Pieces

It's over.

My green eyes fall to the ground, fixated on the destroyed body of Voldemort. The Dark Lord tried to raise his own flesh with the final remain of his soul, but I stopped him. His black robes lifted like a shroud, and I cast Prongs with a soul scathing black flame. I'll give him credit; he certainly fought viciously until the very end. And he took several others with him.

The Dark Lord is dead and gone; there is NO chance of his return. His body is destroyed and his soul is FINALLY laid to rest. But as I look around me, everything is scattered. Bodies are scattered. Nothing is whole; everything has fallen to pieces.

They all fought alongside me. I told them NOT to, but they persisted. I knew it would come to this, I KNEW this is what would have happened. It's fate, I guess (if there IS such a thing). Why me? Why am I the one who is fated to live? And for what? Now what?

Ron...oh Ron. I lean over to him and look him in the eyes. My best friend for seven years now, Ronald Weasley. Ron...always my companion in mischief, tribulations and triumphs. I look into his eyes and smile; Ron and I have been through a LOT together, and I don't regret one single moment. Ron... the best friend I'd ever had. His eyes look to mine, as if searching for an answer. I don't know, Ron... I don't know. All I know is that I'm sorry. Your body rest in pieces; it's my fault.

Snape reaches for my shoulders; I turn to face him. His nose is bleeding, there is a laceration across his eyebrow, and he is missing an ear. Apparently Voldemort didn't think Snape was listening in their Death Eater meetings, so he took Snape's right ear. I can't believe Voldemort's ignorance - he could not believe that one of his Death Eaters was working against him. I stand to face Severus Snape and tell him how sorry I am.

"Sorry for what?"

I reach my hand out, displaying the piles of bodies, the mayhem, the blood, the mess of everything around me.

"It's not your fault, Potter."

"Yes it is. If I died in the first place, Voldemort would have been happy. He told me himself that I was his target. All this destruction is because of ME."

"You didn't ask for this. You are the one who put an end to it all."

It started with me, it ended with me. It's still not fair. It's not right.

I look over to Hermione. Who would have thought Voldemort would transfigure the Whomping Willow into a Basilisk? Hermione didn't see it coming... not this time. And she didn't bring her mirror. I tried to summon the closest ghost so that she would only be petrified, but I wasn't fast enough. The horror on her face as she looked into the Basilisk's eyes... and I couldn't stop it. Hermione is gone. How the hell am I going to tell her parents? They are great people and they KNEW that she was in danger when she joined the Order of the Phoenix. They knew she was a brilliant witch. She doesn't deserve this. She was amazing. I'd die ten thousand times so that she may live. But she lay on the ground, horrified and still. Her last thoughts were probably pieces... memories of all our adventures. No more...

Draco's wand lay in his hand, the shattered pieces of spruce gracing his fingertips. He was my enemy, but became an ally once he realized that good would prevail over evil. Even Malfoy deserved better than this... death... murdered by his OWN FATHER. Voldemort must have given the Death Eaters on hell of a pep talk before tonight's attack. Thank Merlin that Dumbledore was there to counteract Lucius. Dumbledore, being a man of integrity and valor, fought Lucius fair and square. He didn't want to kill him, but when faced with no other options, he had to. There was NO other choice.

Arabella Figg's voice can be heard in the background. For seventeen years she was my protector, but now she's a ghost. She couldn't come to grips with her death, so now she'll haunt this spot until her soul finds peace. I don't know how long that will take. Her robes were destroyed when she fell under the inflamare spell - she was burned alive. Ashen and torn, her clothing lies in pieces adjacent to her charred shoes.

Now what? It's over - the Dark Order is DONE. Voldemort is DEAD. Now what? Once again, I survived. Dammit... I didn't ask for this. I didn't want this. I SHOULD BE WITH ALL OF THEM. I can't bear it. I don't believe it. WHY? Why are they gone? Why can't I be with them? Why can't they be alive to celebrate this? There is no victory when all you cherish is lost. I love them, each and every single one of them. The Order of the Phoenix protected me; they sacrificed themselves for ME. WHY ME, GODDAMMIT?!?!?

My life has fallen to pieces. My friends' bodies lay on the ground in pieces. There is nothing left for me. I am forced to live the rest of my life in agony because ALL THIS, every bit of darkness and tragedy that befell on this school for the last seven years is because of ME.

I can't stand it. All is lost. Voldemort may be dead, but the price was way too high. I didn't ask for this - I don't deserve this. Why did this happen? Why did they do this for me? If I'm so damn special, why couldn't I save them?

I can't believe this is the end.

My heart... my life... my soul is shattered. I'm nothing but a conglomerated assembly of broken lives.

I've fallen to pieces.