Disclaimer: For this chapter and all chapters, I don't own Harry Potter. This is just to improve my writing skills, and no money is being made etc. etc.

Chapter 1 - Nothing Lasts Forever

"You have served me well, Lord Voldemort. The situation, however, has changed." Voldemort knelt before the cloaked man standing above him. He knew that this man had the power to kill him in one swift stroke. It was a commanding voice, and if you heard it, you didn't dare disobey.

"How so, My Lord?" Voldemort asked, intrigued into this new revelation, yet still careful to remain polite.

The Cloaked Figure studied him for a moment. Voldemort, under that gaze tried not to shake. Whether he was successful or not he didn't know, "Harry Potter knows now that you are avoiding him. Remember, the confrontation is inevitable." Voldemort knew he had to face Potter, but what would happen if Potter killed him? He would ruin everything he, Voldemort, had worked for these past nine years, ever since he got that second chance.

"I know My Lord. But if Potter can somehow manage to destroy me-," Voldemort tried to make his case to the Cloaked Figure, but he would hear none of it.

"You fool!" The Cloaked Figure snapped, his usual way of telling Voldemort that it didn't matter. "You once again fail to see the larger picture! My plans go far beyond you Voldemort. You are but a shadow of me. I made you what you are! It was me!" Voldemort felt anger inside, a longing to rid himself of this beast.

"Yes My Lord!" he said instead. He said that so often he could drown himself.

"And if I find the need for Potter to destroy you do not make the mistake of thinking that I won't allow him to do it." Voldemort didn't worry about things like this. The man said this so often that Voldemort just stopped taking him seriously. The man was on his side, wasn't he?

"Yes My Lord!" he said, seething that he couldn't say anything else.

"Voldemort, my plans are your primary concern, not yourself," The Cloaked Figure chided casually, with just a hint of threat in his voice. There was something else there, pride perhaps?

"I know My Lord!" Voldemort said in the same voice, becoming more annoyed by the second. He hoped his emotions didn't show through his anger right now.

"Do not underestimate me." The Cloaked Figure said warningly. "You are powerful yes, but you fail to master your emotions. What I am doing is for the greater good! If you seek revenge, your vengeance will only come to fruitation if it is part of my plan."

Voldemort's anger was gone in a flash. "What is your plan then?" He had been trying to find out this person's motives for years, and he still had that to achieve yet.

"That is not for you to know. It is a magic that has been brewing since the beginnings of time. It has survived all the ages of this world and will survive until the destruction destruction of time."

Voldemort was at a loss for words. He made many speeches like that, but never so...so...detailed as that.

The Cloaked Figure took his loss for words and continued, "Do not forget Voldemort, you are a pawn in the grand scheme. It would not harm me to crush you like the worthless worm that you are. You are not indispensable for glory it is you seek. Glory and fame, but I, Voldemort, I seek none of those. I keep the balance in the Universe!" The Cloaked Figure ended his rant by saying, "You are nothing to me."

The Cloaked Figure smiled as he said this. Voldemort was beginning to be more of a liability than ever. Hopefully Voldemort wasn't stupid enough to try to overcome him. If such an incident occured it would be unfortunate to destroy Voldemort, but not a major loss. He could continue his plan because he kept the balance. He was the Master.

"Come on Harry mate! What's the matter?" The voice was full of concern, concern that Harry Potter didn't want at the moment.

Harry, twenty-three years old, looked at his best friend Ron Weasley in a long sidelong glance that gave Ron a few hints about what he wanted. Peace and quiet.

"Nothing's wrong," Harry said, when Ron didn't pick up the hint. He wished he felt that way privately. Truth be told, this evening had been one of the longest of his life's, though not because of anything he or Ron could control.

"Harry, I've been your best friend for what is it now, twelve years?" Ron replied. "I know when something's up with you so spill it," he said with a grin but still looked at him sympathetically. "In all honesty Harry, I've seen when something's up with you a lot more than other people. And believe, something is always up with you.

Harry glared at him from behind his glasses, "What's that supposed to mean?" he snapped. How dare Ron even consider-!

Ron held up his hands, "It's not an insult mate. You know I know you can't help it, but there was usually something bugging you at Hogwarts."

