Gryffindor's Prophecy

~* Woah, I'm updating fictions that I haven't updated for over 2 months… sorry for the long wait everyone! I've just been busy with my new fiction Cast Away which is coming along nicely. Read it if you get the chance! *~

Chapter 16 ~ China

Six pm came, and went. Harry was no where to be found. Ron had sent him an owl saying to meet them in the Gryffindor common room, but so far, Harry hadn't shown up. It was now quarter past six, and the pair were beginning to get worried. Hermione checked her watch impatiently.

'Where is he?' She said, stamping her foot.

'Probably avoiding you…' Ron muttered under his breath. Hermione snapped her head to face Ron.

'What did you say?' She asked, knowing perfectly well what he had said.

'Nothing,' Ron said.

'I know what you said Ronald Weasley,' Hermione folded her arms across her chest, and pouted. 'That's not very nice.'

'If you knew what I said then why did you ask?' Ron snapped. Hermione was about to answer when Harry burst into the common room. He looked at Ron, then at Hermione, then back at Ron. Seeing that they were arguing, he thought it best to interrupt whatever they were arguing about.

'Sorry, I got held up,' Harry said quickly, moving in between his two friends. Hermione held out the portkey, a silver ring, and the boys put a finger on it.

~***~

'Okay, these co-ordinates should be correct,' Hermione said, taking out a map and compass. Ron and Harry started looking around. They were in a jungle of some sort, there was bamboo scattered around the place, the rest was lush trees and shrubs. '… there should be a clearing right through this plant…' Hermione was saying.

Ron and Harry pushed through the plant that Hermione pointed to, revealing a rather large clearing. In the middle of the rather large clearing, was a rather large nest. Sitting on the rather large nest, in the rather large clearing, was a rather large Chinese Fireball.

'Blimey Harry, that's bigger than the one Fleur had,' Ron said, looking at the huge dragon. Harry pulled out his Firebolt.

'Best to get one while it's asleep, be quick Harry,' Hermione said, not looking at him. Harry glanced over at Hermione, before mounting his broom and soaring into the air around the Chinese Fireball's nest.

After circling the dragon a few times, Harry knew that he had no chance of getting to an egg while she was sleeping on them. He had to wake her up and lure her away, much like he did in the Triwizard Tournament. Harry flew back to the ground where Hermione and Ron stood, watching him anxiously.

'Go back through that plant,' Harry said, instructing them to stay hidden.

'Why? She's asleep.' Ron said.

'Not for long,' Harry told him. 'I have to wake her up so that I can get to an egg. Keep the portkey ready, I'll come straight through when I have the egg.' Harry said the last part to Hermione, who nodded aimlessly.

When his two friends had disappeared from sight, Harry flew up so he was level with the dragon's sleeping head. He flew up close, and kicked it's nose. The dragon snuffled, and it's eyes snapped open. A large roar could be heard as it spotted Harry. His eyes widened, and he took off up into the air.

Unlike the Hungarian Horntail, The Chinese Fireball was not hesitant to leave it's nest. Harry sped away, flying in large circles to keep the dragon occupied as he peered down at the nest, trying to pick out the smallest egg. He saw one. A small, creamy one with grey speckles. Harry dove as if he was going to catch the snitch. The Chinese Fireball seemed to notice what he was doing, as she let out a huge wail, and a stream of fire was sent whizzing past Harry's ear.

He reached the nest, grabbed the egg under his arm and, with one last glance at the green dragon, flew straight through the large plant.

'I've got one!' Harry said frantically, Hermione held out the ring, and they were transported back to the Gryffindor common room.

'Neat trick, how did you do that?'

Harry, Ron and Hermione all looked to see who had said it. Ginny was sitting on the lounge chair, her legs crossed, wearing a suspicious look on her face.

'We used a portkey,' Hermione said, not being able to come up with something quick enough that would be convincing to Ginny.

