SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1~*~ A Few Things Unfogged ~*~

~Clear as mud

~But right as rain

~Confusing, I know

~But this is just so

~Hard to explain

~No need to tell me

~That this doesn't

~Make any sense at all

~Just need you to be

~There for me

~To catch me when I fall...

It took a little longer to sink in, the whole prophecy thing. I don't think any of us could quite comprehend the reality of the whole situation - we were in awe primarily over the fact that we were indeed part of a prophecy. That alone was rather scary.

When we had reached Dumbledore's office, we didn't have long to ponder the password, as Dumbledore himself appeared, surveying us with solemn eyes.

'Ah. I have been expecting you four,' he said. James, Sirius, Bella and I all filed into his office - Remus, Peter and Hilary had to remain outside. By then, I was feeling quite nervous.

'Mr Potter, Mr Black, Miss Figg and Mis Evans. Good afternoon,' he said cheerfully, sitting behind his desk and lacing his fingers together.

'Good afternoon, Professor,' we all mumbled.

'I see you have uncovered the prophecy in your Divination text. And, of course, the certain likenesses between yourself and the four mentioned.'

'Are we the four?' Sirius asked.

'It indeed appears so,' Dumbledore replied merrily. 'Although I didn't quite anticipate on the four uncovering their identities so soon. You do realise the complications and impacts this discovery may have on you?'

We all nodded.

'Because of this, I must ask you to completely forget anything you have learned today.'

We all stared at him.

'I can understand how this may lead you to live in fear of events to come. Therefore, I wish for you to forget it. Live out your childhoods peacefully, and what may come shall remain in the future.'

'You want us to completely ignore the fact that we're supposed to somehow help defeat some big evil? How we're supposed to die?' James asked fiercely, frowning. 'It's not something I'll be able to forget in a hurry.'

'I'm not expecting you to, James,' Dumbledore said gently. 'But no more fuss that necessary should be made of this. I must ask you to keep this within yourselves, and try to move past it for now.'

'If we weren't meant to know, why was that book set for us?' Sirius asked.

'Your Divination Professor set that book based on other topics covered inside it, and I passed it without realising the full contents of it.'

Dumbledore unlaced his fingers and moved his chair away from his desk to search a draw.

'I do believe you have many questions, and I shall answer them. But first, I would like to give you these.'

He withdrew a small leather pouch. We all watched with interest as he loosened the string that fastened it and tipped the pouch so that a crystal suspended on a leather cord slipped onto the desk. A compass-like object followed it. Dumbledore picked up the crystal. Truth

'This is a Phoenix Crystal. Much myth surrounds it - the main idea seems to be that when in the right hands, it is capable of summoning a phoenix to the aid of the bearer. It apparently has a few other uses, too. Of course I'm not quite sure exactly what it does, I've never seen it used.'

The crystal was long and thin, with pointed ends. The base was slightly larger than the peak, and a small, pale blue light pulsated from the very centre of it.

'Is that what the prophecy is talking about?' asked Bella, pulling her hair away from her face.

'I can imagine so. It does speak of a crystal that answers only to a particular call, and this is the only crystal with that ability that I am aware of.'

'What's that thing?' asked Sirius, poking the compass shaped object.

'That,' said Dumbledore, picking it up, 'is a Ambitometer.'

'And what does it do?' asked Bella.

'I'm not quite sure, because no one has ever been able to read it. It has always been kept with the crystal, however. I believe they have some connection.'

I was watching the Ambitometer with interest as Dumbledore turned it over in his hands. It was exactly like a compass on the outside - a gold rim around a glass face, knobs at the sides. But beneath the glass was something completely different. It was like a hologram inside - a three dimensional world. A snow covered mountain, with tiny snowflakes fluttering down around it. And at the very peak of the mountain was a glowing red. Something like a fire.

Dumbledore placed the Ambitometer down on the leather pouch, and I leaned a little closer, still fascinated by it. Around the outside, still inside the glass but separate from the projection, was a ring filled with symbols. A tiny red bird was at the top.

'Professor, may I have a look at that?'

I was aware that everyone was looking at me, since it was the first time I had spoken. Dumbledore raised his palms.

'I don't see why not.'

