In The Balance

Chapter 1

Minerva McGonagall straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin slightly as she moved purposefully through the crowded streets of Hogsmeade. The balmy, warm air showered her senses with the rich smell of autumn on the horizon. September was approaching quickly.

The last Order meeting before the school term was set to begin was scheduled for this evening, so it was easy to say that the matronly Headmistress of Hogwarts had a lot on her mind. It was not so much so, however, that she didn't notice a certain 'seer' staggering through street, her arms outstretched, her magnified eyes frantic as she sought out the intended 'listener' her oncoming vision was forcing her to seek. Recognizing the symptoms as the beginnings of a very powerful trance, Minerva rushed forward and grasped the younger woman's arms. With a force she didn't remember possessing, she pulled the struggling woman toward a back alley where it was less crowded, and therefore harder to be overheard. It was ideal by no means, but it was the best she could do, as they had already run out of time.

"As the moon wanes on the 6^th day of the 6^th month,

A young woman, companion to the Savior,

Powerful in mind, body and spirit,

Will bear a child of immense power.

With softness, the Savior will try,

In darkness, the Dark Lord will vie

To beget the heir that will be

The downfall of one, the salvation of many."

Sybil Trelawney collapsed in the older woman's arms as the last of the vision's tremors ran through her body.

"Sybil!" Minerva hissed, shaking the Diviner somewhat roughly. "Blast it all!" she muttered when the woman didn't respond. She dropped her with less grace than Sybil would have appreciated, shaking the cramps out of her arms before fetching her wand from it's hidden holster. "Ennervate!"

Slowly, a bleary pair of eyes blinked up at the Headmistress through thick glasses. Yawning and stretching as if nothing extraordinary had happened, Sybil sat up and cocked her head to the side.

"My dear, Minerva. What brings you to my rooms at this late hour?" It was only after she said this that the bedraggled woman realized where she was. "Well, this is certainly unexpected...er, I mean, I knew this was going to happen!" Minerva rolled her eyes, holding out her hand to help the other woman up. As much as she disliked Sybil Trelawney, there was nothing for it. She was going to have to bring the crazy woman to Headquarters. The Order would need to know about this newest bit of information, and she couldn't risk Trelawney going into another trance in public. The danger was too great.

As Trelawney continued to babble beside her, McGonagall grabbed her hand roughly and disapparated in a swirl of tartan robes and gaudy baubles.

Neither woman noticed the pair of the yellow eyes glinting maliciously in the shadows.

~~~

Wormtail had been skulking through Hogsmeade, darting between the feet of the townspeople as he kept his long ears out for any valuable information. It was his lucky day, indeed, when he noticed a troll of a woman that appeared, to the untrained eye, to be having a seizure, begin the first stage of a Diviner's trance. He would have apprehended her himself, if that damn goody-too-stern-shoes McGonagall hadn't gotten to her first.

It was no matter, though, for he was easily able to follow the pair into the darkened alley and view the proceedings from the relative safety of the shadows. When they disappeared, it was with a gleeful squeal that he transformed back to his original form and apparated quickly to his Master's side.

Appearing in the torch-lit chambers, Wormtail rushed forward unannounced and fell to his knees before Voldemort. With trembling hands, he took up the hem of the magnificent black robes and kissed the lining. Dropping the fabric delicately to the floor, he backed away with his head bowed and waited to be acknowledged.

"What news have you, Wormtail?" the vile man hissed, his long, bony fingers extracting a pale wand from the arm of his throne as he gazed malevolently down at his most foolhardy servant. "It had best be excellent if you have finally found the nerve to approach me in such an undignified manner."

"Yes, my master! I bring you news of the utmost importance!" Wormtail groveled, sniffling slightly as he backed away a few more steps.

"I will be the judge of that." The harsh promise in those words caused the ratty man to cower further, his bodily reactions instinctively reverting to that of his animal counterpart. "Speak, before I tire of you!"

"A prophesy, my lord!" Wormtail squeaked out at last, his hands trembling more as they unconsciously picked at his tattered robes. "I overheard a new prophesy being spoken to Minerva McGonagall only moments ago!"

"Is that so?" It was obvious to all in attendance that the Dark Lord was attempting to feign indifference, but was very obviously eager at this bit of news. Severus Snape, too, was quite intrigued, though he was far more successful at faking his disinterest. "What is it, then?"

Having heard the prophecy first hand, though not the intended listener, Wormtail was able to repeat it word for word. Voldemort leaned forward as every line was spoken, a wicked smirk spreading across his colorless features.

"Excellent... excellent!" he hissed when Wormtail had finished. "But who... who is this companion of Potter's that shall bear my heir?"

Snape blanched inwardly. He knew exactly whom the prophecy was referring to.

Hermione Granger.

