It was the next morning and Y/n had returned to the dorms as he sat down on his bed, put his hands on his face and let out a frustrated sigh.
"Hey, how you feeling?" A voice asked him.
"Awful..." Y/n said looking up to see it was Harry who was awake to ask him. "Madam Pomfrey suggested that I take the day off, but I do not want to sit around thinking about it."
Harry just nodded understanding this judgment. He was still thinking over what Dumbledore had told them merely hours ago. Y/n was destined to kill his own brother. A brother who had become a Death Eater.
"Would you do me a favour Harry?" Y/n asked him.
"Sure." Harry said.
"Could you please not tell Hermione or Ron about the prophecy Dumbledore told us about last night. I want to do it myself, I...I just need a little time to fully come to terms with it."
Harry just nodded. "Sure Y/n. If that's what you want."
Y/n just let out a sigh and ran his hands over his face. "Thank you Harry, I will tell them soon...just...how do you tell your friend and girlfriend you are fated to become a killer?"
Harry just gave a small shrug. "I don't know Y/n. For me I suppose I've just always known it would come down to me and Voldemort deep down."
"You will not be alone when you face him, everyone will be beside you." Y/n told him.
"And neither will you." Harry said to Y/n.
Both boys just looked at one another, shared a nod and spoke no further on the topic. They woke up Ron and headed down to the common room where Hermione was waiting for them.
"Morning." She said.
"Morning." Ron yawned. "Breakfast?"
But Hermione had taken a hold of Y/n's cheeks as she pulled him down to look at his face more closely. "You look like you didn't sleep well. Is everything alright?" Hermione asked him worried.
"I am okay." Y/n said. "We ran into Slughorn on our down to see Hagrid, Harry invited him to join us and Slughorn brought some drinks to comfort Hagrid. In order to butter him up I ended up drinking a bit too much in the hopes of getting the memory out of him and spent the rest of the night sobering up with Madam Pomfrey."
"Wicked." Ron said enviously.
"Honestly..." Hermione shook her head and let go of Y/n's cheeks now. "Did it work at least?"
"Yeah. Thanks to Y/n we got the memory." Harry told them.
"And what was it?" Ron asked.
"We'll talk about it in charms." Harry said as they heard more people starting to come down into the common room.
They were sitting in Charms class now as Harry told Ron and Hermione everything that had happened with Sluhorn's memory. Harry had first cast the Muffliato spell upon those nearest them to stop them being overheard . They were both satisfyingly impressed by the way Y/n and he had wheedled the memory out of Slughorn and positively awed when he told them about Voldemort's Horcruxes and Dumbledore's promise to take Harry along, should he find another one.
"Wow." said Ron, when Harry had finally finished telling them everything regarding Voldemort and the Horcruxes. Ron was waving his wand very vaguely in the direction of the ceiling without paying the slightest bit of attention to what he was doing. "Wow. You're actually going to go with Dumbledore...and try and destroy...wow."
"Ron, you're making it snow." said Hermione.
Y/n just waved his own wand at the ceiling from which, sure enough, large white flakes had started to fall. Lavender Brown, Harry noticed, glared at Hermione from a neighboring table through very red eyes.
"Oh yeah." said Ron, looking up. "Sorry...looks like we've all got horrible dandruff now..."
"It will melt..." Y/n said brushing some of the snow off Hermione's shoulder before he suddenly heard Lavender burst into tears nearby and Ron looking immensely guilty turned his back on her.
"We split up." he told Harry and Y/n out of the corner of his mouth. "Last night. When she saw me coming out of the dormitory with Hermione. Obviously she couldn't see you both, so she thought it had just been the two of us."
"But everyone knows Hermione is with Y/n?" Harry said confused.
"I told you before, she's nuts." Ron whispered. "She'd have at go at me if I talked to any girl that wasn't here and that includes Loo...Luna."
"Well...you don't mind it's over, do you?" Harry asked.
"No." Ron admitted. "It was pretty bad while she was yelling, but at least I didn't have to finish it."
"Coward." Y/n said Y/n shaking his head.
"Well, it was a bad night for romance all around. Ginny and Dean split up too, Harry." Hermione said.
Harry thought there was a rather knowing look in Hermione's eyes as she told him that, but she could not possibly know that his insides were suddenly dancing the conga. Only Y/n knew of his feelings for Ginny. Keeping his face as immobile and his voice as indifferent as he could, he asked. "How come?"
"Oh, something really silly...she said he was always trying to help her through the portrait hole, like she couldn't climb in herself...but they've been a bit rocky for ages."
Y/n could not help but feel slightly guilty, it had been him and Harry that had brushed past Ginny in the portrait hole after all.
Harry glanced over at Dean on the other side of the classroom. He certainly looked unhappy.
"Of course, this puts you in a bit of a dilemma, doesn't it?" said Hermione.
"What d'you mean?" said Harry quickly.
"The Quidditch team." said Hermione. "If Ginny and Dean aren't speaking..."
"Oh...oh yeah." said Harry.
"Flitwick." said Ron in a warning tone. The tiny little Charms master was bobbing his way toward them, and Y/n and Hermione were the only ones who had managed to turn vinegar into wine, their glass flasks were full of deep crimson liquid, whereas the contents of Harry's and Ron's were still murky brown.
"Now, now, boys." squeaked Professor Flitwick reproachfully. "A little less talk, a little more action...Let me see you try..."
Together they raised their wands, concentrating with all their might, and pointed them at their flasks. Harry's vinegar turned to ice while Ron's flask exploded.
"Yes...for homework." said Professor Flitwick, reemerging from under the table and pulling shards of glass out of the top of his hat. "Practice."
They all had one of their rare joint free periods after Charms and started to walk back to the common room together. Ron seemed to be positively lighthearted about the end of his relationship with Lavender.
"Fancy a game of chess Harry?" Ron asked him.
"Huh...Oh, yeah sure." Harry said seemingly brought out of deep thought.
"Are you planning to revise?" Hermione asked Y/n.
Y/n just hummed absentmindedly in response.
