Title: Harry Potter and the Veneficus Quies (7/?)

Author: Atlantis Potter

E-mail: atlantispotter@yahoo.com

Category: Romance, Mystery

Keywords: Year 5, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Petunia

Rating: R

Spoilers: All Four Books Summary: Harry begins having strange dreams, telling him about future events. He finds help in a very surprising person and fights in his heart between Ginny and Hermione. A Prophecy, intensive training and whether or not a flock of owls is all that scary.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

A/N: Please R/R! If you like it, let me know. If you hate it, let me know! Thank yous are at the bottom of each chapter. I have started a group on Yahoo! where I will be hosting this story, as well as other stories about the trio. If you are interested in joining this group or submitting fan fiction, visit
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/powerthree/



Chapter Seven: Destiny


"God damn it Hermione! Put the bloody book down!"

"Don't you take that tone with me, Ronald Weasley. I'm reading something for class today and when I finish, you may have my undivided attention," answered Hermione, her nose still buried in the heavy, leather-bound book.

"Don't get all high and mighty with me! Can't you just talk to me for once? How is that book more interesting than me?"

Hermione slammed the book down on the table and stared up at her red-headed boyfriend, "Gee, Ron, this book is going to help me pass through the program and I'm sure your ramblings will do nothing except make me extraordinarily bored."

"I'm not boring!"

"Ron, please? I have two more pages to read. Two pages!"

"Hermione! You're my girlfriend and I can't even have a simple breakfast with you that includes a little bit of conversation. You're so wrapped up in all your reading and the program and everything. I miss you," Ron admitted, his voice softening.

"Ron! Two pages!" Hermione said, much to Ron's chagrin.

Harry looked between the two bickering friends and Ginny, who was studiously ignoring the fighting.

With a clang, Ron slammed his fork on the table and stormed out of the Great Hall.

"Er, Hermione? Your boyfriend just ran out of the Great Hall," said Dean Thomas, from a few seats down.

"Ah, yes, thank you, Dean. I didn't realize. Isn't someone going to go after him? I'm sure he's throwing a temper tantrum in Gryffindor Tower and doing a lot of damage to pillows or something."

Harry gaped at Hermione, "That's hardly fair, Hermione. He had a point."

"Oh, Harry, who are you to talk? You have just as much work as I do and I'm sure Ginny doesn't mind."

"Hermione, the difference between Ron and I is that I am in the program. I have just the same amount of work as Harry does. It's just not an issue," Ginny intervened.

Hermione, having finished her reading, sighed exasperatedly. She shut her book and gathering her things, trudged after Ron.

Seamus Finnigan let out a low whistle, "Trouble in paradise, eh, Dean?"

"I'll say. What's going on with those two?"

"Hermione has spent the last, oh, month and a half buried in one book or another and has basically ignored Ron. What was it Harry, last week that she didn't talk to him for two days?" responded Ginny.

"Yeah, well, it's not like Ron has really been pulling his weight. He's been spending a lot of time with Lavender Brown," Seamus said.

Harry, Ginny, Dean and Seamus all looked farther down the Gryffindor table. Lavender Brown was sitting with Parvati Patil, looking through some witch magazine. Their giggles echoed through the room. Harry just shook his head, "I hope they patch everything up soon. The constant bickering makes life very difficult."

Everyone nodded in turn. Ginny and Harry had been playing the buffers between Ron and Hermione for the last month or so. Dean and Seamus got to be sounding boards for Ron's complaining.

The Gryffindors began to slowly leave the breakfast table and head to their classes. Ginny and Harry walked slowly to the library, looking for something to do to pass the time until their classes began at ten o'clock.

"Why won't you listen to me?"

Harry recognized the voice of Ron first. Just around the corner, Ron and Hermione were involved in a very heated argument.

"I do listen, Ron. It's you who doesn't listen. I ask you for time to study and all you do is demand that I pay more attention to you. And when I do give you time, all you bloody talk about is Quidditch! Yes, I understand you got accepted to the team, but Ron, I've been so busy and when I'm with you, I don't want to talk about Quidditch. Can't we talk about more important things?"

"Hermione! You really don't listen to me. I didn't get picked for Quidditch. Tryouts aren't even until next week. And Quidditch is important. To me."

A deep sigh, "Ron, can we not fight? Please? I don't want to fight anymore."

"I don't know. It's like you don't love me anymore."

"Oh, Ron, I do love you. I'm so sorry. I've been so busy. And you're right; it was unfair of me to ignore you these past few weeks. I'll try to be there for you, ok? I'll even come to the tryouts."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

"Alright. I love you."

"I love you, too."

Silence followed as Harry turned to Ginny, who muttered a quick "Thank God," as they passed by the corridor where Ron and Hermione were.

After meandering back to the IMS common room, Ginny and Harry began talking about the upcoming Quidditch tryouts.

"I think I'd like to try out, Harry."

"But, Ginny, Ron will be furious."

"Oh, sod Ron. Why can't anyone around here ever have a little happiness?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, personally, I think Hermione is right. Why can't Ron just understand how busy we all are?"

"But, at breakfast-"

"I know what I said at breakfast. Trust me, Harry; Ron is way off his rocker on this one. Hermione needs her space. Her career and education is very important to her and he just doesn't understand. My brother can be so selfish and pigheaded sometimes."

"That seems so unfair! She ignored him!"

"Oh, hardly. Hermione really hasn't increased her workload anymore than it was last year. Ron just wants her undivided attention because she's his girlfriend and he thinks that is the role of Woman. To sit and listen to him talk about stupid things."

"But I thought you liked Quidditch?"

"Harry, I love Quidditch, but you're completely missing the point."

Harry couldn't object because at that moment, Hermione walked in from the Entrance Hall.