~~~

"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, we asked you to attend tonight's meeting for one reason and one reason only." Minerva spoke to the two teens that stood in the middle of the room with bewildered and awe struck faces. Neither had expected to be let in on an Order meeting for a while yet; they were still children in the eyes of many of the members, after all.

"Yes Ma'am?" Hermione Granger questioned softly, shooting a bewildered glance to her best friend and companion, Harry Potter, who stood confidently at her side. Several of the Order members were shifting uncomfortably in their seats, eying the two teenagers with a mixture of interest and regret.

"Please take a seat," she murmured in reply, a frown marring her usually stern features. With confused looks, the two Gryffindors took the only empty seats in the room. Minerva took her own seat at the head of the table and considered her two star pupils. She was still quite wary - they all were - because Harry and Hermione were still so young; but if it had been any one else, she would have doubted their ability to comprehend and handle the information she was about to divulge.

"Professor?" Harry prompted, leaning forward slightly in his seat.

"On my way here, I was fortunate enough to intercept a rather important and critical bit of information before it could fall into the wrong hands," she began at last, her voice heavy with the seriousness of the situation. She leveled her gaze upon Harry, who shifted under the weight of her stare. "Mr. Potter, you, of all people, understand the implications a prophecy holds. Thus far, you have been subjected to two; one directly, and one indirectly." She was, of course, referring to the original prophecy linking Harry to Voldemort when he was just a baby, as well as the one that he had overheard, foretelling the return of the Dark Lord only a few short years ago.

Harry gulped. He didn't like where this was going. He chanced a glance at Hermione to see how she was taking this. He had, after all, only recently told her and Ron of the prophecy concerning the imminent destruction of either Voldemort or himself. He was therefore surprised when he saw that she was looking quite calm and reserved, sucking up the information like the human sponge that she was. He couldn't help but smile a bit, pride welling in his chest. As if she could feel his eyes on her, Hermione turned her head and smiled encouragingly at her best friend. Her support gave him courage, and he returned the gesture with a smile of his own.

The occupants of the room couldn't help but take notice of the silent exchange between the two teens, and they all let out a silent breath of relief. Perhaps this would work out, after all. Minerva smirked slightly and then cleared her throat to regain everyone's attention.

"Despite how well you handled the last two, it pains me to inform you that yet another prophecy has been leveled against you," she informed him, her voice soft and apologetic. Harry cringed. He knew it was coming, but it didn't lessen the blow any. Hermione hissed beside him, her hands clutching the arms of her chair until her knuckles turned white.

"What does this one say?" Hermione whispered, fright for Harry apparent in her voice. McGonagall took a deep breath before relaying the contents of the prophecy word for word. As each line was recited, the blood in both Harry and Hermione's faces drained.

"We have every reason to believe that the young woman to whom the prophecy refers is you, Miss Granger."

"Oh God..." she whispered, a shaky hand coming up to cover her mouth as she fought the urge not to break down, though she had every right to. After all, it wasn't every day that she was told she might possibly be the person to bear the child of the most evil and despicable being in the entirety of the wizarding world.

Harry, in his own state of shock, managed to reach over and take one of her shaking hands in her own, squeezing it slightly. He was now directly responsible for the fate of one of the two most important people in his life. If he failed Hermione, she would fall into Voldemort's hands, and who knew what would happen to her after that. And to top it all off, the life of an innocent child that had yet to be conceived hung in the balance.

The heart of every single adult in the room broke for the two, but they could do no more than sit there silently and let them recognize their fate.

"I won't let him destroy you, Hermione," Harry spoke suddenly, staring intently at the trembling young woman. Lifting her eyes to meet his, Hermione nodded slowly.

"I know you won't, Harry."

"Keep in mind, this may not be an immediate problem," Minerva interrupted, trying to get the meeting back on track. Everyone turned to look back at her with confusion. "It has been made clear that any child Miss Granger bears of either Mr. Potter or the Dark Lord will be born on June 6^th; however, a year was not specified. It could be in the immediate future, or the far off. I, for one, would prefer the latter," she looked pointedly at the pair in question. While she did not doubt the maturity and capability of Harry and Hermione, she would rather see them wait a few more years. They were, after all, only teenagers. Many of the Order members nodded in agreement, and the two teens couldn't help but sigh in slight relief.

"Unfortunately, that will not be the case. The Dark Lord is already making plans to capture Hermione and force his spawn upon her within the next few weeks," a dark, silky voice spoke from the darkened doorway.

Several voices gasped in shock as Severus Snape glided out of the shadows.