Lucretia stared at Dumbledore. "A prophecy about me? How is that even possible? I won't get my Hogwarts letter for another nine years."
"While you may not know the magical world yet, we know of you. There is a magical register, Miss Chansey. When a witch or wizard is born, their name appears in it. Once that child reaches the age of eleven, a letter is sent to them. You are already in our book and due to get a letter prior to the start of the school year in 2005.", Dumbledore said.
"I just don't understand. How can you be certain that the prophecy is about me?", Lucretia added, skeptically.
Dumbledore directed his gaze to the pensive he had left on the bedside table. He gently moved it to the table at the foot of Lucretia's bed. Dumbledore drew a few slivery strands from his temple and returned them to the pensive. A swirling gray vision of Professor Trelawney appeared before them and spoke in a tone of voice that Lucretia had never heard before but seemed to make Harry terribly uncomfortable.
"TAKEN OUT OF TIME A MESSENGER ARRIVES ON THE NEW MOON...SHE BRINGS KNOWLEGDE TO HELP DEFEAT THE DARK LORD...THE BRINGER OF LIGHT WILL ARRIVE ON THE NEW MOON."
"Bringer of light?" Ron asked.
Lucretia stared up at Dumbledore. When she spoke it was in a deadpan voice. "I'm a bringer of light. That's what Lucretia means." She laughed a nervous laugh and drew her knees up to her chest. "Today wouldn't happen to be a new moon, would it?"
"It is." replied Hermione.
"I guess that prophecy could refer to me." Lucretia paused. "But, I'm supposed to bring knowledge? If that's the case why did you have to erase my memories of Voldemort's future?"
"If only it was that simple." Dumbledore replied. "Knowledge can mean many things, Lucretia. There is no doubt in my mind that you possess something special. Whether you believe it or not, you will be helpful in this war."
"Professor Dumbledore, was there every another record of the prophecy about Harry? The one that was destroyed the night Sirius..." Hermione asked.
"Yes." Harry said cutting her off. He hadn't expected to tell his friends about the prophecy in this way and he certainly was not altogether comfortable with telling a girl that he had just met. "Some show of Gryffindor bravery you are!" A voice rang in his head.
Harry rose from his chair and walked around Lucretia's bed to the window. The sun was beginning to set across the school grounds.
"I know what the prophecy says." Harry turned to face the group of them.
"What does it say?" Hermione asked looking to Harry then Dumbledore.
"That I'm the only one who can defeat Voldemort." he said plainly.
"But, that's good Harry!" she replied.
"No...That's not all of it." Harry paused. "In the end it's me or him. Either I kill Voldemort or he kills me. I'm his murderer or his victim." Harry looked down at the floor.
"Oh, Harry..." Hermione sighed. "When did you find out?"
"That night. The night Sirius..." his voice trailed off.
"And you haven't told us yet? Harry that's not good!" she said curtly.
"I couldn't tell you!" Harry yelled. "After I led you all to the ministry, and Sirius died and you could have died. All of it was my fault!"
Hermione stood up quickly and grabbed Harry by the shoulders. "Look at me!" Her brown eyes met his shining green. "This is not your fault! Do you hear me?" She dropped her hands to her side and looked at Ron.
"I can't have any of you involved in this. "The prophecy says it's only me." Harry retorted. "It's going to be my fight alone."
"Then, we'll be beside you." Hermione said.
"We're not going to let you do this alone, mate." said Ron.
"Hem. Hem." Lucretia coughed out, in a manner very reminiscent of a certain ex-Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. "There is the matter of this knowledge I'm supposed to bring...I'm in." She said assertively. "You're not getting rid of me either."
Dumbledore smiled at his students. "We really should be leaving Miss Chansey to rest. You will all have some more time to talk tomorrow." He turned to Lucretia, "I will have you introduced and sorted at dinner tomorrow night. The school will be told that you are a transfer student finishing out your studies."
"Yes Professor. But you're going to sort me again? Wouldn't it be easier to just place me in Ravenclaw?" Lucretia was remembering the debacle that landed her in the Hospital wing with a sprained ankle her very first night at Hogwarts.
"That may be easier – but every new student at Hogwarts needs to be sorted. I'm afraid we can't bend the rules." Dumbledore replied, as he stood up.
"Good Night." Hermione smiled.
"Same to you. It was nice to meet you, though I do wish it could have been on more pleasant circumstances." , said Lucretia
"You'll have plenty of time to get to know eachother. You can count on it." Dumbledore said. He nodded to Lucretia before escorting Harry, Ron and Hermione out of the wing.
Dumbledore stood at the head table to address the school. "Before we begin tonight's dinner, we have a new student that must be sorted. Miss Lucretia Chansey comes to us as a transfer student. She will be completing her sixth and seventh years with us. I know that all of you will welcome her to our Hogwarts family. Professor McGonagall?"
Lucretia trailed behind Professor McGonagall and walked with a certain air of confidence. She knew that the hat was going to put her in Ravenclaw – six years ago Lucretia had no idea where she belonged. At age eleven, she felt neither smart, nor brave. She was very ambitious and loyal, but knew that those were hardly her best qualities. Lucretia smiled as McGonagall placed the hat on her head. It fit much better – Lucretia's eyes were not obscured by the brim this time.
"Interesting...I haven't sorted you yet but, you seem to be sure of where you belong. You act like you've been here before. I can tell you have a big heart and a strong mind. You're certainly not Slytherin material...no...I'm intrigued though. Every student I have sorted before you has always had a feeling of uneasiness while I sort them, but not you. I think a self assured young lady like you will do well in Gryffindor!" Applause rang throughout the staff table as a hearty cheer sounded from the Gryffindor house table.