"Hello, all."

"Hey Hermione. Ready for the Divination lessons today?" asked Ginny.

"Oh, hardly. Divination is such a load of, well, dung. I don't see how it's relevant."

Ginny just shrugged.

"Harry, are you all right?" Hermione asked, looking pointedly at Harry.

"Oh, he ate a bad sausage at breakfast, don't worry about it," Ginny said as she elbowed Harry sharply in the side.

"Oww! Gin, what-"

"Oh! I forgot my parchment, I'll be right back," Ginny jumped up and ran to her dorm, leaving Harry extraordinarily perplexed.

"Harry, you ok?"

"I've had enough of you women!" Harry countered before stalking back to his room.

***

Harry returned to the Common Room half an hour later and found Hermione and Ginny waiting for him. With a swift nod at each of them, he headed to the classroom off of the common room.

Everyone else was already seated. Arabella was sitting at the desk at the front of the room and rose to her feet when they walked in.

"Have a seat, I want to get started," she directed as they shuffled to their desks. When they were seated, she began again, "When I attended Hogwarts, I had this Professor who I thought was really crazy. Sybil Trelawny reminds me so much of this Professor that I had, its just uncanny. I spent Years Three through Seven sitting in that awful tower, studying crystal balls, poking at mushy tealeaves and sitting elbow deep in chicken entrails. I hated Divination; still do, as a matter of fact. I think it's a very unspecific branch of magic and I don't like the importance placed upon it by so many witches and wizards. The truth is that a true Seer only comes along once in a blue moon. It's a very rare thing. Then you've got the witches that write Horoscope columns for Witch Weekly. The future is very unpredictable and in my honest opinion, it's dangerous to even try.

"In this block, you will not so much as glance at a crystal ball, at least not under my watch. There are some very accurate predictors out there and I don't want you worrying about them. However, many wizards that dabble in the Dark Arts rely heavily on Divination to guide their misadventures. Grindewald saw his own defeat in the Dragon Mirror, which is currently sitting in the Headmaster's office. Countless other Dark wizards used similar methods. Lord Voldemort is the same way.

"We're going to be studying various methods of divining, yes, but it won't be chicken entrails. There are far more accurate methods. You will be researching these methods, studying the predicted downfalls of past wizards and looking up Prophecies.

"This is going to be a trying course. I'm sure that many of you will find it disturbing and others will find it to be complete cow dung. Bear with me, this is really important. Professor Trelawny will be here eventually. She volunteered to work with you. I don't know what she's planning on, but it should be rather amusing.

"We're going to start off talking about Destiny. It may not be a branch of divination by any means, but its very important to our studies. I'd like to ask you a question, and you don't have to answer me, but who here believes that they have a destiny?"

Only one person in the room raised a hand.

"Draco is the only one with a destiny? Why are the rest of you here? Taking up space?"

Slowly, the rest of the students raised their hands.

"That's more like it. Eight of you have grown up in the wizarding world. You know about wizard beliefs. Since the dawn of time, wizards and witches have always believed in a pre-determined destiny. It has been the bane of the Darkest wizards and witches to find and change their destinies.

"At a young age, Tom Riddle had his destiny determined. We have found out this much. Apparently, this destiny goes against the very grain of that Dark wizard. Voldemort's destiny is this: He will die at the hand of a power greater than the wizarding world has ever done. After a reign of terror more dreadful than can be imagined, he will be killed mercilessly at the hand of his most hated enemy.

"As much as we know about Voldemort, we know this to be his essence. The man wishes more than anything else to cheat death. Yet it has been said, in plain English, that life is against his destiny, his pre-determined path.

"Sources on the inside tell us that Voldemort's key plan is to cheat death. How does he do it? He already has. Voldemort, as Dumbledore told you last year, has risen again. We all, myself included, thought he was dead, killed by a baby boy. This is not the case.

"Destiny is a very powerful form of old magic. No one knows whether or not we have predetermined fates, but people tend to let any hint at a fate control their life decisions. That's why it is so dangerous. Take for example, there is a brilliant, good-hearted wizard who does phenomenally well in school, is powerful and believes truly in the light side. However, if he has reason enough to believe that it is his very fate that he be evil, he will allow that to corrupt him.

"You must understand the role of destiny, whether or not it is real. It controls people, makes them go against the grain of their nature, makes them takes drastic methods to change their fates. The whole purpose of this program is to make you understand darkness and evil so that you can fight it. And one thing that must be understood about those on the dark side is that they are easily persuaded.

"That is why we are studying the topics we are. Being able to read a crystal ball will not help you to defeat Voldemort, but understanding why they place so much importance in it will.

"I want to start out with an interesting little assignment for you," groans from every student in the room, "I want you to write yourself a destiny. Seal it in a parchment envelope and turn it in to me by four o'clock tomorrow afternoon.

"I've compiled a list of things you need to research for tomorrow's lesson. I want today spent in the library or in your dorms, no dallying about in the common room playing chess or wandering the corridors in the main building. You must be prepared for tomorrow.

With a wave of her wand, a rolled parchment appeared in front of each student. Harry unrolled his two-foot long parchment and stared aghast at Hermione, who was quickly gathering her things to head to the library.

The group entered the library and immediately headed to the far corner of the room.

"I propose that we divide up all of the topics and tackle the subject that way. There are about sixty things on the list that we need to know for tomorrow, so we'll each take six topics to study. I guess I'll just take the first six," suggested Draco Malfoy, who was already beginning to stand to collect books.

No one argued and they divided up the remaining topics. Harry's included Dream Predictions, Tarot Reading, Destiny Cards, The Oracle at Delphi, The Dragon Mirror (Harry felt that he was getting way too much exposure to this topic.) and Astrological charts. He quickly moved to gather books on his subjects and nearly collided with Hermione.

