Harry danced around the edges of the battle. Dodging hexes, curses, and jinxes as they flew through the air. Beams of light adding color to the gruesome scene. Harry was devastated to see all of the destruction that had resulted from his appearance in the castle tonight. Voldemort was desperate at this point, he knew Harry had discovered his horcruxes and that several had been destroyed. He could feel the Dark wizard's anger burning through his scar. Harry embraced the pain, using it and adrenaline to keep in his own head. He felt a constant tugging, urging him to fall into Voldemort's mind, to see the battle through the other man's eyes. Harry shook off the feeling dodging bodies as they fell. He had made it to the final horcrux. Draco Malfoy had been rescued along with his sidekick, Goyle. Harry had nearly broken when he had watched Fred become absorbed by a green light. He prayed that it did not mean what he feared it might.

He continued to dodge. He heard Ron and Hermione behind him as they rushed through the main battle. Moving towards the men and building Harry had seen when he had given in and fallen into Voldemort's mind for a moment. He had relished in the peaceful feeling but had forced himself back to the present. He briefly wondered why he felt comfortable in Voldemort's mind.

He was startled back into the present when the stairs had transformed into a chute at Hermione's shout. He thanked Hermione's quick thinking when seconds later they were standing in the middle of the battle and just in front of the main doors. The two Death Eaters who had been chasing them were now blocked by a newly transfigured stone barrier. He heard Professor McGonagall shout beside him and glanced over to see her leading a herd of stampeding desks into battle. Harry felt his lips turn up in a grateful smile as he saw his determined Professor.

He had no way to anticipate the two beams that flew towards him. He flung himself backwards, out of the way. The two spells hit each other where Harry had been standing moments before. The two beams of light, one red and one green, merged and deflected. Before Harry had a chance to move, a beam of purple light pierced his body and drove into his heart. He let out an agonized scream, pain coursing through him. The sensation were horrifying, as though it was freezing and burning him by turns. He bit his lip as he forced himself to ignore the pain. Placing it in the same category as his scar's burning. It was something to worry about later.

By the time Hermione and Ron had made it to his side, Harry was standing on his feet again. Hermione confronted him with a flood of questions but Ron quickly reminded her that they had a mission. Harry was standing, that was enough information for now. Harry agreed with him and they continued on their way to the Shrieking Shack. Fighting giants, spiders, and wizards in a synchronization forged over years of friendship and similar situations. The sight that greeted the trio was one that they wished to have never witnessed.

(0,0)

Harry looked down at Snape's body as Voldemort's voice finished echoing through the night. He was terrified. But he knew what he had to do, he had a mission to complete. It was the only thing he could do to end all of this. To avenge everyone who had died during this battle. From his parents and the others in the first war, to the innocent victims and Dumbledore of the second war, and Severus Snape who had done so much for everyone.

He followed Hermione and Ron back up to the school. He watched as people moved bodies into the Great Hall. Stepped inside the room to see family members and friends crying over their loved ones. Harry saw the Weasley family huddled around a still form and hurried to escape to Dumbledore's office. He found the pensieve and took a deep breath before plummeting into the memories Snape had gifted to him in the last moments of his life.

(0,0)

Harry was a horcrux. Dumbledore had laid out his life until this last moment expecting Harry to sacrifice himself for wizarding Britain. It was a plan that Harry decided to follow. Harry was making his way through the Forest. Hidden beneath his invisibility cloak so that no one would notice and try to stop him. He had given Neville the instructions to kill the snake and was prepared to die. He followed the Death Eaters as they lead him to their newly established base. He ignored their voices and focused on the ghostly forms of everyone who had been his family. Surprised that Snape was not there after all the man had done for him.

Harry focused on the circle of Death Eaters and Voldemort himself as he heard Dolohov speak.

"No sign of him, my Lord."

Harry looked at Voldemort then. His face did not change but Harry felt a tugging sensation in his heart duplicate the one pulsing in his scar. He frowned at the feeling before pushing it aside once again. He watched as Voldemort silenced Bellatrix with a wave of his hand as she spoke something. Harry had missed whatever it was.

"I thought he would come," Voldemort's high, clear voice rang through the night while his eyes remained locked on the flames curving and dancing in the middle of the clearing, "I expected him to come."

Harry looked around the circle as everyone else present remained quiet. Harry watched as some of the trembled with fear. He gave a small smirk as he stood under his cloak, they were more afraid than Harry was. And Harry knew beyond a doubt that he would die in the next five minutes. He took a shaky breath and pulled his cloak off, shoving it beneath his robes. The last thing he needed was for Voldemort to have two of the Deathly Hallows.

