Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I can't believe I'm up to 448! I 3 you all! But anywho, here's chapter 29.

The Prophecy

"What about Hayden?"

"No. Michael?"

"No," replied Lily tonelessly as she rubbed her large belly. It seemed like she and James had been lying on their couch for hours trying to think of baby names. "Mark?"

James thought about it before his shook his head and said, "No."

Lily grabbed a book full of names and opened it at random, scanning for a name she liked, "Owen?"

"No,"

Frustrated, Lily threw the book at James, but, thanks to years of Quidditch training, caught it. Smiling slightly, he too scanned the book. "What about William?"

"I like William,"

"Finally, we've got something!" he exclaimed.

Lily laughed as she took the book back and opened it to the 'H' section. "What about Harry?"

"Harry Potter," James said, "It does have a certain ring to it,"

"And you like it more than William?"

"Definitely. But what about a middle name?"

"Well," Lily said slowly, "I was thinking James...Harry James Potter,"

"Sounds good," James smiled as he leaned to kiss her.

"James?" someone called from their fireplace. They both turned to see Sirius's head floating in the fire.

"What's up?" James responded.

"There's a Death Eater attack, and Moody's calling all hands on deck,"

James nodded and walked over to the fireplace. "I'll see you in a minute,"

Sirius's head nodded before it vanished.

"I thought you had the day off," Lily said.

"So did I," James said bitterly.

After a few attempts to get off of the couch – her belly was very large by now – Lily wrapped her arms around her husband.

"Be careful," she whispered.

"I promise," he said as he kissed her. "I love you,"

"I love you, too," Lily slowly stepped away before James threw a hand full of Floo Powder into the fireplace and vanished in its flames.

Lily stared into the now empty fireplace and sighed. She knew James had to go, but that did not make it any easier. She made her way into the kitchen and opened the freezer. Cookie dough or rocky road?, that was the question of the day. She grabbed the cookie dough ice cream when she heard a loud crack that could only mean that someone had just Apparated into her home.

"Lily?" a familiar voice called.

"I'm in the kitchen, Alice."

Alice walked – well, more like waddled – into the kitchen and said, "So I take it James got called in as well?"

Lily nodded glumly. "Frank too?"

"Yeah,"

"Well, I was going to spend the rest of the evening pigging out on ice cream," Lily gestured to her tub of ice cream, "You wanna join me?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Alice smiled. She conjured to spoons, gave one to Lily, and they both sat down at the table. "So how are you doing with the nursery?"

"We've got most of it done...all we need is a crib. My mum has been saying from the beginning that she wants to buy the crib, so we're going to go shopping soon, but she's been busy lately." Alice could hear the bitterness in Lily's voice as she ended.

"With?" Alice prompted her friend.

Lily sighed heavily and said, "Petunia had her baby last week,"

"I'm not sure if I want to know, but what did she have?"

"A boy, nine pounds, eight ounces."

"Ouch,"

Lily laughed as she took another bite of ice cream. "But the best part is what my darling sister and genius husband named their son,"

"Oh, this'll be good,"

Lily smiled at her best friend, "Dudley. Dudley Dursley."

They locked eyes for a moment before they both started laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes.

"So I guess that means Luke or Leila Longbottom and Preston Potter are out of the question." But Alice's comment only made the expecting mothers laugh even harder.

Suddenly, Frank, James, and Sirius appeared in the kitchen.

"Alight!" Sirius exclaimed as he conjured a spoon and dug into Lily's stash of ice cream.

James laughed and said, "Are you three gonna go to the Order meeting or sit here and eat all night?"

"Do you want to know what I'm going to do or what I want to do?" Lily replied as she took another bite of ice cream. "So is that why you guys are home so soon? Moody wanted you to go to the meeting?"

"Yeah," said Frank.

"Aren't we going to the Hog's Head?" asked Sirius.

"Yeah, Dumbledore has an interview or something right after the meeting." said Lily.

000

After the meeting, Dumbledore had the Order members either Disapparate or Floo out from the pub from the basement, where the meeting took place. He had decided that it would be safer this way, rather than they leave through the bar; after all, his brothers inn didn't always attract the most upstanding patrons.

Once all of the Order members had left, he followed his brother, Aberforth, into the bar.

"Headed back to the school, Albus?"

"No, I must go to one of your rooms to conduct an interview for the Divination post. What room is Sibyll Trelawney staying in?"

"Room twelve. I thought you were going to get rid of the subject all together?"

"I still may," Albus replied. He nodded at his brother and went upstairs.

From across the crowded bar, a man in his early twenties with a long, greasy curtain of hair, saw them leave and, moments later, followed him...

000

A mere twenty minutes into the interview, Albus Dumbledore was more sure than ever that it would be of no harm to anyone to eliminate the subject of Divination all together. Sibyll Trelawney had no apparent skill in the field.

"Very well, Sibyll, very well," he said in a wary voice. "I will sent you an owl in a few..." but he never finished his sentence. Sibyll looked as though she were about to faint; her face paled, her eyes were unfocused and her mouth was sagging. Suddenly, her eyes began to roll. Dumbledore had reached for his wand when she began to speak in a harsh voice, very unlike her own.

"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 either must die at the hand of the other for 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..."

Dumbledore was so engrossed by what Trelawney was saying, that it was only when she stopped when he heard a commotion coming from outside the door. Trelawney was blinking her eyes – she seemed completely unaware of what she had just said. But before either one of them could speak, the door opened to reveal his brother, holding the upper arm of Severus Snape.

"I found him," Aberforth said in a dangerous voice, "listening outside," while Snape was saying something about coming up the wrong staircase as he tried to free himself from Aberforth's grip. Finally, he did, and Snape Disapparated on the spot.

Albus raised a hand at his brother and said, "It is alright,"

Aberforth shrugged and closed the door. Albus turned back to Trelawney, who looked stunned at the sudden interruption. "Well, Ms. Trelawney, I would like to be the first to congratulate you on being hired as the new Divination professor. You may move into the castle as soon as you like."

000

Later that night, Albus Dumbledore paced his office, mentally reliving the evening's events. A prophecy...he had heard a prophecy that could forever change the wizarding world. Born as the seventh month dies...any number of boys could be born at the end of July...born to those who have thrice defied him...he only knew of two sets of expecting parents that had escaped Voldemort three times – Frank and Alice Longbottom and James and Lily Potter. He knew that Alice was due towards the end of July, but they did not know the sex of their child. James and Lily on the other hand, were expecting a boy, but Lily was not due until early August. But only time would tell if Lily would go into labor early or if Frank and Alice had a boy...for their sakes, he hoped not.

And then there was the matter of Severus. He had had a suspicion that Severus was a Death Eater for sometime, but now that he had been caught eavesdropping, Dumbledore knew it must be true. Severus would surely tell Voldemort what he had over heard. This was what disturbed Dumbledore the most – the prophecy would no meaning if Voldemort would not act upon it, but now that Severus would tell him, Voldemort was sure to act.

But for now, all he could do was wait...wait for a boy to be born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...