"FRED!" Ron screamed, tears pouring down his face as he knelt by his brother. He stood and turned, bellowed at me in anger and sorrow.

"Do it! Bring him back! Bring him back, NOW!"

"I can't." I replied.

"P-please. . " he begged, sobbing hard.

I looked at Fred's hourglass once more, sensed his spirit was still lingering. Could I? Was I allowed to bend the rules? Grasping my scythe, I realised. Yes. This time, yes. These circumstances were unusual.

"Move." I said, raising my scythe and calling Fred's soul back to it.

Ron moved and I swung my scythe down, hard, driving Fred's soul back into his body with all my strength.

"You have another twenty-five years, Fred Weasley. Use them well." I said, as he opened his eyes and began coughing.

Ron threw his arms around me, sobbing me, thanking me with all his heart.

"Shh." I said soothingly, patting his back. "It's alright now. You do know I can't do that to all who have died though, right?"

He nodded and sniffed, grabbed Fred and hauled him out of the way as spiders began attacking.

"Harry!" Hermione cried, turning to him. "You've got to find out where he is - do it, Harry!"

Harry closed his eyes and opened them after a few minutes, telling us that Tom was in the Shrieking Shack. Hermione was outraged at this, and Harry explained that Tom thought Harry would simply hand himself in.

"GET BACK!" Ron roared, and we flattened ourselves against a wall as a horde of desks came clattering past, Minerva shepherding them, screaming 'CHARGE!' at the top of her voice.

We ran on, the trio under the Cloak, myself also invisible as we ran. We came across Dean Thomas who had won himself a wand and was fighting Dolohov, Parvati Patil fighting Travers.

As we came into view, a Death Eater spotted the air ripple around the Cloak and pointed to it, yelling. He was hit by a well placed Stunning Spell instantly and thudded to the ground.

I zoomed here, there and everywhere, taking souls as their vessels perished in the battle, making sure not to stray too far from the trio. At once point, I arrived in time to see a whole horde of Dementors appear, and the trio failed to cast a Patronus. Suddenly, a fox, hare and a boar flew past into the crowd of Dementors, who backed off. We turned to see Luna, Ernie and Seamus. My heart sighed in relief. I knew Luna wouldn't die for a long time yet, but still - I was relieved to see her safe and sound.

"That's right," she said encouragingly, as though it were one of their DA lessons. "Patronuses, come on, Harry, think os something happy."

"Something. . happy?" he said, his voice cracking.

"We're all still here." she whispered, taking my hand and smiling at me. A glow lit up inside of me and I beamed back at her. "We're all still fighting. . come on. . ."

Fainlly, Harry's stag burst forth from his wand and chased away the last of the Dementors.

"Can't thank you enough - you saved our -" Ron began, when the sky was split with a roar as a giant lumbered out of the forest, weilding a club bigged than all of us here stood on top of one another.

"RUN!" I shouted, tearing off with the trio towards the Whomping Willow, hating how Luna's hand left mine, I saw her throw me a smile as she vanished back into the fray.

We arrived at the Willow, and, completely by accident, as I w as running too hard, I slammed into the trunk and my nose hit the very knot in the trunk that froze the branches.

"Ow. . " I complained, rubbing my nose. Wait - I could feel pain? This was not a good development.

Harry dived into the hole and I followed him, making sure to wait at the stairs, where he pulled on his cloak and stopped to listen. I took out Severus' hourglass and looked. He had seconds left. I flew into the room, invisible and stopped to listen to Tom gloating how he was extraordinary, but the Elder Wand had only performed the usual magic for him. He told Severus that he had to kill the previous owner, and that owner was not Albus Dumbledore - it was the person who killed him.

"That person was you, Severus." he said.

"My Lord!" Severus protested, raising his wand, knowing what was to come.

"It cannot be any other way." Tom said. "I must master the Wand, Severus. Master the Wand, and I master Potter at last."

He swiped the air with the Elder Wand, and I saw, the way no one else could, the trail of magic it left in the air as the non-verbal spell was cast and Nagini's cage floated over and covered Severu's head and shoulders.

"Kill." Tom hissed in Parseltongue.

There was a terrible scream, the scream of a man who knows he is to die and is powerless to stop it, and terrified. Nagini struck, drawing blood from Severus' neck, striking again, and again, and again, until his neck was a bloody mess.

Tom raised his wand again and he flew off, Nagini and her cage following him.

"I regret it." he said coldly as he left.

No sooner had he left, and Severus had put his hand to his in a vain attempt to stem the flow of blood, than Harry appeared from under the Cloak, walked over to Severus and looked at him.

