Weasley Twins - A Fate You Can't Escape

Chapter 103 - Loud and Clear

I sit up, cookie crumbs falling from my face and onto my lap.  I wipe them off of my face, nearly sneezing as one tries to make its way up my nose.  As I brush my palms on my skirt, I realize that the Great Hall is eerily quiet.  I lift my eyes.

Every single person in the room is staring at me.

"Hi.  How's it going?"  I ask, giving a little wave.  No one moves.  I look to Snape beside me, only to find that he is also staring at me.  "Why is everyone looking at me?"

"Miss Taylor?"  He grabs my face, scaring me so much I almost fall out of my chair.

"Yeah?  What are you doing?"  I mumble, my cheeks smushed by his hands.  He stares into my eyes, as if looking for something.

"You gave another prophecy."  He states, releasing my cheeks.

"What?  No, I didn't."  I scoff, but McGonagall is nodding on the other side of Snape.  "Seriously?"

I let my head drop into my hands.

"Show's over, and lunch will be over soon. So I advise you eat."  McGonagall announces.  Immediately conversation breaks out around the hall.  I can still feel eyes on me as the students talk behind their hands about me.  Not that I blame them.  I want to talk about it too.

"What did I say?"  I ask, startled when the Headmaster stands.

"Come to my office."  He demands, and I quickly follow him out of the room.  His footsteps echo loudly through the empty halls and up the steps to his office.  I follow a few paces behind, making sure not to step on his robes.

The headmaster makes his way to one of the cabinets and rummages around for a moment, before pulling out an empty glass ball.  Then, much like he did when putting a memory in the pensive, he places something inside.

"A record of the prophecy.  It is standard."  He explains, and I nod.  He sets the orb on the desk and quickly writes a note.  He sends it with his owl, while I still stand there silently. "Due to the public nature of your declaration, the Dark Lord must be notified first."

"Oh," I frown.  "What was the prophecy?"

"Here," he hands me the orb and I carefully take it into my hands.  I hear my voice float from the glass, familiar yet haunting.

"Inside the towering castle walls,
The toll of death will loudly call,
The professor, the child, the lovers side by side,
The flower, the twin, the fire suicide,
The serpent, the sister, the taker of the living,
The Master or the Chosen One, death will be forgiving."

I sit there, tears welling in my eyes. I don't know what people the prophecy refers to, but that is a longer list than I wish. Then something clicks. The twin was mentioned. And Ginny Weasley was in the Great Hall.

"I have to go." I announce, rushing from the room. I take off running down the halls, frantic to find the red haired girl. I decide that I should probably start with the Owlery. If she is going to send a message home to warn her brothers, that would be from where. I sprint up the cut stone steps, panting heavily by the time I make it to the top.

"Ginny!" I gasp, reaching out for the girl who is folding a piece of parchment.

"Hazel?" She takes a half step away from me.

"You can't send that." I warn, slowly walking to her.  I flick my wand, casting a silencing bubble around us.  Then I shove the stick in my boot, to not appear as a threat.

"Try and stop me." She threatens, pulling her wand. I am know better than to try and take the note by force. Ginny is strong.

"Just listen first. If you want to still send it after, I won't stop you." I promise, holding my empty hands up where she can clearly see them.

"What could you possibly say that would change my mind. I have to warm my brothers. I'm not going to let them die!"

"I'm not asking you to do that. I am asking you to listen." I beg, desperate for her to hear me out.

"Fine, you have two minutes." She concedes.  I take a deep breath then recite the words that have echoed in my head for far too long.

"On the day of Hogwart's fall
In the place of required's hall
Two that are the same but not
One beside his brother fought
When the battle reaches heat
Half of the whole, will meet defeat
Unless a friend in time of need
Casts a curse most ill indeed
A family of so many, mourns
If the twin was to be warned"

I wait for her to respond.

"You knew?"  She frowns, eyes flashing with anger.

"Yes."  I reply, not sure what to do now.

"And you didn't tell anyone."  She scowls.

"No.  Well, Dumbledore knew of course.  And whoever he decided to tell.  And Trelawney was there as well."  I scratch the back of my head nervously.

"Dumbledore knew?  How long have you been sitting on this?"  Ginny starts pacing, her note clenched in her fist.

"A little over a year."  I whisper, praying that she'll understand.

"A year?!"  She yells, stopping and staring at me. 

"That's why I stuck around after George.... But I couldn't say anything.  The last two lines said it would ensure the death.  It is my burden.  My responsibility."

"Except you abandoned it.  You ran off with Professor Snape of all people!  And became the Dark Lord's little prophetess." 

"Ginny.  Tell me.  How many people have I hurt since "switching sides?""  I ask, stepping closer to her.  "How many times have I encouraged the Carrows to hurt someone?  Give me a specific instance where I did something that made me the bad guy?"

"Well..." She blinks a few times as she tries to come up with an answer.

"I am here to protect those kids.  I schedule their detentions with Hagrid.  I take the attention off the little Muggleborns when the Carrows decide to play with them.  I sit in the headmaster's office, trying to find ways to aid Harry in his mission."  I hiss, now standing directly in front of her.  "I've made myself an enemy to everyone I care about, to be here."

She looks down at the paper in her hand.  "Incendio." 

The flames quickly consume it, and she brushes the ash from her palms.

"Fine.  I won't tell.  But I'll be watching you."  She brushes past me, leaving the owlery.  I sigh in relief, sagging against the wall. I let the silencing spell go, and just stand there in the cool October air. 

*****************************************************

Merry Christmas loves! ❤️