This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter universe, which are trademarked by J.K. Rowling. I do not claim ownership of these characters nor the locations such as Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, etc. that are Rowling's creations. This work also includes Pokémon, which belong to the Pokémon Company, and I again claim no ownership of these characters.

I thank both Rowling and the Pokémon Company for the universes they have created that allows me to do something like this for my own entertainment and, hopefully, the entertainment of the readers.

It seemed like just a matter of moments before Harry was rudely woken by the loud bang of Fred and George's bedroom door swinging open.

"Harry! There you are." Harry blinked blearily, looking up at the large indistinct figure towering over his bed, a mop of flaming red hair standing out in the sunlight streaming through the bedroom window.

"Honestly, Ron, I told you to knock," Hermione Granger's voice drifted into the room behind him before the girl herself appeared at his side. "He looks exhausted."

"I am awake, you know," Harry grumbled and he pushed himself up into a sitting position, the covers falling away. He was still dressed, and now that he was awake he was beginning to regret not having taken the time to change last night. His jeans had cut a line into his hip. "And I am tired. What time is it?"

"About nine o'clock," Hermione told him as his eyes started to get used to the light. "Mrs Weasley told us you were staying in here and of course Ron couldn't help himself."

"What?" Ron said defensively. "I hadn't seen him all summer."

"And neither had I but I knew he would need some rest. You must have got in very late."

"I suppose," Harry told her. "I didn't really check the time but Dumbledore didn't take me straight here."

"He didn't?" Hermione asked, surprised. Harry shook his head.

"He took me to visit some old colleague of his, Professor Slughorn," Harry told her. "He wanted to convince him out of retirement."

"And did he?" Ron asked. Harry nodded. "Guess we know who our new Pokémon Battling Professor is, don't we."

"What is he like?" Hermione asked interestedly. "Did he seem like a good teacher?"

"Can't be worse than Umbridge," Ron pointed out.

"Definitely," Harry agreed. Professor Umbridge, if she even deserved the title 'professor', had been the most horrible person Harry had ever met. Even Lockhart had been a better teacher, useless and cowardly though he was.

"I don't really know too much about Slughorn," Harry told his friends. "He was Head of Slytherin in his day but Dumbledore said he was always very fair to the other houses."

"Doubt it," Ron challenged.

"Dumbledore did say he liked to play favourites," Harry admitted. "So did Slughorn, as a matter of fact." Hermione frowned.

"Well, that's not very good," she said worriedly. "In fact I'd say that's rather unfair."

"Dumbledore said he had a talent for picking out students with a lot of potential," Harry told her. "I imagine he'll definitely like you. Apparently my mum was one of his favourites. But potential isn't always good."

Harry was going to tell them about Voldemort and how he and Professor Slughorn were connected but at that moment there was a knock at the door.

"Eh," said Harry. Nobody ever knocked in the Weasley household. "Come in." And perhaps the last person Harry had expected walked into the room.

"'Arry, it 'as been too long," Fleur Delacour said with a smile, looking breathtakingly beautiful as always, and holding a tray filled with breakfast to add to the picture.

"Fleur?" Harry replied, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"I am with Bill, of course," she told him and immediately Harry felt stupid. Over the last Christmas holiday Harry had met Fleur at St Mungo's hospital, the first time he'd seen her since the end of the Tri-Pokémon Tournament. Back then she had been dating the eldest Weasley child and it seemed they were still going strong.

"Mrs Weasley asked me to bring you some breakfast," Fleur told him, sweeping across the room to place the tray in his lap.

"Thank you," Harry said gratefully, feeling very hungry all of a sudden. He frowned, his eyes catching a glint of something in the sunlight, and then his eyes widened. "Fleur, is that…?"

Fleur smiled, a beautifully open honest laugh bursting free as she tossed her hair back, straightening up and raising her hand to his face. On her finger glinted a beautiful ring.

"You're engaged?" Harry asked, unable to believe it. Beside him both Ron and Hermione were looking very amused, undoubtedly already having heard, but Harry was too shocked to care. "To Bill, right?" Fleur laughed.

"Yes, to Bill," she told him with an amused tone. "'e asked just before his brothers arrived 'ome."