"Ron if you think that you-," Harry replied hotly. He wished Ron would just leave now.

"Harry mate, I meant no insult. I just know when something's bugging you because I am your best friend."

Harry looked away at the dank surroundings. It was dark, here the bar. A bartender quietly wiped a glass with a grimy rag. The glass was probably dirtier now that the rag had touched it.

In the background was a light dance music fluttering over towards the bar, but Harry didn't feel like dancing. He didn't feel like doing much anymore.

Ron persisted, "If you don't want to talk about it now I don't care because I understand that. Harry, though, this will eat you up if you don't tell someone. When you want to talk I'll have an open ear."

"Thanks Ron," Harry said sincerely. He knew he would never talk to Ron about his problems, but at least he was there. This wouldn't eat him up! It was Harry's problem that Harry had to figure out.

"Things are just too complicated now."

Ron looked at the ceiling for a moment, "Aren't they always?" he said dreamily. He wasn't really even saying it to anyone, jst sort of musing in his own way. There was a grain of truth in his words though and his meaning was loud and clear. When Harry was involved, there were always complications.

Harry looked at Ron, "You know, I always wondered what it would be like to not be Harry Potter. To live a life without Voldemort, without being the Boy Who Lived." This wasn't why he was broading, he just wanted to get Ron off of his back.

Ron's eyes told Harry that he was sincere when he said, "Harry, even if you weren't you can't escape You-Know-Who. He terrorizes everyone." Ron added hastily when he saw Harry's green eyes flash at him, "Now I don't mean to say that everyone has as hard of a life as you, but Harry-," he trailed off, lost for words.

Harry sighed. Everyone was vulnerable and no one could escape Voldemort if Harry didn't do something soon. Voldemort was out there, waiting to strike. It had been a very stressful time and Harry knew he couldn't rest until Voldemort was defeated.

"Look Ron, go have fun yourself, you can't help me now."

"Are you sure-,"

"You're wife is already giving you the 'evil eye,'" Harry said jokingly.

"Yeah I better get over there," Ron said smiling. He took the hint to leave, finally, and got up, walking in the direction of his new wife.

After Ron had left, Harry realized that it wasn't going to get any better here. He didn't want to leave on his best friends' wedding night, but he had to figure some things out. He slipped out the side door, and went around on the the street. The street was dark, with only a few pedestrians milling about. It was a cool night, and darkness was in the sky, with a haze of pink.

It had only been in the last few months that he had realized something. Voldemort was scared of Harry. He could cause as much chaos as he wanted as long as Harry wasn't in the way, thus he had stopped seeking Harry out, but rather avoiding him. He wouldn't want to gamble everything on the slight chance that Harry might kill him.

When Harry finally realized this, he took it for granted. It was great that Voldemort was avoiding him wasn't it?

Of course it couldn't be as simple as that. It never could. Harry sighed. If someone died from Voldemort it meant that someone was fighting another losing fight. He had the best, no the only chance against Voldemort, and who was he to sit around while some guy got killed?

The problem was, if Voldemort killed him in the end, what hope did anyone have of stopping him? It was almost as if Harry couldn't take the chance of dooming the Earth if Voldemort won.

But he couldn't let this continue. He had to end the wondering. He had to finally tell the Earth if they were doomed or saved.

Harry knew he would have to flush Voldemort out, maybe even trap him, and then kill him. Harry shivered. What was the balance point between good and evil? If Harry killed Voldemort wouldn't he be just as evil? At what point does defense become agression?

He couldn't seek Voldemort out. That would be murder. He had to kill Voldemort in self-defense. But Voldemort wasn't coming for Harry anymore was he? It was an impossible dilemma, but Harry knew that whatever he did, he couldn't go looking for Voldemort. What if he became a Dark Wizard like Voldemort?

That thought churned it his stomach, wizards trembling to say his name. He could imagine it now, a family like the Weasley's flinching everytime someone said his name. Harry shuddered.

The moment had been long in the making, and Harry knew that sometime, somewhere he would have to face Voldemort. Harry would have to seek Voldemort out, and somehow, use every ounce of his strength to fight him. There would be no escape. It had to be victory.

He just feared what would happen afterwards.