(A/N: Ok, well...I was reading my story, and honestly I think it's starting
to get a little dull. So, I sat down and wrote down some major events I
want to put in this story...but I'm still open to suggestions. Very open!
So I don't forget, I would like to thanks "Prongs" very much for letting me
use his poem, "Love, James" in this story. I think it's so awesome and I
know you'll love it. Other then that, I just want to say that this chapter
includes one very big event, even if it's not a battle. No, no...the battle
*or should I say duel* doesn't happen until the next chapter. *evil grin*
Enough with my rambling! On with the story...!)
Disclaimer: I own a bike, a cd player, at least 40 cd's, a softball glove, um...a TV, a VCR, and a bunch of other stuff...but I don't own anything but the plot in this story. J.K Rowling owns Harry Potter and all it's characters. *scowls*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Love, James*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Harry...Harry" came Ron's voice as he tried to shake Harry awake.
Harry simply rolled over in his sleep.
"Come on, Harry. It's the first day of school. You don't want to miss breakfast already, do you?" asked Ron.
"'S time's it" Harry mumbled as he barely opened his eyes.
"It's almost 8:30" he said, looking at his watch. "We've only got about a half-hour to eat. Come on, get up!" Ron commanded.
"I'll be up in a minute" Harry said tiredly.
"Oh, yeah right. I've heard that before." Ron said sarcastically.
Harry sat up from his pillow and blinked rapidly, trying to wake up. He pushed his un-brushed bangs out of his brilliant green eyes and finally stood up to stretch.
"Right, then I'll wait for you in the common room." Ron said as he headed toward the door.
Harry got dressed in his Hogwarts robes fairly slowly; having no recollection of the dream he had the night before. When he walked down to the common room to join Ron, what he saw almost had him doubled on the floor in laughter; as well as many other witnessing Gryffindors.
"I knew it!" Ron yelled. "I knew they put a hex on my robes!" he shouted again. Harry grabbed his mouth and bit down hard on his tongue to keep from laughing at the site of Ron in flashing rainbow-colored robes. Ron was loudly insulting his twin brothers, who seemed to have taken no notice of this as they were also laughing to the point of tears.
"I'm telling mum!" Ron yelled. While this only made most of the other Gryffindors laugh even harder, Fred and George stopped laughing immediately. Harry saw a note of triumph on Ron's face as a look of horror took a place on the twin's faces.
"You can't!" pleaded Fred.
"Um, how about we take this little hex off, eh Ron?" George asked. With a wave of his wand, the flashing rainbow colors melted away, and Ron's robes were the normal uniform black.
"I'm still telling" Ron said sternly. At that moment Harry chose to step forward and lead Ron from the common room to the Great hall, where the news might not have reached the remaining Gryffindor's, or the rest of the school at that.
"I knew they put a hex on them!" Ron proclaimed as he and Harry walked down to the Great Hall. "I told you, didn't I?" Ron added. "I knew they did something." he said angrily.
"Erm, but you didn't know what hex they had put on them." Harry said obviously.
"Yeah...well" Ron said pondering his answer, "I'm still going to tell my mom!" Ron exclaimed. "I hope she sends them a howler" He added with a brightening tone.
"So the entire school will know you were dressed in rainbow robes?" Harry asked skeptically.
"Er, uh...what's for breakfast?" Ron asked changing the subject.
"Dunno" answered Harry shortly.
As they entered the Great Hall, the entire Gryffindor table stood up to applaud them in a greeting. Harry noticed, however, that their attention wasn't on him, but on Ron. The news had already reached them. Harry noticed quite a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were also clapping. The Slytherins, though, looked completely bewildered. Ron blushed horribly as he sat down at the end of the table and hid his face behind a stack of muffins.
"Sorry," said Hermione's voice behind them. Both Harry and Ron turned to look at the look of pity on Hermione's face. "I heard what your brothers did" she said. "I suppose the school will forget about it eventually" Hermione lied.
"Look at it this way, Ron" Harry said trying to cheer Ron up. "At least the Slytherins don't know".
"Not yet" Ron said bitterly.
