It was pretty much a massive understatement to say that the news of the prophecy put a dampener on the rest of Harry's summer. He tried, he really tried, to enjoy the amount of free time he had. Plastering a smile on his face may have convinced a number of people, but not those who knew him the most. They could see through the mask as if it were nothing more than glass. Even his birthday was more subdued than planned, with Sirius having wanted to make a big deal out of it since it was the first one they'd get living together. As much as there had been some celebrations and a few laughs, there had been that cloud hanging over them all the same, inescapable as it was.

The first thing he'd done was tell his friends, as he'd basically promised. Perhaps Harry had used this as an opportunity to show Matthew how it was supposed to be done, sharing something private with the people he cared about the most as soon as possible instead of bottling up a myriad of secrets. But that was a mindset that was born out of bitterness from the revelations, the prophecy turning his mood sour. Could anyone begrudge him that? He thought it was fairly acceptable for him to approach a downward mental spiral after discovering that he was destined to either die (probably before he reached adulthood) or become a murderer. Those weren't the sorts of options you filled in with your careers advisor.

Matthew and Hermione reacted in a manner that he could have predicted. The latter cried at first, hugging him close as if she were going to lose him straight away, and not at some unforeseen point in the future. Then Hermione had switched her brain back on, seeking to find solutions to a problem that nobody could fix. No book was going to contain the information they needed, her most trusty resource and comfort. It wasn't the sort of issue that could be fought with logic, but she would be damned if she didn't try for one of her best friends. She had potentially become more obsessed with the words of the prophecy than Harry, learning them off by heart, as if recanting its contents would unearth something they'd previously missed. So far, that mission had proven unsuccessful.

Matthew, on the other hand, had responded to the news with a heavy dose of anger. He'd cursed Dumbledore's name for not telling Harry sooner, and would have stormed after the headmaster that same evening if the old man hadn't already cut a hasty escape. There had also been the issue of the Grangers still being at Grimmauld Place, and he didn't want them to think ill of him. For a time, he had grown irritated at Harry's ambivalence towards the information, as if he felt that his friend wasn't reacting accordingly. But then it had sunk in, once Hermione had given him a sharp word or two, that it was simply a coping mechanism on Harry's behalf to deal with it, trying to make the prophecy seem less important in his head so that he could think about something else. Harry's two closest friends had vowed to help him with that, seeking to make his holiday as normal as possible.

But they weren't there all the time, as much as they might have wanted to have been. Harry wished they could have stayed for the entirety of the summer, as selfish a need as that was. But he knew that Hermione had to make the most of seeing her family and he also knew that his friends would want to spend some time together , in one another's company alone , which was a thought that made his stomach churn almost as much as hearing the prophecy. He couldn't be annoyed about that. In a sense, he was relieved. He was relieved that they'd come together at last, putting aside the strange feelings that sometimes cropped up in his chest, because that meant they'd have each other when he invariably left their lives.

Because how was he supposed to defeat the Dark Lord?

That was the part that was eating away at Harry the most. It wasn't the fact that his life had basically been predetermined from before he'd been born. It wasn't even the fact that he could have avoided every misery in his life if Voldemort had listened to the entirety of the prophecy, and had instead chosen to target Neville Longbottom instead (he'd quickly quashed those tempting thoughts, knowing that he wouldn't wish that fate on anyone). It was the fact that everyone was now relying on him, a teenage boy, to end a war that had been brewing for decades. Everyone he loved would die if he was unable to kill a man. But he hadn't been bred to be a killer. He'd fail them completely if he didn't do it, but would he also let them down if he became the murderer he was destined to be? It was enough to keep him up at night.

Sirius did his best, along with Lupin. But it was clearly evident that the developments had hit his godfather as ungraciously as a runaway train. He was even worse at hiding his pain than Harry was, with his smile dimmed and his eyes less bright. Harry had thought to bring it up with his professor, who had gently told him how difficult it must have been for Sirius to learn what was to come. After all, he'd lost his friends, so tightly bonded that they were basically siblings, and now, having just regained a semblance of a family once again, he was on the verge of losing it all. No wonder Grimmauld Place had transformed into a rather sombre setting for the few weeks before his return to Hogwarts.

