To No Fault of Their Own

I guess today is where it all ends. I never thought I'd get this far. I thought that I would stay out of this war, that I would live my life the way I wanted to; like I planned in the beginning. I guess this isn't what I planned. He betrayed me. I guess I knew that someday it was going to happen, a prophecy is a prophecy and only those involved can make it come true. All our lives we've worked to make that damn prophecy as true as possible and today we will finally put it to rest.

I have been betrayed by the people I trusted and gained friendships in my enemies. With their help we will end this war once and for all. I'm tired of watching my friends and family die. I'm tired of everything around me. I can't focus on things I want in life without someone telling me that it's unattainable because I have a duty to fulfill.

My duty. What a joke.

As I stand on this hill, surveying the battlefield below me, I can't help but wonder if the people I am supposed to save are actually down on the field fighting for what is right. Hah, of course they're not. After all their brave talk, not one is on the battleground now fighting for their futures. They all expect me to save them. No matter how much I wish that I was not in this mess right now, I was born into it and it is my "destiny" to see it to the end.

"Harry!" Ron yells as he scrambles up the hill and comes to rest next to me. "We're losing. The Death Eaters are gaining control and we need a plan."

Staring at the battle, I realize that we were losing. We had vampires, werewolves, and elves and yet we are not strong enough.

"Do you have a plan?" I turn to him. "No, I don't. We've exhausted all our plans and surprises. We have nothing to go on, but to fight to the finish." I grab his hand to pull him up when he offered. We stand together and watch for a minute.

"Ron, the only way to win this is if I meet him. Once we start dueling, you—" My mouth shut as Ron stumbled. He grabbed my hands to steady himself and I watched as he once again lost his balance and slid to the ground.

"Ron, are you alright?" I asked, kneeling next to him. It was then that I saw the arrow.

"Don't move!" I gently grabbed the arrow and swiftly pulled it out without putting him into too much pain.

"Harry, I think it's too late."

"What're you talking about? I have to heal you and you'll be fine." I pushed my hand at his wound and concentrated. My mind led me through his wound and into his body. I wanted to get to the core and heal the inside and then the outside. My heart stopped as I reached where the arrow had stopped. It had plunged into his heart. I gathered and focused all the energy I could muster and threw it into the

heart. It glowed for a second before returning to normal, the wound had not closed. I have never tried to stop a wound on the heart. I don't know what to do.

Pulling out, I let Ron lay on the ground, "I'm sorry, I tried to heal it. I don't know what to do." My body was trembling from exhaustion and Ron seemed to have realized that I couldn't do anything.

"Harry, I knew it was too late. Promise me that you'll take care of Ginny and Hermione. Promise me that you'll get rid of him."

"I promise, Ron. I'm so sorry, I never should've dragged you into this. You always had my back, whenever I needed you. I will get him for you and I'll make sure Ginny and Hermione are happy." I blink the tears that threatened to fall, away. When I looked back down, Ron was gone.

"Harry!" Struggling to my feet I turn just as Ginny ran into me. I watch as she sees her brother lying next to me. She immediately let go and slumped next to him.

"Ron? Ron?" I turn my head away from the sight. Ginny burst into tears when she realized that he was not waking.

"Harry, what happened?" Without looking at her I explained what happened. She was silent for few minutes and I had no idea what was going to happen. Would she blame me? I was able to heal and she knew that.

"Harry, I know what you're thinking. I don't blame you. He's a casualty of war. We knew the possibilities of this battle when we entered it. We knew what we were getting ourselves into. You can't blame yourself for not being able to save him. I understand and so did Ron." Ginny let her brother go and came to stand next to me.

"I know you care very much about us all, but putting blame on yourself will just make you lose faith in yourself."

Turning to her, I put my arms around her. The battle behind us was forgotten and it seems that for only this one minute, nothing else seems to exist but us. "Thank you, Gin. I want you to know that I love you. Tell Hermione goodbye and that I love her too. Take care of yourselves." Letting her go, I surround myself with my fire. Her screams echoed in my mind as I reappear next to the battle.

Seeing me, Death Eaters run at me, but my mind was on the two lone figures fighting away from the battle. Conjuring my sword, I plunge it into the Death Eaters surrounding me. My body's numb and my elemental, sensing the loss, flared around me in protection. Without much resistance I entered the clearing where the two wizards were fighting.

"Potter, you can't go there! Stay out of their way, let them fight it out!" I hear Draco call behind me, but I ignore him and stop in front of the two.

Dumbledore was the first to notice me and a second later apparated next to me. "What are you doing here, Harry? Go back to your friends. Stay away from here."

"Ron's dead." I said softly. Dumbledore hummed sadly. "This is not your fight, you must take your friends and leave here."

I almost laugh at Dumbledore's words. Humph, not my fight. Than whose is it, if not mine? Has he not drilled into my mind that I would be the one to defeat him? Has he not done everything in order to "train" me to be the 'warrior' he wanted in order to defeat Voldemort? Scoffing at my mind's cynicism I walk past Dumbledore and stand in front of Voldemort.

The man that stood in front of me had no hatred in his eyes. Staring at him, made me realize that the look he was giving me was not of hatred, but of sympathy. For some reason, seeing the look in his eyes made me angry. I guess that I did not like to be pitied and seeing that same look in his eyes made me angry. He did not want pity or sympathy.

