Thanks to HaRrYrOxMuhSoX for your review. Here's installment 7. Next time I write a fanfiction I'm not going to worry about tying up the loose ends. JK Rowling is going to do that in Half Blood Prince and she will do a better job than I did, I'm sure. Anyway, this is the last of that sort of thing. There's even some action in installment 8, which is almost done.
Disclaimer: Harry and co. owned by JK Rowling. The idea of Dawn owned by Joss Whedon.
Harry was the first one awake that morning. For some reason he had been up in the night with the prophecy heavy on his mind and that was what was keeping him awake now. Sometime over the past few weeks he had made up his mind to tell his friends about it, reasoning that Dumbledore caused more pain by keeping it hidden, and Harry didn't want to do the same. Unfortunately he hadn't had a chance, yet. He wanted everyone to be present when he did it and the time hadn't come yet. Harry figured the first chance they would all have to be alone would be on the train and decided to tell everyone then, but he couldn't fall back to sleep after he made that decision. Now all he had to do was make sure they all got a compartment to themselves.
Which wasn't hard. They made it to King's Cross Station with only minutes to spare. It seemed to be a Weasley/Potter tradition to board the train at the last minute. Luckily this year there were plenty of hands to help load suitcases and owls and trunks. Harry, the last of the group to board, stepped onto the stairway just as the doors were closing. With a quick wave to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley he turned to follow the rest.
Ron and Hermione headed for the prefect's cabin and the rest of the group went to try and find a compartment of their own. As often happened there was one open compartment right at the end and Luna and Neville managed to claim it for the group. The five of them staked out their seating arrangement and somehow Neville ended up pushed between Luna and Dawn. He didn't appear to be at all comfortable with that arrangement. Harry and Ginny shared the opposite bench with Harry closest to the door and directly opposite Luna. He felt his heart beat a little faster with that realization and then chastened himself for it. 'It's just Luna. What do I have to be worked up about,' he thought to himself and tried to start a conversation with Ginny to distract himself.
"We were lucky to get the last compartment, I guess, huh?" It was lame, he knew, but it was the only thing that popped into his mind. Luna answered.
"There's always an extra compartment. The train is enchanted. There was an article in the Quibbler about it a few months ago, didn't you see it?"
Harry wasn't sure how to best answer. Luna's ferocious defense of the Quibbler flashed to his mind and before he could stop it he thought of how cute she was when she was riled over something. Unwittingly, a blush crept onto his cheeks and he only managed to stutter out a weak "no."
That launched Luna into a long discussion on the various enchantments that had been cast on the Hogwart's Express, although some of things she claimed, like the train having the ability to turn into a sheep to escape Muggle detection, Harry didn't quite believe. One topic led to another and they passed the time talking about enchantments on the train, the castle, brooms, and inevitably Quidditch. They were speculating on who would take the place of Gryffindor's captain when Ron and Hermione returned.
The two of them managed to find room in the cramped compartment, and even though it was a bit of a tight fit all seven of them were able to squeeze in. The snack lady came around just as they were settling in and as she left Harry made sure to shut the door behind her. He wasn't looking forward to revealing the prophecy, but was determined to keep to his resolution. If he didn't say something now he never would.
The conversation and chatter died down while the group was opening and eating their snacks, so Harry figured this was as good a time as any. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened his mouth to speak. "Guys there's something I have to tell you," he began and then stopped. The group waited patiently, all eyes were on Harry, but he was looking into the corridor and paid them no mind. Finally Hermione broke the silence.
"What is it Harry," she asked.
"Just wait a sec," he said and continued staring into the hallway. Suddenly the door opened, seemingly of its own accord, and Harry slammed it, catching Draco Malfoy's fingers in the process. Draco yelped in pain and pulled his hand back, giving Harry the time to close and lock the door both mechanically and magically. Then he placed a silencing charm on the compartment and turned back to his friends.
"That was bloody brilliant, Harry," said Ron, still watching Draco trying to break into the compartment through the glass. Harry decided to pull the curtain as well.
"Thanks," he said. "I don't want any interruptions." He felt he should have placed the wards to begin with and was glad they were there now, but it did nothing to slow the rapid beating of his heart. He still wondered how his friends would act once they knew he was destined to be a killer… or be killed himself. "It's about Voldemort, and why he tried to kill me as a baby."
Neville interrupted him, looked around uncomfortably, and began to stand. "Maybe I should leave, then. I don't want to intrude on something so, um…, personal." Harry reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him.
"Actually, this has more to do with me and you than it does anyone else in this room." Neville's confusion was obvious and Harry motioned for him to sit, although he didn't at first. "I want to tell everyone in this room, because we've all fought together before, and chances are we'll have to again. I think everyone here should know. The only reason I want anyone to leave is if they don't think they can keep it to themselves. There is only one other person who knows what I am about to tell you and I want it to stay that way."
"But why tell us at all, Harry?" asked Ginny while forcing Neville into his seat. "We might be in more danger if Voldemort finds out we know something."
