Chapter Fifty-Four – Cissy's Problem

Back at Gryffindor I noticed that Cissy was in a very withdrawn, pensive mood and asked if anything was wrong. "There's been so much excitement of late that the Montaigne prophecy that we saw in the Reception Hall was temporarily driven from my mind, but Hermione's lecture brought it back to me. My father was never willing to really discuss it with me, saying nothing more than 'most of these things either turn out to be rubbish or they work out well in the end in some perfectly common-sensical way'. I'm worried.

"The prophecy provided only four solutions to the theft of the 'double crown'. The last Montaigne can be killed in battle or murdered in a revolt. Or, the crowns can be voluntarily passed back to their rightful owner. Or, all the magical creatures can die. It looks like I'm going to be the last Montaigne, so those choices are my choices. The double crown is likely the Keeper title and the Lordship. Twice stolen could be from the Weasleys and then from my uncle. If I give the titles to Harry, that would make up for the second theft, except Harry doesn't think he can be the Lord Montaigne. The first theft was from the Weasleys and giving Harry the title doesn't solve that, either. So, other than dying in battle or allowing myself to die in a bloody revolt, I can only see a way to solve a quarter of the problem."

"One thing prophecies seem to be is vague and open to varied interpretations," I replied. "Harry bought the pertinent part of the estate from your father, this afternoon. Perhaps that counts as constructively transferring the Lordship title for the purposes of the Covenant? I've also read 'the line' from which the titles were cheated as being the Weasley's, but it could equally be the line of Hogwarts headmasters, who were supposed to be Keepers. It could equally be the Ministers of Magic, whom I believe were supposed to play a larger role, especially in directing Gringotts, before the various Lords Montaigne teamed with the Goblins to seize complete control."

"Yes, it makes me want to cry when I think what a bad lot, we Montaigne's are."

The others had been drawing closer, and Harry replied "you are not to blame for the actions of your brother or your ancestors. We think you are developing into a very good person."

"I try, but the family history calls into question how successful I will be. I've been thinking about how much I've wanted to be the Keeper, and this just reminds me that I share my family's overblown sense of ambition and privilege. I've really never wanted to be just an average married Witch."

"Neither have I," Hermione replied, "and you must possess a level of ambition and a worthy goal that you strive to achieve, if you are going to make anything valuable of your life. I certainly hope it is possible to be both a good person and not want to be average or forsake ambition. I also believe I can be a good wife, without being just a good wife."

"We all have our ambitions," George chimed in, "and most of us have the humility that comes from realising that we need the help of others to achieve those ambitions. I certainly don't think ambition is a bad thing. It only becomes a bad thing when you become willing to harm others to further your ambition."

"I think I realised that," Cissy replied, "but the prophecy still says that the good times can't flow again until the last Montaigne enters the Sacred Chamber for the last time. If I'm the Keeper, I'll have to enter the Chamber, and unless I die young or surrender the title, the good times are going to have a long wait. The rest of you understand that with ambition and privilege comes duty and that one must think of how one helps or harms other intelligent beings. Montaigne's have not been good about accepting duty or caring about others for a very long time. That is what I'm up against, with or without that prophecy, but knowing about the prophecy, I just can't stop thinking about all the sins of my family. I WANT to make things right, but that prophecy doesn't seem to give me a way to do that. I want to do that soon, in case my mind becomes like Bruce's."

"We should talk to Professors McGonagall and Trelawney after dinner," I suggested.

"More importantly, we should talk to Professor Firenze," Harry corrected me.

"The Goblin King should have some good information tomorrow," Ron added. "I don't think we should assume that the prophecy means that you have to die or give the title and Keeper roles to me. The last Montaigne will have entered the Sacred Cavern when you leave as a Montaigne and return as a married Witch with a new surname. Not that I'm advocating getting married just to avoid the drag of a prophecy."

"But you and Hermione and Ron and Ginny do plan to marry in line with the requirements of your prophecies."

"That's different. I was interested in Harry since I first saw him," I replied.

After dinner, the five of us and Neville gathered in Professors McGonagall's and Trelawney's apartment once again to discuss prophesy. Harry dove right in saying, "Cissy is worried that the third prophecy says she must either die, walk away from everything Montaigne, or see the Wizarding world destroyed. We don't think it's as clear cut as that, but we wanted to get your take on the matter."

Harry had jumped in even before the sherry was passed around, so there was a brief delay before Professor McGonagall replied.

"A prophecy is vague and subject to multiple interpretations, more than one of which can be correct, based upon the choices taken by the principals of the prophecy. We must look no farther than the Voldemort/Harry Potter/Neville Longbottom prophesy to see how many directions a prophecy can take. Neville could have replaced Harry, neither Harry nor Voldemort needed to die, and in the end, both can be said to have 'died', although Harry is back with us in the flesh and, unfortunately, Voldemort is back with us as a ghost."

