Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story except for the plot.

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I was at tumbling nationals for the past week. I did really well though. Tumbling is like gymnastics minus the bars, beam, and vault. I was planning on writing like 3 chapters while I was away, but I developed a huge case of writers block. I hope this chapter is good. It's one coming off of writers block so I'm not sure how great it will be. It holds a lot of important clues if you can pick up on them. Please review!!

Chapter 7- Professor Trelawney Strikes Again

After his talk with Dumbledore, Harry went outside to sit by the lake. Classes still had twenty minutes and he was in no mood to see Snape. Instead, he just sat in the grass with his feet resting in the water.

It was a beautiful day, and Harry could not wait for Care of Magical Creature. He was anxious to see Hagrid again. Hagrid was the first person Harry met when he entered the wizard world. He looked up to Hagrid, and even though he didn't realize it, Harry saw Hagrid like a father figure.

Harry had a lot of father figures in his life. There was, of course, his real father, James Potter, but as a child, Harry believed Uncle Vernon was somewhat of a father. He had raised Harry for 10 years after all, and he was the closest thing Harry knew to a father. But as Harry joined the wizard world, he met many other father figures such as Hagrid, Remus Lupin, and his late godfather, Sirius.

Harry sat lost in thought until he heard the bell ring somewhere in the distance. Slowly, he pulled himself up and headed towards Hagrid's cabin. The sight he saw when he got there, however, made him stop dead in his tracks.

It was a giant, 10-foot spider with eight hairy legs protruding from its abdomen. The spider oddly enough, seemed to be deep in conversation with Hagrid. Harry just stared as the rest of his classmates joined him. He was glad to see that no Slytherins made it to N.E.W.T Care of Magical Creatures. In fact, besides Harry, Ron, and Hermione there were only 5 other people. Justin Flinch Fletchly, Neville Longbottom, Ernie McMillan, Padma Patil, and Hannah Abbot.

As everyone looked at where Harry was staring, they each let out a very audible gasp. Ron cringed and moved backwards. In the process, he tripped over a stump and fell to the ground. He didn't even bother to get up. Hagrid then noticed the class and turned to face them.

"Alrigh' everyone. Today we're goin to be learnin' 'bout acromantulas. Can anyone tell me wha' an acromantula is?"

To no ones surprise, Hermione raised her hand and began to speak without being called upon. "An acromantula is a giant spider that has been known to be able to talk to humans. They are born in Africa and Asia, but are not known to live anywhere else. Even though they stay true to their masters, they are very hard to control and classified as dangerous creatures."

"Righ'! Ten points to Gryffindor!"

"Hagrid, is that Aragog?" Harry interrupted, unable to control himself.

"No, Harry. Aragog's dead. This here is his son, Torag. He has promised to do no harm to ya, so ya don't have to worry. Now, who here knows what acromantulas eat?"

"Flesh and blood." Piped up Ron, his voice a little shaky.

"Naw. They don't really like flesh, but they won't say no to blood if they're thirsty. Acromantulas prefer bowtruckles. That's why most acromantulas live in the woods near wand trees." Hagrid continued to teach about acromantulas, and it turned out that he knew quite a lot. When the class was over, Harry couldn't help but grin. Even though acromantulas were considered dangerous, now he knew the proper way to speak to them and treat them. That would come in handy if he ever needed to go back and visit Aragog's family. Over all, it was a very good lesson, Harry thought.

After Care of Magical Creatures, Harry, Ron, and Hermione trudged back up to the castle for lunch. Harry felt completely calm at that moment. All of his worries seemed to disappear. He couldn't explain it, but he hadn't felt so relaxed in a long time. For once, his thought weren't on the prophecy or Sirius. Just as that thought occurred to him, the realization of the prophecy sank in. He might not live to have another peaceful moment, or play another quidditch match, or even get to visit Hogsmeade again.

Harry decided right then that he was going to do everything he could to be prepared for his final battle with Voldemort. He was going to be completely ready to fight Voldemort and defeat him once and for all.

