The Oracles Prophecy

Chapter Three - The Prophecy Is Discovered

There was something in the Weasley house that lifted the weight of the world off of Harry's shoulders. Mr. Weasley levitated his trunk into Ron's room, where Harry would be sleeping. Harry and Ron quickly followed the trunk, eager to get to sleep, as it was midnight. The last thing Harry saw before he fell asleep was Hedwig soaring through Ron's open window and into her open cage. Harry slept with a smile on his face.

An explosion rudely awakened the two boys from below. It was so jarring that Harry fell out of his cot and smacked his forehead on the floor. Ron began to laugh hysterically. He was used to that sort of thing, and was still in bed. Harry threw his pillow at him, whom Ron returned, and when Ginny poked her head in to announce breakfast ten minutes later, the two boys were absorbed in their pillow fight.

"Breakfast is ready you..." she ducked as two pillows were thrown in her direction. After shaking them off, she continued, "Both of you stop it. Mum says breakfast is ready and that you should come down." She chucked a pillow at Ron and then began to laugh as he took it in the stomach. Harry joined her, and soon the three of them were sobbing and clutching their stomachs with laughter. That was how Mrs. Weasley found them.

"Now really, boys," she cried as she swatted at an airborne feather. Ron picked himself up off the floor, as did Harry and Ginny.

"Charlie is going to be here soon, and you all aren't even dressed yet," Mrs. Weasley huffed. "Come downstairs for breakfast, before it gets cold!" She walked out and down the stairs. Ginny followed, still laughing.

Harry and Ron dressed quickly, still swatting flyaway feathers every now and then. They ran down all the flights of stairs from Ron's room, and into the kitchen. Seven Weasleys were sitting around the table. Harry noticed that Charlie Weasley was among them. He was currently sporting a huge gash on his cheek, parallel to his eyebrow. Mrs. Weasley was frowning and fussing over him. Charlie was trying not to laugh. Harry and Ron sat down in the two empty seats. Two plates were practically thrown at them, as Mrs. Weasley rushed to Charlie again.

"Mom, there's nothing you can do. Dragons are magical creatures. It was just a warning. The dragons have been acting a little strange lately. It's nothing," Charlie explained.

"So Charlie, care to tell us the long chain of bizarre events that led to the mark you're sporting right now?" Fred chuckled.

"One of the dragons, a Serbian Swordtail, got a little carried away. It is a fascinating dragon. It's all brown, and it changes color to match the season. But anyway, he had just arrived. The Serbians wanted him out, since he was causing a lot of trouble. He just didn't like his new environment. I tried to calm him, but I got too close, and that sword of a tail he's got grazed me. I'm fine. The Mediwizards did everything they could. I'll have a scar for the rest of my life. Like Harry here!" He turned to Harry and smiled. The rest of breakfast went relatively smoothly. When the dishes had been levitated away, Fred turned to Harry.

"So, I suppose you'd like to know where we're going?" he asked. Harry nodded. Mr. Weasley sputtered.

"You mean, you haven't told him yet?" he gasped. Fred and George gave identical smirks. Ron reddened. George, seeing this, laughed.

"It was our idea. We just wanted Harry to have a good surprise! Is that too much to ask?" The smirks turned to innocent stares. Mr. Weasley turned to Harry.

"Harry, I, um..."

"He got a promotion!" Ron beamed proudly.

"Ah, yes, I did, and so we're all going to Egypt to visit Bill. He's been too busy to visit us this summer, so we thought we'd all go visit him. Since we can...afford it." Mr. Weasley's smile wavered. Ron didn't notice.

"Yes, and we're going to Cairo, and Giza, and maybe even the Temple of Karnak. Did you know that...?" He stopped when he noticed everyone was staring at him. Fred and George looked like they were going to puke, Charlie and Mrs. Weasley looked impressed, Percy was rubbing his ears to see if he had heard correctly, and Mr. Weasley looked a bit squeamish.

"Well, maybe not that far south Ron," he said quietly, but no one took their eyes off Ron.

"I borrowed a book on the subject." His statement only increased the awe. Harry decided to break the tension.

"He and Hermione have become more than friends." This seemed to explain everything to the Weasley household. Mr. Weasley continued.

"We were actually going to leave today. Bill gave us a Floo route to take, and since your trunk is packed, and our trunks are packed, what's stopping us?"

An hour later, all eight Weasleys and Harry were standing in front of the fireplace. Each held their locked trunks, with a locator tag attached for extra protection. Mr. Weasley stood next to the fireplace with an open jar of Floo powder.

"Now remember, you have to say 'Cairo Ministry, Ankh Building'. Now Charlie, you first." Charlie took a small handful of powder and threw it into the fire. The flames immediately turned green. Charlie shouted, and disappeared. Percy followed Charlie, and then Fred. George went after Fred, and then it was Harry's turn. He took a deep breath and grabbed a handful of powder. He threw it into the flames and stepped forward.

"Cairo Ministry, Ankh Building," he shouted, and was whisked away. He flew through blackness, with various fireplaces shooting by on all sides. He felt sick. After what seemed like hours, Harry landed, tripped over George's trunk, and sprawled onto the ground. He quickly picked himself up, and moved out of the way just in time for Ron to come shooting out of the fireplace. He rubbed his face.

