Power

Harry was woken up by a searing pain, his scar shot throbs through his skull and his hands immediately clasped over it. Voldemort was angry, but this time instead of just knowing he was Harry could feel it rising in his chest, unexplainable anger from someone else. He curled in a ball on his side, hands still on his scar, he had to fight this, he had to, but the pain was so intense. He felt himself falling away as his arm shot out and grabbed the wand he so carelessly left on the bedside table. Focusing on his hand and frowning in concentration he felt a lurch inside himself and he dropped it, relaxing on his back, out of breathe.

He ran his hands over his now heated face, feeling the scar relax to a dull prickling. His chest rose and fell; his eyes bloodshot from the hour sleep he managed to get. He tossed away his covers and stood, blood rushing from his head and blackening his vision briefly. He had to get out of here, the last few days had been hell, everyone had warned him not to go outside due to lurking Death Eaters they had seen on the premises.

He felt like a captive animal, kept under restraint while on-lookers stared at him sympathetically, but now, when everyone was out of the house or asleep, he had his chance. He pulled a jacket over his shoulders and slipped on some jeans, faltering slightly at his wand which he used to take without question but now seemed like a weapon he could easily use to hurt others. He grit his teeth and quickly snapped it up, pushing it into his breast pocket. As soon as he walked outside the cold wind snatched his breath away from him, he pulled the jacket closer around him, setting off down the street.

Harry had walked a good mile before he stopped, a figure was leaning against a fence, face hidden by shadow and a small cloud of smoke that rose slowly as the man breathed in his cigarette. Harry continued walking, if it was a stranger, good, if it was a Death Eater, even better. He had almost fully walked past him before he actually had a good look at his face, it was his eyes, and the scar that pulled over one of them that jogged his memory, he stopped in his tracks, the man slowly looked up, the end of his cigarette glowing.

"You're… that man that was in the house earlier." Harry said, frowning slightly, the man let out a short laugh, blowing smoke into darkness.

"Indeed I was." He inhaled more of his cigarette before throwing it onto the ground and pushing it against the pavement with his heel. "Rune," he muttered, extending a hand, "and you're Harry Potter." He said before Harry could reply, he took his hand,

"Rune?"

"Heard of me?" Before Harry could reply he continued, "surely you don't know as much of me as I know of you." The certainty of his tone sent a chill down Harry's spine; he remained silent, questions running through his head. Rune casually leant against the picket fence behind him. His eyes flashed on Harry, and he saw him reach for his breast pocket.

"So," he muttered, "Voldemort picked you to be his target eh?"

"… well he didn't exactly pick me…"

"An accident, whatever, doesn't matter, all I know is you've got yourself some nasty son of a bitch inside you." Harry frowned slightly, pushing his wand up his sleeve to hide it from view. "I should kill you right now," he said casually, flicking a wand from behind his back. Harry started, slipping his wand in between his fingers. Rune laughed again, jokingly, he patted Harry on the back, "don't worry son, you can do that all by yourself." He put it back into his pocket and lit up another cigarette. "Wouldn't do a hell of good anyway," Harry relaxed slightly.

"What about the –" he started,

"Locket?"

"Yeah."

"Jump right to the point don't you boy? Its ashes, worked it out all by myself a few months into getting it." He said proudly, Harry felt a lurch in his gut, he clutched it. Rune frowned, "you alright kid?" Harry felt himself sink and slowly, the power and evil of Voldemort pulling up from within him. He felt himself loose control of his limbs and slowly, his whole body was under someone elses command. Harry looked up; Rune squinted at his eyes, a shadow pushed past his face,

"Wondered when I'd be seeing you," he said calmly, Voldemort blinked his eyes.

"If it isn't the traitor," he sneered, "or rather…" he smiled, "the coward."

"Where's Harry!" Hermione yelled, running into Ron's room, immediately, as if been poked with a cattle-prod he sat up.
"He's gone?" Hermione didn't need to reply, she stood at the doorway, the weight of fear plastered on her features before running off to the next room. Ron grabbed his wand and ran after her, his heart beating hard against the sides of his chest. It was usual for Harry to disappear, but not at a time like this… not when tomorrow, Ron swallowed a constriction in his throat as Hermione ran into Ginny's room.

"Hermione, where are you going?"

