Mitigate [S. Black]

seven | revelations

After a while, Sirius and Alessia returned to Hogwarts and made their way back up to Dumbledore's office. As expected, James, Lily and Remus were still there. Peter was nowhere to be seen, and as the two of them made their way over to their seats Dumbledore explained they had feigned an end to the meeting before he would leave. It had actually gone to the point where Lily and James had to Floo back to their home, and Remus had to leave as well before Peter would go. Remus admitted that it had made him suspicious, because he felt Peter was fishing for some sort of information.

"I just don't understand," James spoke up in frustration. "Peter is our friend. Why in bloody hell shouldn't he be included in all of this?" He turned this question toward Sirius, genuinely confused as to why his best mate had acted in such a way. "Why would you go to great lengths to hide the truth of who Alessia is? It's not like Peter's --"

"A Death Eater?" Sirius interrupted. "On the contrary, Prongs, that's exactly what he is."

"What?!" Lily gasped out, as Remus and James both reeled back in shock. Dumbledore sat in silence, his gaze drifting over to Alessia in question. She nodded in agreement with Sirius's statement. "How -- how would you even know that he's --"

"I told him," Alessia confessed, causing everyone to look toward her. She took a deep breath. "There's a lot I haven't told you yet. Most of it concerns you, Lily and James... and Harry, too."

Lily's hand immediately flew to her bulging stomach. "Harry?" James repeated, looking at her in confusion as he took his wife's free hand into his own. "But he's not even born yet."

The brunette worried her lower lip between her teeth, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear nervously. She was afraid for how James and Lily were going to take this news, especially dropping it all on them at once. This was all so unfair to them. They shouldn't have to worry about any of this. They're newlyweds, only a month away from having their first child that Alessia knew they already loved so very much. These days should be happy and care-free for them, not full of fear and war.

"Sybill Trelawney is going to recite a prophecy to Professor Dumbledore soon," Alessia finally revealed. "It's going to be about a boy who will have the capability to defeating the Dark Lord, which will apparently only move into effect if I fail. But Voldemort thinks I'm already dead, therefore this boy will be a vital threat to him."

"I'm supposed to meet with Sybill this week, for an interview in regards to the Divinations position," Dumbledore said, his eyebrows pulled together in thought.

"At the Hog's Head," Alessia said. "Right?"

"Right." Sometimes it surprised even Dumbledore how much this young woman knew. "This prophecy, you say... It is going to be about Lily and James' unborn son?"

"Well, in a way -- yes," Alessia responded. "It's hard to explain, and a bit harder to understand." She paused. "The prophecy refers to a boy who will be born at the end of July. That narrows the possibilities down significantly. But Voldemort will ultimately choose himself who the prophecy refers to, because he is the one that will have to mark the boy as his equal."

"And... and... he chooses Harry?" Lily's voice was shaken to the core, terrified at the thought of her baby coming to any harm at all. James wrapped his arm around her and tucked her into his side, trying to comfort her, even though he himself was quite shaken.

"He will," the brown-eyed girl responded reluctantly. "The possibility of who it could be will be narrowed down between your son, and the Longbottoms'. But Voldemort will think Harry has to be the one because he is half-blood, as is Voldemort."

Sirius snorted. "Ironic, isn't it," he muttered. "This entire war about blood-purity, and the guy responsible for it is half-blood."

"I still don't understand," Remus spoke up. "How does any of this have to do with Peter?"