A/N: Look at this, two chapter so close together. Want to know why? Because
I have so much to do!
That's right, folks. You are now officially my time wasters. I really don't want to study. So I'm writing this instead!
Thanks to stayblue; Calani; KC; chaser1; athenakitty; Avlyn; Herald-Mage Brianna; Sirius' Diamond; Maximum Poofy-Queen of AU; Dumbledore5: It doesn't say anything in cannon on which house she is, so I made it Ravenclaw; Facade1: Nope, not keeled over. Maybe I've lost a few screws, but .....; Prd2bAmerican18; Serpena; Lunawolf; ER; and me3gogi!!!
Read on, young grasshopper! Whoa, way to many 80s Karate movies.....
CH21: Painful Prophecies and Silver Stories
~"I know." Albus sighed. "I should have told all the teachers at the beginning of the term. But I didn't think we'd be in this situation so soon. I plan to rectify that tonight. It's time that Harry knew everything."
'He had better tell me what this is about.' His next thought made him grin.
'Albus, you've got some splanin' to do.'~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Mr. Andrews, the Headmaster wishes to see you in his office. I am reluctant to let you go, I'm not quite sure you're back at full strength. However, I believe this meeting will be more important," Madam Pomphrey said, casting an appraising glance over Harry as he stood up. "I will let you go, as long as you take it easy. Oh, and one last check-up before you leave."
"Would you like me to change back?" Harry inquired innocently. The matron started.
"Wh-what do you mean?" she squeaked.
"I know you know who I am. And since the rest of the ward is empty, wouldn't it be easier for you?"
She nodded. "Very much so."
Harry concentrated hard and felt his face morph back. Pomphrey gasped.
"Oh my god."
"I know it's very different from what I looked like before," said Harry, a bit puzzled by her reaction, "but it's not - "
"I wasn't talking about what you look like, Potter. Or, at least, what you should look like."
"What are you talking about then?"
Pomphrey conjured up a hand mirror and held it out to Harry. He took it and peered inside. Then recoiled in shock.
"My eyes. What - ?" His eyes had changed. While the right one was it's normal deep green, the left had turned a bright, shining silver.
"They're actually kind of becoming," said Pomphrey cautiously.
"Slytherin colors," Harry muttered to himself. "They couldn't have at least turned Ravenclaw colors."
"I think you really should go see the Headmaster. Now."
'That's odd,' Harry later realized, as he was headed to Dumbledore's office. 'She never asked how I was aware she knew I am Harry Potter.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ah, Harry, sit down." Albus motioned to a chair in front of his desk. "We have much to discuss I'm afraid. Lemon drop?"
"No thanks. Why do you always offer them?"
"I found that the sucking motion helps calm people down."
"Is there any particular reason I would need to be calmed dow - " He was cut off as a magnificent red bird flew down and landed in his lap. "What the - ?"
Albus chuckled. "Harry, this is Fawkes."
"It's very nice to meet you." The bird trilled in response. "He's a - a - oh ...." 'What are they called again? I know this too. It was in our History of Magic book ....' "That's funny, I can't seem to remember ...."
"He's a phoenix."
"Oh yeah! And he has - healing - something to do with fire ...." Harry sighed in frustration. "Albus, why can't I remember? I know I knew what a phoenix was yesterday .... "
"That is one of the things we must talk about today." The professor looked the oldest that Harry had ever seen him.
Hmmmm, let's back up a bit.
Energetic, fun-loving Albus who laughed his head off when he was hit by an avalanche of socks.
Versus, this Albus, who looks like the sky is falling and he has to run around the pits of Hell for all eternity with Snape and all the lemon drops in the world have disappeared .....
It equals a big change.
Harry steeled himself for the bad news.
"Eleven years ago, Harry, I was interviewing hopefuls for the position of Divination professor here."
"What's that got to do with - "
"I only ask you not to interrupt until I am finished," he said quietly. "As I was saying, I had many interviews in those days. I had almost given up hope of finding someone for the job when the great-granddaughter of a famous Seer contacted me. We planned to meet in the Hogshead Pub in Hogsmeade. This woman's name is Sybil Trelawney. Maybe you've seen here around the school?"
