The Hog's Head Inn was comprised of a small, dingy, and very dirty room that smelled of goats. It was a destitute establishment that attracted a certain type of clientele and was usually absent of any clients around midday. Albus Dumbledore thought it perfect for his interview for Hogwarts' future Divination teacher, quiet and away from any prying eyes. For good measure he had come to an agreement with his brother to have the inn to himself for the afternoon and he accompanied it with an array of privacy charms after his guest for the day had entered.

Normally he would not have gone to this much trouble. However, after the events that had transpired in the middle of Diagon Alley, he was especially interested in how this interview would unfold and he was not willing to take any chances.

Just two weeks ago, Sybill Patrica Trelawney had been shopping for crystal balls in the shopping district when she had unceremoniously dropped her purchases and had shouted a prophecy for anyone in the alley that day to hear. When she had finished, she had looked dismayed at her dropped belongings, but had calmly picked them up and walked on to the next shop. She left behind a flabbergasted crowd that had confusedly went about their way and a few days later a Daily Prophet article was printed about the incident, far deep into the last pages of the wizard newspaper with a small moving picture of the woman picking up her belongings.

"Does the Curse of the Crackpot Seer Family Continue?"

Albus had not seen it, but Minerva had pointed it out that evening during the end of year staff meeting and had scoffed at the idea of hiring a Divination professor. She had been working hard to convince him to scrap the class in full.

"Albus, you should simply hire whoever this article is talking about."

After reading the entire article, he had been incredibly interested and he let Minerva know the genius of her idea, much to her chagrin. Sybill Trelawney is a descendant of the last true Seer, Cassandra Trelawney, and while the rest of Sybill's family had claimed to also have the Inner Eye and had dragged the name through the mud with false prophecies; Sybill's prophecy that day was something he needed to explore.

He started with light questions about her teaching style and proposed several scenarios that could arise in the classroom, and she gave stilted answers that did not align at all with how a professor at the greatest Wizarding School would act. She was unprepared and completely nervous, but Albus had done it on purpose, the only real reason she was there to begin with was to answer one question.

"The prophecy you made at Diagon Alley, what did you mean by it?"

Her look of confusion and nervous, "What?" only made him more curious. While he was no expert in Divination, he had read about the subject and like everyone else his age had heard of Cassandra Trelawney's legendary prophecies. For each prophecy, the late Trelawney had stated that she had no recollection of them, and it was only the people around her that had let her know she had even made them from the start.

Albus simply placed the article on the table and the young woman began reading, her hands trembling as she picked up the paper. A look of hope slowly took over her face as she continued to read and tears welled in her eyes.

"You can't be serious?" She sounded wistful and there was a sense of pride to her words and Albus smiled at the reaction, perhaps there was truth to the prophecy. Perhaps there was hope that this war would come to an end.

And then all emotion left the woman's face, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her face slackened to an inhuman look. And as she opened her mouth, another prophecy came to life, and now Albus was certain. The forces of good would prevail.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born alongside The Light ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

Deep in the Department of Mysteries, in the Hall of Prophecy, on row 97 an orb materialized that read:

"S.P.T to A.P.W.B.D

Dark Lord

And Neville Longbottom"

The Orb sat next to another that read:

"S.P.T to D. A

Harry Potter"

Dark Lord Voldemort only wanted to prove a point. When Barty Crouch Junior had brought the paper to him, he had spent a minute or two holding him under the Cruciatus Curse. He was still young and foolish, so he had spared him from his full fury. However, the paper had set a cold rage within him that had only continued to grow over time; he would find Sybill Trelawney and kill her. However, Severus had reported that she had been hired by the old fool Dumbledore and was now living at Hogwarts full time as the new Divination professor.

This only further angered him; by hiring the woman, Dumbledore was allowing the world to see that he believed the prophecy true. Instead, he focused on finding out who the prophecy could be about and when he concluded that it could only possibly be Harry Potter, he knew that he would have to do something about the boy.

Harry Potter was a half-blood, born at the end of July to a "Light family." While there was another boy that fit a similar description, it would only make sense that it would be the Potter boy. Purebloods were weak, Voldemort was the only proof that anyone needed for this to be true. It would only make sense that another half-blood could possibly rise against him. If Dumbledore truly believed this prophecy, he would show the old fool the consequences of betting against him.

On the night he would depart to the Potter home he had gathered his Death Eaters and tossed the paper on the floor in front of him. Recognition moved throughout his assembled followers and many shifted uncomfortably after remembering Barty's experience with the paper.

"Hope is an illusion. Hope is a crutch the weak use to delude themselves into thinking they are anything but."

He moved between his Death Eaters, his towering form staring into each face as he passed by, and he reveled in the fear that his followers produced with his every step. They were loyal because they were weak, they were loyal because he was powerful, and they were loyal because he could not be defeated.

As he moved past Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch Junior and a few of the other fanatical Death Eaters, he smiled a thin smile and reminded himself that they were loyal because they worshipped. There was no one else like him, there was no one stronger – not even Dumbledore.

He would remind both his followers and the wizarding world that night that there was no "Light". There was only Dark Lord Voldemort.

