This was inspired by Mariah Carey's Hero, and ironically enough, Nickelback's Hero. This is the very end of the Fight, told by Ron. I don't own Harry Potter, or the songs. If possible, listen to one or both (weird combo, but anyway) while reading...



And they say that a hero can save us

I'm not gonna stand here and wait

I'll hold onto the wings of the eagles

And watch as they all fly away

June 24, 1997

Ron stared at the floor of Dumbledore's office, shaking slightly. Hermione had a death grip on his hand- he'd lost circulation in it sometime ago. Ginny sat curled up in a chair crying silently.

"I know this is hard, but I need to know what happened," Dumbledore said softly to the two seventh years and the one sixth year.

Hermione and Ginny seemed to be in no condition to talk, so Ron took a deep breath and began to talk.

"As you know, Hermione, Ginny and I got kidnapped last week. Harry was already in the castle when we started coming back from Hogsmead- he went early to the meeting to talk to you about something I guess... We were jumped from behind and stunned. We woke up in separate cells, but they were right next to each other. We could call out to one another..."

"Ron? Ginny?" Hermione called out.

"I'm here," Ron replied, and heard Ginny do the same.

"Anybody have any idea where we are?" Ginny asked.

"Somewhere that Voldemort keeps his prisoners?" Ron replied with a shrug, even if she couldn't see it.

"Thank you Captain Obvious," Ginny muttered.

"Shut up," Ron replied irritably.

"Stop it!" Hermione cried, "This is not the time to be bickering!"

"We only were taken out of the cells when Voldemort tried to get information from us. He um, well, he tried to make Gin and 'Mione do some... things... by using the Imperious on them. Thankfully they broke it in time," Ron said carefully. Ginny cried harder and Hermione's grip increased, "Sorry 'Mione," he whispered, "But he needed to know." Dumbledore nodded gravely.

"After about five days after we got there, Voldemort himself came in. He started talking about how there wasn't any chance that anyone could find us. He was going on about how if Harry were truly a friend he would have shown up by now. I- I kinda got smart with him... Told him off for lying. He, he crucio'd Ginny and Hermione pretty bad... Two days later, Harry showed up at our cells under his invisibility cloak. Except as soon as he took it off, Voldemort appeared behind him- 'Mione, um could you loosen your grip just a little?" Ron asked gently. She did. "Thanks. Um, Voldemort appeared behind him. Harry seemed to know, he didn't even turn around..."

"Hello Tom," Harry said evenly, not moving.

"I. AM. LORD. VOLDEMORT." he yelled angrily, repeating his sixteen year old's from words from five years ago.

"You are no Lord, Riddle. You're an angry, temperamental orphan because you killed what was left of your family. You are a half blood who tries to rule by fear. No lord would rule like that," Harry said calmly, still not turning.

"Crucio! How dare you insult me!" Voldemort cried, outraged.

Harry didn't even flinch. Unfortunately, he'd been under this curse far too many times for it to affect him normally, and so just made Voldemort madder. Suddenly the four of them were on top of a hill overlooking a graveyard. Harry turned to Voldemort finally, "Getting sentimental?"

"No," Voldemort said irritabely. Harry muttered something under his breath.

"They began to duel... Harry did some really strong curses, but they tired him out quickly... He was having a hard time standing after awhile. Then Voldemort banished him back over the hill... He fell." Ron said softly.



And then a hero comes along

With the strength to carry on

And you cast your fears aside

And you know you can survive

So when you feel like hope is gone

Look inside you and be strong

And you'll finally see the truth

That a hero lies in you

Harry stood up slowly, fire in his eyes. Ginny felt something land in her lap, but she didn't dare look down to see what it was. "Let. Them. Go." he said through gritted teeth.

"I don't think so," Voldemort said smugly, training his wand on Ginny, "Advada-"

"NO!!!" Harry screamed, he had strength now he never knew he had. He just couldn't let Gin die... He wasn't afraid, but he didn't have a whole lot of hope of surviving it. Ron could almost see the power radiating from his friend when he jumped in front of his sister as Voldemort finished the deadly spell. He finally saw the truth, and he knew Harry did too. He was a true hero. Ron and Harry's eyes locked, and Harry mouthed 'I'm sorry.' Ron nodded, and mouthed back 'I'll take care of them.' Harry nodded, and the curse hit.

"NOOOOOO!" Ginny screamed. Suddenly, the green light that had hit Harry left him, and flew back at Voldemort. He was struck down dead. Ron held Ginny and Hermione as they cried. Then the portkey Harry had thrown at Ginny as he jumped in front of her activated, and they vanished, as did the bodies. The bodies would never be found.

"He was just... gone. I couldn't even check to make sure he was dead- for all I knew he could have survived again," Ron said, breaking down for the first time. Hedwig flew in, with a letter addressed to all of them in Harry's handwriting. She glided to Dumbledore and stuck out her leg. He took it and read it out loud.

Dear- Well, whoever happens to be there when Hedwig brings this to Professor Dumbledore,

If you're reading this, I'm either dead or for some reason there is no way I can ever be seen in the Wizarding world again- as unlikely as the last one may be. You aren't going to like this, but I've been expecting something like this since the Triwizard tournament last year. I'm writing this because... well, Ron and Hermione went home for Christmas and I'm bored. Very bored. Almost beyond belief.

