Harry finished his lunch, and made his way to the ugly gargoyle, guarding the headmaster's office and living quarters. He announced the password and made his way to the old man's office. He opened the door when called to and sat down in the seat in front of Dumbledore.
Harry knew what he had to do, and started before the headmaster could get a word in. "I want to apologize how I acted the past few times I've been to visit you. I was completely out of line, and I understand if you decide to punish me."
Dumbledore only smiled, but the twinkle in his eye increased. This didn't go unnoticed by Harry. He sighed with relief. "I accept your apology, Harry. But it was not needed. I should not have sprung something so important and life changing on you as I did." Harry nodded. "But there are still a few things we need to discus." Harry nodded again. "And that is why I called you here." The next hour was spent figuring out details for Harry's upcoming trip, including when he would be leaving, and the exact date he will be arriving, and other things along that line. "I want to remind you that any questions you have while you are in the past, feel free to ask my former self." Harry nodded, bid Dumbledore farewell, and walked to the Gryfindor Common Room.
Upon sitting on the floor by his friends, he was bombarded by questions about the meeting he had just come from. "We were finalizing the plans for my trip," he started in a hushed voice. "I'll be leaving on Boxing Day and I won't be returning until after the term. I'll be teaching full time, and it'll be me and one of my dad's friends." He was talking in a type of code he was sure his friends would understand, but no one else would.
"Boxing Day!" Ron exclaimed a bit too loudly. The Common Room went quiet and most people were staring. "Sorry," Ron said sheepishly. He turned back to the private conversation, and people went back to their own. "But Boxing Day is only two weeks away!"
"I know," Harry started. "But did you really think Dumbledore would take me out of classes at a random time? This way it'll be less suspicious if I leave during the holiday." He tried to make his friends see it the logical way, but they continued to protest. Harry sighed loudly and it brought the attention of his friends back to him. "Think about it, guys," he tried again. "You all will be able to make a better excuse of my disappearance."
"Harry's right," Ginny said. The attention was turned to her now. "I mean, what would we say? He's really sick? Do you know how many people would try to go see him? It would never work."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Hermione relented. Ron still seemed a bit peeved, but agreed all the same. "It's not going to be the same around here anymore." Hermione sighed.
"Yeah, and when Voldemort" -the three shuddered- "attacks, he'll be furious when he finds I'm not here."
They were silent for a minute until Ginny asked an odd question in Ron and Hermione's opinion. "Why is he so intent on killing you? I mean why you, and not some one else? Not everything lines up, if you know what I mean."
"Yeah, I know." Harry was back to talking in hushed voices. "I know some things that I haven't told you guys about this, but I can't tell you here. We have forty-five minutes until curfew. Come on, I'll tell you in the Room of Requirements."
The four up and left together, not even getting a second look from the others in the room. It wasn't uncommon for these four to leave together anymore. They walked passed the wall, asking for anything they needed. Harry was sure to wish that they wouldn't be overheard.
They opened the door to find a virtually empty room, with nothing but some basic furniture. "Some one couldn't have wished for something a bit more comfortable?" Harry joked.
"And you couldn't have either?" Ron asked.
"Sorry," he started coldly. "I was a bit preoccupied with trying to make sure we were in no way overheard." Then he apologized for being so cold. This was not the time to be starting a row, especially because he would be leaving in two weeks time.
"Okay, what do you know, that we don't?" Ginny asked.
"Okay, you remember the prophecy that smashed in the Department of Mysteries last year?" They nodded. "Well, it wasn't really smashed. That was a copy of it. Dumbledore was the one that heard it originally. But it was also overheard by one of Voldemort's followers. But he left before he could hear the rest of it."
"Who said the prophecy?" Hermione interrupted.
"Trelwaney."
"Well, then pay no mind to it Harry." Ron joked. When he saw Harry wasn't smiling, let alone laughing, he added, "Come one, she's an old fraud. You know that."
"Yeah, usually she is, but she does predict prophecies occasionally." They still didn't seem to believe him. "I've seen her do it once. It was our third year, the day we saved Sirius. She predicted Peter would return." Hermione and Ron gasped, but Ginny remained silent. "Only she didn't know she did it. She had an odd voice and a far away look no her face. Then she just, I don't know, woke up.
"Well, anyway, Dumbledore showed me the prophecy from his pensive." He repeated it from memory and the tree paled.
"No..." Ginny gasped. She ran up to him and hugged him as tight as her mother would. She sobbed into his shoulder, and Hermione joined into the hug as well. While the two were crying on him, Ron sat silently, pale aced and shocked.
"I don't believe it..." he whispered. Harry broke away from their hugs, reluctantly on their part. He kneeled in front of his best mate ever, and started talking.