"Tonight, we will crush the last bit of hope those that defy us still cling to. You will see me strike down those that still wish to fight the pure and strong."

Stepping on the paper he cast a final gaze around the room.

"Tonight, we will show the world why they should only continue to fear me."

Their deafening roars had followed him to the small cottage and as he watched, he could see the life and happiness that lived within the home. He would revel in destroying it.

"Do not move."

The Death Eaters were eager to watch, it was rare to see their Master in action and it was sure to be an incredible experience.

They did not speak when the doors to the home were torn apart and the Dark Lord moved within. Nor did they say a single thing when the screams of the Potters and whoever else had been in their home with them had rang out and died shortly after. It was minutes later that a soft murmur began to move throughout the Death Eaters when their Master had not yet returned, but they had not moved to check. No doubt they would face the fury of the Dark Lord were they to defy his order, so they continued to wait without movement even when they noticed the fearful faces of families peaking from the other homes after several minutes had passed.

The pops of countless Apparitions and the furious face of the only wizard the Dark Lord feared was what finally sent the Death Eaters in motion. The intelligent Death Eaters fled immediately by Apparition and the others stayed to fight. Later, the residents of Godric's Hollow would report that the resounding shouts of the killing curse and screams and flashes of spell-fire lasted only a moment before the greatest wizard to ever live walked into the Potter Home and then shortly after had come out carrying a bundle within his arms. They had also reported that the Dark Lord Voldemort was no where to be seen.

"I have failed you."

Fawkes left a mournful trill hang in the air in his office and Albus smiled faintly at his familiar before once again staring back down sadly at the small babe nestled in blankets.

Harry Potter was special.

This was the first thought that crossed his mind in that moment as he watched the child curiously look around his office. His bright eyes would move from the moving trinkets on his desk to the paintings of the old Headmasters on the wall, each eyeing the lone boy curiously, before they moved to settle on Albus himself and he felt his breath catch.

Harry Potter was powerful.

There was no doubt in his mind at that moment that Hogwart's newest Divination Professor had made a very real prophecy. Magic clung to the Potter boy in ways that Albus had never seen before. Gellert had been an incredible wizard and Lord Voldemort was almost on par to Albus himself and he had never seen magic react the way it seemed to with Harry Potter, yet his eyes were even more special. The boy seemed to have an understanding and intelligence behind his eyes that no new born should have and in those bright green orbs magic almost seemed to pour out. There was no other way to describe the child, he seemed to be an embodiment of magic.

Harry Potter was alone.

Albus had flown into the fight with one thought in his mind – find the Dark Lord. His followers were of little consequence and would be taken care of by the rest of the Order of the Phoenix after he disposed of them. Their spells and killing curses were easily batted away or subverted and his stunners and binding spells easily overpowered Tom's foolish followers. They would receive no respite after this night, they had been carted to Ministry holding cells and loyal Aurors to the cause were stationed watching over them. He would not allow another family to be harmed by his negligence.

He had found 5 bodies in the Potter residence: Lily Evans Potter and James Potter along with their three most loyal friends. Voldemort had spared no one in his rage filled quest. It had been Albus' fault that they were all in one place, he had called them together that night to tell them of the prophecy and young Harry's involvement. They had already known Harry Potter was special; the young parents had gushed about the baby boy just barely born and he had smiled at the happy couple and congratulated them. He had not expected even for one second that the Dark Lord would strike regarding the prophecy and so soon, he had expected decency from the Dark Lord and he had been proven wrong to a thought he had harbored throughout this war – there would be no redemption for Lord Voldemort.

He had found Harry Potter in his crib, bright green eyes staring at the magically moving snitch above his head with a small smile and reaching out with a small hand. The Dark Lord's robes and wand were laid at the foot of the crib and the stench of the killing curse hung in the air.

Albus had been astonished and stared at the items for a moment before reaching out to take the small child in his arms. The babe had laughed up at him and snuggled into his robes and beard and as Albus looked down at the innocent face of the boy that had just lost everything, he could only feel shame.

He felt the magic around the items and placed them in a small protected pouch. He knew in that moment that Lord Voldemort was not gone for good, the faint magic that tethered every living thing to life was still present in the clothing and wand. His foolish student would return, Albus had no doubt about that.

It had taken hours to get every member of the Order of Phoenix away and back to their homes with instructions to check their wards and to stay safe and vigilant. Moody helped round up the captured Death Eaters and worked with the Ministry Aurors that had arrived shortly after the fighting had stopped. Frank Longbottom, with his own newborn and wife at home had quickly returned after checking on his home's wards to help with the deceased. It was a devastating affair as they took the bodies away to Hogwarts and Frank vowed that every Death Eater not caught that day would receive a punishment worse than his friends had received.

As Albus continued to watch the boy, absentmindedly stroking the plumage of his familiar, the two prophecies continued to repeat in his mind.

Harry Potter was destined to be great. The greatest to ever live.

Neville Longbottom was destined to defeat the Dark Lord with an unknown power.

Albus Dumbledore vowed that both prophecies would come to fruition. He would not fail again.