It Ends Tonight

He felt a chill fall around him. Dementors. He knew he didn't have enough strength to produce a pratonus. He could only hope the Dementors didn't come swooping down on him as he made his way to his certain death…

Your subtleties
they strangle me

So this is how it was. The big build up was this. Harry was never meant to live. Snape's memory had made it quite clear what he needed to do. He tried to rack his brain for any clues Dumbledore might have given him… "Neither can live while the other survives." He laughed bitterly. He should have known this from the beginning.

I can't explain myself at all.
And all the wants
And all the needs
All I don't want to need at all.

He almost wanted to run back and say goodbye to Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna …Ginny… he wanted to tell them where he was going, what he was going to do. He wanted them to tell him not to, to tell him they wanted him alive…

The walls start breathing
My minds unweaving
Maybe it's best you leave me alone.

No. it had to be like this. He had to do it alone. It was the only way. Besides, it would be too hard if he went back. If he went back and saw their faces… would he be able to leave them, knowing he would never see them again? He grudgingly took his next step.

A weight is lifted
On this evening
I give the final blow.

He was doing this for them. He was dying for them. In the final blow against Lord Voldemort, Harry was on a mission of self sacrifice. His life was nothing compared to the hundreds of those still fighting.

When darkness turns to light,
It ends tonight,
It ends tonight.

He didn't know what made him think of it. he grabbed the pouch around his neck, his fingers found a small object – yes! – The golden snitch. He held it in the palm of his hand, admiring it's shape while pushing back memories of Quiditch games with the Gryffindor team.

He brought it to his mouth whispering this sad truth: "I am about to die."

A falling star
Least I fall alone.
I can't explain what you can't explain.
You're finding things that you didn't know
I look at you with such disdain

The snitch clicked open, something small and rough falling out into his hand. It was the resurrection stone. It all made so much sense. I open at the close.

When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight,
It ends tonight.
Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight

He knew what was going to happen. Sirius and Lupin materialized beside him. And his parents… he savored this moment, just looking at them, seeing them all together. They were together. And he was about to join them. It was with this thought Harry was able to take a few more steps.

Lily smiled at her son. "We're so proud," James said from beside her.

"I'm sorry," Harry croaked. He looked around at them all. His mother's smile, his fathers messy hair, so much like his own, Sirius looking younger and more handsome than when Harry has seen him alive, the usual wicked glint in his eye and of course Lupin's caring face. "All of you, I'm so sorry."

He knew they would stay with him. till the end.

Now I'm on my own side
It's better than being on your side
It's my fault when you're blind
It's better that I see it through your eyes

They walked with him until the clearing. Voldemort was muttering to Bellatrix, his red eyes staring at his snake, Nagini, who was under a number of protective enchantments. Harry remembered Dumbledore's instructions that stated when the time came that Voldemort feared for the life of his snake, it needed to be killed. Harry considered this briefly, but trusted that his friends would know what to do. All he needed to do now was face his death.

All these thoughts locked inside
Now you're the first to know

"it seems I was… mistaken." Voldemort said.

Harry stepped out of the shadows. "You weren't."

Voldemort turned to face him, tilting his head at the boy. "Ah… Harry Potter. The boy who lived."

When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight,
It ends tonight.

He thought of Hermione and Ron, their laughing faces. He thought of Neville's words, "We're going to keep fighting Harry." He thought of Hagrid… tied up to a tree not so far away from him. he wished Hagrid didn't have to see this. He thought of Luna and her crazy ideas – God, he would miss them all so much. He thought of Ginny… her blazing red hair… her fiery eyes…

Just a little insight won't make this right
It's too late to fight

Voldemort raised his wand.

It ends tonight,
It ends when darkness turns to light

Harry could feel his wand pressed against his chest, underneath his robes. He made no attempt to grab it and use it to fight. He was defenseless.

It ends tonight

Voldemort's lips mouthed the word that would bring Harry to his end. There was a flash of green light. Everything went black.

It ends tonight.