The Seers' Truth: A Broken Beginning

Chapter 15

Pieces of the Prophesy

After all of the excitement of the previous night, Harry just wanted to sleep through Divination. Luckily Ron was called first to read his interpretation of Parvati's vision. He read:

"The train means travel, so this prediction means that someone important is coming to Hogwarts this year. The Sorting Hat is tampered with and confused. That also happened. There is one child that is on the Hogwarts Express that the Founders want to find. Each of the Founders claims this child, so that means he will have talents of all the houses. Perhaps that is why the train was attacked to find this child. If the child dies, there is much Darkness. I believe that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named tried to kill this child. When the child is gone, wizards desert one another leaving only one who cannot fly, a Muggle, who is also attacked by the snakes. In the end, the Dark Mark over Hogwarts means that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has won and Hogwarts becomes the Dark school that Salazar Slytherin envisioned. It is an end to the Light as we know it."

Harry looked at Ron. "I'm impressed," he whispered. "You managed to kill off most everyone. You should get high marks!"

Trelawney looked ecstatic. She actually clapped her hands. "Oh wonderful interpretation, don't you think, Miss Patil?"

"Uh--I think that perhaps the Dark Lord wanted to kill the child, but since he did not succeed, there is a chance if the Light finds the child and protects him or her, the Light can still win the war."

Trelawney frowned. "Well, perhaps," she agreed.

Harry dozed while several other students shared their predictions.

"Harry Potter."

"Er--Oh right. I have my paper right here." Harry began to read:

"The train represents time moving forward. We have a limited amount of time to solve the mystery of the child. Of course, we know that the Sorting Hat is involved since it is not working. I believe that the fact that Parvati couldn't see if it was a boy or a girl represents our own ignorance of the situation."

Trelawney frowned. Harry better be careful. He didn't want his true feelings about the interpretation of the dream to interfere with his grade in Divination.

"The fact that the Founders argued means that there was some flaw in the hat itself that allowed the sorting to be flawed. If the hat had been working, it would have been unable to detect what house to put the child in. Then we would have known the identity of this important child. However, as Professor Dumbledore believes, the Sorting Hat has been tampered with--"

Harry paused. Trelawney certainly couldn't argue with that. Dumbledore did believe that the Hat was tampered with.

"The child is in grave danger of being hurt not just by one house, but by all of them."

Trelawney liked that line.

"The fact that all of the Founders seemed to have equal claim to the child shows that if the child is killed, or perhaps even harmed, the war will continue until it destroys us all. Perhaps that explains the attack on the Hogwarts Express. Parvati said, 'If they destroyed the child, all would be lost.'

"The Phoenix represents war." And rebirth, Harry thought, but he didn't say that because Trelawney only wanted to hear about death, not rebirth. "This war is the war between good and evil that exists inside every person and also the war with Voldemort."

Several gasps punctuated his speaking Voldemort's name. He always forgot to say, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Harry hated to give in to the fear in his own mind by refusing to utter the name of Voldemort. Harry took a deep breath and continued.

"Simply, if the Child chooses Darkness, we all die. If the child chooses the Light, we have a chance to live.

"Our fate rests with this one unknown child.

"There is nothing we can do to change it, because, as the Founders were trying to pull the child apart shows, if we try to change destiny, it will destroy us."

Trelawney was beaming; she liked that line. Now Harry diverged completely from what he truly believed. He sighed; what one had to do to get a good grade.

"Instead of fighting, we should accept our destiny. All should go their separate ways and hide themselves to prepare for the Dark times ahead. Leave the finding of the child to the one who holds the Dark book with the Snakes. There is nothing we can do to stop the Dark Mark over Hogwarts. In the near future, this shall become a school for the Dark Arts as Salazar Slytherin once dreamed."

Harry raised his head and looked into Trelawney's eyes. "We are all doomed," he pronounced and then he sat down.

Trelawney clutched her heart. "That was the most profound interpretation I've ever heard," she said. "I cannot add a single thing to it. I believe you should all go and contemplate your destiny. Class dismissed."

"But Professor," began Parvati worriedly.

"One cannot argue with the fates, My Dear," Trelawney intoned.

Realizing that she wasn't going to change Trelawney's mind, Parvati hurried to catch up with Harry. "Harry! Harry! Please wait! You're wrong!"

"I know," said Harry blandly.

"But you said. . . ."

"Sometimes the truth must be stretched," said Harry, "or I'd never keep my great marks in Divination."