"Hermione Granger" came a stern, woman's voice from the middle of the Gryffindor table. Hermione looked up and raised her hand to indicate where she was sitting. Professor McGonagall passed Hermione's schedule down the table, and continued passing out schedules.
"Same thing as always" Hermione said as she looked at her schedule.
"What did you expect?" Ron asked. "We take our O.W.L.'s this year".
"Oh yeah" said Harry as he realized this also. "I know I'm going to fail Divination. You can't fake a written test".
"You're assuming its written." said Ron. "She'll probably do some nutty thing this year like always". he added.
"Harry Potter" said Professor McGonagall. Harry raised his hand and she passed his schedule down the table.
"Egh! Double potions and Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins this year." said Hermione disgustedly.
"What else is new?" asked Ron. "What have we got today?" Ron asked
"Charms. Then Transfiguration" answered Harry.
"I've got Arithmancy first" said Hermione.
"Ronald Weasley" Professor McGonagall called again.
"Here" Ron yelled. Then he blushed furiously having realized he'd brought attention to himself after a few sniggers were heard. Professor McGonagall passed his schedule down the table. They ate in silence for the next 10 minutes, not wanting to anger a humiliated Ron.
"Well, we better be off." said Hermione finally. "Don't want to be late for our first class". Hermione headed off to Arithmancy, while Harry and Ron took a last bite of their breakfast before leaving.
Nothing much happened in charms class. All Professor Flitwick talked about was the usual rules of wand flicking and the correct pronunciation of words. Harry and Ron practiced a charm for turning things invisible, which wasn't going very well for them, or anyone else for that matter.
"Today we'll be studying the procedures of transforming humans into animals. When done correctly, the person is then called an Animungus." said Professor McGonagall in transfiguration class. Harry gave Ron the slightest half glance and both of them grinned as they thought of Sirius.
"Maybe this will actually be interesting" Ron whispered to Harry.
"Shhhh!" said Hermione.
Ron was wrong, all Professor McGonagall did was drone on about how dangerous it was to be an Animungus, and also how you always register as an Animungus no matter what the circumstances. This, she seemed to emphasize greatly on.
************************Halloween************************
September and October passed fairly quickly. Harry found that History of Magic and Herbology was as boring as always, Divination as annoying, Snape's Potion class was just as intolerable and unbearable as before. And even worse this year, every time Harry was in Snape's class, his scar always got an unpleasant tingling feeling. Care of Magical creatures wasn't so bad. They were studying Talleywags (ugly green fish that deposited precious stones after every meal) and many times got to keep their prizes. Defense Against the Dark Arts was much different then last year. The real Mad-Eye Moody was teaching this class. Everyone was always given more homework, and more subjects had been covered in the past 2 months then all of last year. Harry surprisingly found the real Moody to be quite the people person, as did the rest of the class. Though he was always given homework, Harry liked this class because it was always interesting. Not long after the first day of school, it was already October 31st. Harry would have never thought that this Halloween would have been so much more significant then the others, but he was soon proven wrong.
********************************************************
"Mr. Potter!" Snape yelled as Harry's head dropped from his hand to the table making a very loud thump.
"Huh? Oh, er...yes?" Harry questioned when he realized where he was. There were a few sniggers from the Slytherins at the other end of the Potions class, and Harry blushed.
"I was just asking what would happen if you added a toad's liver to a sickness potion, Potter. Which you obviously know the answer to since this class bores you." Snape said coldly.
Hermione's hand shot up into the air with an eager expression on her face.
"I, erm..." Harry thought deeply.
Hermione was on the edge of her seat, dying to say the answer.
'He said it yesterday' Harry thought to himself.
Hermione was now standing up, begging for Snape's attention. However, Snape's eyes were intently watching Harry venomously.
"Er...it would explode?" he guessed.
"It would turn purple!" Snape snapped back. "5 points from Gryffindor for your incompetence." he yelled. Malfoy and the other Slytherins got a huge kick out of this. Malfoy had been completely unbearable this year. It appeared that Harry telling him off in Diagon Alley wasn't such a great idea. Malfoy was always making comments under his breath, only to have Harry or Ron retaliate, and Snape always be there to take plenty of points from Gryffindor. Harry sunk low in his seat, and continued to listen to Snape's boring lecture.
