Chapter 13: Propicato Omnino Explicatio

            Twenty-two years ago…

            "Professor Dumbledore, we're here." said a lean black-haired young man as he and a beautiful blonde young woman entered the headmaster's study at Hogwarts.

            "Sit down, sit down, my dears."

            The two young people made themselves comfortable on overstuffed sofas in front of the headmaster's desk. They each took a Sherbert Lemon when offered.

            "Professor…it's no use!" the young woman began to cry. The black-haired young man put his arm around her gently. "We've looked up everything and its no use!"

            Dumbledore nodded and said gently, "There there, Miss Van Doren, while events have not come to pass, there is always hope."

            "Hope is not enough. We need solutions" said the young man.

            "All in good time, Mr Snape. Professor Trelawney has managed with your research to contact her two sisters at last. She has, through powerful magic, discussed with them the issue of the Prophesy which came to your mother, Miss Van Doren."

            The young lady raised tearful blue eyes to her headmaster. "What did they say? Oh, Professor- they are our last hope!"

            "As you know, Professor Trelawney's powers are somewhat…diminished…with her traveling to our time. Nevertheless, her powers when combined with those of her sisters, result in predictions which give very little room for doubt."

            The young man slammed a fist into his palm, "Enough talk Professor. They are our last hope! Calling Clotho and Atropos from the past took us too much precious time when we could have been working on other solutions…they had better be of use…what did they say!?"

            Dumbledore eyed the young man coolly and said, "You are very impatient, Mr Snape. And patience is something you and Miss Van Doren here will be needing a lot of. This is what they left us, what they could tell us about Lady Van Doren's vision. Have a look for yourself, you too, Miss Van Doren. I warn you to steel yourself."

            Dumbledore took out a round glass orb about the size of a large egg. The two students leaned in and stared at it.

            Within it, they saw Narcissa in a white dress walking slowly towards a candle-lit altar on the arm of Lucius Malfoy, they saw him kiss her. Then the scene changed and Narcissa was pregnant, she looked very happy. Next was the picture of Narcissa with a blonde haired baby- a son. Both mother and son were laughing. Suddenly, they saw Lucius kneeling before a figure in a black hood. "Your son is of age now, hand the child over, Lucius." They saw Lucius' hands covered with fresh red blood as were a pair of scaly hands from the black hooded figure. There was blood everywhere. Then, they heard high cold laughter as a voice cried out "He is dead! It is fulfilled!"

            Severus managed to catch Narcissa as she fell, in a faint.

            When she came to her senses, Narcissa began screaming and it was only with the combined efforts of Dumbledore and Severus that she calmed down.

            "That glass egg gives us no answers…it only adds detail to what we know…that because of Lucius, Narcissa will lose her only son when he comes of age to Lord Voldemort!"

            Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "Severus, Narcissa…what you have learned of the Prophesy is only half the truth. We all have some degree of control over our lives."

            Narcissa Van Doren dried her tears. "Dumbledore, my mother was descended from one of the Ten Sisters, the Siblys, as you know. While not as powerful at Professor Trelawney and her sisters, my grandmother has never been wrong about anything. The day the Prophesy came to her, was the day my doom was sealed. Everything we have researched about, even what the Fates tell us in this egg, confirm it."

            "Narcissa: Clotho and Atropos did say that there was one thing which could end the whole prohphesy. A loophole, as there always are in these Prophesies."

            "What!?" both Severus and Narcissa said eagerly.

            "They would not tell. To do that would be to alter the course of Fate- and that we must never do."

Both young persons looked disappointed.

            "I've GOT it! The solution is that Narcissa not marry that…that… Malfoy! It's so simple!" shouted Snape suddenly. "Narcissa," he said, gulping and turning to her, "Here is a chance to escape your fate, marry me instead."

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            "Draco…the Ritual you were talking about on your 21st birthday…you were never meant to survive it!" Hermione gasped as she held Draco's hand tightly in her own.

            Draco shook his head sadly. "No, I suppose my father knew all along, really. Everyone knows, Snape, Dumbledore, my mother…all except me."

            "Wait a minute, if this is your Gandmother Van Doren's prophesy, how does Lucius know about it?"

            "My mother told my father, of course. You don't think she would have gone into marriage without discussing everything with my father first, would she?"

