Harry and Ginny walked hand in hand back toward the castle as other students who had been run inside by the storm began to filter back out onto the grounds. Harry noticed that Parvati was standing on the steps to the castle along with a group of girls acting very much like they were gossiping. What concerned Harry was that they seemed to be doing so while gesturing in his direction. As he got nearer to them he heard one of them say "but he does have his broom."

"Is there a reason why I shouldn't have my broom with me," Harry asked Parvati as he passed.

"I know that you think Professor Trelawney is a fraud, Harry," Parvati said, making Harry stop and turn to listen to what she had to say, "but I feel like I should tell you anyway."

"Not another death omen I hope," Harry said with a smile, his earlier depression forgotten.

"No," Parvati said. "It was really weird. We went up to see Professor Trelawney to ask her a question, and in the middle of answering it…"

"What?" Harry asked.

"Well," Parvati continued nervously, "her eyes seemed to roll back into her head a little and then she started speaking in a strange voice."

Seeming all too familiar, Harry said seriously, "Tell me what she said exactly."

"Well," Parvati said a little taken aback that Harry seemed anxious to hear what she said, "she said 'Though a heavy price he will pay, Harry Potter must have his broom, a life is in his hands this day'.

"You're sure that's exactly what she said?" Harry pressed.

"Yes," Pavarti said quickly, "yes, exactly that. Then she went on with the answer to our question as if nothing had happened.

"Thank you," Harry said to her. He turned to look at Ginny and said, "We had better change and then tell Dumbledore."

With that Harry and Ginny turned to go inside and began the climb that would take them first to their dormitories to change out of their wet clothes, and then to see Dumbledore about the prophecy.

Meanwhile Hermione was heading back to the common room after a trip to the library when, after reaching the next to last landing before she would reach the right floor in Gryffindor tower, a prickling sensation ran up her back that made her instinctively reach for her wand and begin a shield charm. As she turned to look down the passage behind her a green shaft of light jumped out and hit her in the middle of her chest. Her shield charm had come up in time to deflect a good portion of the spell, but enough of it got through to cause Hermione to lose consciousness and propel her backwards over the railing. There was nothing below but open space until the ground floor as she plummeted downwards.

Harry and Ginny had climbed about halfway up Gryffindor tower when they heard several screams above them. They looked up just in time to see Hermione fall past their level. Ginny screamed and Harry knew what he had to do.

Harry jumped over the railing and mounted his broom in one swift motion, willing all the speed he could get out of it as he raced to reach Hermione. The gap closed quickly, but so did their distance from the ground. He reached Hermione and held her tight to him, but his vast experience with it told him that this was one dive even he couldn't pull out of. So, making a quick decision, he pulled his broom up to a hover position even as his built up momentum carried him still downward. At the last moment, slowed but still carrying far too much speed, Harry twisted his body around so that he was effectively laying with his back on his broomstick and pulled Hermione on top of him. Seconds later they hit the ground with a great crash that echoed throughout the tower as the wood splintered, bones smashed, and blood began oozing out in sickening pools.

Screams rang out as a crowd of people rushed to encircle the gruesome scene. There was every possible reaction to what they saw. Some people cried, some fainted, and some became ill. Professor Flitwick pushed his way through the crowd, and upon seeing the situation immediately put his wand to his throat and said, "Medical emergency at the base of Gryffindor tower."

Immediately, a dozen house elves seemed to apparate to the spot, see the situation, place their hands on Harry and Hermione and then they all disappeared leaving only the pools of blood and the remnants of what was once Harry's broom.

Other teachers began to arrive on the scene and began to attend to those who had fainted and trying to calm and reassure those who were distraught. Everyone in the hall, even those sobbing uncontrollably, stopped what they were doing and looked to the stairs and prayed that someone would stop her before she saw it.

Ginny's pained voice rang out through the halls at the base of the tower as she screamed, "Harry!" over and over as she descended, her voice growing more desperate for an answer. Those nearest to her when she reached the bottom of the stairs stood shocked by the near mad look in her eyes, and did nothing to impede her progress toward the horrific center. Those toward the inside finally snapped to realize what was about to happen and tried to stand in her way, but she knocked through them with the ferocity of someone twice her size. She burst through to the center as she was falling and came face to face with the broken twisted remains of Harry's glasses. She raised her head just as Professor McGonagal reached her and wrapped her in her arms, but not before she saw the large pools of blood mixed with splinters of wood.

"HAAARRRRRYYYYY, NOOOOOO!" Ginny screamed just before she fell limp in McGonagal's arms.