"Same difference" Ron joked out of the corner of his mouth. Harry forced a grin, and let his attention fall on his notes. Though the school hadn't forgotten about Ron's rainbow colored robes, it had long since grown old news to talk about it. Except, of course, with the Slytherins, but even then it didn't have the effect it used to. The bell finally rang and all the Gryffindors and Slytherins hurried out the dungeon door.
"I can't stand him!" Harry proclaimed through gritted teeth.
"Me neither, but there's not a lot we can do about it" answered Hermione.
"Sure there is. But he might break the camera when the towel drops" said Ron jokingly. Harry and Hermione laughed and walked to the Gryffindor common room.
A few hours later, they all made their way to the Great Hall. As they walked in, they saw pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns floating above the tables. The walls were covered in orange and black stripes. And the high table was engulfed in fake-rubber skeletons. The ceiling was bewitched, as always, to look like the sky.
"So Harry...when does quidditch start?" Ron asked pleasantly.
"Don't know. But I hope it starts soon." Harry answered.
"I wonder where Dumbledore is today." Hermione said frowning as she looked at the high table. Both Harry and Ron looked up to see that Dumbledore was, again, not at his seat. Indeed, many times Dumbledore had been absent from meals. Everyone knew, of course, why. But every time you did see Dumbledore, he seemed to get older and more tired as the days passed.
"Probably in his office" Ron answered in a would-be calm voice as he grabbed a large chicken leg from a plate.
They stopped talking for a few minutes to eat the delicious home cooked food in front of them. The elderly headmaster finally walked into the Great Hall to join the students and teachers in the feast. He looked as worn out as always, with circles under his eyes. What amazed Harry was how Dumbledore never seemed to lose the twinkle in his eyes. He guessed that's why everyone wasn't petrified by Voldemort's return because they always had Dumbledore to solve their problems. Yes, indeed...as long as they had Dumbledore...there would always be hope.
"Harry?" Ron asked.
"Huh?" Harry asked as he was taken from his thoughts.
"Nothing, it's just...you might want to wipe that piece of mashed potato from your chin." Ron answered with a swift grin.
Harry blushed and wiped his chin with a napkin.
"Thanks" Harry said.
"What on earth were you thinking about?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"Oh, nothing." Harry answered hastily.
"Really, what were you thinking?" Hermione persisted.
"Just how we're doomed without Dumbledore" Harry said soberly. Then grinning as he realized how stupid that must have sounded. Both Ron and Hermione grinned back, but Harry knew they both agreed with him.
"Well," said Ron as he patted his full stomach. "I guess we better go back to our dorm. It's getting kind of late. And we still need to work on some homework." he said.
"Yeah, your right" Harry said as he looked at his watch. It's was 15 minutes eight. The three of them stood up and stretched. Most of the students had finished and already gone back to their common rooms. As Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked out of the Great Hall and up the steps...Harry started to feel dizzy. He stumbled sideways into Ron, and then refocused his vision.
"Are you ok?" Ron asked watching Harry apprehensively.
"I'm fine" Harry lied. "I'm just really tired."
"Alright then" Ron said with relief before turning back to Hermione to continue their argument on why the Chudley Cannons were still the best quidditch team.
Now Harry was starting to feel very light-headed. They last thing he remembered was a shriek of alarm before everything became dark and he fell to the floor.
Harry's head was hurting from a terrible headache, and it was painful to think a single thought. Finally, Harry opened his eyes and saw complete darkness.
"Hello?" Harry said with fear. 'Is this Voldemort that is doing this?' Harry asked himself.
"I assure you, you are perfectly safe, young Potter" said a gentle woman's voice.
"Who are you?" Harry said as he began to feel slightly relieved by the sound of the woman's kindness.
Without warning, a beautiful song flooded into Harry's mind. A song he had heard only a few times before. Harry closed his eyes and let the song rush through his veins, into his heart and soul.
