Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: Hey, so this is the Prologue to Dying Hopes. I have re-written it, and I will be doing the same thing with the rest of the chapters. Also, I will now be writing from Hermione's perspective, instead of Harry's.

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches.

Vaque. But what kind of power would only one person have against Lord Voldemort?

Born to those who have thrice defied him.

Again, there were plenty of wizards and witches who defied Voldemort. Three times though, that would have taken guts. Not just that, but back then, during the war, to live long enough to defy him that many times. Now that would certainly shorten the list.

Born as the seventh month dies.

That's a little more specific. But I'm sure plenty of babies were born at the end of July. Then again, there's the parents to take into consideration...

And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal.

Mark him? Does this mean literally?

But he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not.

Power, what power? What sort of power could this possibly be?

And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.

So one has to kill the other.

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.

Repetitive, but important.

What does all this mean?

It wasn't unlike Hermione to be lost in thought, and this wasn't her usual cup of tea. No, this prophecy was different. A riddle in itself. Sure she was brilliant, top of her class, but this was a Ravenclaw's job. The fact that the professor had shared such knowledge with her, meant he had faith in her. Even if she wasn't nearly as confident.

"Ms. Granger, I don't think I've ever seen you so… stumped."

Hermione looked up from her parchment of notes, snapping out of thought. He was quite right, she had never come across something that confused her so. She didn't like to admit it, but she could really use his help to understand. "Sir..."

"Go on."

"The prophecy is fairly vague. It doesn't mention a Harry Potter at all. It could have meant any boy born in July…"

She could see the disappointment in the professor's eyes. Clearly, she had missed something.

"Not just any boy, Ms. Granger!" The professor shook his head, bewildered. "It speaks of a boy, born at the end of July, to parents who had thrice defied Lord Voldemort."

"And?" She didn't see how that could only mean Harry. His parents might have been brave, but they couldn't have been the only ones to stand up to Voldemort like that.

"You're right about one thing, Harry was not the only one who fit the description. There was another, Neville Longbottom."

"Neville?" Hermione knew Neville really well, the two of them had grown close in the past six years. As such, he was trained in the magical arts as well. Hermione couldn't see why he couldn't be the one to face the Dark Lord. Wasn't he just as powerful as Harry, if not more?

"Then why does Harry matter?"

The professor smiled. "Ah, but you see here…" He snatched the parchment from Hermione's hands, skimming through her notes. "It says Lord Voldemort will mark him as his equal."

Hermione's eyes widened. "The scar, the one you talked about. He got that from Lord Voldemort the night he…"

"The night Lord Voldemort killed his parents? Yes. That night, he marked Harry as his equal."

"Are you saying Lord Voldemort chose his own enemy?"

"Indeed I am, Ms. Granger."

Chose his own enemy? The idea was so ridiculous, and yet, made perfect sense. Had Voldemort left the prophecy alone, it would have remained a mere prediction, doomed to be forgotten, and unfulfilled. But no, Lord Voldemort had been paranoid, he had been determined to conquer death. Hermione stifled a laugh. In his attempt to avoid death, he had only welcomed it further!

Hermione shook her head. Lord Voldemort was a fool.

Hermione turned to face the professor once again. "Does this mean we should be recruiting Harry?"

"I think it would be wise."

"How so?"

"Voldemort is getting stronger. I fear that if you do not get to Harry Potter, this war will be lost."

Hermione couldn't believe it. Their victory relied on the help of a naive, untaught seventeen year old.

"But he hasn't been taught, and he doesn't know the first thing about our world."

What is Dumbledore thinking? Hermione thought, in disbelief. He can't be serious!

"Then perhaps, you shall be the one to teach him."

Hermione froze. "Me?" She asked, finding her voice.

I'm not a teacher, I'm a student. Hermione thought. How could she be the right choice to teach Harry? Surely Dumbledore could ask one of the professors. After all, they were sure to be more advanced than she.

"I can't think of anyone better."

"What if he doesn't believe me? What if he doesn't cooperate?"

"Ms. Granger, you can be quite convincing when you want to be."

Hermione sighed. To win an argument with the man, was impossible. "This won't be easy…"

"Ms. Granger, I told you once, that there would come a time, where you would have to make a decision, between what is right, and what is easy." Placing a hand on her shoulder, he whispered, "that time, has come."

A/N: Thanks for Reading! Reviews, follows and favorites are appreciated!

Revised: 1/3/2014