"What topics did you get, Mione?" attempting to show his regret for his earlier outburst.

Hermione understood his motives, "I actually only got one topic. It has a few sub-topics as well. Ancient Prophecies."

"That should be interesting."

"Yes, I'll be interested to see what Arabella wants us to do with all this research though. I wonder if it will be some sort of project or just reference?"

"I hope it's not a project. I hate projects."

"Ah, they're fine. Where's Ginny, by the way? I just found an interesting book on Divination rods for her."

"Er, I think she's over there. I'm not sure," Harry said pointing to the other side of the library. Hermione couldn't hide her curious look as she walked in the direction he had gestured to.

***

The group worked tirelessly until five-thirty, without taking even a break for lunch. Harry was mentally exhausted. He stumbled into his dorm room and promptly passed out on the bed.

"Harry, grab your broom! We're going to be late for Animagus training."

Hermione pulled Harry off of the bed and stood him upright. She handed him the Firebolt that had been perched in the corner and together, they walked out to the Entrance Hall.

Animagus training had been moved off of school grounds to a Ministry of Magic controlled office in Hogsmede. Harry and Hermione had been flying into Hogsmede twice each week to meet with a wizard whose name Harry could not remember. Once inside the dingy little office, the wizard would put them through rigorous exercises involving the transformations.

Harry's first transformations had been very difficult and uncontrolled. Hermione had picked up the task excellently, but as Harry pointed out, she was only one animal.

He was finally grasping the concept of picking his a specific animal to transform into and was rather glad that the wizard wouldn't be yelling at him anymore. Harry thought that he had horrible garlic breath and it made the whole lesson rather unbearable.

Once outside, Harry mounted his broom and waited for Hermione to join him in the air. Harry and Ron's birthday gift had been received rather cautiously after the incident at the Burrow. However, Harry had taken Hermione down to the Quidditch pitch and given her proper flying lessons. She was still terrified and Harry flew rather slowly so that he could stay right with her, but she was definitely getting the hang of it.

They reached the office and found a note on the door reading that lessons had been cancelled and they should return the following week. Harry was inwardly thrilled, as he was starving and exhausted.

They flew back up to the castle at a very leisurely pace, enjoying the cool autumn evening.

When they returned to the castle, Hermione headed back to their dorm and Harry went off in search of Ron. As he entered Gryffindor tower, he was pummelled by a rather large pillow.

"What-"

"Hiya, Harry, what's up?"

Lavender Brown was perched on a couch in front of the fire and Ron was stretched out next to her. Harry simply let his eyes wander around the common room before looking directly at Ron, without acknowledging Lavender.

"Hermione wanted to know if you wanted to come to the dorm for awhile."

"Sure, can Lavender come?"

"Er, I don't see why not..."

"Great. Let's go." Ron jumped off of the couch and pulled Lavender along with him.

As they entered the IMS common room, Lavender looked around in awe. "This is so cool! Where are the dorms?"

Harry raised his eyebrow at her before directing them both to the door to his room. Hermione was sitting at the counter in the small kitchenette when they entered.

"Hello Ron," she said looking up from her book. As she noticed Lavender, Harry saw her anger flare up, "Good evening, Lavender."

"Hey, Hermione! What are you reading?"

"It's a book on ancient prophecies. We're studying Divination right now."

"Really? Is Professor Trelawny working with you?"

"Thankfully, no."

"But she's the best teacher at Hogwarts!"

Harry dropped the bottles of butterbeer that he had been taking out of the fridge. They were charmed to be unbreakable but the loud clatter stunned everyone in the room. Lavender stood looking between Harry and Hermione whom were both trying to refrain from laughing.

Becoming indignant, Lavender admonished them, "Well, maybe if you two had a little more respect for such an important branch of magic! Take Ron for example. Did you know that he's the best student in Divination this year?"

As Harry and Hermione dropped all pretence and began laughing hysterically, Ron turned as red as his hair.

"Ron? The best Divination student? Tell me, this month, will he be dying by suffocation from an unruly vine during Herbology or drowning in a bucket of soapy water while serving detention with Snape?" Hermione chortled through her giggles.

It was Ron's turn to be indignant, "Hermione! That's not fair! You're just jealous because I'm excelling at a subject that you can't even pass."

The laughing ended abruptly. "Ronald Arthur Weasley, how dare you insult me."

"Well, you sure can dish it out, but it looks like you really cannot take it, " shot Lavender.

Hermione whirled from her boyfriend to the unwelcome intruder standing in her dorm, "You, Lavender, would do well to remember whose dorm room you're in. Despite the fact that you enjoy hanging all over my boyfriend, it gives you no excuse to come into my room and insult a prefect."

"Hermione, don't you dare throw your weight around like that. You can't talk to Lavender that way."

"I'll speak with her anyway I damn well please. Five points from Gryffindor to you Lavender for insulting a prefect and five points for you as well, Ron. If you don't leave now, I'll take another ten."

"You cruel, heartless wench! How dare you insinuate that I am doing anything with your boyfriend? You cannot order me around like this, I'll go to McGonagall," threatened Lavender.

"Oh, go right ahead. Another five from Gryffindor for directly disobeying a prefect."

Lavender, red with fury, stormed from the room, slamming the door so hard that the walls shook.

Hermione turned to Ron, "Aren't you going to go after her?"

"Hermione, I am so sick of this! Come down off of your high horse. Why do you have to be so mean to her?"

"She came into my dorm and was insulting me! I hardly see that beyond reprimand, even if she is your little mistress."

"What has gotten into you Hermione? She's just a friend, a friend who is there for me. She's a better friend than you are at the moment."

This seemed to catch Hermione off guard and she quickly lost the glint in her eye. "You really believe that?"

