Chapter Four: Making New Friends

"Charity it's not a very welcoming time to relocate from America with you know who back around," Ron said with a shudder.

"You know who? Do you mean Voldemort?" Charity asked suspiciously.

Ron cringed and said, "Not another one."

"Oh Ron! Really when are you going to get over that?" Hermione questioned as she rolled her eyes.

"Not another one? I don't understand," Charity stated looking at Ron confused.

Harry turned to Charity and said, "Ron here was referring to the fact that you said 'Voldemort'." Ron shuddered again. "Ron, stop it. Not loads of people say his name."

"I've always said his name. I grew up being told to not say his name, but I've always said that fear of a name only increases fear of the person," Charity stated proudly.

"I like you, I think I've just found my new best friend. It's about time I get to hang out with someone with intelligence," Hermione suggested with a sly smirk.

Charity giggled at the expression on Harry and Ron's faces.

Harry who was obviously five inches taller than Charity, looked down at her captivating smile and asked, "Did you want to get going? It's about lunchtime, but we can get started on the tour after we eat, and we can come back for a little while before dinner or after dinner. Your preference."

"Sounds great, but we could come before and after, couldn't we?" asked Charity with a grin.

"I like the way she thinks. It gets rather lonely with only Hermione to talk to," Hermione shot Ron a warning glare, "besides Harry I'm beginning to think Charity likes us more than you do," implied Ron with a smirk. It was Harry's turn to shoot a warning look at Ron.

"We'll see you guys later," said Harry as he led the way out. Charity waved and followed Harry.

After a moment of walking Harry asked, "So did Dumbledore fill you in on why Hermione and Ron are in the hospital wing?"

Charity shook her head and replied, "No, all he told me was that Hermione and some friends went on an adventure, and she could tell me further if she wanted to."

Harry looked at the floor with the utmost admiration for Dumbledore at that moment. Any other person would have told about how thick Harry had been; playing with his friend's lives like that. He looked back up and determined maybe talking to Charity about Sirius would be easier than with someone who new him and all about his life.

"I'll let you in on it, I'm sure I know what she would say. This is hard to describe. I have visions of Voldemort, about his emotions, and when he's hurting or praising someone."

"You see through his eyes?" questioned Charity.

"Yes, but not all the time only when he's having strong emotions and only when I'm sleeping, because that's when my mind is most open for outside penetration.

"On Friday, last day of our O.W.L. exams, I fell asleep and saw Voldemort torturing Sirius Black, my godfather. I led Ron, Hermione, and three other friends into an ambush of Deatheaters. Voldemort planted the vision in my dream knowing I would come to rescue Sirius.

"My vision took place at the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Mysteries. It turns out before I was born there was a prophecy made about the person who could destroy the Dark Lord, and after he attacked me my name was put on the prophecy. Only the people the prophecy was about could remove it from the department without going mad. So naturally he would be trying to get me to get it, because the wizarding world was ignoring the fact he was back." Charity shook her head in agreement as Harry went on.

"He found out that Sirius was like a father to me, so I would go to any lengths to save him. That's way the vision leading me right to where the prophecy was. Of course the instant we got there I realized Sirius wasn't there, and Neville noticed the prophecy, and like a prat I removed it from the self, even with Hermione telling me not to, and instantly we were surrounded by a dozen or so Deatheaters." Charity's eyes widened in shock but she didn't say anything.

"We had to fight for our lives and fortunately, after Hermione, Ginny, and Ron were all hurt five members of the order arrived to save us. While they battled the Deatheaters Neville, one of my friends, dropped the prophecy, and during all the commotion no one heard a word of it. After two of the order members got hurt Dumbledore showed up and saved the day, but Sirius was killed when fighting." Charity touched Harry's arm lightly.

"I'm so sorry Harry!" She now understood why there was pain in his eyes.

"Yeah well needless to say Voldemort was not delighted when only one of all the Deatheaters he sent came home, and the prophecy was not heard."

"Who got away? If you don't mind me asking?"

"Bellatrix. She's the one that killed Sirius."

Charity nodded. "Sorry to have interrupted, please continue."

"When the prophecy was made one of his followers was in the bar, but was kicked out before he heard the whole thing, so Voldemort only knew the first half. He; however, didn't know it was only the first half, so by attacking me he lost everything, and he wanted to know why and how to destroy me of course.

"When I saw the vision Hermione tried to reason with me saying how could two extremely wanted wizards get into the Ministry of Magic in the middle of the day without being seen, but I didn't care if it made sense. I, as Hermione will tell you, like to play the hero, and there was no way I was going to allow Sirius to die.