"I was, it seems . . . mistaken."

Harry took this as his cue. He took a deep breath and let the stone slip from his fingers. He saw his parents, Remus, and Sirius shimmer and disappear. He felt their presence despite that as he stepped forward. As he stepped out of the shadows. He stepped into the light of the flames and spoke clearly.

"You weren't."

Harry put all of the confidence he had behind it. He was here to sacrifice himself. That did not mean that Voldemort needed to know how terrified he was. He looked around the circle of surprised followers before focusing on the opposite side of the clearing. He locked his eyes with the red ones of the man who had made his life a living hell for the last 17 years. In that moment nothing mattered, no one else existed, apart from Tom Riddle and Harry Potter. Harry felt the world shift until it revolved around him and the man who had been so cruel to him. Something was wrong as Harry reveled in the peace that being close to Voldemort gave him. Aside from the pain he felt racing through his scar as the man's emotions assaulted him.

A bunch of voices filled the clearing laughing, jeering, cheering. Harry ignored them all. He felt lost in Tom's red eyes and he was unsure what to think about the tugging sensation that dragged him toward the Dark wizard. He continued to walk forward as he moved closer to the fire that stood between him and Tom. His gaze locked on Tom's, a staring contest that Harry could not end. A moment in which an epiphany felt to be just outside his grasp. The gaze trapping him. A moment that was broken momentarily as Harry heard a familiar voice calling out to him.

"HARRY! NO!"

Harry noticed Hagrid tied to a tree but was unable to pull any emotion from that. Instead he ignored the other words and turned once again to face Voldemort. He vaguely noticed Bellatrix looking between Harry and Voldemort, her chest heaving, eyes alight with excitement and anticipation. Nagini protected by a glittering shell as she floated through the air behind Tom, her eyes watching him, calculating, as he faced off her master. The entire time Harry focused on Tom's eyes. A trap, seemingly impossible to escape, that was the power behind his eyes.

He felt an almost unbearable pressure as he continued to look up at Tom. He felt as though his heart was fighting to expand against bands constricting it. It was getting harder to breathe as he watched the man. The pressure morphing to pain the longer he stood here. Suddenly the bands snapped, the pain that Harry had been feeling since the purple curse evaporating in an instant. Harry gasped as Tom continued to watch him. His head tilting to the side as though he was contemplating something. His fingers caressed the length of his wand and he watched Harry. Harry could not focus on much now. His thoughts swirling around Tom and why he suddenly felt a different connection to the wizard.

"A soul bond is a bond so sacred that it only occurs once every hundred years." Harry blinked in shock as a voice that sounded like his mother's began to speak within his mind, "To be part of a soul bond is a great honor that one should appreciate every day. A soul bond is a magical contract beyond anything a human could possibly manufacture. Two people so perfect for each other. Opposites in need of balancing. Meeting at a tipping point between peace and chaos. Two people who live their lives in roles of dominance and submission moving towards a greater future for all of magic."

Harry's eyes remained locked on Tom as the man began to examine Harry. Curious, bemused, and awed by the teen's presence. Harry's mind focused on the words coming as though from a long forgotten memory.

"The eldest will wait however long is necessary for their partner to come. Searching high and low for the means to wait for their bond mate, occasionally going so far as to seek immortality. Rarely will a mate have to wait longer than ten years. However the bonds do cause stress over time. An unmated elder partner will be driven slowly to a sense of insanity. Only prolonged contact with their mate will correct the madness that follows. Something that must occur. Under normal circumstances, two perfect people may never find each other. But a soul bond gives the two no choice, intertwining their lives in all possible ways. Regardless of gender, age, power, and magic the bond is one that is difficult to accept and complete. But once it is done, nothing can ever separate two people who were destined, designed, to love one another.

"A bond this powerful can rarely be blocked. Only a powerful wizard can do so and it must be done during the two years of a child's life. The only time in which the mind is malleable enough to override such strong natural magic. A bond blocked from one partner is blocked from the other in mercy for the pain they would suffer not knowing if their destined could ever understand the depth of the feelings they have. Yet, all effects of the bond will still be present in both parties. This is the strength of the bond between a dominant and his submissive."

Harry continued to stare into Tom's red eyes as the man leveled his wand, pointing towards Harry's heart. The previous spell still sending shuddering sensations through him. The lips parted.