"You can walk away from this, Harry. This does not have to be your fight. I am giving you a chance to back out."

"You've taught me to always go after what I want. It's too late to back out now, not after I have fallen in too deep."

Voldemort hummed softly. "Why do you fight? What reason do you have anymore? Do you think that they care about you? They ridicule you every chance they get and yet you care about them more than yourself."

"I don't care what they think anymore. This war has gone on for far too long, it's time to end it." I focused my magic onto the Gryffindor sword I was holding and it burst into flame. Without saying another word Voldemort made a swift motion with his wand, after a burst of light, his wand was replaced by another sword.

"There is still a chance to back out, Serpent. Once you start this duel, there is no turning back." Gritting my teeth I slowly circle around him. As a test I swipe at his midsection with the tip of my sword, only to be blocked by his.

--

Harry stood stunned as Voldemort disappeared only to reappear behind him. Before Harry could get away, the snake-like man grabs him by the middle and forces him against himself.

"Look at them. There are none of those that have ridiculed you risking their lives for you. Would you risk your life for them? Would you jeopardize everything you've accomplished in the last two years just so that those who believe you to be nothing more then an ant to be crushed? If you believe that they will become loyal to you for defeating me, then you have deluded yourself." Voldemort hissed.

"Let go." Harry whispered angrily. He knew what Voldemort said was true, but he could not bring himself to care at the moment. The image of Crouch laying mangled on the floor and Anthony's sorrowful face overwhelmed any regret he was feeling towards his decision.

"You are blind to those around you. I cared for you, Harry. I cared when no one else did. I trained you and gave you a home. What have they done, except to put you away in an abusive household and then turn on you at the first signs of trouble? Can't you see you don't belong with them; you've always belonged at my side, as an equal."

Harry closed his eyes, the words Voldemort was speaking were truthful. He had given him a home and the wizards have turned their backs on him. Where are they now when he needed them to help fight?

Harry shook his head. I can't think that now. I have to keep my promise to Ron and make sure Ginny and Hermione have a future. As that thought filtered through the jumbled mess Voldemort created in his mind, Harry's senses returned. Opening his eyes, he focused on his body heating up and in the process Voldemort stood back as if he was burned.

"I have taught you well."

"You've taught me how to kill. You've taught me how to get revenge on those I hated and you reveled in the pain I inflicted onto your men and prisoners. I wanted a life away from the war and you pulled me right back into it.

"You knew I was trying to run, yet you forced me into obedience. I didn't forget that day when you forced me to accept your teachings. If it wasn't for my friends, nothing you could have told me would've made me stay. I've had enough of charades and everything else you can throw at me."

Harry ran at Voldemort, his body engulfed in his elemental and his sword parried the one Voldemort pushed in front of him in order to protect himself. Locking the swords, neither man was able to push away.

"You know, I began to believe that you could change. I thought that maybe if I researched your past and helped you remember that you would get at least some humanity in you. I believed that Anthony was able to bring you back. I began to trust you. I even began to think of you as a mentor and not as my captor."

"I'm sorry, Harry." Realizing too late why Voldemort was apologizing, Harry swerved to the side as the dark lord's sword made contact with his skin. Harry stumbled backwards, a hand to his stomach. He could see the blood that was soaking his cloak, yet his body was so numb that the pain had not registered yet.

He looked up at Voldemort only to see the same sympathetic look the man had given him when he first saw him. A tremor raced through his body and Harry held in a pained scream as the brain finally caught up with his body. He slumped to the ground as it became unbearable. He watched as Voldemort came closer and stood in front of him.

"It's just a scratch; I shouldn't be feeling this weak. What did you do?" Harry asked quietly.

"It's poisoned."

Hearing that, Harry let out a weak laugh. Was this all that took to kill us? Poison? He inched his hand closer to his fallen sword and grasped it.

"I'm sorry, Harry. If I knew this is how it was going to end, I would have taken you away years ago. At least to stop you from experiencing what I had in my childhood."

"No one can truly tell the future, Tom, not even you." Swinging the sword up high with all his might, Harry plunged it deep into the man's chest. Voldemort let out a shocked gasp and stared at Harry as if seeing him for the first time.

"I'm sorry, Tom, I just couldn't let you take control of this world. At least this time, we both die." Coughing up blood, Voldemort fell on his side. He stared at Harry for a few seconds before a smile spread across his lips. "I'm proud of you, Harry. You've done what none of them have succeeded in doing." With those words Voldemort closed his eyes. In front of Harry, his body disintegrated and was blown into the air.

Harry lay staring at the spot where Voldemort lay. His smile had imprinted itself on his mind and Harry could not get rid of the image. He slowly turned his head as another body came into his view and began shouting his name. Harry smiled and shook his head sadly.

"It's poison, don't bother," grasping the hand Harry looked straight into the silver-blue eyes, "Take care of them, Draco."

"Harry, hold on, Dumbledore's coming." Harry closed his eyes and let himself relax. He knew it was too late; his body had lost too much blood. It was time for him to go. Maybe he'll be happier where his parents were. With another meaningful smile, the Boy-Who-Lived closed his eyes…forever.

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AN: I know...it's a different chapter 11. Not as good as my old one, but I had to rewrite it because my old chapter died with my last laptop and I didn't save it. Bummer. So I lost 100 reviews...fantastic.