Prophecy
Many of our SSHG authors are seers more talented than Trelawney. The Department of Mysteries is just full of prophecies, as is SSHG fanfic! Let's check out some of those that directly affect Severus Snape and Hermione Granger.
This week's quiz was chosen by borg_princess who knows her way around the internet!
Would you like to pick the theme for next week's quiz? Play the quiz at any time over the weekend by commenting with your answers. Just comment before the answer sheet goes up on Monday morning, Eastern Daylight Time. If you have the correct answers, your name will be entered in our weekly drawing. The winner gets an all expense paid tour of the SSHG Quiz vault and the right to choose next Friday's quiz!
Match the quote to the story title:
The Lioness Prophecies by amr
Salazar's Heir by YsM
Prophecy's Pawns by leandra713
Enraptured by sshg316
Bride of the Potions Professor by SamusAran aka severely_lupine WIP
This Time by subvers
The Quarter-Blood Princess by moonrevel
Augury and Ardor by SnapeySnax
Cloak of Courage by Wendy Nat
Cassandra Wept by plaidpooka
Here Comes the Snake by Expected Aberranceeaberrance
Bittersweet Charity by CeliaEquus
1. The voice itself was eerie. It was deep and held a note of authority which Severus had never heard in the babbling witch’s voice before. It commanded the attention of all who heard it and Severus was no exception to its call. The message was short and clearly spoken in that clipped, booming voice. Even more surprising was the fact that its message seemed directed straight at him.
“The Serpent King struggles in a Gordian Knot no Alexander can untangle. He shall know neither peace nor pleasure ‘til he coils with the bright griffin which pursues him.”
That said, Trelawney abruptly released his hands as her body went limp. Flopping gracelessly onto the table, only the quick wits of Hagrid kept the seer from drowning in her bowl of soup as the rest of the Head Table starred at her in shock. Dragging himself to his feet, Severus threw his napkin unceremoniously on the table, his face registering both shock and fear.
2. Hermione attempted to smile at her future sister-in-law, but managed only a slight grimace. With trembling fingers, she picked up the dreaded parchment and silently read the words.
After the light has overcome the darkness, the sun of the phoenix will shine upon the lioness. Heart to heart and mind to mind, they will speak only to the other. The dragon saviour will enrapture the brightest of the age. Her heart will be his reward. Separate, there is discord. Together, there is harmony. The sun of the phoenix will shine upon the lioness after the light has overcome the darkness.
She had hoped that by some miracle the words on the page would be different from those she had heard Luna utter earlier in the evening, but unfortunately Ginny had managed to capture the entire prophecy exactly as Luna had spoken it.
3. Dumbledore’s pointed look in Snape’s direction contained equal measure of reprimand and twinkle before he engaged the Divination Professor in passionate debate on the subject. Snape focused his attention once more on his breakfast, expecting no more interruption from any quarter. He was startled a few minutes later when two hands latched themselves on to his left arm, prompting him to growl.
“I swear to Merlin, Sybill-”
Her eyes had rolled until only the whites showed as she stared at him, and he could not remove himself from her grip. When she spoke, it was in a harsh tone quite unlike her usual blather.
“BEWARE O SERPENT; FOR THOU HAST SPENT THY SEED UNWISELY. THE SEAT OF THY PROGENY WILL BE TORN ASUNDER BY THE CLAW OF THE LIONESS BEFORE THE DARKEST HOUR IF THOU DOST NOT APPEASE HER.”
The Great Hall had grown quiet from her outburst, and her final syllable echoed in the silence. The students gaped at the scene unfolding at the Head Table.
4. “Harry, I’m -” Hermione’s words were cut off by a strange guttural sound. Looking around with alarm, she realized that it came from Lavender. Harry’s head whipped around at the sound and he stared at the blonde girl with a strangely expectant, knowing expression.
“Lavender - are you all right?” Hermione asked. Suddenly, Lavender’s eyes rolled back in her head and her hands clutched at Hermione’s free arm.
“Miss Brown! Miss Patil, calm yourself!” Snape’s stern hiss cut off Parvati’s shriek before it was completely formed, and then everyone fell silent as Lavender began to speak in an unnaturally deep voice…
“The key to ensure light over shadows prevail
Is in the blood of the friend, bound in red
From dark to light, from despair to hope
From stag to blade, from blade to flesh
Betrayal brings hope, loyalty brings ruin
Blood rites will conquer the shadow
And the Dark Lord will be dead.”
