Chapter 19 A Prophecy and a Task
Standing in front of the secret entrance to Professor Dumbledore's office Harry, Ron and Hermione began to sweat. It wasn't often that a student immediately needed to come up to his office, unless something of the very abnormal had occurred.
But what could they have done this time?
Professor McGonagall followed them to the great oak door, but she didn't go inside.
"Aren't you coming Professor?" Hermione asked.
"No, I'm afraid I'm not allowed in today. Professor Dumbledore strictly commanded that only you, no one else would enter. Good luck dears!"
The last good luck didn't sound comforting, and that started to wonder if they might had caused enough problems to get themselves expelled. Ron was thinking that maybe Professor Dumbledore had been captured by Death Eaters, or maybe he was under the Imperious Curse.
In the headmasters office they all seated down at three chairs by the desk. Dumbledore sat on his chair opposite them, writing a letter to the Minister.
Nothing happened.
"Hem, hem" Hermione said trying to get the Headmasters attention.
Dumbledore looked up and smiled, he put down his quill, surveying the letter carefully before turning to them.
"Good, I see that you received my message. I'm sorry, but something has happened and I need you three to do me a favour."
"What, Professor" Harry asked.
"Petunia, do you might come over here?" he said to a shadowy figure in the shadow. They hadn't noticed her in the dark.
"Aunt Petunia" Harry gasped, not believing his eyes. He wondered if this was perhaps some kind of a trick, yet maybe it wasn't. His aunt didn't seem like her usual self, probably because she was standing in the realm of her greatest fears.
"Hello Harry" she said not looking at him. She was wearing her usual boring cloths, but also a black cloak, which didn't seem to fit in on her natural self. "I guess you didn't expect to see me here."
"What are you doing here?!" Harry asked.
"Your aunt was found fleeing from her home. Lupin found her on his watch, carrying this." Dumbledore answered. He held a small silver box. His aunt watched it suspiciously.
"Any idea what this is, do any of you know?"
They all shook their heads. Even Hermione, Miss Clever, I-Know-Everything- Except-How-To-Stay-Up-On-A-Broomstick had no idea what it could possibly be, but she was dying to find out.
Dumbledore smiled, and looked up above their heads to the door. "Professor Moon, please stop eavesdropping by my door and please go find Miss Ridgeback immediately."
The young Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was quite surprised, but hurried off searching for the young student. She soon arrived back, holding Cassandra by her shoulder, dragging her.
"I can't see the hurry, I can walk on my own very much, thank you. Oh, for god's sake, just let me go."
"I have her Professor, but she didn't really want to come." Professor Moon explained.
"How come Miss Ridgeback." Professor Dumbledore asked gently.
"I was feeding Eador, one of the house elves got me a big steak, yet my little bird can't manage to eat such big meat on his own. He's not trained for it. It's your fault if he dies."
"Why don't you summon him then, I'm sure the others won't mind and as for the meat..."
Professor Dumbledore waved his wand and a large steaming steak appeared.
"Thanks Professor" she said. She went to the window and made an odd shriek, sounding very much like a birds call."
Hermione looked curiously at her when she heard the strange sound, but she didn't say anything.
A similar shriek appeared and the great eagle soared inside, flying to Cassandra's out-stretched arm.
"Wicked, how did you do that?" Ron asked.
"My family's been training eagles ever since the beginning of the first century." Cassandra snapped, taking out a small knife from her pocket and started to slice small pieces of the meet which Eador gulped down hungrily.
"Impressive indeed, yet it wasn't thereby I called you here Miss Ridgeback. The only reason I had for disturbing your time was that you are one of very few persons that know the words from the Prophecy that was made at the time of the Founders. Could you please retell it in the words old Agatha Ridgeback spoke for you."
"Very well the, Professor Dumbledore, I shall, yet I don't remember everything."
She wondered 'was this what her grandmother had meant by 'Don't forget the Prophecy.'
The Prophecy
Smoke will rise from hidden treasures
Ashes will burn in golden red flames
Dust will blow to a thousand places
Heirs of old, come back again
----------
Life and death will battle greatly
Dark and light will meet their fates
The anemone will fight courageous
His enemy, stand in the way
----------
Long foreseen by noble seers
The lightning strikes the fate of all
The hearts of five, a power greatly
Shall beat as long light won't prevail
----------
Fire burns for courageous lions
Wind will blow in eagles wings
Earth will bend to loyal seer
Water fly from sorceress hand
----------
Eagles sees the dark horizon
Badgers looms in the night
Lions roar in the desert
The snake will bite its own tail
----------
This is what we saw from heaven
Listen to the words of old
The things that's gone will rise again
Terrible, deadly, obeying, pain
Silence...
Professor Dumbledore was the first one to break the silence. The words from the Prophecy still rang in their minds, and in the room.
"Thank you Miss Ridgeback, you may go now."
Cassandra petted Eadors beak one final time, before the great eagle flew off, and she hurried from the room.
-Harry's thoughts-
...
...
Never in my life I've heard anything like that. Who is she really, she can't be normal. Maybe she's the reason that a school was attacked. She went to that school, maybe...
...
...