"I got it!" interrupted Ron, waving a piece of paper above his head. "I told Trelawney I had heard of a similar prediction when I was in Egypt before third year, an Egyptian curse. I told her I couldn't get the book I needed because it was Restricted. She was impressed with my efforts and promised me extra credit!"

Harry took the note and looked at it, smiling. It was dated, but Trelawney had neglected to write Ron's name. She simply wrote: "This student may have access to the restricted section of the library for purposes of Divination research. S. Trelawney."

"Do you think she knows your name, Ron?" Harry asked.

Ron shrugged.

"You lied to a teacher!" Parvati was scandalized. "Both of you!"

"I did not," said Ron. "I heard of lots of Egyptian curses when I was in Egypt and I am going to do Divination research."

Parvati just looked at him amazed.

"Well, part of my interpretation was true," said Harry. "Just not the end."

"Right," Parvati agreed turning her attention back to Harry. "I believe you were pretty much right until after the Phoenix. The Phoenix means death, but it also means rebirth."

"Exactly. My question is, does that mean Voldemort's preoccupation with defeating death--Death Eaters? Or perhaps it means that from our suffering and the ashes of war, we will emerge stronger.

"So what do you think the end means?"

"I wish I knew," said Parvati. "But the snakes frightened me terribly. They were some kind of super snakes with magic."

"Basilisks," said Ginny.

Harry stared at her open mouthed. "More than one?" he asked, horror filling his thoughts.

"I believe so," said Ginny. "I think--I think--" her voice caught on a sob and Ron moved forward to put his arm around her. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"It isn't your fault," Harry said.

"What isn't her fault?" Parvati asked. Confusion etched in every worried line of her frown.

"I'm having dreams again," she whispered into Ron's shoulder. "Please--Please--don't tell Mum. I don't want to go back to--"

"Sh-h-h. Hush," said Ron patting her back gently. "We'll find a way to deal with it. We'll get Madam Pomfrey to give you a dreamless sleep potion."

Above Ginny's head, Ron mouthed to Harry. "Go on. Tell Professor Sprout we're coming."

===

Harry waited in vain for Ron and Ginny to show up for Herbology. It wasn't like them to skip a class, unless Ginny had fainted again--

Harry spent the moments between classes explaining to Hermione what had happened to Ginny and Ron. Then, before they could really discuss why these flashbacks were happening to Ginny this year, they had arrived at History of Magic.

Harry expected that he could mull the whole thing over in his mind, since it was just Binns, and as long as he was relatively quiet, Binns didn't care what he did in class. He didn't even notice if Harry put his head down on the desk and very obviously went to sleep. Harry knew, because he had done it before, and so had some other students including Neville and Seamus, and Ron of course, but something kept Harry awake today: Ron and Ginny had returned. Ginny's eyes were red from crying, and Ron was obviously shaken. What had happened? Harry wanted to know, but as much as Binns was oblivious to sleeping in his class, he didn't tolerate talking among the students, so the questions would have to wait.

Actually, for Binns, the class was rather interesting. Harry found himself paying attention, and wonder of wonders--taking notes. Binns was talking about the historical beginnings of Squibs and the genetics behind their birth. Although, he said, their appearance couldn't always be predicted with certainty.

Afterwards, Hermione commented that maybe Binns wasn't getting less boring. Maybe Harry was just growing up and realizing the importance of getting good grades.

Harry looked at Ron. "Nah!" they both said together.

===

After class and Quidditch practice on Wednesday evening, Ron, Hermione and Harry were sitting and talking in the common room. Conversation strayed to the prediction and Hermione asked to see the scribbled parchments that Ron and Harry had copied from the restricted books the night before.

"There's a book we need to find," said Harry "but it's not in the library. See this part right here," he said pointing to a section of the spells that were Salazar Slytherin's. "This part was taken from another source. It said it was a translation. I looked for the book it referenced before Quidditch practice today. It's not there. I even asked Madam Pince if I could come back later, because I had to go to Quidditch practice. She let me keep the note in case one of the student assistants was at the circulation desk while she went to supper."

"And I looked too," said Ron. "I didn't want to ask Madam Pince for help, but I took my time and even searched some of the shelves two and three rows away from where it was supposed to be."

"We have to find this," said Hermione. "Obviously, something was lost in the translation. Did it say what language it was translated from?"

"I don't think so," said Harry. "Do you remember, Ron?"

Ron shook his head. "I'm sure it didn't say."

"You obviously didn't look carefully enough for this book," said Hermione. "It has to be there. This isn't the sort of book that would be common reading."

