Chapter 13 - The Prophecy

After an eventful Christmas day, I was looking forward to having an early night, I was both physically and emotionally exhausted. I was a little worried to leave Ominis alone, but he promised to remain close by for the next few days until he was adjusted. I made my way up to my dormitory, longing for my bed. I lay down and felt instant relief taking the weight off my feet, it didn't take long for me to fall asleep.

My dream was vivid and clear, more so that it had been in the last few weeks. I was running along the Viaduct courtyard towards the school entrance where black smoke was rising from the roof. The moonlight lit up the courtyard and I could hear my heartbeat reverberating within my ears while my footsteps echoed along the stone floor. I pushed my way through the doors to the Great Hall. I saw the same fire in the centre of the room, the long tables had all been removed. Dark figures stood around and it, the usual flickering colours of black and green danced across the walls. The smoke rising and covering the enchanted ceiling and you could no longer see the night sky outside it was enchanted to mimic. I knew that these dark figures where the Blackhand, and I could see their handed masks covering their faces. Once again, I saw the yellow flowers sprawled across the floor near their feet. As I stepped closer the flowers began to wilt and turn to ash. One of the dark figures pointed at me and uttered the same words I heard Towe say "Antiqua potentia." I heard the sinister voice, it was laughing, and a green light engulfed me before I could respond.

I was once again in that dimly lit room and lying in the bed, the old witch pointing her wand at me and speaking her incantations. The pain was throbbing through me, the ancient magic pulsating out of me. "Please stop! I can't take it anymore!"

My words had no effect and she continued. As I began to rise in the familiar floating position the room looks as if it was spinning. My arms were outstretched, and the witch said the final words of the spell with a breath. My screaming stops, my magic spilling out from me as the room stills. I can see Professor Onai in the corner of the room with her palms open, her eyes were ghostly white staring at the ceiling, and she was mumbling. She stills and becomes silent for a moment. She angled her head slowly in my direction and those terrifying white eyes were now plunging into my own. She opened her mouth, and a blood curling scream escaped her, the sound of which sent my body hurling back downwards onto the bed.

I awoke with a start, safe in my own bed, but I was panting and sweat dripped from me. I was pretty sure I had been screaming, as my owl was flapping its wings as though it had been startled. Thank goodness I was alone in my dormitory and there was no one to hear me. The relief lasted but a moment, as I could hear loud footsteps approaching from outside and the door slammed open.

"Riley!? Was that you? Are you ok?"

There was Ominis, standing in my dormitory panting from the run, and shirtless. I don't know if it was the nightmare or the sight of him standing there that made me speechless. He looked around the room for any signs of disruption before those green eyes landed on me.

"Was that you screaming? I've never heard a sound like it."

I sheepishly pulled the covers up to my neck, knowing that I was only wearing a thin white nightgown with nothing underneath.

"Yes, I think so. I had another nightmare, but this time it was so much more intense than ever before, and Professor Onai was in it."

He sat down on the edge of the bed beside me and put his hand against my forehead.

"You're burning up, let me get you a cold washcloth."

He moved swiftly over to the basin and poured the jug of water in it. After wringing out some of the water in the washcloth he returned once more to side of my bed and placed the cool dampness on my forehead.

"The scream was so loud Riley, I could hear it all the way from the boy's dormitory. And Professor Onai? Why are you dreaming of her suddenly?"

The coldness made me blink a few times before I was able to answer him.

"I need to tell you what happened in the Great Hall."

I repeated the events with Professor Onai to Ominis and recited the words she had spoken in that almost demonic voice.

"The ancient power corrupted brings forth ash and death. The love of the eagle shall bring balance, notwithstanding a dark curse forms with a final breath. And then I think she said something about the ultimate sacrifice must be borne, eyes of hazel will bring about your final downfall."

Ominis had moved the damp cloth from my forehead and to my neck just behind my ears as I spoke. He hadn't managed to wring it properly and I could feel the water droplets start to drip down my neck. He sat in silence as I spoke.

"You know that Professor Onai possesses The Sight? She's able to foresee the future. What if that was her prophesising my future?" I asked him nervously.

"Riley every Divination professor at Hogwarts claims they are a Seer. The Divination professor before Onai kept ranting on about a giant snake below Hogwarts. Eventually Headmaster Black fired him as he was freaking all the students out. I wouldn't take what Professor Onai said to heart, she was probably just trying to scare you."

I frowned at Ominis and swatted the washcloth away and pounded my hands on the bed in frustration. "How can you downplay this Ominis? She mentioned ancient power, this is serious. I'll admit I have no idea what the rest of it means, but it was terrifying to behold. Now that Professor Onia is appearing in my nightmare it has to mean something."