Wonder what the Prophecy meant... Eagle, Lion, Snake, Badger, hey wait a minute. They're the same animals that stand for the different houses. Eagle for Ravenclaw, Lion for Gryffindor, Serpent for Slytherin and Badger for Hufflepuff. But, I can't seem to get the connection here. Do they mean us to join forces with the Slytherins? Ew, I'd rather eat Pixie droppings.
-Ron's thoughts-
Wicked, awesome, cool... but what did it mean...
-Hermione's thoughts-
Hmmmmm...
Hmmmmm...
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... ...
...
...
...
O, come on, this is nothing compared to real hard logical tests. Let's take it from the beginning.
...
Smoke will rise from hidden treasures... must mean something old and forgotten of great value...
Ashes will burn in golden red flames... Could be any kind of magical fire, phoenix fire, dragon's fire...
Dust will blow to a thousand places... something is going to spread, probably very fast...
Heirs of old, come back again... so, the heirs of the greatest wizard and witches were going to reunite, sounds impossible, and yet... Hope I'll meet them...
Life and death will battle greatly... must mean the great battle of our time will draw near...
Dark and light will meet their fates... probably that even the greatest seers can't foretell the end...
The anemone will fight courageous... ???, well it's a flower, but...
His enemy, stand in the way... probably that Voldemort and this, anemone will be the ones who decide the future...
Long foreseen by noble seers... which means that Cassandra grandmother, I presume wasn't the only one seeing this...
The lightning strikes the fate of all... something abrupt may happen... oh dear...
The hearts of five, a power greatly... meaning the power of the heirs...
Shall beat as long light won't prevail... probably, they can fight as long as we don't give up...
Fire burns for courageous lions... an ambition will burn...
Wind will blow in eagles wings... something will help them...
Earth will bend to loyal seer... sounds like there will be others to help…
Water fly from sorceress hand... someone... a talented and strong witch, will come to their aid...
Eagles sees the dark horizon... the eagles, whoever they are will see the end of it...
Badgers looms in the night... the badgers will grow stronger, whatever badgers they mean...
Lions roar in the desert... Probably means that the lions will attack, against the overpowered enemy...
The snake will bite its own tail... this will happen again...
This is what we saw from heaven... foreseen in better times...
Listen to the words of old... oh really...
The thing that's gone will rise again... probably meaning Voldemort's return over a year ago...
Terrible, deadly, obeying, pain... the Avada Kedavra curse, the Imperious curse and the Cruciatus curse... so simple...
Honestly, why do people come up with these things.
Silence...
"A very fine tale, sir." aunt Petunia said interrupting all thoughts. "Yet it doesn't explain my questions."
"Soon enough all questions may be answered, now tell us your story Petunia. Why are you really here?"
"Well it began several weeks ago after that Harry left..."
And so, she told them about the dinner, the hidden chamber and the silver box. She didn't say everything like her great wish to become a witch. When she finished her story all the teenagers looked stunned. Hermione was the first one to speak.
"Ehm, Mrs Dursley... If you knew about that hidden chamber before, why didn't you tell anything about it to Harry."
Petunia looked suspicious at her before answering.
"I didn't pick him up because of love, silly girl. When Harry arrived at the house I of course already knew about the hidden chamber, yet I didn't visit it. I have hated magic a long time, ever since Lily first received her stupid letter."
"Then why did you?"
"One reason is because the time before Lily knew she was a witch we were the best of friends, but after, after she began training magic. After meeting that Potter she had changed. I thought I hated her, but the news of her death startled me and so, as a last sister thing I decided to take care of you. I've never really hated you Harry, but I couldn't show my emotions in front of Vernon."
"But now?!" Ron said.
"I thought I had hidden that bloody thing well, yet Vernon found it and demanded to let him know what it was. He opened it, believing he could control the magic within, but he was wrong, so wrong. I took the box and fled, now I'm leaving it here."
She put a tiny silver box on Professor Dumbledore's desk.
"No Petunia, I'm afraid no one can take it" the old Headmaster said.
"What!!!!"
"This is an old enchantment that I'm afraid no one can touch at all, you see, when magical enchantments are trusted to someone it remains there until the last days. I'll get Remus to let you sleep at his house, the same man that took you here.
"But..."
"I'm saying no more, Minerva will escort you to the gates were a carriage will be waiting."
His aunt left, looking sour, yet frightened.
"Now, Harry, Ron and Hermione, I must ask you to do me a favour."
"What?" They chorused.
"I would like you to be a bit more watchful over the students. I've already asked the teachers, and I believe I can trust you in this important matter. As you have heard the Prophecy, we need to find the heirs of the four founders, as resources can tell us they are all at this school. We also have to find this fifth heir. If you see anything of the abnormal, please report to me immediately. Understand?!"
"Of course, Professor Dumbledore. We'll track them down."
"Good luck to you!"
TBC
Notes:
Hi, sorry for the exclusive long delay, but I've been very preoccupied. I'm listing only a few of the reasons here.
1, University studies.
2, Redoing exams, failed again.
3, Christmas cards (sounds stupid, I know, but I made all cards this year, and my mother wanted 30, as well that I needed 20, so that's 50 cards which I've been working on since September.)
4, Preparing for China (going to study abroad next year)
5, and various annoying things that came along around the way.