"I don't know. I suppose we always thought he used an Imperius on her or something. So, why didn't Narcissa simply marry Snape?" asked Hermione furrowing her brow as she always did when thinking very hard. She and Draco were sitting on their couch in front of the fire. It had grown dark outside and both had missed supper. They had eaten the plentiful remains of Draco's tea instead.

            Draco gave a bitter smile.

            "Because part of the Prophesy which was foretold by my Grandmother Van Doren to Narcissa *privately* before she died, Hermione, was…Amore Domitum Omnie."

            "…that love would conquer all..." Said Hermione automatically translating the ancient words. The clever witch's brain was working overtime to try to unravel the mystery of the Malfoy prophesy.

The answer was so near, and yet… Suddenly the pieces fell into place! "Oh my goodness…Draco, your mother LOVED  your father! She didn't love Snape at all. Narcissa believed that love was the loophole the Fates had given her! She thought she could save Lucius, save you from what was to come, with… love!"

Hermione's eyes blazed. Draco took both her hands in his… "And that is why I cannot give up hope, Hermione. It may seem that my mother no longer loves my father, but that may not be true. The problem is we haven't figured out how love will conquer in the end. It was the 'one thing' Snape mentioned that they could never figure out how to use to overcome the Prophesy."

"But Draco, why do you have to do something about it? Why not let Narcissa handle matters? Or the Fates?"

"That is what I discussed with Dumbledore today after he and Snape told me of the Prophesy. You see, Hermione, you know that in Divination, things come to pass only if you sit back and let them…… Lucius will continue working towards his goal, prophesy or no prophesy- he was too badly corrupted by my grandfather Ladon Malfoy's teachings. So if we did nothing, the prophesy will come to pass. My mother is nearing the end of her strength, it is up to me now to fight it."

"And me, Draco."

"And you, 'Mione. If you will have me."

There was really nothing much to say after the awful discussions of the day. Draco felt that his life had changed forever today, as did Hermione. For Draco, the places had finally fallen into place. They were no longer two students running around the halls of Hogwarts trying to finish their transfigurations essays, they were fighting for their lives.

"We still have three years" sniffed Hermione, suddenly choked up.

"Yes we do. And in that time, I am going to learn everything I can about fighting the Dark Arts. I am not giving up my life to this Prophesy."

"I wish there was something more I can do…I feel so helpless."

"There will be, Hermione. I'm sure there will be. You being here, believing in me is enough. I have no one else in this school, you know."

"You have Crookshanks too" said Hermione, as her big orange cat made an appearance in the sitting room. The furry orange cat had grown fat and lazy over the years and rarely moved much nowadays. It eyed Draco warily for a moment then, after giving him a look of approval, jumped into his lap and began to purr.

Draco absently stroked its fur. He liked cats- clever, sensible creatures.

"Oh! I nearly forgot!" said Hermione, jumping up.

"What?"

"Your Christmas present!" said Hermione, as she ran into her bedroom and fetched out a lumpy silver-wrapped parcel. She handed it to him and kissed him. "Merry Christmas. I hope you like it, it's hard getting something for the boy who has everything. And after all that's happened today. It seems a little silly" she finished sheepishly.

"Really 'Mione, you didn't need to. I'm sure it's great. I sure could use some cheering up now." Said Draco as he happily tore open the wrapper. Nestled within the layers of paper was a dark green wooly jumper with a silver snake design over the chest.

"Wow! This is great! I can't believe I now have my own… Weasley jumper!" said Draco, beginning to laugh as he put it on.

Hermione turned pink and said rather defensively, "Mrs Weasley taught me how to knit during the last holidays and I find I really quite enjoy it. It takes my mind of work!"

Tears of mirth were streaming from Draco's eyes. Hermione couldn't help but begin to laugh to.

"Thanks, 'Mione!" Draco smiled as he kissed her forehead. "There's only one problem…"

"What?" asked Hermione in concern. "Is it the fit? The colour?"

"No, no it's perfect. It's just that I'm afraid that as much as I'd love to, I won't be wearing to sleep tonight."

"Oh, and why not, Mr Malfoy?"

"You'll see, Miss Granger" he growled as he picked her up off the couch and carried her into his room.