Harry's Angel

He couldn't stop running.

Tears sprang to his empty eyes, and curses zinged in his ears, as they narrowly missed his head, but still he never faltered.

He could taste the cold, metallic, taste of blood in his mouth, and silently he wondered how much of the blood on him was his own. So much destruction, so much death . . .

Unceasingly he stumbled up a rocky hill to his point of destination, The Lookout. At least that's what all the student’s at Hogwarts deemed it. Supposedly it had been the exact location that the found four of Hogwarts had stood when they chose the site for the magical school.

Ironic he thought, this place has seen its share of beginnings, and today, today it sees an end.

But he didn't dwell long on this thought. This was all irrelevant to him, he just needed a suitable place to view the intensity of the battle, away from the heat of it.

SPEND ALL YOUR TIME WAITING FOR THAT SECOND CHANGE FOR A BREAK THAT WILL MAKE IT OKAY

Their numbers had dwindled. Death came swiftly for some of the men, and too soon.

Most of the fighters had only been a year or so out of Hogwarts, others hadn’t even graduated their seventh year. All of the men fighting hadn't even had an opportunity to do anything with their lives, and now it was being taken from them one by one, as if they were lining up for a slaughter.

Slaughter. That’s exactly what it is.

He blocked out the sickening cried of pain that echoed throughout the valley, and concentrated on the rush of the Medi-wizards and witches to the multitude of slain. He searched hoping beyond hope not to see a familiar face, among the mounds of dead.

He counted each and every recognizable face.

Seamus Finnigan, Colin Creevey, Ernie MacMillion . . .

THERE'S ALWAYS SOME REASON TO FEEL NOT GOOD ENOUGH AND IT'S HARD AT THE END OF THE DAY

He spotted him, Blood red eyes, emotionlessly gazing at the battle, where his own death eaters doubled the amount of the dead.

Voldemort stood solitarily waving in more and more Death Eater's to either kill or be killed. That's all this war is about . . . kill or be killed.

Harry was blinded with anger to see Voldemort so unmoved by the war raging in front of his won eyes. The death toll had to be up in the thousands, on each side. But, he didn't so much as falter, or stop, or realize how many of his own Death Eaters’, still no more than children fresh out of Hogwarts, were sacrificing themselves for his cause. Voldemort just stood watching, calculating waiting . . .

I NEED SOME DISTRACTION A BEAUTIFUL RELEASE MEMORIES SEEP THROUGH MY VEINS

He was running again, this time straight into the fire. Again he was dodging purple and yellow curses, and only stopped when his name was called.

"HARRY!" A gasping figure raced toward him.

Fiercely wiping his eyes, Harry turned to see who had called his name. Harry was somewhat surprised to see his old school friend.

"Neville, what's the damage?"

Neville strode briskly up to Harry, and not even stopping for air burst forth, "Weasley's group is attempting to take some of the Death Eater's from the side, but they are far too outnumbered, Harry, they need more help!"

"Ron, you crazy fool!" Harry rubbed the sweat off of his brow "I can spare fifty, no more. Have Wood take his group and come from the other side, have him meet Ron in the middle.”

"Yes, but Harry?"

"Yes?"

Harry never heard Neville’s answer. A misfired curse hit Neville in the back, and he fell forward into Harry's arms. For one breathless moment, the world had stopped as Harry caught Neville's limp form. His mouth was frozen, he couldn't utter the words he knew he must.

"NEVILLE!"

Harry sank to the ground and carefully laid Neville next to him. "I NEED HELP! MEDIC!"

"Harry?"

Tears were once again cascading freely down from his eyes. "Gin, it's Neville. I... I don't think . . . "

"It's all right Harry. Me and 'Mione can help him . . . You . . . You need to finish this war."

Just like that they were gone, Hermione and Ginny disturbingly skilled at the art of healing, carrying the unconscious Neville between them. Harry watched helplessly as Hermione and Ginny shouted as many spells as they knew to try and stabilize him.

LET ME BE EMPTY AND WEIGHTLESS THEN MAYBE I'LL FIND SOME PEACE TONIGHT

There's nothing left I can do.

Helplessly standing alone, Harry resolved to watch the receding backs of his friend and lover, bearing their heavy burden.

Feeling the burden of the battle around him, Harry turned slowly. He didn't hear the "I love you" that Hermione shouted, hoping to rise above the din, but failing utterly.

All the same Harry felt anguish. He didn't want to be here. More than anything he wanted to be at home with Hermione talking about starting a family, or at Hogwarts with Ron and Hermione preparing for finals. But time moved too fast, and before Harry realized he had found himself, after five years of Auror training, the leader of a war against Voldemort.

Time played cruel tricks.

Harry didn't know how long he stood there, nor did he want to know, he was enjoying his reverie, and didn't want to think about how much his pause had cost them in the long run. Nevertheless, his thoughts were interrupted by a drawling voice.

"Ok, Potter?"

