Voldemort, the Dark Lord and the most feared man in the wizard world, was sprawled on the ground in front of the tiny shack, his robes smoking and his skin slightly charred. He made a noise that was more like a growl, and struggled into a sitting position, glaring at the wall he'd just concentrated his attack on – a wall that showed no sign of the explosion that had just knocked him flat onto his back. With his wand still in his hand, Voldemort started to get to his feet, just as a form emerged from behind an area of brush and rushed over.

"My Lord! Are you injured?"

Voldemort scowled, looking at Snape.

"Where are the others?"

Snape faltered.

"I didn't bring them, my lord. You-"

"What?"

"You didn't tell me you wanted the others… I didn't bring them with me."

"Where is Dumbledore?"

"He and the others are coming, but I placed a vaporium potion in their path."

"That won't stop Dumbledore."

"Professor Dumbledore will not risk the Muggles traveling with him, my lord," Snape said, certainly. "He doesn't know the fog in their way is a result of the potion – they merely believe it to be a creature or entity they have never seen."

Voldemort's expression lost some of its annoyance at this explanation.

"And the boy?"

"We left him at his house," Snape said, smoothly. "He'll be here any time, I'm sure. Potter has a talent for disobeying those who are responsible for his safety."

The Dark Lord smiled, both at the fact that Potter would show, and because Snape disliked the boy so intently.

"Excellent."

Snape looked around.

"Where is Colonel O'Neill, my lord?"

Now the smile faded instantly.

"Inside the shack."

"What?"

"He's inside the shack, Severus. And there are protections on the building that are apparently designed to keep some people out and let others in. Jack went right in and the wall closed up tight behind him."

"You couldn't follow?"

"Would I be out here if I could?" Voldemort snapped, losing his temper once more in the face of his frustrations.

Snape backed away a step.

"Forgive me, my lord…"

"Just help me figure out how to beat this thing," Voldemort said, not in the mood for any apologies. He only had so much time before the Order arrived, and since Snape hadn't brought the back up he was supposed to have brought, they needed to get in and get their information as quickly as possible and then set their plan in motion.

"Yes, my lord."

Snape pulled his wand out of his robes as well, pointing it towards the little shack.

OOOOOOOO

"What was that?" Jack asked, looking up at the spheres on the shelves, expecting them to all come tumbling down on him when the shuddering of the room seemed to intensify for just a moment before dying down and leaving the room still once more.

The Dark One is trying to gain access to this dwelling.

"Can he?"

I don't believe so. But you must hurry, Colonel O'Neill. Activate the prophecy.

Jack looked at the gently glowing sphere in his hand, perplexed.

Just concentrate on what it has to tell you. You don't have to be a wizard to make it work.

Good thing, Jack thought to himself, grumpily. He stared at the thing in his hand and tried to concentrate on what it had to say. And almost dropped it when the thing suddenly flared to life with a bright flash of light. Suddenly in the palm of his hand was the image of a woman. The same woman he'd seen in Voldemort's hideout. The one from the prophecy he'd been shown.

She turned in his hand, as if she knew he was watching – although there was no way she could, Jack decided. She wasn't really there, after all. And then she spoke, her voice clear and firm in the silence of the room around him.

"Lo! The brother of the Dark One is the key to his downfall. Yet, he can also be his salvation as well. The choice is his to make, for no man can force another to his destiny. Guard yourself well, brother of the Dark One, for it will fall to you to eventually be the guardian of the Child should those around him fail."

As Jack watched, waiting to hear the rest of it, the figure faded and the sphere stopped glowing.

"Where's the rest of it?" he asked, looking up – even though there wasn't anyone in the room to actually look at.

That is the entire message.

"What?"

Once the Seeress fades, the prophecy is finished. You can start it again simply by concentrating on it once more.

"But it didn't say anything."

Of course it did.

"You mean I was kidnapped and beat up and dragged off into the middle of God only knows where – not to mention riding a horse that had the boniest back my rear end has had the sorry pleasure of sitting on – just to hear a lot of babbling?"

Jack was frustrated, and couldn't help but be angry. This had to be some kind of practical joke – and no one was letting him in on the punch line.

Before there was an answer, there was another loud detonation. The far side of the room exploded inward, the force of the blast knocking Jack back, and slamming him to the floor. The sphere in his hand was jarred loose, rolling across the small area between where Jack had been standing and the wall that held the other prophesies, and shattered with a burst of light.

Although he was stunned, it wasn't the first time Jack had ever been thrown to the ground by a sudden explosion, and he rolled over onto his stomach, looking back at the ruined sphere and then at the hole that was now in the side of the wall. Standing there, with wands in their hands, were Voldemort and Snape, both covered with dust and panting from the exertion from the combined spell that had taken out the side of the dwelling.