::33::

Harry could feel his heart pounding away in his ribcage as he sat pressed against Dumbledore's desk, unblinking.

I'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodie

Neither could survive while the other lived, that's what the prophecy had said. How blind could he had been not to see it earlier? He had allowed himself to be fooled, allowed himself to get swept away in Dumbledore's plan of destroying the Horcruxes thinking it would be an easy alternative than to outright dueling Voldermort himself. It's got to be me, Harry could remember thinking, it can only be me. But Dumbledore was only being smart; giving the impossible task to someone whose days were already numbered.

Why hadn't Dumbledore just told him before? Had he been doing him some sort of favor? Allowing him to go on this past year, without the thought of death hanging over his head? God he was so afraid! Terror washed through Harry, causing his hands to tighten against the carpet and for him to squeeze his eyes shut as if he were in pain.

Would it hurt? All those times he had seen that green spell headed his way, he had been fearful of dying, yet had given no thought to actually dying. He had wanted to live! He still did…

You didn't think Harry wouldn't understand? Dumbledore had asked, that he wouldn't give himself willingly to everything he has been fighting for? Dumbledore seemed to think valiantly of him, that he would be ready to give up on life to end Voldermort. And he would be right, wouldn't he? Tonks, Lupin, Fred…all dead because Harry hadn't done his job sooner. How many more could Harry let fall just because he was too afraid to die? Ron? Hermione? Naruto? Sai?

Harry shook his head and jumped to his feet, feeling anxious. He needed fresh air; he needed to breathe, to think.

Needing to escape the confines of Dumbledore's office, Harry quickly threw the cloak over his head and disappeared from the room. As Harry stepped out of the door, he almost ran headlong into someone who was hurrying down the corridor. Green eyes widening and his death sentence just about forgotten for a moment, Harry hastily scrambled to pull the cloak off.

"Sakura?"

Naruto walked into the Great Hall only to feel as if there were several Dementors pressing in on him. It wasn't hard to spot the Weasleys, all huddled together and in mourning over their fallen son. But as Naruto slowly approached them, he found Lupin and Tonks lying there as well. Naruto's fists clenched as he looked down at Lupin's crumpled form, mouth gaping.

"Naruto!" Said Hermione, immediately diving into his arms. "Thank god you're alright!" Naruto stood there stiffly, unable to take his eyes off Lupin as Hermione pressed her nose into his shoulder, her tears wetting his jacket.

"The last…" Naruto began, his voice hoarse, "The last thing that I said to him…"

"No!" Said Hermione, pulling away from Naruto as she grasped his face between the palms of her hands, "You can't think like that! You can't…"

But he had said mean, hurtful things. He hadn't even apologized or said anything when Lupin helped defend Konoha. Now it was too late. Naruto's eyes drifted to Tonks, lying at Lupin's side. "Didn't she have a kid?" He asked stiffly.

Hermione froze and pulled her hands away from Naruto's and stuffed them under her arms as fresh tears welled in her eyes. Another orphan of war, Naruto thought bitterly. He could join the exclusive club that he and Harry were already a part of. Naruto gave Hermione's shoulder a pat and he moved toward Kakashi who was sitting near Sai, his posture turned away from where Lupin and Tonks were sitting. They were speaking in hushed tones when Naruto approached and flopped down onto the floor next to them.

"This battle isn't over. Not by a long shot." Said Kakashi. His voice sounded tired and weary. "We have to make sure that Voldermort doesn't get his hands on Harry."

Harry! Naruto spun his head around, looking for the dark haired wizard. Ron was standing with his arms around Ginny who was leaning into his shoulder and George and Percy were both standing guard over Fred as if they were afraid someone would take him. But the Boy Who Lived was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Harry?" Naruto asked loudly.

Ginny turned to him, her eyes wide with fright as she realized Harry was missing, but it was Hermione who answered him. She wiped at her nose with her sleeve. "I suspect he's gone to look at Snape's memories." She said quietly.

Right, that silver stuff that had been coming out of the old greasy bat. Naruto took another look at the Weasley family before he jumped to his feet and slowly made his way out of the Great Hall.

There was no mistaking that pink hair or those cool clear eyes.

"Harry!" Sakura cried, desperately latching onto his shoulders as she stumbled forward. Her legs buckled from underneath her and Harry clumsily caught her. "I'm so glad I've finally found you!"

Sakura was breathing heavily as if she had just ran a great distance and her clothes were torn, but Harry noted that she looked unharmed. She was shaking and her fingers kept twitching, digging into Harry's shoulders. Yet her green eyes were clear and determined when she looked at him. "Something's happened."

