May 4. 1998 After the battle of Hogwarts.

Harry sighed as he looked out over what was left of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, the town was all but wiped out and Harry wasn't sure if it would ever be the beautiful little quaint town, it once was. The once picturesque town was reduced to still smoking ruins. He doubted that the town could ever be filled with Hogwarts students or shops like it was before the war. Even Hogwarts would be different; the whole eastern part of the castle had collapsed when Harry and Voldemort duelled at the end.

He had killed.

While the wizarding world celebrated, for the second day in a row, he was left to mourn his innocence and he decided right then and there that he had had enough. He would leave, no more hero or lunatic, no more dark lords and no more broken hearts. For he had felt the last one, more than anything, why couldn't she see him?

She who held his heart, no she wanted to be with the idiot who hurt her, betrayed them and left when they needed him the most.

No he wouldn't be here when they wanted to honour him, he would be far away and never would he return to this ruined and hated place. First, he would go to the goblins and offer them payment for the destruction, and then he would find a house somewhere safe and remote.

Harry apparated to an alley by the Leaky Cauldron and he hurried past the celebrating witches and wizards to the brick wall. He tapped the bricks; there were almost no people in the street, the ones who were, hurried from store to store, to celebrate with their friends and relatives.

He sighed when he reached Gringotts, he was stopped by two guards:

"You are not welcome here." one of them stated.

"Okay that's fine; I would just like to ask you, if I can pay for the damages done by me and my friends."

"Pay?"

"Yes pay, the damage was unintended but necessary at the time so I want to help, if I may."

"Wait here," the guard went inside and returned one minute later "You can go in, talk to Ragnok."

Harry nodded and walked inside, a stately goblin approached "I am Ragnok and you are a most unwelcome guest."

"I know," Harry ran a hand through his hair and discovered how dirty and matted it was "I am here to pay what I owe you, and then get out of your hair, permanently."

"What you owe cannot be paid Master Potter, it was a great insult to our nation and our bank what you did by stealing, not only an item from a vault, but also stealing a dragon." he growled while his eyes flashed angrily.

Harry thought back to what he had learnt about goblins in his education, they were a proud race and great warriors. Harry kneeled in front of Ragnok, placed his wand by Ragnoks feet and he placed his fists on the floor. He lowered his eyes to the floor as he had read warriors did in the Goblin Wars, when they surrendered to the others justice.

"If it can be repaid, by my life or magic then it is yours to take. I care not what you want to take, I am tired, tired of fighting, of living this life and of hate. Name your price."

All the goblins had stopped what they were doing and looking at the saviour of the wizarding world, kneeling in front of their leader. For a goblin this was the ultimate sign of respect, a warrior bowing before another warrior, offering payment for damages from a war.

"I do not want your life or your magic," Ragnok rumbled "I want your labour, work to put the bank right and I will consider this matter done."

"Where do I start?" Harry asked while standing

"Let Ironclaw show you, we will speak later."

Harry was put to work manually and he enjoyed the work. He had no time between lifting rubble out of the way and helping goblins, to think about his bruised soul or his shattered heart. When he fell into bed at night his muscles protested, he was to exhausted to think and that did him good. Before he knew he had many friends amongst the goblin race and he healed physically and mentally.

It was three months later before Harry and Ragnok had time to talk, the bank was back to its former glory and Harry was done with his part of the rebuild.

"Master Potter, come with me." they walked into an office "Sit down and we will talk."

"Ragnok, what do you wish to talk about?"

"Why didn't you come and claim your inheritance?"

"My inheritance?"

"From your parents and your godfather."

"I didn't know."

"You also have, because you neglected to come here, a valid marriage contract between you and a Miss Ginerva Weasley."

"A marriage contract? How?"

"Yes a marriage contract, Albus Dumbledore made it after your fifth year. When you didn't claim your inheritance then you declined your status as an adult, which should have been granted to you after your godfather's death."

"Can I get out of the contract?"

"No." Ragnok looked at the broken wizard, who had to fight so much in his short life, "It must be fulfilled before your 19th birthday or you will die."

"Die?"

"Yes the magic in you will kill you, when it is forced to leave your body."

"Wouldn't I just be a Squib?"

"No, you have a most wondrous hold on your magic. Our healers examined you and they found your magic healing you and they reported that your magic is greater than we expected. Even now I can feel it and it is so enormous, that even if the magic was drained out of you, your body would die without it to sustain you. I suspect it's because you healed yourself many times and your magic fused with your cells, to help the healing process."

"So I am doomed to an eternity with a woman, I do not want to marry."

"Not necessarily."

"What do you mean by that?"

"There is a loophole."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it will still result in your death," he held up a hand, "No let me finish, it will require you to sacrifice your life but if we succeed, you will return to childhood with your older self to guide you."

"So I can help myself in some way."

"Yes, but you will not be there in person, as you may know no one can see oneself without repercussions, you will be in something that can help, I would suggest a book."

Harry looked at the goblin he had come to respect and cherish as a friend "Okay Ragnok, let's do this."