"Well, that was a jolly load of fun," his voice dripped with sarcasm. A tall man with a ponytail and fang earring swooped up Ron into a hug. He struggled at first, but he hugged back as soon as he identified his brother Bill. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley soon followed. They also hugged Bill. Fred and George saw an opportunity to cause a scene, and jumped on Bill from behind. Even Percy was swept in.

Harry felt a twinge of jealousy, as he saw all nine Weasleys hug. He stepped back a few paces to give them space. He stared awkwardly at the floor. He didn't notice the two men in long black coats despite the heat of the desert, watching him intently.

The Weasleys broke away, all looking happy. Mrs. Weasley was crying. They didn't seem to notice Harry for a few minutes. He followed them, as Bill led the group to a car. The trunk had been magically expanded, so all their trunks fit with ease. He drove through the crowded streets of Cairo. Harry was in awe of the people. This had been one of the first civilizations in the entire world, he remembered Hermione saying. Bill drove them to their hotel. It seemed like a muggle hotel, but as soon as he entered it, he knew that it could be nothing but wizardly. Mr. Weasley checked in, and a bellhop showed them to their rooms. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had their own room. Percy seemed a bit put out that he had to share with Charlie, Fred, and George. Ginny was with Ron and Harry.

There was virtually no time change, so the group decided to look around before lunch. Harry put his wand into his holster, and strapped it to his arm. The group split up almost immediately, since Mr. and Mrs. Weasley wanted to see where Bill worked, Charlie and Percy needed to send owls to their workplaces, and Fred, George, and Ginny wanted to look around. Harry and Ron decided to go with them. They agreed to meet back at the hotel in an hour.

Fred and George made a sport of bargaining with various shopkeepers, but then not buying anything. They found this very funny. Ginny decided to buy an ankh, inlaid with a tiger's eye. Fred and George, going for a record, bargained for almost a half hour, trying to lower the price. Ginny looked like she couldn't decide to laugh or interfere, since the price was already reasonable.

They decided to take a short cut through a few alleys on Fred's map. One alleyway led them to a courtyard with a few tents. Ron wanted to look for something for Hermione (which caused the twins to snicker and Ron to redden). He stopped at one stand and scanned the various pieces of jewelry. He picked up a stone, on a simple silver chain. A man stepped forward from beneath a curtain and set a wand down on the table. He startled Ron, who jumped back.

"Aventurine, a gem of protection. Good to have on you. It will keep you safe." Ron, thinking of Hermione, bought it on the spot, not even bothering to bargain.

Ron looked very proud of himself as they continued through the courtyard. Harry had to admit that it was good gift. The man had obviously been a wizard, so he probably wasn't lying about the gem's abilities. They were just about to enter the next alleyway, when a hand suddenly poked through a curtain and grabbed Harry's arm. It pulled him inside. Ron grabbed his other arm, with intent to pull him the other way, but was pulled inside the tent as well. George, Fred, and Ginny later commented that several magical barriers were thrown up as soon as the two boys entered the tent.

Harry and Ron, who had been thrown to the floor, looked up to see their captor. He was grizzled and hunched over, even frothing at the mouth. He pointed a shaking finger at Harry.

"You, you," he stuttered. He sat down and put his head in his hands and began to rock back and forth.

"I am a Diviner. I can See. I have seen you (pause) in a circle of stones. The sun and the moon, they are equal (the man paused again, and was beginning to shake violently). There are the Four in a circle. Chanting (he convulsed). The Four are there. The planets shine. They align. They watch. The portal is open. The four, they chant (The man grunted with pain, then he convulsed again). They enter the portal." The man shuddered and fell over. Harry and Ron quickly got up, and turned to leave.

"Wait," the man whispered. Harry turned, but Ron continued out. When he saw Harry had not followed him, Ron turned back, but he could not get through the wards. Harry was alone now.

The man, who had gotten up with surprising ease, walked over to a desk and pulled out a box. He took out a necklace. A cat's eye gleamed on a chain of woven silver, lit with an internal light. The man placed the necklace over Harry's head.

"You wear this when I See. You will have to fight a great evil very soon; I can feel it. Not here, but wherever that portal takes you." He walked back over the box and took out another necklace.

"The man at your right hand wears this, the man who is your best friend. The man who would give his life for you." The man pressed the necklace into Harry's hand. All of a sudden, an owl flew through solid cloth and landed on the man's arm. Harry gasped. The man untied the scroll attached to the owl's leg. He handed the scroll to Harry.

"This is yours now. Read it, and know everything. It is only for the Four's eyes. We have searched years for this scroll. Use it well." The man snapped his fingers, and Harry was suddenly outside the tent again.

**********

The rest of the day went smoothly. Harry and Ron said nothing about what the man had told them, Harry especially. Over the next few days, the group went to museums and looked at monuments. One day, they took a tour of the Nile by boat. Ron had brought his book, and lectured the whole time. By the end of the day, the entire Weasley clan wanted to toss the book into the river.

