In the Shadow of the Summer

The Prophecy

Just like every other night, you hadn't been able to get back to sleep, but that was for the best. Luckily, Sebastian trusted you to stay in bed and left you to rest so that he could sleep. You spent most of the night writing letters to anyone you could think of; Professor Weasley, Professor Howin, Officer Singer, detailing the events of the previous evening and everything you knew about the poachers' plans, without divulging more about the ancient magic than they already knew. You also made sure to write to Garreth, informing him that Natty was with you at The Three Broomsticks, and then you wrote to Ominis and told him everything. Well, everything except the conversation you had with Sebastian. If he found out his best friend was involving himself in matters of dangerous magic again, he'd surely never forgive either of you, not without an extensive explanation as to why it is in fact completely justified.

As dawn broke, there was a loud knock on your door, and you hobbled across the room to open the door. Before you even had a chance to peer outside at your visitor, Natsai threw her arms around you and squeezed you tightly.
"I'm so glad that you are alright," she said breathlessly. "When you fell unconscious last night, I'm afraid I feared the worst."
"Natty, what are you doing here?" You groaned as a sharp slice of pain rolled through your body, and she pulled away from you with an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry, you are still in pain."
"A little," you lied. "But... what-"
"Let us sit, there is much I need to tell you."

You nodded and let her into your room, beckoning towards the bed. She rushed in and eagerly took her seat, impatiently waiting for you to join her.
"First things first," you said, carefully sitting down to avoid a sharp sting that remained in your lower back. "What in Merlin's name are you doing here?"
"I'm afraid it is a rather long and confusing story."
"Well, I've got all day. Sebastian won't let me leave until I'm feeling better."
"It is unlike him to be so sensible. He is right though, I wish I had rested longer after Harlow hit me with Crucio. Perhaps my legs would be better by now."
"Natty."
"Right, my apologies. Back to the point. The first night after arriving in Africa, my mother was staring into her crystal ball, and her eyes clouded over. I had never witnessed this before, so I tried to wake her up, but she began speaking. At first I thought it was gibberish, but it wasn't. She was making a prophecy!"

"A prophecy? About what."
"I am not certain, but... I think it involved you."
"Me? What-"
"Here," she reached into her pocket and pulled out a scrap of parchment. "I wrote it down while she was speaking." You both stared down at her own messy handwriting.

Beware the shadow of the summer,
Its plotting and scheming has its singular purpose.
The coveted mystic powers it aims to test,
Against the guardians who remain unaware of its madness.

Yet vanity and complacency will cost them dear,
As they overlook the true strength of magic so rare.
They'll succumb to corruption and evil, let it be clear,
And dwell forevermore in a world of despair.

This ancient magic holds boundless might,
It has eternal potential for hope or destruction.
But alack, in malicious hands, it would only ignite
Despondency as they are surrounded by an unfathomable obstruction.

"The poachers," you gasped. "This prophecy is about the poachers! They intend to steal the ancient magic."
"From you?"
"I suppose so. It's under my protection."
"What do you mean?'
"I suppose the kneazle's out of the bag. Listen..." As you filled her in on all the details she'd been missing, you felt a weight begin to fall off your shoulders. You'd felt the same when you told Sebastian, and you wondered if everything would be much simpler if you'd just told everyone the truth from the beginning. Keeping them in the dark hadn't kept anyone any safer, it certainly hadn't protected Poppy, so what could be the harm in divulging?