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, not understanding when Sakura suddenly turned, her eyes darting around the corridor anxiously. Harry turned, looking to see if someone else had entered, but so far they were alone as everyone else was still in the Great Hall. Sakura turned back to Harry and pulled him in, startling him. "You've got to do it now." She said, a hysterical urgency in her voice.

"Sorry?" Said Harry, still not understand. "I don't understand…Sakura how did you find me? Naruto, he's been –"

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut and twisted her head away from Harry as if she were in pain "The Dark Lord." She hissed.

"Voldermort?" Harry's heart leapt into his throat. "Are you saying that something's happened to Voldermort?" He asked sharply.

Sakura nodded her head before she snapped her eyes up to meet Harry's. "I've been looking everywhere for you, Harry." She said, through gritted teeth. "I came…I just…It can only be you, Harry, it can only be you!"

Her tight grip on his shoulders felt like they were beginning to give him a bruise. I've got to die, it's the only way… "How? Are you saying that Voldermort's injured?" Harry asked, his heart hammering away painfully in his chest, filling him with hope. "Are you saying –" I've got to die…

"I'm saying t-this is your only c-chance." Sakura's breathing had become labored and there was something ferocious in her gaze as Harry stared at her, something that he couldn't quite pinpoint. "If you want him d-dead, this is it."

…Maybe I don't have to die yet.

"It can only be you, Harry."

They were underneath the Invisibility Cloak, moving swiftly through the hallways and down the staircases. Sakura's hand was clamped around Harry's forearm like a manacle as she pulled him along, her steps becoming quicker by the second as if she were afraid of time passing them by.

When they came to the Great Hall, Harry resisted Sakura's pull and slowed his pace. The Great Hall had become even more crowded then when he had arrived with Hermione and now it seemed as if there were even more bodies lying on the ground and more people crowded around Madame Pomfrey. For a brief moment, Harry considered going into the Great Hall and telling everyone that he could end it now. Voldermort had been weakened – from a sabotage attempt on Orochimaru's part – and if Harry could just end him once and for all, none of the losses suffered tonight would be in vain. That he need not die, that Dumbledore had been wrong, that he – they could still win.

But the moment passed and Harry held his tongue.

Outside the doors to the Great Hall, Harry spotted Neville Longbottom leaning against the wall for support, the body of a wizard thrown over his shoulder. He seemed tired, his face was grimy with dust and sweat and his robes were tattered and smeared with blood, but he was alive.

Harry paused for a moment before he moved toward Neville, calling out to him.

"What are you doing?" Sakura hissed, but Harry ignored her as he slipped out from underneath the cloak to approach the Gryffindor boy.

"Blimey, Harry!" Said Neville, the body on his shoulder almost slipping to the floor. "What are you doing?"

"Neville, there's something I have to tell you."

"Harry…" Said Neville, suddenly scared. "You're not…you're not going out there, looking for him, are you? Because we'll be ready to fight again." Neville stooped to rest the fallen wizard against the wall and Harry saw that it wasn't a wizard, but rather a witch – a Hufflepuff girl he had seen once or twice before in the halls. "We'll even take the fight to him." Said Neville, a strange determination on his face that was almost strange to behold. "Once we get all sorted out in there, we'll be ready…"

"It's not like that, Neville." Said Harry quickly. "There's just something I've got to do. But…well there's one thing I want to make sure about."

"Yeah, sure." Replied Neville. "What about?"

"Voldermort's snake." Harry explained. "He calls it Nagini…"

"Sure," Agreed Neville. "I've heard of it."

Harry nodded his head in agreement. "It's got to be killed. Ron and Hermione, they know about it and Naruto and Sai too, but well…"

"Just in case." Said Neville. He offered Harry a weak, sort of morbid smile that made Harry falter. Neville seemed to understand what Harry was saying, that he was to be an alternative in case everyone else should fail. That he understood…how had it become this way? How could Dumbledore do this? Create backup plan after backup plan in case one should fail without the magnitude of what it cost to fail eating away at him? I'm going to die…

"Are you ok?" Neville asked.

No, he wasn't going to die. Sakura and Orochimaru by default had given him an alternative. He wasn't going to die. But he still needed to be certain that the snake was taken care of.

"Yeah." Said Harry. "I am. Thanks, Neville."