"How bad is it Draco?" Harry didn't bother looking at his companion. He continued to stare at the ground.

"We're hanging on, but just barely. We're doing well on defense. Offense is suffering."

"They're killing us . . . " Harry paused. The battle had grown very quiet. But, Harry could hear it.

'Please not Harry!'

His Mother.

IN THE ARMS OF THE ANGEL FLY AWAY FROM HERE FROM THIS DARK COLD HOTEL ROOM AND THE ENDLESSNESS THAT YOU FEAR

"Dementors!" Draco yelled from beside him.

'Lily, take Harry and go, I'll try to hold him off'

Screaming, again screaming. All he had been trying to avoid, now forced upon him like a disease.

"Potter?!?!?" Draco stooped to where Harry had collapsed onto the ground. "Harry? Fight it!"

The only replies he received were incoherent mumblings, as Harry began shaking uncontrollably.

"Oh, Bugger!" Draco stood and ran to the nearest conscious person and started barking orders. "Thomas, Potter's got it bad, we need to set the Patron lamps! Take Fred and George Weasley and secure them every yard or so around the perimeter."

"Got it!" And dodging a hefty orange curse, Dean Thomas set out on his task.

Once again the waiting began, Draco could feel the effects of the Dementors begin to take hold of him.

'You will never be good enough for me! My own son, friends with mudbloods and Muggle-lovers.'

YOU ARE PULLED FROM THE WRECKAGE OF YOUR SILENT REVERIE IN THE ARMS OF THE ANGEL MAY YOU FIND SOME COMFORT HERE

Slowly, Draco could feel the coldness that had overtaken him, receding. Still, he couldn't brush the creepy feeling the Dementors had left on him. Shaking lightly, Draco stumbled to where he had left Harry a few seconds prior.

He had regained consciousness, and was now trying to sit up. Draco, tried to get him to stop, but to no avail. Harry was protesting his feeble attempt at holding him back, and was gingerly rising to his feet.

"This war has got to end now, Draco. We don't have the time to wait and see what lovely surprise Voldemort has for us next. We need to fight or we need to die trying."

SO TIRED OF THE STRAIGHT LINE WHERE EVERYWHERE YOU TURN THERE'S VULTURES AND THIEVES AT YOUR BACK

"I don't think so Harry, it's too dangerous right now to make rash decisions based on a single dementor attack."

"I don't think we have time to make any decisions, Draco. We are losing this war, and I intend to give everyone at least a fighting chance."

Draco just calmly stepped aside, and silently prayed for strength to be given his unlikely friend. He knew that Harry was right, and no matter what his problems were with Harry's decision, he knew it was right.

Harry was going to fight him...

He HAD to fight him, and he had to win.

THE STORM KEEPS ON TWISTING KEEP ON BUILDING THE LIES THAT YOU MAKE UP FOR ALL THAT YOU LACK

Once again he was running, this time shakily. He was still trying to combat the effects of the dementors, that were now being pushed back out of the battle by the Patron Lamps.

Awkwardly dragging his left foot, which he must have wrenched in his fall, Harry plowed right toward his target.

Voldemort stood, his location unchanged, with the same empty eyes, which surveyed the slaughter.

Once again blind anger engulfed Harry. He knew he had to calm himself, but, at this point, he didn't care. Thinking rashly, Harry grabbed his own wand from inside his robes, and shot the first three curses he remembered towards his nemesis. All the while his forehead burning intensely in the shape of a lightning bolt.

"Reducto! Stupefy! Expelliarmus!"

Still on the move Harry, didn't watch to see if his spells had hit their mark. Instead, he rolled as another red and yellow curse blasted towards him.

Pausing to get on his feet again, he glanced toward his target, who was now expertly reflecting all Harry's spells.

Satisfied he was in the clear, Voldemort sent his own curses towards Harry.

"Furnunculus! Diffindo!"

Harry, frozen in place, watched helplessly as the assortment of curses were flying his way.

IT DON'T MAKE NO DIFFERENCE ESCAPING ONE LAST TIME IT'S EASIER TO BELIEVE

Feeling an awakening inside him, Harry was quick to block the incoming killers.

"Protego!"

His shield succeeding in protecting him from the curses, but couldn't block him from the force of them. He was knocked square on his back. Reeling he was feeling helpless. He had to admit it, his head was on fire. He thought it would explode if he didn't find relief soon.

Harry could vaguely hear the cold, mechanic laughter, before he saw him. Voldemort was striding his way, reveling in his victory. Harry had just enough time to roll away as Voldemort shot a Cruciatus cure his direction.

Voldemort didn't wait too long to recover. Just as Harry was standing up, he sent another wave of fury toward him.

"Crucio!"

IN THIS SWEET MADNESS THIS GLORIOUS SADNESS THAT BRINGS ME TO MY KNEES

The pain was intense, unimaginable. Harry felt that he would prefer to die than go on. It was excruciating, every part of his body was on fire. He could hear the scream escaping from his lips, but he had no control over it.