I have to start reading my defense books, he thought. I am going to learn every defense spell I find. And I really need to learn to be a...

"Harry, are you listening to me?" Hermione had stopped walking and was looking at Harry with concern.

"Wha- oh, sorry, 'Mione. What were you saying?" Harry had not been listening to any of the conversation and he truly looked sorry when he said this.

Hermione sighed and continued talking. "I was just talking about the Daily Prophet this morning. Did you see it?"

"No." Harry and Ron said in unison.

"Well this year is election year for Minister of Magic. The election will be held in January."

"Oh, er, that's cool." Harry said trying to look mildly interested.

"Um, how does that work, Hermione?" Ron asked.
"Ron, you should know, growing up in a magical family." When Ron still looked confused she just kept on explaining about elections. "They are held once every 6 years, and there are 3 candidates. Only people of age will get to vote, but it will be interesting listening to the debates anyways."

"Who are the candidates?" asked Harry.

"Well, Fudge, of course. And Emmeline Vance, she works for the order. It would be great if she could win, but she is really young so I don't think many people will vote for her. There is also one other man. I think his name is Manderiek Bronte. Not much is known about him." Hermione explained.

"I hope Fudge doesn't get elected again. That would be terrible." Ron shuddered at the thought and Harry nodded in agreement.

"Yes, that would be bad. I really hope Emmeline Vance will win, but I doubt it." Hermione said.

"Who is that Manderiek person?" Ron asked.

"I don't know much about him." Hermione answered. "Just that he is an unspeakable for the department of Mysteries. He went missing for a couple weeks not too long ago. When he showed up he didn't look too good. That's what the paper said, at least."

"I wonder where he went. Oh, food! I'm starving." Ron said this quickly and practically ran to the table. Harry and Hermione just rolled their eyes and followed him into the Great Hall.

Lunch was very uneventful, and regretfully, Harry said good-bye to his friends in the entrance hall. Hermione had Arithmancy while Harry had Divination. Ron got lucky, and had the afternoon off. As Harry was heading towards the North Tower, someone grabbed him by the arm, and he spun around. It was Parvati again.

"Hi, Harry." She said, "What class are you going to?"

"Divination, you?"

"Same. I didn't know you made it into Divination."

"Well technically I didn't, but Dumbledore wanted me to take it so I am."

"Oh that's good. Lavender messed up completely on her exam, and she was distraught when she didn't make it into N.E.W.T class. You and I are the only Gryffindors in it."

"Oh, okay. Is Trelawney teaching again?"

"She teaches on Monday, and Firenze on Thursday."

"So we have Trelawney today. Great."

"She really isn't that bad."

"I know, it's just that she predicts my early death every time she looks at me."

"Well, yes, that must get annoying."

"Let me tell you about it."

"Here we are. Let's go in."

"Okay."

When they entered, they saw the same room that they had been in the past three years. It was a small round room filled with puffs to sit on around circular tables. There were drapes hanging everywhere and a roaring fire blazed in the fireplace. Harry walked with Parvati to one of the round tables, and sat down next to her. They were talking animatedly before professor Trelawney spoke up in her usual, mysterious voice.

"Hello, class. Welcome to N.E.W.T Divination. This year will be focused mainly on prophecies and palm reading. We will begin with prophecies, however. Only a real prophet can make prophecies, so we will be studying some that have already been fulfilled. Has anyone here ever listened to a real prophecy?"

Harry raised his hand, and everyone in the room looked at him.

"Oh, yes, my dear. One particular prophecy haunts your dreams. It tears you away from the ones you love. That one prophecy has decided your fate."

"Actually there was another prophecy I was thinking of. You made it in our third year."

"Yes, that was a very grave prophecy. It has already been fulfilled, has it not?"

Harry nodded.

"Very well. We will begin with that one, then. Everyone take out a piece of paper and copy this down." She pointed her wand at a board in the middle of the room, and some words appeared. They were the words Harry had heard once before, the night that Sirius escaped.