"Listen with you heart, you will understand.
Let the love inside you, guide you to the end
Let the hope you hold inside, let you trust again
Listen to your soul, it will show you truth
Powers inside of you, goodness will prevail
Two champions chosen, you are the heir"
A women walked forward from the darkness. She smiled an ever so welcoming smile and asked:
"Why are you afraid, young Potter?"
"I don't know." Harry answered. "I guess because I don't know what to do. Or what will happen next."
"You want to know why your life is this way." She said, reading Harry's mind.
"Yes." Harry admitted. "I want to know why I barely stay alive every year. I want to know why my godfather was tortured for 12 years for a crime he didn't do. And..." Harry hesitated. "I want to know why my parents died." Harry took a deep breath. Many times he had asked himself these questions, but certainly never expected an answer to them. Something about this woman made him believe that now was the only chance he had to find out.
"It is your destiny, young Potter. You are meant to save the lives of millions, including your godfather. You may not believe me now, but one day...you will understand why. And you will be given a gift that only you will deserve for your selfless deeds." She smiled and asked him:
"What is it you wish? An answer to another question you never thought to ask?" she asked endearingly.
"What question is that?" Harry responded bewilderedly.
"All you know of your parents is what you've been told. You know your mother loved you more then anything else in the world. But secretly, you wonder what your father thought of you. You wish to ask him this. For you know only he can tell you the answer." She answered.
Harry was shaking. Yes, he knew his mom loved him more then anything. And always assumed his dad did too. His father had given his life so he and his mother could escape. But Harry had never thought to wonder if he was everything to his father as well. The women smiled once again. And Harry asked:
"Who are you?"
"I?" She answered. "I'm only a messenger. You are the Prophecy. The Pure Light. Live your life well, young Potter". She smiled gently once more, and sang the beautiful song:
"Listen with you heart, you will understand.
Let the love inside you, guide you to the end
Let the hope you hold inside, let you trust again
Listen to your soul, it will show you truth
Powers inside of you, goodness will prevail
Two champions chosen, you are the heir
Troubled is your mind, confused you are
Protector of the living, watcher of the dead
Listen to these words, words your father said..."
With those last words, the women faded into oblivion. Harry was all alone in the dark. Suddenly, gold writing started to make it self across the sky. Harry watched with open eyes, the message that was being written:
You have been told by those who are great,
That to save your life was your mother's fate.
She held you close and prayed that you wouldn't die.
One of the most tormenting ways to say good-bye.
She was brave until the very end,
A good mother, wife, and friend.
She swallowed her pride and held back her fear,
Voldemort's evil cackle was the last thing she could hear.
I was already dead and gone,
But I begged her to help you live on.
That was my dying wish, the last words I said.
After I screamed out, I was dead.
But, there is something that weighs heavy on my mind,
A truth I am not sure you will ever find.
It has haunted me for 14 years,
And driven me to sadness and tears.
Each and every day, from above I watch you grow.
I feel that there is something you must know.
A mother's love is one thing that Voldemort couldn't fight.
Yet, you must understand that I also loved you with all of my might.
Her deep heartfelt love did indeed keep you alive,
But, my courage and love also helped you to survive.
I died to save the two people I loved with all my heart,
You have to understand that I never wanted us to be apart.
Yet, it had to happen, and I was determined to save you.
I just want you to know that a father's love can count, too.
If only I could say this to your face and look into your eyes,
But I must continue to watch over you from above in the skies.
(A/N: Again, thank you so much "Prongs" for letting me use this. I seriously suggest you all read some more of his writing. This poem was called "Love, James")
Harry felt a single tear drop from his eye. Now he knew. With a final grin at the writing that began to fade slowly into its dark background, Harry woke up. Staring down at him was his Godfather and Headmaster.
