Title: Running Death
Author name:
Category: Drama
Sub Category: Angst
Keywords: Harry, Voldemort, Running Away
Rating: PG-14
Spoilers: OoTP
Summary: A dark!harry one-shot
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

It's been a long summer. The Dursley's decided that since a deceased Godfather couldn't very well protect me, that they would put me back into the cupboard. Here I am and here I was. I think I got about a week left till school. I'm not sure anymore. Last time I got out it was to take the owl that school sent. I don't know how I'll get my supplies.

I hear footsteps on the stair. Not that that's unusual or anything but these are heavy steps. As if the person walking is tired . . . . Or got woken up in the middle of the night. Come on gotta think positive happy thoughts. I'm alive and semi-well. No damn it happy thoughts no negativity. I'm envious of Cedric and Sirius they don't have to deal with idiots anymore or worry about being caught by aurors.

Better but not good enough Harry.

"What the . . . ."

Tsk tsk. Cursing is not a good habit to pick up.

"Who are you?"

I am you. And you are . . . ?

"This is not good I'm holding a conversation with myself."

The steps that were previously on the stairs now thudded against the floor near my cupboard. Not knowing what to do I just curled into the corner as best I could. I would've used magic by now but I've already had two warnings, I don't want to get expelled from Hogwarts. Sometimes I think Hermione was right in first year. "We could get killed or worse, expelled."

"Boy! Who do you think you are waking us in the middle of the night with your insane ravings!" He banged his fist against the door hard enough to dislodge a few of the spiders.

Why do you cower? I thought you Wizards were supposed to be better then them.

"If you wake us one more time you will not go to that infernal school of freaks," The sound of feet was moving farther away. I had this need, this desire to answer the voice but I didn't want Uncle Vernon to come back down so I waited till I heard the click of a bedroom door closing.

Whispering now I answered the voices question, "I don't cower," I could almost feel the condescending look, "Alright I cower but I have good reason,"

And that may be?

"I already have two notices of underage magic. If I get a third I'll get kicked of Hogwarts. I'll have to spend all my time here. To me that's a good enough reason to cower, besides if I'm meek I might get food."

Are you sure the hat put you in the right house? You sounding more and more like a Slytherin.

"I can't be a Slytherin. I'm the Boy-who-lived. The savior of the world. A savior can't be a Slytherin. It's a complete contradiction."

How so. Professor Snape is a spy and as such a savior of sorts. Salazar Slytherin was most probably never evil.

"The hat said I would have done good in Slytherin. That that would be where I would make my true friends. Does that mean that Ron and Hermione aren't my true friend?"

I don't know. Ask yourself that question . . . . Oh yeah. I am you. Hehe.

"So are they my real friends?"

Ron just wants a piece of your fame but when you get too much fame he gets mad. Hermione on the other hand is a bit more complicated.

"Complicated? How so? She seems like a true friend to me."

Well first off She isn't in it for the fame. She is; as you know; a very studious person. Likes to study and observe anything and everything. Especially the Boy-who-lived. What better specimen could be found? She gets to watch your behavior under stress. A scientists dream I might add. She gets to follow you around, see how your mind works. To her you're like a rat in a maze. 'Let's see where it goes, how long it takes to get there'. Face it Me; they are just out to play you like a fine tuned violin.

The footsteps were back. They were louder indicating anger. When he reached the bottom stair it didn't creak like it normally would, it groaned like a wounded animal. They were near his cupboard door . . . Next to his cupboard door. The lock clicked open.

"Boy I told you not to wake us up," Uncle Vernon had an almost sickeningly nice voice, "Can't very well keep you in the house with all your commotion.'

'Oh no. He can't be thinking that. Dumbledore said.'

Who cares what Dumbledore said. We have to get out of here. I know I want to, which means you want to too.

'But where would I go? Can't go back to Hogwarts. Don't want to endanger the Weasley's. Where?'

Voldemort

"--and my son so I'm putting you out like the dog you are. Let that big nasty dark guy kill you for all I care. So long as you leave and never come back,"

Run once he opens the door. Go west.

Uncle Vernon dragged him out of his cupboard and to the door. Just as he opened it Harry stood up and tried to run like the wind.

Go west. Go west. And never look back.

'Why? Why west?'

The order always stays on the east side of the house. Symbolic, eh?

'Symbolic?'

Sometimes I swear I'm an idiot. The sun rises in the east, it's the first light. "It's always darkest before dawn," They're making themselves out to be the dawn.

'Kind of funny. What if the Death Eaters attack from the west?'

He was running. The methodical slap of bare feet against the concrete. One block.

Don't know. You'll die sooner maybe?

"Well aren't I the optimistic person?"

A few teenagers walking by looked at him, perplexed. He kept running. Two blocks.

Just little further. We can apparate at the fourth block.

'Apparate. Hell I still can't make a teacup from a turtle.'

Well I have an idea.

He stopped running. Hunched over himself trying to get breath back to normal.

Keep running. I'll tell you my idea. Stop right before we hit the fourth block though.

''Kay."

Well you remember the vision you had last night.

'Yes.'

He was about 20 feet from the fourth block. He was almost free of it all.

Well here's my idea. Picture that place as vividly as you can. Wish yourself there.

'But I would be putting myself in Voldemort's hands.'

Ask him a favor. You took yourself to him willingly. Ask him to kill you with two simple words.

'you think that might work?'

I know it will. Hurry to the forth block and do it. The Order is catching up. Hurry!

He jogged the twenty feet to the fourth block away from his prison. Just as he hit the fourth block he felt something . . . Something . . Magic. Wards.

Envisioning his latest vision hoping Voldemort was still there. He said quietly to himself.

"Let me go there. I want to go there. Need to go there. I wish I could go there."

He felt something like a portkey. It pulled on his legs instead of his navel though. When he opened eyes he did not realize he had closed he saw his most recent vision. He saw red snake like eyes.

"H-Hello," Harry stuttered mostly out of anticipation, "I have a favor to ask of you."

The shock factor of the boy-who-lived apparating into his meeting the dark lord met his Harry's eyes, "Speak before I become bored and kill you."

Let me speak.

'But your me'

Just let me speak.

'Okay'

Something in Harry changed at that moment. He seemed taller, prouder.

"The favor I ask of you is this My lord Voldemort," He went to his knees, "I ask for you to say two simple words directed at me."

"Those words would be?" The Dark Lord Was intrigued by now. It wasn't everyday that the person you swore to kill was bowing before you asking for a favor.

'Hurry up before he decided to torture the information out of us'

"Severus my faithful spy. Come here," Severus stepped up to Voldemort and bowed kissing his robes.

"Did Dumbledore mention anything?"

"No Milord. He mentioned nothing of this sort."

"Did look contemplative after you told of the meeting I called last night?"

"No he did not Milord."

Confused Harry started to speak, "Milord. May I ask of two favors?"

Severus Spoke in place of his lord, "Speak child."

"May I ask which side Severus Snape is truly on?"

Severus looked to his lord who gave the barest nod.

"I am on the side of Lord Voldemort. Playing his spy while pretending to be Dumbledore's spy."

"Oh," Taking a deep breath, "the reason I came here was to ask if you would kill me."

"Please. Just two words. Aveda Kedavra"

"I was hoing to do so anyway. Can't have you knowing such confidential informaton, now can I. Aveda Kedavra"

A green light. Then silence and peace. Safe.

'You were right'

Of course I was. Maybe we can wander around this place and find a family to love us.

'One that doesn't know of Voldemort or The Boy-Who-Asked-To-Be-Killed'