On August 15, Bill drove the whole family to Giza. Fred and George had carefully hidden Ron's Egypt book the night before. He searched for it frantically the next day, but to no avail. They crowded into Bill's car once again. The twins immediately began to tease Ron, who defended himself the best he could. Ginny tried to help him, and soon the four had a full-fledged War of Words. Percy tried to break up the fight, and Charlie just laughed. Harry stared out the window.

The whole family became quiet as the approached the pyramids. Even Percy let his chin drop at the sight. The rest of the day was heaven for Harry, who enjoyed climbing up the pyramids and exploring their insides. Ron tried to lecture as best he could with the information he remembered from his last visit. Harry did his best to block out the endless chatter. Only Ginny seemed as in awe as he was. They broke away from the group eventually, to block out the noise and explore at their own pace. They entered one of the smaller pyramids. It seemed empty. As they walked along the passageways, illuminated with a muggle torch, Ginny began to talk about things. School, home, a friend, whatever was on her mind. Harry just listened, and made comments when he thought appropriate. Finally Ginny reached the topic that bugged her most.

"Harry, something has been weighing on me, and I need to get if off my chest. When Hermione sent Ron his letter, you know about that, right?" Harry nodded. "Well, he began to ramble about how things were supposed to be. That he was supposed to be with Hermione, and I was supposed to be with...you. But I don't want to lead you in the wrong direction. I just don't feel that way about you, you know?" She sighed.

"I know what you mean," Harry said. "I didn't know how to tell you that those were Ron's expectations. I admit I'm glad you were the one who brought it up. I didn't know how to go about telling you that I agree with you. I didn't want to cause a scene or anything. You're an excellent friend Ginny. I don't want to lose that." He hugged her. Then they continued walking.

They stopped and stared a rows and rows of hieroglyphics. Harry couldn't help himself, he muttered one of the translation spells he had learned and waved his hand toward on wall. He let out a small gasp as a universal understanding settled on his shoulders. Ginny noticed this and opened her mouth to say something, but Harry began to translate out loud. He read row after row of hieroglyphics, hardly stopping for breath.

"It's a prayer to Osiris, the God of the Dead. It's beautiful, asking for passage to the underworld. It shows such devotion," Harry commented. Ginny put an arm around his shoulders, and Harry put an arm around her waist. They continued walking, Harry translating when he found something interesting. Suddenly, he heard something. He let go of Ginny and turned around, whipping his wand out of his holster. Not caring about underage magic laws, he muttered Lumos.

A man was standing at the end of the passageway. He threw two Stunning spells at Harry and Ginny. Harry pulled up a shield, and the spells glanced off it. Ginny ran around the corner. Harry heard her scream, and he followed her, only in time to see her fall through a hole in the ground. One of the booby traps Ron had talked about. He threw himself to the ground and reached into the hole. He grasped for her hand, and he caught it. Harry tried to pull her up, forgetting about the man at the other end of the hallway. He reached for her other hand, but he couldn't get a good grasp on it. In the back of his conscious, he heard the man walking toward him, but he was too busy trying to pull Ginny out of the trap.

He had finally hauled her upper half out of the trap, when the man grabbed his shoulders and pushed him back. The man gripped Ginny's arms and pulled her out of the hole with ease. Then he promptly stunned her and turned to Harry. He muttered a binding charm, and Harry was too tired to put up a decent shield. He felt his limbs snap together, and he waited to see what the man would do next. Harry was surprised. The man simply pushed aside his bangs and felt across his forehead. He seemed to find what he was looking for, and removed the bind. He began to walk in the direction he had come.

Harry grabbed his wand and threw a Stunning charm at him. The man dodged it just in time. He returned a similar charm, but Harry threw up a shield. In the beginning, Harry only sent minor curses. Jelly-legs Jinx and Body Binds, and charms that were intended to cause distraction and annoyance, not harm. The Mystery Man would have none of it. Most of Harry's curses hit the man, but he knew how to disengage them. And he hurled back curses that were twice as harmful. This was nothing like fighting Draco Malfoy in second year, or even Mrs. Figg. This man had a single intent, and that was harming Harry, and Harry had to use everything Mrs. Figg had taught him to block the spells that were aimed at him. He spent more time defending than attacking.

Harry finally forgot the rules and threw whatever curse or charm came to mind. He threw slashers, most of which were blocked. He threw stunners and blinders, but all were dodged. Their dueling continued. After a while, the man became sloppy, and Harry became tired. Most of the Mystery Man's curses missed Harry by a long shot. Harry stopped hurling charms and took careful aim when he though of an effective curse.

Finally, the man aimed a strong Stunning spell that shattered Harry's shield. Before he could reconstruct the shield, the man aimed another Stunner, and Harry fell to the ground. The man levitated him so that he lay next to Ginny. That's how the two of them were found an hour later by Fred and George.

***********

"Mrs. Figg's house," Harry shouted as he stepped into the flames with his trunk. After being found in the pyramid, Harry and Ginny had been transported to the Cairo hospital. They were awakened, and then showered with owl post. Letters from the Cairo Ministry wanted to know about the surge of magic that had occurred an hour ago. Harry and Ginny each sent their statements. Letters from the British Ministry wanted to expel Harry for using so much magic.

