Note: Title: Mein Herz Brennt - Rammstein

(…)

"Yes, Harry. A prophecy."

Harry sets his jaw. He doesn't like this. If he's honest, he completely hates this. Hermione told him she never believed in stuff like prophecies and Destiny. And Harry never had a concrete opinion about it - except when it came to them, their bond, their connection and love. So, he has no doubt this surely involves him. It surely talks about Hermione too. A shiver goes down his spine and he stops following Dumbledore in the corridor.

The old wizard gives him the time he needs to pull himself back together.

He's breathing hard, anxious. It- it's going to be too much if he finds out that their lives have been defined even before they were born. It's going to be too much to find out about this now that Hermione is gone. Now that he can't change a thing. Now that they can't fight the inevitable.

His phoenix fire wants to rise up but Harry controls it. First he needs to hear the prophecy. He needs to know what Dumbledore knows. But it's like there's an invisible hand squeezing his throat. He can't breathe.

Harry puts both hands on his bended knees, inhaling deeply. A prophecy. Shit. He's dealt with prophecies before. And Chiara is fascinated by them. He lost count on how many nights she went on and on about them when they were together. And he remembers that he asked her if they were truly inevitable.

Her answer was a resounding 'yes'.

"It's fine, Harry." Dumbledore says. No, it's not fine. Nothing is ever going to be fine again. But the man is using a spell to calm him down.

Immediately Harry feels better, and when he looks at Dumbledore, he knows that he can't have an emotional reaction. It doesn't matter. Nothing matters. Soon he'll meet Hermione again. Right after he deals with Riddle and his son.

Nodding at Dumbledore, he goes back to following him.

It's total silence until they reach the Headmaster's office. A nice office. Eccentric. Filled with trophies and paintings. But Harry barely acknowledges a thing.

They sit in front of each other on the two armchairs that were waiting for them. And it unsettles Harry. The way Dumbledore seems to know exactly what's about to happen. As if he can tell which words Harry is going to pronounce.

"Are you a Seer?" Harry asks, both his hands together over his lap while he studies the Headmaster. That's what bothered him every time he met Dumbledore. The knowing look. Because he has always known what was about to happen. How.

"Yes, I'm a Seer." He raises the orb in his hand. "I'm the one who had this vision. The one who uttered this prophecy." Harry chews the inside of his cheek. "Prophecies tend to be complex, but this one was pretty clear when I understood who were the people involved. I mean… it took me some time. This is kind of old."

"Old?"

"I've been carrying this orb with me since I was twelve-years-old."

Harry opens his mouth. He can't deny that he's surprised. He was not expecting this. Dumbledore is very old. Not even his parents were an idea when Dumbledore was twelve. Not even Riddle.

"What does it say?"

Dumbledore sighs and ignores his question. "You need to understand that my actions, your parents' actions were for the greater good."

He does not like the sound of this.

"My parents' actions?" He asks in a clipped tone. "I'm not in the mood to deal with enigmatic bullshit. At all. Go to the point."

"Very well." Dumbledore moves on his armchair, clearing his throat. "The prophecy talks about Darkness and Light and the constant way these forces battle each other. It talks about balance and the way only one prevails over the other."

"So…" He gulps. "It talks about Riddle and… us?"

"Indeed. At the time this prophecy came to be, none of its subjects existed yet. But it does talk about your parents… you and Hermione. Riddle and Ludwig. In abstract terms, of course."

Harry sets his jaw. "But you're sure, right?"

"I am. I had not only this vision but while things were unfolding I used to dream about them. About the near future and what was supposed to happen. I'm the Watcher, Harry. I saw when your mother was born. I saw her as a baby. I saw Petunia. I had a vision when James was born. And when Ludwig was born. And then Hermione. And lastly, you."

"You've known about Ludwig all this time? About Hermione's true identity-"

"Don't even bother with these statements. You're going to learn that I've known everything since forever. But it was not my role to interfere, it was not my role to make the decisions. I'm only here to… watch."

"Is that what being the Watcher means? To stand idly while people die-"

"It means that I'm neutral. I can't help one side or the other. But I've… well, let's say that I've not followed this rule that strictly."

"Who even makes up the rules? Because, to me, it all sounds like excuses."

"The prophecy makes the rules. The forces around us. Destiny." There's a moment of silence between them. Harry is not sure what to make of this. He wants to refuse everything, he wants to stand up and leave. But he also can't deny the truth of what he shared with Hermione. Their bond. The way they've been connected since he was inside his mother's womb. "I never interfered with Riddle's plans even knowing the consequences of his vile actions in our Society. But I've always helped Petunia, Lily, Severus. And when the time came, I helped Hermione." Harry wets his lips, his heart beats a tad faster every time someone says her name. "I told her about the Potters. I knew she was going to pursue this so when it was finally time to be with you again she would be in the right state of mind. In every way I could I kept her Light on the surface. I knew how much she was suffering in Riddle's hands."