I was sure that it had to have some meaning, I hadn't experienced a dream so clear before, it's as if it was real. Ominis went quiet and I noticed he was now staring at my bosom. The water droplets had caused my nightgown to go slightly see-through and my breasts were peeking through.

"Uh," I let out.

Ominis closed his eyes and quickly lifted himself from my bed, adjusting his pyjama bottoms as he turned away from me. A blush formed over my cheeks, and I raised the bed covers to my chin once more. He was facing away from me while he spoke.

"I'm sorry Riley, I didn't mean to upset you. I just don't believe in prophecies and being able to see the future. Perhaps you should speak to Professor Onai about it before we discuss any further."

He was right, first thing in the morning that's exactly what I intended to do.

"Agreed," I said quietly.

Part of me was still upset for his lack of his belief, but my eyes focused on the muscles of his back, they were so defined and all I wanted was to reach out and touch him. I didn't know what time it was, but I could sense it was mid-morning as I could see the sunlight streak through the black lake through the windows. I had obviously slept in quite late after the events of yesterday.

"I better return to my dormitory, the other Slytherins will be returning from the holiday break today, so long as you're alright?" He was still not looking at me, obviously embarrassed by the situation.

"I'm alright now Ominis, thank you for checking up on me."

I could see him nodding.

"Ominis? Will you look at me please?"

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Riley if I do that, I am going to climb into that bed with you, and we both know what will happen if I do that."

My insides fluttered at his remark.

"And what's wrong with that?" I suggested seductively.

He let out a long sigh and turned, making his way quickly over to me. I barely had time to react before he climbed on top of me and pushed me back into my pillow. His lips found mine and I wrapped my arms around his neck, feeling every inch of those muscles I was just staring at. He was leaning on his elbows above me, just slightly lifting his body weight off me. The only thing separating us was my thick blanket, but it wasn't thick enough, as I could still feel his hardness hitting me right there and I let out a small moan. Our kisses became more passionate, and I could feel a tugging feeling within my lower abdomen. If I wasn't restricted by the blanket, then I would've wrapped my legs around him. Ominis let some of his weight drop onto me and he started to grind his hips against my own, the feeling was indescribable. He removed his lips from mine and buried his head in my neck and planted more kisses there. I was about to rip the blanket from in between us when a familiar voice interrupted us.

"What in Merlin's beard are you two doing?"

Ominis leaped off from me in fright and landed rather ungraciously on the floor next to me with a loud thud, where he remained seated. I had my hands on my mouth as Imelda Grace glared at me from the entrance door, I was trying to hide the guilty smile on my face.

"Hello Imelda, did you have a good Christmas?"

Ominis had a flushed looked on his face, but I admired his attempts to defuse the situation. Imelda was now staring at Ominis with a look of shock.

"Why are your eyes green? Are-are you able to see?"

Fuck. Ominis and I hadn't discussed how we were going to tell the other students and professors about how he had somehow magically gained the ability of sight after being born blind.

"And since when are you two a thing?" I glanced over at Ominis who now had his head in his hands.

"Imelda, why don't you let Ominis leave us, and we can catch-up?"

A look of relief washed over Ominis, he could not have scuttled out of there fast enough with Imelda glaring at him, he gave me one last smile before he dashed out the room. I couldn't help but let out a small giggle.

"You've got some explaining to do Riley Dagworth," Imelda huffed.

I got up and quickly placed my nightgown over me before I sat on the bed again, Imelda almost sat on my bed too, but then recoiled with a look of disgust realising what had almost occurred there just a few moments ago. Instead, she sat on her own bed next to mine.

"Don't give me that look, you and Garreth have been flouting your affections so publicly I'm surprised you are so disgusted by what you just saw." I tried to take control of the situation. Her expression softened.

"It's not that Riley, well partly, but I'll admit I'm surprised. You and Ominis? I thought you had feelings for Sebastian?"

Her comment immediately deflated me.

"Sebastian is gone Imelda, he left and didn't care who or what he left behind. I've made my peace with it and I'm trying to move on."

She pursed her lips at my answer but didn't push the topic.

"Fine, I won't mention Sebastian again. In terms of showing affection, I have no issue with that. I must admit I was surprised when I discovered I had feelings for Garreth Weasley, I mean he's a bloody Gryffindor for Merlin's sake. But the heart wants what the heart wants. Just be careful you don't get expelled as a result. Professor Weasley gave Garreth and me a stern warning about proximity rules before the holidays," she rolled her eyes at this. "If she was to learn that Ominis was in the girl's dormitory I don't think she would be very pleased," she said crossing her arms.

"Well, the only people that know are you, me and Ominis. So how would she find out?" I asked bluntly.

"I promise I won't say anything, but you owe me one Dagworth," she smiled a little evil grin and winked at me.

I rolled my eyes at her and returned her smile.

"Fine, you have a deal."

