Disclaimer: I don't own anything about the Harry Potter universe. No profit is being made from the publication of this fic.

I think I have everything under control. Ha. Like anything I could do would ever be under my control. I wish I had the chance to apologize to everyone, but no. My time's running out. There isn't enough time to leave everyone a long letter explaining why. I wish there was.

Voldemort. That's why. He's always been the why, hasn't he? He's why I lost my parents. He's why I had to live at the Dursleys'. He's why I went to Hogwarts. He's why I have to die. Damn. Thinking about it will just crumble what little resolve I have left. Hell. They're almost here.

It shouldn't have happened today. Not today. It should have happened on a dark and stormy night, preferably in either March or November. The coldness and skeletal trees allowing for the right ambiance of a battle. But no. The sicko has to bring the battle to me on the most beautiful day I have ever seen. It's mid-May. It's that perfect temperature. Just right for jeans and a T-shirt. The sun is shining and little puffs of white clouds, which remind me of popcorn, drift lazily in a gentle breeze scented with grass and flowers and life.

Only he would have been able to spoil such a perfect day.

Snippets of visions all day long. Nothing long enough to cause suspicion in anyone around me. Not even Snape was suspicious. I already tried to talk to Dumbledore about them. All he could do was raise an eyebrow and ask if I wanted a bloody lemon drop.

Ah, Dumbledore. Not my favorite person, but then, I suppose his heart's in the right place. I can almost forgive him. Almost. He doesn't know. The wards on Hogwarts work both ways, you know.

But I know. The wards never could keep Riddle out, could they?

There's Ginny. I have to wonder what she's doing out of class? I skived off charms with one of the twins oh-so-thoughtful inventions. I really should let them know not to use grape flavoring for the nosebleed nougat. Quite awful. Damn. She saw me. She sounds concerned. I try to brush her off, but she won't leave me be. Fine. She wants to know what's wrong, so I tell her.

"Death Eaters are on their way to Hogwarts. They'll be here within the hour. I've already tried to warn Dumbledore. I don't think he believes me. Stay here. Please." She asks why. I sigh. This has already been a very long day. "There isn't time for explanations, just… Just tell everyone goodbye for me, okay? And make sure Ron takes care of Hermione. Please?" Ginny looks like she's about to cry. I know that she knows I'm telling the truth. She gives me a stiff hug and kisses my cheek. She promises to pass along my message.

I step out into the bright sunshine. I can almost hear the army of Death Eaters marching through the forest, crushing flowers and scaring the wildlife. I hope they stumble across Aragog. I take a deep breath and step off the last of the stairs that lead up to the castle's entrance.

Even the forest seems too bright today. I have to hurry, though. There's no time to stop and enjoy the beauty of the day. No time at all.

Thirty minutes or so pass. At least, I think that's how long it was. I never did get around to replacing my watch after the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. I really can hear them now. I'm sure they're just over the next hill. I pause for a moment.

There's still time to run. Time to get away and try to live a little before he gets to me. But no. That will never work. He'll just find me in the end. He always does. I've been living on borrowed time since I was a year old. It's time to pay back the loan.

In these last few moments I do a quick review of my life. All-in-all, not a bad life. Lonely as hell, and really lacking in parental guidance, support, and love, but I can't complain too much about it. I've had some really good friends and some wonderful mentors. What do I regret most about my life? Well, I guess it would have to be all the wasted energy in fighting with Malfoy over the years. I have to wonder how my life would be different had I accepted his hand in friendship that first trip on the Hogwarts Express.

But I digress. Voldemort will be here soon.

I left my wand back in my room, on top of my invisibility cloak. I had originally thought to use both, but changed my mind. The only thing I brought with me was the pocket-knife I knew Dean kept in his trunk. I hope he forgives me for the pilfering.

They are coming. I can see them now. Just through the trees. None have spotted me… Damn. Okay. That's fine. I wish I could see their faces. They part and circle around me. Voldemort steps forward. I smile. "Hello, Tom."

He begins his typical posturing, throwing a couple of insults in my general direction. I try not to look too bored. I shove my hands into my pockets as he is winding up his speech. I pull the knife out and click it open. "Tom?" I cut off the end of whatever sanctimonious hypocrisy he had been finishing. He whirls in my direction. "You know that prophesy you were so damn intent on two years ago? Would you like to hear it now?" He holds his wand on me and demands I tell it to him. I smile. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…" He seems confused for a moment, until he sees the blade in my hand. Then it all finally falls into place.

I had figured it out a week ago. It was a strange daydream in History of Magic, which I had right after Divination. I can't believe I hadn't seen it sooner. Neither can live while the other survives. Right. The body he built used my blood, strengthening that strange connection we have. Hell. No one would be able to stop us if I just decided to join him. We share the same damn life. No. I can't do that.

I could never be like him.

So, with that stunned look still in Voldemort's eyes, I finally use that power mentioned in the prophesy. Self-sacrifice. You can be sure Tom doesn't know the meaning of that phrase.

It hurts more than I thought it would.

If I could laugh right now, I would.

So simple. To kill him and end this bloody mess, all I had to do was kill myself. It's a good thing self-inflicted wounds cannot be healed by magic. Otherwise, I'm sure I'd find myself Voldemort's honored guest for all of eternity.

I feel cold, but that's just a side-effect of dying, I suppose. I close my eyes and everything falls away. I can still feel the blood gushing from my neck, but it's far away. I can smell the earthiness that is the definition of any forest. The last thing I think is that this would have been so much easier if it had been a dark and stormy night.

A/N: I find it most frightening that this rather dark fic has exactly 1300 words in it. It's quite creepy. Anyway, please review!