"You should have-"

"I couldn't." Dumbledore says calmly. "It was her Destiny, Harry. How things were supposed to happen. The prophecy talks about the soulmates. One to thrive in love and the other to thrive in pain." The words hit him hard. "The halves of a whole." His heart squeezes inside his chest. Terrible thoughts are crossing his mind - such as the fact that Dumbledore surely knew that Hermione was going to die - but he stops them, listening. "And their nemesis. Ludwig. The Darkness Ludwig has is… frightening. And the same way your parents were born to balance out Tom Riddle, you and Hermione were born to-"

"Balance out Ludwig." He says the words slowly. "Hermione's dead, Dumbledore." He hates the words, he hates the way he says them without any kind of emotion. "How come things are balanced that way?"

Dumbledore only squints at his words. "She made a necessary sacrifice, Harry. It was foreseen since the day she was born. It was her Destiny and she fulfilled it. Hermione's role is over."

He grits his teeth, his hands squeezing the armrests. The dark pulse inside him rises to the surface. Harry feels like he could kill Dumbledore right now.

"You talk as if her life didn't matter. As if she was just here to play her part and that's it. You let her die." He says in a dangerous tone.

"It was her choice."

"That she made because she was led to believe it was the only way out!" He's talking through his teeth. Deep down he knows this was what happened. "You let Riddle destroy her completely. He took everything from her. EVERYTHING!" He yells. "AND SHE MADE THAT SACRIFICE BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT-" He stops. Harry can feel the tears. He can feel them suffocating him. But he shakes his head and closes his eyes, stopping them from falling. It doesn't matter. Crying about this won't change a thing. She's dead.

"I understand your pain." He wants to punch Dumbledore. He really does. "But we knew there was no other way-"

"What?" He raises his head. "What are you talking about? We knew? Who? Knew what?"

Dumbledore blinks a few times. It looks like he doesn't want to share this bit of information. But he sighs and raises a vial, showing it to Harry. "This is… a piece of Lily's memory. From that Halloween night." Harry raises an eyebrow. "I-"

"You were there?" He widens his eyes.

"No. Lily knew what she had to do, but she wouldn't be able to bare having this with her on probably her last moments. So, she extracted the memory and sent it to me."

Harry now is barely breathing. "What did she do?" He's trembling.

Dumbledore waves a hand and a pensive appears. "See for yourself."

Not thinking twice, Harry dives into the memory.

October 31st, 1981
Potters' house

She can hear the duel downstairs. Serena and Hermione are inside the room with her. Lily has Harry in her arms, she just fetched him from his crib. She knew it was going to happen tonight. She knew it. And she's ready to fulfill her part, ready to give her son a better chance, ready to die for this.

But the guilt is eating her, so much that it's hard to breathe. Serena has no idea of what's about to happen. And Hermione's big eyes are looking at her in a way as if the little girl knows.

Not thinking about it, she opens the trapdoor and gently puts Harry inside, all the spells in place. Everything is ready.

"Hermione." Serena is talking to her daughter. "Everything is going to be fine. Do you remember what I said to you?" A yell coming from downstairs quickens Lily's heart. They don't have much time. "Just close your eyes, honey, monsters are not real, okay?"

Hermione nods.

"Serena." Lily calls her, tears running down both their faces. "Go hide in the other room. You know what to do. I'll make sure Hermione is safe inside with Harry."

And her heart breaks at the way Serena doesn't even falter. She completely trusts Lily.

Nodding, Serena kisses Hermione's head. "Mummy loves you. Aunt Lily is going to keep you and Harry safe, okay?" Hermione nods but she begins to cry. And it cuts Lily's heart open. But she knows this is how things need to happen. She knows this is the only way.

Serena leaves the room and Lily takes Hermione in her arms, soothing the girl with magic. She closes the trapdoor. Harry's inside, protected.

"Hermione." Lily calls to her, their eyes locking. "You're the bravest girl I've ever known." Lily moves her wand for the rug to cover the trapdoor. "And I need you to protect Harry. Like you've always done. Don't let anyone come near him. Can you do that for me?" Hermione nods. Lily sobs. Her heart is completely broken. "Thank you, sweetheart." Lily kisses her head and places Hermione just above the trapdoor. The girl sits, watching her.

And when Lily stands from the floor, she whispers an apology.

June 17th, 2006
Hogwarts

Harry comes out of the memory completely disturbed. He falls on the floor and stays there, staring at nothing, thinking of nothing.