(A/N: Yep, no action. Told you there wouldn't be in this chapter. But beware! Next chapter...there will be a duel, Harry won't be in it. *evil grin* Lets see...hmmm...there will be quidditch. Some more freaky stuff? Definitely! For the last time, I want to thank "Prongs" for letting me use this poem. He's very good at writing both stories and poetry. I also have news on the release of book 5. 2 rumors have been started saying that the book is either going to come out before the end of this year (most people are saying July). Unfortunately, there is also a rumor that book 5 won't come out until June 2003. We shall see. Until then, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Really, this story is going to pick up. Please R/R! Thanks! *Kara*)
Disclaimer: I own a bike, a cd player, at least 40 cd's, a softball glove, um...a TV, a VCR, and a bunch of other stuff...but I don't own anything but the plot in this story. J.K Rowling owns Harry Potter and all it's characters. *scowls*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Love, James*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Harry...Harry" came Ron's voice as he tried to shake Harry awake.
Harry simply rolled over in his sleep.
"Come on, Harry. It's the first day of school. You don't want to miss breakfast already, do you?" asked Ron.
"'S time's it" Harry mumbled as he barely opened his eyes.
"It's almost 8:30" he said, looking at his watch. "We've only got about a half-hour to eat. Come on, get up!" Ron commanded.
"I'll be up in a minute" Harry said tiredly.
"Oh, yeah right. I've heard that before." Ron said sarcastically.
Harry sat up from his pillow and blinked rapidly, trying to wake up. He pushed his un-brushed bangs out of his brilliant green eyes and finally stood up to stretch.
"Right, then I'll wait for you in the common room." Ron said as he headed toward the door.
Harry got dressed in his Hogwarts robes fairly slowly; having no recollection of the dream he had the night before. When he walked down to the common room to join Ron, what he saw almost had him doubled on the floor in laughter; as well as many other witnessing Gryffindors.
"I knew it!" Ron yelled. "I knew they put a hex on my robes!" he shouted again. Harry grabbed his mouth and bit down hard on his tongue to keep from laughing at the site of Ron in flashing rainbow-colored robes. Ron was loudly insulting his twin brothers, who seemed to have taken no notice of this as they were also laughing to the point of tears.
"I'm telling mum!" Ron yelled. While this only made most of the other Gryffindors laugh even harder, Fred and George stopped laughing immediately. Harry saw a note of triumph on Ron's face as a look of horror took a place on the twin's faces.
"You can't!" pleaded Fred.
"Um, how about we take this little hex off, eh Ron?" George asked. With a wave of his wand, the flashing rainbow colors melted away, and Ron's robes were the normal uniform black.
"I'm still telling" Ron said sternly. At that moment Harry chose to step forward and lead Ron from the common room to the Great hall, where the news might not have reached the remaining Gryffindor's, or the rest of the school at that.
"I knew they put a hex on them!" Ron proclaimed as he and Harry walked down to the Great Hall. "I told you, didn't I?" Ron added. "I knew they did something." he said angrily.
"Erm, but you didn't know what hex they had put on them." Harry said obviously.
"Yeah...well" Ron said pondering his answer, "I'm still going to tell my mom!" Ron exclaimed. "I hope she sends them a howler" He added with a brightening tone.
"So the entire school will know you were dressed in rainbow robes?" Harry asked skeptically.
"Er, uh...what's for breakfast?" Ron asked changing the subject.
"Dunno" answered Harry shortly.
As they entered the Great Hall, the entire Gryffindor table stood up to applaud them in a greeting. Harry noticed, however, that their attention wasn't on him, but on Ron. The news had already reached them. Harry noticed quite a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were also clapping. The Slytherins, though, looked completely bewildered. Ron blushed horribly as he sat down at the end of the table and hid his face behind a stack of muffins.
"Sorry," said Hermione's voice behind them. Both Harry and Ron turned to look at the look of pity on Hermione's face. "I heard what your brothers did" she said. "I suppose the school will forget about it eventually" Hermione lied.
"Look at it this way, Ron" Harry said trying to cheer Ron up. "At least the Slytherins don't know".
"Not yet" Ron said bitterly.
"Hermione Granger" came a stern, woman's voice from the middle of the Gryffindor table. Hermione looked up and raised her hand to indicate where she was sitting. Professor McGonagall passed Hermione's schedule down the table, and continued passing out schedules.
"Same thing as always" Hermione said as she looked at her schedule.
