Chapter Three

Diclaimer: everything belongs to J.K.Rowling except the plot, which belongs to me…

A/n: I wrote the ending to this chapter first so I don't yet know how it's going to start off but I'll just see what happens…

     The students piled onto the Hogwarts Express in Hogsmeade station. Harry found a compartment to himself and settled down in a seat beside the window. As the train set off, Harry rested his chin on the palm of his hand and stared out at the fields beyond. A few minutes later, the compartment door slid open and Hermione came in.

    "There you are!" she said, "I've been looking all over for you." Hermione walked over and sat down beside him, she saw he looked worried, "You'll be OK," she said, taking his hand," You're a great wizard, you know. The best I've ever known in fact," she added with a small smile.

Harry looked up and a smiled slightly, then sighed, "I just hope I get to him before Sirius." He looked away again and stared out of the window, looking worried.

    "Why don't you try talking to Ron before you go?"

    "He's not going to listen to either of us after what we did to him." Said Harry, "I don't blame him, either," he added, half to himself.

    "It's worth a try, and this may be your last chance to see him," Hermione suddenly stopped, aware of what she had just said, "Sorry, I didn't mean… I mean- you're not going to…" Hermione's voice trailed off into silence.

    "I know…" said Harry, "I suppose now is as good a time as any." Harry stood up and sidled past Hermione into the compartment aisle, "wait here," he said, walking towards the door and sliding it open.

     Harry walked through several compartments, searching for Ron. Finally, he found Ron in the last compartment he came across. Ron failed to notice Harry entering, as he was staring out of the window, a glazed look upon his face. The rest of the compartment was empty.

    "Ron?"

Ron jumped at the sound of his name. He looked up and spotted Harry, his expression changed instantly to hurt and disgust.

    "I need to talk to you," Harry said, tentatively, "And I know you don't want to," He added quickly, as Ron opened his mouth, "but this might be the last time I ever see you…" his voice trailed off.

    "What do you mean?" asked Ron, refusing to lighten his expression.

    "Well, I'm… There was something Dumbledore told me and I… I'm going to…" Harry struggled to find words, "I'm…I'm leaving."

    "Well, duh!"

    "I didn't mean that," Harry said quietly, "I meant I'm leaving to go after Voldemort."

Ron flinched at the sound of voldemort's name, "Oh come on," he sneered, "you don't really expect me to believe that? I know what this is Harry, this is just one of your schemes to get me to forgive you and Hermione, well it's not going to happen."

    "What? Ron, I'm being serious!"

    "Yeah, yeah…"

    "It's true! Dumbledore told me Sirius was going after Voldemort, I wasn't going to let him get killed by that, that thing as well as my parents!"

    "How long did it take you to think that story up, then?"

    "Ron! How many times do I have to tell you! I-am-telling-the-truth!"

    "Look, just go back to Hermione and leave me alone!" Ron folded his arms and stared fixedly out of the window.

    "Well, fine," said Harry, "If that's the way you want it." He turned on his heel and stormed out of the compartment.

A few minutes later, Harry charged into the other compartment that Hermione was waiting in. She looked up, "Er, how did it go?" but she already knew what the answer was.

    "Can you believe it! He actually thought I was lying! Lying!" Harry started to pace up and down, "He thought it was one of our little 'schemes' to get him to forgive us!"

Hermione tried to cut in, but Harry didn't appear to notice and continued, "I wouldn't just make something like that up! Well if that idiot won't believe me, that's his problem-"

    "Harry!"

    "What?" he spat irritably. Hermione looked taken aback and Harry suddenly realised what he'd done, "Oh, sorry," he said quietly, turning slightly pink, "I just got a bit carried away."

    "You've got enough to worry about, I'm sure he believes you but just doesn't want to show it after what we did to him. Let him deal with it in his own time, but meanwhile you've got to concentrate getting through the next few weeks… alive."

