"Thank you, Severus..." whispered the now deceased Hogwarts headmaster, straightening up and brushing off his robe. So many things left undone, and yet he had planned it out with the very likely possibility that he would die in mind. It just seemed a shame to leave them when he was needed here most.
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE.
"Ah..." He turned slowly; two pairs of light blue eyes met. A dark figure stood patiently, In one skeletal hand was a scythe, while the other held a large and ornate hourglass. Albus noticed that nearly all the sand had run out. "Hello, my old friend. I suppose this means I'll be setting off on the next great adventure?"
PERHAPS, IF YOU WANT TO THINK OF IT THAT WAY, said Death in a voice like the last nail hammered into a coffin then magnified by infinity. BUT MOSTLY IT IS AN END.
"Well, I've had a long life."
They watched as Death Eaters flooded the school grounds and Hogwarts fell into chaos. Curses flew and the sky above showed the mark of sinister magic. But this scene lulled around them, fading gradually until it was silent, colorless, and nearly still.
IT ISN'T YOURS ANY LONGER. The words were cryptic, but he understood what they meant. Though the old man spent some time learning to accept death as an inevitable and natural part of life, being alive was a much harder habit to break than he could have anticipated, especially with his students in danger like this...
"No sense in dillydallying. I'm certain you have many more appointments."
YES, THERE IS A SCHEDULE I MUST KEEP.
Albus nodded, smiling as Death sliced the air with his scythe and he was released.
)O(
Darkness—no, white. Blinding white. Solid nothingness. Where was he? What about the battle?
TOM RIDDLE?
"How dare you address me by that horrid muggle name? I am Lord Voldemort! I am the most powerful and feared wizard in the world! I am—"
DEAD, MR. RIDDLE.
"No! Impossible! The horcruxes—"
YES, THAT WAS QUITE RUDE OF YOU, Death scolded. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH HARDER YOU MADE MY JOB? IT'S ANNOYING ENOUGH THAT YOU KILLED SO MANY PEOPLE, BUT SPLITTING YOUR SOUL EACH TIME SO I AM FORCED TO COLLECT IT PIECE BY PIECE IS VERY INCONSIDERATE.
"Avada Kadavra!"
Nothing happened. There was no flash of green light, and the very tall hooded figure remained, if not alive, then at least upright. His skull grinned, blue eyes flashing as if amused.
TRYING TO KILL DEATH, HMM? YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST. I TAKE IT YOU WON'T GO WILLINGLY?
"Never!"
THEN I SUPPOSE WE COULD PLAY A GAME...
"Wizard's Chess! I challenge you!"
Chess: a classic thinly-veiled allegory for the struggle between light and dark, good and evil. So many Dark Lords picked that game. The anthropomorphic personification sighed. Tom was proving to be a lively one despite being dead. The chessboard appeared.
"I will play the black side."
VERY WELL. The skull's piercing eyes glanced over his rule manual. Tom was confident, but Death certain; no matter how badly he played, there was no way he could lose. They ordered their pawns across the board, destroying one another. Finally, after what would have been a considerable stretch of time had time existed here, Death's king faced mortal peril at the hands of his opponant's queen.
"I've got you now!"
As she advanced, the king rushed forward, swinging his tiny scythe which chopped the queen's head off. Tom stared at the skeletal rat wearing a black robe, barely comprehending that the Death of Rats had just dispatched his king as well.
CHECKMATE.
"You can't do that! It isn't fair! You cheated!"
WHY NOT? YOU CHEATED AS WELL, answered Death calmly. YOU WERE SCHEDULED TO DIE LONG AGO. BECAUSE OF YOU, PEOPLE HAVE DIED BEFORE THEIR TIME, WITH BLANK PAGES IN THEIR BOOKS. AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON FAIRNESS.
"Is this about justice?"
THERE IS NO JUSTICE, TOM RIDDLE, said Death as he swung the scythe. THERE IS ONLY ME.