(2) A Glimpse Of The Future

Snape threw himself into his chair behind his desk & glowered! "Mr. Potter, I'm not surprised at YOU using magic outside of school but Merida? You're a bad influence on my daughter, Mr. Potter! I hope the both of you get expelled for this!" He glanced at Merida. "You may be my daughter but don't expect special favors!"

"Father!" Merida glared at him in surprise. "I wasn't expecting anything but your usual lectures! Why do you think I--?"

"Silence, Merida!" Snape snapped. "You're list of crimes is longer then Potter's! Fighting? Being rude to Fudge? & Umbridge? Interrupting a CLOSED trial? Attempted murder on a Weasley? AND," Snape's voice rose with each accusation as Harry & Merida winced in dismay! "the both of you are charged with underage.........SORCERY!!!" Snape jumped up & turned his back to them in disgust!

"Father!" Merida yelped. "I didn't attempt to murder anyone!"

Snape cross-rolled his eyes to the ceiling & then turned to face her! "Yes, of course I realise that, Merida, but it's Mcnair we have to disprove! To top everything off, you left a spell active in front of him! A viper?"

"So did Mr. Weasley!" Merida defended. "with Silencio!"

"Silencio wears off & don't you laugh, Merida!" Snape warned as Merida grinned at the thought of leaving a silenced Mcnair with a viper! "Snakes, however, remain when you summon one!" He sighed. "I have to talk to the Headmaster about something. For now, you two get to your Tower & TRY TO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE!!!!" He handed Harry a small role of parchment & left.

"Great!" Merida said to Ron as soon as she stepped through the Potrait. "Now I might get charged with attempted murder on your brother!"

"To bad you didn't succeed!" Ron said. Merida stared at him. "Percy isn't really part of our family anymore!" he explained. "He hurt mom, tried to keep me from being friends with Harry & is now siding with Mcnair! We rarely speak his name anymore!"

The door swung open again & in walked Mcgonagall & Snape. Even though he was a Slythering, Professors were allowed anywhere. "Well you won't get expelled," Mcgonagall started. "But the both of you will recieve a month's worth of detention with me!"

"As for this thing with Percy," Snape started, glaring at Merida. "Arthur is bringing him over in a few days to clear up this matter before Percy goes to his own trial of using an Unforgivable Curse! In the meantime," Snape added threateningly. "10 points from you & Potter EACH will be taken!"

Mcgonagall went silent a moment!" Very well, then!" she finally spoke. "50 points from the Slythering House! You've got a lot of nerve, Severus! Taking points from my House when I've already sentenced them! You're daughter may be mine but that's no excuse!" Mcgonagall's mouth became a stiff, straight line!

Snape stared at her! "50? Minerva, don't you think that's a bit extreme?! Why 50?"

"Simply because I consider the Slythering Head Boy to be a pompous a---ahem!" Mcgonagall glanced at the children. "A pompous swear word!" she rephrased herself! Mcgonagall had gotten Snape that time & got him good! Snape tried to say something but couldn't get any words out. He sighed in frustration & then tried again but he just couldn't find the words!

Merida, Harry, Ron & Neville fell to the floor in laughter. "Oh, she got you that time, father!" Merida gasped for air.

"So it would seem!" Snape gritted his teeth as he yanked his cloak around him & left!

"Well," Mcgonagall laughed. "10 points each did he say? I think we've earned those 20 points back with this!" She waited for them to stop laughing. "Goodnight!" she said as she stepped out the Portrait.

Harry opened up the parchment.

"What's that?" Ron asked.

"I dont know!" said Harry. Merida smiled! She knew what it was. Harry stared at it! "What? Grimmauld has been restored?!"

"Oh, that!" Ron sat up. "Yep! It's now 24 Grimmauld Mansion instead of 12 Grimmauld Place! The name & address changed but it's still the same on the inside!"

"Right down to Hermione's house-elf friend!" Merida laughed.

"I thought it would be gone for ever!" Harry said. He stretched up. "Well, I'm going to bed! Goodnight!" Harry lay on his bed a long time. Grimmauld? Do I really have it again? He couldn't believe it! He was so excited but finally he fell asleep.

"Oooooooooohhhh!" Harry slammed a book onto the table & glared around evilly as several "Shhhh's" were heard. It was the next day, & Harry, Ron, Neville & Merida were in the library doing some work for Divination Class. Their task was to find some ancient Prophecy, write down what they think it might mean & say wether or not it has been fullfilled.

"What are you groaning about?" Merida laughed. "This is the easiest class! We just make stuff up!"

"That's why I don't like it!" Harry shot back at her. "No real work!" Merida snickered at him as she returned to her reading. "What are you looking at?" Harry asked.

""The Modern Book Of Ancient Prophecies: Updated Version"," said Merida.

"Doubt you'll find anything useful in there!" Harry muttered. Merida cast him an evil Snapish stare & went on reading! Fifteen minutes in silence passed as everyone pretended to work on their essays.

Suddenly, Merida let out a yelp.

"Shhhhh!" hushed several random students!

Merida ignored them. "Harry! Harry, look at this! It has to be about you somehow!"

Harry glanced at the Prophecy. "How can it be for me? I'm not mentioned!"

"No one is, except the Dark Lord!" Merida said. "But since the Dark Lord is in here, you've got to be a part of it somehow! Just read it!"

Harry stared at the page.

---SS---
---RL---


He began. "No wait!"

---RL---
---SS---


"It keeps changing!" Harry said.

"That's the only part that moves!" said Merida. "Maybe it hadn't made up it's mind yet! Just read the rest of it!"

Harry shook himself & read it out.

---SS---
---RL---

1: In the year of the Dark Lord's rise, a lesser evil also rises.

2: Hate arises from love. Neither know peace while both live.

3: In the year of the Dark Lord's demise, one shall destroy the other.

4: But who shall it be? The one who suffer's a change.

5: Winter's cold brings death to one but not the other....

6: But beware of prevention!

7: Spring's warmth brings death to the other but not the one if Winter's evil is halted.


"I don't get it!" Harry said. "Who else is there besides Voldomort?"

"Perhaps you & Draco?" Merida teased. "But since this started back in the beginning, before our time, perhaps Lucious Malfoy!"

"I know!" Ron said. "It must mean that depending on who survives, either Harry or Voldomort, the world will either be in rest & love or plunged into sin & suffering!"

"Huh?" Merida, Harry & Neville stared at him.

"SS & RL keep switching places, right?" Ron went on. "That probably it!"

Harry laughed. "Let's ask Dumbledore about this!"

"Percy's coming over in a few days," said Merida. "We can ask Dumbledore then!"

Harry agreed & stared at the Prophecy. What could it mean? Harry wondered who else he would have to defeat besides Voldomort!