"We're gonna keep fighting, you know that." Neville gave Harry a firm nod and gave him a soft, but hearty clap on the back. Harry couldn't speak, but could only give Neville a weak willed nod before he moved off toward the doors, slipping back underneath the Invisibility Cloak with Sakura when Neville turned his attention back toward the Hufflepuff girl.

Once outside, the urgency in Sakura seemed to have taken over again. She slid her hand into Harry's and her fingers were cold like death and sweaty. They were moving swiftly over Hogwarts grounds, toward the Forbidden Forest. Harry could tell that Sakura was capable of moving much quicker, and he knew that he was holding her back. Once they were far enough away, Sakura pulled the cloak off of them and shoved it into Harry's arms. In the moonlight, Harry could see beads of perspiration on her forehead and her green eyes, once so clear seemed to be wavering.

"Sakura, what happened to you?"

Sakura rubbed at her arm, her eyes darting away from his. "It's going to be over soon." She said.

The Forbidden Forest was full of silence when they entered and with the moonlight gone, Harry could barely tell the difference between the trees and the shadows. Sakura lead the way, utterly silent as she ghosted between trees and over logs while Harry stumbled along behind her, each twig snapped underfoot sounding like a gunshot.

Finally, Sakura stopped and Harry stopped behind her, almost a breadth away from bumping into her. "They are through there." Said Sakura, her voice no more than a whisper. "In the clearing."

"Lumos." Harry lifted his wand and almost felt silly for being relieved to see light flooding the area. He saw that Sakura was pointing her finger toward a dense area covered with underbrush and thick branches.

Sakura's eyes were still trained toward the clearing as she crossed her hands over her chest, pushing her arms in tight against her body. "Orochimaru and the others have fled." She said quietly. "Only…only the Death Eaters are l-left." She pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth.

What was he supposed to do now? The Death Eaters were still a very real threat; it's not like they were just going to let him stride up to Voldermort and off him. He would have to make his approach underneath the Invisibility Cloak then. But then what? He always suspected that it would eventually come to this – neither can live while the other survives – but Harry had never given any thought to the actual act. Would he have to use the Killing Curse? Was he to make himself the same as Voldermort? Is that what he needed to become in order to end him?

Harry was suddenly filled with confusion. To either offer himself up to die or to become the killer himself…these were scenarios that Harry had avoided these six years in his battle against Voldermort.

Harry didn't notice Sakura approach from behind until it was too late. Her face was scrunched as if she were ready to cry and she was biting down fiercely on her bottom lip. She shook her head at Harry, like she was apologizing before her face suddenly smoothed itself out. And then Harry was gone, sailing through the hair, his chest aching from where Sakura had pushed him. Branches snagged at his robes as he flew through the undergrowth and then the ground rushed up from underneath him, knocking the breath from his lungs as he hit the ground and rolled. Harry groaned, pawing at the dirt and twigs. It felt like this entire body was on fire.

"Harry Potter." Said a cool voice. Dark robes swished in front of Harry's vision. "How nice for you to finally join us."

Harry was hauled upward by the back of his robes and forced onto his feet where he found himself face to face with a smiling Voldermort. Harry felt ice spreading through his veins as Voldermort looked past Harry and extended one skeletal hand, beckoning someone forward. Sakura stepped past Harry, not meeting his gaze before she came to a stop next to Voldermort.

He had been betrayed…no, he had been fooled and Sakura had done it so easily. Harry almost felt ashamed of himself, for thinking that he could have ended this a different way. But Sakura! How could she?

There was a great fire burning behind Voldermort and its flickering light cast eerie shadows on his snake-like face. Beyond Voldermort the Death Eaters were milling around in groups, some nursing injuries and others completely unscathed. None of the Snatchers or Oto ninja seemed to be present, but Harry could easily spot Orochimaru – he looked only slightly older than what he had seen in the memories – reclining back against a tree. There was now a sinister edge to his face and a cunning gleam to his eyes as he looked at Harry. Crouched at Orochimaru's feet sat two ninja, one with glasses and another with hand on the sword that was clipped to his side. The latter was glaring at Harry with a coldness in his expression that gave him a terrifying reminder of Itachi Uchiha.

"The great Harry Potter," Said Voldermort idly, the Elder Wand suddenly in between his long fingers, "kneeling before me."

The Death Eaters that hauled Harry to his feet suddenly kicked at his knees, forcing his feet from out from underneath him. Harry fell into the dirt on his knees, prostrate before Voldermort.

