"The Prophecy Undone"
Chapter 7 - A Future Glimpse...
Harry and Ginny both gasped and glanced at each other incredulously when they saw him, but otherwise stood mute and rooted to the spot. "This is even weirder than when Hermione and I used the Time-Turner." thought Harry and felt all the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Older Harry looked to be in about his mid-twenties and was now taller and more muscular, but still with the trademark unruly hair that was now longer and quite edgy looking, giving him a slightly dangerous air - a bit like a young Sirius. Harry noticed that the longer hair seemed to cover the lightning bolt scar very effectively and made a mental note.
The figure of the older Harry seemed slightly insubstantial and hazy, but not translucent and silvery like a ghost; he was in colour, yet didn't seem quite solid. It was like looking at an old film image superimposed badly onto a new background. The shimmering light still danced and dazzled everywhere, changing things as it went. A huge portrait of Dumbledore now dominated the wall above the fireplace, smiling down benevolently at the room occasionally, but otherwise absorbed in reading an immense thick book.
Ginny whipped her head round to look at Harry behind her to make sure he was also seeing what she was seeing. One look at his face confirmed it. Harry was still standing open-mouthed looking stunned to see his future self stride casually into the room. The older Harry was oblivious to them both standing by the window and carried on purposefully striding across the room and seemingly calling out, although he made no sound. "Wow, Harry... This is so weird...", Ginny said. She sounded really spaced out. "You look really cool though…" she breathed quietly in an awestruck whisper. Her statement didn't seem to demand an answer, so Harry kept quiet, lost for words, but thrilled that she thought he looked cool, as he'd privately thought so too. He saw the older Harry wave at Dumbledore's portrait as he came in. Dumbledore waved back genially in greeting, then returned to his book.
The older Harry was wearing similar Auror's robes to the ones hanging up by the door. Although these looked plainer and didn't sport the Hippogriff crest on the back, but they still had the "S.A.S" logo - this time on the front - over the left breast in a discreet colour so that it didn't stand out too much. Harry also noticed that his older self seemed to be sporting more scars; namely a thick red rope-like weal that started just under his right ear and curved down over his throat, disappearing into the top of his shirt. He called out soundlessly again; neither he nor Ginny could make out what he was saying.
Harry watched his future self move casually around the room leaving a trail of mess in his wake; haphazardly dumping a bundle of what looked like newspapers and documents onto one of the small tables. The topmost item on the pile looked like an official Ministry report binder (he'd seen some like it in Mr Weasley's office when he'd gone to the Ministry for his hearing) but the Ministry crest was also curiously absent from it and it too showed the 'S.A.S' logo, like the robes. Older Harry was now removing his robes and tie and chucking them inconsequentially over the back of a chair before sinking down into one of the dragon skin couches and extricating a fluffy cushion from beneath him, tossing it absently onto the floor whilst kicking off his heavy boots and leaving them strewn on the hearth rug.
Harry had already realised that they would not be able to interact with his older self - the same as if he were viewing a memory through a Pensieve, although this was somehow different. A Pensieve would show a person's memory exactly as the event had occurred, but if what this room was showing was correct, then it seemed to be showing them future events. Harry hadn't yet come across anything in his magical education that could do that and it was fair to say that Professor Trelawney presented the art of discerning future events in such a dubious way that he'd given up on Divination almost from the outset. But this felt so different - reassuring somehow. It was as if the room had been storing the information, consciously lying in wait for them and was now just deliberately showing selected snapshots and odd snatches of events; little bits of the puzzle that were meant for them alone that he and Ginny would have to sort through and piece together for themselves. He still couldn't quite work out what the significance of this scene was though and wished he could hear what was going on. Older Harry was now looking up at Dumbledore's portrait from the couch and appeared to be in conversation with it.
Just then, a door over in a far corner opposite them opened and an older Ginny suddenly rushed out, flinging herself at Harry who'd jumped up off the couch to meet her effusive greeting. She was wearing nothing but a towel and looked like she'd just stepped from the bath; her long flaming hair clung to her back like a sleek wet curtain. She looked stunning and Harry couldn't take his eyes off her. She was most definitely all woman now. Older Harry grabbed her as she flung herself at him and lifted her off the ground, swinging her round on the rug in front of the fire before setting her down and wrapping her in a tight embrace, kissing her deeply, long and hard. They pulled apart slightly and beamed at each other, the older Harry pushing the wet strands of hair gently back from her eyes. Dumbledore had hastily and discreetly disappeared behind his huge book in the portrait.