"Wow," Harry said, starting to calm down a bit but still amazed. "Congratulations. When's the wedding?"

"Next summer, I think," Fleur said thoughtfully. "We want Bill's 'ole family to be there, and of course you too, 'arry."

"Mrs Weasley is already trying to settle on a date," Hermione told him. "She's so excited that one of her sons is finally getting married."

"Though I think she would prefer if it was to someone else," Fleur spoke up. Hermione shook her head.

"Don't worry about it, Fleur, she's just very protective," Hermione told her. "No one will be good enough for her sons."

"At least not for Bill," Ron interjected. "I don't think mum's got as high hopes for Fred and George, though."

"Oh," Hermione said, shaking her head in frustration. "Don't even get her started on that. I don't think she'll ever approve of what they're doing. Though I have to admit they do seem ideally suited for it."

"So how are you, Fleur?" Harry asked, ignoring the conversation about Fred and George. "How are you enjoying Britain?"

"Oh, it iz very different," Fleur said with a smile. "Ze food iz not so good but I am 'aving a great time, especially with Bill. I 'ave been keeping up to date with what iz going on in ze continent, though. Viktor has contacted me."

"Really?" Harry asked. "How is he?" Last time Harry had seen Viktor Krum he had been returning to Durmstrang without his headmaster, Igor Karkaroff having arranged the kidnapping of Harry and Cedric Diggory off Hogwarts grounds to spark the revival of Lord Voldemort. From what Harry had heard his own country had never settled in peace as Pokémon Britain had.

"He iz struggling," Fleur admitted. "It iz a 'ard task he iz left with and it 'as got worse since You-know-who has revealed 'imself. And Karkaroff iz organising ze Death Eater forces. Zer iz a lot of bad blood." Harry grimaced. It seemed the positivity Krum had left with was being put to the test.

"Well, I should be getting back downstairs," Fleur said. "Eat, and I shall see you later."

"Bye," Harry said as Fleur walked to the door and disappeared out of sight. There was silence in the room.

Ron let out a low whistle. "Man, that's one fine looking woman." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"That is your brother's fiancée," Hermione pointed out.

"I know," said Ron. "Lucky bastard." Hermione sighed.

"When they actually get married do you think you can bring yourself to stop drooling over her?" Hermione asked sardonically, eyebrow raised.

"I'm going to be completely honest with you, I don't really see that happening." Hermione huffed. She turned to Harry instead.

"But it was certainly interesting what she was saying about Karkaroff and the Death Eaters in Europe," she said seriously. "And poor Viktor." Harry nodded his head. Ron, however, frowned.

"Why?" He asked. Hermione huffed.

"Were you listening at all?" she berated him.

"Yeah, of course, Death Eaters in Europe," said Ron. "But really, why's that so different to what we're going through here. We're fighting the Death Eaters and we're even younger than Krum is."

"But we're not in all out war."

"Who says we're not. I don't know if you've been keeping up with the news, Hermione, but You-know-who's out there and like it or not we are at war."

"But we're not fighting. The Legion, they are keeping us safe, keeping us away from that."

"Not in May they weren't."

"I've got something to tell you," Harry said suddenly. "It's about the war… and what happened at the end of last year." Ron and Hermione froze.

"Is this about…?" Ron started to ask but stopped as Hermione threw him a sharp look. Harry got what he was saying though.

"About what Dumbledore told me at the end of last year?" Harry finished for him. "Yeah." Ron looked guilty.

"We weren't going to ask," Hermione said quickly. "We didn't want to rush you into speaking before you were ready."

"I am ready," Harry told her. "I've been ready for a while now but I knew I couldn't tell you this over the phone." He hesitated. "Sit down," he said, gesturing to the second of the two beds. Hermione and Ron did so. Harry took in a deep breath.

"What Voldemort was looking for in the Ministry was a prophecy," Harry said. Hermione and Ron nodded. They already knew this. "It might have seemed a lot to go through for something like that but there was a good reason. You see, Dumbledore carries a time plant with him at all times and he was the one who the prophecy was made to. He was able to play it for me." Harry hesitated.