"I could have snatched you from the castle hours ago. Sakura could have done it easily." Voldermort said, his hand passing along Sakura's shoulder blades as he walked around her. "Or any of the other ninja in my employment. But it's much better this way, isn't it? You came of your own free will."

He had been tricked, but Harry didn't dare say anything. But if it was true that Voldermort could have retrieved him much earlier if he so wished, why now? Because he was desperate, Harry realized. And angry; he could feel Voldermort's anger and anticipation burning behind his scar. With the diadem gone and only Nagini left, he had backed Voldermort into a corner, had forced his hand. Despite his impending death, triumph bloomed in Harry's chest.

Voldermort paced behind Harry, dragging the tip of the Elder Wand across his cheek. Nagini slithered along behind him, still encased in her milky armor. Harry could feel his wand his pocket, but with the unknown spell still guarding her, Harry knew it was futile to even attempt anything.

"Tell me, Harry, I am feeling a bit generous. Would you like to die standing, like your father did? Or would you rather turn your back to it, like your Mudblood mother did?"

Harry bit his tongue as a few Death Eaters around them snickered. "Actually, I would like a moment to myself, before we get on with it." Said Harry defiantly.

Surprise sparked in Voldermort's red eyes. "Oh?"

"I'll be dead soon, after all," Said Harry dryly. "And then the entire wizarding world will be at your feet. It's the least you can do."

"Quite the sense of humor you have, Potter." Voldermort said icily.

Harry shrugged. "You said you were feeling generous. And if I run…well you found me so easily the first time. And I imagine there are plenty of my friends still left to slaughter if you don't get your way."

Voldermort's laughter was sharp and stark against the silence that permeated the forest at Harry's words. "Very well, Potter, you may have a few moments to collect yourself before I kill you." He flicked his hand and the two Death Eaters that had been holding Harry in place released him, backing away. Harry got to his feet slowly, willing his legs not to shake.

"Sakura dear, his wand, if you will."

Harry froze as Sakura stared at him for a beat before she approached. Harry stiffened as she came toward him and he half expected her to frisk him for it, but she held out her hand instead.

"Naruto trusts you." Said Harry quietly, softly enough so Voldermort couldn't make out his words. "He's never stopped looking for you."

Green stared into green and for a moment, Harry was certain he saw terror lurking in her eyes before it was gone. Harry placed the wand in her hand and she turned away, her black robes fluttering behind her.

Harry could barely stand, his legs were shaking so badly once he had disappeared from Voldermort's sight. The wind drifted past Harry, ruffling his hair and Harry closed his eyes. He savored the feel of it as it caressed his scalp and how each smell seemed to be sweeter than the last. It was funny how he had spent his whole life taking things like this for granted and he could only appreciate it now when death was once again pressing against him.

Maybe this was just fates way of saying he had been a fool. So desperate to prove Dumbledore wrong and to not die, all because he had been angry at Dumbledore for leading him along…

There was some rustling in the trees around Harry and then someone was grabbing Harry by the shoulder. "Harry!" Naruto whispered urgently in his ear. "C'mon, I'll get you out of here!

Naruto stepped out of the Great Hall. All those people inside, dead or injured and more to surely come if they didn't end this soon…it made Naruto angry as he clenched his fists, nails biting the inside of his palms. And out of all of this, still no sign of Sakura. If she was truly being used as bait to draw him in, then why hadn't Voldermort dangled her in front of his path yet? And if she truly had gone to Voldermort and Orochimaru's side…

No. Naruto shook his head. He wouldn't think it.

Hermione had said something earlier about Harry going to Dumbledore's office to look at Snape's memories. He should focus on finding Harry and making sure that he was ok. Naruto took a deep breath. Yes, he would focus on that. Maybe Harry could have found something that would help them end Voldermort once and for all…

The problem was…where the heck was Dumbledore's office?

Naruto turned and started walking down the hall toward the staircases when he stopped dead in his tracks. A shiver ran down his spine, the hair on his arms standing on end. No…it couldn't be…

Naruto closed his eyes, his senses reaching out… "Sakura!" Naruto shouted, spinning around so that he was once again facing the Great Hall. He could feel her – and there was no mistaking the feel of her chakra – and she must have been close, only…the hall appeared to be deserted.

Naruto slowed his pace as he reached the doors of the Great Hall again and began walking toward the entrance only to stop short when he suddenly saw Harry appear out of thin air. Harry was approaching Neville who had an unconscious girl slung over his shoulder. Naruto was about to call out to Harry when he stopped for a moment to think. Why would Harry be underneath the Invisibility Cloak, slinking around unless he was doing something he didn't want others to find out about?