Lies.

A web of lies.

He and Hermione were victims. They were used to fulfill others' interests. They were always puppets in the scheme of things. They never stood a chance. They were born to be pawns.

"It's not like that, Harry." Dumbledore whispers, as if he can hear his thoughts. "It was supposed to be that way. Lily knew she had to do it. She knew you and Hermione were the soulmates the prophecy talked about. You two were our only salvation. You're the only one capable of stopping Riddle and his son."

"She should have saved her." Harry whispers, his eyes lost. He's still on the floor, curled into a ball.

"She couldn't. It was not supposed to happen that way."

And Dumbledore's words anger him so much-

In a fit of raw fury Harry rises from the floor, his hand outstretched, magic coming from him, squeezing Dumbledore's neck. The old wizard widens his eyes.

"I bet you didn't see that coming, did you?" Harry is hissing.

He cannot control this. The dark pulse inside is calling to him, luring him into its own darkness, into the abyss.

"Harry." Dumbledore tries reasoning with him, but he squeezes his neck even more.

"She left Hermione there to be taken by Riddle." His voice is low. "You all knew what was going to happen, you all knew how much she would suffer. Just so she would choose to sacrifice herself when the time came. AND FOR WHAT? FOR FUCKING WHAT?!"

He blinks and Hermione's face comes into his mind. Her smile, her eyes. A breath of Light invades him and Harry releases Dumbledore from his grasp. The Headmaster uses a spell to heal himself. Harry burned him. But he doesn't feel bad about it.

He feels cold.

He feels like he could burn down the entire world.

But now he wants answers. Now he wants to feel the rage. Yes, he's done being numb.

Harry wants to be furious.

"What else can you tell me about all this bullshit? What does the prophecy say exactly? Is Riddle going to lose after your many stunts? Or am I set to die too? Not that it would be a bad thing, not now." He snorts.

Harry begins to pace inside the room, Dumbledore is looking down, silent.

"It was not easy to do what we did." The Headmaster whispers. Harry stops walking, pocketing his hands in an attempt to control himself. "But things happened as they were supposed to. From this moment on it's all in your hands, Harry. If you don't stop Riddle, he's going to destroy us. He's going to destroy all of us."

"Who else knows about this prophecy?"

"No one. I only told Lily and James."

Harry squints. "Them moving to that Village wasn't a coincidence, was it?"

"No. They knew they had to be there because I saw it, I told them to go. They knew they were going to find the other half of the whole. Lily sent me a letter when she first saw Hermione. She knew instantly." Harry feels the phoenix fire taking over his left arm. And he doesn't stop it. "Reality is, Harry, they could have fled. They could have left the UK. They were going to be safe in any other place. Even if Riddle was determined to find the Book, he had other things to worry about. It was impossible for him to hunt down your parents for the rest of his life." Dumbledore is looking at the way his arm is burning, the flames taking over. "But they stayed because they knew the importance of the prophecy, they knew the sacrifices that had to be made. They knew that the future depended on them."

"It was all a lie." He states, shaken by the way his parents-

"No. It wasn't, Harry. Lily and James loved the Grangers. They were real friends. And they couldn't bear the thought of leaving Hermione behind. They suffered a lot when we talked about it. About the way the Grangers were supposed to die and what would be of Hermione's future." Harry fists his hand and his other arm begins to burn. "We've tried to come up with other possibilities, but, prophecies are tricky. If we tried changing things, sooner or later they could come to pass. So, we did our best to be in some kind of control. Waiting for Riddle was a choice. On that night your parents were ready. They knew that you would be found. They knew Hermione was not going to be murdered." Harry shakes his head, still on fire. Dumbledore takes a few steps to him. "The love and affection are not lies. The Potters and the Grangers loved each other. And you and Hermione… you do not loved each other just because of a prophecy, Harry. The emotion, the sentiment, is real. It's profound."

Harry purses his lips. "I wanna hear the prophecy." He doesn't want to deal with any other emotion that's not rage right now. "Does it talk about the way I'm going to end Riddle?"

"You can't hear it."

"WHY?" He snaps and the fire rises up.

"Because it can change the course of things. It can change how you're going to act from now on. You can't hear it."

Harry squints. "What are you hiding from me?"

Dumbledore hesitates for a split second and Harry knows that he's right. There's more to it. There's more to this prophecy. And he can't deal with this anymore. So, he begins to burn the office. He sends out his flames slowly, his eyes set on Dumbledore's.

