Chapter 17 - The First Prophecy Revealed

Harry had never remembered a more restless night. Every time Hermione shifted or the house gave the slightest creak, his eyes flew open and his arms tightened around her. Around five in the morning, he gave up trying to sleep and gingerly got out of bed. He disentangled Hermione's arms from around him and placed her head on the pillow. He kissed the top of her head before leaving.

The house had emptied out quite a bit since the night before and those who had remained were bunked all over the house still sleeping. Harry thought he'd be able to catch a few minutes to himself in the kitchen, but when he got downstairs, he realized that he was not the only one up.

Dumbledore was sitting at the long kitchen table reading the morning edition of the Daily Prophet. Harry turned around, not wanting to disturb him, but he caught sight of Harry. "Harry, come in."

Harry turned reluctantly, knowing he had no choice but to join Dumbledore.

"Morning sir," said Harry going to the refrigerator. He pulled some juice out and poured himself a tall glass. "Can I get you anything, sir."

"No, Harry," said Dumbledore. "Thank you."

Harry put the juice away and sat across from Dumbledore.

"How are you doing," asked Dumbledore, his voice filled with concern.

"I'm ok," said Harry quickly. "Is there anything in the Prophet," asked Harry nodding at the paper in Dumbledore's hands. "Anything about last night?"

"There is a small article concerning Professor Snape on page three. There are surprisingly few details."

Harry took a sip of juice. "What about Remus?" He asked slowly.

Dumbledore shook his head. "Nothing."

Harry nodded.

"I don't expect there will be anything on Remus," said Dumbledore.

"Why?"

"Because the Ministry will never find his body and no one will be looking for it."

"What?" Exclaimed Harry in disgust. "What happened to his body?"

"It's been taken care of, Harry," he said quietly.

"Taken care of," said Harry standing angrily. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Harry please sit down."

Harry glared at Dumbledore feeling a familiar bubbling rage beginning to fill him.

"We need to talk, Harry. Please sit."

Harry sat slowly, never taking his eyes off Dumbledore.

"We have some very difficult decisions to make now. I want you to try and hear me out before you react."

Harry sat back in his chair, committing to nothing.

Dumbledore sighed and began. "I had always hoped the time for you to fulfill your destiny would come after you had left school, but it seems that was only an old man's hope."

"I don't understand," said Harry.

"The time has come for you to face Voldemort. I've tried to protect you, but it's out of my hands now. We're out of time."

"Why now?" Asked Harry in complete confusion.

"Because Remus's death has triggered the completion of the first prophecy."

"The what," breathed Harry?

"The first prophecy," repeated Dumbledore.

"Why haven't I ever heard about this before? What first prophesy? What does it have to do with my prophecy?"

"I promise I'll answer all your questions, Harry."

"What is the first prophecy," repeated Harry impatiently.

"It's not exactly accurate to call it the first prophecy since it was delivered after your prophecy was uttered. We only refer to it that way because in order for you to fulfill your prophecy, it must first be fulfilled."

"But what did it say?" Interrupted Harry in frustration.

"Please, Harry, understand. We weren't entirely sure of its accuracy. Even after your parents died, I held out hope that there might have been some mistake. These prophecies have been wrong in the past. They have been faked."

Harry fisted his hands in frustration, but didn't interrupt again.

Dumbledore sighed. "The prophecy said that before you and Voldemort could meet, four people who loved you so strongly that they would give their lives for you must do so."

Harry stared at him in horror.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I only became sure it was the real thing when Sirius died and I couldn't tell you then. I thought it would have been too much."

"No," denied Harry. "I don't believe you."

"I'm sorry, Harry," said Dumbledore reaching out to comfort him.

Harry pulled away violently. "You're telling me that you sent Remus and Ron to get Hermione, knowing what would happen to him."

"We didn't know what would happen," insisted Dumbledore.

Harry ran his hands through his hair in disbelief. "It could have been any one of them. You sent Ron out there, my God, Hermione was out there." Harry stared at Dumbledore in horror.

"Harry," began Dumbledore. "Voldemort still thinks you're dead. We have a small window of opportunity here."

Harry cut him off. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say to me. Remus is dead because of you. Sirius and my parents." Harry stood and walked out the room. "I will never forgive you," said Harry before leaving.

Harry ran up the stairs, desperate to get away from everything. When he got upstairs and into his room, Hermione was no longer asleep in the bed. "Hermione," he yelled. He raced back into the hall. "Hermione."

Doors all down the hallway began opening and people emerged groggily.

"What happened, Harry," asked Ron, hurrying up to him.

"Hermione's gone," said Harry, terror filling his voice.