They were climbing through the portrait hole into the sunny common room, and only vaguely registered the small group of seventh-years clustered together there, until Hermione cried. "Katie! You're back! Are you okay?"
Harry stared, it was indeed Katie Bell, looking completely healthy and surrounded by her jubilant friends.
"I'm really well!" she said happily. "They let me out of St. Mungo's on Monday, I had a couple of days at home with Mum and Dad and then came back here this morning. Leanne was just telling me about McLaggen and the last match, Y/n, Harry..."
"Yeah." said Harry. "Well, now you're back and both Y/n and Ron are fit again, we'll have a decent chance of thrashing Ravenclaw, which means we could still be in the running for the Cup. Listen, Katie..."
He had to put the question to her at once, his curiosity even drove Ginny temporarily from his brain. He dropped his voice as Katie's friends started gathering up their things, apparently they were late for Transfiguration.
"...that necklace...can you remember who gave it to you now?"
"No." said Katie, shaking her head ruefully. "Everyone's been asking me, but I haven't got a clue. The last thing I remember was walking into the ladies' in the Three Broomsticks."
"You definitely went into the bathroom, then?" said Hermione.
"Well, I know I pushed open the door." said Katie. "So I suppose whoever Imperiused me was standing just behind it. After that, my memory's a blank until about two weeks ago in St. Mungo's. Listen, I'd better go, I wouldn't put it past McGonagall to give me lines even if it is my first day back..."
She caught up her bag and books and hurried after her friends, leaving Harry, Ron, Y/n and Hermione to sit down at a window table and ponder what she had told them.
"So it must have been a girl or a woman who gave Katie the necklace." said Hermione. "To be in the ladies' bathroom."
"Or someone who looked like a girl or a woman." said Harry. "Don't forget, there was a cauldron full of Polyjuice Potion at Hogwarts. We know some of it got stolen...I think I'm going to take another swig of Felix and have a go at the Room of Requirement again."
"That would be a complete waste of potion." said Hermione flatly, putting down the copy of Spellman's Syllabary she had just taken out of her bag. "Luck can only get you so far, Harry. The situation with Slughorn was different. Luck isn't enough to get you through a powerful enchantment, though. Don't go wasting the rest of that potion! You'll need all the luck you can get if Dumbledore takes you along with him..." She dropped her voice to a whisper.
"Couldn't we make some more?" Ron asked Harry and Y/n, ignoring Hermione. "It'd be great to have a stock of it..."
"It takes six months to make." Y/n said from his chair.
"Seriously?" Harry asked and he pulled his copy of Advanced Potion-Making out of his bag, and looked up Felix Felicis. "Blimey, it really is complicated." he said, running an eye down the list of ingredients. "And you're right...it takes six months... you've got to let it stew..."
"Typical." said Ron.
Harry was about to put his book away again when he noticed the corner of a page folded down, turning to it, he saw the Sectumsempra spell, captioned 'For Enemies.' that he had marked previously. He had still not found out what it did, mainly because he did not want to test it around Hermione, but he was considering trying it out on McLaggen next time he came up behind him unawares.
"I'll go and get my chess set." Ron said getting up now to head to the dormitory.
"Sit a moment." Y/n said to him.
"Eh?" Ron said.
"I want to talk with you and Hermione." Y/n said.
"Us?" Hermione asked.
"You doing this now?" Harry asked surprised.
"I am." Y/n said, taking out his wand and casting the Muffliato spell. "I sat thinking about it for a while in charms. There is no point in me delaying telling them what really happened last night."
"What happened?" Hermione repeated concerned.
"Do you want me too..." Harry asked but Y/n shook his head.
"It is better they hear this from me." He let out a sigh. "I suppose it would be best to start with the newspaper from yesterday. You both recall the mention of a muggle orphanage attacked by Death Eaters?"
Hermione and Ron did not answer instead looking disgusted as they remembered it, He could not blame them for it now made Y/n feel sick to his stomach as it had the night before, he needed to press on if he were to convey what Dumbledore had told him.
"T...The order was present to fight some of the Death Eaters on the scene and recognized a few of them." Y/n continued.
"Y...Your parents?" Hermione asked carefully.
"Yes." Y/n said unable to meet her eyes. "And Atticus..." He revealed.
"A..Atticus..." Hermione said the name shocked.
"Wait your brother. Are you saying he's a...one of them now?" Ron asked now.
Y/n just nodded looking down at the table.
"Dumbledore told us last night." Harry spoke up a little now to support Y/n. "That's why he looked rough this morning Hermione, Dumbledore made Y/n get a calming drought and potion of dreamless sleep from Madam Pomfrey." He explained.
"Bloody hell...we always knew he was rotten but this...this is on a different level." Ron said referring to Atticus.
Hermione did not say a word however as she quickly took Y/n's hand, it was cold to the touch. "Are you okay?" She asked. Hermione knew that he of course was not but she asked him to show that she was there to support him.
"Can you take Ron upstairs and tell him the rest Harry?" Y/n asked him. "I want to tell Hermione the next part alone."
"Yeah, sure." Harry said getting up. "Come on Ron, we can get that chess set while I tell you."
Ron just got up and followed Harry up to their dorm leaving Y/n and Hermione alone.
Y/n moved his head to lie on Hermione's shoulder now and she leaned her head onto top of his in an effort to try and comfort him.
"Dumbledore told us that there is a prophecy." Y/n started.
"The one about Harry and Voldemort?" She asked.
"No, there is another. One concerning me and Atticus." Y/n told her. "Two sprouts both light and dark, Born from shadow, and flames of blue. A Journey of growth to reach the sky. One of legacy embraced, the other in a pit of thorns. The Storm of Challenge shall appear, and two becomes one."
"Two becomes one..." Hermione said as he finished repeating what Y/n had just said and trying to decipher it.
"Hermione...I have to kill Atticus." Y/n said closing his eyes.
Hermione didn't say a word. This was a lot to take in. Her boyfriend, the love of her life had just told her that he was prophesised to murder his own brother. She didn't know what to say straight away, she wanted to tell Y/n that everything was going to be alright. But she knew that was a lie. He had after all revealed that Atticus had been spotted with confirmed Death Eaters.