"Take. . .it. . . .Take. . .it. . ." he rasped. Frm his eyes, tears rolloed, followed by a silvery essence - a memory, and a whole bunch of them with the looks of how much there was. Hermione hurriedly conjured a flask and thrust it into Harry hand and Harry bottled the memory. Severus grabbed Harry and puleld him close, staring into his eyes. I readied my scythe.

"You. . .have. . her. . .eyes. . ."

I swung.

A few seconds later, Tom's high, cold voice spoke, echoing everywhere. He was once again speaking to everyone.

"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, every one of you will die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemot is merciful. I command my forces to retreat, immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured."

He then continued.

"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, then battle recommences. This time, Harry Potter, I shall enter the fray myself, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

Hermione and Ron shook their heads vehemently at Harry as Tom finished speaking.

"Don't listen to him." Ron said.

"It'll be alright," Hermione said wildly. "Let's - let's get back to the castle, we'll think of a new plan." Glancing at Severus' body once more, we left to return to the castle. One the way there, bodies littered the grounds. I was once more reminded of several war-torn battlefields I'd been on. This was the worst war I'd seen in a couple of years though.

"Where is everyone?" Hermione whispered as we reached the Entrance Hall. Ron nodded towards the Great Hall, and we walked in. Immediately, all eyes were on us, first going to Harry, then to me. Almost everyone there knew my true identity now, and I sensed they wanted me to bring everyone back, but did not dare ask.

Fred stood with his family, all of whom were crying and hugging him. Upon seeing me, Molly pulled me into a tight hug, whispering into my ear.

"Thank you. Thank you, so much. I know you didn't have to do it, and I can't think of a way we'll ever repay you -"

"Ron already has. With his friendship." I whispered back, and she broke down into heavier sobs. Fred grinned at me and thanked me for giving him a second chance.

"Make sure you use it well, Fred. twenty-five years, mate." I replied. He grinned and the two of us shook hands, and it suddenly ocurred to me that I did not want to leave. Did not want to leave my friends. . .I looked around and saw Luna. I did not want to leave those I cared about. Why? For the first time in my existence, I questioned myself. I wanted to stay. Wanted to live with them, in human form.

Unnoticed by either Luna or myself, the blank hourglass finally began to bear something that looked like a name.

Harry began backing away, and I followed him as he ran up to Dumbledore's office. I was invisible. I didn't want him to see me, not yet. Not until he had seen Severus' memories and discovered the truth about himself.

He ran inside, seeing the room was completely empty, except for the great Penseive that lay on the Headmaster's desk.

He tipped the memory in and thrust his head in after it. I settled to wait. One thing about me is that I could be very patient. I could wait centuries - had, in fact, when it came to Nicholas Flamel.

Suddenly, Harry fell backwards and seemed to spin in midair and landed on the carpet face first. Watching, he came to and struggled up. I appeared and stood, waiting.

"You knew." was all he said.

"Yes." I replied simply.

"But you didn't say. I know why. You couldn't. I had to find out now."

"Yes." I repeated.

"I have to die."

I nodded, and pulled out his hourglass, which was almost empty.

"I can't tell Ron or -"

"You must. Harry, they're your best friends, you have to tell them. They deserve to know." I argued.

He relented, and the two of us walked downstairs to find Ron cuddling Hermione on the steps.

"Harry?" Hermione asked, standing, looking worried. "What's going on?"

"I know now, why I've been sensing Horcruxes." he said.

She looked at him, her eyes betraying her knowledge. She'd known for a while.

"I think you know," he said. "I think you've known for a while."

She burst into tears and hugged him. Ron looked bewildered.

"What -"

"Ron, Harry is the final Horcrux," I said. "He must die in order for Tom to die."

Ron looked aghast, tears rolled down his face, he shook his head and Hermioned pressed herself into him, sobbing. I gently pulled Harry, and, turning his back on his two best friends, the two of us walked on towards the forest. We stopped by Neville, so Harry could tell him that if it came to it, then Neville was to kill Voldemort's snake. Neville agreed and Harry and I continued on, coming across a huge crowd of Dementors.

"Now, Harry. The Stone." I said.

He pulled the Snitch out and put it to his lips.

"I am about to die." he said. The Snitch opened up and the Stone dropped out into his palm. He spun it three times. Lily, James, Sirius and Remus appeared.

"Hello again!" Sirius said cheerily, waving at me.

"Hello Sirius." I said with a sigh.

Lily made to cup her son's face in her hands, drinking in every detail.

"You've been so brave."

"You're nearly there," James said, pride in his voice. "We are so. . .so proud."