"A dominate can never permanently harm their mate. A submissive will attack only to defend. Their lives will balance outside and others will look to them as a perfect couple. A couple who were destined to be together. As opposites, many will not understand the bond. It is known that soul bonds often result after many fights between the bonded pair. Anger is something that is necessary, but violence is not. Magic prevents them from harming one another through physically violent attacks." The voice paused and Harry wished it would explain more, "Your heritage has led you to this moment. The Gryffindor heir and the Slytherin heir together for the future. Creating a world that is balanced between the good and the bad. Your progeny will continue your work and for many generations there shall be peace. This is your destiny, not your death."

Voldemort's lips moved and Harry froze for a moment. Trying to digest everything he had heard. Most of his life he had heard lies. Tom was driven insane through their bond. If Harry had been near him, it may not have come down to this. He thought over everything and thought of his children. Children that would help to save the world. Wouldn't a balanced world be better than the 'greater good'? His thoughts raced around his head. The tip of Voldemort's wand glowed green.

At the last possible moment Harry fell to the ground.

Dropping away from the beam. All of the Dark Lord's followers gasped and Yaxley collapsed, eyes sightless while Harry was on the ground feet away. His hair fell into his eyes as he looked up at Tom. The pose he was in a reminder of fealty and defiance.

One knee imbedded in the dirt his toes digging in for balance. The other foot flat on the ground whilst an arm rested on it. The second hand gripping the dirt in front of his knee. Back curved, neck bent, chin dipped, eyes raised to see the enemy. A breeze that had managed to creep between the trees ruffled his hair as it lay in an unruly mass. The light from the fire's flames danced across his face. Narcissa, Bellatrix, and all the other Death Eaters gasped at the sight in front of them.

Harry pushed from the ground and rose in a single graceful movement. At that moment Harry embodied the classic hero and the villain. His dark hair and piercing green eyes lit by the fire inside and out. His movements smooth and measured as he rose to his full height, impressive despite the lithe form. Harry locked eyes with the Dark Lord once again, keeping himself from flinching as he saw the fury behind the eyes by mere force of will. He watched as Tom shook his head and raised his wand once more. He parted his lips and spoke before Voldemort could.

~You might want to wait a moment, Tom.~

The parseltongue words gave the dark wizard pause enough for Harry to speak. Harry noticed the others as they reacted. Many flinching, others flushing, some merely stood. Harry guessed the latter were all from his inner circle and thus used to the sound more-so-than the others. Tom's wand arm fell to his side in shock.

~It has come to my attention that I have information you do not. I feel that it will be an important factor for your future choices.~

Voldemort gained control of himself once more, ~You are a speaker?~

~Obviously, Tom.~ Harry inwardly rolled his eyes.

The snake-like visage blinked before focusing on the matter at hand, ~What information do you have that will be so influential to me?~

~You created seven horcruxes, Tom.~

Tom snorted and he raised his arm once again, ~I believe I know that I only created six. Good-bye Harry Potter.~

~You created six intentionally, yes. The seventh was a mistake. My death was supposed to create your final horcrux. Seven is the most powerful number after all. Instead of my death creating the final one, it was your's.~

~That is . . . not possible.~ The dark wizard's arm shook as his arm dropped a few inches.

~It explains so much, Tom. Just think about it. My mental link to you. My ability as a speaker. Our twin cores. The fact that you could never kill me. My ability to look through Nagini's eyes.~

~All of that can be explained because I am a powerful wizard.~

~Not the parseltongue.~

~It matters not.~ Tom leveled his wand once again.

~It matters. You only have two horcruxes left, Tom.~

~Nonsense.~

~You know, it's true. I destroyed many of them, Dumbledore destroyed one himself. The diary, Slytherin's locket, Hufflepuff's goblet, Ravenclaw's diadem, and the Gaunt ring all destroyed. Nagini and myself are the only two left.~

~I would have been able to tell, I knew about all of my horcruxes. I have seen how Nagini reacts.~

~We've both been blind, I can feel all of your powerful emotions. My scar bleeds when you come to close while emotional.~

~It can't be.~

~It's true, Tom. When you gave me this scar, you gave me your soul.~

Tom hesitated, obviously thinking through everything that Harry had said. When he spoke again his words caught Harry off-guard.

"Show me."

Harry blinked, "What?"

"Open your mind. Lower your barriers. Let me in. Show me how you know."