"No I'm not," said Hermione coming into view. "I'm right here."

Harry ran to her and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled back and gripped her arms tightly. "Don't ever do that again," he said shaking her slightly.

"Harry," exclaimed a shocked Hermione.

"Don't... ever... Don't..." stuttered Harry clinging to her.

"I'm right here. I just went to the bathroom," said Hermione. She looked up at Ron with worry etched all over her face.

Ron shrugged and glanced around the hall. The adults were all standing and staring at them. "Why don't we go inside," said Ron prodding them both into the room.

Ron closed the door as soon as they were all inside. "Harry, what the hell's the matter with you?"

"Nothing," said Harry crossing the room and turning away from both of them.

"Harry," said Hermione hesitatingly walking to him and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Did something happen?"

"No," said Harry quickly. "Hermione," he said turning. "Can we just get out of here."

"What?"

"I want to leave. Today."

"You want to go back to Hogwarts?" Asked Hermione in confusion.

"No, I'm never going back there."

"You're not making any sense, Harry," said Ron.

"Well then let me spell it out for you, Ron," said Harry angrily. "I am never going back to Hogwarts. I'm tired of people making decisions for me. From now on I'm going to control my future."

"What decisions? What are you talking about?" Asked Hermione.

"Hermione," he said more softly. "They have been manipulating me since day one."

"Who's they?"

"Dumbledore and the all the rest of them."

"Harry, Dumbledore cares about you. He's only ever tried to protect you."

"Yeah well I'm tired of being protected," shouted Harry.

Hermione took a step back. And Ron looked at Harry angrily. "Don't scream at her," he said.

"Ron," began Hermione lightly. "It's ok. He's just upset."

"I'm sorry," said Harry instantly. "I didn't mean to yell."

"It's ok," said Hermione hugging him. "You don't have to apologize to me."

Ron sucked his teeth and Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

"Hermione," said Harry ignoring Ron. "Come with me."

"Harry let's talk about this. I know you're upset about Remus, but you can't just..."

Harry pulled away. "I don't want to talk about that. This has nothing to do with him."

"Harry."

"Hermione's right," said Ron. "You can't just leave school. Where would you go?"

"Away, anywhere. I don't care. As longs as it's far from here." He took Hermione's hands in his own. "I want you to come with me. There's nothing for us here. We could do anything we want. Go anywhere. I'd keep you safe."

"Oh Harry, we just can't. What about school? The Newts are just months away," said Hermione trying to make him see reason.

"I know I'm asking you a lot, but do you really need the Newts to tell you what everyone already knows? You're the smartest witch to ever pass through Hogwarts. You don't need to prove anything."

"That's easy for you to say," spat Ron and Harry turned angrily toward him. "I'm not going to let you talk her into throwing away her future because you're having a tantrum."

"A tantrum," shouted Harry.

"Yes. Look mate, I'm really sorry about Remus. I can only imagine how you must be feeling, but you can't just pick up and leave. You have responsibilities."

"What responsibilities?" Snorted Harry. "You forget Ron. I only have myself to worry about. I've been on my own since I was one. I never had a father to go to or a mother to tuck me in at night. All I had was fear and hate and abuse. And then since the day I came to Hogwarts people have done nothing but lie to me and try and control me."

"We never have," said Ron simply.

Harry looked away. "Don't you understand, Ron. I wasn't the lucky one. You were. I don't have anyone to take care of me. I have to take care of myself."

"I'll take care of you," said Hermione tearfully.

Ron turned to her wide-eyed. "Hermione."

She shushed Ron. "I love you," said Hermione to Harry. "If this is what you need, I'll go with you."

Harry hugged her tightly. "Thank you," he whispered. "I promise you won't regret it."

"Ok. That's all very sweet," said Ron eyeing his two best friends. "But you two have just about lost your minds."

"Butt out, Ron," snapped Harry.

"No, I won't. You're being selfish, Harry. You're going to let Hermione throw her entire future away."

Harry began to respond angrily, but Hermione cut him off. "Ron, that's not fair. I can make my own decisions. And I'm making this one. We love each other. I want to be with him."

"Love each other," spat Ron. "For how long, a week? And for that you're willing to throw away everything you've worked for?"

"I'm sorry you don't understand, Ron. But it's not as if we haven't known each other these seven years," insisted Hermione. "It's not like I'm running away with some boy I've only just met. It's Harry."

"It might as well be Draco Malfoy," shouted Ron.

Harry moved past Hermione, grabbed the front of Ron's robes and pushed him into the wall.

"Stop it both of you," shouted Hermione, grabbing onto Harry and trying to pull him off Ron.

