Prophecy Repeated, chapter one.

Disclaimer:-

To anyone who has been on another planet since 1997, this is to let you know that Harry Potter belongs to J.K.Rowling, her various publishers and Warner Brothers. This story and any new characters belong to me.

Author's note...

This is set some years after the epilogue.

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It started as an owl crashed into the front window. Harry got up to open it and a slightly dazed and very young owl flew into the room.

"Hello. You're new. Who are you?"

"It should be called Errol," laughed Ginny, from where she was sitting. "It's almost as bad."

"Don't you listen to the mean lady," said Harry, trying not to laugh himself. "Let's see what you've got for me..." The tone of his voice changed as he said, "It's from Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts?"

"Yes. Why would they be writing to me?"

"If you open it you'll find out," replied Ginny dryly.

"Alright funny," then, talking to the owl again, he added, "she's got no patience these days."

"I used it up waiting for you for all those years."

"Touché."

"Well, are you going to open it?"

Harry did so. "It's from the headmaster, asking if I would be good enough to go to his office this afternoon."

"Why?"

"It doesn't say"

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When Harry and Ginny flooed into the headmaster's office that afternoon, they were immediately surprised to see Professor McGonagall there. She said, "Forgive me for not getting up. Old age comes to us all eventually."

"That's alright, Professor," said Harry quickly.

"Harry. It's good to see you again. It's been too long."

Harry turned to the man who had spoken. "Headmaster. So how can I help you?"

"Well, er, you know how things are going. Well, we had a meeting and... perhaps this would be better coming from Professor McGonagall as you know her better."

"Passing the buck?" asked Ginny with a cheeky tone of voice that reminded Harry of when she was a teenager.

It obviously reminded Professor McGonagall of the same thing as she smiled and said, "You'll have to forgive Professor Taylor. He was in Ravenclaw, not in Gryffindor. Please sit down Harry." She quickly conjured another chair beside the one she had directed Harry to. "And you, Ginny."

When they had sat down, she began. "The world is turning dark again as you well know. Many of the reforms brought in by Mrs. Weasley are being overturned. People are beginning to be scared to speak out for fear of being next to be hounded out of a job."

"What has this got to do with Harry?" asked Ginny.

"The headmasters have had a meeting." At that she nodded at the portraits. "We fear that it will not be long before the Minister becomes a new dark lord. If that happens almost all opposition will collapse. There must be somewhere that stands upright."

"So?"

"You probably know that Headmaster Taylor is retiring at the end of this term. Hogwarts needs another leader who can stand and guide it through the war that is bound to come."

"What has this got to do with me?" asked Harry.

"We have unanimously decided to ask you to take over as Headmaster of Hogwarts when Headmaster Taylor retires."

"There is another reason," added Professor Dumbledore from his portrait. "If you are headmaster, your portrait will be hung here after you die, and you will be able to guide those in the future who face dark times like these."

"Harry's done enough," protested Ginny. "It's someone else's turn to stick their neck out."

"But Ginny, sorry, Mrs. Potter," said Professor Dumbledore. "Is there anybody else? That is what we have had to ask ourselves. Please think about it, that's all we ask."

"At least I have a choice this time. There's no prophecy that says I have to."

"No."

"Why do I sense a 'but' in there somewhere?"

"There is a prophecy, made by Professor Trelawny before she died last month," said the professor. "Don't worry, it's not about you."

"Can I hear it?"

"It was made when Neville was visiting her to check how she was," explained Professor McGonagall "His memory is in the pensieve."

Harry and Ginny both bent over the silver liquid...

"And the darkness shall rule once more.

But one shall stand, who now has lived ten years,

Thrice returned from the dead,

From out of the dark, he shall battle the darkness,

Saved from himself, he and the golden one,

Four shall fight but only one survive."

"I assume that makes more sense to you than it does to me?" asked Harry.

"I'm sure it will become evident as time goes on," said Professor Dumbledore.

"The point is," said the headmaster, "whoever it is will almost certainly be coming to Hogwarts next year. And we cannot think of anyone more suited to protect and guide him."

"When we figure out who it is, am I to tell him about the prophecy?" asked Harry.

Ginny gasped, realising that Harry had already decided. "Harry James Potter, don't you DARE accept this job without us at least talking about it."

"Think about it, Ginny. Another boy with a prophecy and a job he can't escape. At least I had Dumbledore. I have to help him."

"And what about 'four shall fight but only one survive'?"

"I don't know, Ginny. I just know I can't abandon him when I know I can help."

Ginny sighed. "I know. I know."

"The announcement will be made officially next week," said the headmaster. "If you want to come the last week of term to get acquainted with the job..."

"Thank you. I will try not to let you all down."

"You never have, Mr. Potter. You never have," said Professor McGonagall quietly.

Author's note: I know this is a short chapter but it just seemed appropriate to end the chapter at this point.