Ginny and Draco sat down at the breakfast table and gave a general nod to everyone. Most had been up for a while because their plates were half eaten and looked to be getting cold.
Molly was standing in front of the stove making sure that everyone had enough food. Arthur was sitting at the head of the table a few feet from Molly reading the morning paper. He was sitting to the side with his legs crossed and the paper hanging from his hands. His head was partially hidden behind the paper, but he would often stick his head around to check on the table and its occupants.
Fred and George took the two seats to Arthur's right respectively. They were using a newly devised charm to make their food speak to them. At the moment, George's eggs were screaming for him not to eat them and Fred's sausage link, that was already half way to his mouth, was making a valiant argument that he would much rather eat the toast than a fattening piece of sausage.
Beside George was Harry. He was sitting with his head down and eating waffles that were oozing with boysenberry syrup.
On the other side of the table were Ron, Hermione and Percy. Ron and Hermione were whispering quietly to one another apparently lost in their own world.
Percy sat at the table cutting his waffles by following the precise grid lines so that each piece was equivalent.
Draco and Ginny were sitting at the end opposite her father. They had pulled two chairs together and snuggled together with Ginny wrapping her arm through Draco's.
"What would you like to eat, dears? I have waffles, toast, eggs, sausage…you know, the normal breakfast routine." Molly informed them.
"Just toast please" Ginny said.
"Same for me please" Draco copied.
Molly levitated the plate of toast over to her daughter and son-in-law and lowered it between them. Ginny gave Draco a piece and then got one for her. She began nibbling on it, but no matter what she did the butterflies would not leave her stomach.
Draco knew Ginny was worried. He had done everything he could to make her feel better. Then again, he was a bit concerned himself. How would the Weasley's take the news that one of their large group was going to die? What if they were wrong? What if…what if? Draco caught himself audibly sighing.
Ginny giggled from underneath her napkin. She knew that while Draco tried to put up a stoic front; he was just as concerned as she was. She looked at Draco out of the corner of her eye and saw him smiling at her. She took a deep cleansing breath. Draco took advantage of her relaxing moment to squeeze her knee under the table. Ginny grabbed his hand, gave it a loving squeeze then tossed it back to his own personal space. Draco winked at her and turned back to his toast.
Hermione and Ron were the first ones finished and they hastily got up from their seats.
"Hermione…Ron could you stay for a few more minutes? Draco and I would like to speak with everyone." Ginny asked.
"Well, umm…" Ron stumbled over his response.
"Sure, we have a few minutes." Hermione responded.
"Thanks" Draco said which caused the eyebrows of both Rob and Hermione to shoot skyward. The both awkwardly nodded and returned to their seats.
Arthur and Molly gave Ginny and Draco very concerned looks.
"Ginny is everything all right?" Molly asked with a bit of hesitancy in her voice.
"No, Mom, we don't think everything is alright. In fact, we have reason to think something is very wrong." Ginny said without looking any of them in the eye and in a shaky voice.
Underneath the table, Draco grabbed Ginny's hand and gave it an affectionate and reassuring squeeze. She turned towards him and gave a slight smile to acknowledge his gesture.
She continued, "As you know, Professor Dumbledore requested that we return to Hogwarts a few days ago because of the package we received on Christmas. Apparently, an apprentice of Merlin's, known as Reilly, made a prophecy based on the last days of Merlin. Dumbledore believes that this prophecy is real and that we must take it very seriously…all of us."
Ginny looked around to make sure she had everyone's attention. She did.
This gave her some reassurance and she continued, "So, Dumbledore sent us back with some information that he thought might be pertinent to share with all of you; partly because Draco and I are important players in the Prophecy and partly because several of you are as well. The Prophecy speaks of Merlin's descent into evil. As I am sure you all are aware, many people believed that Merlin was the son of a Princess who was taken in the black of night by an Incubus. It seems that this is true. It also seems that just before Merlin perished; a demon convinced him that he was born to be evil. He also convinced Merlin that since he had lived his life on the side of good; he had severely tainted the balance between good and evil. So when Merlin left this world for the next, he promised to return and complete his intended purpose on this planet. It seems, with Draco and I bonding, we have concluded all the necessary actions to start the Prophecy."
At this, Ron gave a bit of a start. Hermione went to interject, but Ron was ready with his words, "You married Draco because of a Merlin's Oath and now you have caused the return of Merlin in his evil form because you married him?"
"Yes," Draco responded to Ron with a solemn voice, "but there is more. Please let Ginny continue."
Ron took in the sincerity of Draco's request and nodded with a gleam of respect in his eyes. Hermione was in shock at Draco's almost tender approach to the subject. She sat there with her mouth hanging slightly open, but paid attention to the rest of the conversation. Harry was still listening as intently as before without saying a word or showing any emotion.