"Of course I do. I don't like it any, but it's the truth. And its not as if you aren't finding companionship elsewhere! You spend every waking moment with Harry, probably even see him more than his girlfriend, who I'll remind you is your best girlfriend, as well as my sister."

Harry jumped in, "Now, Ron-" just as Hermione launched into another tyrant.

"Oh, and I suppose you're going to blame everything on Harry then? That is just so like you Ron, shifting the blame to someone else. Harry has been there for me, he's helped me study and he was there to rescue me from the accident. You've never been there for me, Ron, never!"

"So, we're back to this again? Perfect, bloody Harry! You know what, Hermione, I don't care any more. Harry is more important than I am. Harry is the best. Harry this, Harry that. Whatever, it doesn't matter any more. I'm going to go find Lavender and try and repair the damage. Harry, I'm sorry that I brought you into this."

Hermione just looked at Ron, as he turned to leave. She offered no protest, but just stared after him with a very sullen look on her face.

And Ron stormed from the room, leaving a very angry, very hurt Hermione and a completely shocked Harry.

***

The next morning in class, Hermione was not speaking to Harry. Harry really didn't mind, as he was furious with her for bringing him into the argument. After Hermione had slammed her way into her bedroom, Harry had grabbed his invisibility cloak and headed to Gryffindor tower.

As he had suspected, Ron had been brooding in the common room.

"I figured you'd come. Is she alright?"

"I don't know. She stormed off into her room without saying a word to me, as if all her problems are my fault."

"Harry, I don't think that things are going to work out between Hermione and I."

"Well, I hate to say this, but you two bring out the absolute worst in each other."

"Don't think that I haven't noticed. I don't know what to do. I love her, I do."

"Ron, we're way to young to be worrying about love. If you're not having fun, then I think you know what you should do."

Ron just looked at him through half-closed eyes. With a nod, he stood and announced he was going to bed.

Harry pulled himself out of his reverie and glanced at the Muggle clock on the mantle. At exactly ten o'clock, Arabella burst into the classroom.

"Does everyone have their destinies written out? I changed the lesson plans a little bit. If you all have them, I'd like to read them over and then thought maybe we could discuss them."

Everyone nodded his or her agreement, but Harry instantly felt very foolish. As he'd been leaving the Gryffindor common room last night, Lavender and Parvati were entering it. Both had been terrified by him standing there and Harry promised not to deduct points as long as they'd help him with his homework assignment.

Surprisingly, the two were well versed in destiny related Divination. Parvati had disappeared and returned a few moments later with a pack of what looked like Muggle Playing cards. However, she asked him his birthday and immediately, through some method that Harry couldn't figure out, she withdrew a ten of hearts. Harry had used Parvati and Lavender's information about the card to formulate some sort of destiny for himself and after a fashion; he had come up with something he hoped was plausible.

He turned the parchment into Arabella, who briefly skimmed it over with an added "Very well done, Harry" before she turned to Draco, who was handing in his as well.

After twenty minutes, Arabella cleared her throat to signal an end to the various conversations in the room.

"Well, these were certainly very interesting. I'm not sure what methods most of you used to come up with these, but it doesn't matter, as this was just an exercise to see how many of you truly realised your potential. Harry, yours was done phenomenally well. What methods did you use?"

Harry quickly explained how Parvati and Lavender had shown him the Cards of Destiny. Ignoring, Hermione's dirty looks, Harry talked about what his card meant and how he had come to the very general destiny that he'd written.

Arabella looked pleased and excused herself.

A few minutes later, she returned with Lavender, Parvati and the deck of cards. Parvati went through the same motions that she had with Harry for each student in the class. Lavender and Parvati took turns explaining each of the drawn cards in great detail and the class was amazed at how surprisingly accurate they were. Hermione's card had been the Five of Clubs, the Card of Intellectual Restlessness. The girls even went so far as to explain Harry's card, which was the Card of Social Success.

After their brief lesson on the cards, the girls left. Hermione was, of course, in an even more vicious mood and didn't so much as raise her hand for the entire day.

The day went on quietly with much class debate over destiny and the meanings of the cards that each had drawn. A majority of the class ended up changing what they had written the night before.

Lunch came quickly and Harry, Hermione and Ginny walked sullenly to the Great Hall. Harry and Ginny immediately separated from Hermione, who plunked herself down next to Ron with a very determined look on her face. He didn't say a word or even so much as look at her. He simply stood up and she followed him from the Great Hall.

"I think that I'd like to go to Hogsmede after class today, Ginny, would you like to come?"

"Won't Hermione and Ron want to come?"

"Hermione who?"

"Harry, you cannot be mad at her like this. You're being just as childish as they are."

"How am I being childish? I cannot believe that they brought me into the argument."

"Harry, I would love to go down to Hogsmede after class today," Ginny said, abruptly ending all Ron/Hermione related discussion.

Harry, having finished his lunch, gathered his things to head to the library, where he would spend the rest of the afternoon.

***

Harry was not surprised to see Hermione in the library. They had not talked in nearly a week and she seemed to be everywhere that he was. He sat at a table in a far corner, as far away from her as he could get.

He ignored the shadow that passed over the table.

"Can I tell you a story?"

No response came.

"It's about a girl who had the best friend a person could ask for. He was kind and loving and patient and protective. He knew her inside and out and she threw it all away by falling in love with his best friend and dragging him into the middle of their fights.

"One day, she realized her mistake and went to apologize to him."

"And then what happened?"

"Well, that's really left up to the imagination of the reader."

"Ah, and what's your version?"

"That the boy accepted, but only under the pretence that his friend do something to make it up to him."

"And what does she do?"

"She cooks him dinner every night for the rest of the term and promises to leave him out of all future arguments with said boyfriend."