Ginny had seemed to sway on the spot when she saw her older self come pelting into the room and Harry managed to catch her just before she crumpled, pulling her tight against him and steadying her. His heart had leapt when he'd seen their other selves together as adults and was eager now to see what happened next. He leaned right back into the deep windowsill and made himself comfortable, pulling Ginny with him and propping her next to him. He felt her sag against his side and pulled her close to comfort her, shushing her gently, but hardly taking his eyes off the scene in front of them. Ginny's face had turned white with shock and contrasted harshly with her flaming hair. Harry could understand how she must feel seeing this after recalling what the room had thrown at him so far today, but was too mesmerized by what he was seeing to give Ginny much attention.
He stroked her hair absently and turned his attention back to the older couple in front of them. They were still standing in front of the fire with their arms around each other, just talking and laughing, but looking extremely happy and radiantly in love. The older Harry was now grinning down at Ginny and messing about trying to dry her hair with a jet of hot air from the tip of his wand, which Ginny kept pushing playfully away whilst laughing all the while. Harry smiled to himself contentedly and acknowledged that he didn't need to hear what was being said any more to understand what he was seeing this time - just as the scene shimmered and began to morph once again.
This time the only light in the room was from the huge open fire and the older couple lay naked on the rug in front of it, entwined in each other's arms in the throes of passion. Dumbledore's portrait was empty. Ginny's long burnished hair was spread out all over the rug behind her like a corona; reflecting all the colours of the fire, making it seem as if her hair itself was aflame. The subtle fire lit glow perfectly highlighted the contrast of Ginny's heavenly curves against Harry's defined muscular perfection. Ginny's head was thrown back in ecstasy as Harry kissed the smooth porcelain skin of her neck that seemed to gleam like marble in the firelight. He was thrusting slowly and purposefully between her thighs. Harry reared up so that he could thrust harder and the rope-like scar they'd seen on his throat earlier was now vivid and raised in the firelight, like a serpent uncoiling from his behind his ear and snaking down his otherwise smooth taut chest to end near his navel. The older Ginny's hand reached up to caress Harry's back and pull him down onto her again… Neither of the voyeurs could miss the huge ruby and opal engagement ring sparkling with dazzling intensity on her hand in the dancing firelight; like it was made of molten fire, just like Ginny's hair...
The real Harry and Ginny both felt their breath quicken as they took in the mesmerizing scene being played out in front of them. They broke off staring at the lovers to gaze at each other - to try and make out what the other was thinking and feeling - wordlessly acknowledging what they were seeing. Neither of them could move; they felt as if they'd been stupefied and glued to the spot. The air between them felt thick and heavy with desire.
The room changed again and this time, although it was night again, the cabin was lit up with a vibrant glow that came from a huge chandelier above them. The front door of the cabin was flung open again and the older Harry burst in wearing handsome dress robes and a beaming smile, carrying a radiant Ginny who wore a stunning wedding dress. As the older Harry carried Ginny over the threshold of the cabin, all the while kissing her and laughing, Harry noticed the gleam of a gold wedding band on his left hand. Dumbledore beamed down at the scene from his portrait over the fire. Harry's heart skipped a beat when he realised that next to Dumbledore - Sirius now stood also; grinning down at his older self and Ginny with hearty approval and exchanging proud and happy looks with Dumbledore. A feeling of utter joy came over Harry at seeing Sirius again. Harry tore his eyes from Sirius and watched his future self carry Ginny across the cabin through to the bedroom, depositing her gently like a priceless treasure onto the huge welcoming four-poster bed and leaning down to kiss her. The bedroom door swung shut behind them...
The scene changed again to now show Harry and Ginny standing together looking blissful and gazing out of another window a little further down the cabin, both of them seemingly lost in thought. Harry stood behind his wife with his arms wrapped around her waist, the gold wedding band on his finger glinting in the sunlight coming in from the window. Ginny turned slightly and looked up at him adoringly, reaching up with one hand to cup his face and kiss him, the older Harry leaning down to meet her kiss and cradling her closely from behind - lovingly caressing his wife's now obviously swollen belly...
The images were coming thick and fast now, some of them overlapping. Image after image of their lives was playing out before them blurrily, like a film being speeded up. The room seemed to be reaching the climax of the message that it had been trying to convey and just seemed to be waiting for them to grasp the point before finally releasing them.
