What It All Comes Down To

Snape came out of his room after a while, carrying a big bowl of some kind of liquid. Harry couldn't really tell what was in it because it was covered tightly underneath a lid. He knew it was some sort of liquid though, because listening to the sloshing sound made him feel a little queasy. Although the fact that Snape owned Tupperware was hilarious. What are Tupperware parties exactly? It doesn't matter at the moment. Still I might just ask about it after everything settles down. Assuming I don't get killed and everything does settle down. Why am I thinking about a bowl at a time like this?

"We might have enough time if we go now. Prepare yourself."

He can be pretty vague about things. Prepare yourself. Prepare myself for what exactly? Get ready to die most likely. Still I guess death isn't the most horrible thing I could go through. What if death isn't Voldemort's plan anymore? No that's his only option. The prophecy said that one of us had to die. But is the prophecy right? I hate this.

Harry stuck his wand in his back pocket. Not quite sure if anything would really work out in the end. What the heck is Snape carrying anyway? "We can't apparate this time. The potion is too precarious to risk it. Nor can it be resized. The substance has to remain exact." So that is a potion? I wonder what he plans on using it for. It's kind of big for anything we have ever learned in class. I hope I know enough to get through this. Wait a minute, "We have to carry that stuff?" Judging by the other man's expression that was a bad question. Snape has never looked angrier. Harry decided he wouldn't wait for a response. He descended the steps of the Noble House of Black. Possibly for the last time ever. The whole situation just seemed too unreal.

By the time Harry was out the door, Snape was right behind him. "Just follow me. Do everything I say, and we might just survive this." Might? Might survive this? Is it just me or does the whole situation somehow take on an even more grim appearance over time? "What's the potion for?" Snape just kept walking. Harry assumed that he should do the same and followed in pursuit. I guess he isn't going to answer this time. It better be something good. Harry was somewhat glad that the potion slowed Snape down a little bit. He usually walked too fast for him to keep up with.

They couldn't possibly walk all the way to the horcruxes. Harry wasn't even positive where they found them to begin with. Although he had a feeling they were not anywhere near their current location. It might work out if I stick with him. Oddly enough, I think I really believe that. It took slightly longer to walk around the ruble and debris that were at one time houses. Whatever the outcome, something had to be done. And it had to be done soon.

They walked as fast as they could towards a clearing of the earth. There were no houses here. Just a small forest on the far end of the field, but nothing in size compared to the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts. "We can leave the potion here. There should be enough room. I don't think anyone will disturb it…" Snape grabbed Harry's arm and they apparated. Harry secretly wished that something would go wrong that time. That everything could just end already. Voldemort is too powerful for him. The guy has an unbelievable amount of followers. Although Harry suspected that not all of them were exactly proud of it.

Unfortunately for Harry, the world came back into focus as they reached their destination. This time the process went a lot more smoothly. They entered the area in the ground and ran as fast as they could. Harry wondered if it was smart to run through such a confusing area. There were after all, many turns in the place. Any one of them could slow their progress down devastatingly. Harry tried not to panic. And saying that that was extremely difficult would be an understatement. He didn't think he was ready for death. At least not yet anyway.

Harry could feel his body start trembling in anticipation of what was going to happen. Afraid of what could happen with the horcruxes. What if they can't be destroyed? What happens if they are destroyed? It won't make him any weaker will it? It will just make him slightly more human. If Voldemort could ever come close to being human again, Harry really didn't know. But there was a slight chance that he could help win this war. A chance that he could not walk away from. It wasn't really about pleasing everybody anymore. It was really about revenge. His parents didn't deserve to die. Cedric didn't deserve to die. None of Voldemort's victims did.

Snape slowed down as they walked into the great room. Harry wondered if it was ever used for social gatherings. It could hold quite a few people if needed. They stood at the center of the floor to ride to the sheltered horcruxes. Snape was being unusually quiet. But then again so was Harry. Harry wasn't sure if he could even talk anymore. He didn't want to try.

Snape reached into the seemingly solid wall and pulled out the chest once more. How did he find them so quickly? He must have been searching for ages. Snape pulled out two bags that Harry hadn't noticed before. They were much like mail bags. Snape divided the horcruxes as evenly as he could and placed them into the bags. He then handed one of them to Harry.

I can't believe they are all there now. Harry couldn't make up his mind on whether he wanted to get everything over with, or somehow buy some more time away from it all. He knew what he had to do though. Harry could feel the rage boiling within his blood as they went back up to the room. It felt like his blood had turned into molten lava. He has to die. Voldemort has to die. Once they got outside Snape warned Harry that they were about to go back for the potion.

Harry nodded his head as they departed for their next big challenge. Harry had to try extra hard not to drop the horcruxes because he was really starting to shake now. If only there was something I could take to calm my nerves! "Harry, when we destroy the horcruxes, we will be in danger. It will set our location off, and we will then have to fight. If I know the Dark Lord at all, I'd say almost immediately after they are destroyed. He will be furious. And that fury may bring upon power that you cannot imagine." Harry wasn't sure how he could do this. He could barely walk. Snape pretended not to notice. "We can do this. If you do everything I tell you to. But we are going to have to work together."