I reached forward and took the Ambitometer. Upon closer inspection I realised the symbols surrounding the glass face were actually minuscule letters, although in no particular order.

I stared deeply into the projection of the mountain. How did this thing work?

Suddenly, the small red bird began to move. It made its way gradually around the ring of letters, rearranging them as it went. By the time it had reached its original position, they had changed to spell out something.

Mind and spirit unite as whole

To find an answer, truth shall toll

My eyes opened wide.

'What is it?' James asked, leaning over my shoulder.

'It moved,' I said. 'The letters - they changed.'

'They still don't make any sense,' he observed, giving me an odd look. My gaze returned to the Ambitometer. The rhyme had indeed disappeared.

'But a second ago... I asked it how it worked, and it said mind and spirit unite as whole, to find an answer truth shall toll,' I said, frowning. 'I swear it did! The bird flew around the edge, and changed all the letters...'

I looked up at Dumbledore. He was watching me with interest.

'That bird is a phoenix, Miss Evans,' he said slowly, his blue eyes twinkling with interest. 'How exactly did you ask it?'

'I just looked really hard at it, and thought, how do you work? Then the phoenix changed all the letters around.'

'Ask it something else,' Bella said, looking slightly excited. She moved a little closer.

'Ask it what it's for,' Sirius suggested. I looked at Dumbledore, and he nodded.

Clearing my mind, I looked into the glass again, concentrating hard. What is your purpose?

Once again, the phoenix made its way slowly around the outside, moving letters as it went. James was watching over my shoulder, but I could tell from the look on his face that he couldn't read what it said.

'To warn, to heed, to light the way

Protect and prepare when darkness strays...'

This time, when the bird reached its starting position, it didn't stop but continued around a second time.

'To assist in times uncertain and unstable

And to provide an answer whenever able.'

There was silence for a few moments before James spoke.

'I couldn't read a thing. It went too fast.'

I frowned.

'It goes slow...'

'Not while I was watching,' said Sirius. 'It moved fast.'

Bella nodded.

'Well you try,' I said, handing the Ambitometer to James. Dumbledore was still watching keenly.

James took it and looked into it, obviously asking it something in his head. The phoenix didn't move.

'It's not working,' he said.

'Let me try,' Sirius said excitedly. Everyone seemed to have forgotten the prophecy.

Sirius also failed to read it, as did Bella. Dumbeldore didn't try, but handed it back to me.

'What does this mean?' asked Bella.

'It means that Miss Evans is the only one that can read the Ambitometer,' he said quite simply.

'But why me?' I asked. What was so special about me?

'Not sure myself. It is of course yours to take, however.'

I stared at him.

'I can't take this. It's yours -'

'And I can't read it, so it isn't much use to me, is it?' Dumbledore interrupted. 'Take it, please. As for the crystal... I don't believe its time has come yet. You four are free to leave. But I must stress that you try to forget what you have read,' he said, gesturing to the book, 'and carry on with your lives. There's no use worrying about something that's a long way off.' 

* * *

I didn't go to dinner that night. I waited until everyone had left before curling up in front of the fire, the Ambitometer in my hands. I took it out.

Why me?

As I gazed into the glass, I noticed the picture had changed. The snow that had covered the mountain before seemed to be melting, revealing a vibrant green. Then, the phoenix began to move. It had to do six rounds before I got the whole message.

To hear without being heard, to see without being seen

A pair of eyes, a pair of ears, and a mouth to intervene

A mind to understand what has always been unknown

Each to play a part of four, working together yet alone

I took a deep breath.

'What did it say?' asked a voice, making me jump. I turned to see James leaning over the back of my armchair.

'Why didn't you go to dinner?' I asked, regaining composure.

'Didn't your mother ever teach you not to answer a question with a question? Besides, I could ask the same of you,' he said, coming around to sit next to me. I moved a little to give him more room.

'Wasn't hungry,' I sighed.

'Me either. Now what did it say? What did you ask it?' he pressed.

'I asked it why I was the only one who could read it,' I said flatly.

'And?'

I told James what the Ambitometer had said. I had thought that I would have forgotten it easily, but for some strange reason, I could remember each rhyme perfectly.

'What do you think that means?' James asked, genuinely interested. I had expected no one to believe me when I had said I could read it, especially considering no one else could. But no one had contradicted me so far.