They saw a fleeting glimpse of themselves sat in front of the fire, a small auburn haired child sitting on the floor between them, staring up with a rapt expression on its face as Harry made several coloured balls spin in mid-air just above the baby's head. Ginny was looking on and smiling. The baby was giggling madly and trying to swipe clumsily at the balls that remained just out of reach of its pudgy little arms. Sirius waved down from the portrait trying to attract the baby's attention whilst Dumbledore beamed serenely down at them all...
Now it was Christmas and the room looked magical with spectacular decorations sparkling everywhere you looked. The older Harry and Ginny crossed the room together (the baby in Ginny's arms) to open the door and greet the visitors who were just arriving. Hagrid lumbered into the cabin, an old and arthritic looking Fang the Boarhound ambling behind at his heels. Hagrid, his hair and beard now flecked with wiry tufts of grey, ruffled the baby's head gently with his spade-like hand and twinkled down at him. Hagrid carried a huge Christmas tree under his arm that looked like he'd just uprooted it from outside the cabin and proceeded to drag it into the room and plonk it down in a far corner. Now that Hagrid had moved away from the doorway, Harry and Ginny could see their older selves greeting the succession of other visitors who now trooped through the door.
Mr & Mrs Weasley were first - looking older, but healthier and more content than Harry had seen them look in years - rushing in out of the cold, they enveloped Ginny, Harry and the baby in stifling hugs; Mrs Weasley's face shining with happiness as she took the baby from Ginny and wandered off into the cabin cooing to it in delight. Mr Weasley following carefully behind, balancing a huge stack of brightly coloured presents in the air in front of him on the end of his wand.
Ron and Hermione followed next, looking happy, but slightly flustered as they each had a tight hold on two small wriggling flame-haired girls with bushy looking plaits who were so identical they looked like book-ends. The little twins were jumping up and down with excitement at the sight of Harry and Ginny and were desperately trying to free themselves from their parents' firm grip. The little girls both hugged Harry and Ginny eagerly and then raced into the cabin and caught up with Mrs. Weasley and the baby, running rings round their Grandmother's legs like a pair of excited little terriers, trying to reach up and fuss the baby. Ron and Hermione rolled their eyes, but beamed indulgently over at their children as they both greeted Harry and Ginny warmly before wandering in to make themselves at home.
Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks were last through the door and Harry watched his older self greet Lupin enthusiastically with a hearty hug and slap on the back. Tonks shrugged off her "S.A.S" Auror's cloak and handed it to Ginny who hung it up quickly, before leading Tonks off into the cabin and catching up with Hermione; the young women all whispering and giggling to each other conspiratorially and clearly very happy to see one another again. Harry didn't think he'd ever seen Lupin looking so well. He too looked older, but well cared for and immaculately groomed; the previously thin and haggard expression gone from his face. He was also wearing the handsome dark 'S.A.S.' Auror's robes which, coupled with his greying hair, lent him a very distinguished and assured air.
The scene continued to show the men all sitting around the fire with drinks, deep in serious conversation. The young women were over in the far corner, now joking and gossiping and collectively decorating the enormous Christmas tree that Hagrid had brought; conjuring spectacular decorations from thin air with their wands and settling them artfully all over the tree until it sparkled and dazzled magnificently. Mrs Weasley was over in the kitchen fussing expertly over an impressive succession of pots, pans and dishes that floated constantly around her in a flurry of activity.
The twins played happily with the baby on the rug by the fire, next to the ancient and now toothless Fang who'd sprawled himself out contentedly and was fast asleep with his gummy chops resting on Hagrid's boots, drooling copiously all over them.
The men all seemed to be deep in discussion about something important and had earnest and eager expressions on their faces. Dumbledore's portrait looked as if it were also in on the proceedings and seemed to be chairing the gathering, Sirius was standing by Dumbledore's side in the portrait and actively joining-in the discussions. The group were handing round and discussing several newspapers that had incredible headlines emblazoned on them - Harry and Ginny could clearly see what they said all the way over from where they still sat on the chilly window ledge and were astounded by what they proclaimed:-
"ELITE AUROR GROUP BREAK-AWAY FROM MINISTRY - NEW 'S.A.S.' FACTION LED BY POTTER!"
