Chapter Four
"Why?" Hermione asked.
"You see Ms. Granger, that is a very long story that I will tell you now, but only if your family doesn't have other plans."
"We don't have any plans that can't be put off till tomorrow." Replied Mrs. Granger.
"But Aunt Helen," Harry started to say but didn't finish because of the glare he got from Hermione.
"Once, a long time ago, there was an exceptionally bright boy at Hogwarts named Tom Riddle who had had a terrible childhood. He had grown up in an orphanage where he was bullied and everyone there hated him because of the strange things that happened around him. When Tom was eleven he got a letter from Hogwarts. When he got to school he got sorted into Slytherin, which isn't surprising considering the fact that he is Slytherin's heir. Many of the teachers just considered a brilliant boy who had a tragic past. At first I thought that also until the Chamber of Secrets was opened and Tom blamed it upon some other poor soul. After Tom left school he had immersed himself so deeply into the dark arts that he was hardly recognizable as the brilliant Hogwarts student that he once was. He now went by the name Voldermort. He started killing people and got a lot of followers who supported what he said, muggleborns weren't fit to be in known as they were "inferior." There was also opposition to his forces, the main one being the Order of the Phoenix. This one boy, though yet to be born, had parents in the Order who had thrice defied him. This couple found out not long before their child was born.
At this point Professor Dumbledore asked, "Could Harry and Hermione please leave for a bit. I'm not sure they'll want to hear what I'm about to say and I personally don't think that eleven-year olds should hear this.
"Anyways, there was a prophecy about their child about him being the one to destroy Voldermort.
THE ONES WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD APPROACH. ONE BORN TO THOSE WHO HAVE THRICE DEFIED HIM AS THE SEVENTH MONTH DIES AND THE OTHER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NINTH MONTH TO PEOPLE WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF OUR WORLD. THEY SHALL GROW UP TOGETHER AND UNKNOWLINGLY THEIR POWERS SHALL GROW. BECAREFUL THE BOND BETWEEN THE TWO IS NEVER BROKEN UNLESS YOU WANT THE WORLD TO HAVE NO HOPE. THEY SHALL BE MARKED AS EQUALS TOO THE THOUGH ONE SHALL BE UNKNOWN TOMOST.
REMEMBER THE BOND NOT TO BE BROKEN AND THE WORLD WILL HAVE HOPE...
"It was unusually long for a prophecy and I have reason to be glad about that. One of Voldermort's servants overheard only the first two lines before he was kicked out of the place. He only knew about a child of those who had thrice defied him being born at the end of July. I must admit that it was our one bit of luck. Voldermort then went to attack the Potters.
Back to Harry and 'Mione
So Harry how does it feel to be famous," were the first words out of Hermione's mouth when the two of them got out of the room?
"Not that different," replied Harry. "It basically feels the same except for the fact that I somehow beat a big bad man whose name sounds like a weed or something like that. How do you think the people at school would react to the fact that I'm famous and that I can now pull pranks on them in even more ways, "said Harry grinning evilly.
"I bet that they wouldn't be happy. Maybe someday we should show them exactly why we are going to secondary school with them. I'm sure that they would love the surprise," by this time Hermione was grinning evilly also and planning ways to get back at people who had taunted her because of her love of books and reading in general. Harry had helped her with the bullies, but they then bullied Harry too and neither of them could do much except rum from the fat idiots. Now Harry and Hermione would be able to get back at them without the help of teachers giving the bullies detention when they saw them bullying people.
"Harry," asked Hermione quietly, "Do you think that people would try to hurt you because you defeated the weed?"
"Who's the weed?"
"You know Harry, the evil megalomaniac that is after your blood. You should know who he is. You are the one who first called him that."
"I still don't remember that but anyways, I hope not Hermione, but as you know trouble seems to follow me everywhere like in first grade when I levitated the teacher, made someone's hair turn into bees and have numerous people suddenly look like a bucket of water had been poured on them. You know that whatever happens and even though I know who I really know who I am now I won't forget you, you'll always be my sister whether related by blood or not."
"Too bad. I was hoping that since you had found out that you were famous and everything that you would quit being so overprotective. I mean I am able to open a letter."
"'Mione, as I told you before, I'm not overprotective, so just quit saying that I am or you will regret that comment very much when I learn some magic and I'll play pranks on you
"I never regret what I tell people."