"What did you expect?" Ron asked. "We take our O.W.L.'s this year".
"Oh yeah" said Harry as he realized this also. "I know I'm going to fail Divination. You can't fake a written test".
"You're assuming its written." said Ron. "She'll probably do some nutty thing this year like always". he added.
"Harry Potter" said Professor McGonagall. Harry raised his hand and she passed his schedule down the table.
"Egh! Double potions and Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins this year." said Hermione disgustedly.
"What else is new?" asked Ron. "What have we got today?" Ron asked
"Charms. Then Transfiguration" answered Harry.
"I've got Arithmancy first" said Hermione.
"Ronald Weasley" Professor McGonagall called again.
"Here" Ron yelled. Then he blushed furiously having realized he'd brought attention to himself after a few sniggers were heard. Professor McGonagall passed his schedule down the table. They ate in silence for the next 10 minutes, not wanting to anger a humiliated Ron.
"Well, we better be off." said Hermione finally. "Don't want to be late for our first class". Hermione headed off to Arithmancy, while Harry and Ron took a last bite of their breakfast before leaving.
Nothing much happened in charms class. All Professor Flitwick talked about was the usual rules of wand flicking and the correct pronunciation of words. Harry and Ron practiced a charm for turning things invisible, which wasn't going very well for them, or anyone else for that matter.
"Today we'll be studying the procedures of transforming humans into animals. When done correctly, the person is then called an Animungus." said Professor McGonagall in transfiguration class. Harry gave Ron the slightest half glance and both of them grinned as they thought of Sirius.
"Maybe this will actually be interesting" Ron whispered to Harry.
"Shhhh!" said Hermione.
Ron was wrong, all Professor McGonagall did was drone on about how dangerous it was to be an Animungus, and also how you always register as an Animungus no matter what the circumstances. This, she seemed to emphasize greatly on.
************************Halloween************************
September and October passed fairly quickly. Harry found that History of Magic and Herbology was as boring as always, Divination as annoying, Snape's Potion class was just as intolerable and unbearable as before. And even worse this year, every time Harry was in Snape's class, his scar always got an unpleasant tingling feeling. Care of Magical creatures wasn't so bad. They were studying Talleywags (ugly green fish that deposited precious stones after every meal) and many times got to keep their prizes. Defense Against the Dark Arts was much different then last year. The real Mad-Eye Moody was teaching this class. Everyone was always given more homework, and more subjects had been covered in the past 2 months then all of last year. Harry surprisingly found the real Moody to be quite the people person, as did the rest of the class. Though he was always given homework, Harry liked this class because it was always interesting. Not long after the first day of school, it was already October 31st. Harry would have never thought that this Halloween would have been so much more significant then the others, but he was soon proven wrong.
********************************************************
"Mr. Potter!" Snape yelled as Harry's head dropped from his hand to the table making a very loud thump.
"Huh? Oh, er...yes?" Harry questioned when he realized where he was. There were a few sniggers from the Slytherins at the other end of the Potions class, and Harry blushed.
"I was just asking what would happen if you added a toad's liver to a sickness potion, Potter. Which you obviously know the answer to since this class bores you." Snape said coldly.
Hermione's hand shot up into the air with an eager expression on her face.
"I, erm..." Harry thought deeply.
Hermione was on the edge of her seat, dying to say the answer.
'He said it yesterday' Harry thought to himself.
Hermione was now standing up, begging for Snape's attention. However, Snape's eyes were intently watching Harry venomously.
"Er...it would explode?" he guessed.
"It would turn purple!" Snape snapped back. "5 points from Gryffindor for your incompetence." he yelled. Malfoy and the other Slytherins got a huge kick out of this. Malfoy had been completely unbearable this year. It appeared that Harry telling him off in Diagon Alley wasn't such a great idea. Malfoy was always making comments under his breath, only to have Harry or Ron retaliate, and Snape always be there to take plenty of points from Gryffindor. Harry sunk low in his seat, and continued to listen to Snape's boring lecture.