Lucretia paused for a second after McGonagall removed the hat from her head. She gave a surprised look at her new head of house. McGonagall just smiled and nodded at Lucretia.
"How could this be possible?" thought Lucretia. "How could I change houses...just like that?"
Lucretia's eyes went wide - and history - or future history repeated itself as she tripped over her robes on the way to the Gryffindor table. Unfortunately for Lucretia, she fell across the stone floor directly in front of Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe. "What? They didn't teach you how to walk at that school?" Draco snorted.
Lucretia completely ignored the laughter from the Slytherin table while Dean Thomas reached out his hand to help Lucretia up. "Thanks," said Lucretia, as she tuned a violent shade of red. Hermione and Ginny slid down the bench to make room for her.
"Ignore them." said Ginny. "At least, we try to."
"Those gits? No class at all." Lucretia replied. "I was hardly offended."
"I'm Ginny by the way, Ginny Weasley."
"I could have guessed. You look an awful lot like your brother." Lucretia smiled.
"I'm not sure I should take that as a compliment." Ginny laughed. Hermione and Lucretia joined in. They had hardly noticed that dinner had appeared on the table.
"Are you three going to eat, or just giggle all night?" asked Ron.
The girls settled down as the platters before them filled with various dinner choices. Lucretia grabbed for the scoop to serve herself some Shepard's pie. She was quicker than Ron, who was forced to wait an additional 30 seconds to fill his plate with the same meal. He stared at the casserole impatiently.
"Honestly, Ron. Can't you wait a few seconds before you completely stuff your mouth?" Hermione scolded him.
"I'm starving Hermione! I haven't has a thing to eat since..." Harry cut him off. "The chocolate frog you ate about 20 minutes ago?"
Ron blushed slightly and proceeded to fill his plate. Ginny took the pleasure of introducing Lucretia to the table. "I hear that you already know these three." She said gesturing to Harry, Ron and Hermione. This is Dean, Dean Thomas. That scruffy bloke across from him..."
"Who you calling scruffy?" Seamus yelled.
"...is Seamus Finnegan. To Seamus' right – Neville Longbottom." Neville gave a feeble wave.
"Pleasure." Lucretia nodded to the group of them.
"Where exactly did you come from Lucretia?" Ginny asked.
"Uh..." Lucretia faltered for a moment. She knew she should have been thinking up a background story. Think Lucretia. Think!
Hermione stepped in. "She came from Beauxbatons." Her parents were working in France, but their business called then back to Birmingham. Right, Lucretia."
"Right. It was a rather sudden move. I have to say I was sad to go." Lucretia played along.
"So you speak French? I mean – of course you do. Did you know Fleur Delacour?" Ginny asked.
Hermione looked at Lucretia nervously. This was going to give Lucretia away... but before Hermione could answer for her Lucretia chimed in. "Fleur? Well, I didn't know her well. She competed in the Tri-Wizard tournament with Harry, didn't she? I wasn't part of the delegation that came here that year; they said I was too young at the time."
Hermione looked at Lucretia with amazement. Lucretia smiled to herself. For all the times her friends gave her grief for knowing so much about the history of Hogwarts – for once it was paying off.
Lucretia piped in again hoping to fend off any more of Ginny's questions. "Enough about boring old me, what about all of you?"
"What do you want to know?" Hermione asked.
"Well – forgive me if this is too personal too quick. I do find this says a lot about a person." She paused. "What does a boggart turn into in front of you? That is if you've dealt with boggarts before." Lucretia smiled.
"Wow. Good question." Dean chimed in. "Most people want to know your favorite Quidditch team."
"Chufhekahnns!", Ron yelled across the table.
"What?", Lucretia asked.
After swallowing Ron replied, "Chudley Cannons."
"Your boggart turns into the Chudley Cannons?", Lucretia laughed.
"Who's talking about boggarts? I thought we were talking about Quidditch.", said Ron.
"His boggart is a spider." Ginny said. "Mine is...well...it's Tom Riddle. A really long story. You probably don't even know who that is."
Dean noticed Ginny's discomfort and quickly spoke up. "Mine's a severed hand. The thought of it just creeps me out."
Hermione sighed, "The last time I saw a boggart it was Professor McGonagall. She told me I had failed all my exams."
Seamus laughed lightly at Hermione. "When I saw one, it turned into a banshee. Then I got rid of it – on the first try!"
Lucretia looked over at Neville. "What about you?"
"Professor Snape.", he replied.
"Who's that?", Lucretia asked.
"The Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House." Harry replied and pointed up at the head table. "See the greasy haired one next to McGonagall? That's Snape."
"I can see why he's your boggart, Neville. That man looks absolutely dreadful." Lucretia commented.
"Oh and my boggart is a dementor." Harry added casually.
"You've faced a dementor?" Lucretia's eyes widened. She actually knew full well that Harry had faced down over a hundred of them – there were books on the subject, but she knew it best not to let on, to the others at least, how much she did know.
"Yeah, a couple of times actually." Harry replied sheepishly.
"You're being a bit modest there mate. You did save Hermione's life and your cousin's too." Ron added.
"What about you then?" Harry asked. "What do you see?"
Lucretia looked down at her plate before she spoke, "Death." Hoping to avoid an explanation from this conversation she probably shouldn't have gotten herself into Lucretia pushed the conversation in a new direction "So can any of you conjure a Patronus?"
