The Forgotten Son

Chapter 2: Where it All Begins

February 25th 1977

Albus Dumbledore was annoyed. He had agreed to meet with a potential candidate to fill the position of Divination professor at Hogwarts and was currently sitting with the crazy bat now. Apparently descended from the legendary Seer Cassandra Trelawney, Sybil sat across the table from Albus drinking her sherry and sprouting off nonsense of her nonexistent talents. Personally, Albus found the subject of divination to be silly. Everyone knew that you cannot train someone to be a Seer. Like a Metamorphmagus, such talents could not be taught, you were either born with it or you were not. Thus, the subject being taught at Hogwarts seemed to serve as an easy 'Outstanding" for the laziest students.

Albus finished off the rest off his brandy and went to stand up when Trelawney stiffened and went rigid. At first, Albus thought something had gone dreadfully wrong until she began to speak in a harsh, distorted voice:

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...."

Albus could not believe what he was hearing. An actual prophecy! He recognized the validity of the prophecy as Sybil seemed to not recall what had just transpired. Albus was so focused on Sybil and state she had fallen in, that he'd did not even notice when there was a struggle outside the door to his room.

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Severus Snape, recent graduate of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and even more recent recruit to the Death Eaters, kneeled in front of his master of only a few short weeks. He kneeled, stock still in a mixture of excitement, fear and awe at the man he believed would bring the Wizarding World back to its former glory, and no longer tainted by Mudbloods and the like. Though as soon as he thought of the word "Mudblood" a feeling of guilt rushed through him at the loss of the love of his life. With his advanced Occlumency, he tampered down that pesky feeling as the most powerful Dark Lord in generations began to address him.

"Severus my young friend please rise," the Dark Lord Voldemort said in his high, cruel voice. "You requested an urgent audience with me and here you are. It is rare for me to allow such new recruits to speak to me personally, so whatever you have to say had better be important." The menacing tone of the Dark Lord did not go unnoticed by anyone in the room as all those in attendance felt a shudder run through them.

"Please my Lord, I thank you for allowing me before you," Snape groveled. "I have just returned from The Hog's Head after hearing something that would be of great use to you."

"And what might that be?" Voldemort replied. "I do not like to be kept waiting Severus. So the sooner you speak, the sooner I will decide if what you tell me will be of use."

Again the Death Eaters in the massive hall shuddered with fright. None more than Snape himself, so he quickly began to retell what he had heard through the door of the private room above the Hog's Head. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..."

A number of of emotions passed the usually stoic face of the Dark Lord. Anger was the prevalent one, though Tom Riddle felt an emotion he had not felt for many years...fear. More anger followed fear and finally his face settled into a mien of cold calculation. He looked around the room containing his inner circle and settled on one of his long time followers.