"The prophecy was made a long time ago, before we were even born, and it was complicated and difficult to understand but basically, what it foretold, was that there would be someone born destined to have the power to defeat Voldemort." Hermione gasped.

"Who is it?" She asked anxiously. "Have we heard of them? I suppose Dumbledore must be… oh."

"Oh?" Ron repeated, looking quickly between them. "Oh what?"

"Oh, Harry," Hermione moaned. Harry swallowed hard.

"I was the one the prophecy talked about," Harry confirmed to his two friends' horror. "As I said the prophecy was complicated but the gist of it is that a child born as the seventh month dies to parents who had thrice defied him would have the power to defeat Voldemort. I was born at the end of July and my parents had defied Voldemort three times so he went after me. He wasn't there to kill my parents that night. He was there to stop the prophecy."

"Oh Harry," Hermione said.

"But this is a good thing, right," said Ron. "The prophecy said you were destined to defeat him so you'll win, right. It means you'll be able to beat him." Harry wasn't so sure.

"The prophecy said that either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live whilst the other survives," Harry intoned emotionlessly. "From the sounds of it he can kill me just as much as I can kill him. More, really." Ron didn't have anything encouraging to say to that.

"The real funny thing is," Harry said, letting out a tired sigh. "Is that it might not have been me in the prophecy. There was a bit where the prophecy said the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal."

"Mark him as his equal?" Hermione said fearfully. "What does that mean?" Harry shrugged.

"I don't know," Harry told her. "But Dumbledore said he thinks it means that Voldemort chose the person of the prophecy himself, that by attacking me he had acknowledged me as his equal by assuming I was the person in the prophecy. By choosing to kill me he made me his biggest threat." It was a terrible irony.

"Anyway, what really makes the whole thing strange is that it could have been Neville, instead, had Voldemort picked him," Harry told them. "I guess that's why they were attacked after Voldemort was destroyed. He was next on the list."

Ron and Hermione didn't know what to say. They sat before him, pale faced, looking as though they were struggling simply to process what he'd told them. It was a lot to take in.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione moaned. "Why does this always have to happen to you?" Harry shrugged.

"Yeah, you've got absolutely rotten luck mate," Ron told him, looking pained.

"It makes sense though," Harry told them. He'd found he'd actually accepted his fate pretty well. It almost seemed inevitable. "Voldemort's always been after me, now we know why."

"Doesn't really make it any better though, does it," Ron commented.

"Oh, Harry, what are we going to do?" Hermione worried. "If he's always coming after you… we'll have to train up really strong. He won't get past us without a fight."

"Dumbledore's going to be giving me lessons this year," Harry told them, remembering almost as an afterthought. "He wouldn't tell me what exactly he'd be teaching but if anyone knew how to beat Voldemort it would be him."

"Too right," Ron said, suddenly sounding confident once more. "Don't worry mate, Dumbledore will have this covered. Old snake face has nothing on you." The statement was so bizarre Harry almost laughed.

A knock sounded on the door.

"Hello, hello, hello," Bill stepped through the doorway, looking just as Harry had remembered him. "What are you lot doing up here?" Harry, Ron and Hermione shared a look.

"Fleur brought up breakfast," Harry pointed out. He belatedly noticed he'd barely eaten anything, so caught up in his discussion to remember his aching tummy.

Bill laughed at Harry's expression. "Yes, I know, but you lot will be wanting to come down to the kitchen anyway," Bill told them. "The letters have arrived from Hogwarts. It looks like you three have got something extra this year."

Hermione gasped. "The APEs," she breathed. Harry's stomach churned. So Dumbledore hadn't been lying when he'd said to expect them soon.

"They're waiting for you, when you're ready," Bill told them and he left the room.

"Oh my god," Hermione gasped, fanning herself in the face to try to calm herself. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god." And she rushed out the door.

"Watch her get ten O's," Ron said, rolling his eyes as he moved to follow her out of the room. "Coming?"

Harry rose nervously, taking his tray with him, the food not looking nearly as appetising now, and followed Ron down the stairs.

