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He was running.
On the run, technically, though he was actually physically running at that moment, down the beach. Anything to rid himself of some of the excess energy he was carrying at all times these days. He didn’t want to be on the run.
He wanted to be out there, fighting, but he’d had his chance at that, and he’d lost.
Voldemort had won, and Harry had barely escaped with his life. He wouldn’t have left at all if it hadn’t been for his friends, but he couldn’t sentence them to death along with himself.
Since then—it had been around three months, he thought, though he’d admittedly lost track of the days—they’d been moving from place to place, occasionally stopping off in the Muggle world for food. It was almost like the prolonged camping trip he’d taken with Ron and Hermione, only there were more people this time.
More chances for them to get caught.
More people to get killed.
He’d thought about leaving more than once, because they had a better chance of surviving if Harry weren’t with them, but every time he’d thought about it, Ron or Hermione had instantly seemed to know about it.
He couldn’t tell them no, that he wouldn’t stay with them.
Couldn’t bring himself to leave, when they begged him to remain.
But no matter how far, and how fast, he ran, he couldn’t shake Voldemort’s words to him, as he was fleeing Hogwarts with the others.
“No matter how fast you run, no matter where you hide, I will catch you.”
…
“Where’d you find the ball?” Harry asked, when he made it back to the temporary camp site to find Ron, George and Charlie kicking a football between them.
“It rolled in with the tide,” George replied, nodding to where the sea was now receding. “Gotta get our fun where we can, since we’re not supposed to use magic unless we really need to.”
That had been Kingsley’s idea, and many of them were looking to the calm man as a leader, and so, nobody was casting unnecessary magic. Only to travel, and for protection spells.
Arthur had been having a whale of a time, learning how to live like a Muggle properly, Hermione over his shoulder at every step to keep an eye on things.
Nodding, Harry glanced over the camp. “We should probably look at moving on soon. We’ve been here over a week.”
Ron wrinkled his nose, but reluctantly nodded. Harry understood. They’d spent a lot of time in forests and wooded areas, and the openness of being on the beach was both freeing and refreshing.
“We could try and find another beach,” he said, shrugging slightly. “Maybe on the east coast this time.”
“That’s a good idea,” Kingsley said, stepping up behind Harry, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Do you want to come with me, to scout somewhere out?”
Harry nodded. Anything to be doing something.
“Yeah… Yeah, I’ll come with.”
…
Molly and Arthur were the first to disappear.
They’d gone for a moonlit stroll along the sand, and never come back. After three days searching, those remaining left the area.
…
“We have to stay within the confines of the wards. It’s the only way to stay safe!”
“We have to gather wood, and travel for food,” Hermione pointed out. “Maybe if we use Harry’s cloak?”
“It’s still not foolproof, but I suppose it’s better than nothing,” Kingsley conceded, though he didn’t look happy.
Harry agreed with both of them, but that didn’t make it easier. Being on the run with so many people was difficult, but he wanted nothing more than to keep their numbers what they were.
…
The forest they set up camp in next was heavily warded, more so than usual even. When people left, it was with the cloak, and they used disillusion charms, anti tracking charms, and silencing charms on their shoes.
And yet, it didn’t stop George, Charlie, and Neville from going missing.
…
“I can’t keep letting this happen,” Harry said softly, his eyes on the flickering light of the fire. “If I go to him… maybe he’ll leave the rest of you alone.”
“Harry, you can’t,” Hermione replied, shaking her head. “You think he won’t hunt us until every last one of us is dead, regardless of whether you’re here or not?”
“You could all go abroad,” Harry pointed out. “That’s what you should have done in the first place. Headed for America, or Australia, somewhere he wouldn’t be able to touch you.”
“Perhaps, that is what we should do now,” Professor McGonagall offered, sharing a look with Kingsley. “I know we hoped there would be another chance to fight but… there are few of us, and it’s getting fewer by the day.”
“We’re just going to… give up?” Ginny asked. “What about mum and dad, and George, and Charlie and Neville?”
“Gin… you know they’re already dead. He has no reason to keep them alive.”
“But—”
“We should pack up. It’s no good to be staying in the same place longer than a couple of days,” Bill pointed out.
…
They were at another beach, though it was better protected than the ones they’d camped at before. Nobody left the wards alone, and there were people on guard at all times. That didn’t stop Luna and Dean Thomas from vanishing, right under their noses.
…
He heard the ‘adults’—Kingsley, Minerva, Hestia, and a few more of the professors who’d survived the onslaught at Hogwarts—talk about his resilience, but Harry didn’t feel resilient.
His friends—people he classed as his family—were disappearing from what was supposed to be a place of safety, and he couldn’t stop it from happening.
And it was all because of him. Hermione could say whatever she wanted, but Harry wasn’t stupid. Voldemort didn’t care about the Weasleys. He didn’t care about Lee Jordan, or Seamus Finnegan, or even Neville Longbottom.