"You do realize that this has been a dreadfully boring week don't you?"

Hermione plopped down into a chair, "Oh, yes, let me tell you. Ron has been nervous as anything about the tryouts tonight. I'm so sick of Quidditch."

Harry finally smiled at her and they continued the conversation as if the fight had never happened.

***

The weather during the week of Harry and Hermione's fight had been dreadful. Windy, rainy and cold weather had created a very lifeless atmosphere in both IMS and Hogwarts.

Harry had spent much of the past week dividing his time between the library and helping Ginny work on some complicated Keeper manoeuvres. Three times he had been to the infirmary for a Pepper-Up potion, after spending hours in the rain and wind helping Ginny.

The weather seemed to break especially for the Quidditch tryouts. It was still cold, but the wind and rain had vanished and Harry was relieved.

He had gone directly to the Quidditch pitch after practice for a meeting with the rest of the team.

Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell had decided upon a complicated grading system for find their new keeper. Apparently, Angelina had spent much of the first month of school owling Oliver Wood on the best ways to find a keeper.

Harry was dizzied by the system that had set up. Some sort of elaborate obstacle course had been created that each keeper candidate must pass. There were also tests for quickness, agility, and creativity. Harry grimaced as he looked at the grading sheets for each person trying out. Inside, Harry was thrilled that he didn't have to try out for the team.

Harry was doing a circuit around the pitch when a large group of people ambled down to the pitch. Harry picked out Ron, Hermione and Ginny easily enough. Ginny and Ron were wearing Quidditch training robes and keeping a good distance from each other. Hermione had a book under one arm and Daryl's leash in one hand. The small puppy was tugging furiously at the leash and would occasionally jump against Ron's legs, causing Ron to trip more than once.

A small crowd gathered at the pitch for tryouts. Harry recognized a few teachers, several students, some parents and a very unfamiliar solitary figure sitting at the top of the pitch. Seeing the strange figure, Harry got a very uneasy feeling, but shook it off, owing it to his not having eaten dinner.

The tryouts were brutal. Fred and George spent a good forty-five minutes battering the candidates with beaters from every angle. Alicia had insisted that each person trying out had their hands tied to their broom so that they could judge handless protecting techniques. Though this had brought about many groans of protest, everyone obliged.

Those were some of the easier tests. After nearly three hours, the last person on the field trying out for the new position collapsed with the others onto the cool grass. Alicia whistled to Harry, who had been flying above, watching from a higher vantage point. He headed down and met his teammates at the end of the pitch.

Nobody said a word. Alicia spoke first, "Well?"

Nearly in unison, all six players said "Ginny."

She had flown the quickest, had the sharpest eye, and demonstrated the most awareness and creativity. Ginny was a natural keeper, very protective of what she thought was hers.

Angelina called to the heap in the middle of the pitch, "Go shower! You all stink! Be here tomorrow at five o'clock and we'll let you know our decision."

Harry thought this was unnecessary, but nodded his head with the rest of the team.

After Harry had changed out of his Quidditch robes, only Hermione was waiting for him. Ginny and Ron had gone back up to the castle, still not speaking to each other.

"So, what do you guys think?"

"Mione, you know I can't tell you that."

"You picked Ginny, didn't you?" Harry's look must have answered her question, "That's what I figured. She's a natural, Ron couldn't beat her if she was blindfolded."

Harry just laughed.

"Excuse me,"

Harry and Hermione both turned around to face a wizard with dark hair and very blue eyes, "You must be Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. I'm Bernard Connelly."

"Ah, Minister Connelly! How nice to meet you. You guess right. What brings you to Hogwarts?" asked Hermione, her cautious mood instantly vanishing.

"I have a meeting with Dumbledore, but he was running late so I thought I'd come watch the Quidditch game."

"Did you play Quidditch, sir?" Piped up Harry.

"No, my parents travelled quite a bit, so I was schooled in America. I did play Quodpot, but that's a bit different than Quidditch."

"Really? I've only read a little about it, but it sounds pretty interesting," Harry said.

They'd struck a chord with the minister, who launched into a vivid description of the game. By the time he had finished, Harry and Hermione were at the door to IMS. After saying goodbye, they ducked into the room, leaving the new minister to find Dumbledore.

"He seems very nice, he is rather young though."

"And he plays Quodpot," added Harry.

"Well, not that it matters, Harry. If you ask me, I think he'll probably be a much better minister that Fudge ever was. The twenty thousand galleon question will be whether or not he accepts the fact that Voldemort has risen again."

"Honestly, though, how likely is that? I would say the resurrection of Voldemort is a bit of a taboo topic."

"And I would say that that's a bit of an understatement."

***

The following morning, Harry awoke to find a piece of parchment taped to the dorm room door. It simply read that classes had been cancelled and that he was to be in the Great Hall no later than ten thirty. When he asked Hermione, she had no idea what was going on.

"I'll bet you ten galleons it has to do with Minister Connelly."

"Do you take me for a fool? Honestly woman."

Hermione slapped Harry playfully on the arm before heading back to her room to get ready for the day. Harry did the same and met Hermione back in the common room.

The entire school was seated in the Great Hall. There was some sort of stage with a podium set up where the teacher's table usually was. Rows and rows of chairs replaced the house tables. In the corner of the room, a crew was busily placing wires along the ground leading the stage and microphones were being tested.

Harry and Hermione found seats with Ron and Ginny. Lavender was seated with them as well and received many cool glares from Hermione, who had protectively wrapped her hand around Ron's and was doing her best to give him her undivided attention.

Within a few minutes, the hall had become eerily quiet. The entire student populace was waiting in anticipation. A door off to the side of the stage creaked open and Professor Dumbledore strode onto the stage.