Like going off to Voldermort perhaps? No, thought Naruto, shaking his head. Harry wouldn't be dumb enough to do that. Instead, Naruto darted behind another pile of rubble where huge clunks of stone had fallen from the ceiling to spy on Harry and Neville. He was too far away to hear them, and Harry's back was to him, but he could make out Neville's face clearly. Naruto squinted his eyes, trying to decipher what Neville was saying. Why wasn't he better at lip reading?

Neville gave Harry a pat on the back and Harry moved away, disappearing once more.

"Shit." Naruto muttered, jumping up behind the rubble. The entrance doors were open, having been practically blasted apart. If Harry had disappeared outside, it would be harder to track where he was going.

"Neville!" Naruto shouted, waving his hand to flag down the Gryffindor boy. Neville stopped short, the girl slung over his shoulder once more. As Naruto got closer, he realized that he had been wrong before. The girl wasn't merely unconscious, she was dead. Naruto hid his grimace. "You were talking to Harry just now?"

"Oh, yeah." Said Neville, glancing behind him. "Disappeared quite quickly, didn't he?"

"Did he tell you where he was going?" Naruto asked hopefully.

Neville shook his head and Naruto stamped his foot in aggravation. "What was he talking to you about?"

"The snake." Said Neville hesitantly. "Vol…Voldermort's snake." He said more quietly. "He said to kill it…well if Ron or Hermione couldn't get it to it first…" Neville glanced behind him toward the spot where Harry disappeared once more and panic rose into his eyes. "Should I have stopped him?" Neville asked anxiously. "He said he wasn't–"

"I don't know, Neville." Said Naruto cutting him off. Then he flashed Neville one of his patented grins. "But I'll find him, don't you worry."

Naruto left Neville and ventured into the darkness of the school grounds. Harry had told Neville to kill Nagini? Why would he do that? Outside, the air was crisp and clear and the stars had all but vanished in the sky as they usually did in the hours before dawn. All around Naruto, there was only silence. If only he had paid better attention to Kakashi when he tried to teach him about tracking.

Naruto closed his eyes and tried expanding his senses again. He couldn't feel anything from Harry, but faintly against the wind he could feel the tendrils of Sakura's chakra. Were they together? Why wouldn't Harry tell him if he found Sakura? They seemed to be running in the direction of the Forbidden Forest so Naruto took off in that direction.

It was cool when Naruto entered the forest, as if all the cool air and moisture had escaped into the trees to escape the earlier heat of the day. He could hear Harry stumbling through now; snapping twigs and branches underfoot. Naruto sprang up into the trees, doing his best to mask the scent of his chakra and it wasn't long before he spotted Harry just ahead of him.

And not too far ahead of him, Sakura was moving at a steady pace, gracefully jumping over fallen branches and picking her way through the forest without a sound.

Naruto's heart leapt in his chest and it took every ounce of willpower he had not to call out her name and fling himself toward her. He remembered the last time he had chased after her, how her behavior had scared him.

Sakura stopped suddenly, and Naruto paused on a tree a few paces behind her. Did she sense him? Is that why she had stopped? But then a sense of magic, of evil so strong assaulted him that Naruto almost stumbled backward off the branch he was perched on. A bead of sweat rolled its way down between Naruto's shoulder blades.

Sakura was pointing toward a dense area of underbrush and gnarled branches and Naruto knew beyond a doubt that Voldermort was somewhere in the darkness. The feel of Voldermort's magic was strong enough to be felt by the blond haired ninja, but as Naruto got over the initial assault to his senses he could the familiar tendrils of Orochimaru's chakra as well, mingling with Voldermort's to create something that felt like thousands of cold fingernails scraping over his bare skin. Naruto's gut rolled in revulsion, but Naruto pushed the feeling away, instead focusing on Harry. He had to get the dark haired wizard out of here; there was no way that he knew what he was walking into. Naruto sprang from the tree, jumping through the air toward Harry who was staring at the undergrowth, deep in thought. Naruto's foot just barely touched down on the ground when Sakura spun toward him.

For a moment, it was like time stood still. Sakura's eyes were wide, her lips parted as she mouthed his name. Naruto could feel himself reaching out for her, could feel her name bubbling to his lips when in a split second, everything changed. Anger spread over Sakura's features, contorted them into an ugly mask. Her green eyes were alive and bright and as Naruto stared into them, he suddenly couldn't move.