There was absolute silence for a moment, and then Harry stepped forward and grabbed Lavender’s hands, pulling her carefully away from Hermione. The blonde girl blinked a couple of times dazedly, then focused on Hermione and Snape. “Congratulations, Hermione, Professor Snape.”
5. “And ‘their offspring, yet unborn, shall change history’? ” Molly continued. “It says the three shall bring power, but why should it say the child is yet unborn? It is a prophecy; none of it has happened yet. Surely the child can’t do much of value until it’s born? Is that sort of change of tense normal?”
“Not in my experience,” Dumbledore said wryly. “Although even my experience of true prophecies is rather limited. Yet another problem to be considered. A couple. And their child.”
“Have you any idea whom it might refer to? The beginning must be a clue of some sort,” Arthur mused. “’ The Greyhound and the Lioness.’ What’s meant by those animals in particular?”
“Well, the Greyhound must be Severus Snape, mustn’t it?” said Molly, who knew her pure-blood families well. “There’s been a greyhound on the Snape crest for at least nine centuries, and it isn’t an animal one sees very often. In fact, I can’t think of any other family or institution that’s used the animal even in a minor way.”
Dumbledore nodded. “Yes, the Greyhound must be someone in the Snape family."
6. “There is a prophecy, Hermione,” said Albus, patting her hand. “The Child with the three bloods… the three precious bloods. A mix of the immortal blood and virgin blood… Pain, oh so much pain, and tears like a phoenix’s to heal the burns in the flesh…”
“It makes no sense,” said Hermione, frowning.
“I agree. The Seer was mad when she uttered this prophecy. Too much Cruciatus. But this one is the last one she told the world. You are the Child, Hermione. A mix of the immortal blood and virgin blood: the immortal blood is naturally unicorn blood, which is now running in your veins. Apparently, for what Lucius told us, Voldemort seems to consider it important, probably due to this prophecy. But it may have other powers that we are unaware of. It’s not often that one has unicorn blood in their veins, especially given freely. The way it’s given or taken can sometimes be of great importance.”
“Albus, stay focused on the subject,” growled Severus.
“Yes, yes. Anyway. You are the Child of this prophecy. Three precious bloods. You already had Rowena’s and Helga’s. Severus said the unicorn blood confirmed his suspicions on the subject. As for the third… you can thank Harry. It seems he is Godric’s Heir.”
“It’s… it’s ridiculous! The Sorting Hat wanted to put him in Slytherin!”
7. “And so,” Albus said, for some reason looking straight at Severus, “I called this meeting to discuss some movements of the other side that have come to my attention.” Dumbledore pulled a scroll from his robe and touched it with his wand. The scroll unfurled, hovering over before him. Before he could begin reading, he was interrupted by Neville’s cry of, “Ginny! Something’s wrong with Ginny!”
Ginny Weasley slumped in her chair and her eyes rolled back in her head. Suddenly, she bolted upright and she began speaking, not in her normal girlish voice but in a harsh, rough invocation that Harry immediately realized was similar to the voice Sibyll Trelawney had spoken with when she warned of Voldemort’s return in his third year.
“IT COMES TO PASS… AS THE DARK LORD MARKED HIS SERVANTS, SO THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD CHOSE HIS COMPANIONS IN FIRST BATTLE IN FOUNDERS’ HALLS. IT COMES TO PASS…ONE OF THE THREE SHALL BE TAKEN BY A SERVANT MARKED BY THE DARK LORD. THE ONE SHALL BEAR FRUIT OF THE MARKED. THE FRUIT IS DESTINED TO FULFILL THE NEED OF THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD. SHOULD THE FRUIT FALL TO THE DARK, THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD SHALL FALTER AND THE NEED BE EVERMORE UNANSWERED. IT COMES TO PASS…”
8. "FOUR PRINCES ARE COMING."
"What?" Hermione spun around to face her.
Lavender was still sitting on her bed, still holding her pillow, but she wasn't looking at Hermione. Her eyes were unfocused, her jaw slack. Hermione was about to ask her again what she was talking about when Lavender started to shake like she was having a seizure and her eyes rolled back into her head.
Crookshanks gave a harsh meow and skittered off into a corner.
"Lavender!" Hermione ran to her and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her, moments away from rushing to get Madam Pomfrey. But then Lavender's spasms subsided into slight tremors, though her eyes were still rolled back so far Hermione could barely see the irises. Then Lavender spoke again, in the harsh, grating, slightly terrifying voice she'd used a moment ago.