She seemed satisfied with that part of the conversation. While we were talking my mind was squirming trying to come up with a good cover story as to Ominis' blindness being cured.

"Now, tell me how in the hell can Ominis see? I thought his family tried everything at St. Mungos to cure his blindness, but nothing could be done?"

An idea popped into my head, it was the only logical one I could think of on such short notice.

"Well, in all honesty we were a little bored over this festive period and we did some experimenting." Imelda still had her arms crossed and dropped her head at me with a blasé kind of look.

"Not the experimenting of that sort!" I let out with a smile. "Actually, it was a result of one of our assignments around the healing properties of phoenix tears, how they could heal almost any injury. Well, I'd managed to get hold of some phoenix tears and we thought we would give it a try, for a laugh you know. Well turns out it's true and Ominis was healed!"

Imelda did not look convinced.

"Riley, a phoenix is such a rare creature, where on earth did you find one?"

My plan was unfolding perfectly.

"I rescued one last year, a house-elf named Deek actually helped me to rescue it, he's a friend of Professor Weasley." Her mouth dropped open.

"Well that certainly is something, who knew the things we learnt in class would actually help us in the real world one day." I smiled at her comment.

"Now tell me, how was your Christmas with Garreth and his family?" Her face beamed and she proceeded to tell me all the details.

²

After a few hours of chatting with Imelda, I was dressed and in the common room, looking for Ominis. Some of the other Slytherin students had started to return from their family visits, although most would return by this coming Sunday in time for classes beginning on the Monday. Ominis was sitting on one of the sofas near the fire and I skipped towards him. I plopped myself next to him with a big grin on my face. He was holding a textbook, although this one did not appear to have the usual braille that he read with.

"Where have you been? I've been sitting here for hours waiting for you and trying to avoid everyone. I was worried Imelda was going to report us to the headmaster, or worse Professor Weasley. And what are we going to tell everyone about how my sight? We haven't thought this through Riley." The panic was etched all over his beautiful face and I couldn't help but smile at him.

"Why are you smiling? This is a very serious situation, Riley."

He was almost whispering now so that the others in the common room couldn't hear us. I let out a loud laugh and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"I have it all sorted my sweet." We didn't really have nicknames for one another, but it felt right to call him something endearing, especially after our almost intimate moment from a few hours ago.

I recalled to him what I had told Imelda about the phoenix tears being the answer to his restored sight. He stared at me in bewilderment.

"Riley, you are absolutely brilliant. How were you able to think of something like that so quickly? It's the perfect cover story. The healers at St. Mungos mentioned that phoenix tears might've been able to heal me, but of course no one had even seen a phoenix before." I could see the relief start to form in his face.

"And Deek will be able to corroborate my story when Professor Weasley comes asking." I smirked at my own genius. Ominis leaned in and kissed me. I had flashbacks of our moment on my bed, how I wish Imelda had returned a little later. Ominis pulled away from our kiss and cleared his throat.

"What did Imelda have to say about, well, about us?" He whispered the last word and it pulled at my heart strings.

"She has promised not say anything, she even warned me that Professor Weasley takes the rules around proximity very seriously. She and Garreth got a big telling off before they left for the holidays. So, we'll need to be extra careful going forward." Ominis eyed me carefully.

"It's not like Imelda to do something so nice, as much as she has warmed to you, she must've asked for something in return?" I was impressed at how Ominis was able to read people.

"I do owe her one now, no doubt she will come to claim her debt one of these days."

I shrugged it off, nothing could dampen my mood of achievement.

"Riley, I must apologise for what happened in your dormitory. Under normal circumstances I would never have done something like that. It was not appropriate at all, and I am sorry."

I was wrong, this retreat from Ominis was dampening my mood.

"Ominis don't apologise for that. I enjoyed it, I wasn't pleased that it was interrupted, but you have nothing to be sorry for." He gave me a soft smile.

"Having my sight now is going to prove to have its own challenges, one of which is the sight of you."

I frowned my eyes at his comment. "I beg your pardon?"

He laughed and his shoulders were far more relaxed now than what they were when I first sat next to him.

"I don't mean that the sight of you is a challenge, Miss Dagworth." He grabbed my hand to his lips and kissed it gently. "I mean that I have a lot to learn and a lot to take in with the gift that you have given me. I only ask that you give me some time."

It was a fair request. I was expecting too much of him too soon. "Of course, I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable in anyway." I responded. He kissed my hand once more, this time a lot slower and held it to his mouth as he spoke.

"Trust me Riley, you've never made me feel uncomfortable." He gave me a devilish smile as he slowly dragged my fingers across his mouth. Here this man was asking for us to slow down and give him time, all the while he was teasing me. I found his newly green eyes so mesmerising. He gave my fingers one last kiss and returned to his book.

"Now that's all settled, don't you have a prophecy to decipher?" He said the word prophecy with a hint of sarcasm. With all that had happened this morning, I had forgotten that I needed to speak to Professor Onai.

