Harry felt numb, he couldn't believe what he had heard. Dumbledore had just told them all about the Prophesy Trelawney made in the Hogs Head sixteen years ago. Harry felt as though the breath had been knocked out of him, he couldn't think straight, a millions thoughts were swirling inside his brain. He shall have power the Dark Lord knows not, what the hell was that?! Neither can live while the other survives, the Prophesy replayed over and over again in his mind, like a Muggle recorder that wouldn't stop. Harry thought he might be sick, his breathing became shallow and faster as he started to slowly figured out what exactly the Prophesy meant. Harry would be the only that could defeat Voldemort, he had the power to do it. And what power would that be? One that he never learned of, or that had never shown itself before? Voldemort was strong, Harry knew that, and what did he himself have? A scar on his forehead that made him famous, only because his mother sacrificed herself so he could live. Harry closed his eyes and leaned his head into his waiting hands, his mind went over every work of the Prophesy again.
Sirius knew the Prophesy had been along those lines, but hearing it himself overwhelmed him, and knew Harry had to feel more than that. Sirius looked at him and saw the wheel's turning in his head, figuring out the true meaning of the Prophesy. Remus watched him closely too, waiting with a stunned face for Harry or anyone to say something. Hermione and Ron watched Harry carefully too, waiting for some kind of reaction, other than the look of the shock set on his face. They both had known before that the Prophesy was the key to defeating Voldemort, but didn't know that it would reveal that it was actually Harry that was the key to defeat Voldemort. Of course they had known that Harry was apart of it somehow, why else would Voldemort be after Harry in the first place? He had asked Harry about the Prophesy multiple times, because he had known Harry was mentioned and thought Dumbledore had told him already.
Ginny's brown eyes were wide in shock and surprise with her mouth open in disbelief. How could they tell him this now? Just after escaping Voldemort, then to be told you have to defeat the darkest wizard of all time? Ginny, like almost everyone else in the room, kept her eyes on Harry, waiting for him to do something. Fred and George looked at each other with open mouths, they couldn't believe the bombshell Dumbledore just dropped on Harry, who was so weak at the moment. The Auror's kept their faces blank, and didn't show their reaction to the news. Inside they felt the same shock and surprise, and now they knew their answer to ending the war sitting right in front of them, a fifteen year boy. What was this power Harry had, that the Prophesy mentioned? They couldn't help but think along those lines. Molly and Arthur also tried their best not to show how they felt, but they were seething. How could they tell him this now? Dumbledore should of waited until Harry was better, or better yet older! How could you tell a fifteen year old boy that his job was to kill the Dark Lord?
McGonagall clutched her chest as her heart beating fast under her hand. She reacted like everyone else in the room did, she couldn't believe Albus would tell Harry this now, she would of never imagined telling him this right now. Flitwick tightly gripped his seat, afraid he would fall out of it. Dumbledore watched the many reactions in the room, and knew most of the adults would be angry at him for telling Harry this now, but he believed the boy should know his role in the war.
"How did Voldemort know the Prophesy was about me? It never mentioned a name!" Harry exclaimed, and they could hear a hint of desperation in his voice.
"Actually Harry, it could of meant a different boy that you know quite well." Dumbledore replied. "It spoke of two boys that were born at the end of July that year, both who had parents that fought against Voldemort, and hardly escaped from him three different times. The Prophesy could of been about you or Neville Longbottom."
"So, there's a possibility that it couldn't be me?" Harry asked uncertainly.
"There is not doubt in my mind that it is you." Dumbledore told him in a mournful tone.
"But - you just said -?" Harry started in confusion, but Dumbledore held up a finger to silence him.
"But Voldemort had to mark him as his equal. And he chose you, Harry, not Neville. He gave you that scar, which proves that you are the one."
"Why didn't he wait? He could of picked wrong!" Harry said desperately.
"Notice this, Harry. He chose someone similar to himself; a half-blood. He saw you as dangerous and powerful, it didn't matter you had Muggleborn blood inside you. He gave you some of his own prized power's the night he tried to kill you, which have allowed you to escape from him five times thus far, something that no one alive has ever achieved."
"But I don't have any power that he doesn't!" Harry said with a strangled voice, "I can't fight like he can, or kill anyone-"
"But you do, Harry. You have so much of the power that Voldemort doesn't understand, which he hates. Love." Dumbledore cut him off, explaining it quickly so Harry would understand.
The room sat in shock for a moment, stunned more than ever. Love? That was the power Harry had that Voldemort didn't? Harry was going to argue with Dumbledore about how stupid that sounded, but something else bothered him more than that.
"There was something at the end of the Prophecy that I don't quite understand..." Harry started, looking at Dumbledore for an answer as everyone else watched him closely in silence.
But Dumbledore didn't answer him, instead he waited for Harry to figure out what it said for himself. Seeing what Dumbledore wanted him to do, Harry thought over the words carefully in his head, pondering over what it might mean. With a sharp intake of breath, Harry understood the meaning of the words, and hoped that he guessed wrong.
"So I have to kill him or he kills me... in the end? Harry asked in a whisper, despair filled him as he waited for Dumbledore to answer him.
"Yes." Dumbledore finally spoke, his voice grave.
Harry knew that would be Dumbledore's answer, but he still hoped that he would of been wrong. It had to be him, everything happened to him. Harry closed his eyes and propped his arm on the edge of the couch so he could set his chin in his hand, his body trembling in shock. Sirius tried to put a reassuring hand of his shoulder, but Harry shrugged his hand off almost instantly. Even though Harry didn't want Neville to have the fate that he did, why didn't Voldemort wait until they were both older to see who was a bigger threat to him? Why take the risk and try to kill whatever baby he thought might be the boy the Prophesy talked about? The room was silent, no one knew what to say. Almost everyone in the room had their eyes on Harry, watching the different emotion's play out on his face cautiously.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" Harry asked after a few moments of silence.
