September 1st dawned clear skies and the sun shining brightly. Harry found himself running up and down the stairs making sure he had everything, almost running over Crookshanks until Hermione finally had enough sense to put him away. Mrs. Black was screaming her usual tirade, which made communication almost impossible. The noise in the hall, however, was so great that her curtains could not be closed.
They all walked to King's Cross Station where Ginny went to talk to a few of her friends, promising that she would join them when it came time for the train to leave.
"It seems strange." Hermione said, as though continuing a conversation they had just had, " but has anyone else noticed that there have been no strange disappearances, or any killings even though Voldemort (Don't be pathetic Ron) is back in the open?"
Harry opened the door to an empty compartment, but did not answer her. He had been thinking the same thing. Why hadn't Voldemort made any attacks? The war had begun, but when would the first move be made?
"Wouldn't it be nice if someone just finished him off right now and then none of us would have to worry about it anymore?" Ron asked.
"Yes, that would be pleasant. I wonder who will finish him off in the end though." Hermione said.
The compartment door opened again and Ginny, Luna and Neville came in. Ginny sat next to Ron and Hermione while Luna sat in between Neville and Harry.
"Hey Neville." Hermione said, smiling.
"Hey Hermione, Ron, Harry." He replied, waving at each of them in turn. "Did you have a good summer?"
"It went well enough, Neville, thanks for asking." Ron said.
"How's your grandmother?" Hermione asked, politely.
"She's a bit nervous, actually. You-Know-Who being back, I mean. She believed he was back from the beginning, but now that he is out in the open, he's bound to attack soon. In fact, the fact that he hasn't done anything is what I think has her really nervous."
"I don't think it's a good thing that he hasn't done anything. It's like he's waiting for something." Ginny agreed.
"My father says that we shouldn't get worked up about something until it happens. That we should just wait for it to happen." Luna interjected.
Harry glared at her, anger welling up inside of him, the prophecy flashing in his head. "So your saying that we should sit idly by while people we love get killed and then let Voldemort just come right for us and kill us? No preparation and no warning? Just the Dark Mark hanging over your house?" Harry asked, exploding with anger.
"No, Harry." Luna started backing closer to Neville, slightly afraid of his rage. "I didn't mean it that way."
Harry wasn't through.
'What if you were the only chance for the entire world? Magical and non-Magical? Would you just sit by and wait for him to come and get you, or would you ready yourself for a fight?"
"Harry, mate, what on earth are you going on about?" Ron asked, looking a little scared.
"Nothing." Harry replied, now realizing what he had just said.
"You don't go on like that over 'nothing'. Harry, is there something you're not telling us?"
Harry looked around at them. They had been with him when he went into the Department of Mysteries. They deserved to know what had brought them there.
Harry got up and closed the door to the compartment, not looking at any of them. He took his seat again.
"Can I trust you to keep this to yourselves?"
"Harry," Ginny replied. "After everything each of us have been through with you, do you honestly have to ask that question?"
Harry smiled and shook his head, but he didn't continue.
"Oh, go on Harry." Ron encouraged. "We can tell it's eating you up inside."
Harry became solemn faced. "Dumbledore told me why Voldemort wanted to kill me. He also explained why Voldemort needed me to be in the Department of Mysteries, why he tricked me, and why it was son convenient that a bunch of Death Eaters showed up when we went."
"That glass orb was a copy of a prophecy. A real prophecy," he added at the look on Hermione's face. "The only people that can pick it up in the Department of Mysteries are the people that the prophecy pertain to.
"Well now, Voldemort couldn't just stroll in and take it, he was supposed to be dead, wasn't he? So he gave me that nightmare that got me to go to the Department of Mysteries and sent his Death Eaters to get it away from me."
They all sat looking at him expectantly, for he had stopped talking. When he didn't say anything Luna asked. "Do you know what the prophecy said?"
"Dumbledore showed me before school ended. It was from his memory, you see. Professor Trelawny was being interviewed for her job here, and before he left she told him the prophecy."
"It could have been codswallop, you know how she's always making things up." Hermione interjected scoffily.
"This was a true prophecy, though, like the one she told me in our third year."
"What did she say?" Ron asked.
" '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 neither can live while the other survives . . . The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies . . .'"
"The seventh month?" Luna asked.
"July 31st. My birthday." Harry said, his face bowed. He had retold the prophecy to the his face facing his lap so he wouldn't have to look any of them in the eye.
He looked up now, seeing the shocked and horrified that Ginny had, sitting across from him. Ron looked as though he were afraid Harry was going to drop dead any second. Hermione had covered her mouth with her hands, and was surveying Harry from over top of them, as though she were nervous, but still unsure what to believe.
Harry turned to look at Luna and Neville. Neville looked pale, and Harry vaguely remembered that Dumbledore had said that Neville shared his birthday. Luna, on the other hand, looked at Harry as though she were just wondering whether or not he was done.
Seeing he was finished, Luna took the first step in speaking.
"Well, you just need to be a little more careful, right?"
"More careful?" Ron asked, looking at Luna as though she were a mad-women. "He's the one that has to kill You-Know-Who or he's going to be killed by You-Know-Who!"
"Luna's right, Ron." Harry said, quietly. "No, I'm not going to spend the rest of my days looking over my shoulder, but I will prepare myself for it. I'm just not going to let it lord over my life."
" 'Born as the seventh month dies'? Is that when 'the one' is supposed to be born? July 31st?" Neville asked, his face still pale.
"That's right." Harry answered quietly.
"But . . . That's my birthday, too." Neville said, now shaking.
"I know, Dumbledore told me. But when Dumbledore heard the prophecy there was a Death Eater in the room. They missed the part about marking the one as his equal, and when he tried to kill me but couldn't that's what he was doing." Harry explained.
Neville nodded, but still looked nervous.
"We'd better get changed." Hermione said, finally. "We're almost there."
(A/N: Okay, so maybe I found this chapter too. But this is the last one completely typed I know. so enjoy, and i'll see you again when the other one is types up. this another blech chapter for me, but then, there you have it. you're going to get a few like that. enjoy and have fun!)