A Hop Skip And A Jump Away

the deal

Voldemort watched as the Elder wand rejected his mastery in favor of the boy, no, young man facing him, confirming Potter's words. His Avada Kedavra meeting Potter's own cast Expelliarmus, watching as once more the acid green spell was rebounded in such a way that he had no chance to avoid it. As the spell hit him, Voldemort felt himself separate from his body one last time and felt the other pieces of his shattered soul return. One by one they returned along with the knowledge of what happened to each of them until his soul and mind were whole once more. Understanding and acceptance flashed through the wizard as he stood just behind where his body now lay, with the world of the living frozen in that split second moment when his body finally landed on the cobblestones of the main courtyard.

"You've caused me quite a bit of trouble Tom Marvolo Riddle." A voice from behind him said reproachfully, with just a touch of both humor and annoyance to soften the blow.

"Yes, I suppose I have." Voldemort said without turning, as he gazed down at his own fallen form. "Why is it that you never collected the boy?"

"I honored an old blood pact between myself and a bloodline the both of you share, just as I have done in the past for you. The Peverell brothers were frustrating, annoying, and at times highly amusing. It is rare that a true immortal such as myself can once more become so engaged in the lives of mortals. There are drawbacks to being immortal you know." Death informed him as he stepped forward to stand next to the man he had become rather fond of over the years. Both of them knew he was there to collect the Dark Lord.

"I never knew. I doubt the boy knows either." Voldemort said musingly, referring to the agreement, as his features faded from his more serpentine form back into that of a 20 year old version of his younger self, the true Tom Riddle. "I do not know the terms of the pact, nor the price but... would you be willing to consider.. no, you don't have control over time."

"Speak, there is little enough to interest or amuse me. I am interested to know what you would risk any price for, and don't deny it." Death ordered, Voldemort nodded his acquiescence as he finally turned to face the being known simply as Death.

"I would like a chance to mitigate the damage done, on both sides. For this to work I would need a chance to convince a younger version of myself that Potter should be trained properly or at least left alone. Its clear to me now that if I cannot help protect our world then Harry Potter is the next most suited to the task I was attempting to accomplish. Dumbledore has played us all for fool on his merry chessboard of the wizarding world. I want to change that." Voldemort, now fully once again Tom Riddle, informed the skeleton-like creature.

"Harry James Potter currently holds the title Master of Death." Death informed him. "This can only happen if certain requirements are met. First all three of my Hallows are to be collected into the simultaneous possession or ownership of the individual, the second is that they must be of the Peverell bloodline. I do accept blood adoptions for this requirement but the correct adoption induced effect must be present. If I am to grant your request, just as when the pact was first enacted... there will be a price."

"May I ask the price?" Riddle asked evenly. Death simply looked at him for a moment before responding.

"I like you. I like both of you but this on going feud simply gives me more work, not that I don't enjoy my work. I will grant you several options, each of which has a different price. A price that will not extend only to you but to your followers and young Mr. Potter as well." Death warned. "It is unlikely that Lady Fate or Lady Magic will agree to anything even if you agree to the price. The price will be affected by their own opinions and reactions to the proposal."

"We're listening." A beautiful raven haired young woman said appearing with another auburn haired woman, both dressed in skimpy spandex-like ornate armor, alongside her from behind a pillar nearby only to approach them and stop a few feet from the fallen wizard and Death.