Ten minutes earlier, Hospital Wing.
After settling Trelawney, McGonagall looked at Dumbledore with a complicated expression.
"What was it?" Snape asked, more anxious than ever before.
"I don't know." McGonagall shook her head helplessly. "I didn't catch Sybill's first sentence, but I vaguely heard the word 'truly.'"
Dumbledore nodded, signaling for her to continue.
McGonagall took a deep breath. "Tonight, he will face an unprecedented challenge against those terrifying monsters.
"He will begin to crave power, crave every kind of power capable of conquering the world.
"Once he overcomes this challenge, he will grow rapidly and personally destroy the order the Wizarding World has maintained for thousands of years."
Snape's face darkened terribly.
The subject of the prophecy was already obvious. It could only be Voldemort, who had little power left.
"Dumbledore, is that man in the Albanian forest now?"
"One of my old friends told me so."
Without another word, Snape turned away.
"Severus," Dumbledore called after him. "This prophecy does not make it clear who it is about. Even its hints are vague."
The Albanian forest did indeed contain many terrifying monsters, but the prophecy spoke of growth, not recovering power.
Unless...
Snape unclenched his fist. "Dumbledore, do you know something?"
"I cannot be certain." Dumbledore looked deeply conflicted.
The prophecy ended with "personally destroy the order the Wizarding World has maintained for thousands of years," and as far as he knew, there was more than one possible suspect.
If Voldemort returned, he would undoubtedly spark another war.
Thirteen years ago, the subject of the prophecy had been Harry. Only one of him and Voldemort could survive.
Would it happen before the war, or after it? No one knew.
As for the other suspect...
A sharp glint flashed through Dumbledore's eyes, and his expression became utterly resolute. "I