Chapter 36

The Descendants' War Prophesy

Harry reached over and pulled The Descendant's War; Myth or Fact? off of the shelf. He opened to the table of contents.

The Prophesy; The Descendant's War - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Page (3) Three appeared at the top.

Harry turned the page to three. Now, it might all make sense. He started to read.

Good verses evil, wrong verses right,

One will never win the fight.

The battles are never done,

So set your heart and win one.

Of Hogwarts founders four,

The blood line must remain pure.

To each founder one child alone,

So the descending is clearly shown.

A descendent will not meet death,

Until after their baby's breath.

The only way to break a band,

Is by another descendant's hand.

From four to two to one,

To the last descending son.

When two are gone and two remain,

Both are given too much fame.

Both raised unaware,

The founder's blood they did share.

Both born with the power to lead,

Followers they will unwillingly need.

So much alike, but not the same,

Too much is put inside a name.

Hallow's place on Hallow's night,

The two chosen begin the fight.

One of darkness, one of light,

One of wrongs, one of right.

One bellow and one above,

One of hate and one of love.

Fighting temptation of evil's power,

Bonds of love will form and flower.

Good and evil isn't night and day,

You encounter shades of gray.

A chosen weapon with a mind,

Knows to whom it will bind.

The weapon will bind when there's a need,

To fight another's endless greed.

A weapon used to help defend,

A weapon used to also mend.

A tiny push and some advice,

Every advantage has a price.

Though enemies from the start,

The last battle's within the heart.

The Descendant's War will come to close,

At the place where it first rose.

With two the battle will begin,

A child will define the win.

Three lines broke, one remains,

The last descendent, lacking pain.

First born with three lines down,

Will receive the Founder's Crown.

The founding four are sent home,

By a power that's beyond their own.

A precious gift to earn from each,

Last to arrive has a lesson to teach.

To return the four will need,

A host of energy to feed.

The child that defined the war,

Will share the burden with one more.

The Raven in the Lion's Den,

There, gone, back again.

When the Badger does arrive,

She'll greatly damage her host's pride.

The snake will come in his sly way,

Through the last expected on their last day.

To earn the gifts pass each test.

Prove worth of the last line left.

Godric's test, the first of four,

Is the Descendant's War.

Helga's test of one loyal,

To be passed on Hogwart's soil.

Rowena's test, though for one smart,

Must forget the mind in games of heart.

Salazar's test of grief and strife,

One beloved will lose their life.

A promise made will seem to break,

Another's life it may well take.

A promise broke only by death,

Is, in the life, still kept.

Harry stopped, and read it again. He pieced it together with everything his father had told him, looking back.

He turned and stared into the empty fire place, and didn't move again for many hours.

Ginny landed on the tower again. There was still no sign of Harry. "He'sss down there alright," Sally said from Ginny's neck.

"Is he okay?"

"No. Ssstop panicking. He'sss not in danger. He doesssn't need me, or you. I would know. But he'sss not okay. He'sss in shock. He found sssomething down there. Sssomething, well, shocking."

Ginny cursed mentally. "I want down there! Whatever he found out, he could talk to me."

"I don't think he'sss coming out any time sssoon. We might asss well go back and try again in the morning."

Ginny gave a frustrated growl. "Harry Potter, you are going to be the death of me."

When Ginny woke up the next morning, it was still twilight outside. She hadn't slept very well, when she slept. Sally was by the window, also wide awake.

"Not back yet is he?"

Sally shook her head.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked later that day.

Ginny shrugged, carefully avoiding Hermione's eyes without looking like she was avoiding Hermione's eyes. "I dunno. Any reason?"

"Ron says he never heard him come in last night, and if he was there, he left before Ron woke up."

"He's had a lot of work lately."

"You, you don't think it might have to do with his class with Sirius, do you?"

Ginny looked up. In finding the chamber, she had forgotten all about that. "That might be it Booky. I was there. He took it pretty bad. He might just need some time to himself." Hermione nodded, her face grim. Ginny felt sick from lying about something like that, but it was necessary.

Harry wasn't seen all day. Ginny was more worried then she thought she could be, and couldn't show it at all. Ron and Hermione seemed to accept the fact that if she wasn't worried, then there was no reason for them to be. So she had to keep up the appearance. The school would return that evening, Easter break over, and classes would start the next day. Ginny hoped against hope that he would be back by then.

Ginny found herself reassuring numerous teachers over and over that yes, indeed, Harry was fine, when she didn't know if she even believed it herself.

