Albus Dumbledore sighed heavily as he sat in his office. Two prophecies and one new Divination professor. Sibyl had foretold stunning events tonight and Albus was sure it had something to do with one of two boys, both born around the same time: Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter. It all depended on Tom Riddle. Albus popped a lemon drop in his mouth and rubbed his temples. Fawkes cooed sympathetically and he gave the bird a weak smile. The poor boys, to have their fate decided as mere children. And yet those were small potatoes in comparison to the second prophecy he had stumbled across that night. He sought the memory in his mind so that he could withdraw it and place it in his pensieve.
...
"Sybil? Are you alright?" Albus figured that Trewlawney had come out of her trance when her eyes took on a different sort of far away look to them. But alas, her voice came again. But this time, it was not the throaty rasp of before. This was a guttural, deep voice that didn't even sound like it could come out of Sibyl Trewlawney's mouth."The light has changed, The white haired wizard quickly veiled his shock and smiled brightly at the eccentric woman. "I believe that will be enough, Sibyl, my dear." Sibyl's eyes widened in fear. "Such a short interview..." She murmured somberly. "I assure you, that was all I needed to be sure of your qualifications. I would be honored if you would join us at Hogwarts this year." said Albus. Sibyl's eyes grew to saucers and rimmed with tears. "Oh, truly? Yes, of course, Albus, of course!" she exclaimed. "Lovely, my dear. Now, would you like a lemon drop?"
the day is gone,
behind the brightness of the moon
hides the blackness of the night.
He waits for the day he will arise,
the one with the power
to aid, to help,
the second,
the partner,
he who will know the
demons of the soul,
but will conquer with the
dragon of the heart.
It is the dragon who will come
he will lift up the one with the power
and he will make it possible
for the balance to be returned,
and for the sun to shine once more."Sybil coughed, she hacked, she spluttered and reached for her water, gulping it down. "I'm sorry, Albus," I must have inhaled some sort of bug. Now what were you saying?"
It didn't last.
It wasn't long before Lord Voldemort marked one of the boys as his equal. It was the Potter boy. Harry Potter. Albus should have expected the boy's parents to die for him. It was still so tragic. To have been betrayed by their best friend... James and Lily Potter were too young to die. But they did.
Albus gave the boy to his aunt and uncle. As far as he knew, it was the only relation the boy had. Poor boy... He should be growing up in a wizarding home. Still, at least he was alive. And Lord Voldemort was dead...But then, what was the second prophecy? Who was the dragon? And who would he aid? And for what?
Too many questions and no definite answers. The headmaster would just have to wait for his answers.
Nearly eleven years later, one answer came. The problem: Lord Voldemort had returned. Potter was more powerful than Albus had anticipated and there was a ton of old magic that was left on him from Lily and James' love.
Still, the DADA position was open again and Albus had to interview someone else for it. Gilderoy Lockhart was a last minute decision, a rather rash and careless decision, but he filled the position and most of the mothers seemed pleased enough. Alas, he would bring another answer to Albus at the end of that year: Tom Riddle's diary. Albus knew the secret of it and that there were more. The Horcruxes would have to be destroyed. He hoped, however, that Harry would never have to know about it and that, in time, Albus would be able to track down any other Horcruxes and destroy them.
Harry's third year brought more answers and even more questions. Apparently, Sirius Black, who Albus had known was Harry's godfather, was innocent. But how would the Order of the Phoenix prove that? And Scabbers was actually Peter Pettigrew, the guilty one. But how much did he know about Lord Voldemort? And would they ever be able to capture him?
Harry wanted to live with Sirius, but knew that he couldn't... would he ever be able to? How long would this war take? And the ever looming question, who was the Dragon? And how did all this affect him? Albus was left wondering anxiously what Harry's fourth year would entail.
*~*~*~*~FOURTH YEAR~*~*~*~*~*
Harry sighed with content as he felt Cedric's lips along the flesh of his throat. "Mmm, thanks for meeting me on such short notice," The raven haired boy murmured huskily.
"It's no problem. You must be really stressed." Cedric replied, slipping his body between Harry's legs. They were nestled together in the steaming water of the prefect's bathroom's tub enjoying the Saturday afternoon in peace.
"Yeah... I have no idea who put my name in that goblet." Harry said. "But whoever it is definitely wants me dead... maybe they'll get their wish." Harry admitted his fear.
"Harry, don't talk that way, please..." Cedric asked, kissing the boy's face. "I know you're younger than me on the outside, but you've had to go through so much already. It's like you're older than me... And you're so strong, Harry. You can do this, I know you can."
Harry looked deep into Cedric's eyes and smiled weakly. He leaned his head in and kissed his lips tenderly. "Thank you, love."
Cedric grinned at him the way that Harry loved. "Anytime."
...
"Cedric, NO!" Harry ran over to the boy, tangled in the vines and rescued him. Together they ran for the cup, together they grasped it in their hands and together they were whisked away to a place Harry would never forget.
They landed in the graveyard. Cedric marveled at the glowing cup in awe. "It's a Portkey.." he said in wonder.
"I've been here before, Cedric, I know this place." Harry said. He looked around, his dreams came back to him and suddenly fear glazed his eyes. His eyes darted back to his sandy haired lover.
"Cedric, we have to get back to the cup!" he cried. But it didn't happen.
He was captured. Peter Pettigrew, the man who betrayed him and his parents took his blood and raised the Dark Lord. And his love, Cedric Diggory was killed. Harry stood and watched as the light left Cedric's beautiful eyes with one flash of green. Lord Voldemort beckoned him that night, and it was then that Harry was no longer afraid to die. He stepped out from behind his father's tomb and faced the serpentine figure of evil. Priori Incantatem occurred that night and life was never the same again.
Harry portkeyed himself and Cedric back to Hogwarts, sobbing. His trusted DADA professor turned out to be a fraud, an impersonator, and a Death Eater at that. He had been betrayed and Harry, now alone and irreparably damaged, began to wither away.
He no longer loved. He took his physical pleasures without emotion, he stopped caring about his schoolwork and just focused on surviving. Slowly he started to turn. Lord Voldemort began to make his presence known more often. Harry felt connected to him. As though they were both a part of each other. Harry began to fear becoming dark. And the more he feared it, the closer it seemed to become reality.
At the end of his fifth year, Harry Potter lost his godfather. Sirius Black was murdered by Bellatrix Lestrange. It was then that Harry first used an Unforgivable Curse. Harry heard his prophecy for the first time. And Albus Dumbledore was once again plagued with the knowledge that Harry could not be helped by anyone but the Dragon... but who knew who the Dragon was? The clock seemed to be ticking louder and louder for Harry. He would have to face Voldemort and in his current state, there wasn't much of a fight in him. Not much left to fight for. His love had been taken from him, his parents killed, his newfound father figure and best friend had been murdered, his friends were afraid of him, no matter where he went he could not escape the pity in everyone's eyes. Dumbledore feared that at the final battle, Harry would not even be able to stand and fight. But the truth remained, no matter how much pain Harry felt, that he was their last hope.