Hermione- I hope you and Ron have gotten together by now, and if he hasn't worked up the nerve yet, bop him on the head and ask him out yourself. Oh, you can have all my books and anything else that you want that no one else claims. PLEASE don't let anybody but friends get my stuff... I'd rather not have my underwear or something in a museum... yuck... (She laughed shakily at that)

Ron- If you haven't asked Hermione out yet, I will personally haunt you until you do, or until Hermione follows my advice and bops you on the head and asked you myself. You can have my Firebolt, but please take good care of it! And please please please don't let Hermione try and use it to sweep up the common room again! Hermione gave me a broom care kit a while ago- use that! By the way- if you haven't gotten on the team by now, try out for keeper.

Sirius- I hope I got to know you better, and that you were freed. If you weren't, I'll go haunt Wormtail until he turns himself in. Don't do anything stupid, got it? Remus still needs you. You and Remus can have the photo album with all the pictures of me and my parents- except the one I'm giving to Professor Snape. Stop bickering with him! I mean it!

Remus- Take care of Sirius for me, please- but make sure you take care of yourself as well, or I'll haunt you too! Thank you so much for helping me my third year and again this year, and I really hope we got to know each other better. Don't do anything stupid either, Sirius needs you too.

Ginny- I sincerely hope I got up the courage to finally ask you out. You've been a great friend to me. I might have asked you sooner, but... well with Voldemort I didn't want to put you in any more danger. I want you to have the necklace Sirius gave me- it was my mum's. I love you.

Professor Snape- I finally realized why you've acted the way you have over the years. Thank you. I told Sirius to stop fighting with you- I want you to do the same. I really mean it! I want you to have the last picture in my album- it's one of just my mum. I know you two were friends.

Professor McGonagall- Thanks. You know what for.

Hagrid- You were my first friend. You showed me the Wizarding world and you showed my kindness. You were like family to me. As you bought me Hedwig, she can go with you now. Thank you.

To the rest of my house-mates, and everyone else in my year- I hope you've had an interesting few years here at Hogwarts- I know I've never been bored... er, well except right now... and during History of Magic... but that goes without saying. Get on with your lives as soon as possible, or I died in vain, and will come and haunt you- GOT IT? Dang, I'm going to have a busy afterlife...

Draco- I forgive you.

Wormtail- I still don't forgive you. As of this moment, you have never earned that. I hope you redeem yourself someday though. And for Godric's sake stop stuttering! You're worse than Quirrel...

Professor Dumbledore- Thanks for never kicking me out. Lord knows I probably should have been long ago, with all the rules I've broken. There's a secret compartment in my trunk, just tap the bottom and say your name- I left something in there for you. If it doesn't open, kick it a couple times and try again. Stupid thing is temperamental. I know you've saved my butt more than once, and even if I didn't always like it, it was best for me. Thanks.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley- Thank you so much for your hospitality. I want you guys to have my whole Gringotts account- don't you dare not accept it, it won't do me a whole lot of good anyway.

Gred and Forge- Keep that shop coming, we're gonna need laughs more than ever, I'll bet. Make sure nobody gets too depressed on me, ok? Check in the pocket of my invisibility cloak- take it and the package or I'll hex you. I swear I'll come back if I have to! Oh, and you two can have the cloak. Think of it as a gift from the son of Prongs. (Just remember to share) Ask Sirius and Remus about Padfoot and Moony, if you don't know the real identity of the Marauders yet. May you never meet Wormtail, and don't kill Ron for not telling you who they were sooner!

Vernon- I spit in your face. Somebody go tell him that for me. How's that for respect you bloody bastard!? I shouldn't even had acknowledged you!

Petunia, Dudley, I don't know how you've put up with him, but I'd advise leaving as soon as you can. He won't be too happy once he gets my little 'message' and I wouldn't like it if he took it out on you.

To everyone but Vernon, I love you very much, and remember: death is only the next adventure. I guess I'll be pretty happy then, seeing as I love adventures!

Love,

Harry

P.S. Vernon Durlsey knows exactly why I said that about him. Er, make sure he doesn't through things at you when you tell him.

"It ends there," Dumbledore said, wondering about his statement to Vernon.

"Why was he so mad at his uncle? He said good things about everyone else, even me!" Snape said. Everyone but Dumbledore jumped, he'd come in without Ron, Ginny and Hermione noticing.

"Because he hated Harry," Ron said, scowling.

"Huh?" asked Snape, looking a little confused.

"When we came to get him this summer, we found him and his uncle screaming at each other. Vernon was yelling about Harry having no respect for his family, and Harry yelled back that he'd have respect for them when they respected him. Vernon gave him a black eye and told him to get the hell out. I've never seen Harry so angry. I'm pretty sure that if Vernon had pushed a little harder, Harry would have made something or someone explode again," Ron explained, "When I talked to Harry later, he said he and Vernon had been yelling at each other all summer." Snape looked like someone had told him Voldemort was behind him dancing around in a pink tutu. (Very strange mental image, believe me...)

Dumbledore looked sad, but didn't comment.

Outside, on a borrowed broom, a figure stared sadly into the room, then flew away into the night. The next morning, Harry Potter had disappeared entirely, and a Mr. James Henry Ivan intigrated himself into american muggle society.

A/N: yeah, yeah, yeah. cliffie ending. but that leaves it open for a sequel, does it not?