"Good morning. I have requested that you all be here today because we have a special guest speaker. I'd like to welcome Emergency Minister of Magic Bernard Connelly."

A collective gasp rose as students craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the dark haired wizard making his way to the stage.

He reached the microphone and faced the school with a very grave look on face, a complete opposite of the man that Harry and Hermione had met the previous night.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I stand up here today with some very grave news. As you know, approximately six weeks ago, the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, disappeared without a trace from the wizarding world. The ministry has searched endlessly for a clue to his whereabouts and the search has not been in vain. After receiving an anonymous tip yesterday, the body of Cornelius Fudge was found in an alleyway near a small muggle factory. After a thorough search of the surrounding area, the ministry aurors have found enough evidence to charge a man with the kidnapping of murder of Cornelius Fudge. Today, a warrant has been issued for the arrest and trial of one Rebus Lupin. We have it under direct testimony that Remus Lupin has been associating with Death Eaters for the past sixth months."

Not a sound was made in the Great Hall. Every teacher at Hogwarts sat to the side with stunned and scared looks on their faces. Even Professor Dumbledore had lost the twinkle in his eyes and was barely hiding his shocked expression. Clearly, this was not what he had expected.

"We have also found evidence that escaped convict Sirius Black has been instrumental in the abduction of late Minister Fudge. At this time, we ask for every witch and wizard in Britain to assist us in the capture of these two dangerous men. If found, it is within the best interest that the witch or wizard do not attempt to detain them, but rather a signal be sent out for assistance from the Ministry."

"Thank you for your time today and I find it appropriate that we now exercise a moment of silence for the late Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge.

Silence was the only thing plausible at the moment. A click announced that the broadcast had ended and the Hogwarts professors stood to thank their guest. No sound was heard until a thump rang out in the graveyard like graveyard. Arabella Figg had passed out in the middle of the stage.

***

Two days later, classes resumed at Hogwarts. The memorial service had been held the day following the new Minister of Magic. The day after the service had been spent in quiet reverie. Harry walked around the castle in a state of shock and suspicion. He knew, somehow, that neither Sirius nor Remus had been responsible for the Fudge murder, but every other student in Hogwarts was wary. Many blamed it on the fact that Remus was a werewolf and no wonder; he was associating with a known murderer. Arabella had not emerged from her quarters, even for the memorial service. When Harry had seen her the previous night in the kitchen, she smiled warily at him before retreating to her room without a word.

It was about twenty minutes after ten o'clock and Harry thought it very strange that their teacher was late. A commotion outside the door that led to the Entrance Hall startled Harry from his revelry.

"Damn it Sybil! Can't you help carry all of your things?"

"Darling, carrying the Divination Tools clouds my inner eye. As the Seer, I feel it necessary to keep my distance from the Tools and allow them their personal space and freedom. I cannot disrespect them."

Harry heard a grunt from Arabella as the door from the entrance hall was flung open. Arabella stood at the door balancing what looked like a crystal ball, several heavy tomes, and a bag full of long rods, looking rather like her old self instead of the haunted woman he had seen the night before. She was holding the door open for a woman whom Harry thought looked rather like an insect. Sybil Trelawny floated through the door and looked at the congregated students with her bug-like eyes hidden behind large spectacles.

"Hello everyone. Would one of you kindly cover the windows? It is very bright in here."

Cadence obligingly shut the curtains the covered the windows and the room dimmed considerably, lit only by the burning fireplace. With a wave of her hand, Professor Trelawny summoned a high backed chair to her side and a small table. She sat and motioned to Arabella, who begrudgingly placed the long rods and the crystal ball on the table. She dropped the tomes at the Professor's feet and received a reproachful look for it.

"Now then. How many of you have had a Divination Class prior to the start of this program?"

Everyone student, even Hermione, raised their hands.

"Very well. As you know, Divination is perhaps the most important magical art. Entire kingdoms were built upon prophecies. Though not exact," Hermione snorted at this. "Divination is key to understanding the Dark Arts. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named based his decisions heavily on carefully researched Prophecies and predictions. Therefore, it is understandable that you all need to have a deep knowledge of unfogging the future. I can sense that in many of you, your inner eyes are not strong, a here to hep you in any way I can.

"I have brought several of the most important books containing predictions and prophecies ever written. Some of these date as far back as the Founding of Hogwarts. I'd like you to partner up and skim through the books. Find a prediction that interests you and report back to me what you find out about it. I predict that these will be due by the end of the year."

With that, she stood up and walked from the room, heading back into the Hogwarts main building. All of her books and rods were still strewn around the chair she had been sitting in.

The ten students sat in stunned silence. It was Hermione who laughed first and everyone else was quick to follow. Opening her eyes very wide, Hermione turned to Harry, "I predict a lot of general bullshitting is going to occur during the course of this project."

Harry just snorted as Arabella cleared her throat.

"Well, then, er, there you have it. Really, she drives me mad. Professor Trelawny had told me that she would be working with you all day and I scheduled an important meeting with Professor Dumbledore, so I guess you can take the day off. Mind you, it may be a good idea to start on your, er, predictions, but it's up to you. Enjoy your day."

Hermione grinned and pulled Harry out of his chair.

"Let's take a walk to Hogsmede. I want to get out and enjoy the fresh air."

"Well, you're certainly in a mood today."

"Have you looked outside? It's a beautiful day! This is the best weather we've had in weeks and it'll take your mind off things."

Hermione ran to their dorm and emerged with two cloaks, tossing one to Harry; she pulled him towards the Entrance Hall.

"Hermione! Hold on, I want to see if Ginny would like to come. Besides, isn't Ron's morning free? Perhaps he'd like to come?"

"Oh, forget about them, it'll be fine. They won't even notice we're gone."