Harry felt like he should probably say something. But he couldn't seem to get any words to come out. He just nodded at Snape to acknowledge that he was ready to do whatever it took. Snape seemed to look a little less worried after this. "It's really a simple process. I made a potion that should destroy the horcruxes. I need you to try to drop your portion of them in with mine at the same time. The closer they are at being destroyed at the same time the better off we are." Harry nodded again, once again not being able to get any words out. Snape was acting unusual, even for himself. Harry could tell that he was a little worried. But then again, you would have to be a madman not to be.

He carefully began to tilt his bag toward the potion that Snape had uncovered. The potion was a kind of transparent red color. He watched Snape do the same. And simultaneously they both dumped the contents of their bags. The potion hissed as the items began to melt and disintegrate into the potion itself. Harry could hear the wind picking up. But this time he seriously doubted it would be a storm. He could see various Death Eaters surrounding the area they were standing in. They seemed to be waiting for something. It dawned on Harry that they were just there to watch the show. That and to keep Harry from escaping. Other then that they wanted nothing to do with him. His real enemy has yet to appear.

It grew dark as some clouds drifted overhead. Harry knew Voldemort was close. He could feel it. With new determination he seemed to regain control of his legs and walked on. Snape continued beside Harry. They were going to do this together. Some Death Eaters stepped aside, as to not block their way to certain doom. Harry could see the outline of Voldemort up ahead. There really was no turning back in this situation. Upon coming closer, Harry discovered that Voldemort looked slightly more plump this time. He no longer looked like the outline of a skeleton. Although his skin and face still took on a ghastly appearance.

"So we meet again! How nice to see you, Haaarry Potter." Harry seriously doubted Voldemort was glad to see him. He was after all the master of deception. Harry knew that he was now a great danger to Voldemort. "And what have we here? A rebel in the midst of our new guest? I should have done away with you long ago! No matter, that can easily be made up for now that everyone is present." Voldemort turned and walked towards his Death Eaters. "Let this be a lesson to everyone who is considering straying from their path." He reached out and grabbed Snape's arm. "Severus Snape has long ago betrayed us! Now I shall show him what power really is!" He abruptly let go of Snape's arm. "Crucio!" Snape fell to the ground in pain. Harry didn't know what to do. "Expell…" His spell was cut short.

Although it was a failed spell it wasn't worthless. Snape was able to escape the pain while Voldemort was distracted. He shifted his focus from Snape to Harry. "Are you going to take his side now? He did after all kill your precious headmaster. A useless old man if you ask me." Harry was far beyond angry. "Dumbledore was the greatest wizard in the world! You will never match up to him!" Voldemort was clearly enjoying the rage he caused, that was brewing up in Harry. "If he was so great, why isn't he here?" Voldemort paused to wave his arm around in a dramatic effect. "That's right, he was killed by one of the very teachers he hired!"

Snape pulled Harry back a little. "Remember what I said about working together? That you have to do everything I say? It needs to start now." Harry really hoped he had a plan. "Just focus your energy to work with mine. Trust me." What? I did say I trusted him though. I think I still do. I just wish I knew what he was talking about. Old magic, Voldemort doesn't know old magic. Is old magic love? With newly acquired confidence, Harry smiled at Snape.

"So it all comes down to this?" Harry held Snape's hand as he prepared for what was about to happen. He had no idea if he could win or not. Snape smirked , "Always stating the obvious." Harry could feel the energy rushing into him. Where their fingers were intertwined a brilliant mass of light flowed out. While letting his energy mingle with Snape's, Harry got the idea that he should focus their energy on Voldemort. He didn't know why, but it just seemed like it was the right thing to do.

He could barely hear the shouting that was going on behind him. It seemed that the Death Eaters were not alone anymore. They had their own battles. Harry needed to get through his. Harry kept his focus on combining his power with Snape's. It was quite a rush to have all that going through his veins. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew the energy had a negative effect on Voldemort. He could see his face cringe in disgust that something like that could effect him. Harry could feel the power draining out of him, but he knew he had to keep it up. He couldn't let Snape die. Not after all of this. He realized that Snape was all he wanted in his life right now. Whatever that meant, he wanted to find out.

Harry could still hear some of the shouting from behind him. "Over there! Don't let him escape!" "We can't let anyone disrupt the spell!" Snape squeezed his hand a little, letting Harry know that he should focus his energy more. The light seemed to embrace Voldemort. His appearance soon began to quickly change. He was starting to look a little more human. He looked a little like the memory of Tom Riddle in the diary. Except he was older. "Please! Don't kill me!" Snape's grip was getting tighter on Harry's hand. Harry knew what he had to do. He focused every drop of his energy on killing Voldemort, and saving Snape.

Voldemort began to disintegrate, much like the horcruxes in the potion. The light from the spell then raced out in a circle engulfing all of its surroundings. The ground raced up towards Harry. At least that's what Harry thought he saw. That's what he could remember when he woke up anyway.