Lord Voldemort was facing his final battle, his wand gripped tight in his hand. This was all he had been working towards ever since his Fifth Year at Hogwarts.

His idea of a perfect world started where his final battle would take place.

It was a daunting thought, to say the least; but he pushed it at the back of his mind and decided to focus on the task at hand.

Killing Harry Potter.

After the boy stripped away Voldemort's power over seventeen years ago, the Dark Lord's mind was controlled only by fury. He had been at his peak with power. Loyal servants were waiting to be called by the tattoo that forced made them a part of his cause. Fear surrounded him wherever he walked and he flourished on it. To see his empire thrive in the modern Wizarding World made him as gleeful as he could possibly be without feeling any emotions. The relished in the fear he created with his anger, the one emotion to rule all who have been in contact with it.

Before Harry Potter's time, however, fury had not been the only factor he felt.

Tom Riddle started his journey as a young man wishing to rid the world of all who were deemed impure. His emotions consisting of anger and need for a better society drove him to his collapse. Tom also used the anger he had for Ami's abandonment drive him to commit terrible atrocities. He wiped out her immediate family as soon as he has the chance, making them hear their encounters at Hogwarts before he murdered her mothers and seven-year-old brother.

The more Tom used Ami as his reason as to why he was angry, the weaker he became. No matter how furious Tom was with her refusal to join him, he knew it was coming. Ami was too righteous to kill another being, whether they were a mudblood or half-breed. She was a stark contrast to Tom; for she held pity for others whilst all he could feel was hate.

As Tom became weaker, the more Ami appeared in his mind, especially after murdering her family. He did not tell any of his followers about her and Amber, who he somewhat valued as a friend. Bellatrix, as loyal as she was crazy, never cracked the Dark Lord with telling her his darkest secrets. Indeed, she tried as much as she could before she was slapped with an annoyed boss; but she could never break him.

Bellatrix could never break him as much as Ami broke his heart.

Though he was not able to feel intimacy of love as Ami did, Tom always knew it was there. He hated himself for not being able to express to Ami how much he felt he could care for her, if he could feel love. That's why he originally spent that night in the Prefect's Bathroom with her, to at least show her how much he thought he cared for her. What Tom didn't realize was that he was only crushing Ami's dreams.  The Dark Lord realized this mistake as he continued to pursue the image he made for himself.

"I'd advise you to think about what you've done... think, and try for some remorse, Riddle..." Harry Potter exclaimed.

All Ami ever wanted from Tom Riddle was the same amount of love she gave to him. The glances reserved for him, the handholding, the small kisses she only gave to him— Voldemort knew they were gestures of love. The only problem was he couldn't feel it, or offer any genuine love in return to the ginger he was bound to have fallen in love with.

If it wasn't for his mother.

Unlike in his youth as Tom Riddle, Voldemort focused not on the hate he harbored for his mother but for the anger he had in himself. Ami had been nothing but loving to him. And what did he do in return?

He wanted her to be his second. Nothing less; but most importantly, nothing more.

Voldemort thought of all of the moments he shared with Ami and Amber; and for the first time, he felt a deep sense of guilt creeping into his heart. He knew this battle would result in his death, the final battle against the Boy Who Lived. Voldemort could only assume that this was the reason why he could feel remorse.

Now, he focused on the task at hand.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

Death met Life as soon as the two wands' spells collided. Voldemort could feel his power leaving him ever so slowly as more and more guilt began to settle in his shattered heart. He tried to focus on defeating this young man in front of him— a Wizard with unspeakable power. But his mind, instead, wandered to a voice he hadn't heard for nearly fifty-three years.

Tom...

Voldemort, for the first time in his life, felt something other than anger or fear of death. He felt guilt creep into his shattered heart and grow. He didn't understand how he was hearing that voice– her voice– but tried not to focus on it. Instead, he tried to focus on the task at hand: killing Harry Potter. But the more he ignored the voice, the louder it became.

Tom... why are you doing this? What made you so heartless?

He let out a frustrated scream— not due to the wand in his hand breaking under the pressure; but he screamed because he was frustrated with the voice. The louder it became the more guilt weighed upon his chest. He hated this new feeling; but it wouldn't go away.

Tom! Why are you doing this! There's no point, you've lost, Tom!

The world will never be ruled with hate again, so long as the Boy Who Lived wins!

Tom, your hate will never conquer all; and I'll make sure it won't conquer here.

You're DONE!

TOM, YOU WILL NEVER WIN, LOVE CONQUERS HATE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

The voice of Ami caused him more pain than any curse he inflicted upon another being. The wand in his grasp continued to whither and break down the middle. Nevertheless, Voldemort continued to try to focus on defeating the young man before him.  The guilt Ami continued to push on him, however, made him weaker with every passing moment. He knew he was battling a lost cause, but refused to give up in spite of the screaming ringing in his ears.

TOM, YOU WILL NEVER WIN! LOVE RULES HATE!

TOM—

With one final scream, Voldemort's wand snapped in half. Before his body hit the ground. Tom already felt himself leaving his body, the monster he created with hate and murder. Ami's voice was no longer ringing in his ears. The guilt she pushed unto him vanished.

Tom Riddle couldn't dwell on the remorse or guilt he had for Ami as he died.

His hate for himself was the last reminder he was given before death embraced him.

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With love, SiriuslyxPadfoot