"I do not know what to do Hermione..." He said sounding devastated. "I have never even dreamed of killing a person before but now I am supposed to kill my own brother...Atticus and I have been at odds for years, He has disgusted and angered me to no end but I have never hated him so much I wanted to kill him...Is there no way for this to be avoided?" He asked feeling hopeless now.
"Maybe..." Hermione said quietly but Y/n didn't move. "Not all prophecies come to be. Lots never happen. Maybe Atticus could be taken into custody, he might not have even taken part in what happened at that orphanage." She said slowly.
It wasn't likely and Y/n knew that Hermione didn't truly believe it but it soothed him slightly nonetheless. He would choose to believe this until it was proven otherwise. Just maybe Dumbledore could be wrong for once.
It was moments like these that made Y/n appreciate how lucky he was to have Hermione. While others would not have been able to cope with the burdens that his family life brought him and abandoned him, she embraced them fully and supported him when he desperately needed it.
"I love you..." Y/n said quietly.
"I love you too Y/n..." Hermione said back.
The moment was interrupted however when a first-year stood in front of them still smaller than them even when sitting.
Hermione quickly lifted her head remembering she was a prefect and this student possibly needed help. "Is everything all right?" she asked them.
"What?" The student asked timidly. "I can't hear you miss...I was told to hand this note to Y/n Grindelwald." They held out a note and Y/n took it before the first year quickly ran off.
"They really do get smaller each year." Y/n said lifting his head from Hermione's shoulder now.
"It's because we get taller." Hermione said. "Is it from Dumbledore?" She then asked looking at the note but at that moment Y/n could see Harry and Ron coming back down from the dorm. Ron looked at him looking a little dazed.
"I don't..." Ron started but never finished his sentence.
Y/n just nodded his head slowly. "I am going to put it out of my mind for now, I have my N.E.W.T's to focus on."
"And Quidditch too don't forget." Harry said hoping to take Y/n's mind off it.
"You sound like Wood." Y/n said as he looked down and opened the note to see it was indeed from Dumbledore.
'Y/n,
I hope that you have recovered at least slightly from the obviously shocking news of last night.
I am writing to inform you that this morning I received an owl regarding your education predicament. The Wizarding Examination Authority approved our request, thus you shall take your N.E.W.T exams ahead of the other students in two weeks time.
Dumbledore.'
The only person who was not particularly pleased to see Katie Bell back at school was Dean Thomas, because he would no longer be required to fill her place as Chaser. He took the blow stoically enough when Harry told him, merely grunting and shrugging, but Harry had the distinct feeling as he walked away that Dean and Seamus were muttering mutinously behind his back.
The following fortnight saw the best Quidditch practices Harry had known as Captain. While to his slight frustration, Y/n had been unable to take part due to his N.E.W.T exams everything else was going well, the rest of the team was so pleased to be rid of McLaggen, so glad to have Katie back at last, that they were flying extremely well.
Ginny did not seem at all upset about the breakup with Dean, on the contrary, she was the life and soul of the team. Her imitations of Ron anxiously bobbing up and down in front of the goal posts as the Quaffle sped toward him, or of Harry bellowing orders at McLaggen before being knocked out cold, kept them all highly amused. Harry, laughing with the others, was glad to have an innocent reason to look at Ginny, he had received several more Bludger injuries during practice because he had not been keeping his eyes on the Snitch.
When he returned to the common room one evening he saw Y/n sitting with Hermione looking rather tired. She had very clearly been making him revise through many books.
The balmy days slid gently through May, and Ron seemed to be there at Harry's shoulder every time he saw Ginny. Harry found himself longing for a stroke of luck that would somehow cause Ron to realize that nothing would make him happier than his best friend and his sister falling for each other and to leave them alone together for longer than a few seconds. There seemed no chance of either while the final Quidditch game of the season was looming, Ron wanted to talk tactics with Harry all the time and had little thought for anything else.
Ron was not unique in this respect, interest in the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw game was running extremely high throughout the school, for the match would decide the Championship, which was still wide open. If Gryffindor beat Ravenclaw by a margin of three hundred points then they would win the Championship. If they won by less than three hundred points, they would come second to Ravenclaw, if they lost by a hundred points they would be third behind Hufflepuff and if they lost by more than a hundred, they would be in fourth place and nobody, Harry thought, would ever, ever let him forget that it had been he who had captained Gryffindor to their first bottom-of-the-table defeat in two centuries.
The run-up to this crucial match had all the usual features, members of rival Houses attempting to intimidate opposing teams in the corridors, unpleasant chants about individual players being rehearsed loudly as they passed, the team members themselves either swaggering around enjoying all the attention or else dashing into bathrooms between classes to throw up. Somehow, the game had become inextricably linked in Harry's mind with success or failure in his plans for Ginny. He could not help feeling that if they won by more than three hundred points, the scenes of euphoria and a nice loud after-match party might be just as good as a hearty swig of Felix Felicis.
In the midst of all his preoccupations, Harry had not forgotten his other ambition, finding out what Malfoy was up to in the Room of Requirement. He was still checking the Marauder's Map, and as he was unable to locate Malfoy on it, deduced that Malfoy was still spending plenty of time within the room. Although Harry was losing hope that he would ever succeed in getting inside the Room of Requirement, he attempted it whenever he was in the vicinity, but no matter how he reworded his request, the wall remained firmly doorless.
Y/n was sat in the common room one evening having just returned from his final N.E.W.T exam. In his opinion, the strict revision timetable Hermione had made him follow these past few weeks had been harder than the exams themselves. He had taken theory in the morning and practical in the evening. On each day he had an exam he would come down to the common room to find Hermione pacing nervously to ask him if he was ready. But with his last exam now finished he would now be able to focus on the upcoming game with Ravenclaw.
He sunk into a chair in the common room and let out a content sigh. He was not alone for long however as Hermione soon entered the common room and spotted him.
