Love Conquers All

"Where's Harry?" Tonks inquired as she and the other six Aurors followed Dumbledore down the corridor, which was no easy task because the Ministry of Magic was in a complete uproar.

"Never you mind, Nymphadora," Dumbledore replied. "Harry will return in due time but for now don't worry about him."

Tonks eyed him curiously but obeyed.

As they hurried down the crowded hallway it seemed as though every wizard and witch in England had come to the Ministry upon learning of the attack on London. Rumors were flying everywhere, most of which were wrong, and people acted as though it were the end of the world indeed.

"Where are we going?" Tonks asked as she worked to stay with Dumbledore through the throng of people.

"The Minister's office," Dumbledore answered. "I must see him immediately."

They continued to weave their way throughout the crowd until they reached a large oak door labeled:

CORNELIUS FUDGE

MINISTER OF MAGIC

Dumbledore burst through the door without knocking and found Fudge sitting at his desk with a number of people, including the Muggle prime minister.

"Dumbledore!" Fudge yelped. "What do you want?"

"I have what's left of the Aurors who fought off the Death Eaters that caused all this," said Dumbledore.

"Great Scott!" said Fudge, jumping up. "Send them in! I need full details!"

Dumbledore stepped aside to allow his six companions to enter.

"Go on!" Fudge pressed. "What happened?"

Kingsley Shacklebolt immediately dove into telling the entire story about the explosions and the fifty Death Eaters and how Bellatrix Lestrange would have killed them all if it hadn't been for Harry...

"Lestrange!" Fudge hollered. "Potter killed her?"

"Not intentionally," said Neville.

"Nevertheless," said Fudge. "That is utterly shocking. Lestrange was near impossible to defeat in the First War, and now she has been vanquished! Where is Potter, anyhow?"

"He's preoccupied at the moment," said Dumbledore.

Fudge stared at him. "Well get him back here! I am calling a Grand Ministry Meeting at seven in the morning and I need everyone to be there! This is a serious situation. You-Know-Who is attacking the Muggles!"

"Cornelius," Dumbledore said quietly. "I don't believe it is Voldemort's intent to slaughter Muggles. I feel that there is an ulterior motive here."

"Believe what you want, Dumbledore," replied Fudge. "But it will be the decision of the Ministry as a whole to decide what actions to take. Seven o'clock in the morning. Spread the word."

Dumbledore nodded and escorted the Aurors out of Fudge's office.

***

Harry awoke the next morning after a dreamless sleep. It took him a moment to realize where he was, but when he saw Hermione sleeping in his arms, he was filled with joy. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. He lay there for a moment, simply admiring every one of her gorgeous features, before he silently stood up and made his way toward the shower.

Just as he reached his bathroom, Hedwig flew into his room and dropped a small note in his hands. Harry quickly opened it and found large curvy handwriting.

Be at the Ministry by seven o'clock. An emergency meeting has been called and Cornelius has requested that all attend.

Albus Dumbledore

Harry groaned. In his momentary admiration of Hermione, he had completely forgotten what had happened the previous night. Now it all came flooding back to him like an unwanted storm and he felt miserable at the idea of having to relive the events for the Ministry.

Harry slumped back into the living room to find Hermione still sleeping soundly on the floor. He smiled upon seeing her peaceful form lost up in dreams of happiness and joy. He sat down next to her and brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. She was smiling while she slept, and Harry hated to wake her from whatever happy dream she was having, but he wasn't about to leave her alone again. So, he kissed her softly of the lips and gently stoked her cheek.

"Good morning, Prince Charming," she whispered.

Her eyes opened and stared into his. Harry felt a sudden warmth flow over him from her gaze and all the cold and dead inside of him was swept away. She had the eyes and the smile to melt a hundred men; Harry was just glad he would be the only one who got to experience it now.

He scooped her up and his arms and kissed her again before setting her down on the couch to sit.

"Hermione," he said softly. "I think I'm falling in love with you again."

She giggled and ruffled his hair.

"Your such a sweetheart, Harry."

"Well," he said. "You say that now, but I have a bit of bad news. We have to be at the Ministry in thirty minutes."

She sighed. "As long as you're with me that's perfectly fine."

They shared one more passionate kiss before deciding they had better go. After a quick breakfast they Apparated to the Ministry, then walked hand in hand through the typhoon of the Atrium.

"Harry! Hermione!"

The couple turned to find Seamus Finnigan, Hogwarts' Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, fighting his way toward them.

"Come on!" he breathed. "Ron is waiting for us in his office."

Harry and Hermione followed Seamus to the rather crowded lift and took it down to the Department of Magical Games and Sports, the department that Ron Weasley was the head of.

"Thank God!" Ron cried when they entered his office.

The redhead embraced his two best friends in a gigantic hug.

"When I heard about the attacks I knew you two were nearby. I was so worried that I came straight here to find out what was going on. Is everything all right?"

"Yes, we're fine, Ronald," Hermione said, kissing his cheek. "Are you?"