"Same difference" Ron joked out of the corner of his mouth. Harry forced a grin, and let his attention fall on his notes. Though the school hadn't forgotten about Ron's rainbow colored robes, it had long since grown old news to talk about it. Except, of course, with the Slytherins, but even then it didn't have the effect it used to. The bell finally rang and all the Gryffindors and Slytherins hurried out the dungeon door.
"I can't stand him!" Harry proclaimed through gritted teeth.
"Me neither, but there's not a lot we can do about it" answered Hermione.
"Sure there is. But he might break the camera when the towel drops" said Ron jokingly. Harry and Hermione laughed and walked to the Gryffindor common room.
A few hours later, they all made their way to the Great Hall. As they walked in, they saw pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns floating above the tables. The walls were covered in orange and black stripes. And the high table was engulfed in fake-rubber skeletons. The ceiling was bewitched, as always, to look like the sky.
"So Harry...when does quidditch start?" Ron asked pleasantly.
"Don't know. But I hope it starts soon." Harry answered.
"I wonder where Dumbledore is today." Hermione said frowning as she looked at the high table. Both Harry and Ron looked up to see that Dumbledore was, again, not at his seat. Indeed, many times Dumbledore had been absent from meals. Everyone knew, of course, why. But every time you did see Dumbledore, he seemed to get older and more tired as the days passed.
"Probably in his office" Ron answered in a would-be calm voice as he grabbed a large chicken leg from a plate.
They stopped talking for a few minutes to eat the delicious home cooked food in front of them. The elderly headmaster finally walked into the Great Hall to join the students and teachers in the feast. He looked as worn out as always, with circles under his eyes. What amazed Harry was how Dumbledore never seemed to lose the twinkle in his eyes. He guessed that's why everyone wasn't petrified by Voldemort's return because they always had Dumbledore to solve their problems. Yes, indeed...as long as they had Dumbledore...there would always be hope.
"Harry?" Ron asked.
"Huh?" Harry asked as he was taken from his thoughts.
"Nothing, it's just...you might want to wipe that piece of mashed potato from your chin." Ron answered with a swift grin.
Harry blushed and wiped his chin with a napkin.
"Thanks" Harry said.
"What on earth were you thinking about?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"Oh, nothing." Harry answered hastily.
"Really, what were you thinking?" Hermione persisted.
"Just how we're doomed without Dumbledore" Harry said soberly. Then grinning as he realized how stupid that must have sounded. Both Ron and Hermione grinned back, but Harry knew they both agreed with him.
"Well," said Ron as he patted his full stomach. "I guess we better go back to our dorm. It's getting kind of late. And we still need to work on some homework." he said.
"Yeah, your right" Harry said as he looked at his watch. It's was 15 minutes eight. The three of them stood up and stretched. Most of the students had finished and already gone back to their common rooms. As Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked out of the Great Hall and up the steps...Harry started to feel dizzy. He stumbled sideways into Ron, and then refocused his vision.
"Are you ok?" Ron asked watching Harry apprehensively.
"I'm fine" Harry lied. "I'm just really tired."
"Alright then" Ron said with relief before turning back to Hermione to continue their argument on why the Chudley Cannons were still the best quidditch team.
Now Harry was starting to feel very light-headed. They last thing he remembered was a shriek of alarm before everything became dark and he fell to the floor.
Harry's head was hurting from a terrible headache, and it was painful to think a single thought. Finally, Harry opened his eyes and saw complete darkness.
"Hello?" Harry said with fear. 'Is this Voldemort that is doing this?' Harry asked himself.
"I assure you, you are perfectly safe, young Potter" said a gentle woman's voice.
"Who are you?" Harry said as he began to feel slightly relieved by the sound of the woman's kindness.
Without warning, a beautiful song flooded into Harry's mind. A song he had heard only a few times before. Harry closed his eyes and let the song rush through his veins, into his heart and soul.
"Listen with you heart, you will understand.
Let the love inside you, guide you to the end
Let the hope you hold inside, let you trust again
Listen to your soul, it will show you truth
Powers inside of you, goodness will prevail
Two champions chosen, you are the heir"
A women walked forward from the darkness. She smiled an ever so welcoming smile and asked:
"Why are you afraid, young Potter?"
