Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived

Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived (Prologue)

For the first time in the days since Dumbledore’s funeral, Professor McGonagall allowed herself a moment to break down and truly feel her loss. It was really everyone’s loss. She sat down heavily in Dumbledore’s ornate chair, feeling the weight and pressure of the decisions to be made. She alone was responsible for these decisions. Her shoulders shook quietly as the tears rolled down her cheeks. A tawny barn owl gently tapped his beak on the jewel colored glass. In the afternoon light the windows appeared to be beautifully painted renditions of a phoenix, with all of the bold colors shining on the cold stone of the office walls. The half-open window allowed a soft breeze to stir the message against the owl’s leg. The soft scritching sound brought Minerva back to the office where she stood. She removed the note from his leg, unrolled the parchment, and hastened to leave the office immediately after reading its contents.

The fading sounds of footsteps echoed throughout the office as the eyelids in the portrait slowly opened revealing a pair of gleaming eyes.

The first sight that swam into focus was the empty stand where Fawkes would normally perch. He noticed that he felt a little groggy and he shook his head in an effort to clear the dust that felt like it had settled there. He stared around in amazement at the portraits that lined the walls of his former office. Realization of his situation dawned on him almost immediately.

Suddenly there was a deafening silence. A distinct feeling of wariness accompanied the quiet that enveloped the room. It was then that he realized that someone must have been listening to the WWN. He heard the radio personality announce that in the past hour they had played the top ten hits for the week. The countdown was now at number one with a song by Cher. He smirked to think of all the Muggles who thought she was a Muggle herself. She was not only a witch, but an accomplished metamorphagus as well. He listened to the pleasantly low beginnings of the number one hit in both the wizard and Muggle worlds.

When you’re standing on the edge of nowhere

There’s only one way up

So your hearts gotta go there

Through the darkest night

See the light shine bright

When heroes fall, in love or war

They live forever

This is a song for the lonely

Can you hear me tonight?

For the broken hearted, battle scarred

I’ll be by your side

And this is a song for the lonely

When your dreams won’t come true

Can you hear this prayer?

Cause someone’s there for you.

Dumbledore found himself lost in the images her lyrics provoked. The images grew stronger and more powerful as he dreamily hummed along to the music when the chorus started.

So let it find you

Wherever you may go

I’m right behind you

You don’t have to look no more

His eyes flew open as the images transformed into memories. He clung to the past ferociously until one memory began to repeat itself. As the end of the song neared, his eyes flew open. He was alert and his eyes gleamed from within. Had Harry been in the room to witness the sight, he would have immediately recognized the glint in his former headmaster’s eyes.

The light faded from his eyes, ever so slightly, as the voices sounded in unison. They called from the depths of his mind; they called him to listen one more time.

“Verus Diligo”

Cassie’s voice was faint, echoing from another time. It was a time that was lost, a time that Dumbledore longed to forget.

The look in her eyes morphed to utter terror and then instantaneously back to peace and love. The red flash of light streaked between them, knocking Cassie backwards. She was violently thrown against the cold stone of the dungeon wall. She uttered a soft cry as she saw her attacker advancing toward the couple. He felt her power as she gathered the love in her heart and used it to push him out of harms way. He felt the second flash of light breeze by his neck, narrowly missing him.

For a fraction of a moment, he waited, daring to hope.

He heard a loud ‘pop’ and slowly released the pent up breath he did not know he had been holding

“Cassie?” Dumbledore breathed, still clinging to the hope that she lived.

He crawled forward, searching for any sign of life, but the curse had hit its mark.

Cassandra Trelawney was gone.

As the memory faded, the brightness of the office intensified the colors glowing from the windowpanes. He was lost in his thoughts until a soft trill pulled him back into reality.

Dumbledore smiled softly at his oldest friend and constant companion.

“I believe they are ready, my old friend” Dumbledore chuckled.

Fawkes disappeared with a flash. No sooner had he gone, than Dumbledore urgently longed to call him back.

He wanted to forget the silly ideas of an old man.

“But then,” he mused “they are ready.”

“I wonder how long it will take her to locate it?” he asked the question aloud, though he expected no answer.

**This is an unofficial story and is not supported or recognized by any of the publishers of the Harry Potter books. The author J.K. Rowling created this world and owns all the names and characters in it; this is a humble fan fiction written by a dedicated Harry Potter fan plagued by dreams that needed to be put down on paper.**