Even that sparkling red train wasn't able to lift his spirits too much, when it was normally the most exciting sight he looked forward to. Leaving Sirius behind had been surprisingly difficult, the two of them having quickly grown accustomed to living in one another's company. But the promise had been assured that they would always just be a fireplace away from talking to each other if really needed, and no one would be able to stop Sirius from getting to him if Harry was in trouble (that was always a distinct possibility in the young boy's life with the way his fortunes usually served him).

Walking into a spare cabin, it was comforting to just be with his friends again, momentarily cut off from the rest of the world as they began the long journey to Scotland. Hermione waved out the window to her parents, who had braved the journey onto the platform (they were basically masters at walking through walls now). As she sat down, however, Harry could instantly feel the air grow thick, the prophecy still hanging over them. Both of them were glancing between themselves, occasionally looking in Harry's direction, but never saying what they obviously wanted to bring up. Harry steadily became agitated by their behaviour, more annoyed by their silence than the prospect of talking about that .

"Just spit it out, will you?" he growled, rubbing a tired hand across his face as he looked at the scenery starting to roll past them.

Hermione looked sheepish, taken aback by his outburst, and Harry instantly felt guilty for the way he'd snapped. There was no need to take out his frustrations on them when they hadn't done anything wrong. If he wasn't careful, if he allowed himself to be weighed permanently down by the prophecy, then he would push them away irrevocably in no time at all. Maybe that wasn't too bad an idea, the more he considered it. If he made them dislike him, then they wouldn't be brought into the misery that was undoubtedly bound to follow him. He'd save them whilst breaking his own heart.

Matthew glanced at the girl beside him, who nodded her head in response. The boy stood up, quickly opened the door to make sure no one was outside, slid it shut again, and pulled down the blinds. A tap of his wand against the walls sent a soft glow washing over the compartment, and suddenly the noises from outside became distinctly muffled. If it hadn't been obvious to Harry that he was in for a serious conversation, then the handy piece of magic had certainly done the trick.

"We can't allow anyone to overhear us," Matthew said in way of an explanation. "The last thing we need is any 'Death Eaters in training' reporting back to their families."

"We just…didn't know whether you wanted to talk about it," Hermione replied, sounding as if she really wanted to discuss it, no matter his feelings.

"Do we have to?" There was a slight petulance to Harry's tone. He was just tired of the topic, feeling as if it had consumed his very identity. Maybe that was the reason why Dumbledore had waited so long to impart that knowledge. "What more is there to say about it? Can't we just push it under the rug and focus on school?"

Matthew leaned forward. "That's exactly the reason why we thought it best to bring it up."

"Have you been discussing this behind my back?"

"Are you surprised?"

"Not really, given your track record."

"Harry, that's not fair," Hermione argued. "We're obviously worried about you. And we wanted to make sure that we talk about this carefully, because it is a delicate and awful matter. But one that we have to acknowledge."

"Which is why we're doing it now," Matthew continued, seemingly unphased by Harry's previous comments. "We can get it out of the way. Once we're at Hogwarts, we'll think more proactively, more positively . For now, whilst we're alone, we can just chat about it, air all of our concerns and then leave them behind."

"Is there any way that this can be spun positively?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"I think so, yes."

"You're not the one who's the subject of the damned prophecy so it's easy for you to say that."

"Perhaps…but I do know what the prophecy said, and that's given me a reason to have hope."

Harry chuckled mirthlessly. "I'm looking forward to hearing this…"

"The power he knows not," Hermione quoted, taking over.

Harry had no doubt that they must have practised this beforehand. "What about it?"

"Dumbledore first believed that that power was the love your mother protected you with, right?"

"That's what he said." He didn't particularly want to be reliving the night his parents died, especially since he'd been unable to think about much else over the past few weeks.

"But Voldemort understands that now," Matthew reasoned. "He used blood in the ritual to undermine that power."

"So what you're saying is that the only small advantage I had over him has already left him."

"Will you stop being so pessimistic?"

The boys were both surprised by Hermione's sharp tone. Her expression was thunderous as she looked at them both, evidently growing bored of Harry's self-pitying nature. It was very rare that they saw her this angry, which made it all the more terrifying. With them being in a small, tight, confined space, Matthew's first thought was to edge towards the door before she properly erupted. If she did that, then there'd be no chance of survival for either of them.

"I knew we shouldn't have left you at Grimmauld Place, because you've been able to wallow in this negative mindset for weeks," she pressed on. "Well, that stops here. Because it's preventing you from thinking rationally and intelligently."