"Does it hurt?" Harry asked.

"Dying? Not at all!" Sirius grinned. "Easy as falling asleep, dying."

"And he wants it to be quick," Remus said. "He wants it to be over."

Harry apologised to Remus, saying he'd not wanted him to die, so soon after seeing his son.

"I should hope not, Harry!" I said. Sirius laughed. Harry gave a small smile.

"Stay with me." he said to them, and we walked onwards, into the forest, and towards Harry's death.

We arrived in a clearing; a fire burned in the centre of the clearing, a crowd of silent, watchful Death Eaters, some masked, some unmasked. Two giants sat on the outskirts of the bizzare looking scene. Every eye was on Tom, who stood with his head bowed, his eyes on the Elder Wand.

Yaxley and Dolohov entered the clearing and he looked up.

"No sign of him, My Lord."

"My Lord -" Bellatrix said, starting forward, she stopped by Tom's raised hand.

"I thought he would come," he said, his voice high, clear and cold. "I thought he would come. It seems I was. . .mistaken."

"You weren't." Harry said as loudly as he could, stepping out. The effect was electric, the giants roared and every Death Eater looked alert, Tom had frozen into position. The Stone slipped from Harry's hand, and Lily, Remus, Sirius and James vanished. I held my hand out and silently called. The Stone flew into my hand and I pocketed it.

"Harry Potter," Tom said softly. "The Boy Who Lived."

I readied my scythe, and, as Tom cast the curse, swung, pushing Harrys soul apart from Tom's just a little, just enough to move Tom's piece of his soul into the path of the curse. The curse struck and Harry crumpled to the ground. I followed him to where he would be right now, in his own personal limbo, no doubt having a conversation with Albus Dumbledore.

I arrived as Albus was crying, having told how Ariana had died.

"Albus." I said. he looked up, as did Harry.

"I can tell you who killed her, if it will help you."

"Please." he said, drying his eyes.

"It was all of you, and yet none of you."

His eyes registered confusion, so I sat down to explain, tucking my wings under me.

"Yourself, Aberforth and Gellert were all casting spells at one another, Gellert was using the Killing Curse, You were using a Stunning spell, as was Aberforth. At that precise moment, Ariana tried to jump in with a Shielding Charm, to stop you all fighting. However, at the very moment the three spells connected, her Shield went up, protecting the three of you from the resulting minor explosion, which drove all three spells right into her. Albus, you must understand -"

"That I was meant to die." a soft voice said.

Ariana Dumbledore stood by me, smiling softly at her older brother.

Albus stood, walked over to her and hugged her, weeping.

"I don't blame you," she said to him, kissing his head. "Or Aberforth, if you could tell him that, please." she added to me. I nodded and she smiled.

"I'll leave you to talk with Harry, Albus, then I'll see you soon. I love you."

With that, she vanished, and Albus soon calmed down to finish talking with Harry.

Soon, their talk finished, and they were both silent for some time. Finally, Harry spoke up.

"I've got to go back, haven't I?"

"That is up to you." I replied before Albus could.

"I've got a choice?" Harry seemed surprised.

"Oh, yes. Everyone gets a choice - though not like this one. Yours are very unusual circumstances, as Albus has explained."

"We are in. . King's Cross, you said? Then if you decided not to go back. . .you could simply board a train."

"Where would it take me?"

"On." I replied simply.

After some more talk regarding his decision of whether to return or not, Harry looked at the small child-like thing that was all that was human in Tom Riddle any longer. That part of him had died long ago. It had remained here and would do so until he finally perished.

"Do not pity the dead, Harry Potter." I said. "Pity the living, and above all -"

"-those who live without love," Albus finished for me. "By returning, you may ensure that fewer souls are maimed, fewer families torn apart. If that seems a worthy goal to you, then we say goodbye for the present."

As Harry and I began walking away, he spoke up.

"is this real. . or is this inside my head?"

"Of course it's inside your head, Harry Potter," I replied, smiling along with Albus who was becoming one with the mist that was fast descending upon us as Harry's soul prepared it's return to it's vessel. "But why ever should that mean it is not real?"

As the mist fully descended upon us, Harry returned to his body, and I stood by his side, watching as Narcissa approached, and, in barely more than a breath, asked if Draco was alive and in the castle. Harry breathed back the word yes.

"He's dead." she announced, straightening up.

Everyone began cheering. It was a sickening sight. Hagrid was released and forced to carry Harry's body back to the castle, to where everyone was coming out as we all approached. I was still invisible.

"NO!" Minerva screamed, horrified and shocked beyond words at seeing Harry's prone body in Hagrid's arms.