"Come on, Hermione," said Ron. "You aren't the only one who can read a card catalogue, you know. It's not there."

"Ok, let's go," said Hermione. "We're going to find that book that the Sorting Spell was translated from. It has to be there. You just don't know where to look."

Reluctantly, the boys got up and followed her to the library, if nothing else just to prove that the book was not there!

===

"See," said Ron when they got to the library. "It's in the card catalogue, but it's not on the shelf. Maybe it's misplaced."

"It's not misplaced," said Hermione. "It's withdrawn."

"So what does that mean?" asked Harry. "Is it stored somewhere else?"

"I don't think so," said Hermione. "In a Muggle library, when a book is withdrawn, the library usually gives it away or sells it. Sometimes if they are in really bad shape, they are burnt or trashed."

"I can't imagine giving away a book labeled 'Chained and Dangerous,' can you?" asked Ron.

Hermione shook her head. "It was probably destroyed. We have no way of finding it. You were right."

"Hermione," said Harry. "Look at this date on the withdrawal card--1942--the year the Chamber was first opened. What if our perfect, prefect, Tom, stole the book. Would the library mark it withdrawn?"

"They might," said Hermione.

"The Malfoys have a lot of Voldemort's old things," said Harry.

"Right, Harry," said Ron. "Let's just ask Draco to go check for us."

"Maybe there's another copy," Hermione said, as she gathered the load of books she always carried. "How about if I owl Viktor and ask him to check Durmstrang?"

"There's a possibility," agreed Harry.

Just as they were ready to leave, Madam Pince approached them, her thin face beaming, "Hello, Hermione." She nodded. "Boys. I hope you found everything you needed," she said. "I'm so glad that Syb--Professor Trelawney has finally decided to make use of the wonderful resources we have here for Divination. Please tell her that I am more than willing to help her students with their projects. Are you sure you don't need anything else?"

"Er--" said Harry.

"I don't think so," said Ron cautiously.

"If we do, we'll be back tomorrow," said Harry hastily. "Thank you."

"What's up with Madam Pince?" asked Ron after they left the library.

"Why?" asked Hermione. "She's always helpful. Anyway, I think she's just happy that some of her Divination books finally got opened. Or at least she thinks they got opened."

===

After supper on Thursday evening they finally had a little time to look at Samara's book together. It was a beautiful day so they decided to meet outside near the lake to enjoy the last few rays of sun before the cold rain and winter arrived. Hermione brought some other homework and Harry brought the rough draft of his Defense Paper, which he said he needed to recopy. Ron, of course, didn't bring a single book.

"Are you all done with that Defense Paper?" asked Hermione.

"As done as it's getting," he replied.

"So what happy memory did you finally put into the Paper," asked Hermione.

"Getting into Gryffindor."

"You don't sound very sure about that," said Edward.

"Well, it's not really my most happy memory. That was when Moody turned Malfoy into a ferret," he said. "But I couldn't put that in my paper could I?"

"Who?" began Edward incredulously and Ron filled him in.

"I can't believe it," said Edward, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "That must have been a sight to see."

"Oh, it was," agreed Ron. "But you should have seen him about a week later when he was itching for a fight, and Hermione just waves and says: 'Hi Professor Moody.' He about jumped out of his skin. We called him 'Twitchy' or 'Ferret Face' for a few months after that. So what about you?" asked Ron. "What's your happy memory?"

"Oh, just, you know, quiet family times. Reading."

"That seems a little weak," said Harry, who was the only one who had actually got a patronus before. "It has to be a strong happy memory to defeat a dementor."

"Well, it's stronger than you think," said Edward. "I like the quiet."

"How about you Ginny?" asked Harry.

She blushed hotly. "I'd rather not say."

Harry left it alone, but wondered how, if she wouldn't say it to her friends, how she could say it on paper to Snape?

"I'll say mine," Neville replied proudly. "It was when I got 10 points for Gryffindor."

"When was that?" Ron blurted.

"You remember," said Neville, hurt. "First year, when Hermione hexed me and you went to find the philosopher's stone? I was going to say when I first did magic, but there was the fear of falling out of the window associated with that. Then I thought that one time I did that shrinking solution right in third year, but I still had Snape breathing down my neck and I was worried about Trevor being poisoned instead of shrinking, so I think this is better."

"You're right," said Harry. "I tried to think of the first time I rode a broomstick as my happy memory, but I thought I might get expelled right after that."