Another hailed:-
"POTTER'S "S.A.S" REMAIN DEFIANT – MINISTRY POWERLESS TO OPPOSE THEM AS PUBLIC OFFERS OVERWHELMING SUPPORT."
Another proclaimed the following:-
" 'SPECIAL AUROR STRIKEFORCE' STAGE RAID ON DEATH-EATER HIDEOUT!"
"76 MORE NOW HELD IN AZKABAN UNDER STRICT NEW SECURITY MEASURES"
Yet another boasted:-
" 'S.A.S' GAINING GROUND - COULD VOLDEMORT'S POWER FINALLY BE ON THE WANE?"
And so it continued in the same vein...
" 'S.A.S.' MEMBERSHIP GROWS DRAMATICALLY - 'S.A.S' NOW OUTNUMBERS KNOWN DEATH-EATERS"
" 'S.A.S.' POLICE THE STREETS IN THESE DARK TIMES"
Harry and Ginny still sat wordlessly on the windowsill together, unaware and uncaring as to how much time had actually passed. Ginny was leaning against Harry contentedly, her breathing now slow and quiet like his. He knew without having to say anything that she'd understood exactly what the room had been showing them - as he now did.
He finally understood what Dumbledore had been telling him all along about why love was such important magic and that he'd do well to embrace it, not underestimate it the way Voldemort always had. He'd been shown this place so that he could see how his life had had been overflowing with love at the beginning - in this very place. He'd been shown so that he'd finally grasp how and why love had saved him as a baby and kept him safe over the years (even if he'd felt like it had been a stranger to him for most of his life, until lately). He understood now what Dumbledore had been saying about the Prophecy and to not set too much store by it - it could only influence his future if he chose to follow it. Harry realized now that his future would be assured if he embraced love - and the cabin was the key; it had held love from the beginning and it would hold love again when he returned to it to make it his own.
He could lead a normal, happy life with the woman he loved and raise his family in a safe and loving environment, as long as he found the cabin and made it his. He guessed that he'd probably have to start at Godric's Hollow and work from there to try and trace it, but he felt a warm glow inside because he knew for certain now that the cabin existed, that it was his by right and that he would one day soon find it. He now felt its inexorable pull and he knew fate would eventually lead him there. Now he just had to begin the journey…
Harry sat contented, letting his thoughts drift, basking in the knowledge that come what may, he would have a future as long as he found this place - Prophecy or no Prophecy. He realised that love had led him here – without declaring his love for Ginny to the Room of Requirement when he'd tried to enter, it wouldn't have admitted him – he'd passed the test that proved he was capable of love. He fleetingly wondered if perhaps Dumbledore had set the test and placed all this here under enchantment as a lesson, then just waited for the day when Harry would inevitably stumble across it and set the whole thing into motion...
The Room of Requirement had fulfilled its purpose admirably and given Harry exactly what he'd needed - and more than he'd ever imagined. He'd naively begun this adventure by seeking a place where he and Ginny could steal a few passionate hours together; a welcome respite from the weight of the impending fulfilment of the Prophecy and the fact that he'd have to eventually face Voldemort in the ultimate showdown - why shouldn't he and Ginny seek solace in each other's arms with that hanging over them? "After all, we could all be dead tomorrow" he'd thought fervently at the time, but he now realised that their prior urgency for consummation was no longer important. It could wait; they now had all the time in the world...
He regretfully acknowledged to himself that at some point soon, he and Ginny might have to suspend their growing relationship temporarily until he could work out how and when the inevitable fight with Voldemort might come – he didn't want her to be in mortal danger again because of their involvement. However, none of that mattered now that he'd seen what could be between them in the future. Ginny would understand. They had time - it didn't have to be now.
He glanced over at the corner where they'd originally entered the room (so long ago now it seemed) and casually noted that the exit had reappeared. He was in no hurry though, he wanted to stay and drink it all in with his eyes and let its memory keep him strong in times ahead. He brought his gaze back into the room and snuggled closer to Ginny on the deep windowsill, both of them content to watch stream after stream of images that continued to show their lives... their future... and how it was now assured. He now knew that he had one. It was enough...
The End
Story by Hungarian Horntail - England, July 2005
Disclaimer: Concept of "Harry Potter", the "Pottyverse" and all characters - owned by J.K. Rowling. Song Lyrics by Coldplay.
None of it's mine - I don't claim to own any of it, so don't sue! - Hungarian Horntail.