Like a sweet mercy the intense pain ended. But in it's place it left a burning all over his body.

Panting, he drew up to his knees, ready to end this now if he had to.

"Pathetic, Harry!" Voldemort toyed, "Who would have guessed that after all these years, the boy who lived would be so easy to kill!"

Choking Harry struggled to find strength enough to stand.

"The past seven years have been fun, but I want it to end now."

"NO!!" Harry staggering, finally found his feet, and was now stumbling toward Voldemort. "You will never be through with me."

Voldemort's anger was now fully expressed in his face, and the veins in his forehead were pumping and bulging. "You have failed to realize, Harry," He spoke Harry's name as if it were poison, "That in you haste to dispose of me, you foolishly ran into the heart of my Death Eaters!"

Dismayed, Harry realized this was true, in his blind anger he had ran right into Voldemort's playing field.

IN THE ARMS OF THE ANGEL FLY AWAY FROM HERE FROM THIS DARK COLD HOTEL ROOM AND THE ENDLESSNESS THAT YOU FEAR

Harry's heart was now in his throat. He only now realized that he had done exactly what Voldemort had wanted him to do. Suddenly the weight of all he was required to do, was placed heavily upon him.

"You see Harry, I've always been good at manipulating you. Even now, I see you are finally deciding that this has to end. I can assure you, Harry, those are my feelings exactly."

Registering what Voldemort had said, Harry gripped his want tightly and, scanned his brain for the perfect curse.

"Diffindo!"

Surprised by the attack, Voldemort wasn't able to block properly, and was hit in the arm by the well-aimed spell. Now his arm was bleeding profusely, and his anger was kindled successfully.

"This ends now, Harry! Avada Kedavra!"

At the same moment, sensing Voldemort weaken slightly, Harry shot his own spell at Voldemort.

"Expelliarmus!"

As before, the two wands connected, as green shot out of Voldemort's wand, and red shot out of Harry's. They met and created a resplendent blaze of gold in the middle.

This time there was no surprise for either of them, they had been here before, and both were well aware of the chance of this happening. Harry was counting on it.

Slowly Harry felt his feet rise in the air. This also held no surprise for him, and when he saw figures start creeping out of Voldemort's wand, he didn't even falter. He knew he had to concentrate on not breaking the connection, and focus less on what was going on around him.

Beautiful light engulfed him and Voldemort, encaging them, and causing Harry to have more hope. He heard the furmiliar music that echoed out of their wands.

What he didn't expect, was the voice that came from one of the shapes floating from Voldemort's wand.

"You musn't let go, Harry!"

YOU ARE PULLED FROM THE WRECKAGE OF YOUR SILENT REVERIE

Harry had to choke back a sob, as he heard the voice of his mentor. Dumbledore, or the ghost of him anyway, was floating somewhere above Harry's head, and Harry didn't dare look away from the wands, to try and find him.

"Harry, you need only to wait a little longer, until your father and mother come, then you can break the connection."

"Why?" Harry managed to choke out.

"Then we will be able to distract Voldemort long enough for you to take the final move."

Understanding, Harry nodded his approval of the plan, and focused more on keeping the connection going. His wand vibrated mercilessly in his clammy fingers, and he felt that soon it would be too difficult to maintain his concentration.

Just when Harry was reaching his breaking point, he saw the figure of his mother appear. He knew he had to let go now, and that his parents and Dumbledore would only linger for a few moments, but he wanted so much to talk to his mother.

"Harry dear, you must break the connection now." His mother spoke in her ethereal ghostly voice.

Admitting to himself that this was best Harry knew he must do as he had been told. He just didn't know if he had the courage.

YOU'RE IN THE ARMS OF THE ANGEL MAY YOU FIND SOME COMFORT HERE

Quickly, before he lost his resolve Harry pull his wand away, and severed the connection. Almost instantly he felt the vibrations stop. He knew he only had moments until his help disappeared, so he acted quickly. Planting his feet firmly on the ground, and mustering all the energy left within him, He uttered the two unforgivably words.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

He felt the blast escape his wand, and go sailing toward his assailant. The force of the spell erupting from his wand sent him sailing backward into the battle that had ceased behind him.

Even the Death Eaters had stopped and were watching what was enfolding before them. Surely their master wasn't being matched by a mere boy.

Voldemort, distracted by his ghostly aggressors, didn't see the dark Green curse flying his way. In an eruption of light, the curse hit its mark. Voldemort's attackers disappeared and left a quiet kind of pandemonium behind.

All was still as onlookers surveyed the aftermath. Voldemort's lifeless body was found where he had fallen, instantly killed by the curse he was so fond of.

Harry's unconscious form was found some twenty feet away, where he had been thrown by the force of his own killing curse. He lay tranquilly, smiling serenely, asleep. Not even knowing if his curse had worked but, still at peace in his heart, knowing he had tried.

YOU'RE IN THE ARMS OF THE ANGEL MAY YOU FIND SOME COMFORT HERE