Later that evening, Harry received a letter from Dumbledore, saying that he had gotten Harrys statement and a magical analysis of the crime scene. Harry felt incredibly relieved when Dumbledore assured him that he would not be expelled, but saddened when he found that he would have to take the Floo to Mrs. Figg's house as soon as possible. Shortly after Dumbledore's letter arrived, another stream of mail came from the British Ministry, begging forgiveness for even thinking that Harry would be expelled.

Harry was forced to say goodbye to all the Weasleys in the Ankh building, and then he took the Floo home. Dumbledore had informed Arabella of everything that had happened. She beamed when Harry was thrown through the fireplace, and she hugged him as soon as he righted himself.

"I saw the magic analysis. You used almost every spell I taught you, and your shields must have worked, because some of the stuff the Mystery Man threw at you would have scrapped you up pretty bad. You did wonderfully Harry!"

"I have one question. What exactly did you do to help the Weasleys pick me up?" Harry asked her.

"Well what was supposed to happen was this. I distracted Vernon and Petunia. Arthur was supposed to get your things, and then I was to pretend to trip and hurt myself near you. You would have brought me into the house and I would have pointed out the invisible car. If it weren't for those idiot twins (she grimaced), everything would have gone smoothly. When I didn't show up with you, Arthur got worried and came around the back, and you know the rest," Arabella explained. Harry hugged her.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Harry spent the next few days with Arabella. She put a Shielding charm around her backyard, so Harry could practice his martial arts and aiming his spells. He ran in the morning, and Arabella fed him well. He Apparated downstairs in the morning to practice, and his wandless magic was getting better and better.

He tried to show her the scroll he had gotten in Egypt, but Arabella only saw blank parchment. She tried revealing charms, but nothing worked. Harry tried a translating charm, which made Arabella frown.

"You see something?" she asked Harry.

"Yeah, the whole parchment it covered in different types of Runes. It looks like it was written in several different languages," he told her. Harry noticed that his spell hadn't worked. He told Mrs. Arabella this.

"I guess the only way to read it is to translate it by hand," she guessed. Harry nodded. He had an idea.

"Do you think I could write Professor McGonagall and ask her if I could switch from Divination to Ancient Runes? The person who gave it to me really wanted me to understand this," he asked her.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask. I could write a letter, too, for extra reinforcement." Arabella nodded with resolve. That night, Harry penned a letter to McGonagall, asking for the switch without giving too many details.

Professor McGonagall,

I would like to request a transfer from my Divination class to the Ancient Runes classes. If this is possible, please send me an owl at your earliest convenience. Thank you.

Harry Potter

The two sent their letters the next day. They received their reply a few days later, along with Harry's supply list.

Mr. Potter,

Due to the unfortunate circumstances that led to your early departure from Egypt, and because of your current condition, I requested the placement switch you asked for. The request has been granted. Enclosed is your book and supply list.

Remember, there is a prefect's meeting on the train to Hogwarts that you must attend. I look forward to seeing you there.

Prof. Minerva McGonagall

"What exactly did you say in your letter?" Harry asked Mrs. Figg. She just smiled.

**********

On August 21^st, Arabella drove Harry to Diagon Alley for school supplies. Harry was astonished that she could drive a car just like a muggle. But then again, she seemed like a person who had adapted to muggle life very well. They had left late, and got stuck in the morning traffic into London.

"Shit," Arabella muttered. She turned on the radio and scanned for anything but static. She finally found some music and sat back in her seat. The traffic hadn't moved. Harry listened to the song. It actually was pretty good.

It's a little bit funny this feeling inside
I'm not one of those who can easily hide
I don't have much money but boy if I did
I'd buy a big house where we both could live

If I was a sculptor, but then again, no
Or a man who makes potions in a traveling show
I know it's not much but it's the best I can do
My gift is my song and this one's for you

And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple but now that it's done
I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you're in the world

I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss
Well a few of the verses well they've got me quite cross
But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song
It's for people like you that keep it turned on

So excuse me forgetting but these things I do
You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue
Anyway the thing is what I really mean
Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen

And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple but now that it's done
I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you're in the world

"What song is this?" he asked Arabella.

"It's Elton John, Your Song, I think," she answered.

"It's a good song," he commented.

"Yes, it is." She smiled as the traffic began to move again.

When they got to the Leaky Cauldron, Harry took his school list out of his pocket. He tapped the bricks and entered Diagon Alley with Arabella. They went around relatively quickly, starting at Gringotts and going from there. Harry got all the supplies on his list, plus a few books and potion ingredients Arabella insisted would help him further his education outside of the curriculum. Harry stopped to talk to Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan, who like him were trying to avoid the shopping rush.

The list said he needed dress robes. Harry tried to remember if the ones he owned were still wearable. Arabella pushed him into Madame Malkin's anyway, and he found himself surrounded in fabric minutes later. Arabella laughed when he tried to shake it off. Madame Malkin, busy for no apparent reason, shoved him a pile of robes and pushed him into a dressing room. He discarded some of the robes immediately, ones in colors or styles he knew he wouldn't be caught dead in. He picked up a black silk robe, and walked outside for Arabella's verdict. She shook her head no and made a face. He went back inside and pulled on a robe with a light sheen. It was green, but so dark that it was almost black. He latched the ornate silver clasp and stepped outside. Arabella's jaw dropped.

