Second chance

During his school years, Harry had many friends and enemies, and many things happened to him. What would happen if he tried to make a relationship with someone he knew? What would happen if he became friends with Draco, for example? That thought kept him on his toes. If he was truly given a second chance, why not use it to make this world a better place? Of course, there were negative aspects to it. If he left everything as it was, he would know what to do in every situation, but still, his life would be very boring. The first option, on the other hand, was really appealing. Why go through a disaster when you could prevent it. But there were also difficulties. Knowing nothing about his future, Harry was able to defeat the dark forces, but how would history turn out if he tried to change it? What if he lost? It was a really difficult dilemma. It was difficult to leave things as they were, after all Potter couldn't remember every single day of his life for seven years in detail, and improvisation would be quite problematic due to his life experiences. Changing history was quite risky, although it was Harry's style. Even after living a long life, he hadn't extinguished the fire in his chest that propelled him forward in his youth. And after all, Harry did have a lot to change. There were people in his life worthy of redemption. But how could anyone explain his sudden change of behaviour? Hardly anyone would believe him that he had returned to his young body with all his memories. What if he tried to tell someone after all? Ron and Hermione had already learnt to trust him, but right now they were too young and naive to accept such a thing. The situation was almost a stalemate, but suddenly an interesting thought popped into Harry's head. What if I asked Snape to get into my brain? After seeing Potter's memories, the professor might actually believe him. It wasn't a bad idea, so Harry, still in his pyjamas, headed briskly to the Dean of Slytherin's office. A few minutes later, he was already sitting in front of the professor's face. He would have laughed at the surprised, no, perhaps stunned expression on his face, but the situation really didn't lend itself to that, and Harry remained serious. ‘Potter, do you realise what you're saying?’ asked Snape finally. ‘Are you sure you don't need to go to St Mungo's?’ Snape spoke with unconcealed mockery, but there was something in his voice that made Harry wince. Care and genuine concern. For years he had blindly hated the teacher and considered him almost pure evil, at least the most unpleasant person in the school, he had no idea then about the professor's true feelings for him, about his experiences and memories. But now there was a fresh start, and Harry shook his head confidently. ‘Just go through my memories, Professor, I know you can,’ Harry begged. ‘Okay,’ the man finally gave in. ‘Legilimens!’ The penetration into his head was a little unpleasant, but Harry felt rather a slight euphoria, for it was as if he was living all the happy (and not so happy) moments of his life again. Defeating Voldemort, becoming a dark wizard, getting married, having children and grandchildren... It all flashed before his eyes in a flash. Finally, he found himself mentally back in the Potions Master's office. He was sitting there with a strange expression of alienation and a frozen stare. A heavy silence hung in the air. After a few minutes, Snape finally came to life. ‘This... Potter... How is this even possible?’ now he didn't look like the angry and stern Dean of Slytherin. He was genuinely confused. His face expressed complete incomprehension, and even despair that Harry even regretted showing his memories to his teacher at all. After all, his own death was among them, and not at all among his close friends. Harry had shown Snape the horrible life that awaited him. And it was not an easy one to endure. ‘Now do you understand what I was trying to tell you?’ asked Harry, not really hoping for an answer. ‘Is this all really going to happen?’ still not accepting reality, the potionist clarified. ‘Yes, if you don't change the past,’ replied Harry. ‘And you want me to help you with that?’ immediately realising what was required of him, the man asked. ‘I haven't thought out a programme of action yet and you're the first person I've confided in, so I really need your help,’ happy to be understood, Potter laid it out. ‘It will be difficult, but I think I can do something for you,’ the Dean muttered with a frown. It was obvious that although he believed the Gryffindor, there was no way he could accept the fate of the world. ‘Actually, it's going to be quite simple.’ ‘You think so?’ didn't understand Harry. ‘Yes, we just need to stop Voldemort from being reborn with Quirrell's help,’ the man explained. ‘That would be the first step. Then your memory can be used to find and destroy all the horcruxes.’ ‘But I'm a horcrux too!’ exclaimed Harry. He liked the professor's plan, but there were considerable flaws in it. ‘Yes, indeed, there is a difficulty arising here,’ Snape had finally come to his senses by now and began to think. ‘We may have to let Voldemort gain a body after all and force you to fight. But it's difficult, very difficult.’ ‘We have plenty of time for that, especially since I'd like to tell the others about myself and what's going to happen,’ Harry began. ‘And that way there will be a better chance of winning with a minimum of casualties,’ the professor finished for him. Well, at least Potter already had some sort of plan. But this was only a small part of the big journey.