The school came back, and among so many students, Harry's absence went unnoticed for a while. It wasn't until the forth year boys were heading to bed that Seamus questioned his missing classmate.

"Hey Ron, I haven't seen Harry all night. Where is he?"

Ron paused. "Nobody's seen him for a couple of days now."

"Whoa, back up. Why? And why isn't everybody freaking out about it?"

Ron finished putting on his pajamas before he answered. "Well, Ginny says he needed some time to himself."

"Why?" Dean asked.

"Um, well, uh," Ron stuttered. "You see, he had to learn, the killing spells, or at least one of them."

The room was quiet for a moment. "He learned them?"

Ron nodded, his eyes bright blue even in the darkening room. "And the other day, he had to test it on something."

"Didn't it work?" Neville asked. "It's not his fault if he can't do it. Most grown Wizards can't."

"No, Neville. The thing was it did work."

A very think silent fell on the room. Seamus was the first to break it. "Ron, that, that's dark magic. The darkest."

"You don't think I know that? He's been learning all kinds of it. Not just learning it, being taught. It doesn't bother the girls, but it did bother me at first. Hermione says he has to learn it. His best weapon is knowing what the enemy's weapons are, or something like that."

"It's still dark!" Neville squeaked.

"That's what I said," Ron said solemnly. "But the think that makes dark magic dark is the fact that it causes pain to the user. Just because it's dark doesn't make it evil. Hermione says, if there was anybody in this world she would trust to know dark magic and not use it for evil, it's Harry. And I must say I agree with her."

The three other boys chewed on that for a minute. "So, he used a killing spell, and now he's in hiding and won't come out?"

"I'm sure he'll be back for classes tomorrow."

But Ron was wrong. There was still now sign of Harry by breakfast. Actually, there was plenty of signs of Harry, it was just nobody had seen him. For example, his broom and invisibility cloak had disappeared from Ginny's dorm the night before.

Ginny tried to distract herself with the morning paper, and it did a very good job. There was an article on the art museum on Hogsmeade. The painting by James Potter that had never made it to the museum was found on the doorstep

"It was just sitting there, wrapped up for mailing like. With a little note on it." Says the owner of the museum. This is the copy of the note.

It's my understanding that this was promised to the museum by Lily Potter. Please take note that the artist, James Potter, strongly objected to even asking if you wanted it, for he believed it not good enough. Well, I agree with my mother. Here it is.

-H.P.

Ginny stopped reading the article. She was a little relieved, this proved that he was in no danger, and even more worried, because she read between the lines of that note. 'He needs me, damn it! And I can't help him!'

Her thoughts were interrupted. There was a tap on her shoulder, and she spun around to see Madam Pince.

"Miss. Weasley. Those books that you were looking for, the ones that were missing, have been found and returned. With this note." She handed a note and three books to Ginny.

I found the books, I returned the books, but make sure that Ginny Weasley receives right away the three titled The Descendant's War, Myth or Fact?

Helga's Viewings

The Descendant's War, What Could it Mean?

-H.P.

"Thank you, Madam Pince," Ginny said, tucking the books in her back. The lady smiled.

"Thank your friend, and thank him for me too."

Ginny forced a smile on her face. "I will."

Sally shook her head. "That boy. What are we going to do with him?"

"I don't know, Sally. I don't know."

By lunch, word had spread all over the school on what had happened to Harry, and why he was missing. Ginny tried to keep busy so people would stop asking her if she had seen him. "Not for a while, no," she would reply. But at lunch, Dumbledore called her to the front.

Of coarse, the hall fell silent. Everybody wanted to hear what he would say.

"Miss. Weasley, have you seen Mr. Potter?"

Ginny swallowed. "Not for a while, Sir, no."

"How long is a while?"

"Not yesterday, but the night before, late, was when I saw him last." Her heart was pounding in her chest. It was impossible to lie to Dumbledore.

"Can you tell me where he is?"

Ginny could have sunk to her knees right then and there. If he had asked, "Do you know where he is?" she would have had to say yes. "No, Sir, I can't."

"I see, but you do know, don't you?"

Ginny stopped breathing, and if hadn't been her, would have laughed. She nodded slowly. "Yes, Sir," she whispered.

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "I thought so. I don't suppose you can get to him, can you?"

She shook her head. "But he is okay?"

She looked at the floor. "Physically, he's perfectly fine."

Dumbledore let out a sigh. "And we can't get to him."

Ginny thought back to the Chamber of Secrets. Not even the ghosts could get in it. It was probably the same way with this chamber. But-

"Professor, I might be able to get a message to him!"