"I know it's hard to believe, and you don't want to believe it. I was the same way. But you have to." He paused, and then continued in a whisper. "Because I need you all." He was crashed into again by Hermione and Ginny. This time though, Ron joined in. "Thanks guys," he said, still whispering.
They walked back to the common room together, with three of them having a new thing to think about. On the way back, they questioned Harry why he didn't tell them before, but he just used needing more time as an excuse. "I have to tell you guys though. I told Remus over the summer."
"WHAT!" The three in front of him completely exploded. "Why the hell did you tell him this before us!" Ron continued.
"Because," he tried to reason. "I thought he would react better. And just for your information, he did."
They looked at the floor ashamed, and continued on their way. By the time they made it to their destination, it was nearly curfew, and they had run into Malfoy. He was conveniently standing outside the Gryfindor Common Room by the fat lady. "Well, now, who do we have here?" he drawled. Harry rolled his eyes, and then went to say the password. Before he even started though, he realized if he did, Malfoy would see the entrance and know the temporary password.
"Get the hell out of my sight, Malfoy. And make sure I never have to see your face around here again," he said in the nastiest voice he could muster. Malfoy's face seemed to flicker with fear momentarily but it disappeared as quickly as it had come.
"Don't think I'm always going to do as I say. I'm only leaving because Filch is around the corner, and it's curfew." He turned around and started walking away. He slowed, and turned back around. "And this definitely won't be the last of me or my father. You will fall..."
Harry kept a cool composure, but on the inside, he was repeating Malfoy's words over and over again. 'You will fall...'
They each said their good byes and left to their dormitories to grab their books, because Hermione was making them study. Harry readily agreed, seeing as he had NEWT's coming up, but Ron and Ginny were sitting playing another game of chess.
Monday morning came quickly, and now they all sat groggily in the Great Hall eating breakfast. For the sixth years, transfiguration was first, a class which Harry, Ron and Hermione had together. They took their usual seats in the middle of the room, waiting for the teacher to arrive. As usual, McGonagal was prompt, and arrived right as the second bell sounded.
"Take out a quill and parchment. We will be taking notes the first half of class, and be sure you understand this completely. It is difficult, and you will be performing it the second half." The class did as she said, and were ready within one minute. "Today we will be studying the duplicate spell." Harry smiled to himself, having already taught himself this one. He leaned back in his chair, not intent on taking notes. He started day dreaming, not even listening to the words coming out of the teacher's mouth. "Mr. Potter," Harry snapped out of his reverie having heard his name. "Do you care to tell the class what is so important to think about that you do not have to pay attention?"
Harry half wanted to say he was thinking about a way to defeat Voldemort. That would be something she wasn't expected, but he resisted the urge. "Nothing, professor." It was a lame excuse, but he was caught, and it was the first thing he thought of.
"Well if it was nothing," she continued. "Can you tell me how to do this charm?" She was her usual strict self, and never played favorites with anyone.
He smiled to himself and repeated everything he knew about the spell. The professor was shocked at the extensive amount of information given. "Ten points to Gryfindor. Now, can you show the class an example?" She was testing him, and he knew it. Lucky for him, he had mastered it in the Room of Requirements. He did as requested, and performed it perfectly. "Ten more points to Gryfindor. But, please, keep your attention focused."
"Yes, ma'am." And smiled. Malfoy was glaring at him fiercely, but he only focused on the teacher. The second half of the class, the students were spread out, and Harry was partnered with Pavarti. She was having a little trouble, so he helped her a bit. By the end of class she had it mastered nearly as good as himself.
"Maybe the DA should be for transfiguration as well as Defense Against the Dark Arts." Pavarti told him with a flirty smile. Harry gave a small smile back, embarrassed by the intended compliment.
The bell went off, signaling the end of class. He packed his things and left with his friends. "So, what's up with Pavarti?" Ron asked, nudging Harry in the side.
"Nothing. She was having trouble getting the charm down so I was helping her." He said it with finality in his tone, but it either wasn't noticed or his friends didn't care.
"No, Harry," Hermione added. "I think Ron's right. Look at her over there." The two were staring over at the girl, but Harry didn't look back. He didn't want any further embarrassment for himself or Pavarti.
"I told you, it's nothing. Now, please, let it drop." He begged his friends. They did as he asked, but not without a fight.
They made their way to Care of Magical Creatures together. Luckily for Harry, the girl that was being discussed previously wasn't in that class with them.
They learned some more about alphadals, which they had been learning about for the past week. They still had yet to meet one in that class though, which was surprising, considering the professor. Hagrid seemed to have toned his lessons down from the previous years, and that was fine to his classes.
The rest of the school day passed as normal, and ended with Harry alone in the Room of Requirements again, to practice what he'd already taught himself and learn a bit more.
Sorry about the long wait...I'm having major computer troubles...but I'm trying. Harry and Remus will be in the past in the next chapter...I promise!