"One thing seems quite clear," Professor Trelawney commented. "The next 'golden age', whatever that will actually be, cannot begin until after the last visit by a Montaigne to the Sacred Cavern. This raises the question of exactly what a Montaigne is. If you married, would you still be a Montaigne? Given his parentage and arguable claim to the Lordship, is Harry a Montaigne? We know that the first two prophecies involving Ginny and Hermione, and the Goblin King confirms that they are the true subjects of those prophecies, are waiting for another initiating event to begin unreeling. The Goblin said that there are stone seats in the Sacred Chamber reserved for Ginny and Hermione, but it is not yet time for them to sit in those seats. The Goblin King clearly knows what sign he is waiting for. You may learn a lot more when you visit him tomorrow.

"It seems clear to me that if the end of Lord Montaigne's access to the Sacred Cavern was the initiating event, he will tell you so tomorrow. If the event is the final access to the Chamber by anyone named Montaigne, now seems a fine time for him to inform you that you are an unacceptable Keeper until you marry. If it is Montaigne by blood, he now is in a position to steer the post to someone other than either Harry or Cissy."

"That seems to address the final part of the prophecy," Cissy agreed. "We're going to try to speak to the Centaurs and Unicorns as well. If the removal of my father raises an opportunity to move to the golden age, then they have the golden opportunity to suggest to me and/or Harry that we step aside.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't address the core of the prophecy. That lists only three possible ways for the 'double-cheated, double crown' to pass from the Montaigne family. If it doesn't pass from my family, then it is the end of magical creatures."

"Yes," Professor McGonagall agreed, "that is almost as stark a prophecy as the Voldemort prophecy was, although it does permit resolution through voluntary surrender of the crown, rather than absolutely requiring violent death. Even the term 'double-cheated, double-crown' is confusing, though. Since there is no actual crown that we know of, it must be a metaphorical crown. I suppose we should confirm that there is nothing that meets the requirements of a physical double crown that could relate to the prophecy. That sounds like a good Hermione research assignment, and possibly something that can be found by viewing more of the Dumbledore memories."

As Cissy gave a surprised look, Harry explained "after you followed your father when he huffed out of here the other night, we began viewing a collection of stored memories that Dumbledore's notes to us said might be important to our efforts. Which reminds me, did you find useful guidance in the written message that Dumbledore left for you? We know that the message for your father, yes, we retrieved it after he threw it at Professor McGonagall, was an insult coupled with a demand that he resigned his position as Keeper. I thought perhaps Dumbledore's message to you addressed the issue of whether or not he thought you should replace your father."

"I guess you deserve to see the message. I read it and put it in my pocket. My father was so angry that he didn't even think to ask about it until the next day. I told him I threw it away, like he did with his. Here it is. She placed the message on her lap and read it aloud.

Cissy,

I would have liked to know you better, but I know your father and brother all too well. Were I not about to die, I would be spending more years as your Hogwarts headmaster and would be able to guide your path at Hogwarts as I did with Harry Potter. If Harry and his friends return to Hogwarts for their seventh year, as I trust they will, they can guide you in my absence. I also commend Professor McGonagall to your attention, as a likely mentor.

Like Harry, you joined our school as a subject of an important prophecy. From my experience with Harry, I know that for a young person, being the subject of a prophecy can be especially frightening and can even become an obsession that clouds the judgment. For that reason, I hid Harry's prophecy from him and hindered his fulfilment of it. So, despite the risk, I think you should know yours. Ask Professor Firenze to relay it to you, with my blessings. Show him this note, and he will tell you the truth.

I believe that you can be the redemption of your family and perhaps the partial redemption of all your fellow Wizards. Be brave as you pursue your destiny. Based upon our lone year together, I think well of you. I think you are strong enough to do what needs to be done. If I correctly interpret the prophecy, your path is a difficulty one in which you must choose between your family and what you know to be right. The Centaurs believe that you are the key to our future.

Albus Dumbledore

"If Dumbledore felt that you were entering Hogwarts under similar circumstances as I did," Harry told Cissy, "I can tell you the things that brought me successfully through the experience. The first was a wise headmaster who watched out for me and trusted me, the second was a very loyal group of close friends who stuck with me even when I tried to push them away, and the third thing was a substitute mother, who took the place of the mother that I never had. Finally, I had a lot of luck, and never lost faith that I could succeed. I think Professor McGonagall can be your Dumbledore.

"We can be among your friends, but you need some closer to your own age. I can't help you on the substitute mother, other than to say you'll know her when you meet her. Although I guess for you the need may be for a substitute father. I know a young Gryffindor named Margaret, who is of your year, whom I think you may get along with quite well."

"I agree that Margaret is a good choice," Professor McGonagall told Cissy. "Before you go, I must stress to Cissy that few prophecies work out in exactly the way that most of us expect them to, and the majority don't come to fruition at all. It is hard to decide whether the principal of a prophecy is better off knowing or not knowing of its existence. Many Wizard lives have been ruined by taking a prophecy far too seriously. I know of extremely few Wizards who were damaged by ignorance of a prophecy." Professor Trelawney visibly winced at that comment, but Neville chipped in to support Professor McGonagall.

"I spent almost all of my life not knowing that I was a possible principal of the Voldemort prophecy. In the end, it might be said that I partially fulfilled that prophecy when I killed Nagini and made Voldemort mortal, so that Harry could finish him off."

