Chapter Two: I See Death




Sibyll watched as Harry stared pointlessly at the table, Ginny watching him with sick and worried eyes.

“Ginny you’re… I think… she said that…” Harry stuttered his voice breaking and trailing away into a pool of despair. But Harry’s rigid face quickly turned into one of anger, of stubbornness and one of a man who was sick of life going against him. Sibyll peered up at Minerva, who was glaring wide-eyed at Ginny Weasley; she obviously had realized something.

Before anything else could happen, Harry Potter swiveled round and ran from the room, leaving a wave of confusion behind him. No one attempted to stop him, but Sibyll still didn’t know what she’d actually said in her latest prophecy.

“Minerva my dear, what have you interpreted from my prediction? What fates have been revealed from my divine words?” Sibyll asked, penetrating Minerva’s anxious eyes.

“Sibyll, I wish I could summarize what you have said but- oh my!” Minerva ran forward as Ginny slipped from her chair and fell clumsily on the cold, hard floor. Her eyes rolled in their sockets uncontrollably, as her mouth hung open slightly, trying to breathe.

Sibyll bent down and knew immediately that the prophecy had concerned this girl and that this was no ordinary illness.

“Minerva, I fear my prediction has fixed the fate of this young girl, am I correct?” she asked and Minerva closed her eyes painfully.

“The end of the Dark Lord is found in the Love of the Chosen One. The death of the Love shall bring victory to the light. That is what you said Sibyll.”

Albus Dumbledore had told Sibyll of Voldemort’s Horcruxes, it was obvious Ginny Weasley was one of them. Ginny opened her eyes and looked pitifully at Sibyll.

“My dear girl, I assume Potter has told you of the Horcruxes?” Sibyll asked. Ginny nodded slowly.

“My dear, it pains me to inform you that,” she began, but paused for dramatic effect and out of grief, “you are one of them. If the Dark lord is to be defeated you must… you must die.” Sibyll hung her head as Ginny fell back hopelessly, biting her lip.

Soon after, she fainted and was carried upstairs by a procession of family and Order members, like a funeral march. Now was the time for Sibyll to visit Harry Potter, her senses told her so.

Sibyll quickly found what she believed to be Harry Potter’s room; she entered without knocking. Harry was slumped against the wall on his bed, looking pitifully depressed.

“You are troubled my dear, I sense my prediction has disrupted your peace of mind…” she said dreamily.

“When did I ever have piece of mind,” Harry spat, throwing a random sock across the room in anger. “Wait a minute--I thought you couldn’t remember your predictions?”

“Minerva was kind enough to inform me of my prediction’s details, it seems little Ginny Weasley will play an important part in the Dark Lord’s downfall…” replied Sybil, staring dramatically at the ceiling.

“Yeah, that’s great, now why are you here? I’d rather be left to sulk alone in the dark if you don’t mind.”

Sibyll was shocked by his rudeness, so she decided to impose her authority upon the boy.

“I most certainly will not leave, you must come downstairs at once. I’m sure the Order would like to speak with you.” Sibyll stood up and left as Harry reluctantly stood up.

Sibyll walked triumphantly into the kitchen with Harry at her heels. Minerva approached Harry and said, “Potter are you…alright? I think you and Miss Weasley need to have a small chat with Sibyll.”

Harry said nothing; he simple scowled at the floor.

“Maybe not now…” said Minerva, steering Harry to a chair and almost force-feeding him dinner. Sibyll sat down opposite Harry and stared at him intently. He was such a strange boy to her, he’d never possessed the inner eye but he still seemed a wise young man, trapped in a circle of infinite bad luck.

Suddenly, a man in a ruffled suit charged in and demanded that everyone sat around the table.

“Can I have everyone’s attention please! There have been several consecutive muggle attacks in a shopping centre near here, there are about 100 memories in need of modification and the Daily Prophet reporters have beaten the Ministry and us to the scene. We have to get there now!” he said, turning to Minerva. The entire Order left for this occasion except for Sibyll, who was left in the kitchen with Harry.

Harry stood up to leave the room and Sibyll was left alone.

“Well I’ll just have to entertain myself won’t I!” said Sibyll before picking up Crookshanks and placing him on the table.

“Now what is your feline future my dear?” she said, grabbing Crooshanks’ paw and examining it intently.

Over the next two weeks, Sibyll’s feline-fortune-telling was often interrupted by random Order members announcing deaths and attacks. On one particularly depressing Tuesday it was announced that Hestia Jones had been kidnapped by Death Eaters and more than likely killed. Muggle killings and disappearances quickly became regular morning news. Ginny Weasley was constantly fainting and weakened more every day. However, Sibyll’s main task was to talk to Harry and Ginny about their apparent fate.

Ginny made her first appearance since the prophecy about two weeks later; she looked very tired and was as pale as the full-moon.

“You! Red-haired girl! I need to talk to you and Potter!” said Sibyll loudly. Ginny looked up and slouched silently over to the table, sitting as far as possible from Harry. They sat in silence for a minute before Sibyll decided to speak.

“As you know, I have made a prediction that claims you, young lady, must die if you, Potter, are to defeat the Dark Lord.” Harry and Ginny still said nothing. “I have made the prophecy, I cannot change it. You must accept it.”

Ginny said nothing, but Harry suddenly spoke. “I know I have to accept it, but I don’t want to…”

“Oh grow up boy! It is time for you to accept your fate and deal with it! It is your responsibility to defeat the Dark Lord, no matter what stands in your way! I have said all I need to say, feel free to discuss the matter with… Miss Weasley, is it my dear? Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to save that bushy-haired girl’s cat from certain death!”

Sibyll left slightly shocked at her own nerve, she’d never got angry with a student before. Nevertheless, Harry and Ginny needed to accept and deal with their fate.
Sibyll informed Minerva that she had “talked” to Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley.

“Minerva, though I hate to say it, I see death in the near future…”

“Really Sibyll,” said Minerva, unsurprised. “If you’ll excuse me I must speak to Potter; it’s urgent.”

Curious, Sibyll followed Minerva into the kitchen where a rather somber looking Harry Potter was sitting at the table.

“Good evening Potter,” said Minerva, sitting opposite him.

“Hi,” he replied, distantly.

“Potter the time has come for you to-“

“Accept my fate, yes, I get it!” Harry snapped, before receiving a very angry look. “Sorry… continue…” he said, sinking lower onto the table.

“As I was saying,” said Minerva slowly and sternly, “the time has come for you to continue your task. This task, of course, is slowly but surely defeating You-Know-Who.” Harry nodded, but said nothing. “We have decided, to let you join the Order.”

Harry suddenly leaped out of his seat. “Seriously?” he asked.

“Yes Potter. Now, then, various Order members will be training you to fight better and more tactically. Your first training session should be soon. On another matter, Sibyll Trelawney’s prediction is very important; you must accept it and continue your search for the Horcruxes. I believe you began the search after your coming of age. Miss Weasley’s fate is sad I know, but I doubt it can be helped… I’m sorry Potter…”

Minerva left the room and a mere few seconds later, Sibyll watched Harry Potter put his head in his hands and cry silently on the table. She couldn’t do anything, except watch him weep and suffer alone. She knew he had to cope with his fate on his own…

“It would seem Potter,” said Sibyll, making her dramatic appearance, “that my other prophecy you know of is coming true, as well as my latest… How I wish I could comfort you, but there are dark times ahead, my dear boy, dark times indeed…”