                                                                                                                                            ***

     Back at the Dursleys, nothing much had changed. Now that Harry was becoming older and would soon be allowed to use magic once he left school, they were becoming all the more afraid of him. Especially Dudley. This still didn't change the way they treated him. They still acted as though he didn't exist and, although this was an improvement to how they used to treat him, he still felt quite lonely at times, without anyone to talk to. Well, that would all be over soon. If he defeated Voldemort, they would be able to clear Sirius' name and Harry could go and live with him. One thing was for sure. He couldn't see the Dursleys objecting.

     Since the holidays had begun, Harry had sent numerous owls to Ron, explaining about everything that had happened in the past few weeks. But Ron had replied to none of them. If he really does believe me, then why isn't he replying, thought Harry bitterly, as he finished yet another letter to Ron. He rolled up the parchment, took it over to Hedwig and tied it to her leg. She hooted softly and set off, swooping over the trees and disappearing into the distance. The next day, Harry received a letter. This was surely from Ron this time, he thought. He unrolled the parchment excitedly. His expression turned to disappointment as he read Ron's letter, it said,

    'I've had enough and I've already said, I'm not falling for your pathetic story. So just stop sending me letters!'

Harry sat down on his bed. Maybe Hermione was wrong and Ron really didn't believe him. What more did he have to do? He decided to send one last letter to Ron before he left. Even if Ron still didn't believe him, he'd have the chance to say goodbye, if the worst came to the worst.

     On Harry's last day, before he left that night, he decided to write to Hermione and Ron. He walked over to his desk and pulled out two pieces of parchment and a quill. He sat down and started to write,

          Dear Hermione,

     This might be the last letter you'll receive from me, because I'm leaving tonight. I know this isn't a very good way to say goodbye, through a letter, but it's all I can do. I really wish I didn't have to do this, but I do. I'm not going to let that excuse for a life form ruin my life anymore than he has done. I hope you can understand. I want you to know that I really do love you, and I promise, this isn't goodbye forever. I'll be back.

    Love Harry.

 Harry rolled up the parchment and laid it aside. He pulled the next piece of parchment towards him and started to write, this time to Ron,

         Dear Ron,

    I don't know if you believe me yet but I really am telling the truth, I'm leaving tonight to go after Voldemort. I'm really sorry for everything and I never meant to hurt you. You're the best friend I've ever had. Before I came to Hogwarts I'd never had any friends in my life. I really hope you believe me this time because this is probably my last chance to say goodbye. I just hope I make it through these next few weeks alive. And please, don't tell anyone about this, they'd only try and stop me.

  Harry,

PS. Again, I am really sorry for everything that's happened, and if you can't forgive me, then at least forgive Hermione.

                                                                                                                                                 ***

     Later that night Harry lay in bed waiting for his aunt and uncle to go to bed. He was fully dressed but kept his quilt pulled up over him just in case Uncle Vernon came in to check on him before going to bed, probably to make sure he wasn't doing any magic.

     Half an hour later, Harry heard footsteps coming up the stairs and then the creak of his door as uncle Vernon came in to check on him. Harry pretended to be asleep and waited for him to leave. Finally, he heard his door creak as it closed.

     He waited a few moments before climbing out of bed and wrapping his invisibility cloak around him. He grabbed his firebolt and opened the window carefully, then mounted his broomstick and took off into the night. The air was hot and stuffy, Harry felt hot under the invisibility cloak, but couldn't risk taking it off in case someone spotted him. He didn't think anyone would be out at this time of night, but you could never be too careful. As he was flying, he took out a pocket map and unfolded it with one hand whilst holding onto his firebolt with the other. He stopped and hovered in the air for a moment to look at the map.