Harry thought about it for a moment before nodding. He took a long, cleansing breath before he looked into Tom's eyes. He dropped his barriers and focused on the thoughts only to do with the horcrux. Basically Snape's memory of Dumbledore explaining Harry's role and all Harry's memories of destroying and destroyed horcruxes. After seeing the diadem crumble into ashes Harry pulled back, focusing on the pain radiating through his body to do so.

As Tom sat back contemplating what he had seen, Harry did some thinking of his own. He wondered if he should have shown Tom the memory of the spell and his mom's voice inside his head. He locked eyes with the red pair on the throne and was glad he had not. The gaze was filled with loathing as Tom contemplated the Boy-Who-Lived-to-screw-up-his-plans. Harry could not imagine that hate-filled gaze on him if he told him the truth. It was better this way.

Harry hoped that Tom would let him live long enough to explain the rest of it to him. That was the only thing he could do now. In that idea, Harry waited.

"I could simply trap you in my home to live for eternity with me, after I fight this battle."

"There are multiple people out there who know about not only me, but Nagini as well. There are even more who know only about Nagini." Harry hoped his exaggeration would help his case.

"Then what exactly should I do with your information on this? Should I send you and Nagini away, march into battle alone."

"You cannot win while I am alive. You heard the prophecy. One of us has to kill the other. You can't kill me, I can't kill you."

"What prevents you from harming me?"

~The soul does not wish to injure it's other piece.~

Tom nodded, thinking for a long moment, "The battle is over for today."

Before Tom could continue a voice cried out in distress and Harry found himself double over in pain as a red light enveloped him. The pain had him thrashing as his body suffered under the curse. The agony worse than he remembered. He bit his lip to prevent his voice from calling out to his mate to help him. He had to stick to his barely thought out plan. He needed to get Tom to care for him, before he could tell him the truth about their bond. Or get Tom to remember the bond.

"Enough, Bella."

Harry heard the voice of his mate and was glad to discover the man was careful with his property. Harry felt himself shake for several seconds but rolled over and forced himself to his feet none-the-less. He heard a few surprised, maybe even awed, murmurs from the watching Death Eaters as he overcame the effects of the torture curse.

"Bella. Were my instructions to leave Potter alone not understood by you?" His flat voice caused many of the followers to shrink back instinctively.

"My Lord, he's putting you under some kind of enchantment! You have been planning this take over for months! You would never back down because some worthless brat has convinced you to!"

"You dare tell me what I can't do! Crucio!"

Harry whimpered in sympathy when he watched Bellatrix writhe on the floor under the curse. He was glad that he was no longer being punished.

"Although, I do believe you have a good idea about what to do with Potter while I hold him."

He raised his wand at Harry, the boy spoke before he could stop himself, ~If you torture me, be warned. I will kill myself. Someone else can defeat you when it's just you and Nagini.~

Tom smirked, "You will not kill yourself, Harry. You have an incomprehensible desire to save people."

"I will not suffer by your hands or the hands of another longer than I have been. The world needs to take their trust off of the shoulders of a seventeen year old boy. They can defend themselves if they have to. I. Will. Not. Be. Tortured." Harry felt the disbelieving eyes of all the Death Eaters, but refused to falter.

Tom looked at the boy with a slightly different expression on his face. Harry knew that this was a side of him that the Dark Lord had never seen before. Harry let out a breath of relief when the older man lowered his wand once again.

"It will be interesting sharing my home with you, Mr. Potter. Avery!" A Death Eater stepped forward and kneeled in front of his Lord, "Take Mr. Potter to Malfoy Manor, I will deal with the rest of this myself."

Avery nodded, "Yes, my Lord."

He stood and moved towards Harry, the teen shook out of his grasp before turning to face Tom himself. He took a step forward until Tom looked at him once again.

"I make the same promise if you hurt any more of my friends. Let Hogwarts go. She's your home as much as she is mine."

With that last speech Harry moved back to Avery. He wrapped arm around the stunned Death Eater before giving him a nod. Avery looked at his Lord but received no further instructions. Without further hesitation the Death Eater turned on his heel pulling Harry with him. The last thing Harry saw was a pair of questioning red eyes as he was ripped from the earth and sucked through space to his new home.

Hopefully to a life with his bonded. Assuming he could ever find out how to tell the man.

Well. I'm not entirely sure what I think about this piece so far. This was inspired by a prompt from DaughterOfHV. I was told I could claim it as my own, but my inner Jiminy Cricket objected- so thanks for the idea! Please let me know if any of it was confusing or anything. I love reviews, positive and critiques, so please send them in! Thanks for reading!