AN: This is only the prologue, not a full chapter. The italics are a direct quote from book 7, and it stops at the point where I alter the story. Yay for starting my first fanfic!

'No sign of him, my Lord,' said Dolohov.

Voldemort's expression did not change. The red eyes seemed to burn in the firelight. Slowly he drew the Elder Wand between his long fingers.

'My Lord-' Bellatrix had spoken: she sat closest to Voldemort, dishevelled, her face a little bloody but otherwise unharmed.

Voldemort raised his hand to silence her, and she did not speak another word, but eyed him in worshipful fascination.

'I thought he would come,' said Voldemort in his high, clear voice, his eyed on the leaping flames. 'I expected him to come.'

Nobody spoke. They seemed as scared as Harry, whose heart was now throwing itself against his ribs as though determined to escape the body he was about to cast aside.

His hands were sweating as he stuffed the invisibility cloak beneath his robes, briefly wondering if he should put his wand under his robes as well, but decided against it. Though it was not his Holly and phoenix feather wand, if he was going to die, he wanted to die with a wand in his hand. He gripped his wand tighter, and looked at the sky, seeing the stars for the last time.

'I was, it seems...mistaken,' said Voldemort.

'You weren't.'

Harry said it as loudly as he could, with all the force he could muster: he did not want to sound afraid. The Resurrection Stone slipped from between his numb fingers and out of the corner of his eyes he saw his parents, Sirius and Lupin vanish as he stepped forwards into the firelight. At that moment he felt that nobody mattered but Voldemort. It was just the two of them.

He heard the Death Eaters start moving around, forming a circle around him, glimpsed the figure of Hagrid, obviously captured earlier, struggling against his bonds and calling out to him, felt the earth shake as the Giants stomped their feet, but Harry's eyes remained locked on Voldemort.

'Harry Potter...The boy who lived,' hissed Voldemort softly, his snakelike eyes widening slightly in the flickering light. He lifted his wand slowly, pointing it at Harry. Unconsciously, Harry mirrored him, something he had not intended to do. The two wizards held their stance for a moment, and simultaneously attacked.

'Avada Kedavra!'

'Expelliarmus!'

There was a blinding flash of light, lasting several seconds, before Harry felt something hit his chest and everything went black.