He might care about Kingsley, but Kingsley was good enough that he would be able to escape if he didn’t have to look after the rest of them.
But of all of them, it was Harry that Voldemort wanted.
…
If I sacrifice myself to you, you’ll leave the rest alone?
The note was sent with an owl Harry found nestled in a high branch of tree, scribbled on a worn piece of parchment that had certainly seen better days.
He wasn’t sure how he would get a return letter, if one was sent, but perhaps, in between switching places, an owl would have time to find him.
…
I swear it.
There was magic in the parchment, Harry could feel it. The words were an oath, a promise, one made on magic itself. Even Voldemort wasn’t so crass as to go back on a magical oath.
And so, Harry began to plan.
…
“You can’t!” Ginny cried, tears streaming down her face. “Harry, we—”
“I need you to be safe,” he interrupted her softly. “I need you to be safe, and this way, I can guarantee that. Kingsley confirmed the oath, he won’t go back on it. You’ll be safe.”
“But you won’t!”
The heartbroken look on Hermione’s face was almost enough to change Harry’s mind, but he wouldn’t. He couldn’t.
He would keep them safe, by any and all means at his disposal. If his life was the price… so be it.
…
Harry Apparated to the coordinates that had been at the bottom of the parchment, and found himself on a beach. Looking around, he realised it was the beach that Molly and Arthur had gone missing from.
“You seemed so fond of the sea,” a voice said behind him, and he spun to see a man walking towards him across the sand. “You stayed on the beach almost as many times as you stayed in a forest.”
Harry knew who this man was, but he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. Gone was the noseless, skeletal face. Instead, red eyes sparkled in a handsome, middle-aged man’s face. Voldmort’s smile widened when he saw Harry staring.
“You were tracking us the entire time.”
“Of course,” Voldemort replied, nodding his head. “I told you, Harry. It didn’t matter where you hid. I was always going to come for you.”
“And taking people? That was, what? A game?”
“I know it would draw you out.”
“Murder should never be a solution,” Harry murmured, shaking his head. “But then… you never did realise that, did you? You should get this over with.”
“You won’t allow me to savour finally having you here, in front of me, Harry?”
“I can’t really stop you,” Harry replied. “I’ve already proven that I can’t beat you.”
Voldemort tilted his head. “You really don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?”
“Darling, I don’t plan to kill you.”
Harry blinked, wondering what kind of trick Voldemort was playing. Harry wasn’t going to be hooked into whatever it was—he wasn’t there to play games.
A flash of light appeared nearby, and Harry squinted his eyes against the brightness, only to be shocked to his core when Molly and Arthur, and Dean and Neville and Charlie and George and Luna appeared on the sand.
“You… they…”
“I knew you would never give me the time of day if I hurt them,” Voldemort said, taking a step closer.
“Why would you care?” Harry asked, frowning, tearing his eyes away from the people he’d believed dead.
“Harry… you’re my soulmate.”
…
“I don’t understand why you have to go back,” Ginny said, from where she was still curled into her mother’s side. “Everyone is back now, we can all leave. You can come with us.”
“I gave him my word,” Harry replied simply. “I just… you all deserved this reunion, but I knew they’d never find you, if I didn’t bring them myself.”
“Why are you letting him hold you to your word?” Ron asked, grimacing. “He’s broken plenty of promises, before. Why can’t you?”
Kingsley smiled sadly. “Harry gave his oath, Ron. The same way the Dark Lord did, in his letter.”
Harry nodded silently, and then said, “the rest of you should still go. Leave the country. Start somewhere new and live. Be happy.”
“But he won’t hurt us,” Hermione pointed out. “He said as much. We could stay. At least then, you wouldn’t be… alone.”
“I won’t do that to you,” Harry replied, shaking his head. “Write to me. Tell me about the world. Tell me about what you end up becoming, because it’s going to be something amazing, Hermione. But stay away from Britain.”
“We will,” Kingsley promised. He tugged Harry into a hug. “You’re a good man, Harry Potter. Don’t you ever forget who you are, and how many people love you.”
…
“You returned.”
“You thought I wouldn’t?” Harry asked, his eyes on the horizon, where the sea met the sky. “I always keep my word, Voldemort.”
“They’re leaving?”
“They’ll be gone before the week is through.”
“They could have remained. I wouldn’t have hurt them.”
“They deserve a life, in a world where they can be free. They wouldn’t have that here. Not really.”
“You don’t think that I’ll do a good job, leading our world, Harry?”
Harry glanced at him, and smiled coldly. “Oh, I think you’re going to destroy it. And now, I suppose I’ll have a front row seat.”
“You’re such a challenge, darling. I’ll enjoy proving you wrong. I’ll enjoy making you love me.”
Harry snorted. “I’ll give you my presence. I’ll give you my cooperation. But you’ll never have my heart, Tom, soulmate or not.”
“We’ll see, darling. We’ll see.”