"Very nice Harry," she managed to stutter. Harry bought them on the spot, along with some new school robes. He had grown four inches since the last year, according to Madame Malkin.

Arabella treated Harry to lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, and Harry bought them both ice creams for dessert. They arrived home in early afternoon, and Harry went upstairs to put his new supplies and robes away. He came back downstairs and into the parlor. He decided to take a tip from Hermione and opened his Potions book. Snape wouldn't catch him unprepared this year.

He had red four chapters when Arabella came in. She sat down at a piano Harry hadn't noticed and began to play. Harry put his book down and went to join her on the piano bench. He watched her finders fly on the keys, drawing out a sound hauntingly beautiful. When she finished, Harry was in awe.

"Can you teach me to play like that?" he whispered. She turned to him and nodded. She scooted to the side of the bench and let Harry sit in the middle. Over the next three hours, Arabella taught him scales and other warm ups. She was a hard teacher, and very persistent that everything he did was just right. She adjusted his fingers and his seating, each time making his tone sound better than the last. Harry didn't know how to read music, so she used flashcards to help him learn the notes at a glance. By the end of the afternoon, she had taught him 'Ode to Joy' by Beethoven.

For the last week before school started, piano lessons were added to Arabella's schedule. A few days later, Harry felt like he could take on an army of Death Eaters, and then play the piano to their corpses. The thought was obscurely satisfying.

The night of August 31^st, Arabella made a huge dinner. Harry had dressed in black slacks and a black shirt. Arabella had worn a crimson skirt and white blouse. She wanted this dinner to be special, she had said. Harry was not allowed to come into the kitchen, but the smells that wafted into the parlor were wonderful.

To distract himself from the thought of food, Harry stared at the pictures on the mantle place. One was obviously of the Marauders, but the picture was too small for the frame. There was an arm around Lupin's neck that had no body attached to it. Harry guessed why. Another was Arabella, twenty years younger, hugging a familiar looking redhead. Lily Potter. He gazed at the next picture, and took it off the mantle. He sat down and let a silent tear slip down his cheek. That was how Arabella found him a half hour later.

"I didn't know they could dance," was all Harry could say. Arabella leaned over and hugged him fiercely, picture and all. She sat down next him and they both gazed longingly at the couple dancing in muggle clothing. The people in the picture didn't even acknowledge that they were being looked at. They were too absorbed in each other. The black haired man tucked a tiny red curl behind the woman's ear, and she kissed him.

"I wish I could dance like that," Harry said. Arabella turned and looked him in the eye.

"Then you shall," she answered.

Dinner wasn't rushed, but it was a lot shorted than Harry expected for his goodbye dinner. When they finished, Arabella waved her hand and the dishes flew into the sink. She took his hand and unlocked a door Harry hadn't seen before. She noticed his look of puzzlement. She laughed.

"This door will lead to any room I want it to," she explained. The door opened and Harry walked into a lavish ballroom. It was at least two stories high, and the windows went from floor to ceiling. They had red velvet drapes with golden tassels. The floor was white marble with streaks of black and gold. A huge chandelier hung from the ceiling. Arabella waved her hand and the room was brightly illuminated. The walls were lined with various couches and chairs that seemed to match even though they didn't. Arabella walked over to a gramophone. She selected a record from the rack and set it on the player. A magically amplified sound filled the room. Arabella turned to Harry.

"This is a waltz, and it's the first dance you'll learn. You'll be a good dance partner, since you're an inch or two taller than me. It's the dance your parents danced in the picture." So Harry learned the waltz, and the foxtrot, and the cha-cha. He learned how to salsa, tango, and swing. The two danced into the night, not caring about time.

"Will you indulge me one last song? I heard it on the radio, and I purchased the disc. I've always wondered what it would be like to dance to it," she asked Harry, around two in the morning.

"Anything," said Harry, still breathless from the Swing. He couldn't believe he had flipped a woman in the air who was twice his age and hadn't dropped her. Arabella walked to the CD player and put on a disc. She flipped to the end of the CD and soft piano music filled the room again. Except this time, a woman sang.

Listen as the wind blows
from across the great divide,
Voices trapped in yearning,
memories trapped in time,
The night is my companion
and solitude my guide,
Would I spend forever here
and not be satisfied,

And I would be the one
to hold you down,
kiss you so hard,
I'll take your breath away
and after I'd wipe away the tears,
Just close your eyes dear

Through this world I've stumbled
so many times betrayed,
Trying to find an honest word,
to find the truth enslaved,
Oh you speak to me in riddles and
you speak to me in rhymes
My body aches to breathe your breath,
you words keep me alive,

And I would be the one
to hold you down,
kiss you so hard,
I'll take your breath away
and after I'd wipe away the tears,
Just close your eyes dear

Into this night I wander,
it's morning that I dread,
Another day of knowing of
the path I fear to tread,
Oh into the sea of waking dreams
I follow without pride,
Nothing stands between us here
and I won't be denied,

And I would be the one
to hold you down,
kiss you so hard,
I'll take your breath away
and after I'd wipe away the tears,
Just close your eyes dear...