 Now…Harry thought to himself, If Voldemort was last seen there, that means I need to go in that direction… He set off again, folding the map up and slipping it back into his pocket. He flew for several miles before finding somewhere to rest for the night. There was a deserted field and no sign of life for miles around. Harry flew down and landed softly on the grass. He drew out his wand and waved it, producing a small, shabby green tent. Inside it was a lot more spacious and was more like a small flat than a tent. Harry crawled under the flap at the entrance of the tent and set his Firebolt against the wall. He settled down in a small squashy chair and began to drift off to sleep…

     …There was a high, cold laugh and Harry felt a shiver down his spine. His scar burned with white-hot pain and he tried to move but his feet seemed glued to the ground. He tried desperately to get away from the voice but it was no use. He ducked down just in time to avoid a stream of bright green light that went whizzing past his right ear. He twisted frantically to free his feet but they wouldn't budge. The voice was all around now, even colder and sharper than before. Another stream of bright green light came hurtling towards him, and this time, it hit…

      … Harry awoke suddenly in a cold sweat. He was getting used to these dreams. They had become a regular occurrence since he had decided to leave. He sat himself up and waited for the pain in his scar to go, although he knew it would never disappear completely now that he was going after Voldemort.

     After a while, he scrambled out of the chair, grabbed his wand, firebolt, and cloak, and walked outside into the cool air. With a quick wave of his wand, the tent vanished. He mounted his broomstick, wrapped the invisibility cloak tightly around him and pocketed his wand. He kicked off hard from the ground and rose high into the air. He hovered for a moment to tighten his grip on the cloak, and set off. The air was, once again, stiflingly hot and there wasn't the slightest trace of a breeze anywhere. In a way no wind was a good thing, because he didn't have to worry about keeping hold of the invisibility cloak too much.

     Later on that evening, when it was just getting dark, Harry arrived at his destination: Albania. He was tired, cold and hungry. He dismounted his broomstick and took off the invisibility cloak, after checking that no one was around. After half an hour or so of searching, he finally found a place to rest for the night. He set up the old green tent he'd used the previous night and once again covered it with the cloak. He climbed inside and fell asleep almost instantly.

     Morning came quickly. Much quicker than Harry had expected and after a refreshing breakfast Harry set out again, this time in search of Voldemort.

    It wasn't long before Harry came across a clearing in the trees. He kept well hidden in the shadows. He could see a circle of death eaters and Voldemort pacing up and down in the middle. After a while Harry peered round a tree and watched in silence as Voldemort dismissed the death eaters. As they disapparated one by one Harry was becoming more and more afraid. He took several deep breaths and when the last death eater had disapparated Harry carefully put down his Firebolt and cloak and stepped out from behind the tree. He felt extremely nervous but refused to show it in front of Voldemort.

    "Well, well," came a cold, sneering voice, as Voldemort turned to face Harry, "we meet again." Harry stayed silent.

    "I assume you're here for a re-match?"

    "As a matter-of-fact I am," said Harry, still not showing his fear.

Voldemort laughed icily, "My dear boy," he said, shaking his head, "You really believe that you have the strength or the power to defeat me? Well," he continued, "Let me tell you this, all these times you've escaped me it has all been just pure luck, Harry. Why not give in now? And I may even make this painless for you, but I cannot be sure, I have never died."

    "Never," Spat Harry, "I'm not afraid of you."

    "Then we shall duel. And I assure you Harry, you will not be so lucky this time."

Voldemort stepped back and raised his wand, his eyes cold and stern. Harry walked forward and stopped dead opposite Voldemort. Before Harry could get his wand out he'd been hit by the Crucio curse. He fell to the floor writhing in agony. Through the pain he could hear Voldemort's high, cold laugh. Finally the pain eased and he was able to get out his wand and scramble to his feet. He shot several curses at Voldemort but none of them had any effect. Finally he decided to try out the curse he'd spent so long practising: The Avada Kedavra curse. Before he had time to think, Voldemort had shouted the curse before him but his voice was strange, as if someone else had shouted it at the same time. There was a blinding flash of green light and the curse hit. Harry fought furiously to stay awake but it was no use, and he slid out of consciousness…

A/n: Will Harry survive?? You'll have to wait and see! Please R&R! (No Flames!) Chapter 4 will be up VERY soon as it's already written but I have to wait a while or there's no point in ending this chapter with a cliff-hanger!