"Well my need to save people practically lost me more than just Sirius, it nearly lost me all my friends as well. I blame myself for Sirius dieing, because if I never had gone to rescue him he wouldn't have had to come save me." Charity closed her eyes in horror.

He should never have to go through any of this he's only fifteen. My God, and to blame himself for this, Charity thought before listening to Harry again.

"Now that Fudge acknowledges Dumbledore and I have been telling the truth about Voldemort and Sirius, Sirius would have had his name cleared, but because of me he'll never get the chance to benefit from his new found freedom." Harry lowered his head to hide the tears he was desperately trying to keep from falling down his cheeks.

"Harry, I don't know your friends, but I'm sure they're not thinking you led them into danger because you like to play the hero or deliberately. They know you, and they know your heart. Even if Hermione was thinking more clearly than you about the possibilities of Sirius in fact being in the Department of Mysteries, she and the rest of your friends went there with you because they love you and would risk their lives to help you." Harry let a small smile appear on his lips knowing she was right, after all he did have to argue with them about him not letting them go; he lost the argument.

"Playing with people's minds is what Voldemort is best at, and he relies on us being human with emotions to cloud our judgment. We call it love, and he believes it's our greatest weakness. What he doesn't understand is it's our greatest strength, because without love every other ability we have is weaker. It's our love of people that drives us to fight against him, to go to any lengths to save or help others, and it's love that causes enough anger to kick ass when there's asses to be kicked. Without love we would lack all the passion it takes to be great and talented wizards and witches." Harry chuckled a little to himself.

Blimey there's no doubt she's against Voldemort!

"Yes, someone very close to your heart lost his life, but Harry Sirius was there fighting for your safety knowing you went there to fight for his, and by going, to bring you back alive, he knew he could loose his life in the process. He's happy, wherever he is, knowing you live to see another day.

"I know you miss him, trust me when I tell you you'll never feel another pain that compares. Also trust me when I say over time your heart will mend, you will always remember the feelings your having right now, but the pain will move to the back of your brain and you won't feel on the verge of tears all day long. Don't get me wrong you need to feel everything your feeling it's part of the grieving process. Just promises me you'll keep talking. Don't close yourself off," Charity replied to his story.

Dumbledore stepped out from the shadowed doorway and said, "Harry, I think that was perhaps the finest advise anyone could get. Listen to what Charity said and always remember it when you're having a particularly hard day. Think about the happy times you got to share with Sirius, treasure the friendships you have, and be appreciative for the new friend you have in an exceptionally clever witch." He walked off leaving them shocked, for they didn't see him when they were talking.

Harry stared at Charity with bewilderment. How was she capable of making him feel so much better when she knows nothing about him?

"I give my word to keep talking as long as you give me your word to keep listening. I've been horrified to talk to Ron and Hermione about everything I learned in Dumbledore's office after we returned on Friday. I don't know how I'm going to inform them," said Harry as his voice faded off and he looked up like to draw strength.

"I agree to always listen, and I've found in my past happenings it's best if you just say what's on your mind," replied Charity.

"I don't understand how it's so easy to talk to you, but trust me when I say what I need to tell everyone is disturbing information."

"If you don't want to tell me I understand, but I still say you have to just tell them," Charity replied shocked. She couldn't believe there was more.

"I do want to tell you. I don't know why, but I do. It's just hard to say out loud. I keep thinking it's just a nightmare and that if I say it out loud it becomes real."

Harry took a couple of deep breaths, and Charity took his hand with encouragement.

"Remember I told you there was a prophecy made about Voldemort and me?" Charity nodded.

"Well Dumbledore was the one the prophecy was told to originally. So he has it in his pensive, and he let me hear it.

"The prophecy could have been about two different babies, Neville Longbottom or me. However, Voldemort only received the first part of the prophecy, so he doesn't know what I do. When he came to kill me when I was a baby he marked me as an equal, consequently choosing me instead of Neville. This means I'm the only one who can destroy him.

"The prophecy is 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," Harry explained.

Charity took a calming breath before she said, "So that means only you can kill him and only he can kill you?"

"Yes."

"Well that would explain why Dumbledore never killed him," said Charity. Harry nodded.

"Let's go to lunch, and then we'll go tell Hermione and Ron. We will tell them together," Charity suggested. Harry nodded his agreement and led the way to lunch.

During lunch Harry introduced Charity to his roommates and to the other fifth year girls that were at the Gryffindor table then they walked back to the infirmary.

Hermione looked up at the sound of the door opening and was surprised to see Harry and Charity back so soon, until she saw the expression on their faces.

She bolted up winced and asked, "What's up? Has something happened?"