"We'll just have to see about that," said Harry as he started to chase Hermione around the house.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger heard Harry and Hermione upstairs and thought about how nice it was that they could be so innocent when such a terrible fate hangs over their heads. Before Professors Dumbledore and McGonnagal left Dumbledore told them about the prophecy that he believed would hang over Harry and Hermione's heads until it had been fulfilled. It was terrible and overpowering hand which fate had dealt the Grangers, knowing that their family, happy at the moment, could be torn apart by an evil man with a cruel twisted mind. The Granger elders had decided that they would delay telling Harry and Hermione about their fate until they absolutely had to. Who would want to tell their children that they would someday either kill or be killed by a person whose name sounded like a weed?
The next day Harry and Hermione woke up early the next morning too excited about their upcoming trip to see more about this new world that they had been thrust into. They had been bouncing around all day until the doorbell rang at exactly noon. It was the Professor McGonnagal lady from yesterday. When Professor McGonnagal came to bring Harry and Hermione to the Weasleys. "I have only told the elder Weasleys about your identity Harry. You will be known as Harry Granger at Hogwarts. Make sure that you remember not to tell anyone who you are. She then explained about how just touching it would bring them to their destination. When she handed them a newspaper, they immediately felt a tug at their navel, and they were at a lopsided house that seemed quite nice once you got used to it. When Harry and Hermione got to the gate of the house a short little woman with flaming red hair, a tall, thin man that was slightly balding, and about five other people who all had flaming red hair immediately greeted them.
"Hello," said the woman, "You must be Harry and Hermione. Won't you come in? This is my husband Arthur, she pointed at the slightly balding man, Percy, one of the children that had horn rimmed glasses, Fred and George, she pointed at two boys who had to be twins since they were identical down to the last freckle, Ron, a boy that looked to be about their age, and Ginny, a girl who looked to be a bit younger than them.
"Hi. I'm coming to Hogwarts this year too. Have you heard about quidditch?" asked Ron.
"Nope," replied Harry.
"I'll tell you all about it. It's the best sport in the world." And Ron continued to explain the game of quidditch to Harry and Hermione.
"Gather round children. We're going to be leaving soon."
"Umm, Mrs. Weasley is there a reason that we're all gathered around the fireplace. Won't we be going to get our supplies by car?"
"Sorry Hermione dear. I forgot that you grew up in the muggle world. We'll be traveling by Floo powder. It's when you travel by fire. All you have to do is throw the powder in the flames, step in, and then clearly say where you want to go. If you don't say the name clearly enough you might end up coming out at the wrong grate. How about Percy goes fist to show you how to do it." With that Percy stepped into the flames and shouted out "Diagon Alley."
"Would you like to go next Harry?"
"Ummm... sure, why not," and Harry stepped into the flames and shouted out something that sounded like ryagin rally. When Harry said that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley started whispering about hoping that Harry had gotten the right grate, Hermione, upon hearing the elder Weasley's whispering, ran up to the fireplace and shouted out Diagon Alley a bit clearer than Harry had hoping to find him. Harry had landed in some gloomy looking shop that had things floating around and withered hands creeping around the shop. Not long after Harry landed in the shop Hermione landed in the shop also.
"'Mione," Harry whispered urgently, "What are you doing here? Is this Diagon Alley? If it is I don't think that I want to come here again."
"Don't be silly Harry. They seem like nice enough people. I don't think that they would send us to an evil place." While Harry and Hermione were talking they were walking out of the store. When they got out of the store they saw a hag like woman, with an air of evil about her, in front of them.
"Are you lost dearies? I'm sure that I could help you find your way back," said the lady who looked like she was the evil witch in Hansel and Gretel and was going to eat them. Harry and Hermione took one look at the lady and ran towards what seemed like the end of the alley screaming or about to scream.
"When they got to the big white building that was at the end of the alley Harry and Hermione saw the Weasleys looking for them.
"We're... we're over ... here." said Harry panting from running.
"Mum," shouted the youngest child, "I've found them. They look like their okay."
"Oh thank goodness you're okay. Where did you end up?
At that Harry and Hermione pointed at the dark alleyway.
When Mrs. Weasley saw where they pointed to, she started mumbling sbout how terrible it was that those poor dears had the terrible luck to land in Knockturn Alley and how Dumbledore would have her head if he found out where Harry and Hermione had landed.