DISCLAIMER: THE BOOK BELONGS TO J. I HAVE ONLY BORROWED BOTH CHARACTERS AND PLOTLINE.
CHAPTER 34
It was the middle of the night when Harry had woken up to go to the bathroom. Today was the last day of the holidays and they had had a splendid time playing with magically made bubblepods courtesy of Mr Weasley who had found them fascinating while browsing Harry's pictures.
Slowly closing the door to the bathroom, Harry was tiptoeing back to his room when he suddenly heard voices in the study. Curious as to who it was this late at night Harry silently made his way down and peeped through the sliver of light.
He saw Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore and his parents sitting around a fire discussing something of obvious importance.
"Severus, where was the last place you had suspected of him being in?" Lily asked looking tense.
"A small village called Little Hangleton."
"How sure are you that that's true?"
"Pretty sure Lily for three reasons actually. One, two perfectly healthy men in that place had been found acting out of character, violent and aggressive over a span of two weeks. Later they had found the body of one man disfigured and burnt like Professor Quirrel had been and the other man is still at the hospital though he has no recollection of those weeks. Two, there have been reports of dead bodies of animals strewn all over the woods their bodies completely empty of blood and three, there were never any snakes seen in that region before now. Now it has become the breeding ground for several of the most dangerous kinds."
"Lily," Severus said "My dark mark and Lucius's dark mark has been hurting for a while. It is a sign that he's getting closer to power."
"Still" Lily said looking stubborn "what has all this got to do with my family?"
"You know why, it is only a matter of time before he is completely revived and then he will come after your family make no mistake" Snape said sighing. "There is no other option for you other than getting Darren prepared to face him when he comes for revenge. I have been in the man's mind Lily and it is a sick and twisted thing, believe me if you run and hide he will simply enjoy the chase and hunt you down like animals."
"Albus" Lily pleaded turning to old man "my family has lost too much already, you must help us please."
Dumbledore looking old and tired said "I can only protect him by offering him to train him and teach him magic. Lily try an understand, I by no means will send a thirteen year old boy to stand in the frontlines of a battle and ask him to fight. I have given you my word that I will stand before him and die protecting him when the time comes. But when the last man protecting him dies then he is going to have to defend himself, for that he has to prepare."
James who had been listening quietly until now got up and knelt before Lily taking her hands in his "Lil's I can't condone their logic. Do I want to see my son become a soldier? No! But I want to see him able to protect him-self. I will stand with Albus before him and fight. I want to run like you but Snape is right we wouldn't escape."
Lily got up and walked to the shelf picking up a glass ball from it, she threw it frustrated at Dumbledore's feet and watched, eyes blazing at the ghostly figure that arose from it speaking in a hollow voice,
"One of two, born with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approache…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 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."
"This is why Albus, this prophecy ruined our lives. I know what you're trying to do; you have been making sure that the whole thing is being played out as it is. You are trying to see this prophecy come to life. What if we defied it disregarded it, what happens then?"
"You think I enjoy playing with the lives of people lily?" Dumbledore asked his voice tight with suppressed anger "Believe me when I say this, I would rather have nothing to do with another war, as it is I've seen too many of them in one lifetime. But I know people look up to me as their leader some hating my guts but I do what I can."
"When will you start training him?" Lily asked drained.
"At the beginning of his third year in Hogwarts."
"Then I have one request, on no account will you reveal to him anything about this foolish plan until he is to be trained."
"You have my word" Dumbledore said gravely.
"And mine too" Snape intoned.
"Understand this, to me and James there is nothing more important to us than our sons. If it means choosing the wizarding world over our sons then the wizarding world be damned! I am no fool and I know that this is not mere protection for my son, he will be expected to fight it is the fate that you forced on him," she said shooting a venomous look at Dumbledore "if you use him as your weapon in this battle I will destroy everything that has been achieved, make no mistake that I trust in any of you."
"What about Harry?" James asked "will you be training him with Darren?"
"No!" Lily cried "not the both of them. Harry is weaker than Darren he wouldn't stand a chance. I won't let you. "
"I've thought about it" Dumbledore said "and I agree with Lily, Harry does not have Darren's power and anyway I plan on asking Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger to be his study partners."
"Do whatever it takes to keep him safe and alive, Albus I beg you" Lily said.
"I will" Dumbledore nodded getting up followed by Snape, Harry knew that they were getting up to leave and quietly ran back to the safe confines of his room panting from the exertion and horror of it all.
So there was a prophecy, Harry was not surprised but the line that dictated the rules of survival had made his blood run cold. Dumbledore and Snape had another thing coming if they thought Harry was going to sit by the sidelines and watch his brother fight.
"I'm sorry mother." He whispered and lay awake for a long time.