Chapter Text
Harry yawned. How much longer would he be here? Oh, yeah, eternity. Fuck. He groaned.
“Death, who’s next on the list?” A figure appeared, the tattered fabric of their black cloak wrapped around them to conceal the lack of human flesh beneath. They exuded a presence that should’ve instilled fear into the 17 year old in front of him, but alas the boy was no teenager, and he had long grown used to the skeletal ‘monster’ beneath the cape.
“Tom Marvolo Riddle. Age 10. Cause of death; bleeding out.” A raspy voice replied. Harry almost choked on air. God knows he wanted to.
“Are you…sure about that?” He mumbled, posture now stiff and uncertain, but his eyes sparkled. Tom, Tom, the murderous Tom, dead? At long last? After all he’d done to track him down and kill him, attempts all shut down by Death and it was finally happening after so many excruciating years? Almost too good to be true.
“I have never been wrong before.” The reply came quickly, and was accompanied by a whisper.
“You can’t afford to falter, Master. I know how you feel about the death of children, that is why you don’t have to come for this one, I can do it myself, the souls of kids are very light to carry.” Harry sighed. Death was correct. Harry could not be certain that the sight of a child, even if it was Voldemort himself, bleeding out and dying when he could stop it wouldn’t keep him from taking their soul like it had before. He glanced briefly at death, wondering how horrible it must be for them to have to take those poor souls away.
“Thank you, Death. I’m…grateful…for you.” Harry forced a warm smile and patted Death’s head. This seemed to cheer it up.
“I will be back before dawn, Master.” It had told him before leaving. That had been a lie. Harry tapped his fingers impatiently against the chipped wood of the table. He was bored. So utterly bored. A moment without his dear friend Death meant a prominent loneliness would wash over him like waves on a beach. Without anyone to complain to, he turned to animal souls, petting the kitty cats and puppies, letting the mice scutter around and the snakes slither on his arms. Birds clung to his hair and fingers, none of the animals scared of the other knowing both pain couldn’t be inflicted on them ever again, acknowledging that fear would only plague them if they let it. Harry smiled, petting and rubbing and cuddling and holding until all his irritation melted like butter on his tongue.
“Master.” Harry jumped, the animals immediately being whisked away into their afterlives. Death looked at Harry with vague judgment.
“Death!!! Please, be noisier when you’re teleporting.” Death nodded, affirming he would try.
“Master. I require your assistance.” Harry raised an eyebrow, wondering what it could be. His eyes flickered to the lack of a soul in Death’s arms.
“No. No, No, No, No. Don’t tell me…” Harry sputtered
“He refuses me. He refuses to die.”