Charity smiled and said, "No, nothings happened. It's just that Harry learned something on Friday that he hasn't shared with you, and he's decided it's time you guys learned this disturbing information about his future." Charity took Harry's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Harry?" Hermione inquired.

"You know how the prophecy was destroyed?"

"Yeah," they said together.

"Well it turns out that Dumbledore was the one to hear it first, and he let me hear it from his pensive. Professor Trelawney is the one that made the prophecy. The prophecy was about the one person who could destroy the dark lord, and the way it was said could have made it about Neville or me."

"Neville? Neville Longbottom?" Ron interrupted Harry with this question.

"Trelawney? Harry really!" Hermione said next sarcastically.

"Yes, Neville Longbottom. The prophecy was made at Hogs Head just as Dumbledore was about to leave after interviewing Trelawney. He believed her to be a fake, but when she made the prophecy she was different, real.

"However one of Voldemort's men was there and heard the first half of the prophecy, but he was discovered and kicked out. He told Voldemort only the part of who could destroy him, but not of the consequences if he attacked." Ron and Hermione looked confused.

"The person that can vanquish the dark lord was born to those who had defied him three times at the end of July. Frank and Alice Longbottom had Neville July 30th, and I was born July 31st, both of our parents defied him three times.

"Voldemort chose to attack me, as a result making the prophecy about me. So now he wants to know why he lost everything by trying to kill me. This is why he wanted the prophecy." Hermione nodded her understanding.

"What's the rest of the prophecy then?" Ron interrupted again.

"Ron! Would you belt up and let him tell the story to us?" shouted Hermione.

Harry took a deep breath and looked at Charity. She nodded and gave him a warmhearted smile. He looked back at Ron and Hermione and walked over and sat on the end of Hermione's bed.

"Harry you can tell us, whatever it is we will be here to help you," Hermione sympathetically said.

Charity stepped forward to help, "The second half of the prophecy explains the consequence of Voldemort attacking Harry and how to vanquish him. Right Harry!" Hermione and Ron looked from Charity to Harry.

"Tell us mate, it can't be that bad," implied Ron.

Harry shot up and said, "You have no idea how bad this is. The prophecy states by Voldemort attacking me he marked me as an equal, and I will have powers he knows not. It also says that either must die at the others hand because neither of us can live if the other survives. Which translates to I can only kill him, and he can only kill me. So ultimately my future is to be a murderer or a victim."

Charity watched Ron and Hermione close for their reactions. Ron sat very still with his mouth open, and Hermione had her hand over her mouth, to prevent a scream maybe, with tears trickling down her cheeks.

Ron was the first to reply, "Well it looks like we just gotta make sure you get to Voldemort before he gets to you."

"Right," Hermione said while wiping her face. "Harry there's loads of people who would risk their lives to prevent you from being harmed. If you didn't know that I thought at least eleven of us proved it to you on Friday."

"I told you Harry, love and respect. I might even have to add admiration to that as well," spoke out Charity.

Hermione and Ron listened in with interest.

"Have you guys toured the castle at all?" asked Hermione.

Both of them shook their heads and grinned.

"Harry take this little lady around and come back after dinner," suggested Ron.

"Hermione would you like to help me start studding tonight, and the guys can hang out and BS?" asked Charity.

"Yes, that sounds like fun. Let's ask Madam Pomfrey if it's okay though," suggested Hermione.

"We'll see you guys later," Harry said while he and Charity waved and walked out the door. "The first stop has to be outside to meet Hagrid. Your first exam is Care of Magical Creatures right?" Harry asked and Charity nodded. "Hagrid is the teacher so you can see where your exam takes place." Harry finished.

After they left Hagrid's they walked to each one of her classes and Charity met her professors. They then walked to Gryffindor tower so she could check to see if her trunk had arrived yet.

Madam Pomfrey said Harry and Charity could stay until 9:00, so they would go there directly after dinner. Hermione told Charity where to find all her notes and books, because the two girls had all the same subjects.

Harry went up to the guys dormitory to get his wizards chess for Ron and him, and Charity headed for the girls' dorm to gather up a couple of subjects' notes and books of Hermione's, and she saw her trunk was there so she got her own stuff as well.

She decided if she was going to be revising tonight she might want to be more comfortable. So she exchanged her ¾ sleeved white dress shirt and black tank top for a royal blue Old Navy t-shirt, her pin stripped thigh high nylons and black skirt for gray fleece pants with a royal blue stripe down the side, and her docks for socks and Filas.

She packed her satchel with her and Hermione's Care of Magical Creatures and Charms info and headed down stairs to meet Harry for dinner.