"FOUR PRINCES ARE COMING. TWO OF FIERY HEART AND TWO OF SHARPEST WIT. BRED BY LIES, CONCEIVED IN FEAR, AND BORN FROM HATE. BEFORE THE LAST BREATHES FIRST, THE TWO TO WHOM THEY OWE THEMSELVES WILL DIE. THEN THEY SHALL SIT ALONGSIDE THE DARK ONE AND MOULD THE FUTURE ACCORDING TO HIS WILL . . . FOUR PRINCES ARE COMING."
9. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Hogwarts! Before we begin the feast, I have a few start of term notices for you..." Minerva trailed off as everyone's eyes had turned to the door that had just burst open, revealing Professor Trelawney, the Divination professor, staggering in and looking around wildly.
Everyone watched her in stunned silence as she stumbled towards the head table, and her eyes were clouded like she was in some sort of trance, a more airy, ridiculous trance than she usually looked like she was in.
"Sybill!" Minerva looked up at her with shock, knowing that something was wrong. She was too frozen to do anything more but stare.
Suddenly, Trelawney spoke, her voice deep and terrifying: "The child with the power to unite two worlds has come! Born of rival houses, torn apart by war under the sign of the crab, her strength will be greater than all before her. Her existence must be acknowledged by two to keep the peace of all. Descendant of Muggles and wizards alike, the child with the power to unite two worlds has been at Hogwarts!"
In the middle of the bewilderment of the entire hall, Trelawney collapsed on the floor. Instantly, the crowd broke into murmurs as the students questioned each other about their parentage, trying to figure out if any of them were the one of whom their Divination professor spoke.
10. ‘What was the exact wording of this prophecy?’ Severus asked, circling back around to argue through the reasoning again. Surely there was a way to accomplish this without him suffering the indignity of being placed in the body of his adolescent self!
Dumbledore began to recite.
‘The servant who played the Dark Lord false is poised upon the brink of eternal night. Alone and lonely, he awaits the coming of the daughter of Menelaus. Born upon the cusp of autumn’s equinox, the child of Muggles bears within herself salvation for he who is marked and scarred by Darkness, within, without.
The servant who played the Dark Lord false is poised upon the brink of eternal night.’
Severus gaped at Dumbledore. ‘Who the hell is supposed to be Menelaus’ daughter?’ he demanded with deep foreboding.
This week's quiz was chosen by borg_princess who knows her way around the internet!
Would you like to pick the theme for next week's quiz? Play the quiz at any time over the weekend by commenting with your answers. Just comment before the answer sheet goes up on Monday morning, Eastern Daylight Time. If you have the correct answers, your name will be entered in our weekly drawing. The winner gets an all expense paid tour of the SSHG Quiz vault and the right to choose next Friday's quiz!
Match the quote to the story title:
The Lioness Prophecies by amr
Salazar's Heir by YsM
Prophecy's Pawns by leandra713
Enraptured by sshg316
Bride of the Potions Professor by SamusAran aka severely_lupine WIP
This Time by subvers
The Quarter-Blood Princess by moonrevel
Augury and Ardor by SnapeySnax
Cloak of Courage by Wendy Nat
Cassandra Wept by plaidpooka
Here Comes the Snake by Expected Aberranceeaberrance
Bittersweet Charity by CeliaEquus
1. The voice itself was eerie. It was deep and held a note of authority which Severus had never heard in the babbling witch’s voice before. It commanded the attention of all who heard it and Severus was no exception to its call. The message was short and clearly spoken in that clipped, booming voice. Even more surprising was the fact that its message seemed directed straight at him.
“The Serpent King struggles in a Gordian Knot no Alexander can untangle. He shall know neither peace nor pleasure ‘til he coils with the bright griffin which pursues him.”
That said, Trelawney abruptly released his hands as her body went limp. Flopping gracelessly onto the table, only the quick wits of Hagrid kept the seer from drowning in her bowl of soup as the rest of the Head Table starred at her in shock. Dragging himself to his feet, Severus threw his napkin unceremoniously on the table, his face registering both shock and fear.
2. Hermione attempted to smile at her future sister-in-law, but managed only a slight grimace. With trembling fingers, she picked up the dreaded parchment and silently read the words.
After the light has overcome the darkness, the sun of the phoenix will shine upon the lioness. Heart to heart and mind to mind, they will speak only to the other. The dragon saviour will enrapture the brightest of the age. Her heart will be his reward. Separate, there is discord. Together, there is harmony. The sun of the phoenix will shine upon the lioness after the light has overcome the darkness.