"Stop this, Harry." He's calm, "This is only going to-"

"You know what's funny?" Harry asks, his voice strange, alien even to himself. "You talked about Light and Darkness, about the way I'm supposed to end Riddle and such…" He trails, still burning things. Dumbledore coughs. "But I think all your planning and lies were not that precise." He gets closer to the old man. "Because all I can feel inside me is Darkness, Dumbledore." His voice is low. "Did you really think Hermione's death would bring out the Light in me? Was that the plan?!" He yells the last words, laughing at the absurdity of it.

Dumbledore widens his eyes. "You have to understand her sacrifice, Harry. She did it to save all of-"

"BULLSHIT!" He's deranged. And everything is burning now. Dumbledore puts up a protection around himself. "YOU MADE HER DO IT!"

"If you surrender to your Darkness you're going to ruin everything!" Now, Dumbledore is yelling. "Are you going to throw away everyone's sacrifices? Hermione would never forgive you for that!"

"DON'T TALK ABOUT HER!" And he uses a spell to pin Dumbledore's back on the floor. Harry gets closer to him, and, looking from above, he whispers, "Tell me where Riddle is." Because even if he's consumed by this sticky and dark emotion - that's been taking over him for a long while now - he still wants to murder Riddle. He wants to murder everyone.

It seems like Dumbledore doesn't want to tell him, but Harry makes the flames approach the old man on the floor, slowly burning the protection around him.

"He's with Ludwig." Dumbledore says in a low voice. And now they can hear people outside the office. They've probably seen the fire, the smoke. They're calling for Dumbledore. Harry knows they'll be inside in a few minutes. Not that he cares. "They're at his house. It's an isolated Mansion." The flames are still taking over the protection. Harry wants more details. "I'll give you the exact location."

Harry nods. "Good."

The Palace

The moment he apparates at the front entrance he decides that he's not in the mood to face anyone. He knows they'll want to know where he was or what he was doing. They'll want to know what he's going to do next. But he doesn't care. He doesn't want to see them, talk to them. So, he takes out his Invisibility Cloak and walks inside the Palace covered by it.

Now he knows where Riddle is. Now he can finally have the revenge he was led to believe was the most important thing in this world.

He's having a hard time wrapping his mind around what he heard in that office. How Dumbledore and his parents set things into motion because of a prophecy. If he wasn't so determined to focus on his anger, Harry knows this would hurt. Deep. His parents were always perfect in his eyes. He grew up nurturing an unwavering admiration for them. But now, after reading Serena Granger's diary and seeing how much they trusted the Potters and how she left her daughter with his mother on that night-

Harry blocks out all his feelings.

Since he left Dumbledore's office, the Darkness inside him has been on the surface. Harry's not trying to send it away anymore. He has no reason to. They did this to him. They sent him out on this bloody path and did nothing while knowing his soulmate - the only one capable of keeping him in the Light - was going to die.

But they'll get their wishes. I'll end the Riddles.

And he doesn't even care if he dies in the way. Maybe that was the plan all along. Put him in a state of mind that dying means nothing. He burned down Dumbledore's office and almost murdered the man but even so he didn't let Harry hear the prophecy. And he realized he did not really care.

Harry walks to his room. He enters it in silence. Surprisingly he hasn't met anyone on his way here. The Palace is at peace. Maybe everyone is at the Ministry. And that's just possible because of her. Because-

He fetches a few things inside. And he does his best to avoid looking at Hermione's stuff. It feels like she's going to come back anytime.

Crookshanks meows, coming from the open window. Harry stops in the middle of the room, his eyes wandering. The cat goes to him but he doesn't move. He's looking at the windowsill. Crookshanks brought some ashes with him. Ashes that Harry left above Hermione's resting place.

And this blinds him. These few ashes are the last straw.

The murderous rage inside him explodes. Harry feels out of air but he embraces it. He wants to drown. He wants to live in this pit. He wants to forget how happy they were. He wants to forget that they ever dreamed about a family. They were fooling themselves. Since the start. Since they were born and since they met again inside that Ministry. They never stood a chance.

Harry bites on his lower lip, drawing some blood. He's burning up. The flames are consuming him. And the Darkness is… delicious. It is comfy. Cozy. It understands him. It wants him to give in to all his devious thoughts.

And the first thing that pops in his mind is the fact that the Pettigrews are still here. Still inside the dungeon.

Harry apparates. He opens the door that leads down easily. And he immediately hears them talking. Peter, Sarah and Asmodeus. They sound scared. And they're looking at Harry's direction but not truly seeing him since he's under the Cloak.

Asmodeus takes one step closer to the bars, a question in his eyes.

By simply raising his hand, Harry burns down Peter Pettigrew first. The man turns into a pile of ashes. Sarah starts to scream and he does the same thing to her. Maybe he's being too merciful. Maybe this death is too fast. Too clean.