Harry had indeed 'seen' her around: although she didn't come out of her tower often, when she did she was hard to miss. Usually dressed in many different bangles and shawls, Professor Trelawney had a fondness for wearing glasses that made her look like a bug and predicting innocent students deaths. Fred and George both took her class, which sparked the idea to replace all the cards in her Tarot deck with Grims .....
"So you did end up hiring her?"
"Only after she proved her skill."
"I don't understand, Albus."
"The night I went to meet her .... well, at the end of her interview, it seemed she had no Sight herself. But before I could leave .... she gave a prophecy."
"It was about me, wasn't it," Harry said quietly.
"Yes, it was." It seemed like it pained Albus greatly to say this.
"What did it say?"
Albus took a deep breath and continued.
"'The One with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... The One with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ... '"
Harry's mouth went dry. "Does that mean what I think it means?"
"It means, that the child with the power to defeat Voldemort would have been born at the end of July eleven years ago. His parents would have survived his wrath three times."
"So, my parents .... "
"Interesting thing, it might not have had to be you?"
"What?"
"There was one other child that could have fit the Prophecy: Neville Longbottom."
"The Longbottom who's in Gryffindor?"
"The very same."
"But then ... why'd he go after me? Why not Neville? Shouldn't he have waited to see who looked more dangerous when we grew up?"
"That's the thing, Harry. Voldemort only knew of the first part of the Prophecy."
"So he didn't know that, when he gave me this scar, he made it so I was destined to either defeat him or die at his hands?" The wording of prophecy suddenly clicked in his brain and his heart dropped further. "He's not really gone for good, is he? He can't be, if this prophecy is true ... "
"I don't believe he is. But I hope it will be along time before he regains power."
Harry rubbed his forehead. "Albus, you said there were many things to talk about. What more could you have to tell me today?"
"Unfortunately, there is much more," said Albus. "Like the wording of the Prophecy."
"What about it?"
"It says the 'One'. That it will be the 'One' with the power."
"The Silver One," Harry whispered.
"I thought you might have heard us talking. Are you familiar with the stories of the Silver Ones?"
"I know - but - I can't. I still can't remember."
"Thousands of years ago, back when the magical world was small, before there were schools to teach young witches and wizards, there was a council of warlocks. Now this council was responsible for keeping order of everything."
"Everything?"
"Yes. They were said to be in charge of the balance of the universe."
"Cool."
"Quite. As time went on, we descended into the age where magical beings were persecuted and the council was forced to disband."
"But then, who kept order? The universe would have fallen into chaos."
"This is where the Silver Ones came in. The council combined their remaining power and knowledge and entrusted it to a baby. As long as the information stayed with him, the balance would remain."
"What happened if he died?"
"A new Silver One would be born. And so on and so forth, throughout the centuries, each marked by their strange color changing eyes: they would flash silver to warn of danger."
"Wait, if I'm the Silver One, then I have all the secrets of the universe?"
"In a nutshell."
"Oh."
"Which is why you can't remember anything."
"Huh?"
"Although Veritaserum is a fairly recent development, the warlocks still took a possibility of it into account. They made it so your powers would evolve over time. It's a defense mechanism. If someone questioned you under Veritaserum, who knows what would be revealed. So, instead, your powers shut down and give you a simple allergic reaction to it, something no one else on the planet has. The backlash of it also made your eye change permanently."
"So I will get my memory back soon?"
"Yes, it should return during the next day or so."
"And, when you say evolve, does that mean the information updates over the years as well?"
"Right. It includes all modern spells, too."
Harry closed his eyes. "That's how I survived, wasn't it. This defense mechanism?"
"It seems you're getting your memory back already."
"I've always had a good memory. I suppose that's another perk?"
"One question at a time, Harry. But, yes, that is how you survived. The Silver Ones have to die naturally. The only way to kill one is to, well, stab them through the heart with a silver blade."
"That's ironic."
"And it is also where your memory comes from."
"I have always wondered why I could remember things from my childhood that most kids forget easily."
"I want you to take tomorrow's classes off, Harry. I'm not sure you're back to your full mental abilities yet. Also, you need to think about all of this."
"Anything else you want to tell me while were at it?"
"No. This was enough for today. I'll have someone bring you dinner tonight and your meals tomorrow."
Harry started towards the door, but Albus stopped him. "You have a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders. But don't let that own you. It's your choices that decide who you are. Never forget that."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
This chapter was originally going to be different, but, with the release of the fifth book, I had to put the prophecy in somewhere.