She had hoped that by some miracle the words on the page would be different from those she had heard Luna utter earlier in the evening, but unfortunately Ginny had managed to capture the entire prophecy exactly as Luna had spoken it.
3. Dumbledore’s pointed look in Snape’s direction contained equal measure of reprimand and twinkle before he engaged the Divination Professor in passionate debate on the subject. Snape focused his attention once more on his breakfast, expecting no more interruption from any quarter. He was startled a few minutes later when two hands latched themselves on to his left arm, prompting him to growl.
“I swear to Merlin, Sybill-”
Her eyes had rolled until only the whites showed as she stared at him, and he could not remove himself from her grip. When she spoke, it was in a harsh tone quite unlike her usual blather.
“BEWARE O SERPENT; FOR THOU HAST SPENT THY SEED UNWISELY. THE SEAT OF THY PROGENY WILL BE TORN ASUNDER BY THE CLAW OF THE LIONESS BEFORE THE DARKEST HOUR IF THOU DOST NOT APPEASE HER.”
The Great Hall had grown quiet from her outburst, and her final syllable echoed in the silence. The students gaped at the scene unfolding at the Head Table.
4. “Harry, I’m -” Hermione’s words were cut off by a strange guttural sound. Looking around with alarm, she realized that it came from Lavender. Harry’s head whipped around at the sound and he stared at the blonde girl with a strangely expectant, knowing expression.
“Lavender - are you all right?” Hermione asked. Suddenly, Lavender’s eyes rolled back in her head and her hands clutched at Hermione’s free arm.
“Miss Brown! Miss Patil, calm yourself!” Snape’s stern hiss cut off Parvati’s shriek before it was completely formed, and then everyone fell silent as Lavender began to speak in an unnaturally deep voice…
“The key to ensure light over shadows prevail
Is in the blood of the friend, bound in red
From dark to light, from despair to hope
From stag to blade, from blade to flesh
Betrayal brings hope, loyalty brings ruin
Blood rites will conquer the shadow
And the Dark Lord will be dead.”
There was absolute silence for a moment, and then Harry stepped forward and grabbed Lavender’s hands, pulling her carefully away from Hermione. The blonde girl blinked a couple of times dazedly, then focused on Hermione and Snape. “Congratulations, Hermione, Professor Snape.”
5. “And ‘their offspring, yet unborn, shall change history’? ” Molly continued. “It says the three shall bring power, but why should it say the child is yet unborn? It is a prophecy; none of it has happened yet. Surely the child can’t do much of value until it’s born? Is that sort of change of tense normal?”
“Not in my experience,” Dumbledore said wryly. “Although even my experience of true prophecies is rather limited. Yet another problem to be considered. A couple. And their child.”
“Have you any idea whom it might refer to? The beginning must be a clue of some sort,” Arthur mused. “’ The Greyhound and the Lioness.’ What’s meant by those animals in particular?”
“Well, the Greyhound must be Severus Snape, mustn’t it?” said Molly, who knew her pure-blood families well. “There’s been a greyhound on the Snape crest for at least nine centuries, and it isn’t an animal one sees very often. In fact, I can’t think of any other family or institution that’s used the animal even in a minor way.”
Dumbledore nodded. “Yes, the Greyhound must be someone in the Snape family."
6. “There is a prophecy, Hermione,” said Albus, patting her hand. “The Child with the three bloods… the three precious bloods. A mix of the immortal blood and virgin blood… Pain, oh so much pain, and tears like a phoenix’s to heal the burns in the flesh…”
“It makes no sense,” said Hermione, frowning.
“I agree. The Seer was mad when she uttered this prophecy. Too much Cruciatus. But this one is the last one she told the world. You are the Child, Hermione. A mix of the immortal blood and virgin blood: the immortal blood is naturally unicorn blood, which is now running in your veins. Apparently, for what Lucius told us, Voldemort seems to consider it important, probably due to this prophecy. But it may have other powers that we are unaware of. It’s not often that one has unicorn blood in their veins, especially given freely. The way it’s given or taken can sometimes be of great importance.”
“Albus, stay focused on the subject,” growled Severus.
“Yes, yes. Anyway. You are the Child of this prophecy. Three precious bloods. You already had Rowena’s and Helga’s. Severus said the unicorn blood confirmed his suspicions on the subject. As for the third… you can thank Harry. It seems he is Godric’s Heir.”