Walking into the kitchen they were welcomed with the sight of the whole residence of the Burrow gathered around the kitchen table. Hermione, still looking as though she was about to burst, was fidgeting as she stood at the table, a plain white envelope with the Ministry seal emblazoned upon it sitting before her, and Harry and Ron approached the table to find two identical letters lying where they'd usually sit for breakfast.

"How should we do this?" Ron muttered quietly. Even after his blasé attitude to Hermione's chances he had quickly lost all cheer. Hermione, standing on his other side, didn't look capable of answering.

"Count of three?" Harry suggested, gingerly picking up his envelope. It felt heavy in his hand.

"Better make it five," Ron muttered, glancing at Hermione. She let out a small whimper. "Five." Harry swallowed. A bead of sweat ran down his forehead.

"Four," Ron continued. Nervously Harry looked up. Every eye in the room was on them, every person, Weasley or otherwise, watching in anticipation. For a brief moment Harry's eyes met Ginny's. His stomach lurched uncomfortably.

"Three…"

"No, wait, stop, I'm not ready," Hermione gasped frantically.

"… Two, One," Ron rushed the rest of the countdown and Harry quickly pulled open his envelope, Ron and even Hermione doing the same, the girl promptly shrieking and throwing the envelope down on the table as if burned.

Ron sniggered. Harry immediately felt a bit better. With a deep, steadying breath he opened up his letter and pulled out the sheets within.

AVERAGE POKÉMON EXAMINATION RESULTS

Pass Grades:

Outstanding (O)

Exceeds Expectations (E)

Acceptable (A)

Fail Grades:

Poor (P)

Dreadful (D)

Slowpoke (S)

HARRY JAMES POTTER HAS ACHIEVED:

Fortune Telling - A

Herbology - E

History of Pokémon - S

Pokémon Care - O

Pokémon Statistics - E

Pokémon Battling - O

Pokémon Physiology - E

Potions - E

And with that Harry let out a little sigh of relief. That wasn't bad.

Next to him Ron was grinning.

"Failed Fortune Telling and History," he said carelessly. "But passed all the rest. How did you do?" Harry handed over his results. "Wow, Harry!" Harry, meanwhile, had turned his attention to Hermione. She was staring down at the paper in her hands, completely still.

"Nice one, mate," Ron was saying and Harry zoned back in. "How did you manage to pass Fortune Telling? And what about you, Hermione?" Hermione looked up at the sound of her name, turning to the expectant faces of Harry and Ron. She looked uncertain.

"I did… alright." Ron rolled his eyes.

"Give it here," he said, holding out his hand. Hesitantly Hermione passed him the paper. Ron shook it and held it out in front of him to read. "Yep, nine 'Outstanding's' and one 'Exceeds Expectations' in Pokémon Battling." He turned back to her. "You're actually disappointed."

Harry smiled slightly as Hermione tried desperately to cover for her disappointment, picking his own results back off the table where Ron had left them. They weren't bad at all, really quite good when it came down to it, and Harry couldn't help but feel a rush of pride at the two O's written on the paper. Hagrid would be so pleased.

Yet it wasn't without its bad points. The curly black S next to History of Pokémon stared boldly out of the page at Harry. It was not that he'd expected to do well, much like Ron he had expected to fail History, but it was an awful reminder of just why he'd done so bad. Sitting in that hall, thinking of Sirius locked away in the Ministry, he had not been able to concentrate.

Mrs Weasley clapped her hands together loudly. "Well done, all of you," she told them brightly. "You won't believe how proud I am of all three of you. And Hermione, nine O's, that's incredible."

"Even Bill didn't manage nine O's," Mr Weasley chuckled from his seat at the head of the table.

"I didn't even take nine subjects," Bill commented, not looking bothered at being shown up. "How'd you manage that?"

"She's Hermione, she can do anything," Ron said, grinning proudly at the girl. Hermione blushed red.

"Thank you," she said, her voice small with embarrassment, but genuine.

"Don't mention it, dear," Mrs Weasley told her kindly. "Right, now that we've done all that why don't we open those Hogwarts letters up. Ginny has been ever so patient waiting for you." At her name Harry looked up, but Ginny did not meet his gaze.

