Where was that help now? Now when Harry needed it most, in his final showdown with Voldemort? Here he stood face to face with the most evil, and with Dumbledore, the best wizard of modern times, dead. The only thing that stood between him and certain death was the thin piece of wood gripped tightly in his hand.
Now when he needed help the most was the only time when he had none. But for this he had no one to blame but himself. He had pushed everyone he loved away because he had been afraid that they would get hurt.
But now he understood that they had been determined to fight and that they would be in danger near or far to him. Now he saw that instead of pushing everyone away he should have been pulling them closer.
Ron, his best and first real friend. He had stood with Harry when faced with the most dangerous things imaginable. Yet never had he wavered or complained. He was the closest thing to a brother he ever had and Harry knew that this was the way all of the Weasleys thought of him. Harry had been sure that Ron would never leave his side. Especially when he needed him most.
Then there was Hermione, the brightest witch of her age. Never was there an answer she did not know, a potion she could not brew, or a spell she could not master. She had always been there. A rock, someone Harry could depend on to work her hardest to find a way. For if there ever was a way, Hermione could find it. That was the way it had always been and Harry had so thought that it would keep on being that way.
And Ginny, the love of his life, he would have done anything for her. She meant the world to him and he didn't know what he would do without her. She was his strength. Part of the reason he got up every morning. Yet never had he imagined the day where he would fight without her by his side.
He had pushed them away. Told them that he did not need them to win this war. That he must do this alone. Now he saw how wrong he had been. How naïve. It wasn't that he had not cared about them. He loved these people, all of them. He had just cared to point that he would have done anything to keep them safe. But he did need them. He needed them to win this fight. They were his strength, his power, the reason he kept fighting. And without them…
But it was too late for regret. Too late for remorse and second thoughts. He had made his decision when he agreed to meet Voldemort for this final battle. Yet he couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if he had only asked for help. If he had admitted that he was not sure of his path.
And now he stood a moment away from murder, though whose murder he did not know.
" Harry Potter, you are a fool. You had the one thing that I never could understand and you gave it up. It looks as if we are more alike then either of us thought," The Dark Lord declared softly.
And with a gentle, almost involuntary, flick of his wand a jet of green light burst out of Voldemorts wand and Harry's world turned black.
"Harry! Harry! Wake up mate!" yelled Ron as he shook Harry roughly.
All of a sudden Harry returned to the conscious world. It had been a dream. He had not really faced Voldemort.
"Hermione, get in here! There's something wrong with Harry!" Harry heard Ron yell from somewhere near his bed.
Then all of a sudden his door burst open and the entire occupants of the Burrow spilled into his room. Everyone looked worried and slightly frazzled. They were all still in there bedclothes and there hair was sticking up in odd places. They were all talking to him at once but he was not taking in anything that they were saying. All he could think about was how glad he was that they were there, and how much they cared about him. 'This is my real family' Harry thought to himself.
Finally he registered that Mrs. Weasley was speaking to him "Harry! Are you listening to us? What happened? Ron said that he woke up to you screaming and yelling about how you made a mistake and that you were sorry and then you just went limp and-"
"I'm fine" Harry cut in, "just a little nightmare, nothing to get worked up over mum."
Mrs. Weasley looked a bit startled at being addressed at mum but his eyes softened as she spoke, "well, if you're sure, but if you need anything at all just call. Goodnight, Harry."
After she spoke she started shooing everyone out of the room and telling them that they needed to get to sleep. After an assortment of 'good nights' and a 'Wotcher Harry' from Tonks the only people left in the room were Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.
"You gave us quite a scare there, Harry," said Hermione as she settled on the edge of Ron's bed.
"Yeah mate, had me right terrified, thought you were having some sort of vision into You-Know-Who's head again," Ron scolded from his position under the covers of his bed.
"So what was the dream Harry?" Ginny asked softly.
"Like I said Ginny, its nothing to get worked up about. It was just a dream and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that nothing like that ever happens."
She looked directly into Harry's eyes for a few moments as if looking for some glimmer of uncertainty or untruthfulness, but apparently she found none has she nodded and looked at the bed.
"You guys can you do something for me? If I ever try to push you guys away, give me a nice smack across the face," Harry said with a small smile on his lips.
Hermione was the first to answer, "Honestly Harry, you know that no matter how hard you try to get rid of us we're never going anywhere. Right Ron?"
"Course mate, we'll always be their fighting right next to you," said Ron and patted Harry on the back.
"We're not going anywhere," said Ginny quietly but with a fierce determination.
Harry looked at the faces of his two friends and girlfriend and was filled with an inexplicable burst of strength.
"Good," Harry said, "I need you guys."
With his friends on his side and his heart filled with love Harry felt ready to take on the world as long as he had those he loved by his side.
Voldemort didn't stand a chance.