3 Тhe truth revealed

When his consciousness cleared, the first thing that the Boy Who Still Didn't Survive saw above him was the dark ceiling. He was in a room where everything was black, from the floor to the ceiling to the walls, the furniture, and the bedding.

Despite the abundance of black, it didn't bring discomfort, but on the contrary, it gave peace. The silence that reigned around him was peaceful. It was probably because Harry had spent his entire childhood in a cupboard under the stairs, and the rest of his time working in the garden and at the Dursleys' house, listening to the nagging and insults of Dudley and his friends. And at Hogwarts he lived in the company of noisy Ron and the rest of the Gryffindors, so how could there be any peace here? That was why the rare moments of silence were doubly blessed.

The first thing Potter realised was that he didn't have two saucers on his nose, but he had perfect eyesight. He touched his hand to his eyes to make sure. The second thing Harry immediately realised was the unnatural pallor of his hands. The third was that he was taller than before. Fourthly, his physique had changed, his life with the Dursleys had left its mark, and then there was Hogwarts - Quidditch, the constant adventures on his head... And the result? A rather short and skinny Boy Who Survived. But now his physique had changed exactly the opposite - a tall, moderately pumped and broad-shouldered young man. At that moment a stray thought flashed through Potter's mind, and he began to look around. When he found what he was looking for, he went to the mirror and what he saw there made his brain do a triple backflip. His appearance had changed dramatically - he was looking at a boy of fifteen with white, slightly dishevelled hair below his shoulders and piercing dark blue eyes.

He would have stayed like that for a long time if the door hadn't creaked open. Turning his head towards the door, Harry saw a beautiful girl of about seventeen. She was beautiful - pale skin, fine features, dark and very long hair... Everything was perfect except her eyes, which were a deep black colour. Her gaze seemed to penetrate right into his soul, but it expressed nothing.

- You're awake," the girl said in a mesmerising voice that was more of an affirmation than a question.

- Yes, awake," Harry agreed. - But who are you? And where am I?

- Who am I? I have many names, but you'll understand if I introduce myself as Death. Where are you? You are on the brink of life and death. I have detained you to ask you three questions and to ask you to fulfil one of my requests.

 After Harry heard the answers to his questions, he was shocked and felt a chill run down his spine.

- I'll be honest, I thought Death looked a little different," Potter said, struggling with his emotions.

- What did you expect to see, a skeleton with a scythe? - The girl asked mockingly. Harry only lowered his eyes in shame.

- What were the three questions you wanted to ask me? - There was silence in the room after these words. It was obvious that Death was thinking about these three questions.

- What do you think about your life?

Harry thought about the answer for a moment. In fact, nothing good: his childhood with the Dursleys was painful to remember - the constant insults, threats, bullying. Seven years at Hogwarts? Both pleasant and bitter.

- It wasn't a pleasant life after all.

- What do you know about Dumbledore's involvement in your life?

- He was Headmaster of Hog-" Potter started to answer, but was interrupted by a raised palm.

- I didn't mean Headmaster Dumbledore, I meant your guardian, Albus Dumbledore," Death clarified.

- You mean guardian? Aren't my guardians the Dursleys?

- So you don't know after all... Dumbledore became your magical guardian after your parents died,' came the reply.

- Wait, but if he was my guardian, shouldn't he have..." Harry started to say as he was interrupted again, answering for him.

- to look after you from birth? Yes, but he didn't, sending you to the Dursleys.

- Why didn't he?

- He was a victim of his own hubris. Dumbledore thought you'd stop someone who brought misery and suffering to the wizarding world, that you'd be the one to push people towards the greater good. Naturally, the good in the headmaster's mind. He's hardened in his faith and his desire to turn you into a submissive weapon.

- But how did it happen? And why? - The young man was genuinely surprised.

- It all started with the death of your parents and sending you to the Dursleys. Dumbledore's goal was to make you balance between life and death, to find out what would be the impetus for turning you into an emotionally unstable martyr...

And then the story of all of Dumbledore's manipulations and machinations went on. Harry couldn't believe it - his whole life had been mapped out almost day by day. It all started with his friendship with Ron, his feud with Malfoy and the incident with the troll. The first test was the Einaledge mirror, to find out the boy's deepest wish. It became the basis for manipulation, controlling the environment and pushing Harry in the right direction. Potter's deepest wish was to be reunited with his family, and so the old man had a plan. He ordered his deputy, Minerva McGonagall, to speak well of the boy's parents and mention their striking similarities, increasing Harry's pride in them, as well as relentlessly mentioning that they had saved the entire magical world by their sacrifice. This would reinforce Potter's understanding of true heroism as sacrifice.

Dumbledore had encouraged the Dean of Slytherin, Severus Snape, to hate James Potter, and allowed him to abuse Potter Senior in Harry's presence so that the boy would try to defend his father's name. These actions turned Harry against the darkness, confirming what the sixth Weasley had said, that all Slytherin natives were dark wizards and witches, and just plain bad people.

And so Harry Potter's entire life was planned by the Headmaster. In Harry's second year, Dumbledore knew about the opening of the Chamber of Secrets and that there was a basilisk crawling around the school; in his third year, he deliberately sent the Dementors on a train with the students, hoping to use them to pull out all the good that was still left in Harry. In his fourth year, Dumbledore encountered the Tournament of the Three Wizards. He didn't expect Harry to participate in it, but he was able to take advantage of that fact as well, turning almost all of Hogwarts against Potter with the help of the Tournament. In fifth year, Dumbledore increased the pressure on Harry by allowing Umbridge to torment him, and it ended in Sirius' death. In sixth year, Harry's training had to be finished, so Dumbledore deliberately faked his "death", and in seventh year Potter was not in school, so Albus only watched. And after defeating Voldemort, he himself came and got rid of the unnecessary hero.

After everything Harry had been told, he felt devastated, betrayed. He didn't want to believe it all, but why would Death lie to him?

- But why would Dumbledore want to kill me? - Harry didn't understand.

- He trained you as an unstable weapon, your life was very similar to Tom Riddle's, also the Headmaster tried to strip you of your humanity. Sooner or later you would snap and become like Voldemort. Simply put, he got rid of something that could bring a lot of trouble in the future. And the third question," Death's voice came through the silence. Harry didn't react, digesting what he had heard. - What would you do if you had the chance to change what happened?

- I would use it," Potter answered promptly.

- But what exactly would you do?

- Kill Dumbledore," Harry practically hissed.

- It's too late for that," Death replied.

- What do you mean?

- Killing Dumbledore won't change anything, because too many lives have already been ruined.

- Then there's nothing that can be done," Harry said in a low voice.

- 'That's not a fact,' said Death. - Do you remember when I asked you to do something for me?

- Yes," the young man nodded.

- My request is this - you must send Tom Riddle and Albus Dumbledore to my world.

- But wait, Voldemort is already here! - Harry exclaimed.

- 'Yes, and I thank you for that. Too many times that boy has slipped through my hands, and creating Horcruxes in the first place has made me furious. So as a thank you, I'm going to give you the opportunity to take revenge on Dumbledore," Death said.

- In what way? - The bloke was interested.

- Never mind. So you agree?

- I do," said the Boy-Who-Will-Return without hesitation. - How will I stop Dumbledore?

- It all started with Voldemort and his decision to take over all of Misty Albion," Death said. - So you're going to go to the time when he made that decision.

- I see," Harry nodded. - By the way, I was wondering, what happened to my appearance?

- They'll explain it to you there," Death said before touching his head with his right hand.

 Harry felt himself losing consciousness. Before finally falling into darkness, he heard:

"You and I will meet again. I won't leave you without help."