"How did it go?" She quickly asked.
"Very well indeed." He told her. "That is them all finished now and the examiners all seemed very pleased with my results in my practicals at least, I shall receive my results in the summer."
Hermione sat herself down in his lap now. "I really hope you pass them all. You've been working really hard for this."
"Dumbledore would not have asked for me to take them if he did not have faith in my abilities." Y/n smiled. "Where have you been anyway?"
"Talking to Professor Vector, I thought I'd made a mistake on my Arithmancy essay but it turned out to be just fine." Hermione said.
At that moment Ron came scrambling through the portrait hole out of breath.
"Are you alright Ron?" Y/n asked catching sight of him.
"It..It's..." Ron started out of breath.
"Calm down Ron or you won't be able to get your words out." Hermione said.
"It's Harry..." Ron said.
Y/n and Hermione's eyes immediately went wide. "Is he hurt?" Hermione quickly asked.
"No." Ron shook his head. "But he was covered in blood and asking for my potions book."
"Your potions book?" Y/n asked him and Ron nodded again.
The three sat pondering what could have happened when Ginny soon appeared.
"What's got you all looking so glum?" She asked and Ron told her what he had told Y/n and Hermione.
They had to wait an hour for Harry to arrive in the common room.
He told them all how he had followed Malfoy into a bathroom but was spotted by Malfoy who tried to use the cruciatus curse on him, Harry, defending himself, used the Sectumsempra spell without knowing its effects only for it to have gashed Draco's face and chest, spilling his blood everywhere. It was only thanks to Snape's quick arrival that Malfoy had escaped death but Harry was severely punished as a result. He'd had to endure fifteen highly unpleasant minutes in the company of Professor McGonagall, who had told him he was lucky not to have been expelled and that she supported wholeheartedly Snape's punishment of detention every Saturday until the end of term. Feeling awful Harry had hidden the book in the room of requirement.
"I won't say 'I told you so.'" said Hermione regarding the book.
"Leave it, Hermione." said Ron angrily.
"I told you there was something wrong with that Prince person." Hermione said, evidently unable to stop herself. "And I was right, wasn't I."
"No, I don't think you were." said Harry stubbornly.
"Harry." said Hermione. "How can you still stick up for that book when that spell..."
"Will you stop harping on about the book!" snapped Harry. "The Prince only copied it out! It's not like he was advising anyone to use it! For all we know, he was making a note of something that had been used against him!"
"Harry!" Y/n said angrily now. "Do you not understand how serious this situation is. In your stupidity you could have killed Malfoy! Why did you use a spell you had never even tested before on someone? Not even I was foolish enough to..."
"I'm not defending what I did!" said Harry quickly. "I wish I hadn't done it, and not just because I've got about a dozen detentions. You know I wouldn't've used a spell like that, not even on Malfoy, but you can't blame the Prince, he hadn't written 'Try this out, it's really good'...he was just making notes for himself, wasn't he, not for anyone else..."
"Are you telling me." said Hermione. "That you're going to go back..."
"And get the book? Yeah, I am." said Harry forcefully. "Listen, without the Prince I'd never have won the Felix Felicis. I'd never have known how to save Ron and Y/n from poisoning, I'd never have..."
"...got a reputation for Potions brilliance you don't deserve," said Hermione nastily.
"Give it a rest, Hermione!" said Ginny. "By the sound of it, Malfoy was trying to use an Unforgivable Curse, you should be glad Harry had something good up his sleeve!"
"Well, of course I'm glad Harry wasn't cursed!" said Hermione, clearly stung. "But you can't call that Sectumsempra spell good, Ginny, look where it's landed him! And I'd have thought, seeing what this has done to all your chances in the match..."
"Oh, don't start acting as though you understand Quidditch." snapped Ginny. "You'll only embarrass yourself."
Harry and Ron just stared. Hermione and Ginny, who had always got on together very well, were now sitting with their arms folded, glaring in opposite directions. Ron looked nervously at Harry, then snatched up a book at random and hid behind it.
No one spoke for at least another hour until Y/n finally spoke up.
"Who will be taking over the captaincy duties? Bell I assume." he said to make light conversation.
"I was thinking of asking you to do it. Bell has her N.E.W.T's to prepare for given all the time she's missed and you've finished yours now." Harry said. "You've got the most time to do it."
Y/n just ran a hand under his chin. "Alright..." He said. "Ginny." he called her name.
Ginny was still looking grumpy as she and Hermione still refused to talk to one another but she looked at Y/n.
"I want you to play seeker for the final game." He told her.
"I'm playing Seeker?" Ginny asked.
"Yes, I am going ask Robins to join us as a chaser again given your fractured relationship with Dean, It will also help to see if she is worth considering for the team next year since Bell will not be coming back."
Harry had to admit even he hadn't thought of that.
"Harry, I want you to give Ginny your Firebolt." Y/n said next.
"My Firebolt?" Harry asked stunned.
"Considering the fact it is your fault Ginny is having to play seeker in the first place I do not want to hear any complaints." Y/n said. "Ginny will need every advantage she can get. Cho is not a bad seeker by any means."
Harry certainly had a few complaints but he kept them to himself. His Firebolt was one of his most treasured possessions, not only was it one of the best and most expensive brooms in the world. It was one of the few things Sirius had given him.
It was finally the final match of the Quidditch season. The Gryffindor team all dressed in Quidditch robes held their brooms as Y/n walked in front of them ready to give one final pep talk.
"One game." Y/n addressed them the team putting a single finger up. "That is all that stands between us and lifting the cup for the third time running..." He put his finger down. "Every single one of you is a talented player. But talent can only get us so far in a game like this, teamwork is vital. Us Chasers have a big role to play today, we need to be winning by one hundred and fifty points before Ginny can try catch the snitch, so let us make it as easy for her as we can, If they score one we score two. Keep the quaffle moving, pass it to whoever you think is in the best position to score because no one cares about who scores the most today...it means nothing if we do not win." Y/n empathised with his Chasers who nodded in agreement and looked ready.