"Yes, I'm planning to head there now." I raised an eyebrow at the book Ominis was now intently focused on.

"Ominis how are you reading that book without braille? Surely this is the first time you've seen words on a page?"

He gave me a quirky side eye.

"Like I said, I have a lot to learn. Now you best leave me to it Miss Dagworth."

I gave him a swift peck on the cheek and took a deep breath before I lifted myself from the couch and made my way towards the Divination classroom.

I didn't know if Professor Onai would be in her classroom, it was still the holiday period, but I had no idea where her quarters were. I climbed the ladder and popped my head through the gap in the floor. There she was sitting at her desk engrossed in her writing.

"I've been expecting you." There was no one else in the classroom, she could've only been speaking to me. I propped myself into the room and slowly walked towards her desk.

"You've been expecting me Professor? Did you foresee that I would come here today?" I asked rather ignorantly.

She put down her quill and sat back in her chair with her fingers entwined studying me intently. "I do not need The Sight to know that you would want to speak about what happened between us." She motioned for me to sit, and I obliged.

"Riley, I know you have come here today looking for answers, but I must warn you that I will not be able to answer all your questions."

I was a little frustrated that she was setting the precedent already.

"I understand you may find this frustrating, I will share with you what I can, but my gift only allows me to seen snippets of what is to come."

I was confused.

"Can you explain further please Professor?"

"When I accidently touched you, I had a vision, it was very quick, but it was intense and powerful. What you heard yesterday was a potential prophecy. I use the word 'potential' prudently. Although prophecies often hold great importance, they could also cause significant harm if interpreted incorrectly." She continued to look at me intently as she spoke.

"How so?" I asked as a small lump formed in my throat.

"The subject of a prophecy could go to great lengths to ensure that it came true, if positive, or take great pains to avoid it, if negative. These efforts could have a ripple effect that could harm innocent bystanders simply for being too close to the subject, or if the subject believed those bystanders were obstacles to be overcome in their pursuits. Yet in the end, it could turn out that such efforts were fruitless, since that person was perhaps not the true subject of the prophecy in the first place."

I looked down at my hands, my eyes frowning.

"So, what you're saying is that I should just ignore what was said?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Professor Onai smiled softly at me. "My dear child, prophecies have the ability to drive one into madness, and as I've said to you before, the consequences of our actions are complex. I don't think you should ignore it no, but you should not become obsessed over it. Seeing the future is only part of it, you must also be prepared for what the future may hold. My faith in my Sight was shaken by not being able to foresee the death of my husband, as I am sure Natsai has told you. The Sight is a gift, but it can also be a curse. As I am sure you may very well understand this." I looked up at Professor Onai, her words resonated with me.

"Speaking as your teacher I implore you to be prepared, that is all I can hope to teach you. However, speaking as a mother now, I must ask that you distance yourself from Natsai."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"What? Why?"

She took a deep breath as she spoke.

"As I said, we cannot hope to understand the full meaning of prophecies, but we can be prepared. I have foreseen death in your path Riley Dagworth. I have already lost a beloved a husband and I nearly lost my daughter last year. For the sake of Natsai's safety, I must ask this of you."

Death in my path? But who? I understood where she was coming from, I had already felt guilty for Natty risking her life to save my own last year.

"Natty is one of my closest friends, how do I explain to her that I can't be friends with her anymore?" Professor Onai stood up from her desk and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"You know my daughter was well as I do. If she knows that this is something that has been asked of by her mother, she will rebel against it. You will need to think of another way to distant yourself from her. I know this is not an easy ask Riley, but the price of greatness is responsibility, and I see greatness in your future." Her words didn't really comfort me.

"Professor, I have another question, but it's on a slightly unrelated topic." She gestured for me to continue. "I've been having dreams, well nightmares really, and it's always the same. I cannot fully understand what they are or what they are trying to tell me, but I have this feeling it's important and potentially related to the prophecy you have foretold."

She smiled down at me. "What is your question, Riley?"

I felt stupid asking it, but I had no choice.

"Are my dreams snippets of the future?"

Professor Onai returned to her desk once more as she spoke. "As you might recall from fifth year, we studied Dream interpretation, also known as oneiromancy, a method of Divination that involves analysing dreams. The word oneiromancy comes from the Greek word oneiros, meaning dream, and mancy, meaning prophecy. The ancient Greeks thought that our dreams contained important information or predictions of the future."

To be honest I didn't recall, I hadn't taken a real interest in Divination class in fifth year, and I hadn't continued the subject into sixth year.

"Then again, sometimes are dreams are just our internal fears trying to break through our subconscious. To this day it remains an unanswered question by many."

Her answer did not help me at all.

I left the Divinisation classroom feeling more despondent than ever.