Asmodeus now has his eyes wide. His mouth open. And he's peeing himself.

Harry opens a side smile and reveals his face, pulling the hood back.

"Please. Have mercy." Asmodeus says, crying. "Please, Harry." His hands are together in front of him, in a prayer.

A cold and strange laugh leaves Harry's mouth.

"It's nice that you're calling your executor by the name." He says, having fun at Asmodeus' desperation.

"I- I can see how wrong I was. I never-"

"Shut up!" Harry yells, his voice booming inside the dungeon. And Asmodeus obeys. "You're a coward. You thought a few powders were enough to make you worthy. You thought that inhaling that shit would make you invincible. And because of that you dared to blackmail my soulmate." Some smoke is rising from Harry's pores. The phoenix is completely taking over him. "You made us go through hell." Asmodeus sobs, shaking his head.

"I loved her-"

With a yell that he's not even sure if it's his, Harry sends out a spark of fire that takes over Asmodeus' feet. He tries getting rid of it, but the more he shakes his feet, the more the fire rises. His hands are useless to stop it too.

"I'm going to burn you slowly, Asmodeus. You deserve to feel the pain." And he wills the fire to rise up to his calves and knees. Asmodeus falls down, yelling. "I want the fire to consume every bit of you. I want you to keep thinking about all the nasty things you did while you thought you had the upper hand. I want you to realize how insignificant and small you are." Harry can smell the burning flesh. It gives him satisfaction, it fuels the rage inside him. "She's dead and you're partially responsible for it." Harry doesn't think Asmodeus is listening to him now. The pain is unbearable and the man is about to faint, but Harry uses a spell to keep him awake. "No. You're not going to die without feeling it until the last moment."

"Ple- Pl- I-" Asmodeus is trying to speak, but it's impossible to understand.

Harry wills the flames to keep rising. His thighs and his groin are burning now. He's becoming… a thing. Not human anymore. Not recognizable.

And there's a small smile on Harry's face while he watches. He should have killed Asmodeus a long time ago.

There's nothing left to say. Nothing left to do here. Harry makes sure that the flames keep burning slowly and he watches until the end. He watches until there's nothing left.

The Pettigrews are dead.

Now, only the Riddles remain.

Ludwig's Mansion

The place is huge. Pompous. And Harry can sense the strong ward around it. For a moment he ponders. But his decision is fast. He doesn't care if Riddle and Ludwig know he's there.

So, raising his hands, Harry channels his phoenix fire. The wards melt easily - too easily - and he goes. As he steps closer he feels more and more connected to the Darkness inside him. It's all consuming. It clears his mind from thoughts and it strips his heart from emotions. That's exactly what he needs.

The front door opens. Harry stops. He's fairly close now, just a few steps away. Riddle steps out. Ludwig is right behind him. Harry squints at them. Now that he knows more about this sick relationship, he might be able to use it against them.

"I'm here for us to get it over with!" He says firmly.

Harry feels ready for this. His magic and fire are one hundred percent. Except… his left hand keeps hurting. It's a searing pain. As if the bond is being severed over and over again. Almost like a torture. Almost like a constant physical reminder that she's not there anymore.

"We were waiting for you." Tom Riddle says, a nasty smile taking over his face. And then, he raises the Book in his hand, showing it to Harry. "I have something I need you to read for me, Potter."

Harry doesn't react. His eyes are going from Riddle to Ludwig. Just as he expected, they're not going to hurt him until he cracks the Book for them. Which is something that he's not going to do. He has no idea how, anyway.

His eyes are drawn to the way Ludwig is playing with his golden chain. The watch is inside his pocket. Harry can't tell exactly what this watch is, but it's filled with magic and according to the memories he saw, Ludwig took it from Riddle Manor a long time ago. It's something he cherishes, something he uses to fuel his magic. Harry knows his chances are better if he destroys the watch.

"I'm sorry, Riddle. I'm not a fan of reading books out loud." He mocks the man, taking more steps in their direction. Riddle squints. Ludwig opens a small smile, predatory. "But I'm a nice man." He says, now even closer. It's possible to see the ring of phoenix fire he branded into Riddle's neck. "I'll read for you if you win a fair duel against me." Harry says slowly, the memories from that night at the beach coming back to him. He should have murdered Riddle right there. He could have avoided a lot.

Riddle scoffs, magically tucking the Book away. He's dressed casually for his standards and it's odd to see him this way. He really doesn't care anymore about the Ministry, about the power he had there. It's like he's sure he's going to win this. Sure that Harry's going to read the Book for him and he'll be able to perform the most powerful incantation, or spell, or whatever, that ever existed.

Ludwig crosses his arms.

"I think it's fair, father." He says in a low voice, observing Harry.