Harry looked for fear in her face, but saw only concern for the others. He knew she would follow him anywhere, her and Ron and Hermione, and saw similar looks on all their faces. Except Luna's. He really couldn't tell what she was thinking. "I did think about that, but thought if you are going to fight, and I know you will even if I told you not to, you should know everything. Then you won't need to make the same mistakes I did."
No one raised any objections after that and Harry began his speech. He had it sort of rehearsed in his head and began that way. "Well, you know the prophecy that was in the Department of Mysteries? The one that broke?" Neville's face turned scarlet and Harry hastened to continue. "I know what it says." Hermione gasped and interrupted him.
"You said you didn't hear it! You lied to us!" Harry could see her begin to turn red with anger.
"No, no," he hurried to explain, "I didn't hear it then. Nobody did. But Dumbledore… Dumbledore knew what it said. He was the first one to hear the prophecy." He then launched into the story Dumbledore had told him last year, of Sybil Trelawny and the Hog's Head, of the eavesdropper and how Voldemort didn't know the whole story. He managed putting off telling them the prophecy itself until Neville asked him what Harry meant when he said it was between the two of them more than anyone else.
Harry closed his eyes and in a monotone recited the prophecy in full. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"
The group stared at Harry in confusion, not truly comprehending what he had said, Hermione was deep in concentration, trying to figure it out. Harry brought it to the point. "I asked Dumbledore about 'One must die at the hand of the other.' It means Voldemort must kill me, or I must kill him."
Hermione was the first to react. "Kill or be killed? Oh Harry…" She moved in to hug him, but Harry pulled back. "Harry?"
"I don't want pity. I know what I have to do and I've prepared. I'm ready." He said it with a confidence he didn't quite feel.
Luna was the next to speak. "Power the Dark Lord knows not. Well, it can't be Parseltongue then."
"Dumbledore told me about that, too," he said with little emotion. "All he said was 'Love.'"
Dawn was sitting still, she could feel her face redden and her throat constrict. She couldn't lose Harry. He was the only family she'd ever had. As much as she tried to control it a strangled sob managed to escape and was followed by a succession others. She reached over and took Harry tightly in her arms. "I don't want you to die," she sobbed into his shoulder.
"Emotional one, isn't she," Ron commented. Harry glared at him; Hermione and Ginny did the same. "Sorry, I'll be quiet now."
"Yes, Ronald, you will." Luna said it with only the slightest hint of threat in her voice, but it was enough. Ron sat straight up in his seat, trying to look innocent, but Luna kept her eye on him. Ginny laughed a nervous giggle; it was out of place, but somehow lightened the mood. Soon Dawn let Harry free and returned to her own seat.
"Sorry, it's just lot to take in," she said. Hermione comforted her. Only Neville had remained silent.
Harry had noticed. He had been watching Neville, trying to gauge his reaction, and was worried when he didn't say anything. "Neville, are you all right," he asked, suddenly realizing he was giving Neville the same look of pity he saw in the others, the one that never ceased to anger him. He tried to force his face into an impassive look and wound up somewhere between a frown and a grimace. He said again, "Neville?"
Neville was staring at his hands, absently fiddling with his handkerchief. Without looking up he said, "It could have been me. I could be the Boy-Who-Lived."
"Yes, but Voldemort chose me instead," Harry said. "I don't know why he chose me, but Dumbledore says that by attacking me, and leaving the scar, he transferred some of his powers to me." He didn't really know how to finish. Was Neville jealous? Did he wish he was the one who was famous and always recognized wherever he went? Harry didn't know how to ask or how to tell him that he often wished to trade places with Neville for a day. After a short silence, which seemed to take forever, Neville glanced up for the first time since the prophecy had been told and caught eyes with Harry.
"I'm glad he didn't choose me. I don't know how you handle it, Harry. I'm not a hero like you."
Harry wasn't quite expecting that answer and had nothing to say. Luckily, Dawn said it for him, with her usual trite manner. "You don't need to be a hero, Neville. You just need to be you."
Ron apparently found this to be too much, even from Dawn. He stuck his finger in his throat and made a wretching noise, which earned a punch on the arm from Ginny. "That didn't hurt," he said until Dawn gave him a harder punch on the other side. "Hey, not that hard," he yelped, before turning to Harry and not so subtly changing the subject. "I'm glad you're back on the Quidditch pitch this year, mate…" Although it was an obvious attempt to get out of trouble Harry was glad to let the previous topic rest and talk of the prophecy was forgotten as they delved into more typical conversation.
Neville kept to himself the rest of the trip. He was thinking of what he had just learned and was completely sincere when he told Harry he was glad it wasn't him. Sure, there were times he wished he had Harry's talent, or his ability to make friends, and he would liked to be noticed once in a while, but he didn't want the sort of responsibilities or to be in the sort of danger Harry had. He also found himself wondering what exactly Dawn had meant by what she said. Sure she might have just been trying to make him feel better, but there was a truthfulness when she said it and he preferred to think on that.