'It means that we all have an... ability. Someone to see, someone to listen, someone to talk, and someone to understand. I can obviously understand.'

That was the most logical conclusion.

'What about the other three? Who do you think they are?' he asked.

'Bella's probably the listener. She's got really keen ears, but besides that, she can listen to people's problems. Sirius? He's probably the talker,' I laughed.

'Probably,' James agreed. 'That leaves me as the watcher, which makes sense I guess. I like to watch people, and how they act.'

I nodded.

'James... are you scared?' I asked him.

'Yes,' he said quietly.

I looked back to the Ambitometer.

What do we do now?

Close your eyes and seal your ears

Ignore most of what you hear

Confine your thoughts to your head

Focus on your present life instead

That was pretty much what Dumbledore had said.

'I know this is going to be really hard to just ignore, but we have to,' I told James. 'He's right - it will ruin our lives if we go around dreading things a long way off.'

He nodded.

'We should promise not to talk about it anymore.'

'Yeah,' I said.

And later that night, we did. We made a promise not to talk about it again.

At least, not until we needed to.

* * *

One evening, a week or so later, James and I were playing wizard's chess in the Common Room. We had all done surprisingly well at keeping our promise - no one had spoken of it since that night. But it was quite obviously still playing on everyone's minds.

'Checkmate,' James said, bringing me back to reality. I sighed.

'I suck at chess,' I said hopelessly, burying my face in my hands.

'I don't mind,' he grinned. 'It means I get to win.'

'At my expense,' I grumbled. I stood up and stretched.

Only to be tackled to the ground by Sirius.

'Hey!' I exclaimed. But Sirius had already scrambled to his feet again.

'Sorry Lily!' he called as he dashed out of the Portrait Hole, Bella hot on his heels. I laughed and turned back to James.

'Do you still like Tara?' I yawned conversationally. James nodded.

'You?'

'No, I don't like her,' I laughed.

'You know what I mean,' he replied as he packed his chessmen away.

'Nope. I'm crush-free.'

'Truth?'

'The truth and nothing but the whole,' I said, saluting him. He grinned and came over to tickle me.

'Aaaahhh! Stop!' I giggled.

'Tell me who you like,' he commanded.

'No one! I don't like anyone!'

'Not even me?' he asked, smirking as he steered me over to a couch, his hands still tickling my sides mercilessly.

'Who do you like?'

'James Potter! James Potter!' I breathed, laughing.

'Why?'

'Because he's dreadfully mean -'

'What was that?' James asked, eyebrow raised.

'I mean, because he's really nice! And he's a sex god! And -'

'OK, so refresh my memory again. Who do you love?'

'You!'

'Who? I didn't quite hear that -'

'You! I love you, James Potter! Now stop, please!'

James stopped, smirking.

'So now your secret comes out,' he said with amusement.

'I don't love you,' I spat, sitting up. 'You were tickling me to death. I had to say that.'

'Deep down, I know you love me,' he said, placing a hand over his heart as he flopped down next to me.

'In your dreams, Potter,' I grumbled.

'How did you find out about those?' James gasped with fake shock.

'You have naughty dreams about me, huh?' I asked. James was sitting next to the armrest, so I sat slightly on his lap to rest my back against it. I laid back and looked up at him with a smirk as I wriggled to get comfortable.

'Yeah, but you weren't meant to find out,' he whispered.

'OK. I'll keep it a secret,' I whispered back.

'You know what Sirius showed me yesterday?'

'What?' I asked lazily, closing my eyes.

'Look. If you put your hands like this...'

He took my right hand and held it in his, our thumbs sticking up.

'... and suck your thumbs, it looks like you're snogging when you're not.'

I looked at him in amusement.

'And why would Sirius want to look like he was snogging you?'

James scowled.

'He was just showing me how to do it. He did it with Chrissy and it looked hell funny.'

'But why would Sirius want to look like he was snogging Chrissy, either? He's going out with Bella,' I pointed out. James gave an exasperated sigh.

'He was just showing me, OK? I thought you might find it amusing, but you have to go all technical on me.'

'I'm sorry for spoiling your fun. I did find it amusing,' I said.

'Do you want to do it?' he asked mischievously. I laughed.

'Why?'

