Chapter 9 - Destiny
The four of them were just about to collapse. The backpacks felt like they had doubled in weight. Hermoine and Neville, being the least fit, were having trouble even walking at the end. Ron and Harry supported them up the final hill to the Castle.
Professor Bond waited for them at top of the steps. "You can drop the packs now and relax." He told them. They did not need to be told twice. It felt so good to get rid of the rock-laden backpacks. "Go change for lunch. You have a little surprise in your dorms. Enjoy your lunch and remember tactics class starts at 1 o'clock sharp. Don't be late!"
Ron, Neville and Hermoine made their way up the steps and into the castle but Harry hung back. "James can we talk?" he asked.
"Sure Harry. What's up?" Professor Bond replied.
"This thing about me being the commander of the forces of the light against Voldemort. I can't be. I just can't be." Harry told him with a note of panic in his voice.
"Harry calm down. Here sit on these steps for a minute. No one is suggesting you lead an attack on Voldemort's forces tomorrow, so relax." Professor Bond told Harry and when Harry had calmed down, Professor Bond continued. "Harry, do you want Voldemort to win?"
"No of coarse not!" Harry said indignately.
"Then what are your prepared to do to stop him?" Professor Bond asked.
"Anything I can." Harry replied.
"Good. Now look at it from another point of view. Voldemort will act mainly through his followers now. In order to defeat him, they must be defeated first. To do that our side will need a great many people working together as a coordinated force and such a force needs a commander. And that commander should be the person that has the best chance of defeating Voldemort. Harry tell me, who has ever defeated Voldemort before?"
Harry remained silent.
"It's a short list of one, isn't it." Professor Bond said. "I think fate has put you here for this very task. Doesn't mean you have to like it but you should accept it. Its either that or you let Voldemort win."
Harry didn't look happy but after a few moments nodded his assent.
"Cheer up, I'll teach you what you need to know and you have good friends to help you." Professor Bond continued.
Harry sighed "But if we manage to defeat Voldemort, then I can be free of all this right?"
Professor Bond replied "Sure, sure! You can be free, once all the bad guys are finished. Now you had better catch up with the others."
Harry walked into the castle with the uneasy feeling James wasn't telling him something. Professor Bond sat thinking on the steps. // I should tell him that there is always another bad guy that needs opposing// but another part of him answered //Not yet, not yet!//.