Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Prophecy

"He's stirring, Sirius."

Sirius moved beside his godson's bedside, watching as Harry slowly woke. He picked up Harry's glasses and gently pressed them into Harry's hand. Tired and yawning, Harry placed them on his face, blinking rapidly as he tried to get used to the bright light of the hospital wing. Sirius gently ruffled Harry's hair.

"Stop it."

"Just like your father you are. He hated that too," answered Sirius, sitting down on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been unconscious for ages," Harry replied, and then he stiffened as Sirius saw his godson remember the events of two days ago. "He's back, isn't he?"

Sirius nodded sadly. "He is. But you are safe from him and that is all that matters."

"How long have I been out?"

"Two days." Sirius added, "I was worried about you. The shock of everything was enough for you to exhaust yourself completely."

Harry nodded, shifting himself to a more comfortable spot on the bed. "Is Cedric okay?"

Sirius nodded. "He is. He's safe and sound. He was only stunned."

Harry blew a sigh of relief. "I thought that maybe after I'd been knocked unconscious that something might have happened to him."

"No, nothing did," Sirius replied. "Professor Dumbledore would like to speak to you today at three."

"Why?"

He could see the green eyes light up with curiosity. "You need to discuss what happened at the graveyard and how we are going to protect you for the summer." Before Harry could reply, Sirius continued, knowing that it was important Harry understood this. "Dumbledore needs to know what happened in the graveyard. There is also important information that you must be given about your future. Your safety is another matter as the Daily Prophet pointed out in this morning's edition." He picked up the days Prophet and gave it to his Godson.

Harry's eyes skimmed over the headline: POTTER NEEDS BETTER PROTECTION FROM BLACK.

"They're attacking you again, aren't they?"

Sirius nodded. "Yes, and it is that Skeeter woman who is doing it. Rita."

"I thought that she had been banned writing anything about us?"

"The action they took against her has been lifted. She appealed and won her case. She can now write freely, even if it means making me out to be a Death Eater," Sirius replied sourly.

Growling fiercely under his breath, Harry read the offending article:

Two days ago the Minister for Magic announced to the world that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned. Evidence suggests that ten Aurors witnessed his return, as well as The-Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter. This turn of events has led the Wizarding community to spiral into chaos.

It is on the word of Sirius Black and Harry Potter's word alone that You-Know-Who has returned, but is that enough evidence for the Minister to announce that he is a threat among our society? The Aurors that were supposedly involved in 'rescuing' Potter and Black from Death Eaters have not been allowed to officially comment on this turn of events, which suggests that they and the Minster have been confounded by Sirius Black, who, as the Community knows was once a Death Eater and now has custody of Harry Potter.

"What?" Harry gasped. "How dare she say that!"

"Dumbledore can't believe it either. The Aurors who came with me to rescue you are currently working on other developments: trying to track Voldemort. They haven't had the time to speak to reporters. But, the good news about that article is that Rita Skeeter has just made some of the most powerful Aurors as enemies."

Harry laughed. "So she could be sacked again?"

"Yeah," Sirius smiled, "The article does go onto say that more than 'fifty percent of the Wizarding Community wish to see Potter taken in by a proper family, someone like the Malfoys, and that Black should be sent back to Azkaban' blah blah blah."

"Ah," Harry nodded, "I can see why that would annoy you."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "That woman is annoying. The last few stories she has written have been supervised, but this one she was given free reign as long as she told the truth. Still lying about me is her huge mistake. Since this morning Dumbledore, myself and the head writer of the Daily Prophet have been bombarded with owls with letters from parents."

"About what?" Harry asked, as a cold feeling of uncertainness settled in the pit of his stomach.

Sirius shrugged, but then grinned. "Well, about me. How they say I have been helping their children prepare themselves for the outside world: how I have been found innocent of all crimes. They believe my story rather than Skeeter's because there is no actual proof. Also, one of Aurors will be talking to one of the Prophet's reporters about Voldemort in the coming days. Skeeter's days as a sensationalist seeking reporter are numbered," Sirius finished with relish.

Harry laughed. "So you're not mad at the article?"

"Nah," Sirius shook his head and stood up from the bed he had been sitting on, "it's hilarious because of what Skeeter has done to herself and her career."

"That won't stop her reporting though."

"It won't. But she'll have a heck of a time trying to get articles published."

"I realise that this will be a very difficult topic for you Harry, but I need to know what happened on the night you were taken from the maze." Dumbledore's eyes peered deeply into Harry's, and though he felt uncomfortable talking about it, he knew that it was the only way to get it off his conscience.

"I was knocked out sir. When I woke up I was tied to a gravestone: I could hardly move. I could see a cauldron in front of me bubbling away. Two people were walking round it, chanting away. One waved a wand in my direction and a bone from beneath the surface of the grave I stood upon came from the earth and descended into the cauldron. Then one cut his hand off…that was Wormtail. Another, which was Barty Crouch Junior, took a bit of my blood and put it into the cauldron. And…" he couldn't go on, but he knew he had to. "My scar blazed with agony; I could barely keep my eyes open but I knew what was happening. Voldemort was there."