That's right, folks. You are now officially my time wasters. I really don't want to study. So I'm writing this instead!
Thanks to stayblue; Calani; KC; chaser1; athenakitty; Avlyn; Herald-Mage Brianna; Sirius' Diamond; Maximum Poofy-Queen of AU; Dumbledore5: It doesn't say anything in cannon on which house she is, so I made it Ravenclaw; Facade1: Nope, not keeled over. Maybe I've lost a few screws, but .....; Prd2bAmerican18; Serpena; Lunawolf; ER; and me3gogi!!!
Read on, young grasshopper! Whoa, way to many 80s Karate movies.....
CH21: Painful Prophecies and Silver Stories
~"I know." Albus sighed. "I should have told all the teachers at the beginning of the term. But I didn't think we'd be in this situation so soon. I plan to rectify that tonight. It's time that Harry knew everything."
'He had better tell me what this is about.' His next thought made him grin.
'Albus, you've got some splanin' to do.'~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Mr. Andrews, the Headmaster wishes to see you in his office. I am reluctant to let you go, I'm not quite sure you're back at full strength. However, I believe this meeting will be more important," Madam Pomphrey said, casting an appraising glance over Harry as he stood up. "I will let you go, as long as you take it easy. Oh, and one last check-up before you leave."
"Would you like me to change back?" Harry inquired innocently. The matron started.
"Wh-what do you mean?" she squeaked.
"I know you know who I am. And since the rest of the ward is empty, wouldn't it be easier for you?"
She nodded. "Very much so."
Harry concentrated hard and felt his face morph back. Pomphrey gasped.
"Oh my god."
"I know it's very different from what I looked like before," said Harry, a bit puzzled by her reaction, "but it's not - "
"I wasn't talking about what you look like, Potter. Or, at least, what you should look like."
"What are you talking about then?"
Pomphrey conjured up a hand mirror and held it out to Harry. He took it and peered inside. Then recoiled in shock.
"My eyes. What - ?" His eyes had changed. While the right one was it's normal deep green, the left had turned a bright, shining silver.
"They're actually kind of becoming," said Pomphrey cautiously.
"Slytherin colors," Harry muttered to himself. "They couldn't have at least turned Ravenclaw colors."
"I think you really should go see the Headmaster. Now."
'That's odd,' Harry later realized, as he was headed to Dumbledore's office. 'She never asked how I was aware she knew I am Harry Potter.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ah, Harry, sit down." Albus motioned to a chair in front of his desk. "We have much to discuss I'm afraid. Lemon drop?"
"No thanks. Why do you always offer them?"
"I found that the sucking motion helps calm people down."
"Is there any particular reason I would need to be calmed dow - " He was cut off as a magnificent red bird flew down and landed in his lap. "What the - ?"
Albus chuckled. "Harry, this is Fawkes."
"It's very nice to meet you." The bird trilled in response. "He's a - a - oh ...." 'What are they called again? I know this too. It was in our History of Magic book ....' "That's funny, I can't seem to remember ...."
"He's a phoenix."
"Oh yeah! And he has - healing - something to do with fire ...." Harry sighed in frustration. "Albus, why can't I remember? I know I knew what a phoenix was yesterday .... "
"That is one of the things we must talk about today." The professor looked the oldest that Harry had ever seen him.
Hmmmm, let's back up a bit.
Energetic, fun-loving Albus who laughed his head off when he was hit by an avalanche of socks.
Versus, this Albus, who looks like the sky is falling and he has to run around the pits of Hell for all eternity with Snape and all the lemon drops in the world have disappeared .....
It equals a big change.
Harry steeled himself for the bad news.
"Eleven years ago, Harry, I was interviewing hopefuls for the position of Divination professor here."
"What's that got to do with - "
"I only ask you not to interrupt until I am finished," he said quietly. "As I was saying, I had many interviews in those days. I had almost given up hope of finding someone for the job when the great-granddaughter of a famous Seer contacted me. We planned to meet in the Hogshead Pub in Hogsmeade. This woman's name is Sybil Trelawney. Maybe you've seen here around the school?"
Harry had indeed 'seen' her around: although she didn't come out of her tower often, when she did she was hard to miss. Usually dressed in many different bangles and shawls, Professor Trelawney had a fondness for wearing glasses that made her look like a bug and predicting innocent students deaths. Fred and George both took her class, which sparked the idea to replace all the cards in her Tarot deck with Grims .....