"I'm allowed to be upset about this," Harry countered.

"Sure, but not to your own detriment. If you carry on like this, you won't stand a chance when the fight eventually comes. I'm not going to stand by and allow you to surrender before you've even tried."

Harry wanted to remind her that he'd already tried to defeat Voldemort three times, not to mention the time he'd been an infant. "Maybe it's the right choice not to stand by my side anymore."

"I beg your pardon?"

Matthew winced. "Whatever happens next, remember that you brought this on yourself, Harry. I'm not going to save you."

"What do you mean by that, Harry James Potter?"

He was starting to wilt under the full force of her ire. "It's just…we know now that I'm going to have to fight him again. If you're with me, then it's likely that you're going to be caught in the crossfire. I wouldn't blame you both if you wanted to put some distance between me and yourselves. It'd be the smart thing to do really. This isn't meant to be your battle. You weren't a part of the prophecy."

She stood up, looming over him, which was taking some excellent balance on her part with the carriage moving underfoot. "I have never heard such a stupid idea before in my life. Actually, I have! When you tried to pull this trick in our first year, when you thought we shouldn't be friends anymore because it's dangerous . It's a load of old rubbish, if you ask me. Your plan didn't work then and it's certainly not going to work now! We're not leaving you. And , if you dare bring this up again, you'll wish that you were facing Voldemort instead of what you'd have to deal with with me."

"I want you to be safe…" Harry tried to persist.

"And I want you to have a normal childhood, so it seems that none of us are going to get our wishes granted. Voldemort already knows who we are. He kidnapped me just as much as you, Harry. He'd want me dead even if I wasn't friends with you. So please…stop thinking like this." Her voice was slowly becoming softer, her expression turning more sympathetic, as her fury faded.

"Pushing yourself away from other people is just going to get you killed much faster," Matthew pointed out. "Voldemort doesn't have that. He has followers, even a few devotees, but no one who would put their lives on the line for him if push came to shove."

"Can't you see that's what I'm worried about?" Harry asked. "My constant fear is that someone…or loads of people…are going to die just to protect me."

"It's unavoidable," Hermione said quietly. "Because that's what happens when you care about someone so fiercely. You'd do anything for them."

"Besides running away when they ask you to…"

She sat beside him. "At least you're starting to understand now."

Matthew gave his friend an encouraging smile. "Whatever the prophecy says, you don't have to do this alone."

"Except it explicitly says that," Harry countered. "I've got to be the one to kill him."

"I'm sure there's some sort of loophole that we can use to work around that. But I'm not just talking about the definitive act of killing him. You've got time now. We obviously don't know how long that's going to be, so we have to make the most of it. You've got plenty of experienced wizards on your side who could definitely give you some valuable tips. Which brings us back to what we were trying to say to you before you inadvertently unleashed a full dose of Hermione's rage…"

She smiled apologetically at him. "Sorry for that…although he did deserve it."

"Hopefully that'll make him second guess ever bringing it up again, at least." Matthew clamped his hands together. "The prophecy… the power he knows not …"

"Love," Harry answered glumly, mainly because he'd evidently lost that protection.

"Maybe at one time. But you've already shown that you can harness a large amount of power to stop Voldemort."

Harry's eyes widened. "In the graveyard. You're talking about…old magic. Pure magic."

"It's amazing what you can realise once you stop thinking so negatively. You've been practising reaching into your magical core for over a year now. You've even used some of it. As brilliant as Voldemort's mind is, he doesn't have anyone with that knowledge. I'm the last one from that period in history, unless someone's been keeping a massive secret. I think, with enough training, you'll be able to overwhelm him completely with that power."

"So…training is going to continue?"

"It was going to, regardless. The prophecy has just given it a bit more impetus. And it's an excuse to push you harder than ever."

"To a certain extent." Hermione was the one to add that caveat. "We don't want to exhaust you. You do have important exams this year."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Are they really that important? How am I expected to concentrate on any sort of school work when I have this hanging over me."

Matthew spotted Hermione flaring her nostrils and bit his lip in concern. "It's like you're trying to make her as mad as possible."

"They're vitally important!" she told him. "Because you're going to survive, and that means you need a future, and the only way you're getting that is if you do well in your OWLs. So I'll hear none of that."