Harry and Arabella swayed to the music. He heard a small sob, and her chest convulsed. He looked at her. She met his eyes and tears she had tried to hide spilled over. He pulled her to him and she cried.

"You look ...so much ...like him," was all she could say between sobs. Harry understood. He held her until she stopped crying.

*********

Arabella drove Harry to the train station on September first with plenty of time to spare. However, they were both slightly groggy from the night before. With some coaching from Arabella, he managed to casually slide through the barrier. His trunk was packed and on the train, and Hedwig was in her cage, and the train didn't leave for another half hour.

Arabella pulled a small box out of her robes and handed it to Harry. He opened it, and saw a metal stamp and a stick of red wax for sealing letters. The stamp had H P written in a lavish script. He hugged Arabella goodbye and his eyes watered when she kissed his forehead. She used the sleeve of her robe to polish the shiny Prefect's badge he had pinned onto his robes, and he watched her exit through the barrier.

Harry packed away the box and spent the next fifteen minutes chatting with his fellow Gryffindors. Eyes rose at the Prefect's badge, and everyone proclaimed that they knew it all along. Everyone guessed who the Gryffindor Female Prefect was, and they all guessed Hermione. Harry thought he heard someone call his name, and he turned to see Ron and Hermione waving. Well, Ron was waving frantically, and Hermione looked a little uncomfortable. Harry, deciding to be the stronger one, walked towards the two of them. Hermione tried to put herself between Ron and the wall, but Ron put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her forward. She reddened as Harry leaned in to hug her.

"Chill out, you're acting strangely. Ron will notice that," he whispered in her ear. She slowly pulled her arms up and hugged him back. The train blew its whistle, and the three climbed up the stairs, levitating their trunks when they reached the top. Ron shoved his trunk into one of the compartments. He turned, only to see Harry and Hermione pulling their trunks through the corridor.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"There's a prefects' meeting in the prefects' car," Harry explained. Then he realized what was wrong. He hadn't told Ron about being made a Prefect. Harry turned to Hermione, and saw that she had just pulled her badge out of her sleeve. She reddened as she pinned it to her robes. Ron looked startled, then angry.

"You're both prefects, and neither of you bothered to tell me, eh?" Ron's face was a mask of fury.

"Ron, I'm sorry, I just forgot," Harry tried to explain. Hermione rushed forward and hugged Ron. She whispered something into his ear that made his face soften. She kissed him. Harry looked at the floor. He didn't mind public displays of affection, but when it was his two best friends, he felt a bit awkward. The train jolted to life and Harry turned to pick up his trunk. Ron went into his compartment, and Hermione joined Harry on his trek to the prefects' car. He tried to make conversation, but Hermione said little. She seemed deliberately cold towards him. Finally, Harry couldn't take anymore. He dropped his trunk with a bang.

"Goodness Hermione, I expected better of you. This is so stupid, acting this way. What happened did happened, and nothing you do will change that. I've tried to forget about it, but that seems to be the last thing you want to do. I don't know why this is, since you have made your feelings crystal clear. You and Ron are together, and that's what you wanted, so don't destroy our friendship over nothing. Yes, I kissed you. It's done. So stop it already!" He said this all very fast, and he had to catch his breath.

Hermione's eyes began to tear, and she flung herself at Harry. He thought she was going to attack him, but she grabbed him into a hug. He hugged her back.

"Harry, I'm so sorry. I wasn't sure if I should mention it or not, but you're right. What's done is done, so there's no reason to hurt our friendship over something so trivial. However, if you tell Ron, I'll hex you eight ways from Sunday." Hermione laughed, and Harry joined her. After a final squeeze, both picked up their trunks and continued to the front of the train. Neither noticed that one of the compartment doors closed slowly.

The prefect's car wasn't hard to miss. A huge 'P' had been painted on the door. A porter in a purple uniform took their trunks, and Harry and Hermione walked into the car. Harry didn't recognize any of the older students except for Katie Bell, the Gryffindor female for the Seventh year. She beckoned them over next to her, and Harry sat with Katie on his left and Hermione on his right. Professor McGonagall Apparated into the car.

"Welcome prefects, old and new. I would like to start this meeting by announcing the new prefects. When I say your name, please stand." She pulled out a list.

"From Gryffindor house, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger." People clapped politely, except for the other Gryffindors, who clapped as loud as possible.

"From Hufflepuff house, Justin Finch-Flechley and Hannah Abbot." More clapping.

"From Ravenclaw house, Terry Boot and Lisa Turpin." A few Ravenclaws whispered catcalls at Lisa amidst the clapping.

"And from Slytherin house, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini." The clapping was definitely less than the other houses.

Harry wanted there to be a mistake. There was no way Draco could be a prefect, could there?

"Now, I will announce the Head Boy and Girl for this year. Our Head Boy comes from Ravenclaw house, Roger Davies." The Ravenclaws jumped up and down, and a few girls screamed at the news.

"Our Head Girl comes from Gryffindor house (Harry felt Katie tense), Katie Bell." McGonagall looked very proud. Katie couldn't suppress a scream. McGonagall handed her the Head Girl badge.

