Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Harry Potter belongs to J.K.

One Step Closer

Harry Potter sat by the Hogwarts Lake, trying to concentrate on the cool blue waters instead of his thoughts.

Sirius, the Godfather he had grown fondly attached to, had left the world forever just that morning.

Harry loved his friend/mentor/parent figure/brother very deeply. He was the only person in the world who had ever made Harry feel completely loved for who he was, not the 'Boy-who-lived'. Harry unwillingly reminisced the colorful conversation he had had with Professor Dumbledore earlier that day. He could still feel the emotions pumping through him.

Out of all the things that had been said, the first that surfaced was a questionably accusatory remark.

Harry didn't want to think about the comment that was said, because it only made him think about Sirius again. He didn't want to think about how he would never get to see him again. If he acted like he wasn't gone, would Sirius come back to him? As he had stood in front of the Headmaster's in his office, he could feel rage boiling up to his ears. Here he was, broken and hurt; yet, had Dumbledore been implying that Sirius deserved his death because of how he treated Kreacher?

Harry remembered feeling his entire body heating up as he shook with rage. He did not want to hear anything negative said towards Sirius, especially when it was something unfair and untrue.

The words that Dumbledore had just spoken were only fueling the flames.

Harry had already blown up at Dumbledore many times during that particular ventilation.

"...Sirius did nothing to make Kreacher's lot easier –"

"DON'T TALK ABOUT SIRIUS LIKE THAT!" Harry had yelled.

There were too many thoughts and feelings flooding through him. He felt, upset, sad, angry, distant, worried, and depressed all at the same time. He could feel a dam inside him threatening to burst open.

Harry had unconsciously jumped to his feet again. He wanted to rage at Dumbledore. He wanted to run.

His head had been so confused with thoughts and anger at his unfair situation.

Harry wanted to die; to join Sirius, anything but stay there and feel his pain and anguish.

Harry's thoughts flew the conversation his present ones. Harry wasn't ready to come to term with the truth just yet.

Nothing Dumbledore had explained about Harry's life seemed to be sinking in. How was he supposed to believe that the entire world's fate rested on him?

If only there was a way to get rid of Voldemort, undo all his wrong, and save all the innocent lives killed on his orders, without involving himself. He didn't want to be responsible for all of this.

How was it that the world came to unknowingly depend on the wizarding powers of a mere fifteen-year-old boy?

Maybe, if he pretended that it wasn't all up to him, someone else would find a way to solve the world's problems.

Harry knew he was being stupid. There was no way out.

No matter how hard he tried these thoughts kept playing over and over again in his mind. Harry stood up. He threw a stone in the lake's water.

"Relax and get a grip, Potter," he scolded himself. Harry felt as if he would do anything to toss out all his pain, but yet he couldn't stop feeling.