Ten minutes later Ginny was scribbling quickly on a piece of parchment while most of the staff sat and watched her. She blushed, and she knew it, but she kept her attention on what she was doing.

"Done," she said signing it. Dumbledore reached for the letter, and she instinctively jerked it away. "Sorry," she said quickly. "But I promised not to tell."

Dumbledore nodded again. Ginny walked over and put the letter in the bird's beak. She bent over and whispered the destination in its ear.

"Think you can do it?" The bird nodded. "Now, keep that location a secret, okay?" It nodded again before disappearing.

Ginny sat down again. Now they just had to wait.

Harry was reading again. Year Three this time. He didn't cry anymore. He'd run out of tears. He stopped and put the book up again. He had to read them in small spurts. Too much at once was too much.

He was sleeping on the couch. He had gotten enough food in Hogsmeade to last him a few days. When was Easter over? What day was it? He had lost track, but he didn't really care anymore.

He stared in the empty fire place listening to it rain outside. It really fit his mode. He heard music playing faintly.

Suddenly, everything didn't seem so horrible. He could deal with this. Hell, he should be happy about it. It wasn't everyday you found out only one person in this world could kill you. And hadn't he know? Somewhere deep down there in the places inside him he never liked to look at, hadn't he known?

The music was louder, he realized suddenly. There was a pop, and his eyes fell on an old friend.

"Fawlks." The bird grinned at him, and Harry couldn't help but grin back. No wonder his mood had jumped when the music started. "Increase the courage of the pure of heart and to strike fear into the hearts of the impure." That was what it said in the text book.

The phoenix opened its beak, and a piece of parchment fell out. Harry picked in up, as the phoenix sat down beside him on the couch.

Dear Harry,

If he could get into the Chamber of Secrets, I figured he would be able to get in there to you. Everybody seems to have found out about the killing spells. I have got everybody believing that this is the reason you aren't around. And they are starting to assume you are in the Chamber of Secrets. Even Dumbledore doesn't know. You owe me. I understand if you need to stay there, and thanks for the books. But please at least write back. They are all worried, and really, so am I. I went to check on you, and you forgot me.

Always,

Rose.

Harry let out a sigh. "I've been such an idiot." Fawlks nodded. "Oh, thanks for the support. Only the staff will see this right?" Fawlks nodded again.

Harry walked into his parent's bedroom and from the desk took a piece of parchment and, a pen? He smiled. Probably his mother's. He preferred pens anyway.

When he was finished, he handed the letter to Fawlks who disappeared with a pop.

He was being an idiot. Of coarse people were wondering where he was. And once again Ginny saved him. He did owe her, a lot. He owed her at least an explanation. She deserved to know too.

There was a pop and everybody in the room looked up. Fawlks flew to Dumbledore and dropped the letter. He opened in and his eyes flew through it, then he sighed.

"It says; Dear Anybody,

I'm fine. Or at least, I am now. Fawlks was a great help. Good call on that one Rose. I will be back later, and I promise to make up all the work I am missing. Please reassure my teacher that I am not mad at him. Very far from it. And give Rose a message; Twelve Midnight Roses in the Lion's Mouth. Thank you very much.

-H.P."

Ginny sighed with relief, and they looked at her. "What does it mean?" Sirius asked.

Ginny smiled. "It means that he's fine, not just telling you he is. I have to go, classes you know."

At midnight, Ginny landed on the tower. Harry was already there. She ran up to him and gave him a hug.

"What was that for?" he asked when she let go.

"You looked like you needed one," she answered with a smile. He gave her an odd look, and blushing she changed the subject quickly.

"What happened?"

They sat down, and Harry started to tell her. It took a long time, because she had yet to read the whole prophesy, but he had a copy of if, and she took it all in silently.

"Wait, stop for a minute and let me get this straight." He looked at her. "You, you are Godric's Gryffindor's descendent? And, most likely one of the two 'chosen' in this prophesy? And, not only is Voldemort the only person on the planet that can kill you before you have a kid, but in a few years you're going to have some sort of transformation in which you're granted twice a much power as your father was granted, and you become automatically Animagus?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah, that about covers it so far."

"Thisss makesss everything so much clearer. I wasss right. Sssomething isss connecting you to one other perssson. Your true love, and all that romantic shit."

"Sal, don't put it that way, you act like I have no say it it."

"But you don't."

"I do. That's the thing. It says I will meet her and love her. Nothing else. I don't have to marry her. I don't have to even talk to her. I can just love her from a far."