Their letters had been left in a pile in the middle of the table and had gone unnoticed by Harry, Ron and Hermione as they were so fixated on their exam results. Ginny already had hers, ready and waiting, and Ron leaned across the table to scoop up the other three, handing one over to Hermione and putting his own down in front of him. Before he could pass Harry's over, however, he paused, weighing it in his hand.

"Hang on," he said and, despite his mother's protests, he opened up Harry's letter and shook its contents out onto the table. Something shiny glinted as it fell and rattled against the wooden table. Ron leaned forward.

"Mate, you're Quidditch Captain," Ron said with a grin, showing Harry the badge.

Harry felt numb. He had not expected this. Katie was a year older than him, he'd been sure that she would have been chosen as captain, so sure he hadn't even contemplated otherwise. Gently he pried the red and gold badge from Ron's grip and looked down at it in wonder.

Ron looked over at him with a grin. "Oh, don't look so shocked. You've won the cup for Gryffindor twice now. You really think McGonagall was going to choose anyone else."

"McGonagall certainly cares about that cup," Bill commented in amusement. "That's a lot of pressure there, Harry."

It was, but nothing Harry hadn't felt before. So long as he had Talonflame, and the able support of Katie, Ron and Ginny - he briefly glanced up at the girl - he knew he'd be able to do McGonagall proud.

Speaking of McGonagall, Harry finally got around to reading the letter that was accompanying the badge.

Dear Mister Potter,

I am delighted to offer you captaincy of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team for the coming year. Your hard work and dedication on the pitch in the process of bringing the cup back to Gryffindor is both admirable and exactly what is needed in a captain. Once you arrive back at Hogwarts on September 1st you will be in charge of arranging tryouts to pick your team, organising practices, and leading your team out for matches. The Gryffindor Quidditch Team is now yours, and any misbehaviour by your teammates on the pitch will be your responsibility.

Otherwise please see the list of books and equipment for next year. You are required only to purchase supplies for the subjects you wish to continue to SPA level.

I look forward to seeing you once the new school term arrives.

All the best,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

"We should hurry up and get in contact with the Legion," Mrs Weasley said fretfully and Harry looked up with a frown.

"Why?"

"Well, for protection, of course," Mrs Weasley told him. "We can't have you lot going off to Diagon Alley without a guard."

"It's bad out there, Harry," Mr Weasley said wearily. "Ever since You-know-who showed himself at the Ministry. People are scared, unwilling to show themselves in public, and you can understand why."

"There have been attacks?" Harry asked. He was cut off from all news at the Dursleys but it made sense.

"More and more with every passing week," Mr Weasley confirmed. "With his secret now out in the open You-know-who gains nothing by keeping quiet. It's back to the old ways, striking fear into the hearts of the Pokémon public, making them wonder who's next, who's in danger, and if the only way to truly be safe is to surrender yourself to the Dark Lord."

"Which is why we are not going to go to Diagon Alley without a guard," Mrs Weasley said, shooting her husband a pointed look and causing him to look sheepish. "Now why don't you all go note down what you'll be needing, this trip needs some good organising."

A/N: Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

To DragonessNehamee: I'm really sorry to hear that. I can't begin to understand how tough that must be for you and I hope things are better now.

For this chapter's question of the day we go back to Pokémon.

DelugeLeader 666 :- What about Z-Moves, not including z-crystals going to a certain Pokémon, like Eevee or Pikachu. If you had to choose three to be your favourite, what three?

I have never played the Gen 7 games so I've never had the chance to really use z-moves at all. Thinking about it, though, I don't think I'd be too keen to have a z-move that has an immunity against it. Imagine using an electric z-move only for your opponent to switch into a ground type. It would be such a waste and I'd absolutely hate that happening.

Saying that I think Rockium Z would probably be my favourite. There are some really powerful rock type moves with poor accuracy so to be able to make them stronger and ensure they hit would be brilliant. The same can be said for Steelium Z with Iron Tail.

As for battle animations I think my favourites would have to be electric, ice, ground and bug.

So what do you think? This is the last of the questions I have so if you want to see these continue please leave a question you want answered in the reviews. Otherwise there will not be a question of the day in the next chapter.

I hope to see you again next time.