"But we'll also make time for fun."

"Of course. We're not monsters."

"Sirius did remind us about that. He wants you to still enjoy Hogwarts, because we'll miss it when it's gone."

"I have to admit…I am starting to feel a little bit more confident," Harry said in a small voice.

All those ideas about pushing them away seemed to be nonsensical now as he looked at his friends. It wasn't just about the magical skill they brought to the table, or their ability to solve problems like no one else. It was the way they could easily lift his spirits with a few words and a couple of jokes. If he lost that, then he wouldn't stand a chance against the Dark Lord. He had to believe that he could win, and that was the sort of mindset he hadn't been gifted with throughout his childhood. He would have hated himself if he'd allowed them to walk away, and was ecstatic that, as usual, they'd chosen not to listen to him.

"Then our work here is done," Matthew proclaimed proudly. "And now we can try to forget about all those doubts, and focus on how we're going to make the prophecy work in your favour."

"I was going to ask Dumbledore if he had plans to reinstate the duelling club," Harry told them, an idea that had been brewing in his head whenever he hadn't been too bogged down by other matters.

"See, you've started thinking proactively. That's the Harry we know!"

"I was wondering…if you could lead the demonstrations."

Matthew's face instantly fell. "What?"

"You're the best dueller we have! If you were to show other students just an ounce of what you're capable of, then they'll have a much better chance of surviving if they get dragged into this mess."

"And, in the process, I'd risk exposing who I really am. No thank you."

"At least think about it."

"If it's a properly run club, then a professor will be able to teach everyone. We've got Lupin…Dumbledore's hanging around and he's got more skills with a wand than even he knows…Snape would even be able to illustrate some of the dark arts, which might come in handy."

"It'd encourage them to see it coming from another student…like it'd prove that they can do it."

"I'm not exactly a normal student. No, I'd much prefer to keep my class to two for the time being. My priority is making sure that the both of you can look after yourselves."

"You're really not going to change your mind?"

"Don't worry, Harry," Hermione said. "I'll find a way to convince him."

xxxxxxxxxx

Matthew was still assuring them that he wouldn't be so easily swayed by the time they made it up to Hogwarts. After everything Harry had been through over the past few months, it was a much-needed comfort to see the castle once again. It glowed against the backdrop of the night sky, each window fiery with the flickers of candle light. His doubts further ebbed away, truly believing that no one would be able to get to him whilst he was behind those walls. Of course, past experiences firmly proved otherwise but he was deciding to do what his friends had strongly instructed: for him to think positively for a change.

As reassuring as seeing the school had been, walking into the Great Hall had been a slightly different experience. There was still a jovial atmosphere for the main part, students happy to be reunited with their friends after a long summer. The ghosts continued to bob along, occasionally talking to those still alive. Pretty much everything looked the same. And yet there was something else. The twinkling stars weren't the only thing to be hanging over them as they were reflected in the charmed roof. Harry could tell that the news of the Dark Lord's return had obviously shifted the community somewhat. The smiles people wore were almost too large, as if they were attempting to compensate for the darkness that they knew was around the corner.

No matter how many people were making their way into the hall at once, everyone had the uncanny skill of spotting Harry amongst the crowd. They stared unnervingly as they monitored his path, and weren't even trying to hide it. He was used to it by now, and it wasn't filled with anything like the animosity he'd been subjected to after his name had come out of the Goblet of Fire. In fact, the looks they were giving him now might have been described as positive , excited whispers shared amongst friends and smiles sent his way, which was the part that surprised him the most.

As they sat themselves down at the table, Hermione was the one to pick up on his unspoken question. "You've seen what the Prophet's been like ever since the announcement. Every single story has been about You-Know-Who, and that means every story has involved you too."

"I thought that might have encouraged people to steer clear of me," Harry commented. "As if I'd be contagious or something."

"I think you'll find that people might want a share of you more than ever before," Matthew explained. "You're the golden boy, with the Ministry's blessing and everything."

"Just what I want…more attention just because of something I had no control over."

"We'll bat away anyone who lingers around for too long."

Hermione gave him a sympathetic look. "I think the best thing to do is look on the bright side. You're going to be able to do a lot of good if everyone is on your side."

"It just comes with a few drawbacks, I get it," Harry said with a nod of his head.