"I don't know." Harry answered. "I guess because I don't know what to do. Or what will happen next."
"You want to know why your life is this way." She said, reading Harry's mind.
"Yes." Harry admitted. "I want to know why I barely stay alive every year. I want to know why my godfather was tortured for 12 years for a crime he didn't do. And..." Harry hesitated. "I want to know why my parents died." Harry took a deep breath. Many times he had asked himself these questions, but certainly never expected an answer to them. Something about this woman made him believe that now was the only chance he had to find out.
"It is your destiny, young Potter. You are meant to save the lives of millions, including your godfather. You may not believe me now, but one day...you will understand why. And you will be given a gift that only you will deserve for your selfless deeds." She smiled and asked him:
"What is it you wish? An answer to another question you never thought to ask?" she asked endearingly.
"What question is that?" Harry responded bewilderedly.
"All you know of your parents is what you've been told. You know your mother loved you more then anything else in the world. But secretly, you wonder what your father thought of you. You wish to ask him this. For you know only he can tell you the answer." She answered.
Harry was shaking. Yes, he knew his mom loved him more then anything. And always assumed his dad did too. His father had given his life so he and his mother could escape. But Harry had never thought to wonder if he was everything to his father as well. The women smiled once again. And Harry asked:
"Who are you?"
"I?" She answered. "I'm only a messenger. You are the Prophecy. The Pure Light. Live your life well, young Potter". She smiled gently once more, and sang the beautiful song:
"Listen with you heart, you will understand.
Let the love inside you, guide you to the end
Let the hope you hold inside, let you trust again
Listen to your soul, it will show you truth
Powers inside of you, goodness will prevail
Two champions chosen, you are the heir
Troubled is your mind, confused you are
Protector of the living, watcher of the dead
Listen to these words, words your father said..."
With those last words, the women faded into oblivion. Harry was all alone in the dark. Suddenly, gold writing started to make it self across the sky. Harry watched with open eyes, the message that was being written:
You have been told by those who are great,
That to save your life was your mother's fate.
She held you close and prayed that you wouldn't die.
One of the most tormenting ways to say good-bye.
She was brave until the very end,
A good mother, wife, and friend.
She swallowed her pride and held back her fear,
Voldemort's evil cackle was the last thing she could hear.
I was already dead and gone,
But I begged her to help you live on.
That was my dying wish, the last words I said.
After I screamed out, I was dead.
But, there is something that weighs heavy on my mind,
A truth I am not sure you will ever find.
It has haunted me for 14 years,
And driven me to sadness and tears.
Each and every day, from above I watch you grow.
I feel that there is something you must know.
A mother's love is one thing that Voldemort couldn't fight.
Yet, you must understand that I also loved you with all of my might.
Her deep heartfelt love did indeed keep you alive,
But, my courage and love also helped you to survive.
I died to save the two people I loved with all my heart,
You have to understand that I never wanted us to be apart.
Yet, it had to happen, and I was determined to save you.
I just want you to know that a father's love can count, too.
If only I could say this to your face and look into your eyes,
But I must continue to watch over you from above in the skies.
(A/N: Again, thank you so much "Prongs" for letting me use this. I seriously suggest you all read some more of his writing. This poem was called "Love, James")
Harry felt a single tear drop from his eye. Now he knew. With a final grin at the writing that began to fade slowly into its dark background, Harry woke up. Staring down at him was his Godfather and Headmaster.
(A/N: Yep, no action. Told you there wouldn't be in this chapter. But beware! Next chapter...there will be a duel, Harry won't be in it. *evil grin* Lets see...hmmm...there will be quidditch. Some more freaky stuff? Definitely! For the last time, I want to thank "Prongs" for letting me use this poem. He's very good at writing both stories and poetry. I also have news on the release of book 5. 2 rumors have been started saying that the book is either going to come out before the end of this year (most people are saying July). Unfortunately, there is also a rumor that book 5 won't come out until June 2003. We shall see. Until then, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Really, this story is going to pick up. Please R/R! Thanks! *Kara*)