"Ginny, you know you need to wait for us to be a hundred and fifty points up before you go for the snitch..." Y/n started.
"I know, I got it." Ginny nodded.
"You have the Firebolt so you have the better speed, but Cho is still a good seeker, so I want you to do what you can to distract her and keep her from finding the snitch before we are ready for you to get it." Y/n told her.
"I can do that." Ginny told him.
"Beaters!" Y/n addressed them next. "I want you working double time today, I do not want a single bludger hitting our chasers and I want them disrupting the opposing chasers, understood?"
"Yes sir!" One of the Beaters replies.
"On it!" The other replies.
"Alright...it is time. Let us get out there and bring the cup home!" Y/n shouted and the team cheers as they start to make their way out with Y/n waiting to go last.
But as he looks back he notices Ron sitting alone, his Quidditch robes on but his shoulders slumped, his expression a mix of nerves and doubt. He can see the tension in his posture, the weight of his own expectations pressing down on him.
Y/n walks over to him, the noise from the crowd outside fading away as the door gets further away. Ron doesn't notice him at first, too lost in his own thoughts, so Y/n clears his throat to get his attention.
Y/n sits down on the bench beside him. "You ready for the game?" he asks.
Ron looks up at him, his eyes betraying the anxiety he's feeling. He tries to force a smile, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, I guess. Just... you know, the usual nerves."
Y/n nods, understanding exactly what he means. As Gryffindor's Chaser, Y/n had seen Ron struggle with his confidence before. A talented Keeper, but he tended to let his doubts get the better of him, especially when the pressure is on.
"I understand." Y/n says, leaning forward slightly. "But listen to me Ron. You have got this. You have trained hard, you have practiced all the moves, and you have proven time and time again that you are more than capable of holding your own out there."
Ron sighs, running a hand through his hair. "But what if I mess up? What if I let everyone down? Ravenclaw's got some great Chasers, and if I slip up even once..."
Y/n places a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Ron, you are not going to let anyone down. You know why? Because you are part of a team. We are all out there together, supporting each other, each covering for one another. And when you are on your game, you are one of the best Keepers Gryffindor has ever had. You have got great instincts, and you have made some incredible saves this season. Think about the first game of the season, that was all you! Just trust yourself Ron."
Ron meets his gaze, some of the doubt in his eyes starting to fade. "Yeah, but what if I..."
"Stop thinking about what could go wrong." Y/n interrupts gently. "Instead, think about what you can do. You know the plays, you know thei tactics, and you have beaten them before. You have already shown everyone what you are capable of...you just need to show yourself."
Ron takes a deep breath, nodding slowly as Y/n's words sink in. "Yeah...yeah, you're right. I just need to get out of my own head."
"Exactly." Y/n says, smiling. "And remember, you have got a whole team out there with you. We are all in this together. And whatever happens, we are proud of you, Ron. You have come a long way."
Ron straightens up a bit, a determined look settling on his face. "Thanks, Y/n. I really needed that."
"No problem." Y/n replies, standing up and offering him a hand. "Now, let us get out there and show Ravenclaw what Gryffindor is made of."
Ron takes his hand, pulling himself up with a renewed sense of confidence. The tension in his shoulders seems to have eased, replaced by a focused determination. He gives Y/n a grin, one that's much more genuine this time.
As they both head toward the door, ready to join the rest of the team on the pitch, Y/n claps Ron on the back. "Just play your game, Ron. You have got this."
With that, they step out onto the pitch together, the roar of the crowd greeting them as the match is about to begin. Ron's nervousness has been replaced by a quiet resolve, and Y/n can tell he's ready to give it his all. Whatever happened out there, he knew Ron was going to do just fine.
Y/n crossed the pitch to the middle where he met both Madam Hooch and the Ravenclaw captain who he saw to be Cho.
"Captains shake hands." Madam Hooch instructed the two. Y/n offered out his hand and Cho took it as both gave a firm but respectable handshake to one another. "Now I want a nice clean game, from both sides."
Y/n nodded and mounted his broom lifting high up to join his teammates.
The roar of the crowd echoed across the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch as Y/n tightened his grip on the broomstick, feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. The sky overhead was a perfect Quidditch blue, with just a few wisps of clouds drifting lazily by. Y/n hovered high above the pitch, scanning the field below, where the game was just about to begin.
As Gryffindor's stand-in captain and one of its Chasers, Y/n was determined to lead the team to victory. The stakes were high...this match against Ravenclaw could secure Gryffindor the Quidditch Cup for the third time running.
"All right, team!" Y/n shouted to his Gryffindor's, his voice cutting through the noise of the crowd. "Remember, Focus, Communicate, and don't let up for a second!"
Ginny Weasley, flying a little higher than the rest of the team as Seeker, gave him a quick nod. Her fiery red hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her eyes scanning the field for any sign of the Golden Snitch. Katie and Demelza flanked either side of Y/n, their expressions determined as they readied themselves for the action ahead.
The whistle blew, and the game began in earnest. The Quaffle was released, and Y/n immediately dived forward, snatching it out of the air before any of the Ravenclaw Chasers could react. Y/n flew low and fast, dodging an incoming Bludger sent his way by one of the Ravenclaw Beaters, and passed the Quaffle to Demelza with a swift, practiced motion.
Demelza caught it cleanly and sped toward the goalposts, with Y/n and Katie right behind her. The Ravenclaw Keeper tried to block her shot, but Demelza feinted left before sending the Quaffle soaring through the right hoop.
"Ten points to Gryffindor!" the commentator's voice rang out, and the Gryffindor stands erupted in cheers.
"That is what I am talking about!" Y/n called proudly to his team "A quick start now let us go again!"
The game intensified as Ravenclaw fought back, their Chasers moving in perfect synchronization as they tried to break through Gryffindor's defenses. But the Gryffindor team was prepared. Katie intercepted a pass, and Y/n quickly fell into formation, weaving through the opposing Chasers with precision. Katie spotted Y/n's run and she threw the Quaffle far over the opposing Chasers and Y/n caught it before quickly firing it tightly through the Ravenclaw's left hoop.
