Runes Master

Chapter 14

I'm so sorry it took this long to update, I guess life just caught up with me. I hope you enjoy.

Harry was having a nightmare. A nightmare about a door. Where was that door leading to? Where was it? He always woke up in a sweat after that particular dream. This time was no exception. A few weeks before Christmas, he went to talk to the Headmaster, not feeling good about it. He told him everything, and coupled that with an interrogation about Voldemort's current inaction. He confided to Albus that Voldemort wasn't staying in any of the major family manors. Albus was curious, to say the least; but he kept his questions in check. Harry kept his sources secret for fear of compromising them. That he was willing to share his information was enough for now. It would be best not to press him.

"Well...Harry. The reason why Tom is so silent and is sending you dreams of that place are connected, I'm afraid. From your description, it might very well be the door leading to the room in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry building where the prophecies are kept. He's trying to lure you to get it for him, and is concentrating his efforts on rebuilding his underground network. The content of this prophecy is probably what he fears the most right now. Since your name and his are written on it, he doesn't really know what to expect from it, or from you. He might fear that it says he cannot kill you, which would explain why you have always survived in your encounters with him. I'm trying to encourage that way of thinking, despite my minimal influence on the Death Eaters."

"So...He's after it. He knows about it. Any clue how he found out?" asked Harry, puzzled.

"Yes, I know how," Albus simply answered. This time, it was Harry who figured it was best not to keep asking.

"All right. So he knows about it. Does he know any of the contents?" kept on Harry.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies," quoted the Headmaster.

Harry fell back in his chair.

"Well, that explains the obsession he has with li'l old me. For a moment, I thought it was some kind of 'young boy fetish'."

"Seeing how badly he wanted to become a teacher here, in a class where he could technically subdue the students, there may be a little bit of that too," said Albus, mocking Tom for once.

Harry chuckled, but got back to business quickly.

"So... What do we do? This thing is useless now. I know of the prophecy already. Shouldn't we destroy it?"

"I guess... we could..." drawled Albus, reluctantly. "But it's working as a good decoy right now. If we destroy it, he'll guess that you already know about it and will seek the information directly from me, or you. You simply have to stay here and ignore the dream. It would be good to find a way to keep him from bothering you with those visions though..."

"Have to stay here... Do you mean that it must either be me or him that takes the prophecy from there?"

"Yes, Harry," said Dumbledore.

"Then it's perfect! We could set up a trap for him! We let it be known that we're secretly moving it somewhere else! He'll have to send Death Eaters against me to take it, or even come himself! We could..."

"No, Harry. That's too dangerous. Let's not even consider that. His allies are too strong. It would cause too many casualties."

Harry was on the edge of his seat. He looked down, disappointed.

"It's such a good opportunity!"

"We cannot afford so great a risk..."

"I know! I know... We'll have to find something else."