8 Miles Running by Avadne

Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter characters. I just like making them do what I want…

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Part I: 8 Mile

He's here. He's after you; Harry, it is time. Damn him. Damn him to eternal hell; why did he have to show up now? Harry wasn't ready.

Then again, he would probably never be ready. And what does one do when he cannot face something? He runs.

Voldemort is only 8 miles away. 8 freaking miles. Much too close for Harry's liking. And Harry runs… he's not the fastest runner in the world, but he's holding his own… for now. However, he knows it won't last.

He's running because he has to. He's meant to save the wizarding world, save it all by himself. But he doesn't know how to. And they're all counting on him, and he's going to fail them.

You won't fail, Harry.

That's what Dumbledore said. Dumbledore. A reason why he should stop, turn around and face Voldemort like a man.

Dumbledore, who did so much for him. Hell, Harry may dislike him, hate him even, for keeping all that Prophecy bullshit and having part in Sirius' death…. but Dumbledore still had Harry's highest form of respect.

Dumbledore took him in. He took him in to Hogwarts; Harry's true home. He, along with the teachers, made him a wizard, something amazing to Harry. He was a wizard because of Dumbledore. He was Harry James Potter because of Dumbledore.

Dumbledore returned the Invisibility Cloak in his possession to the correct owner; Harry. It had once been his fathers. Dumbledore saved the school from everything that threatened. Dumbledore may have helped in the death of Sirius, but he had also set him free. He had allowed Hermione and Harry to go back in time and let Sirius free because he was innocent.

Dumbledore calmed him down, after the 3rd task in fourth year. The Triwizarding Tournament. Crouch, acting as Moody all along. And Dumbledore saved Harry. He believed that Voldemort was back.

Yes, Dumbledore had kept the Prophecy from Harry. But he fought Voldemort, and saved Harry from being possessed. He made many wrongs, very many. But he made even more rights. Rights that Harry couldn't just forget about, even while running from the most evil wizard of all time.

Dumbledore had done everything, and more, for Harry. Harry couldn't just let him down, like he was now. he was letting down Dumbledore by running, and he knew it. He was a Gryffindor; brave. Dumbledore would be more disappointed if Harry kept running than if he was to face Dumbledore and 'fail' the world.

So Harry stopped. He stopped for Dumbledore, stopped suddenly and knew this way, he was being true. He was being true to Gryffindor… and to Dumbledore.

It didn't take long; Voldemort had gained one more mile on him.

Only 7 more to go.

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No, I haven't given up on Just Too Tempting. But this little ficlet was just calling me to write it. It's reasonably short; 8 parts, 500 words each.

I started this when I was listening to a song called 8 Miles & Runnin' from the 8 Mile soundtrack –but the story has nothing to do with the movie!-. I thought it sounded cool, and had potential for a story. What do you think?

I accidentally posted this on my friend Annie's llog in. Don't ask, it's a long story. But it's here now...

So have fun reading

Avadne