The rest of the class was spent copying down notes off the board on prophecies and famous prophets. It was a very dull class and quite unlike Professor Trelawney's usual way of teaching.

"For homework, please look up 5 famous prophecies and diagram them. That is to say tell what each line means. Then state if the prophecy was fulfilled or not, and if it was please state how. Due to be handed in to me on Monday. That is all."

Everyone left the room just as the bell rang. Harry was walking back to the common room with Parvati when someone spoke to him. It was Sirius, and he was sword fighting Sir Cadogan, the very annoying knight whose portrait hung in the North tower.

"Harry!"

"Hey, Sirius!"

" How was your first day back?"

"It was pretty good. No homework."

"Good for you! Man it sure is great to be back here. I never realized how big the castle truly was. I think I found some new secret passages. You might end up needed to revise the Marauders map."

"What map?" Parvati had joined the conversation and looked very confused. "And isn't that Sirius Black? The murderer?"

"I'll explain it to you later. But for now, just know that he isn't a murderer." Harry answered.

"And who is this lovely lady?" Sirius nodded towards Parvati, and she blushed.

"Oh, right. Sirius this is Parvati. Parvati, this is Sirius Black, my godfather."

"Oh, well, it's nice to meet you Mr. Black."

"Call me Sirius. I hate my last name."

"Why?" Parvati asked, becoming very interested.

"It's a long story."

"So what have you done all day, Sirius?" Harry asked.

"Not much. I sat in Hermione's Arithmancy class. She was very happy to see me, but I think I got on her nerves."

"Yeah, well, that's Hermione. She doesn't like anything to break her concentration."

"I figured that out."

"Well, we are going to go put our stuff up in Gryffindor Tower. Do you want to come with us?"

"No thanks, Harry. I still have to finish my fight with Cadogan here. I'll come down to the Great Hall at dinner. Dumbledore set a painting there for me to go into."

"Why are you here? I mean, most people don't have paintings of their families hanging around Hogwarts. Families usually stay at home." Parvati questioned.

"Oh, well, um, I'm dead."

Parvati gasped and covered her mouth.

"I'll tell you the whole story on the way to the common room. Come on." Harry told her.

"See you, Harry."

"Bye!"

As Harry and Parvati were walking back to Gryffindor Tower, they ran into Ginny Weasley.

"Harry, Parvati! Hi!"

"Hello, Ginny" They said together.

"I heard you broke up with Dean." Parvati said.

"Um, yeah."

"Whom did you break up with him for?" She asked.

"Uh, er...well..." Ginny glanced at Harry before turning back to Parvati. "No one really. I just didn't like Dean that much anymore."

"Oh, well, that makes since, I guess."

"Yeah, so who do you like, Parvati?"

"Er...just this-this one guy. But I don't think he likes me."

Harry was feeling very uncomfortable. Quickly he made an excuse to leave, saying that he left his book in the Divination room. Having no choice but to return to the North Tower, he thought he might watch Sirius' fight with Sir Cadogan. As he was walking back, Harry accidentally ran straight into someone.

"Sorry, Professor Trelawney. I di- Professor?" Harry looked at her and noticed that her eyes were wide and glazed looking. She also looked as if she was having trouble breathing. When she spoke it was not in her usual mystic voice but a deep harsh one. A voice Harry had heard her use only twice before.

"THE FINAL BATTLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL APPROACHES...IT WILL COME SOONER THAN ANYONE EXPECTS...AS THE DARK LORD GAINS POWER UPON WHICH THERE IS NO CONTROL, THE CHOSEN ONE WILL BE BETRAYED BY THREE...THE PHOENIX WILL DECIDE THE FATE OF THE WORLD AND UPON ITS SHOULDERS RESTS THE WEIGHT OF FATE...BUT THE PHOENIX IS STRONG AND ABLE TO CARRY LARGE AMOUNTS...THE FINAL BATTLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL APPROACHES."