Hogwarts: I Obtained the Paternal System

One must die at the other's hand... that boy possessed a power the Dark Lord knew not... only one of them could survive...

Dumbledore waved his wand, and the memory vanished.

He said softly, "There were three boys who fit those conditions: you, Darren, and Neville. Harry, he chose you!"

"But, but Darren should have been stronger..."

"Yes, but he chose you, Harry. Nothing else matters. Once Voldemort chose you, then the prophecy pointed to you.

Voldemort wanted to know the entire prophecy, and then you shattered it... But he will find another way to learn the full prophecy. It will not take long..."

"So we have to kill each other? Only one can survive? Darren... does Darren know?"

"He knows. He figured it out himself. When he did, he was very strong. He said he would definitely help you defeat Voldemort!"

Harry's throat clogged up again.

If only he had been calmer tonight. If only he had listened to Darren's instincts. If only he had not lost his temper at Darren.

If only he had not turned back and asked Darren to think of a way... perhaps they could be having breakfast now? But Darren was dead.

None of this meant anything anymore.

But Harry still refused to believe it. He wanted to go to the Veil. He would pull it aside and reach in to help Darren up from where he had fallen.

Darren would surely give him an embarrassed smile, as if apologizing for causing him trouble.

"Harry, I think I still owe you an explanation. The reason I didn't choose you as prefect was because I thought your studies were already demanding enough. I didn't want to add to your burden."

"Darren wasn't made prefect either."

Harry said it lightly.

"Don't you understand yet? Because you