Reflections

HARRY

RunRunRun

They think he doesn't know they are following, but he does.

He knows them just as well as they know him.

But no. Not this time.

No more friends are going to die because of him. No more. He's doing this battle alone.

His feet pound the pavement. Neither of them can run as fast as he can. He sloshes through a wading pool, catching a vague glimpse of his reflection, pale, frantic, before jumping out. The deep beating footsteps resonate in his brain. Thump Thump Thump. He dives behind a dustbin.

"He's here somewhere," Hermione's voice echoes off the walls, panting slightly.

"I don't see him, Hermione."

"He's probably hiding, Ron. Lumos!"

Too clever for her own good, damn it. They can't follow him. They'll get hurt.

"I think he's here..." Hermione's voice sounds.

"STUPEFY!" he shouts.

Ron catches Hermione as she falls back, unconscious.

Harry jumps out and Ron cries "Harry! What the hell are you doing?"

Harry points his wand at Ron.

"You can't come, Ron. Not this time."

"Damn it, Harry, listen to me-"

"Stupefy!"

Ron's eyes roll up in his head and he slumps to the ground, Hermione still in his arms.

Harry backs away, staring at both of them. They lie on the ground, pale, inert, and defeated.

"Not this time," he says again, and with a pop, he dissaperates.

***

He's here. This is it. This is the last time. Alone. Because he's stupid, right?

He leans his head against the tree, looking down at the house. Could Voldemort really be here? Maybe he's wrong. It didn't look like Voldemort's house

As if on cue, his scar starts to hurt. He grimaces and rubs his forehead, but the pain continues, white hot. Voldemort was near and no amount of Occlumency could block that out.

This is it.

It's all over.

He realizes he's scraping his hand against the tree, making it bleed. His whole body is shaking. He wills himself to stop, staring at his hand. He sees the scar: I must not tell lies. Umbridges voice seems to come out, mocking him, Silly little boy, and her voice turns into Voldemort's. You will fail.

He wasn't going to fail.

I must not tell lies.

He wasn't afraid.

I must not tell lies

It was okay, really.

I must not tell lies

So what if he'd Stupefied Ron and Hermione. So what if he might never see them again and the last thing he'd said was "Stupefy." That didn't matter. They'd understand he had to do it.

I must not tell lies

Shut up. Shut up.

Silly little boy. You never learn, do you? No matter what, you always push away the people you care about. Push them...push them...push them to their death.

Shut UP.

Not a little boy anymore.

Wind drifted over the calm pond beside the house. Pain raced up his forehead. He felt like he was going to retch. Everything blurred. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and slid down to the house below.