Harry looked back at Ginny, who was sitting in front of the fireplace with Cadence, one of the large tomes across her lap.

Shrugging, he followed Hermione out of the castle and down towards the village.

***

As they neared the Three Broomsticks, laugher broke the silence of the quiet fall day as a group exited the tavern. They were obviously Hogwarts students. There was pushing and shouting mixed in with the laughter echoing joyously on the deserted street in Hogsmede.

Harry immediately picked out the red head a few inches higher than everyone else's. Ron had his arm around Lavender and was being playfully shoved by Dean Thomas, who was being hung on by Parvati Patil. Seamus Finnigan was busy tickling another blond witch that Harry recognized from their year and didn't stop when the others did.

Ron had noticed Harry and Hermione first and stopped dead in his tracks. Dean had issued a well-placed punch that grazed Ron's arm as he noticed the two approaching prefects. Seamus slammed into Dean who stumbled and grabbed for Ron. Ron caught himself, not once breaking eye contact with Hermione.

"Er, Hermione. Hello. Hey Harry."

"Ron," Harry answered, who was now watching Hermione apprehensively.

Hermione's parting words before she apparated back to the school astounded everyone within hearing distance. The very pronounced, very deliberate words echoed callously in Harry's mind for several hours after.

"Fuck. You. Ronald. Weasley."

***

Harry immediately apparated away to find her and Ron followed on foot. Harry found Hermione sobbing in her room and twenty minutes later a loud pounding announced the entrance of Ron.

"Hermione, we need to talk right now. Alone."

"What makes you think I want to talk to you? And besides, anything you have to say to me, you can say to Harry."

"Hermione, it's alright. I'll just be in my room."

Ron looked at Harry with a mixed expression of gratefulness and exasperation.

Harry nodded at them both and walked to his room, gaining no reprieve from the ensuing argument.

"Hermione, we were just enjoying our free time. Nothing is going on with Lavender!" Ron shouted as soon as Harry had shut the door.

"Ha! You expect me to believe that. You come sauntering out of a pub, reeking like alcohol, with your arm around, some- some tart! And you expect me to believe that nothing is going on? Don't try to explain, Ron, because frankly, I don't want to hear it!"

"Well what about you and Harry being there? Did you even try and find me before going off to Hogsmede with my best friend?"

"Oh, don't you dare try and pin this all on me! Harry and I were excused from classes today and were out enjoying the weather. Since you've been so busy with Lavender lately, I wouldn't expect you to notice that Harry has been completely distraught over what's been happening lately."

"So, you two were going to go off for an afternoon of snogging to whisk all his troubles away?"

"That's not how it is and you know it. If you want out of this, stop looking for an easy way out and just do it already."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please Ron! You want out of this relationship more than I do. It's written all over everything you do. What's keeping you with me?"

"Hermione, if you're trying to say that I don't love you, you're very wrong. You are my everything."

"I can't believe that. Because Lavender is something to you. You may love me, but you don't want to be with me."

"We fight so much and we don't have anything in common any more."

"I know."

"Hermione, I-" he paused.

"What?"

"I just can't do this anymore," and he walked out of her room, passing Harry, who was nonchalantly reading a book in the small living room.

"Harry, um, talk to her?"

"I will."

"Thank you."

As soon as Ron had left, Harry dropped his book and walked unceremoniously to Hermione's room.

She lay crumpled on the bed, sobbing. "Harry, please just leave me alone. I need to be by myself."

"Alright, I have a few things I want to do today, I'll be back around six thirty, seven at the latest. Do you need anything?"

"No."

"Bye, love. You'll be ok," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the top of the head before leaving.

Harry spent the rest of the day reading up on the topic they had picked for Trelawny's project. Hermione had suggested an ancient prophecy that she had come across while doing research for the topics Arabella had assigned. She'd shown him the book that mentioned it and he searched for it in the library, finding it in a far, dusty, forgotten corner.

The book was bound in an ancient leather and Harry was annoyed to find the entire thing written in Latin. When had Hermione learned Latin? Shaking his head, Harry grabbed a Latin dictionary and using a translation spell, began the slow process of translating the book.

This served to be no easy task and five o'clock came much faster than Harry expected. Even though he technically wasn't allowed to apparate, he was running late for the Quidditch meeting. It had been postponed due to the Fudge incident and Harry knew that the group trying out anxiously awaited to hear whom the new Gryffindor Keeper would be.

Everyone was gathered on the pitch, awaiting Harry. The silence was full of anticipation and as soon as Harry popped onto the pitch, Katie Bell cleared her throat.

"We're going to make this short and sweet. We were looking for a Keeper who was quick on his or her broom, who was agile, creative and not afraid to get in the face of the opponent. You all were excellent, but one of you truly surpassed the others," at this Ron pulled himself up, looking rather smug as Ginny rolled her eyes at him, "Ginny Weasley, we'd like to welcome you to the Gryffindor team."

Cheering and applause erupted from the small gather group. Ginny received a great deal of pats on the back and wishes of good luck. She made her way to Harry and flung her self at him in joy. He was happy to hug her back, glad to have something good happen this day.

The stormy look on Ron's face ended Ginny and Harry's embrace. Harry pulled away from Ginny at the eyes of his best friend, which had taken on a reddish glint. Harry swiftly walked to his best friend, who continued to glare at Ginny.

"Ron?"

"Damn women. Harry, I am so anti-girl right now, you have no idea. They always get everything they want. It's always about them. When do we blokes get a break? Never, that's when."

Harry tuned out his friend's diatribe. Ginny was still ecstatic and was being hugged by the twins, who were very proud of their little sister. Eventually the celebration moved from the pitch to Gryffindor tower, where Harry snacked on food ransacked from the kitchen and ice-cold butterbeer.

