Replay: Game Over

Slowly, Harry picked himself up from the floor, clutching his arm as it bled through one of the many tears in his robes. Halfway up his body was wracked with convulsions as he coughed blood into his hand. He whipped it away with his left hand, his right being nearly useless and barely able to hold his wand, leaving only a small trickle of it at the corner of his mouth.

Perhaps a dozen feet in front of him stood Tom Riddle, hunched over slightly and holding his stomach. He glared at Harry and spoke for the first time since their duel began, "So, Harry, ready to give up and die peacefully? Or will you continue this pointless endeavor?"

Harry sneered back at him. Yes, the destruction of the horcruxes had returned him to mortality, but Tom still was the most powerful Dark Wizard of the age. And though at first Harry had succeeded in giving as good as he got, about five minutes ago the duel started going downhill. Tom had cast a cutting curse that had nearly severed Harry's wand arm. His arm had been next to useless since then and he had been forced to duel left handed for a time. He still had hope though; right up until that last hex had knocked him through the air like a rag doll. But he wasn't going to give up. He was the only thing standing between Tom and the entire Wizarding world.

He needed more time though.

The battle raged downstairs, and whichever side won that battle would ultimately determine who won this one. If the Order won, then he just needed to hold on until they could come to his aid, and then he would be able to destroy him. But the fact was that right now he was just outclassed.

It all hung on Severous and Draco. They were the wildcards. They would turn the tides in favor of one side or the other.

"Go shove it up your arse, Riddle." Harry smirked to himself. With Hermione's death Ron was coming down on his foes with the wrath of a god and would probably succeed in killing Tom if Harry failed, prophecy or no prophecy.

It was amazing how many of the oddest curses, hexes, and jinxes had been thrown in this duel. Harry still couldn't believe that the Dark Lord had cast a Jelly Legs jinx at him. But then, he wasn't one to talk, he'd actually cast a cheering charm on him. It was all about coming up with something that the other guy wouldn't expect, and that would hopefully distract your opponent. Tom had only looked on in confusion when Harry had cast the charm. It wasn't until he had to stop from giggling himself sick, which was creepy in and of itself, to deflect a disarming spell the he had understood.

"Fine then," the dark lord said scowling at Harry, "I'll just end this now then."

Harry swung his arm up and was about to cast his spell when there was a flash and Tom was gone. Less then a second later he felt the tip of a wand being pushed into the back of his neck.

Bloody. Hell.

"Any last words, Potter?" there was a pause barley long enough to take a breath and then, "No? Fine. Reducto!"

Harry didn't feel any pain. What was left of his body was still struggling to comprehend that most of his neck, the base of his skull, and his upper back had been blown open, and that half of his spine had shattered into dust.

His eyes stared blankly, not taking in the fine red mist drifting around his body as he was thrown forward into the floor. He still didn't feel it yet, but he knew he was dead.

I've failed.

And then it all came rushing through him. The pain started convulsions that only caused more pain. His body screamed as nerves fired harder and harder searching for a response from nerves that weren't there.

The world quickly began turn white as if bright light was speeding towards him.

Please…Let me have another chance…