"Now I need to speak to the new Prefects, so all of you sixth and seventh years may socialize and enjoy some refreshment." McGonagall turned to the new prefects. "You all have been given a great honor. I wish for your sake that you would uphold it. I wish you luck and I hope that you prosper in your position. Now, I've had enough with the formalities. Go eat something." She smiled.

Harry and Hermione put a few pumpkin pasties onto a plate and picked up a cup of pumpkin juice. They sat at a small table under one of the windows and ate in silence. When he finished eating, Harry decided to break it.

"How was your visit at the Burrow?" he asked Hermione. He picked up his glass of pumpkin juice and took a sip.

"Oh, it was fine. Fred and George teased Ron relentlessly. The food was excellent as usual, and I taught Ron how to kiss me." Harry spit out his juice. He was about to comment when McGonagall called them back to their seats.

"I will now charm the new wands with the security codes for your dormitories and the meeting room. As some of you know, we take extra security measures with prefect security, so not just anyone can enter your rooms. You will see a red gem next to a door only prefects and faculty can enter without assistance. Your head of house will show you where your dorm entrances are hidden in your common rooms. If you were a prefect last year, the codes have not changed, so you may continue socializing. If you have a new wand, you will need the codes recharmed. Make a line over here," she pointed.

It took almost a half hour to charm everyone's wands. When she finished charming wands, McGonagall gave them permission to visit friends in other cars. Harry stopped outside and looked for the porter who had taken his trunk. He found him sitting in a chair.

"Um, may I remove a few things from my trunk?" he asked the porter. Without saying anything, the porter pulled his trunk out of a compartment and set it on the ground. Harry unlocked it and pulled out his book bag. He opened it and checked to see if his cat's eye was there. He found it and put it on, tucking it inside his robes. He set his bag on the floor and relocked his trunk. The porter put it back on its shelf, and Harry walked through the train towards Ron's car. He caught up with Hermione, who had pulled her aventurine necklace out of its place under her robes. Harry later wondered why he had been so surprised to see it. So surprised that he dropped his book bag and watched as the books and parchment flew out, the Egypt scroll included. It rolled out slightly, but enough that Harry could see several lines of runes. He hurried to shove everything back in the bag, and didn't notice that his cat's eye had slipped out from his robes. Hermione seemed as drawn to it as Harry had been to her aventurine. She knelt down to help him.

"Where did you get this cat's eye?" she asked him. She reached out and let it rest on her palm.

"In Egypt," he responded automatically. He reached out and grasped her aventurine, which sent a shock through the both of them. Hermione shot upwards and straightened her robes. Harry also stood up and shouldered his book bag. They walked in silence to Ron's compartment. It was empty, and the look on Ron's face would have driven anyone but them away. When he saw Hermione, his anger faded. She kissed his forehead and sat down next to him. Harry sat opposite the two of them.

"How did it go?" Ron asked a bit sheepishly.

"It was quite boring. You didn't miss anything," Hermione did her best to sound dull. Ron nodded. They talked about various things for the rest of the train ride.

**********

They arrived at Hogwarts as the sun set over the lake. The three said hello to Hagrid, who was leading the first years towards the boats, and then climbed into a carriage. Ginny joined them. She was wearing her tiger's eye. The carriage began to move. Ginny began to stare at Harry, then Hermione, then back to Harry. She lifted her tiger's eye off her neck and held it next to Hermione's aventurine.

"The chains are the same. Imagine that," Ginny said. Harry lifted his cat's eye off his neck and held it next to Ginny and Hermione's necklaces. All three chains were the same.

"This is the coincidence of a life time," said Ron. Harry turned to him just in time to watch something flicker in his eye. Anger. Hermione turned red. Harry withdrew his necklace and put it on, hiding under his robes again. The rest of the ride to the castle was silent.

The four sat down side by side at the Gryffindor table. The group of first years clung to each other as they walked to the front of the hall. McGonagall clapped her hands and the hall silenced. The hat, looking just as old and just as battered, began to sing:

I am a hat, you've already seen,

The smartest hat in the world,

Put me on, I'll read your mind,

See how your life's unfurled,

Long ago, a thousand years,

Four founders put me here,

To pick what house is yours at heart,

So there's no need to fear,

Four houses for each founder,

Whose qualities you hold,

I will see where you should be,

If I may be so bold,

In Gryffindor you will be brave,

And have no fear of peril,

Those Gryffindors are quite valiant

And have a lust for toil,

Or maybe you're a Ravenclaw

Wise beyond her years,

Academic scholars all,

Bad marks their only fears,

Hufflepuff was sweet and loyal'

And worked hard toward her goals'

All you Hufflepuffs are very just,

Hearts warm as glowing coals,

The final house, great Slytherin,

Was powerful and shrewd,

Slyths of Hogwarts will find indeed,

These qualities don't elude,

Another year, another group

Of students come to learn,

The magic arts of wizardry

The hat stopped, trying to remember the last sentence.

So put me on your head children. It finished with a sigh.