I didn't know why - Tom had just told everyone before we left the forest that Harry was dead.

Hermione and Ron began screaming for Harry, too, and I knew Harry was fighting not to call out, or move.

Hagrid laid Harry down, and Tom began pacing up and down by his body, saying how Harry had tried to run, and everyone yelled that Harry would never do that. He Silenced them all, and I grinned as his spell failed. Because Harry had died protecting them all, they were all protected.

Neville ran forward, and, with a wave of his wand, Tom Disarmed him, laughing. Neville fell to the ground and I crouched by Harry and looked him in the eyes as he opened them the tiniest crack.

"It's going to be okay, Harry." I said, knowing no one else but he could hear me right now.

He gave no sign of having heard me, yet I knew he had. Meanwhile, Tom was setting Neville and the Sorting Hat on fire.

Everyone screamed as the boy and Hat burst into flames, but the flames would not hold, and suddenly, chaos ensued as Grawp raced around the corner, yelling for his big brother and Tom's giants attacked him. Arrows landed in the group of Death Eaters, who panicked and scattered. Harry drew his Cloak over himself and leapt up and backed away a little.

"Nicely done, Harry!" I said.

"Thanks." he muttered.

As Thestrals and Buckbeak began attacking, along with the centaurs, Harry and I were forced back into Hogwarts, into the Entrance Hall, and I took out Tom's hourglass again, seeing that every bit of the bottom was now full. All that remained was for Tom Riddle to die by his own hand. I flew to where Bellatrix and Molly were duelling, Molly's face etched with rage.

As Bellatrix taunted her about Fred's death, Fred suddenly popped up, fighting another Death Eater, and Bellatrix faltered, just for a second, but a second was all it took. Molly's curse hit her in the heart, and she froze, before her body exploded. I swung my scythe before it did, claiming her soul.

Tom roared and pointed his wand at Molly.

"Protego!" Harry cried, revealing himself.

"He's back! HE'S ALIVE!" came the cries from everyone in the Hall. A sudden silence fell as Harry and Tom began to circle one another. I made sure to flit at the edges of the circle, always where both could see me. The time was near at last!

As Tom taunted Harry, Harry took it all, and revealed everything, how Snape had been a spy from the start, from the very moment Lily had died, how Draco had been the one to Disarm Albus upon the moment of his death, therefore making Draco the Master of the Elder Wand, and, since Harry claimed Draco's wand as his own, Harry was now Master of the Elder Wand.

Or so he though - I was the True Master of the Wand.

Suddenly, Voldemort had had enough, and, as the sun began to rise on the 2nd May, 1998, he raised his wand, as did Harry.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

I leapt between the spells, and, hovering in midair, dropped my disguise, and the two spells slamed into - and through - me. Instantly, I felt the shifting in me move completely until it was a separate life. I was suddenly aware of being laid on the floor by Harry, my eyes closed and a great pounding in my head and chest, yet I was aware of swinging my scythe, and, at long last, claiming the soul of Tom Marvolo Riddle.

"Dean! Dean!"

Luna's voice seemed to chase the pain away, and I awoke to see myself stood there, holding my scythe in all my skeletal glory, my wings unfurled, still holding the hourglass that formerly belonged to Tom Riddle.

"What happened?" I asked myself.

The other me - Death - took the hourglass from Luna and read the name on it. The shine coming from it was as if from the sun itself.

"Dean Eath." He/I read out loud.

"But - that's not possible. I was part of you - part of Death! How can I be alive - be human?"

"I never understood Life anyway, but it seems Our wanting to stay here, wanting to be human, all of it was granted. However. Look." he said, holding my hourglass out to me. I took it, and to my shock saw that there was no Time inside it.

"But that means I'm dead."

"No. It's shining. Think. Remember."

As my heart pounded harder, it hit me.

"Oh my God. I'm Immortal, aren't I?"

Death nodded. "Neither of us will be lonely, though. We'll have each other to talk to, plus you still have all the powers from before."

"This is going to take some getting used to." I said.

Death laughed, and, taking the Elder Wand from Harry, he took another from his scythe - the True Elder Wand, and merged the two, then handed it to me, along with the Resurrection Stone.

"Both are yours now. Enjoy your life with these. I shall see you in twenty-five years."

"Yeah," I said, smiling broadly now as he left. "You will."

The room erupted into cheers as though they had been waiting for me to stop talking to myself. Everyone grabbed Harry and carried him around on their shoulders.

Luna looked me in the eyes, and, finally, I did something I'd been wanting to do for a very long time.

Leaning forward, I had my very first kiss, the first of many over the coming years.

It was wonderful.