Chapter Text
Death was waiting for the person to die. The man was taking his sweet time in doing so. He started tapping his foot. He had things he needed to do and this man should have died already. "Will you let go? You are not going to suddenly recover. I am here for a reason." He looked at the form next to him.
"I have so much I need to do. I have a wife, my kids, oh God, my kids. Kathy, what will she do?" The guy was only in his forties but his kids were almost ready to enter college. He was aware that his wife was aware of Kathy, his mistress.
"He isn't going to help and it's a done deal, so if you would just let me do my job."
"How do I know what you are saying is true? You look like an old man dressed in black." The guy was hitting the denial aspect.
Death transformed into what mortal considered his death form. "Better for you? Now, let's go. Besides, your wife has Michael. She was going to serve you with divorce papers so she could marry him. Your kids love him. They're handled."
The guy dropped to his knees. Great, here comes the barter part. Why can't some mortals just accept death? Thankfully, no non-magical mortal had figured out how to get around the two things in life that were originally guaranteed, death and taxes. "No, no, no. I don't do trades. Now, let's go or I will force it and it's painful for you." Death mention that it also caused trauma when it came to sorting time and his master hated to deal with the mess the trauma could create. The man didn't get a chance to make a decision as his body gave in to the injuries. He sighed, yes, it was time for some meddling and another holiday.
------Small time skip------
Harry hated doing the sorting unless it was one of his favorites to torture. He wasn't surprised when Death entered the sorting room. Death sat down and waited for his Master to finish. "Busy day today." It was generally not a busy day unless it was something major because Fate and Destiny go into a fight and caused volcano eruptions, tidal waves, or even massive fires.
Death snorted. So far, Time had been able to keep her sisters from fighting for a bit but there were a lot of timelines they monitored. "Master, I have an idea." Death was going to speak to some of the reapers about setting up a betting pool.
"Oh?" Harry was bored. Yes, he visited other timelines but he also had to be careful he didn't mess up the timeline. He loved to see how the different timelines were developing and how different some were.
"Well, the newest timeline just reached December 1926 and I thought we could have some fun and play with time and Time."
Harry thought about the newest timeline. He had been thinking of playing with it just to mess with Dumbledore and his plans. They had never tried it by starting with Voldemort. Harry grinned. "I do agree, let's have some fun."
_________________Time skip______26 December 1926
Death and Harry arrived at the road outside of the orphanage. Merope Gaunt was struggling to make it to the house she could see. It was rainy and cold. The forecast mentioned snow too. Harry and Death walked down the road to meet the woman. She was wearing a heavy black cloak. "Are you alright?"
It was clear she wasn't as she was struggling to walk through a painful contraction in the hopes of making it to the orphanage. Wool's Orphanage was down the road and their driveway was just a massive puddle. "You dolt, she isn't." Harry loved playing muggle and Death loved playing a kind, old man. "Let's take her home and get a healer to look at her."
"No, no, I can make it to the house over there." Merope pointed to the orphanage. They didn't even turn and look. Tom Marvolo Riddle was not going to reside at Wool's. The House Matron didn't like kids and only took the job so she wouldn't be living on the streets. Perhaps next timeline they could change her and give those kids a chance.
"Nonsense, as if a muggle could handle taking care of a magical birth." Death took Merope's arm. Merope Gaunt leaned heavily onto the arm. Death was thankful that he wasn't a real old man or they could be on the ground. "Mrs. Riddle, we can get you nice and warm and you can have that baby in a nice safe environment."
Merope was aware that everyone knew who she was in the area because of her crazy father. Her brother wasn't much better. Her brother was mean besides having a bit of craziness from their father. Same towns were small towns and everyone knew everyone's business whether you liked it or not. "Yes, yes, that would be good."
Death apparated with Merope to one of the houses that they purchased at the beginning of the month. It wasn't a big house. It just had five bedrooms and two bathrooms with a master's ensuite. The house sat on two acres of land and wards were surrounding the property. The house was a Tudor-style brick house and in one of the villages in the Hangleton area. They didn't want to change too much. Harry arrived right after them. "I will summon a healer, I believe the green bedroom will be comfortable for her."
Death escorted Merope out of the foyer to the bedroom. Tom Marvolo Riddle was born to a mother who had a healer to handle the complications of childbirth as well as Harry offering her a job as the housekeeper and she and her son would reside at the house with two house-elves.
-----Later that night---after the sorting
"I wonder who Dumbledore will attempt to use to kill Grindlewald?" Harry was going to be keeping a close eye on this timeline. He didn't want Dumbledore destroying lives just so he could remain in power.
"I believe he will still attempt to find orphans. He got the idea from Grindlewald." Death was reviewing the list for tomorrow's death toll. He started to assign Reapers to some of those listed. He had some he had to handle personally.
"True, true. Should we deal with Grindlewald too?" Harry was drumming his fingers on his desk and didn't hear his mate enter the room. They didn't want to mess with the timeline too much but at the same time, it was a bit fun to see what happened to Dumbledore's plans when they did.
"Where have you two been? Time was here and she wasn't happy. I calmed her down but I expect her to visit later."
"Oh, sorry, love. We were off saving Tom from Wool's Orphanage." Harry gave him a kiss. He summoned a chair. "Tea?"
"Please. Explain what you did."
Harry and Death explained their plan and how they weren't sure what to do with some major events or even minor players who could change major events. People like Gringlewald, the Gaunt family, and even the Riddle family. "A simple solution my love is that no matter what you do, there are other timelines where you can help save more people with your changes."
Harry smiled. "See, one of the many reasons why you are my mate. You think of things we don't."
"Yes, it's because it's called remembering that you are the Master of Death."
Death snorted. Harry laughed. "Severus Snape, you are perfect."
"I am aware of that aspect. Now, how about we go to Italy for dinner. I have been craving a Fiorentina Steak." Severus stood up.