It crosses Harry's mind that Ludwig wants his father dead. So, it's no surprise that he wants this duel to happen.

"No." Riddle says. "Haven't you learned your lesson?" He asks Harry. And then, he laughs, coldly. "I won even before I had Hermione's power." Harry fists a hand. "Now that I have it you don't stand a chance and I honestly don't want to waste my time on this."

Harry nods a few times, pocketing his hands. This conversation is nonsense. And his plan never was to duel or anything like that. He just wanted to buy him some time to prepare. Buy him some time to be sure that only Riddle and Ludwig are the ones in the Mansion. And while they were talking, he used his magic to search the place. There's magic inside, many powders. But no one else.

It's only them.

"Yeah, well. I tried, right?" Harry shrugs. And he's tired of talking.

Taking a second to inhale deeply, Harry empties his mind and the only thing that exists is Hermione. She's not there anymore but he's doing this for her too. For everything she went through in Riddle's hands.

This is for their love. For everything they lost. For everything they might have been if it weren't for this cruel joke of Fate. Of Destiny.

And after allowing himself this last moment with her, this last moment with the memory of her, he closes it off.

The Darkness takes over him and Harry sets his jaw. He never felt this powerful.

It happens fast.

He looks at Riddle and utters a strong curse. It hits a shield around the man. On the next second Ludwig is throwing a spell at Harry, trying to immobilize him. Riddle does the same. And he evades both their spells. A small smile takes over his lips.

They're not trying to kill him.

Which is perfect because that's going to be their downfall.

Harry moves back, away from the Mansion. And he keeps using strong spells. He can't quite describe it but the Darkness and the phoenix fire combined make him stronger. They make things easier because nothing else matters. His focus is totally on how the spells are casted and the best way he can use them.

It takes Riddle and Ludwig a moment to react. Harry can tell that they were not that prepared. Yes, they were waiting for Harry. But not this Harry. Not the Harry that lost everything. Not the one that wants to die. Not the one filled with darkness.

But when they do react, a battle takes place.

Harry is defending himself brilliantly. And he keeps luring them further away from the Mansion. He could tell that some power resides inside the place, which is odd but similar to what Ludwig can do with the golden watch… as if he's storing magic for later.

"Bombarda!" Riddle yells with fury, not caring that much if he's going to explode Harry or not. Which is a good sign. It means that his taunting is working. Riddle is losing his patience. Easily he stops the explosion, moving gracefully on the field around the Mansion.

He's playing a game with them. Something close to a hide-and-seek. Harry is in plain sight but he's untouchable. He uses his spells with care, not wasting a movement or a second. Knowing that they won't kill him because of the Book also helps. So, it's easy to dodge the spells, easy to move around and hurt them with small jinxes.

But Harry is directly dueling only with Riddle. He doesn't care about Ludwig right now. And in a way his plan is working. Ludwig lowers his guard, intrigued that Harry is ignoring him and only focusing on his father. If he learned anything from the memories he saw, he knows that Ludwig likes to be the center of attention. He likes to be the most important person in the room. He needs to be. It's pathological.

That's exactly what Harry wanted. To frustrate him in a way that would leave him… dumbfounded.

The moment he's sure Ludwig is not with a shield around him - sure that he and his father can win this - Harry sends the killing curse his way.

And Riddle stops, widening his eyes.

The curse hits Ludwig. Right in the middle of his chest.

It's the first time Harry ever used the curse this way. When he killed Lucius Malfoy he was merely trying to stay alive. And he didn't use a wand. He barely saw what happened. But it's different to feel the curse leaving his wand, the power coursing through his body. It's different to see it right before his eyes.

Ludwig falls down like a… corpse. It's fast. Brutal.

Harry opens a smile. The Darkness inside him is exploding. This is extremely satisfactory. Seeing the life leaving Ludwig's eyes is happiness. It makes Harry giddy. It's almost like he's opening a Christmas present.

One down.

Riddle is shocked but he doesn't seem to care that much. And now Harry brings out his phoenix fire. The sensation is exhilarating. He's burning up and Riddle looks unsure.

They circle each other in a dance, measuring one another. There are a billion things Harry could say to this man. Surely a lot is stuck in his throat, but what for? Uttering words is not going to bring Hermione back. Telling Riddle how awful he is and how cruelly he deserves to die is not going to change a damn thing.

Without much thought, Harry uses his fire. His destructive fire.

He tries holding Riddle inside a dome of it, but the man apparates fast, moving from one place to the other, trying to fool Harry. But he keeps his cool. He stays put. Riddle can't touch him like this. The fire stops most curses. It protects Harry. It turns him into a weapon.

