Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Sorry it's been so long since I updated. Now I know what's happening, where I'm going, and how I get there. Very exciting.

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CHAPTER 35: The Race

            Harry stood tall, holding his ground. This was it. He wouldn't go down without a fight. He knew now that he didn't have much time left and hardly a chance left, but he wouldn't go without a fight! "Impediemente!" he bellowed and repeated several times over in different directions. He knew it wasn't going to do any good. He wasn't going to be able to get to them all in time. He needed something stronger, something fast, something that could race and get them all…he needed a happy thought. A happy thought, where was he supposed to find a happy thought in the middle of all of this? Renata, Ron, Hermione, and Neville were all somewhere out of sight, possibly injured or dead. Dumbledore had deserted him and not come. His own headmaster had deserted him and his best friends were probably dead already because they'd insisted on following him! Where was a happy thought?

            Where were his happy thoughts?

            Concentrate, Harry, he admonished himself. Your life depends on finding a happy thought. Come on, Harry! Just one happy thought! Happy thoughts, he'd never had many of those. What was the happiest thought he could think of? Renata. Renata was a happy thought. Thinking about Renata kissing him and saying she loved him. That was happy. But what if Renata was dead? What if she was hurt and lying in pain? He couldn't concentrate on that thought now. It wasn't going to get happier. What was happy? A normal life. The normal life he wanted. He wanted to survive this year. To get married. Have children. Grow old and die of old age after watching his grandchildren grow up! There was no time left; his enemies were drawing closer. Ever closer. He clutched his thought with the whole of his mind. "EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

            It worked. The stag erupted from his wand and ran in a circle charging at his enemies forcing them back. Forcing the circle to get wider and sometimes taking down an enemy completely. The stag raced. A gorgeous silvery-blue creature almost flying among the dark shadowy figures of the Death Eaters.

            Harry saw a couple of the Death Eaters falling, and not because of the patronus. However the Death Eaters shot back at whatever was hurting them and eventually the shooting from outside the ring of Death Eaters stopped.

            Eventually all the Death Eaters were down for the count.

            Harry looked around at the fallen enemies. Had he won?

            He had done it! They were all gone. But it looked as though it had cost him his best friends. A hollow victory it was.

            He felt someone grab his ankle and he came down with a crash. His wand fell from his fingers and he lie on the ground, breathing heavily.

            A cold hand snatched the wand and suddenly, Voldemort was standing over him, the wand pointed at his throat. "Say goodbye, Potter."

            Harry knew that this time it was really over. He saw a bumblebee flying over him. A little thing, buzzing. He'd die now and the only one would know what had happened would be that stupid little bumblebee! What a way to go.

            Voldemort laughed coldly. "I've just got two words for you, boy. Two sweet, sweet words that I've been dying to say to you." He laughed again. "Avada Kedavra!"

            Harry saw the green light. He saw the bumblebee flying over him.

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Thanks. I hope you review and keep reading! I'll post the next chapter soon. Sorry to leave you with such a cliffhanger.