"So you did end up hiring her?"
"Only after she proved her skill."
"I don't understand, Albus."
"The night I went to meet her .... well, at the end of her interview, it seemed she had no Sight herself. But before I could leave .... she gave a prophecy."
"It was about me, wasn't it," Harry said quietly.
"Yes, it was." It seemed like it pained Albus greatly to say this.
"What did it say?"
Albus took a deep breath and continued.
"'The One with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... The One with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ... '"
Harry's mouth went dry. "Does that mean what I think it means?"
"It means, that the child with the power to defeat Voldemort would have been born at the end of July eleven years ago. His parents would have survived his wrath three times."
"So, my parents .... "
"Interesting thing, it might not have had to be you?"
"What?"
"There was one other child that could have fit the Prophecy: Neville Longbottom."
"The Longbottom who's in Gryffindor?"
"The very same."
"But then ... why'd he go after me? Why not Neville? Shouldn't he have waited to see who looked more dangerous when we grew up?"
"That's the thing, Harry. Voldemort only knew of the first part of the Prophecy."
"So he didn't know that, when he gave me this scar, he made it so I was destined to either defeat him or die at his hands?" The wording of prophecy suddenly clicked in his brain and his heart dropped further. "He's not really gone for good, is he? He can't be, if this prophecy is true ... "
"I don't believe he is. But I hope it will be along time before he regains power."
Harry rubbed his forehead. "Albus, you said there were many things to talk about. What more could you have to tell me today?"
"Unfortunately, there is much more," said Albus. "Like the wording of the Prophecy."
"What about it?"
"It says the 'One'. That it will be the 'One' with the power."
"The Silver One," Harry whispered.
"I thought you might have heard us talking. Are you familiar with the stories of the Silver Ones?"
"I know - but - I can't. I still can't remember."
"Thousands of years ago, back when the magical world was small, before there were schools to teach young witches and wizards, there was a council of warlocks. Now this council was responsible for keeping order of everything."
"Everything?"
"Yes. They were said to be in charge of the balance of the universe."
"Cool."
"Quite. As time went on, we descended into the age where magical beings were persecuted and the council was forced to disband."
"But then, who kept order? The universe would have fallen into chaos."
"This is where the Silver Ones came in. The council combined their remaining power and knowledge and entrusted it to a baby. As long as the information stayed with him, the balance would remain."
"What happened if he died?"
"A new Silver One would be born. And so on and so forth, throughout the centuries, each marked by their strange color changing eyes: they would flash silver to warn of danger."
"Wait, if I'm the Silver One, then I have all the secrets of the universe?"
"In a nutshell."
"Oh."
"Which is why you can't remember anything."
"Huh?"
"Although Veritaserum is a fairly recent development, the warlocks still took a possibility of it into account. They made it so your powers would evolve over time. It's a defense mechanism. If someone questioned you under Veritaserum, who knows what would be revealed. So, instead, your powers shut down and give you a simple allergic reaction to it, something no one else on the planet has. The backlash of it also made your eye change permanently."
"So I will get my memory back soon?"
"Yes, it should return during the next day or so."
"And, when you say evolve, does that mean the information updates over the years as well?"
"Right. It includes all modern spells, too."
Harry closed his eyes. "That's how I survived, wasn't it. This defense mechanism?"
"It seems you're getting your memory back already."
"I've always had a good memory. I suppose that's another perk?"
"One question at a time, Harry. But, yes, that is how you survived. The Silver Ones have to die naturally. The only way to kill one is to, well, stab them through the heart with a silver blade."
"That's ironic."
"And it is also where your memory comes from."
"I have always wondered why I could remember things from my childhood that most kids forget easily."
"I want you to take tomorrow's classes off, Harry. I'm not sure you're back to your full mental abilities yet. Also, you need to think about all of this."
"Anything else you want to tell me while were at it?"
"No. This was enough for today. I'll have someone bring you dinner tonight and your meals tomorrow."
Harry started towards the door, but Albus stopped him. "You have a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders. But don't let that own you. It's your choices that decide who you are. Never forget that."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
This chapter was originally going to be different, but, with the release of the fifth book, I had to put the prophecy in somewhere.