So, he waits. He waits for the perfect moment. He waits for Riddle to mess up.

The man appears a few feet in front of him and Harry can see that he's using a spell to mimic his phoenix fire. There are some flames protecting Riddle too. But they're not the real thing, they don't come even close. And this makes Harry laugh. Tom Riddle is ridiculous.

And the fury in the man's eyes is clear to Harry. Riddle loses the little control he had left. The control that was stopping him from directing curses at Harry that could easily kill him.

Harry only grounds himself more, the fire around him behaving like a protective wall. Like a cocoon. And when Riddle releases most of his power in an attempt to break through this fire, Harry grits his teeth. He begins to sweat. He never faced that much magic at once. It's just pure magic. Pure force. Much like the way Riddle used to hit Hermione. But this is more. A lot more.

The fire is stronger, though. The fire is something that Riddle doesn't know how to deal with. Something that is part of Harry, part of his magic and power. This is not just a spell. This is visceral. It comes from within.

Through the flames swirling around him he can see Riddle's face. He looks completely… lost. But he keeps releasing his magic, baffled that it's not working. He's incredulous. For the first time he's facing a wizard with more power than him.

And Harry knows exactly what to do. Yes, keep trying, Riddle.

He conjures up the sword he took from inside Bellaverde. The same sword that killed his Dragon is going to land the final blow on Riddle. Call it poetic justice or whatever.

While Riddle keeps trying to break through his fire, Harry focus on the sword and on the fire. He focus on the way these two things might help each other. And he watches the way the fire embraces the sword as they become one.

Harry releases his wand. He doesn't need it anymore.

The moment he extinguishes the flames around himself, it's easy to see that Riddle understood what just happened. And he's shocked.

Because Harry made him use a lot of his magic. He's weaker now. More vulnerable. And Harry feels stronger.

"No one is going to protect you this time." Harry says in a low voice, moving the sword in his hand, getting closer to Riddle. He's pulsating inside with the magic that the sword holds now.

It's a sea of Darkness. His fire, his magic. Himself. Delightful.

And he can tell that Riddle is considering fleeing. But Harry won't let him escape another time. He won't let him win again. This needs to end.

It ends right now.

He apparates to Riddle so fast that it's in the span of a blink. And his left hand closes around Riddle's arm. The man screams because of the fire. There's no way of him apparating without taking Harry with him.

Immediately he feels Riddle's power trying to protect him. Harry is maybe the same height as Riddle and they're looking deep into each other's eyes. No emotions are battling inside Harry. The sentiment is quite simple.

Hate.

Contempt.

Anger.

He squints at Riddle, his fire burning the man's arm. He's… scared. Harry smiles.

And, in total control, using the sword filled with destructive fire, he pierces it on the magical shield that is still protecting Riddle. Harry grits his teeth and forces the sword into it. The sword is physically breaking the protection while the fire destroys the magical aspect of it.

Then, it's all gone. All the powders, all the Ancient Magic. Nothing is going to help Riddle now.

And deep down Harry understands why things happened the way they did. Hermione would have never allowed him to go so deep into this power. Harry had to completely give himself to the phoenix or else he wouldn't be able to do this. He would never defeat Riddle without this power. Without this Darkness.

Harry utters a spell, paralyzing Riddle in place. It works perfectly and Harry knows this is it.

He takes a step back to look better at the vile man that ruined his life. That ruined Hermione's life. The man that destroyed them.

Harry burns down Riddle's clothes. He wants to see the fire consuming the flesh. And then, raising a hand, he manipulates the fire. Countless flame needles appear by his side. Huge and thick needles.

"You liked so much to prick Hermione. Let's see if you enjoy this."

Harry moves his wrist and all the needles go deep into Riddle's flesh. The man screams. He screams at the top of his lungs. The needles are entering him slowly, burning every and each pore. Pocketing one hand, Harry watches. There isn't any blood because the fire stops it, but the smell… it's very unique. And it doesn't bother him at all.

It's like watching a movie. As if he's not even there. As if this is not happening in front of him.

Except that it is. Except that he is the one doing it.

Tilting his head, he opens a smile when the needles are all the way into Riddle. He's still alive. But barely.

"No torture will ever be enough for you." He says and twists his wrist, the needles twist inside Riddle. He lets out a lament. He can't even scream anymore. "I want you to look me in the eyes, Riddle." And Harry uses a spell to keep Riddle's eyes open, on him. He throws the sword from one hand to another. "You killed my Dragon. And because of you Hermione is dead." Harry understands the words, but the emotions that these statements should flare inside him are not there. He can't feel a thing. Not anymore. He's empty.

His own heart is being consumed by his fire. It's burning until it turns black.

