Harry Potter and the Deep Freeze

A New Beginning

The first thing Harry felt was warmth—the kind that sank into his skin, the kind he hadn't felt in so long that he didn't even recognize it at first. He lay still, blinking as he tried to understand why he was warm, why he wasn't chilled to the bone, why he wasn't surrounded by an endless sea of ice.

Harry shot up, breathing hard, his head spinning. He was lying in his own bed, the bed in his small flat, not in a makeshift shelter surrounded by the rubble of Hogwarts. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a golden glow over his room.

Slowly, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and looked around. His room was exactly as he'd left it last summer, when he'd returned home for a break from work. Posters and photos lined the walls, and a stack of books was still piled on his desk, a few pieces of parchment messily strewn about.

He forced himself to his feet, moving slowly as though testing each step. His heart thudded, and he could barely breathe. He staggered over to the clock on his nightstand and squinted at it, focusing on the small digital numbers that blinked back at him.

"July 15th..." he muttered, his eyes widening as he caught the year. "It's... it's a year earlier."

A rush of relief flooded him, and Harry sank back onto the bed, pressing his hands to his face. He had another chance. Whatever strange magic had happened, it had sent him back—back to before the Deep Freeze had begun, before the world had turned into an icy wasteland, before he'd lost everything... and before Ron and Hermione had turned against him.

Once the initial shock passed, his instincts kicked in. He knew where he had to go first.

Gringotts was bustling with life as he stepped inside, goblins scurrying about their business, stacks of gold and parchment piled high behind the counters. He approached one of the tellers, who gave him a curious look as he stopped in front of the desk.

The goblin's eyes flickered over Harry with something he'd never seen before—almost as if the goblin recognized something unusual about him. Harry opened his mouth to speak, but the goblin held up a hand.

"Wait here, Mr. Potter," the goblin said, eyeing him carefully. "Someone will see you in just a moment."

Harry nodded, more curious than anything. He watched as the goblin disappeared into a nearby doorway. After a few minutes, the teller returned and beckoned him forward.

"This way, if you please," the goblin said, leading Harry down a corridor lined with intricately carved stone walls until they reached a grand door emblazoned with the Gringotts crest.

"Inside," the goblin instructed, holding the door open.

Harry stepped into the room, feeling a chill run down his spine as he took in the figure seated at a large stone table in the center of the room. The goblin wore an elaborate set of robes embroidered with silver and gold, his expression solemn and unreadable.

"Harry Potter," the goblin said, his voice deep and resonant. "Welcome. I am Gringold, High King of Gringotts."

Harry inclined his head, trying to mask his surprise. "Thank you for meeting with me, Your Majesty," he said carefully. "I... wasn't expecting such an honor."

Gringold nodded slowly, his dark eyes piercing. "Unusual times call for unusual actions. There is... something in the air. An old magic has stirred, and it has not gone unnoticed by goblins. We are a people bound to magic in ways most wizards cannot understand, and we have all felt a strange ripple in time. Something... unsettling."

Harry's heart pounded, a sense of relief and urgency washing over him. "Then... then you know what's coming?"

"We sense a great danger," Gringold replied. "A cold unlike any other—a deep freeze that reaches beyond natural magic and into something darker. You've returned to a time that should be long gone, haven't you?"

Harry nodded, surprised that he didn't have to explain the full story, though he felt he owed it to the goblins to tell them everything. "In the future I come from, this deep freeze consumes everything. It spreads to the whole world, and... nothing we tried could stop it. Everyone's frozen, either gone or... turned desperate."

Gringold listened intently, fingers steepled. "So, you have returned with the knowledge of this fate," he said, his voice a mix of respect and wariness. "And you seek our help?"

"Yes," Harry replied, leaning forward, his eyes blazing with determination. "I have an idea... a way to protect some part of the Wizarding World. If there's some spell or enchantment that could shield Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and the land around them, create a... a bubble of protection... we might have a chance to survive, even if the rest of the world falls to the freeze."

Gringold's eyes narrowed, thoughtful. After a long pause, he beckoned to another goblin standing by the door. "Fetch the tome."

The goblin bowed and left the room. Moments later, he returned, carrying a heavy, weathered book bound in ancient leather, its cover emblazoned with intricate runes that seemed to glow faintly.

Gringold opened the book with careful fingers, flipping through pages that whispered as they turned. At last, he found the page he sought, and he turned the book so that Harry could see. "This spell is ancient goblin magic. Gelida Ultra, or 'Frozen No More.' It is designed to create a barrier around a chosen area, protecting it from unnatural forces and preserving the natural seasons inside."

Harry's eyes widened, excitement thrumming through him. "It can do that? Keep an entire area warm, even if the world outside is frozen?"

"Yes," Gringold confirmed. "The bubble will shield everything within it, holding it in harmony with the natural cycle of the earth. However," he added, raising a warning hand, "the spell requires a great amount of magic and an unbreakable bond with the land it will protect. Only those with deep ties to Hogwarts and its surrounding grounds can perform this enchantment."

"I'll do it," Harry said without hesitation. "Whatever it takes. I'll protect the school, the village... everything I can."

Gringold studied him for a long moment before nodding. "I believe you will. But there is one other matter we must discuss."

"Yes?"

"Gringotts itself," Gringold said, his voice low. "If the freeze is as you say, our vaults and our history are in danger. The goblins must survive too, and you offer a protection that we cannot create on our own."

Harry hadn't considered it, but as he looked at Gringold, he realized this partnership could be vital. "Then bring Gringotts to Hogsmeade. You can set up the bank within the shield. We'll be stronger together."

A gleam of respect shone in Gringold's eyes. "You show wisdom, Harry Potter. We accept."

Harry felt a weight lift from his shoulders. For the first time, he felt a genuine hope. The meeting drew to a close, and as he left Gringotts, he stepped out into the warm summer evening, watching the last light of day dip below the rooftops.

He made his way to a small, cozy café for dinner, letting the warmth of a hot meal and the sounds of people laughing and chatting around him fill his senses. This world, so full of life and light, felt like a dream after the nightmare he'd lived through. But this time, he would be ready.

Afterward, he returned to his flat, settling into bed with a sense of purpose he hadn't felt in ages. Tomorrow, he would begin.