"We need more people!" She yelled; desperation in her voice.

"No!" Shouted Ginny, "a large party won't help, if Harry's gone it's because he wants to be alone." Hermione looked as if she would protest but they both ran in front of her and she had no choice but to follow.

When they were outside Ron looked both ways,

"Split up?" He asked, Ginny frowned but nodded,

"You two together, to the left, I'll go right."

"By yourself?" Protested Ron,

"Yes!" She said, turning away, Ron frowned then ran left down the abandoned street, he then turned to his sisters back, the shadow of the night swallowing her.

"Call if you find anything!"

Rune fell to the ground, the pavement ripping at his face. Harry stood over him, the wand pointed directly to the ground,

"I remember thinking to myself," he said, watching Rune push himself up onto his hands. "How could a witch be so idiotic, so cowardly… and so desperate to do the right thing?" He smirked, "I had such joy in killing her, it was true beauty." Rune jumped to his feet, rage pouring out of his features.

"I'll kill you." He said between clenched teeth.

"Her last scream was the longest and loudest I've ever heard." Harry continued, his red eyes glinting in menace. "I offered you both everything, and what did I get?" Harry pointed his wand at Rune but he was quick to dodge the curse that flew at him.

"Stupefy!" He yelled, Harry flicked it away.

"What I don't understand," he sneered, "is how, a man so full of hurt would throw such a weak spell at me." He flicked his wand and Rune fell backwards, "you live to destroy me yet when you have the chance… you throw at me a curse a five year old could perform!"

"HARRY!" A voice came from behind them, he turned around, Ginny stood dead in her tracks, her wand held to her side in shock as a shadow fell over his face, she squinted at him.

"No actually," He replied casually, "Impedimenta!" Ginny flew backwards, a painful thump heard as her body slid onto the curb. Ginny blinked wildly as lights appeared before her vision; she tried to steady her gaze, gripping her wand tighter.

"As I was saying –," there was a clear sound of a shot and Harry quickly turned around, just in time to see a white spark fly into the sky and disappear into black.

"Crucio!" Harry called, pointing his wand directly at Ginny; he slowly smiled to himself as she screamed, rolling back and forth, her body arching awkwardly.

Rune clenched his jaw, slowly mouthing a spell, his wand shot out purple flames and they hit Harry squarely in the chest. Harry felt pain jolt of pain run over his body, his eyes widened at Rune, returning to their bright green colouring, his body crumpled on to the floor, where he lay motionless.

Rune ran over to the side of the Harry, the boy he had just hit, falling to his knees, he tapped the side of his face, where a graze had now appeared. He stopped, and stood, seeing Harry's eyes weakly open, his chest heaving while blood fell onto the pavement in a steady beat. Rune put a hard hand on his shoulder,

"It's nothing you wouldn't have done yourself." he said, "all won't matter tomorrow anyway. Then it will all be over." Harry wiped his grazed face with the back of his sleeve, staining it. As he listening to the scuff of shoes against the asphalt, he realised Rune was right, he would have done exactly the same thing in his position, and worse. With a deep breathe Harry straightened his glasses and stood slowly, limping over to Ginny just as her spell ended and she lay exhausted on the ground. A clash of footsteps echoed through the now deserted alley,

"Harry! Ginny you fou-," Ron began, Hermione rose her hand and he stopped talking, realisation dawned on Ron's features and he ran forward, pulling Ginny up and letting her rest her weight on his shoulder as Harry's pain made him double over, clutching the ground for support. He glanced at the horrified expressions of his friends and slowly stood, I'm sorry, he went to say, but the words wouldn't form. He couldn't be sorry, he couldn't be just sorry. Harry faltered slightly as he stood on legs that wouldn't hold his weight, and then slowly made his back down the road, his three friends trailing behind. He closed his eyes, pushing his fingernails into his palm,

"I'm ready." He whispered.

I was going to add more to the chapter but I figure I'll make the last one long. I apologise for the wait…again, the reason was merely writers block… really badly. I know what B is, but how to get to it is harder than expected. Yep, so, Review! And I shall write as hard as I can over the next couple of days to give you your last chapter. I got so distracted I ended up writing about 3 chapters to another story I shall bring out after this. Thankyou to all those who waited! I apologise, I hate waiting! Hahah

Pheonixxsong