'Because I'm in love with you, Lily,' James said in a girly voice, taking my hand again and pulling his thumb up to his mouth. I laughed and covered my own thumb with my lips. I looked into James's twinkling eyes and laughed.

'Oh Lily!' James exclaimed, moving his mouth exaggeratively. I rolled my eyes.

'Will you ever grow up?' I asked, pulling back.

'Don't stop! Kiss me more, Lily,' he teased. I hit him.

'Sorry, as much as I enjoy kissing you, I do have a boyfriend.'

'Yes, you do.'

My head spun around. Gray was sitting sprawled out on the couch slightly opposite us. I groaned inwardly, knowing what was coming.

'Hi, Gray,' I said, somewhat mildly.

'Why don't you just go out with him, Lily? There's no need to worry about feelings; he's obviously as much in love with you as you are with him.'

I sat up straight, glaring at Gray.

'I am not in love with James. We were playing around, OK? If you can't handle that, then this isn't going to work.'

'Are you going to break up with me, Lily? Without asking Potter's opinion?' Gray asked coolly.

'Lily doesn't need my opinion. She can make her own decision,' James said coldly.

'And don't you hope she breaks it off. So you can go out with her instead. Well, no need. I'll do it. Lily, we're through.'

'Yeah, I did hope she would break it off. But for a different reason. Not because I'm in love with her at all - Lily's just a friend. No, the reason I wanted her to break it off is because she is way too good for you. She was there for you when your dad died. She stayed by you when you found it necessary to be an insufferable jerk to everyone because you were all messed up. And you couldn't even give her the slightest bit of trust in return. Instead, you had to accuse her of cheating on you everytime you saw us together. She didn't blow her top at you everytime she saw you talking to Emma,' James fumed, referring to a Hufflepuff Gray was friends with.

Gray didn't have a reply to that. He glared at James before getting up and walking up the stairs to his dormitory without once looking back at me.

'Jerk,' James muttered under his breath.

'James, I really could have handled that on my own,' I said quietly. He looked at me.

'Why? Would you have tried to make him see it from your point of view again? There's no point, Lily. He's just jealous and there wasn't much you could do about it.'

'What I'm saying is yes, I could have tried to work it out. He might not have dumped me.'

'You actually want to still go out with him?'

'As annoying as he is, maybe I did. Maybe I did still want to go out with him. He's not much different to you, you know? And don't tell me you've never been jealous of anyone in your life. It is strange that we're such close friends, James. It doesn't happen very often. And people are going to get ideas. You can't give up on people because of that. It applies to us as much as it does to me and Gray. Just like I have to respect what my friends think, you have to respect what my boyfriend thinks. And if us spending so much time together annoys people, then maybe we should tone it down.'

'You resent the time we spend together?' James asked tonelessly.

'No, James,' I said, my eyes prickling. I wasn't going to cry. What was there to cry about?

'Well I don't think I get what you mean, then. Because in my world, best friends spend a lot of time together. If you don't want to spend time together, there's really no point in us being friends.'

'James, no,' I whispered. 'That's not what I mean and you know it.'

'Then what do you mean, Lily? I don't think I know anymore. But make sure you let me know when you figure it out,' he said, standing and exiting through the Portrait Hole. I turned my head to the side, trying to suppress tears.

'I don't know if I'll ever figure it out,' I whispered, staring at the spot where James had been.

Because not even I knew what I meant.

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

Aww, kinda sad chapter. But there we go all you people that wanted Gray gone! Hehe. Let's have a party!

And no, Gray, you're not invited. *gives Gray odd look* Why would YOU be invited? You caused trouble between Lily and James! *smacks Gray over head*

OK guys! I want reviews! And I wanna know where my old reviewers have all gone! You disappeared! You know I got about twice as many reviews for Dating Game than I did for my last two chapters? This one is meant to get more since it's my major story! Oh well. I am happy that Dating Game is going well. But reviews would make me happy! I do understand that it's partially since I posted three chapters in quick succession so that you read them all and only reviewed once rather than reviewing each chapter. But no worries. Enjoy the quick posts while they last. I'll be back at school soon.

Bye byes, gotsa fly!

~EH.q'`q» -»|«-)(SezZie)(-»|«- «q'`q.HE~