Kanashibari! His mind suddenly shouted at him.

But it was a minute too late. Sakura had turned and Naruto could feel the chakra in her attack as her hand struck out, slamming into Harry's stomach. The force of it was enough that Naruto doubted Harry even knew what hit him before he was gone, having crashed through the underbrush and whatever horrors awaited him on the other side.

Naruto flooded his system with chakra and the Genjutsu crumbled under the onslaught of power. Then Sakura's fist slammed into the side of his head and Naruto knew nothing but darkness.

When Naruto came to, he immediately jumped to his feet, ready to charge into action despite the dull ache in his temple. He had no idea how much time had passed since Sakura had knocked him out. She was now nowhere to be seen, the forest as empty as it had been before. Great Kami in Heaven, was he already too late? Had Voldermort already killed Harry? Naruto was about to charge in and find out when he heard some rustling in the undergrowth. Naruto sprang into the trees, a kunai in his hand. When Naruto saw that it was Harry – alive and well – Naruto almost passed out again in relief. He had no idea how Harry had fast talked his way out of that one, but now Naruto had a second chance.

Naruto jumped down, landing almost soundlessly next to Harry and grabbed him by the shoulder. "Harry! C'mon, I'll get you out of here!" Naruto whispered, tugging on the wizard.

"Naruto?" Said Harry in disbelief. "How did you…no never mind that." Harry shook his head and pulled away from Naruto. "I can't leave."

Naruto looked at Harry as if he had grown two heads. "Have you gone crazy?" Naruto hissed. "That's Voldermort and Orochimaru in there! I can feel them! Now let's go before they kill you."

Naruto reached out but Harry quickly stepped out of the way. Naruto glared daggers at Harry and let out a growl, ready to beat Harry into submission if that's what it took to get him out when Harry suddenly sat down on the ground as if his legs had finally given out. "That's the point of all this." Said Harry, his voice calm although his hands were shaking. "I have to die."

Naruto sucked in a breath. It was worse than he thought. Harry had completely lost all hope.

"I know what you are going to say." Said Harry quietly, cutting Naruto off as he opened his mouth to speak. "But it's true; I have to die. And I can see that now because there's no other way."

"Of course there's another way!" Naruto protested, his voice barely contained to a whisper. "That's what we've been doing this whole time! Or have you forgotten about the Horcruxes?" He demanded.

A bitter smile flitted over Harry's face. "I am a Horcrux."

"You…what?" Naruto asked, flabbergasted as he sank onto the ground next to Harry, defeated.

Harry pulled something from the moleskin pouch that he always wore about his neck and a small glint of light reflected off the snitch Dumbledore had given him. Harry stared at it for a beat before he looked at Naruto. "Do you…do you think you could tell Ron and Hermione for me? Can you tell them that…" Harry paused for a moment and Naruto clenched his hands, digging them into the ground so hard that they hurt.

"They were the best thing that happened to me." Harry finally said softly.

"It's not fair." Said Naruto. He furiously batted away the tears that were stinging at his eyes. "He shouldn't get to win…"

"He's not winning." Said Harry, shaking his head. "Once I'm gone, he won't be afraid anymore. Take care of Nagini and you'll have him."

"Naruto…" Harry reached over and hesitantly placed his hand over Naruto's. Naruto's hand was shaking beneath his. "You've been a good friend. Despite our differences, you're one of the best mates that I've ever had."

Harry let that sink in for a moment before he finally pushed himself up onto his feet. His legs felt stronger now, as if he had finally made peace with what he was about to do. He put the snitch to his lips and whispered "I am about to die."

Naruto watched silently from the trees as Harry walked into the clearing to face Voldermort. From somewhere in the trees, a great voice shouted at Harry to stop. But Harry continued until he was only a few paces away from Voldermort.

Voldermort looked at Harry expectantly, a slight smile on his snake like face as he held the Elder Wand between his clasped hands. Nothing was said. Voldermort simply pointed the wand at Harry, as if he were performing a menial chore and spoke the words. The flash of green was nearly blinding, but Naruto didn't blink, didn't close his eyes.

He stared as the light faded and Harry was on the ground, unmoving. A tear slipped from Naruto's eyes and slid down his cheek, falling soundlessly on the branch below him.

Bingo Book

Undesirable #24

Minerva McGonagall

Status: Half-blood. Known member of the Order of the Phoenix

Family: Elphinstone Urquart (husband) - Pureblood (deceased)

Security Status: TRACKED. All movements monitored at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.