"Yes, good," he said. "I was just watching this, TV thing to see what the Muggles made of all this."

"Sssh!" Seamus suddenly snapped.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned to see that the television was tuned onto a Muggle news station. The woman on the screen was in a right state.

"In a catastrophic disaster last night," she began, "eleven multi-story buildings and one suspension bridge were destroyed by what officials are calling 'unexplainable phenomenal eruptions'. At least fifteen people were killed, and countless more injured in the tragedy. We are now waiting on further details of this disaster."

The woman continued on about the extent of the damage as Ron shook his head.

"Bloody hell, do you think any of them know what really happened?"

"I doubt it," said Harry. "They were too busy running away from it."

"So," Ron said, turning to Harry. "Are you going to tell us about it or what?"

Harry nodded but before he could begin a very tired looking Tonks bustled into the room.

"Hurry up, you lot!" she panted. "The meeting is about to start."

There was a deep sigh from all four of them, but they complied to go with her to the main courtroom where the entire Ministry of Magic would be meeting. Harry only hoped someone else would recount the events in London. He was in no mood to do it.

Inside the courtroom there was complete pandemonium. Aurors, Hogwarts teachers, Department leaders, and the rest of the Ministry workers were all running about, some huddled together in deep conversation. Harry spotted Dumbledore talking with Lucinda Gonns, the Head of the Magical Reversal Squad. The old man still looked weak and tired, the way he had the night before, and Harry wondered if he was in good health. He did not have much time to ponder it, for at that moment Fudge appeared on the raised balcony at the far end of the chamber.

"Order! Order!" he bellowed. "Please take your seats!"

As everyone hustled around to obey the orders, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Seamus joined Dumbledore and Gonns in the far right of the chamber. Harry was determined to find out why Dumbledore appeared so weak.

The Minister of Magic sat down in the center of the balcony and Dolores Umbridge stood up, not that you could really tell.

"Let the record show that this is an emergency Grand Ministry Meeting concerning the Death Eater attack on East London at approximately 6:45 p.m. on September the third," she squeaked and sat back down.

Fudge cleared his throat and began.

"As you all know, early yesterday evening there was an extreme attack by Death Eaters on Muggle London. Fifty of them were discovered bombarding several multi-story buildings with various hexes and curses. Seventeen Muggles, three Death Eaters, and two Aurors were killed. Now I ask that we take a moment of silence to remember those innocent Muggle lives as well as the lives of Dennis Creevey and Jefferson Worrington."

The entire courtroom fell silent for a moment before Fudge continued.

"The three Death Eaters that were killed were Timothy Frosco, Phil Cothrove, and Bellatrix Lestrange. Each of them took part in the attack and died because of it."

There was a murmur spreading through the crowd. Many were in disbelief that Lestrange had been finished off.

"I have discussed the situation with the Muggle prime minister," Fudge continued. "He is aware of the situation with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and he will be informing the Muggles that murderers are about, but will not endeavor to tell them who and what they are."

More murmurs.

"I know it may seem rash, but after the events of last night I felt it was necessary to keep the Muggles alert. This war has reached far beyond what any of us expected. You-Know-Who and his followers are now fighting both the wizard and Muggle worlds, and he is using a much greater force. If the Ministry does not act immediately, things could become much worse. Our Aurors have become outnumbered and can no longer handle this one their own. That is why I feel we must recruit wizards to build an army-"

The crowd erupted.

"Outrageous, Fudge!" screamed one of the Department Heads.

"Unthinkable!"

"Preposterous!"

"Settle down!" Fudge commanded. "If we wish to win this war, drastic measures must be taken! We are at war with an army much greater than the last! You-Know-Who has gained countless new supporters and there is no other way to stop them!"

"Actually, Cornelius, there is."

The voice rang loud and impending through the courtroom. Everyone, including Harry, turned to see Dumbledore standing up tall and eying Fudge carefully. He still looked tired to Harry, but had worked up the strength to speak out.

"The chair recognizes Headmaster Albus Dumbledore of Hogwarts School," Fudge stated with a bewildered expression. "What might that be?"

"Only one man here can defeat Voldemort," Dumbledore explained.

Fudge shuddered at the name, as did many others.

"Who is that?" he inquired.

"The prophecy has been made that Harry Potter must conquer the Dark Lord once and for all," Dumbledore replied.

Hundreds of eyes turned toward Harry, who was himself shocked at Dumbledore's statement. The Minister laughed.

"Come now, Dumbledore!" cried Fudge. "Do not start with this nonsense again. The prophecy you speak of never existed. It was a myth."

"Cornelius," Dumbledore said calmly. "The prophecy does exist, just as you and I do."

"Then where is the record?" Fudge demanded.

"The record was destroyed," Dumbledore said.

"A likely story," Fudge laughed. "Well then, I suppose you could tell me who the Seer was that made this prophecy?"

Dumbledore smiled serenely.

"Sibyll Trelawney."