"Can I see your arm?"

Harry nodded and pulled up his sleeve where the cut had been made against his skin. There was a faint scar there. "He said that my blood would make him stronger than if he'd used someone else's. He said the protection my – my mother left in me – he'd have it too. And he was right – he could touch me without hurting himself. He touched my face." He could remember the cold hand that had pressed against his scar – the pain that had spread through his body – could hear the laughs of Voldemort's supporters…

For a fleeting moment Harry thought he saw a gleam of triumph in Dumbledore's eyes, but the next second he was sure he had imagined it as his eyes had returned to the eyes full of wisdom that Harry knew so well.

"Very well, Lord Voldemort has overcome that particular barrier. Harry, continue please."

So he did so; not leaving a single detail out. He told Dumbledore the names of the Death Eaters that had gathered as well as most of Voldemort's speech to them. But as he recounted his battle with Voldemort, Sirius' and the Aurors sudden appearance and the connection of his and Voldemort's wands, Harry felt his eyes well with tears. Seeing his parents had affected him. "How did that happen?" he asked when he could find his voice again.

"Priori Incantatem," Dumbledore answered, "the reverse spell effect."

"You and Voldemort share the same core wands. Each of them carries a feather from the tail of the same phoenix, this phoenix in fact." Dumbledore smiled up at Fawkes.

"My wand's feather came from Fawkes?" Harry asked. He was a little stunned with that news.

"Mr Ollivander wrote to me four years ago the moment you left his shop. Because your wands are effectively brothers, they will not work against one another. If, however, the owners of the wands force the wands to do battle…a very rare effect will take place. One of the wands will force the other to regurgitate spells it has performed – in reverse. The most recent spells first…then those that preceded it, which means that some sort of form appeared."

Harry nodded. "A man I didn't recognise appeared first…then a woman and then…" his throat constricted again.

"Your parents?"

"Yeah," Harry said sadness evident in his voice.

"The last murders the wand performed in reverse order. More would have appeared had you maintained the connection. Very well, Harry. What did these shadows do?"

He explained what his mother and father had told him to do.

When he was done telling his tale, Dumbledore nodded. "Thank you Harry."

He remained silent, unsure of what to do.

"There is something else that I must discuss with you."

"What is it?" Harry didn't want to say or hear anything more. He wanted to see his Godfather…needed his comfort.

"There is a reason why Voldemort tried to kill you when you were a child. I don't really want to tell you this now…however your godfather made me promise to tell you the truth if anything happened to you during the tournament and I shall keep my word to him." He waited till Harry looked him in the eyes, "You have gone through your four years here at Hogwarts struggling to survive, carried more burdens than any other student that has passed through these doors, and Sirius believes that you can handle the enormity of what your future holds for you. I disagree with him on this however you have demonstrated that you are capable of accepting responsibilities on your young shoulders."

Harry crinkled his eyebrows. "I don't understand, sir."

Clasping his hands together Dumbledore continued: "Voldemort tried to kill you when you were child because of a prophecy made shortly before your birth. He knew the prophecy had been made, though he did not know its full contents. He set out to kill you when you were still a baby believing he was fulfilling the terms of the prophecy, however he was mistaken."

Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck tingling. "What did this prophecy say?"

He watched as the headmaster drew out a cauldron beside his desk and prodded the top of the silvery substance. A figure rose to the surface, and Harry gasped, recognising the figure of Professor Trelawney. It was not in her usual ethereal, mystic voice, but in harsh tones. The figure rose rotating as words fell from her mouth.

The words of prophecy…

"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…"

Harry swallowed, unsure of what to say. Finally a question pierced his lips. "Does that mean me?"

Dumbledore nodded. The boy didn't need to know the full truth yet. Sirius had only asked him to tell Harry about the prophecy and not explain it to its full extent. "It does mean you. Sometime in your future you will face Lord Voldemort again, Harry. You are the one who has power to defeat Voldemort for good."

"Neither can live while the other survives," Harry recited, "does that mean I'm going to die?"

"Not necessarily Harry. The final meeting between you and Voldemort will not come for a long time."

He's hiding something… "This prophecy changes everything," Harry explained. "Security around me has to tighten. Sirius told me as much."

"Yes. Voldemort did not hear the entire prophecy. It won't be long till Voldemort tries to seek out the Prophecy itself and it is necessary to protect you. Arrangements are being made to have you moved from Godric's Hollow. The village is not safe for you and Sirius to live now that Voldemort has returned. It is common knowledge that you moved there after the summer of your third year."

"Okay."

"If there is anything you wish to say to me Harry, please do. It is essential that you do not brood upon the Prophecy. Confide in Sirius about it. Your father told him years ago."

Again, Harry nodded. He did want to speak to his Godfather.

"I think it is best if you go back to the hospital wing and have a rest before you and Sirius talk."

"Yes Professor," said Harry, feeling numb inside.

Dumbledore smiled sadly at him. Rising from his seat, Harry left the Headmaster's office and headed towards his Godfather's room. He had no intention of sleeping – talking to him was the most important thing on his mind right now.

To be continued...