"What's going on in here," shouted Arthur Weasley. "Ron, Harry, stop it." He moved toward the three and pulled Ron and Harry apart. They glared at the each other angrily.

"If you let her go through with this, I'll never speak to you again," said Ron breathing hard.

Harry continued to glare at him as Ron pushed past his father and left the room.

"Ron, wait," Hermione called after him. She turned back to Harry. "Harry."

"Let him go, Hermione," he said angrily.

"What happened? What's going on?" Repeated Mr. Weasley.

"Nothing," snapped Harry following Ron's example and leaving the room.

"Hermione?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Weasley," said Hermione softly. "They're angry with each other."

"Why?"

"I think that Harry and I are leaving tonight."

"You think," repeated Mr. Weasley.

Hermione shrugged. "Harry's very upset," was all she could say.

"I'm going to go speak to Dumbledore."

"Please don't do that, Mr. Weasley," Hermione called to his exiting back. "Damn it." Hermione sank into a chair, surprisingly glad to be left alone. Had she really just agreed to throw her entire life away and follow Harry wherever he was going? And was it really throwing her life away. As strange as it seemed, she knew she wanted to be with him forever.

Sometimes she looked at Harry and all she could see was a small, lost boy asking her to love him. She knew she could never deny him what no one else had ever given him. She would follow him wherever he asked her to go.

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Harry packed the last of his things in his trunk and closed the lid with a satisfying snap. He glanced around his dorm room and his heart gave a wrench. Since he had asked Hermione to leave England with him six days ago a lot had happened, and he had come very close to changing his mind more than once. And now standing in the room he had considered his home for the last seven years he felt like he might have been making the biggest mistake of his life. But when he thought about everything that had happened only one week ago he knew he would never find the peace he once knew at Hogwarts. There were just too many memories.

Dumbledore and Moody had tried to make him see reason, Mr. Weasley tried bargaining and worst of all, Mrs. Weasley had cried and begged both he and Hermione to reconsider, but Harry wouldn't hear any of it. He told them all that his mind was made up and then he usually walked out of the room.

The adults would then turn all their powers of persuasion on Hermione until she broke down in tears and Harry had to return to rescue her. After three days of unrelenting talk, Harry told them all that if they made Hermione cry one more time, he would leave that very evening. They didn't stop trying to persuade them both to see reason, but Hermione did stop crying after that.

It was Hermione who had made Harry see reason and convince him that there was no way they could just leave that first night. Practical as always, she insisted they have some idea where they were going and how they were going to get there. She made him agree to postpone their leave for one week, but the delay only seemed to give everyone an opportunity to harass them nightly about how rash and childish they were both behaving.

Harry worried over the strain Hermione seemed to be under and every night he asked her if she wanted to change her mind.

"You don't have to come with me," said Harry stroking her hair as they lay in bed one night.

"I want to," assured Hermione.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Because if you're not..."

"Harry," interrupted Hermione. "I'm coming with you. They haven't made me change my mind. They won't. I won't."

"Yeah, what about Ron?"

"He hasn't either," sighed Hermione. "By the way, are you two going to work this out before we leave?"

"That's not up to me," said Harry sullenly.

"It could be," said Hermione stubbornly. "I don't want to leave with the two of you angry with each other."

"I'm sorry, Hermione, but Ron doesn't understand, and I'm tired of trying to make him."

"You've barely tried."

Harry stopped stroking her hair and stared at the ceiling silently. Hermione sighed inwardly and pushed herself up and off the bed.

"Where are you going?" Asked Harry.

"Back to my room," replied Hermione.

"Ron's in there."

"There's an extra bed."

"Fine," said Harry angrily. "Do what you want."

Hermione turned on him. "What I want is for you to grow up."

Harry glared at her and she turned to leave. She was almost out of the room when he called her back. "Wait. Don't go."

Hermione stopped, but didn't turn around. Harry got out of bed and went to her. He held her from behind, hugging her tightly. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Hermione tried to shrug him off. "Hermione," he whined. "I'm trying to apologize."

"You know, Harry. I think I've been really understanding these last few days. I've agreed to turn my entire life around to make you happy. And don't get me wrong, I want to do this with you. I really do. But, I don't want to leave on bad terms with Ron. I won't. This whole thing affects him too. Chances are we won't see him for a good long while. Can you really blame him if he feels like we're abandoning him?"

Harry let her go and threw himself back on his bed. "Yes, I can. Whose side are you on anyway."

Hermione gritted her teeth to keep from lashing out at him and stormed from the room, slamming the door behind her. She stalked to her old room, where Ron was lying in one of the beds, reading.