"Yes, indeed!" Professor Trelawney beamed. "The prophecy could apply to either of two boys and it took both of those particular boys for Voldemort to be slain…. Plus, Ron and Hermione, of course."

As we approached Gryffindor, Mum was waiting in the corridor. "Nothing bad," Cissy seemed surprised to see Mum dawdling on the landing. "We just met with Professors McGonagall and Trelawney to discuss a prophecy which has badly frightened me. I feel a little better now, but still a bit worried and confused. Was I wrong to go to the headmaster?"

"No, that was perfectly reasonable," Mum assured her. "I'm also available to talk to you at any time, although I'm not any sort of expert on prophesy - I'm not really much of a believer. I wanted to talk to these five about a separate matter. I may tell you about it, in future, but for now you are too young and have too much else to worry about."

I'm not quite sure exactly how Cissy took this, but she did make a quick escape into the common room.

"The Room of Requirement, I think," Mum was already turning to walk away as she said this. Now I was worried.

Nothing was said until we were safely inside the Room of Requirement. The room held six chairs, arranged in a semi-circle, and a very large hen tethered to a table in the centre of the circle.

"We haven't had a chance to discuss start of term, or how Harry's position as Deputy Minister affects your safety. I was already worried, but then Madame Bones visited the headmaster. I was asked to sit in on the meeting. I think Madame Bones has a good heart, but she is shaky and not entirely her former self. Unfortunately, she has retreated into the letter of the law. She wanted 'to make absolutely certain that our new Professor Weasley repeatedly stresses that the Unforgivable Curses are absolutely forbidden and that their use will not be tolerated under any circumstances, regardless of the age of the offender.' She said that she knew the Death Eaters had made ample use of these curses, but that this did not justify using these prohibited curses against them, or any other intelligent being, including the talking spiders. She had 'received reports, which I am required to treat as confidential,' that some of the Hogwarts defenders used these curses during the Battle of Hogwarts, particularly in the killing of two of the spiders'. She said she didn't know whether she should pursue these allegations, but that she would take a firm stance going forward. I told her it was daft to consider such a charge during a time of war, but that I would certainly warn all my students. I was excused and Madam Bones and our headmaster met for almost another hour."

"That's ridiculous!" Harry shouted, after waiting for Mum to stop speaking. "I'll speak to the Minister about that. I won't have my friends persecuted for daring to defeat Voldemort."

"Of course, I spoke to Arthur. His response was not as firm as I might have hoped. That's why I'm really worried about some of you. I don't know who used what curse on whom. I used the Avada Kedavra myself. I told Arthur as much. He said Madame Bones would forget all of this in a week, she was groping her way back into her job, the Bruce trial had unnerved her a bit. He promised 'a word with her'. I'm just afraid it won't be a very firm word. You all must promise me that you won't use one of the forbidden curses. I couldn't bear to see any of you in Azkaban, or even the Ministry jail. I know you need to defend yourselves and I don't want you to be fighting at a severe disadvantage, so I felt I had to share something I've been working on... far earlier than I meant to."

There was a chorus of four voices saying, "I promise." Ron had an edge to his voice as he answered "I'm not sure I like that. Fred. What are you working on?"

After a long stare at Ron, Mum replied "do any of you have strong feelings for chickens? I've seen you all eat chicken."

Receiving blank stares, and a worried look from Hermione, she continued "don't think of me as a cruel person but watch the chicken...KILL!"

The hen fell dead, without a sound, or even a muscle quiver. Hermione gasped, but the others around me appeared unalarmed.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I think that had to be done. You needed to know that there is an alternative to 'Avada Kedavra' which works well enough to keep you safe. I know Ron isn't the only one angry about Fred and I know you are going to be challenged with possibly life-or-death situations in the months ahead. I want you to learn and use my new KILL! curse if the need arises. I only want you to use it in situations where you would otherwise feel you must use the 'Avada'. I know my curse works, as you just saw, and I think it gives you an advantage in a fight, without having to try to kill unnecessarily, KILL! is only one syllable, so you can't wait until you hear 'Avada' and still win the battle while your opponent is still at 'Keda...' I realise not all of you will be comfortable with this, but for those who are comfortable, I'd like to teach you this curse. I want you all to stay alive and out of Azkaban. I know from discussion with Arthur - no, I didn't tell him about this, that my new curse isn't prohibited. I also know that Wizard law doesn't treat general killing nearly as seriously as it treats an Unforgivable Curse. Let's just say that I have sound reasons to believe that my curse won't show up as forbidden if your wand is inspected nor will the examination of the corpse suggest that the 'Avada Kedavra' was used. My curse attacks the head, not the heart. That's all I have to say to you. I don't want questions now. I want you to think about everything I've said and talk to me privately, one-on-one during the next week. I don't want group pressure, or my wishes, to push any of you to do anything you think is wrong. Thank you for hearing me out. I've already spoken to George and Luna. I told Luna she needs to talk to her father, before I'll teach her."

Mum turned and walked toward the door. Ron shouted at her back: "I'm in. You know I'm in."