As the game progressed, the score quickly climbed steadily in Gryffindor's favor. Y/n could feel the momentum building, the energy of the crowd pushing the team forward. Ravenclaw was putting up a good fight, but every time they scored, he and his team answered back with more.
At one point, Y/n found themselves in a fierce aerial battle with one of Ravenclaw's Chasers but Y/n's experience came into play as the Quaffle changed hands several times in the span of a few seconds, but he finally managed to wrestle it away, streaking toward the goalposts with Katie on his left and Demelza on his right, both working hard to keep the opposing Chasers off him.
Y/n saw an opening and took it, hurling the Quaffle with all his might. It soared past the Ravenclaw Keeper's outstretched arms and through the center hoop.
"Another ten points to Gryffindor!" the commentator shouted, the excitement in the air almost palpable. "Gryffindor leads, two hundred and thirty to ninety!"
"Nearly there..." Y/n said as he and his team got ready for another play.
Despite Ravenclaw's best efforts, they couldn't keep up. The Gryffindor Beaters, working in perfect tandem, kept the Bludgers at bay, allowing Y/n, Katie, and Demelza to dominate the field. The score continued to climb....two hundred and fifty, two hundred and eighty, three hundred. Gryffindor was unstoppable.
But Ravenclaw wasn't giving up. Their Seeker Cho was circling the pitch, eyes sharp as she hunted for the Snitch, while their Chasers managed to break through and score another few goals, bringing their total to one hundred and forty points.
And then, out of the corner of his eye, Y/n saw it...a glint of gold near the Ravenclaw goalposts. Ginny saw it too. She shot forward, on Harry's broomstick a blur as she raced toward the Snitch, the Ravenclaw Seeker hot on her heels.
"Come on Ginny...end this...." Y/n said gripping his broom tightly.
The entire pitch seemed to hold its breath as Ginny stretched out her hand, the Snitch just inches away. For a moment, it looked like Cho might beat her to it, but then Ginny made a daring dive, pulling up at the last second with the Snitch clutched tightly in her fist.
The stands exploded in a roar of cheers as the whistle blew, signaling the end of the match.
"Gryffindor wins! Four hundred and fifty to one hundred and forty!" the commentator announced, barely audible over the deafening cheers from the Gryffindor supporters.
Y/n couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he soared toward Ginny, who was holding the Snitch high above her head, her face flushed with victory. Katie and Demelza, Ron and the beaters were all right behind him, all of them whooping in triumph as they converged in the center of the pitch.
"We did it!" Katie cried as tears of joy fell from her eyes.
"Brilliant catch, Ginny!" Y/n shouted as he reached her, and hugged her clapping her on the back.
"Thanks, Y/n!" she panted, hugging back, her smile wide and bright. "But we couldn't have done it without your team talk."
"No, we did this all together, as a team!" Y/n told them all grinning.
As the Gryffindor supporters streamed onto the pitch, lifting Y/n and his teammates onto their shoulders, he knew this was a moment he'd never forget. The Quidditch Cup was won, and as the captain, Y/n had led his team to one of the greatest victories in Gryffindor history.
Tired but triumphant he shook Dumbledore and a teary-eyed McGonagall's hands and was presented the trophy which he and his team all lifted together in front of the cheering Gryffindor's.
Harry hesitated outside the crowded Great Hall, then ran up the marble staircase, whether Gryffindor had won or lost, the team usually celebrated or commiserated in their own common room.
"Quid agis?" he said tentatively to the Fat Lady, wondering what he would find inside.
Her expression was unreadable as she replied. "You'll see. "
And she swung forward.
A roar of celebration erupted from the hole behind her. Harry gaped as people began to scream at the sight of him, several hands pulled him into the room.
"We won!" yelled Ron, bounding into sight and brandishing the silver Cup at Harry. "We won! Four hundred and fifty to a hundred and forty! We won!"
Harry looked around and there was Ginny running toward him, she had a hard, blazing look in her face as she threw her arms around him. And without thinking, without planning it, without worrying about the fact that fifty people were watching, Harry kissed her.
After several long moments, or it might have been half an hour, or possibly several sunlit days...they broke apart. The room had gone very quiet. Then several people wolf-whistled and there was an outbreak of nervous giggling. Harry looked over the top of Ginny's head to see Dean Thomas holding a shattered glass in his hand, and Romilda Vane looking as though she might throw something. Y/n had an arm wrapped around Hermione who was beaming, but Harry's eyes sought Ron. At last, he found him, still clutching the Cup and wearing an expression appropriate to having been clubbed over the head. For a fraction of a second they looked at each other, then Ron gave a tiny jerk of the head that Harry understood to mean. 'Well...if you must.'
The creature in his chest roaring in triumph, he grinned down at Ginny and gestured wordlessly out of the portrait hole. A long walk in the grounds seemed indicated, during which...if they had time...they might discuss the match.
"It's about time." Hermione said as she and Y/n watched Harry and Ginny leave.
"Indeed." Y/n smiled. "I am glad Ron seems to have accepted it too."
Hermione wrapped her arms around Y/n's neck now and he turned to look down at her. "What is on your mind?" he smiled.
"You played really well today." Hermione said looking up at him.
"Well, I had to give it my all to make up for the match I missed." Y/n said taking hold of Hermione's waist now.
Both looked at each other and moved forward as their lips connected into a kiss.
There were cheers around the common room and a few wolf whistles but nowhere near as many as Harry and Ginny had received, after all, everyone knew Y/n and Hermione had been together for years.
The two pulled away from one another soon and Y/n moved his head to her side. "Room of requirement?" he whispered in her ear before drawing his head back.
Hermione just nodded and took his hand heading towards the portrait hole with him.
The fact that Harry Potter was going out with Ginny Weasley seemed to interest a great number of people, most of them girls, yet Harry found himself newly and happily impervious to gossip over the next few weeks. After all, it made a very nice change to be talked about because of something that was making him happier than he could remember being for a very long time, rather than because he had been involved in horrific scenes of Dark magic.