"What's up?" He asked, not taking his eyes off his book.

"Nothing," said Hermione angrily. She went to the empty bed, pulled the sheets back and tried to make herself comfortable.

"Lover's quarrel?" Asked Ron snidely.

"Shut up," snapped Hermione angrily. She grabbed one of the extra pillows and hugged it tightly to herself. Within seconds, it was wet with her tears.

Ron watched her quietly. He could see her shoulders shaking as she tried to stifle her cries in the pillow. With a sigh, he got up and went to her. "I'm sorry," he said placing a hand on her shoulder.

Hermione looked up at him, bright eyed. "Why can't the two of you just grow up?"

Ron shrugged. "Boys mature slower than girls."

"You could say that again," she said propping herself up on her arm. They stared at each other silently. "Won't you please make up with him, Ron," she begged.

"I can't. I'm sorry," said Ron quietly, sitting on the edge of her bed. "He's going to ruin your life."

"He's not," she returned quickly. "This is my decision. Not his."

"Please, Hermione. I know you, obviously better than he does. You would never leave school, not if he wasn't asking you to. It's too important to you."

"School is important. I plan to finish, Ron. I'm just postponing things a bit. Right now he needs me. Can't you understand that?"

"Of course I can. What I can't understand is why you feel the need to run away."

"Ron," began Hermione. "Do you know what the last thing Lupin said to me was?"

Ron shook his head.

"He said, 'take care of him.'"

Ron nodded, feeling choked.

"Lupin is dead because of me. I took him from Harry."

"That's crap, Hermione. You-know-who killed Lupin, not you."

"Lupin would have never been there if it hadn't been for me," insisted Hermione. "Not to mention Professor Snape."

"If you follow that logic, then Harry is responsible for Sirius's death and you and I both know that that isn't true."

Hermione shook her head. "Voldemort was feeding images into Harry's head. It's not the same thing."

"I agree, and Voldemort was also feeding images into your head. You can't blame yourself for his death," insisted Ron.

"I try telling myself that," Hermione cried softly. "I just can't seem to convince myself it's true."

"Then listen to me when I say it."

Hermione nodded.

"Then you'll stay," asked Ron hopefully.

"I can't," said Hermione quietly. "Not if he goes."

"Hermione please," begged Ron quietly.

"I'm sorry, Ron. He needs me."

"He needs a good kick in the ass," muttered Ron.

Hermione sighed. "I'm tired, Ron. I just want to get some sleep."

Ron nodded and got off the bed. "Night, Hermione."

"Night, Ron."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hermione was also back at Hogwarts packing her things in her trunk. She yawned sleepily, wondering when she had last had a full night's sleep. It had to have been months.

Since her kidnapping, she had not had any more incursions on her mind. Voldemort seemed to have moved on. Even so, she was still practicing all the things Snape had taught her in their short time together and in quiet times, could successfully shut her mind down.

Hermione closed her trunk with a snap and looked around one last time. She hadn't been in this room very long, only a few months. The new head girl had already been selected and Hermione had already passed on her badge. There was nothing left to do, but get back to Number 12 Grimmault Place, get a good night's sleep and start the next chapter of her life.

"Hermione," called Harry from downstairs. She dragged her trunk down the hall to the top of the staircase. "You ready?" Harry asked from the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes," replied Hermione, starting down the stairs.

When she reached the bottom staircase Hermione gasped. The common room was filled with their fellow Gryffindor's. Immediately Ginny rushed forward and embraced Hermione. Hermione hugged her friend back tightly.

"I can't believe you're really going," whispered Ginny. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'll miss you too, Ginny." She pulled away, afraid she would cry. Immediately she was swept into another pair of arms and another as the seventh years crowded around her to wish her goodbye.

"Goodbye," she repeated over and over, each time finding the word more difficult to stay.

From across the room she saw Harry surrounded by a group of friends who were all talking and laughing. He was watching her and when he caught her eye he smiled.

"Can we get out of here," mouthed Hermione.

Harry nodded and moved toward her.

"We better be going," said Harry aloud.

Harry guided Hermione to the fireplace. "Go first," he said. Hermione took some of the floo powder they had brought with them and through it into the fire. She gave everyone one last smile, stepped into the fire and with a woosh, was gone.

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Author's Note: Hi all. Just taking a few seconds to thank everyone whose read and reviewed. Anyone who writes knows what a thrill it is to get feedback on their work. So if you've never reviewed before, but are enjoying the story then tell me. If you don't like the story, then you probably gave up a long time ago and are not even reading this right now. Anyway, thanks again to all.