Ginny gave them a brief smile and continued, "Now, what we do know is that Merlin has not revealed himself to us yet. We cannot fight what we do not know. However, we did read the rest of the prophecy and found that there are several more players. Mom, you are what is known as the Teller of Souls. Remember when I was little and we would play that game at the park?"
"Of course I do, Ginny. We used to play 'guess the color.' You would try to guess the color of the auras of the other people at the park and then derive their personality quirks based on the color. Goodness, we have not done that in years." Molly said with a smile.
"Yes, that is the one I am referring too. You are known as the Teller of the Souls in the Prophecy. You are able to read the souls of any human."
Molly nodded to Ginny. Ginny gave her a slight smile and turned to her father.
"Dad, you are the Keeper of the Souls."
"The what…?" Arthur asked.
"The Keeper of the Souls…you are the Guardian of the Lights. You protect those that Mother recognizes to be on the side of the light or in this case, good. It seems that when the Keeper of the Souls and the Teller of the Souls join and procreate; they produce a child that is known as the Predictor."
"Ginny, you said that you were the one in the Prophecy from what you just said that could be anyone of your parent's children." Hermione said with a bit of confusion in her voice.
"Trust us," Draco said, "The Predictor is definitely Ginny. What is different about Ginny than the rest of the Weasley clan?"
"She's a girl." Harry responded quietly.
"Exactly!" Draco confirmed. He then nodded for Ginny to continue, but before she could; Hermione interjected another question.
"How do you know the Predictor is a girl?"
"Because the Prophecy, and all of its related texts, refers to the Predictor as a Lioness."
"Ahhh- yes, I can see why you are so sure." Hermione responded with the first true smile towards Ginny in months.
Ginny smiled back with tears starting in her eyes and continued, "The Predictor is created once a millennium. Her job is to quote, "search, reveal and date." It also stated that should I fail at my tasks the world will fall in darkness." Ginny gave a great sniff and wiped several tears off her face.
Draco gingerly took Ginny by the chin with his right hand and rubbed her cheek with his right. She smiled through her tears at him and threw her arms around his neck. She pulled him to her, closed her eyes and hugged him tight. Draco returned the embrace with as much fervor. His eyes, too, were closed as he took in the feel of Ginny. He loved the feel of her. He loved her.
Molly and Arthur exchanged a knowing glance and smiled at one another.
Harry, Hermione and Ron shifted uncomfortably in their chairs. They had never seen this softer side of Draco.
Fred and George took this tender moment to reapply their talking charm to the food in front of Draco. Soon, the tender moment was broken by Draco's eggs telling him that they would love to be that close to him and would he mind sending some love their way. They began hooting and hollering that…"Draco was HOT!" and that they would love for Draco "to take a bite out of them."
Ginny burst into a fit of giggles and the rest joined in. While Molly was laughing, she walked around the table and smacked Fred and George on the back of the head for ruining their sister and her husband's touching moment.
Draco whispered in Ginny's ear for her to continue. She nodded in agreement and began again, "So, umm- where was I? Oh yes, how could I forget? If I fail, the world is overtaken by evil. I also forgot to tell you that if I fail, I will force my husband to join the dark side."
Ron opened his mouth to speak, but Hermione covered it with her hand and nodded graciously to Ginny for her to continue.
So she did, "There is also a reference to a group of people known as the Saviors. After much deliberation over all the passages on the Savior group, Dumbledore, Draco and I think that you, Ron and Harry are the ones they are referring to. You will be part of our team, but you will fail. It also seems to state that one of you will…"
"Ginny, love, can you continue?" Draco asked when Ginny stumbled over the words and dropped her head in defeat.
She shook her head in an affirming manner and raised her head. There were tears in her eyes.
"One of you will…" she started again, but could not finish her sentence. She took a deep breath that caused her entire chest to visibly rise and fall. She wiped her eyes. Draco reached over and began soothingly rubbing her back.
She began again, "One of you will…die." As she spoke, her voice took on a sotto voce quality and they barely caught the last word. All except for Hermione, who suddenly was very, unnaturally pale.
Ron looked at Hermione, Ginny and Draco's faces and knew that something was terribly wrong.
"Ginny…I think I misunderstood you, dear. Could you repeat the last part again, please?" Molly asked her youngest child.
Ginny shook her head in a negative manner.
Draco cleared his throat and said, "Mrs. Weasley, we have reason to believe from the Prophecy that one of them will…die."
Mrs. Weasley ran to Mr. Weasley and pulled him into a tight embrace and mumbled on and on about losing her babies. Arthur held her and tried to calm her down.
Everyone else simply stared into space not knowing how to react.