He turned his attention to the head table, hoping to catch a glimpse of a few familiar faces. Hagrid was hard to miss thanks to his looming form, and he almost knocked the entire bench over when he exuberantly waved in the trio's direction. It was strange to see Lupin in a formal setting after growing used to having him around the house. The professor limited himself to a simple nod of his head when their eyes locked, with Harry knowing that he couldn't be seen to be playing favourites, even when the majority of the staff knew about their living situation.

Dumbledore's eyes were sparkling as ever as he waited for everyone to take their seats. It dimmed somewhat when he noticed Harry looking at him, with their previous interaction not being one to look back on fondly. He didn't know what to feel as he observed the headmaster, wondering whether he could view his actions in the most favourable light. Now wasn't the time to go to war with the old man when he was probably the asset they needed on their side the most. In the end, it was easier to simply tear his eyes away, getting a look at the rest of the teachers. Harry frowned when he spotted a squat woman at the end of the bench that he vaguely recognised, though he couldn't place why that was. Just like Hagrid, she stood out quite remarkably, though that was down to the bright pink clothes she was sporting.

As he swept his gaze once more over the Great Hall, it was something that was missing that jumped out at Harry. "Hold on…have either of you seen Draco?"

Matthew looked over at the Slytherin table, a location he usually tended to ignore. "I haven't smelt the stench that lingers around him, so I don't think so."

"I don't remember seeing him on the train either," Hermione added.

"Are you talking about ferret-face?" Ginny leaned over, seemingly just grateful to get out of a conversation with Ron. "He's not coming to school this year."

If Harry had been drinking, he would have spat the contents out straight away. "You're joking…"

"Dad wasn't supposed to talk about it because of Ministry confidentiality blah blah blah…but, ever since the night you and Hermione were taken, they've been working endlessly to track down anyone who was supposedly there. Lucius Malfoy was named…"

"He definitely was there," Harry confirmed. "He couldn't get on his knees faster to kiss the robes of…" He was about to refer to Voldemort by name but knew by now what sort of reaction that would prompt from anyone within earshot. "...you-know-who."

"They raided his house. They've done it once before after what happened with the diary, so they knew they had precedent on their side. It seems as if the whole family has gone into hiding."

"Probably running to their master's side."

"This is good though!" Matthew said. "Not only does it mean that we won't have to put up with Draco this year, but Lucius was a big player in the Ministry. Getting rid of his influence should make things run a lot smoother. No wonder they've been so eager to help us."

"You have to think about Draco though," Hermione reminded them sadly.

"I'd rather not if I can help it."

"He didn't ask for this life, and now he's being thrown into it without a choice."

"If he felt that strongly, he'd run away. Simple."

"I doubt it's that easy. It's his entire family."

Harry was rather glad that Dumbledore chose to step up to his lectern at that moment, because he didn't want to have a debate about Draco Malfoy. His antics had certainly lessened over the years, thanks to his family's powers being diminished, but there was still no love lost if the Slytherin boy never returned.

"Welcome, welcome!" Dumbledore announced, stretching his arms out wide. Any of his previous discomfort had evidently been lost as he put on a performance for the students. "We've reached yet another year at Hogwarts! And before we bring in our brilliant new batch of First Years and tuck into a feast that I know you're all waiting for, please indulge me for a few moments…"

Dumbledore's expression grew more severe. "As you will all know, this is a troubling time for our community. It can no longer be denied that the Dark Lord himself has returned." Pretty much everyone started murmuring to their friends, before being stopped by one powerful glare from the headmaster. "Voldemort wishes to divide us. That's the only way he can win. What we at Hogwarts want to reaffirm is that the bonds between us have never been stronger!

"And…along those lines…I would like to introduce you to a special visitor." He gestured a hand to the woman Harry had noted earlier. "Miss Delores Umbridge will be staying with us for the foreseeable future, as a conduit between the school and the Ministry. Minister Fudge wants us to be as secure as we can possibly be, and his fine deputy will certainly ensure that's the case. I'm sure you will all extend the expected hand of warm greetings when you come across her."

Harry didn't like the smile she was wearing. "Fudge's deputy working here? What do you think this means?"

"I think the Ministry's using the situation to their advantage," Hermione replied worriedly. "They've always wanted to poke their noses around here, especially with Dumbledore in charge. It looks as if they've finally got their wish."