***

One did not have to look hard to see the small mountain of tissues in Harry's dorm room. Hermione was curled on the couch, wrapped in a blanket emblazoned with the Gryffindor logo, and sobbing loudly. As Harry moved closer, he saw the sweet dream bear that he had given her for her birthday. She clutched it close to her face, and crying tears of agony into the soft bear.

"Oh, Harry..." she moaned, moving aside for him to sit on the couch. He sat next to her and she moved onto his lap, sobbing against his chest.

Though he found it awkward, Harry did not move and only held the sobbing girl until her tears and shakes subsided.

"Harry?"

"Yes, Mione?"

"Am I a horrible person? Was Ron right?"

"You're not horrible, Hermione. And was Ron right about what?"

"He said I was selfish and that I ignored him."

"You're not selfish. Look at all you do for others, Hermione. Think about S.P.E.W. and all of the reading you've done to help out Ron and I. The fact that you're even in IMS shows what a good person you are. You're here to be the best witch you can be so that you can go out there and save the world. You're hardly a bad person and as for ignoring Ron, I don't think you were doing it intentionally.

This brought a fresh wave of tears from Hermione, who curled herself even tighter against Harry.

For hours they sat like that, Harry holding onto his best friend, who was crying for dear life. Occasionally she would ask him questions about Ron or the Quidditch tryouts or her relationship with Ron. Harry did his best to answer, but always came fresh tears.

At around two o'clock in the morning, Hermione had cried herself to sleep. Harry felt as if his entire person was numb, but dared not move, for fear of waking the troubled girl.

He sat and leaned his head against the armrest, content to fall asleep himself.

***

Harry stretched languidly on the grass as the cool autumn sun filtered through the leafy overhang above him. He felt each individual blade of grass between his fingers. The sky was a deep blue and reminded him of the colour of his aunt's eyes. A soul bird chirped off in the distance and Harry slowly sat up. He looked out at the grove stretching before him. Off in the far corner of the valley, Harry noticed a clump of trees and instinctively walked towards it. When he was a good ten yards from the trees, a deafening scream met his ears. Before his mind could object, his legs propelled him forward. As he ran, the sky darkened and thunder sounded in the distance. Streaks of lightning flashed in the sky as Harry rushed through the trees. His foot hit a root and he fell to the needle covered ground. Pulling himself up, Harry felt a shadow pass over him.

"Good evening Harry."

"Where am I?"

"Harry, I have the infinite knowledge of the universe and all you ask me whenever we meet is where you are. However, this time, I will tell you. You're at Godric's Hollow."

"Tristram, why am I here?"

"Well, my master has a mission for you."

Harry stood and followed the man towards the house. Tristram was very old looking. He had a sage-like air about him that made Harry feel strangely calm.

Another scream shattered the silent woods. More claps of thunder and lightning flashes followed as they reached the house.

"Ah, Harry, so nice to see you again."

The voice chilled Harry to the bone. He shivered as Voldemort stepped closer to him.

"I have something I'd like you to see Harry."

"Whatever it is you want me to see here, I'm sure that I don't want to see it."

"Just wait."

And the three men walked into the small cottage. Lily and James Potter sat on the couch, chattering softly. Harry looked around the room. A small cosy living room was the main focus of the house. A fire burned cheerily in the grate and a blustery fall wind sounded outside. Suddenly, the front door banged open and Lily screamed.

"Lily! Take Harry and get out of the house!"

The young redheaded witch did as she was told. Another Voldemort walked up to James and without so much as another word screamed the Death Curse at James Potter.

Harry watched in horror as he father fell, soundlessly to the floor. Calmly, Voldemort stepped over Harry's dead father and walked to the room that Lily had fled too.

There she stood, guarding Harry's crib. She was holding a chubby baby in her arms, trying to shield him with her body. Voldemort was standing facing down Lily, who was crying silently, begging him to kill her instead. His wand poised to kill, he turned suddenly.

"Ah, Harry Potter. You'll do nicely. Imperio."

Harry felt the Imperious Curse dull his senses. His mind went through the familiar actions of fighting the curse, however it did not ebb away.

Kill her.

I don't want to.

Kill her.

Harry screamed as his mind freed itself from the curse. A new feeling flooded his body. He felt himself being pulled out of his own body. Floating above the scene below him, he saw himself raise his right hand and whisper the words. A very slow moving green light, nearly imperceptible, poured from his outstretched his hand. It struck his weeping mother right in the chest, her eyes wide with surprise and fright as Harry hovered overhead.

She screamed and fell, baby Harry flying from her arms.

Harry's mind flooded with terror. He was now facing his dead mother and watching his past self amble about the room.

"I killed her."

"Harry. Harry. Harry. Look what you've done."

"I didn't do this! I couldn't have! She's already dead."

"After all your mother did to protect you, you killed her."

"But-but- I couldn't have! She was already dead!"

Harry fell to his knees, tears leaking from his eyes. The wise, old Tristram stared down at him, head shaking. A movement stirred in front of him. Harry looked up, his vision blurred.

Lily Potter was standing up and looking directly at him, green eyes blazing.

Suddenly, her features sharpened. Just as quickly, they dulled and faded and there was Hermione standing in front of him.

He rushed to her and pulled her into his arms.

"Harry, how could you kill her?" she said as he held her limp form.

"Hermione-you have to believe me. I didn't! I didn't kill her!"

"Oh, Harry, I loved you so much, but I can't anymore. You killed her, you killed her!"

And Hermione died in his arms. He felt her body waste away and she was gone.

"Harry, you have destroyed the one who meant the most to you. You have killed your best friend and your mother. How can you call yourself good? Can't you see how dark you are? What a dark soul you have?"

"I'm-I'm not evil. I didn't kill them. I never meant to."

***