Harry suppressed a grimace and began to clap. The first years, not seeing what had happened, stared at the hat with an innocent awe. The older students tittered about the hat's faltering, but were silenced when Professor McGonagall called the list of names. Harry clapped as Amado, Bianca became the first new Gryffindor. Soon all the empty places at each table were full. Dumbledore made his announcements about the Forbidden Forest and Mr. Filch's rules, and then he bid everyone to eat. The feast was delicious as usual. At one point, Professor McGonagall came to the table and told him the password, Honeysuckle. When the feast was over and the food had been cleared, Harry took a page out of Percy's book.

"Gryffindor first years, follow me please," he called. Hermione, catching on, did the same. Ron followed reluctantly. Harry warned the first years about the stairs, and Hermione told them about Filch and Mrs. Norris' nightly habits. Harry told them the password, and Hermione showed them the common room. Then Harry led the first year boys to their dorm, and Hermione took the girls to theirs. After he saw all the boys into bed, answered all their questions, and held his bangs up for five minutes so the boys could gawk at his scar, Harry went back into the common and slumped into a chair. Hermione followed soon.

"I never knew where one slept was so important. Those girls are very picky," she commented, taking a seat next to him. Ron moved from his place by the fire to join them. Hermione gave him a hug and he put his arm around her. Professor McGonagall entered through the portrait and walked over to Harry and Hermione.

"I suppose you would like to see your new dormitories," she said to them. Ron gasped softly.

"You mean, you're not going to be with me...and Seamus and Dean anymore?" he whispered.

"I'm sorry Ron," was all he could say. He stood up and followed McGonagall. Hermione kissed Ron on the temple, and then followed Harry. McGonagall led them to a tapestry of Godric Gryffindor. She pushed it aside and led the two into a small nook with a door at the end. A red gem was attached to the door. McGonagall waved her wand over it, and the door opened silently. She walked through it. And Harry walked into Paradise.

"This is the prefects' common room. You will share it with your fellow prefects from all of the houses. It offers more quiet than your regular common room, and it allows you to socialize more often with prefects from other houses."

The room was circular, like the inside of a tower. It was three stories tall, with a glass dome at the top. The dome was not enchanted, but a chandelier hung from the center of it, so light spilled over everything. The second and third floors had ledges, and each wall of each floor was lined with bookcases, sorted by subject. Ornate iron fencing surrounded the outside of the ledges so no one would fall off, and it lined the circular stairways to each floor. There was one large window on each floor, and a sofa was positioned so that one could sit and look out at the lake or the grounds. A large fireplace was on the first floor, and the polished hardwood floors had colorful rag rugs here and there. A door was positioned at regular intervals between bookcases. There were eight on second and third floors, and thirteen on the ground floor. Each dorm door was painted red, green, yellow, or blue, and a gold plate announced the dorm's occupant.

McGonagall led the two of them up a staircase to the second floor. Harry leaned over the ledge fencing and looked at the various sofas, chairs, and tables on the ground floor. McGonagall pointed to four doors, including the one they had just entered from.

"Those door exit to the common rooms of each house. That is one of two ways to enter this room. The other is through the prefects' meeting room, which can be entered and exited through the door painted black." She pointed to the black door on the ground floor.

"The meeting room can also be entered from the second floor corridor," she told them. McGonagall walked to one of the red doors on the second floor.

"This is your room Miss Granger. Harry, yours is the other one painted red. Goodnight, I shall see you both tomorrow morning." With that, she swept down the staircase and out the red door they had entered from.

"Can I see your room?" Harry asked Hermione. She waved her wand over the tiny red gem on the handle. The door opened silently. The room was carefully decorated. It looked very simple, but very clean. Harry had no complaints, and the look on Hermione's face showed she had none either. She walked over the window and pushed aside the curtain.

"Goodnight Hermione," he said softly. She turned and walked back to him. He gave her a hug, which she returned, stifling a yawn. Harry shut the door behind him when he left a few minutes later. He walked to his own dorm and waved his wand over the gem. His room was decorated similarly to Hermione's. Two bookcases stood against the walls, and a small fireplace had sofas and chairs around it. A desk sat under a window and a four-poster bed with red hangings looked very inviting. His trunk sat in front of an armoire.

Harry began to unpack. He put his book bag onto the bed and pulled out some of his books. He pulled out the scroll and the other necklace the man had given him. He thought about what the man had said, "The man at your right hand wears this". His right hand man, his friend wore this necklace. His good friend stood by his side in the Egyptian man's vision. How could it be anyone but Ron? Harry grabbed the parchment that only the Four as they had been called, could see. He shoved the moonstone into the pocket of his robe and raced out of the dorm. He ran down the staircase and waved his wand over the red Common Room door. It opened silently, as usual and Harry burst from behind the tapestry. As he expected, Ron was still sitting in the chair where they had left him. Harry unrolled a part of the scroll and shoved it under Ron's nose.

"Ron, can you see anything?" he asked frantically.

"No Harry, nor can I figure why you're shoving a blank parchment under my nose at ten o'clock at night." Ron batted the parchment away and stood up. Without saying anything, he walked up the stairs and out of sight. Harry stood for a moment, contemplating what he had just heard. Then, he walked slowly back to the tapestry and opened the door. In a trance, he walked up the staircase and into his dorm. One question kept repeating itself in his mind.

If Ron isn't my right hand, the man who would die for me, then who the hell is it?