"Ha!" Fudge chuckled. "That fraud of a teacher? She is no Seer. Only a pretender."

"She has had enough Seer blood in her to make two correct predictions of the future in her lifetime," said Dumbledore. "Both involved Voldemort. The prophecy she made twenty years ago was the one I speak of now. It has yet to be fulfilled, but in the end, it will be."

Fudge narrowed his eyes.

"You are mad, Dumbledore. Have you any proof that this prophecy existed? Whose word do you have besides yours and Potter's?"

"Mine."

Neville Longbottom stood up near Harry with a confident look on his face.

"I saw the prophecy," Neville stated firmly. "It did exist."

Dumbledore smiled at him.

"We saw it too," said Ron as he and Hermione stood. "We were all there the night its record was destroyed."

Fudge looked a little taken aback. He glared at Dumbledore, the three defenders, and then at Harry.

"Fine Potter," he spat. "If the prophecy did exist, then I suppose it is up to you to fulfill it. I am still skeptical about this whole ordeal, but I trust that Dumbledore here is always right. The world rests on your shoulders now, Mr. Potter. We will have no more to do with it. Meeting adjourned."

Fudge clapped his mallet on the table and stood. The rest of the courtroom rose as well and slowly began to filter out into the corridors.

"Albus," Harry said to Dumbledore as he too began to leave. "A word please."

"Of course, Harry," said the aged wizard, smiling as he followed Harry out a secondary corridor that was rarely used.

"I suppose you are wondering why I put that pressure on you, Harry," said Dumbledore.

"Somewhat," Harry replied.

"Well, Harry, it's as I told the Minister. By the prophecy, you are the one who must defeat, or be defeated by, Voldemort. Interference by others could have catastrophic consequences. I know that you would prefer not to face Voldemort again, but you must."

"But how?" Harry inquired. "He is so much more powerful than 1."

"Don't be ridiculous, Harry!" exclaimed Dumbledore. "You are indeed as powerful as he is!"

"But, Albus," Harry bowed his head, and appeared to be thinking hard.

"Yes, Harry?"

Harry raised his head and stared at his former Headmaster from behind his round glasses. "Last night-"

"Draco Malfoy came to your home," Dumbledore finished.

"Yes," said Harry. "And he said something to me that...made me worry."

"What did he say?" Dumbledore inquired.

Harry hesitated, fumbling with the Hogwarts class ring on his finger.

"He said that Voldemort had a power I didn't even know."

Dumbledore sighed and shook his head.

"Young Mr. Malfoy is a fool," he said. "The power he spoke of was Evil, which is powerful indeed. You, Harry, do not posses even the slightest trace of it. Nevertheless, that power is nothing next to the power you have Harry, and that is the power of Love. Love is an extremely powerful force, Harry, as I have told you many times. It can create and it can destroy, but those who posses it are far greater than those who do not. You, Harry, do posses it."

Dumbledore smiled at the slightly confused Harry.

"Voldemort knows nothing of the power of Love. That is why he could not kill you when you were a baby. You know well that it was your mother's love for you that protected you."

"But Voldemort is now immune to that protection, Albus," said Harry. "When he returned to his body he took some of my blood so that he could get past that defense."

"Yes, Harry," Dumbledore said softly. "He is immune to that type of protection, but you are now shielded by a much greater passion. Your love for Hermione is so strong that Voldemort could not possibly penetrate it. That is why your relationship with her all those years was so important. I helped encourage it, if you remember."

Harry looked into Dumbledore's blue, twinkling eyes and nodded. He wasn't quite sure if what the older man was saying was true, but Dumbledore was hardly ever wrong.

"Everything will be fine Harry," Dumbledore whispered. "You'll see. Now I must rest, for I am weary."

"Hold on," Harry said, grabbing Dumbledore's arm.

"Yes, Harry?"

Harry had again been perplexed by Dumbledore's diminished stamina.

"Is something wrong?" he asked in a concerned tone. "You have seemed very tired and worn these past few days."

Dumbledore sighed.

"I do not lie, Harry," he said. "I am getting on in years and have lived far beyond the number of years most men would hope to live. And old men get tired, Harry, especially those that have undergone many trials and tribulations. I have seen many things in my lifetime, many that I did not wish to see. Those days are drawing to a close, my friend. I feel that my days in this world are winding down. But never fear, for I have faith that when my time does come, there will be hope for all, and that you will defeat Evil once and for all. Good Luck, Harry Potter. May God be with you."

A moment later, Dumbledore was gone.

Harry stood there, dumbfounded. Dumbledore's advice had been nothing short of valuable, but he could not believe that the headmaster was about to die. He had hoped that the ancient wizard would stand by him in the final battle, even if he was the one destined to face Voldemort in the end. Damn the prophecy. It was going to ruin Harry's life.

He did not linger and pour over his thoughts long, for Ron and Hermione were waiting for him. With one swift movement, he turned on his heel and marched off down the corridor.