"I'm still not sure what to put," said Joe. "It's between kissing Heather Locke and getting sorted into Gryffindor."

"How old are you?" asked Ron.

"Twelve."

"And you kissed this girl?" Harry could tell Ron was a little jealous.

"Well, she was sleeping beauty in the school play last year and I was the prince, but she had this long hair and long legs." He shook his head. "Too bad she's a Muggle."

"Go for the girl," said Ron.

"Hermione?" asked Edward.

"Oh, we all know what Hermione's is," said Ron. "It's when she looked at her perfect marks last year."

"No it's not," said Hermione. "It's when I got my Prefect letter this year."

Groans all around.

"Beatrice?"

"It was the first time I knew I could be an Animagi," she said dreamily. "I got whiskers."

"Whiskers?" repeated Harry.

Beatrice nodded. "It took ever so long. I started to think that, even though my father was an Animagus, I must have taken after my Muggle mother, not that I really minded. I love my mum, but I really wanted to be a tiger. Then I got the whiskers. I was sure that my Animagus would be a tiger."

They burst into laughter. Beatrice was about as far from a tiger as she was from being a Death Eater.

"What about you Samara?" Beatrice asked to get the attention off of herself.

"It was when I first got my wand to work," she said. "After I took the dust from my Book." She pulled it out of her bag and immediately the crowd got quiet.

"You know," said Lou. "I think I really need to check on a couple of my facts on Defense, I'll see you later, ok."

"Wait," said Neville. "I'll come with you."

Without a word Joe also stood and hurried after them.

"Anyone else running away?" asked Samara shortly.

"No." Since Harry was the one who had suggested their looking at the book, he supposed it fell to him to look first. Ron was sitting with his hands clenched in his lap and Hermione looked pale, she was wringing her hands.

"Oh for heaven's sake," said Ginny, taking the book from Samara. "I know that this book is listed at the library as 'Alive and Dangerous' but this one isn't alive."

"So what killed it?" muttered Ron, taking a few deep breaths as if holding back nausea.

"We don't know," said Ginny. "Right here," she opened the book to a page that was stained and shriveled, "something was pressed in the book. This is the dust that Samara used in her wand."

"Let me see," said Harry determinedly, fighting the nausea that threatened to overcome him. If Ginny could hold the book, he could. As soon as his fingers touched the book, his scar exploded into a cascade of white-hot pain. He crumpled and began to retch. He gagged until all of his supper was up and then gagged some more.

Samara reached for him.

"Don't," he said, equal parts of fear and disgust warred within him. He was disgusted with himself and his inability to touch the book, but a part of him would rather touch Voldemort again than touch that book. In fact, if he were honest with himself, the last time he felt such pain was when Voldemort touched him last year. "I'm going to Madam Pomfrey," he said, thoroughly embarrassed. "I can't. Sorry." He stumbled to his feet.

"I'll come with you," said Ron.

Hermione stood, worried about her friend.

Ron shook his head. "Don't come with us, Hermione," he said softly as he turned to follow Harry.

For a moment, Hermione sat with Edward and the girls. "Didn't you say there was another copy in the library?" asked Hermione.

"No," said Samara. "Lisa Turpin has it for our class. Professor Binns was a little put out by the fact that the book was out of print. He could only find four of them and there are five of us in the class. I told him I had my own copy but some pages were ruined. He said when we got to those pages, I could borrow his copy."

"Binns?" said Hermione. "He has a copy of this book."

"Well, he's teaching the class," said Edward. "He'd have to have a copy, wouldn't he?"

"I don't think the books made anyone else sick, just Harry," said Samara.

"I feel fine," said Edward.

Ginny shrugged. "Me too."

"Well, I'm ok," said Hermione. "But truthfully I feel a little nauseous myself. I wonder if it is the book, though, or whatever was saved in it--your dust."

"I could trade books with Lisa tomorrow," said Samara. "I'm sure she would agree for a little while. Her book bit her yesterday, and nearly took off her thumb. You have to use a stunning charm to read it and if it starts to wear off--look out!"

"Ok," said Hermione. "I'm going to see how Harry is, and then I have some things to do in the library."

"I'll meet you there," said Edward as he stretched, his back cracking in several placed before he headed for the library. Samara and Ginny were still sitting near the lake, pondering The Book.

Samara leafed through her book puzzled.

"It's probably nothing," said Ginny.

"It's something," said Samara softly.

"What do you mean?"

"Remember, I told you I could see auras? Well, when Harry touched my book, the hole--the holes that I healed--one ripped open again."

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