, who had a red hue on her cheeks after seeing them flirting so openly.

And behind her, Kingsley was the same, while Hestia was snickering behind her hands.

Lily couldn’t believe that her son was such a flirt.

“It’s time to cut your cake, Harry,” Lily said, breaking the awkward silence.

"Well, let’s go then,” Harry said with such ease as if he wasn’t about to snog Tonks in front of others.

As Lily brought the big cake out, Harry looked around at the faces of everyone gathering for his special day.

Looking at them, he saw one constant thing, and that was happiness. It was the joy and happy faces they had for him.

While he was cutting his cake and serving it to the potters, whom he was now beginning to consider family, he noticed everyone singing and cheering for him.

He had birthdays before in his life where other people close to him, like his friends, tried to make it seem he was celebrating it with his family. But the truth was, he always enjoyed those birthdays with a smile that was fake.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t happy for what they did for him because he was, but it was a fake smile because no matter how much they tried, he never felt like he was celebrating it with his family.

But for the first time, the smile on Harry’s face wasn’t fake, and when he posed for a picture with Lily, James, Ivy, and Dorea, he felt like he truly belonged here.

He felt like he was with his own family.

And that made his mind up on one question he had been thinking about since yesterday.

-

A few hours later, the night was winding down, and the Potter manor was half full after many of the order members went home.

And the ones who were remaining, which included all the main members of the order, were now sitting around together with the Potters.

While Harry paced in front of them.

It was he who told them to sit, as he had something to announce.

"Harry, what is it that you wanted to tell us?” Lily asked, looking a bit concerned with how agitated and nervous Harry looked.

"Yes, Harry, everyone is waiting,” James said, looking around at the anticipated faces of the people left.

Harry stopped pacing and, with a deep breath, faced them. “I have made up my mind,” he said, breaking his silence.

“About what?” Sirius frowned.

“About whether I am going to stay in this world and help you or not,” Harry told them.

And the effect of that one comment was heavy as everyone looked at each other and then at him with eagerness. This was what they had been waiting for, but they hadn’t forced Harry yet because they wanted to give him the time he deserved.

But now it seemed he had made up his mind, and the time was here. Their eagerness could be seen as everyone learned on the edge of their seats.

The lives of theirs and of this world were hanging on this decision of Harry’s.

That’s how serious it was.

“And what is your decision, Harry?” Dumbledore asked, feeling hope and fear depending on the decision of the young man in front of him.

The Hogwarts headmaster knew this decision would determine whether they would ever defeat their enemy or not. Because only Harry Potter could defeat Tom Riddle.

Harry closed his eyes, and after a deep breath, he began saying, “First of all, I want to tell all of you here one thing. The same enemy that you are facing is the one that I faced in my world as well. I began fighting him when I was 14, and at that time I had everyone with me in this fight.”

“But as the time went on and the war started becoming more bloody, I began losing every loved one in my life. From teachers to fellow students to friends and to the people who I loved with my heart, I lost every single one of them.” Harry was lost in his own thoughts as he retold the pain he went through, and everyone listened with a keen rapture. Their hearts felt the pain Harry experienced.

“In the end, I won. I defeated that monster when I was finally strong enough to do so, but that moment never felt like a victory. Because while I was trying to find a way to defeat him and become powerful enough, that monster took everything from me, and only I was left standing all alone.”

“If you’re thinking, why am I telling you this?” Harry looked around in each of their eyes as he continued, “It’s because I want you to know that I experienced the war that you are right now, and I lost everything I had, so it isn’t easy to ask that person to fight that same war again.”

Hearing those words, some of their heads went down, feeling disappointment, but most of them felt guilt and disgust towards themselves. They had never thought about what the person they were summoning had gone through in their life. And all of them were ready to force him to fight their war.

“But coming here might be something that my faith had planned for me to change my life for the better." Harry said, filling everyone with hope once again, “I had no one left, but in this new world, I have much more now. I have people who are my real family.”

The Potter eyes welled up in tears after seeing the fond and loving way Harry looked at them while calling them his family.

“And now once again, I have people in my life that I can’t lose, and this time I won’t. I will make sure that the people of this world will not suffer the same faith my world did.”

Harry rubbed the tears from his eyes and then stared directly at Dumbledore, who was beginning to feel more hope than fear. “So my decision is that yes, I am going to stay here in this world and fight for you and defeat Voldemort like I am destined to in every world,” Harry declared with a strong, loud voice and power rolling off his body with every word.

A loud cheer and sigh of relief went around the room as everyone smiled in joy.

Harry was surprised to find himself in a big, tight hug with Lily Ivy and Dorea all around him, wrapping their hands.

Smiling softly, he closed his eyes and hugged them back with the same happiness.

Dumbledore stood up and decided to talk about some of the important things, breaking up their hug.

"Harry, I think we should first make su-“

The old wizard was stopped from finishing his sentence by the roaring fire of the fireplace, signalling that someone was here.

And soon it was confirmed when a soft, feminine voice came from behind them.

“I’m so sorry I am late.”

Harry's body stiffened with Lily and the twins still in his arms, who looked up in concern and saw him frozen and his face red in anger.

That voice... sounded very familiar to Harry’s ear. It was a voice that he had heard in his nightmares countless times.

It was the voice of someone he hated almost as much as the dark lord himself.

Pulling off the hug, Harry turned around slowly, and as soon as his eyes felt the woman who had just entered the room, his body began emitting a dangerous, powerful aura.

He was right. It was the same mad woman he was thinking about. The witch he had killed with his own hands.

And the witch he was going to kill once again.

It was none other than...

Bellatrix