'We're using it to get from place to place in Hogwarts,' Ron added.

'Practice for our upcoming exam,' Harry said.

'Charms,' Hermione finished. Ginny's eyes lit up.

'Wow, you guys get to make portkeys! How cool!' Ginny exclaimed. 'I can't wait to be in sixth year.' She added, clearly overlooking the fact that if they indeed studied portkeys in sixth year, Fred and George would have had a great time with them, and Ginny would have most certainly heard all about it from them.

~***~

The time was now 9.52pm. The common room was still full, but beginning to empty out. Ginny had been asking them questions non-stop about portkeys and the stuff they learnt in sixth year. Ron even said that they would be starting to learn how to ballroom dance, and Ginny believed him.

When the common room was bare save Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny, Harry thought it would be best if Ginny left, so that they could talk about the next ingredient they would be getting.

'Ginny, it's getting late, you should go to bed,' Harry said, looking at his watch, and faking a yawn.

'But I want to know more about sixth year!' Ginny whined.

'We'll tell you more when we learn more, we've told you everything that we're learnt so far,' Ron said.

'Oh, okay then,' Ginny yawned, and headed up the girls staircase.

'Finally, I thought she'd never leave,' Ron said, sighing. Hermione was looking over her notes, and Harry was staring into space, deep in thought.

'Okay, we only have to go to the Isle of Drear to get a Quintaped foot, Hungry to get a Hungarian Horntail tooth, and find Voldemort to get some of his blood,' Hermione said, 'The rest we have right here, one drop of blood from a true Gryffindor and a human sacrifice from Gryffindor.'

'Who will be the human sacrifice?' Ron asked.

'We'll worry about that later, Ron,' Harry said, not wanting to think about killing a fellow Gryffindor.

'There isn't much point going to all these places to get all these ingredients when we aren't prepared to kill someone, it would all be for nothing,' Ron argued.

'He has a point…' Hermione said slowly. 'We need to find someone who can be the human sacrifice,' Harry sighed.

'Who?' He asked.

'I don't know, Colin Creevey? He seems annoying enough,' Ron suggested.

'No, Ron. We don't want to kill anyone,' Harry snapped.

'Then what are we going to do about a human sacrifice?' Hermione asked.

'It's gotta be one of us…' Ron said, seeing the look on Harry's face, and finally realising what his friend was saying.

'One, one of us? Harry no!' Hermione spluttered. Harry looked at her gravely. 'No…' she trailed off.

'Harry, mate, you really don't want to kill one of us, do you?' Ron said hopefully, turning back to Harry.

'We've helped you so much in the past, have you just forgotten that for one silly little prophecy?' Hermione pleaded.

'It's not little, or silly! This is a major thing, Hermione, you need to understand,' Harry said.

'Then why not kill someone that you're not close to? Someone that you don't care about? Someone who's not one of your best friends?' Hermione said softly, not daring to believe that Harry would kill her or Ron to make this potion work.

'Hermione, we could just not be involved,' Ron suggested.

'That would be unfair, we've come this far, there's no point stopping now,' Hermione said.

'Then you be the human sacrifice,' Ron said, not being serious, but Hermione took it seriously, running up the girls staircase, tears already streaming down her face.

'Now look what you've done.' Harry hissed. Ron's eyes widened in disbelief.

'This is your fault Harry! If you didn't think Hermione or me should be the human sacrifice, then none of this would be happening! Why don't you be the human sacrifice?' Ron snapped.

'Because I'm the one who has to perform the ritual to make Godric Gryffindor come back to life.' Harry said simply.

'But what if you're not? What if you, Harry Potter, are not the boy Godric spoke of in his prophecy?' Ron said, his voice lowered to a whisper.

'I have to be…' Harry said, more to himself than to Ron, 'I just have to be.'

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~* Sorry about the wait, I hope you all liked this chapter, and review! *~

~Gryffindor Gal~