"You'd think people had better things to gossip about." said Ginny, as she sat on the common-room floor, leaning against Harry's legs and reading the Daily Prophet. "Three Dementor attacks in a week, and all Romilda Vane does is ask me if it's true you've got a Hippogriff tattooed across your chest."
Ron and Hermione both roared with laughter while even Y/n looked amused as he read a book.
Harry ignored them. "What did you tell her?"
"I told her it's a Hungarian Horntail." said Ginny, turning a page of the newspaper idly. "Much more macho."
"I prefer the Hebirdian Black." Y/n joked.
"Thanks." said Harry, grinning at Ginny. "And what did you tell her Ron's got?"
"A Pygmy Puff, but I didn't say where."
Ron scowled as Hermione rolled around laughing.
"Watch it." he said, pointing warningly at Harry and Ginny. "Just because I've given my permission doesn't mean I can't withdraw it..."
"'Your permission'." scoffed Ginny. "Since when did you give me permission to do anything? Anyway, you said yourself you'd rather it was Harry than Michael or Dean."
"Yeah, I would." said Ron begrudgingly. "And just as long as you don't start snogging each other in public..."
"You filthy hypocrite! What about you and Lavender, thrashing around like a pair of eels all over the place?" demanded Ginny.
"At least Hermione and I have the decency to keep our displays of affection mostly private." Y/n said turning a page.
"So I've heard." Ginny said and Y/n immediately lowered his book to see Ginny smirking at him and a flustered and shocked looking Hermione.
Harry took a moment but then he was certain he'd understood what Ginny meant and did not say a word feeling deeply embarrassed.
Ron could not work out what they were talking about but his tolerance was not to be tested much by Harry and Ginny as they moved into June, for Harry and Ginny's time together was becoming increasingly restricted. Ginny's O. W. L. s were approaching and she was therefore forced to revise for hours into the night.
On one such evening, when Ginny had retired to the library and Harry was sitting beside the window in the common room, supposedly finishing his Herbology home-work but in reality reliving a particularly happy hour he had spent down by the lake with Ginny at lunch-time, Hermione dropped into the seat between him and Y/n with an unpleasantly purposeful look on her face.
"I want to talk to you, Harry."
"What about?" said Harry suspiciously. Only the previous day, Hermione had told him off for distracting Ginny when she ought to be working hard for her examinations.
"The so-called Half-Blood Prince. "
"Oh, not again." he groaned even Y/n was not keen to hear this topic brought up again. "Will you please drop it?"
Harry had not dared to return to the Room of Requirement to retrieve his book, and his performance in Potions was suffering accordingly though Slughorn, who approved of Ginny, had jocularly attributed this to Harry being lovesick. But Harry was sure that Snape had not yet given up hope of laying hands on the Prince's book, and was determined to leave it where it was while Snape remained on the lookout.
"I'm not dropping it." said Hermione firmly. "Until you've heard me out. Now, I've been trying to find out a bit about who might make a hobby of inventing Dark spells..."
"He didn't make a hobby of it..." Harry began.
"He, he...who says it's a he?" Hermione said back.
"We've been through this." said Harry crossly. "Prince, Hermione, Prince!"
"Right!" said Hermione, red patches blazing in her cheeks as she pulled a very old piece of newsprint out of her pocket and slammed it down on the table in front of Harry. "Look at that! Look at the picture!"
Harry picked up the crumbling piece of paper and stared at the moving photograph, yellowed with age, Y/n leaned over for a look, too. The picture showed a skinny girl of around fifteen. She was not pretty, she looked simultaneously cross and sullen, with heavy brows and a long, pallid face. Underneath the photograph was the caption. 'Eileen Prince, Captain of the Hogwarts Gobstones Team.'
"So?" said Harry, scanning the short news item to which the picture belonged, it was a rather dull story about inter-school competitions.
"Her name was Eileen Prince. Prince, Harry."
They looked at each other and Harry realised what Hermione was trying to say. He burst out laughing. "No way."
"What?"
"You think she was the Half-Blood...Oh, come on."
"Well, why not? Harry, there aren't any real princes in the wizarding world! It's either a nickname, a made-up title somebody's given themselves, or it could be their actual name, couldn't it? No, listen! If, say, her father was a wizard whose surname was 'Prince', and her mother was a Muggle, then that would make her a 'half-blood Prince'!"
"Yeah, very ingenious, Hermione..."
"But it would! Maybe she was proud of being half a Prince!"
"Listen, Hermione, I can tell it's not a girl. I can just tell. "
"The truth is that you don't think a girl would have been clever enough." said Hermione angrily.
"How can I have hung round with you for five years and not think girls are clever?" said Harry, stung by this. "It's the way he writes. I just know the Prince was a bloke, I can tell. This girl hasn't got anything to do with it."
"Where did you find this?" Y/n asked Hermione.
"The library." said Hermione, predictably. "There's a whole collection of old Prophets up there. I'm going to find out more about Eileen Prince if I can."
"Enjoy yourself." said Harry irritably.
"I will." said Hermione. "And the first place I'll look." she shot at him, as she reached the portrait hole. "Is records of old Potions awards!"
"I am glad it is you she is annoyed and not me." Was all Y/n could say.
Harry scowled for a moment, then continued his contemplation of the darkening sky.
"She's just never got over you outperforming her in Potions." said Ron, joining them at the table now with his copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.
"You don't think I'm mad, wanting that book back, do you?" Harry asked.
"Yes." Y/n said without hesitation.
"Course he's not." said Ron to Y/n robustly. "He was a genius, the Prince. Anyway...without his bezoar tip me and you..." he drew his finger significantly across his own throat. "We wouldn't be here to discuss it, would we? I mean, I'm not saying that spell he used on Malfoy was great..."
"Nor am I." said Harry quickly.
"But he healed all right, didn't he? Back on his feet in no time." Ron said.
"Yeah." said Harry, this was perfectly true, although his conscience squirmed slightly all the same. "Thanks to Snape..."