But there's a smile on his face. A creepy smile. He maneuvers the sword again, playing with it. Riddle is looking but Harry doubts he comprehends what he's seeing. The fire already killed him.

So, without delaying this for another second, Harry swings the sword violently.

Riddle's head rolls, detaching from the rest of his body and hitting the ground with a thud. Now there's blood. It does not bother Harry.

Tom Riddle is finally dead.

And differently from what he imagined would happen, there's no sense of satisfaction invading him. There's no sense of relief. Because there's no future anymore. Not for him. Not for Hermione.

Harry squints at Riddle's head. His eyes are wide open and the scene makes him laugh. The idea that Riddle died with a permanent expression of surprise is comical.

Waving both hands he incinerates Riddle, vanishing with him forever. What remains from the all powerful wizard that terrorized wizards and witches for so long are his ashes.

Closing his eyes, Harry crouches. Now there's just one thing left for him to do.

Take his own life.

There's no purpose in living in a world without Hermione. No purpose in trying to rebuilt something with the others. They'll take care of everything. They'll understand that Harry killed Riddle. And, yes, maybe they'll wonder what happened to Harry, but it won't be that hard to figure it out. Not to mention that Dumbledore knows about this place. He'll tell the others that Harry came here.

Harry opens his eyes and stares at his wedding band. It's shining beautifully. Gulping, he kisses it with tenderness. His left hand still hurts. But he closes it around the sword's hilt. He wants his death to be clean, precise.

And when he rises, his mind is on this, so, it's no wonder that he misses Ludwig coming at him.

A spell hits his middle hard and Harry flies back. He meets the ground with an enormous force. And he whines at the pain.

He doesn't even have time to think.

Ludwig appears in front of him, tying him up, freezing Harry and throwing a powder at his face.

Harry is furious now. He can't feel his phoenix fire.

And how Ludwig is alive is truly… a mystery.

"Wow, Potter!" Ludwig exclaims, clapping his hands and laughing. "How fun!" Harry watches while Ludwig takes the sword from his hand and examines it. "Look at this beauty." He whistles. "Father never let me have it, but now he's gone, right? Now I can do whatever I want. I have to thank you for that." The man exaggeratedly bows his head to Harry. Laughing. He sounds like a lunatic. "It was really something how you took away his magic with your fire."

"Just kill me." Harry says, fed up. He's in a position that there's nothing he can do, he knows Ludwig has the upper hand. And even if he thinks that Ludwig is a huge threat, Harry can't find inside himself the will to care. The will to try anything. "Come on, be done with it."

Laughing, Ludwig shakes his head. "That's not the spirit, Potter. We have so much to do!" And Ludwig inhales deeply, theatrically. "Can you feel it?" He opens his arms, closing his eyes. "Tom Riddle's magic is hanging in the air still. It lost its vessel and it's looking for a new one." Harry makes a face. "And thanks to you I'm finally able to… take it." And the nasty smile he opens is chilling. "His magic and the magic he took from Hermione."

Slightly shocked, Harry watches while Ludwig takes out his golden watch and opens it. Smoke comes out and Ludwig begins to murmur an incantation.

No. This was not supposed to happen.

Riddle is dead. He's gone. Enough.

ENOUGH.

Harry tries using his fire to end Ludwig's spells, but the powder he threw at his face is repressing all his magic, all his power. And sensing his reaction, Ludwig throws some more powder at him. Harry feels weaker now.

And he widens his eyes a bit when he feels the astounding magic coming from Ludwig.

Indeed, the man laughs hysterically, clapping his hands repeatedly, yelling to the sky.

"Look at this, father! Ha! I'm the most powerful wizard that ever lived!" But he swiftly turns his head to Harry. "Well, maybe not yet, but I'm going to be." And he lifts Harry from the floor with a spell. "The only thing missing is this phoenix fire you have inside you…" Ludwig is whistling while he's taking Harry to the Mansion. "We're going to have so much fun!"

A Lord of Darkness,
To rule and blind.
The Keeper,
For the written magic to guard.

A Muggleborn and a Pureblood,
A couple of Light to die.

The story to repeat,
The Muggleborn and the Half-Blood to meet.

Destined to share the phoenix,
Bound to find each other are
The soulmates to be.
However,
Separate they must.
While her to be taken by the enemy,
Him to be found by the kind.

Intertwined.

Pain and love,
Defeat and sacrifice.

Her sacrifice for the soulmate to fall,
Only then
To summon the Darkest of all.
Light and Darkness,
The fates to harness.

From the ashes,
Her rebirth.
United again,
The Bird.

And on the last battle,
Against the Snake,
One soul to take.

It's time.

Open your eyes.

And Hermione obeys.