"When you arrived to Hogwarts, I knew that in the future I would have to tell you about the Prophesy, but I didn't know when I would tell you. The, er, event's that have happened during your time at Hogwarts I believe you remember better than I. During most of these events you had stopped Voldemort from returning to power, delaying his return. Each time I was tempted to tell you, but stopped myself after seeing you weak from your encounters. Only once did you ask me why Voldemort wanted you, but I refused to tell you. When you first asked me why Voldemort wanted you, I knew there was no way I could tell you then. I didn't think that you would be able to handle the truth at eleven, and Voldemort hadn't returned, so I saw no reason to tell you yet. Each time after you returned from the danger you faced, I was so temped to tell you, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, I always thought that since Voldemort wasn't back to power, you didn't need to know. Do you see the mistake I made? I cared too much, I cared more about your happiness than your knowledge of the truth, more for your peace of mind, more than the lives that could be lost if the plan I made failed. I acted as anyone who loved would of, exactly what Voldemort expected."
Harry sat in stunned silence, his mind worked out what Dumbledore just told him. The only reason Harry had no knowledge of anything was because Dumbledore cared too much about him? It was nice to know much Dumbledore cared for him, but Harry knew the truth was too important to hide because you cared to much about someone. The Auror's had seen in their short time at Headquarters that Dumbledore cared very much about Harry and his well being, and everyone else in the room gave a silent chuckle or smiled as they watched Harry's stunned reaction to Dumbledore's words.
"But then you came out of the maze last year of the third task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, witnessing a friend of yours be killed, and narrowly escaping the same fate yourself... I didn't tell you, though. I saw how weak and scarred you were from the encounter and couldn't bring myself to scare you more than you already were. I knew I would have to soon with the return of Voldemort, though. Then during your summer holidays where you were supposed to be safe, Voldemort himself came and collected you, and tortured you for information I held back from you. So today I decided to finally tell you the knowledge you have been ready for that I have kept from you so long, because you have recently proved that I can place this burden of knowledge upon you. The best reason why I have not told you is this; I've watched you struggle under more obstacles than anyone I have ever faced in my lifetime, and I couldn't care to add another one in your path, greater than any other."
Even though Harry thought he should of known about this sooner, he saw where Dumbledore had come from, he would of done the same if he was in the same situation. He was suddenly relieved that he didn't know anything about the Prophesy when he was taken, he would be dead by now if he had known and accidentally slipped to Voldemort when the pain had become too much to handle. Harry looked up and saw Dumbledore studying him carefully, almost wary of his reaction. His scar suddenly gave a sharp pain, and Harry hissed through clenched teeth and clamped a hand over it, oblivious to everyone watching him.
"What is it?" Remus asked worriedly from his seat.
"I don't know, I think he's still angry." Harry replied with closed eyes.
Some confused looks rang throughout the room, but Dumbledore nodded and leaned in towards Harry, pushing his hand aside so he could take a look at the red, irritated looking scar. Harry didn't object, but he didn't like Dumbledore studying his scar like he was.
"Yes Harry, I believe you are right," Dumbledore said as he moved his hand away from the scar and sat back in his own seat, " I noticed that your scar gives you pains when Voldemort is close to you, even in disguise, and when he is feeling a very strong emotion."
Harry nodded, he knew this, he had been the one to tell Dumbledore this. Everyone but Ron, Hermione, Remus, and Sirius looked at him in shock, they had no knowledge that Harry could do this.
"I believe that you and Voldemort share a connection, and it had gotten stronger with his return to a body and his full powers. I know last year you discussed with me a dream you had over the summer at your relatives house, and you didn't know what to make of it. I believe that you are able to look into Voldemorts mind, and he yours."
Harry felt his breath catch in his throat, Voldemort could enter his mind? Could he see what he was doing or thinking at this exact moment? Dumbledore had discussed this with Remus and Sirius, who were the only ones in the room that hadn't had a reaction to Dumbledore's words.
"But, I believe that Voldemort has no knowledge of this connection at the moment, and I believe this connection will get stronger because of Voldemort's return to a body."
Harry breathed in a sigh of relief, the thought of Voldemort reading his mind scared him senseless. Harry heard Ron and Hermione breath out a sigh of relief too, and knew they only had because they knew how he would react to this, and they weren't the only ones in the room to do so.
"But, I also believe that when it inevitably happens, he will try to use you when he does become aware of the connection, and you might not be aware of what is happening. Voldemort is skilled in the art of Legilimency, which is a skill used to enter another person's mind. I would be caution of your thoughts, and talk to either your friends or contact someone at Headquarters if you have any sudden weird, or possibly violent thoughts."
Harry felt his breath catch in his throat, shocked by what Dumbledore had told him, not for the first time that day, and felt his eyes widen as well. Voldemort could somehow find a way to control him, like a puppet with him pulling the strings? He have a small shiver at the thought, and felt repulsed. Harry knew he was being watched by almost everyone in the room, and found himself not caring for once in his life. He felt as though his brain might explode with everything that he was just told, and wanted nothing more than to yell out his frustration with himself, the bloody Prophesy, everything. Not caring how weak his body felt, not caring how anyone else would react, Harry got off his spot on the couch and hurried out of the room before anyone could stop him.