Y/n just sighed and shook his head there was no point in arguing with these two.
"You still got detention with Snape this Saturday?" Ron continued.
"Yeah, and the Saturday after that, and the Saturday after that." sighed Harry. "And he's hinting now that if I don't get all the boxes done by the end of term, we'll carry on next year."
He was finding these detentions particularly irksome because they cut into the already limited time he could have been spending with Ginny. Indeed, he had frequently wondered lately whether Snape did not know this, for he was keeping Harry later and later every time, while making pointed asides about Harry having to miss the good weather and the varied opportunities it offered.
Harry was shaken from these bitter reflections by the appearance at his side of Jimmy Peakes, who was holding out a scroll of parchment.
"Thanks, Jimmy...hey, it's from Dumbledore!" said Harry excitedly, unrolling the parchment and scanning it. "He wants me to go to his office as quick as I can!"
The three stared at each other.
"Blimey." whispered Ron. "You don't reckon ...he hasn't found..."
"It would seem so, seeing as I was not asked this time." Mused Y/n.
"Better go and see, hadn't I?" said Harry, jumping to his feet.
A while later Hermione returned to the common room to find Y/n and Ron talking with concerned looks.
"What's going on? Where is Harry?" She asked with a newspaper clipping in her hand.
"Dumbledore has summoned him." Y/n told her and she quickly sat down beside him.
"Dumbledore? Do you think he has found..." She looked around then whispered. "A Horcrux?"
"We don't know." Ron shrugged.
"Harry still has not come back." Y/n told her.
"How long has he been gone?" She asked.
"Over an hour." They told her.
At that moment however, Harry quickly came into the common room and the three quickly got out of there seats.
"What does Dumbledore want?" Hermione said at once. "Harry, are you okay?" she added anxiously.
"I'm fine." said Harry shortly, racing past them. He dashed up the stairs and into his dormitory, where he flung open his trunk and pulled out the Marauder's Map and a pair of balled-up socks. Then he sped back down the stairs and into the common room, skidding to a halt where Ron, Y/n and Hermione stood, looking stunned.
"I haven't got much time." Harry panted, "Dumbledore thinks I'm getting my Invisibility Cloak. Listen..."
Quickly he told them that he was going with Dumbledore to find a Horcrux Dumbledore might have found, and why. He did not pause either for Hermione's gasps of horror or for Y/n and Ron's hasty questions, they could work out the finer details for themselves later.
"...so you see what this means?" Harry finished at a gallop. "Dumbledore won't be here tonight, so Malfoy's going to have another clear shot at whatever he's up to. No, listen to me!" he hissed angrily, as both Ron and Hermione showed every sign of interrupting. "I know it was Malfoy celebrating in the Room of Requirement. Here..." He shoved the Marauder's Map into Y/n's hands. "You've got to watch him and you've got to watch Snape, too. Use anyone else who you can rustle up from the DA. Hermione, those contact Galleons will still work, right? Dumbledore says he's put extra protection in the school, but if Snape's involved, he'll know what Dumbledore's protection is, and how to avoid it...but he won't be expecting you lot to be on the watch, will he?"
"Harry..." began Hermione, her eyes huge with fear.
"I haven't got time to argue." said Harry curtly. "Take this as well..." He thrust the socks into Ron's hands.
"Thanks." said Ron. "Er...why do I need socks?"
"You need what's wrapped in them, it's the Felix Felicis. Share it between yourselves and Ginny too. Say goodbye to her from me. I'd better go, Dumbledore's waiting..."
"No!" said Hermione, as Ron unwrapped the tiny little bottle of golden potion, looking awestruck. "We don't want it, you take it, who knows what you're going to be facing?"
"I'Il be fine, I'll be with Dumbledore." said Harry. "I want to know you lot are okay...don't look like that, Hermione, I'll see you later"
And he was off, hurrying back through the portrait hole towards the Entrance Hall.
The three just stood in stunned silence.
"What do we do?" Ron asked.
Y/n however said nothing as he opened the marauders map and put it down on the table. He then took out his wand. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
The map began to show Hogwarts.
"Help me find Malfoy." He told them both
"But Y/n..." Hermione started.
"If we can find him then we can rule out the possibility." Y/n told her and the three began to scan the map.
"I can't see him anywhere mate." Ron shook his head looking all over.
"N...Neither can I." Hermione said.
"Then it means Harry is right..." Y/n said frustrated. "Alright, Hermione do as Harry said and try to summon the D.A, we need as much help as we can get. We can meet those who show up outside the room of requirement."
"I'll go get that galleon. It's in my trunk." Hermione said choosing not to argue with Y/n anymore, if he was taking this as seriously as Harry then it had to be true.
"Wake up Ginny as well and tell her to be prepared for a fight."
Hermione nodded and rushed towards the stairs.
"That's my sister." Ron said as Hermione left them.
"I know Ron, but she is a talented witch. Quickly go to McGonagall's office now and tell her that the school is under a potential attack, possibly from within. She needs to summon the order. We will meet you at the room of requirement."
"But what if she doubts me?" Ron said.
"Then tell her that I am certain Harry is right, and that we know where the breach will come from. If we are wrong, If I am wrong...then I will take full responsibility." Y/n said and looked at the ball of socks in Rons hand.
"Take your portion of Liquid Luck now, it will help you with convincing McGonagall." Y/n told him. "I will make sure the rest take some as well."
Ron quickly unraveled the socks taking about the small phial contained within them. Y/n watched as he drank a small amount making sure to leave plenty for the others. Ron then handed Y/n the recorked phial.
"Good, now go. We have no more time to waste." Y/n told him.
Ron nodded and quickly left the common room as Hermione and a half-awake Ginny arrived.
"What's going on. I only just got to sleep." Ginny asked annoyed.
"I've sent the message out with the galleon." Hermione told Y/n. "Where's Ron?" She then asked noticing his absence.
"I have sent him to McGonagall to summon the order. We will meet him outside the room of requirement." Y/n told her.
"Why are we going there?" Ginny asked still half asleep.
"The school is under attack." Y/n said.