“It’s… it’s ridiculous! The Sorting Hat wanted to put him in Slytherin!”
7. “And so,” Albus said, for some reason looking straight at Severus, “I called this meeting to discuss some movements of the other side that have come to my attention.” Dumbledore pulled a scroll from his robe and touched it with his wand. The scroll unfurled, hovering over before him. Before he could begin reading, he was interrupted by Neville’s cry of, “Ginny! Something’s wrong with Ginny!”
Ginny Weasley slumped in her chair and her eyes rolled back in her head. Suddenly, she bolted upright and she began speaking, not in her normal girlish voice but in a harsh, rough invocation that Harry immediately realized was similar to the voice Sibyll Trelawney had spoken with when she warned of Voldemort’s return in his third year.
“IT COMES TO PASS… AS THE DARK LORD MARKED HIS SERVANTS, SO THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD CHOSE HIS COMPANIONS IN FIRST BATTLE IN FOUNDERS’ HALLS. IT COMES TO PASS…ONE OF THE THREE SHALL BE TAKEN BY A SERVANT MARKED BY THE DARK LORD. THE ONE SHALL BEAR FRUIT OF THE MARKED. THE FRUIT IS DESTINED TO FULFILL THE NEED OF THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD. SHOULD THE FRUIT FALL TO THE DARK, THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD SHALL FALTER AND THE NEED BE EVERMORE UNANSWERED. IT COMES TO PASS…”
8. "FOUR PRINCES ARE COMING."
"What?" Hermione spun around to face her.
Lavender was still sitting on her bed, still holding her pillow, but she wasn't looking at Hermione. Her eyes were unfocused, her jaw slack. Hermione was about to ask her again what she was talking about when Lavender started to shake like she was having a seizure and her eyes rolled back into her head.
Crookshanks gave a harsh meow and skittered off into a corner.
"Lavender!" Hermione ran to her and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her, moments away from rushing to get Madam Pomfrey. But then Lavender's spasms subsided into slight tremors, though her eyes were still rolled back so far Hermione could barely see the irises. Then Lavender spoke again, in the harsh, grating, slightly terrifying voice she'd used a moment ago.
"FOUR PRINCES ARE COMING. TWO OF FIERY HEART AND TWO OF SHARPEST WIT. BRED BY LIES, CONCEIVED IN FEAR, AND BORN FROM HATE. BEFORE THE LAST BREATHES FIRST, THE TWO TO WHOM THEY OWE THEMSELVES WILL DIE. THEN THEY SHALL SIT ALONGSIDE THE DARK ONE AND MOULD THE FUTURE ACCORDING TO HIS WILL . . . FOUR PRINCES ARE COMING."
9. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Hogwarts! Before we begin the feast, I have a few start of term notices for you..." Minerva trailed off as everyone's eyes had turned to the door that had just burst open, revealing Professor Trelawney, the Divination professor, staggering in and looking around wildly.
Everyone watched her in stunned silence as she stumbled towards the head table, and her eyes were clouded like she was in some sort of trance, a more airy, ridiculous trance than she usually looked like she was in.
"Sybill!" Minerva looked up at her with shock, knowing that something was wrong. She was too frozen to do anything more but stare.
Suddenly, Trelawney spoke, her voice deep and terrifying: "The child with the power to unite two worlds has come! Born of rival houses, torn apart by war under the sign of the crab, her strength will be greater than all before her. Her existence must be acknowledged by two to keep the peace of all. Descendant of Muggles and wizards alike, the child with the power to unite two worlds has been at Hogwarts!"
In the middle of the bewilderment of the entire hall, Trelawney collapsed on the floor. Instantly, the crowd broke into murmurs as the students questioned each other about their parentage, trying to figure out if any of them were the one of whom their Divination professor spoke.
10. ‘What was the exact wording of this prophecy?’ Severus asked, circling back around to argue through the reasoning again. Surely there was a way to accomplish this without him suffering the indignity of being placed in the body of his adolescent self!
Dumbledore began to recite.
‘The servant who played the Dark Lord false is poised upon the brink of eternal night. Alone and lonely, he awaits the coming of the daughter of Menelaus. Born upon the cusp of autumn’s equinox, the child of Muggles bears within herself salvation for he who is marked and scarred by Darkness, within, without.
The servant who played the Dark Lord false is poised upon the brink of eternal night.’
Severus gaped at Dumbledore. ‘Who the hell is supposed to be Menelaus’ daughter?’ he demanded with deep foreboding.