"Okay, can we please talk about the other things right now, that's the least of my worries at the moment." It was a lie. That was eating at her. It was breaking her heart. She didn't have a chance. Not even a small one. He would meet love, and never know her feelings.

"Okay, let's walk through the prophesy. Rose, you should be good at this. The first part is mostly about the spell. We know that. 'Four to two to one, to the last descending son.' We know it's s-o-n. What's that mean?"

"Four descending lines, to two descending lines, to the last son of the descending line. That we think is you."

"Not yet, not if Voldemort is alive. 'When two are gone and two remain, both are given too much fame.' That's me and Voldie alright. I hate mine, and his is what makes him feel all important. 'Both raised unaware, the founder's blood they did share.' I was, but was Voldemort?"

"Tom grew up in a Muggle orphanage. I doubt he knew what he was until he got to school. 'Born with the power to lead, followers they will unwillingly need.' Well that's you, a leader, but you hate bringing other people into this mess, like me. Voldemort's a leader, but does he not want followers?"

"I don't know if it's not wanting them, as so much as not liking needing them. Without a host, he couldn't have got a body. He had to take over somebody, like he did first year. Without Wormtail, he wouldn't have been able to keep that body, he wouldn't have had enough power to kill off the person he was sharing it with. He wants them, he just doesn't want to need them."

"'So much alike, but not the same, too much is put inside a name.'" They didn't need to discuss that one, just look at each other.

"Hallow's place. My parents were in Godric's Hallow when they were attacked."

"And it was Halloween. Hallow's Eve. Hallow's night."

"The two chosen must be me and Voldemort. That is where we started our fight."

"The next two verses are very self explanatory. 'Fighting temptation of evil's power, bonds of love will form and flower.' What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

"People around Harry fall in love. I've ssseen it between Heather and Sssiriusss, and Hermione and Ron. I didn't realize it wasss Harry, or I would have sssaid sssomething. I guessssss, being sssurrounded by people in love, remindsss Harry what ssside he'sss fighting for, and why he'sss doing it."

"You mean to tell me Hermione and Ron are going to stay together?"

"I didn't sssay that. But they love each other now, and if they were to sssplit up, they would mossst likely both fall in love again."

"The next one, 'Good and evil isn't night and day, you encounter shades of gray.' What about that?" Ginny asked.

"It's saying that good and evil isn't always like light and dark. There are people in the middle. Could mean spies. Snape for instance. He's evil, but he's on the good side."

"The next part is about your sword Harry. A weapon with a mind, binding to somebody. Because there's a need to fight Voldemort's greed."

"But it says it will defend and mend? How can a sword mend?"

"It can, if you're going to die if you don't cut off your leg. Then it's mending."

"Rose, I don't think that's what it means."

Ginny shrugged. "Ron gave you that book for Christmas. Did you read up about your sword?"

"I forgot," Harry said, blushing. "I will."

"Okay humansss, I can read too. I've been practicing real hard. 'A tiny push and sssome advice, every advantage hasss a price.' Ssstill the sssword, or sssomething else?"

"Could be lots of things. Dumbledore, you, the sword, Ginny, Ron, Hermione. Take your pick."

"Or it could be all of them," Ginny said. "You were enemies from the start, but the last battle's within the heart? I mean, it makes sense if you only win if you're pure of heart and all that, but life doesn't go that way." Harry shrugged.

"'The Descendant's War will come to close, at the place where it first rose.' It rose in Godric's Hallow. Maybe that's why nobody has ever taken me back there."

"The battle started with two, you and Voldie. Are you still a child? Are you defining the win?"

"Could it be one of the children he's taken? Like, if he gets one more I won't win?"

"Or, maybe you're child will define the win," Sally said simply. "Maybe not," she replied to Harry's look.

"The rest is all about what happens after Voldemort or I are dead. All I understand of it is that it would be bad if Voldemort got these 'gifts'."

"But Harry, it says 'First born with three lines down.' So even if Voldemort killed you, he wouldn't get the gifts, his child would. The first born after the other three are gone."

Harry looked up at the sky. "So, he wants to kill me so his child can get all kinds of gifts. And somehow, these gifts will reverse the fall of magic?" He sighed.

Ginny laid down beside him. "You're not coming back tonight, are you?"

"No, there are a few things I want to do down there. Things that I need to take care of. A stuffed animal I need to reclaim as mine."

Ginny gave him a look, but didn't reply. They laid there for a while before going their separate ways.

(A/N: Really fast, aren't I? Once again, not edited very well, but wasn't it worth it? Ally, I FOUND MY ANIMAL BOOK. The purple people took it under my bed. Thanks for reading, kudos if you review.)