Chapter 18
A few weeks later came the worst news anyone could have thought of, the dementors had left Azkaban completely, freeing every death eater there as they did so. Every member of the DA came to Harry after they heard the news, telling him that they were ready to die for him in battle if need be.
Harry did not know how to respond, he was on the verge of tears every time a member came up and told him so. Hermione beamed at him and constantly hugged and kissed him in support. Harry realized that these people were ready to take on Voldemort himself if they felt it necessary, and with this Harry realized he had to talk to Dumbledore.
So late one March night, Harry waited for everyone to fall asleep, and then he apparated to Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore was there, waiting for him.
"What is it you need to tell me Harry?" Harry told him all about the DA members telling him that they would die in battle for him against Voldemort if need be, and Dumbledore immediately saw Harry's dilemma.
"So you would like permission to tell the DA of the prophecy?" Harry nodded. "Well, that decision lies with you and you alone Harry. If you feel the need to tell them, than please do so, i daresay Harry, that we have troubled times ahead, and that your DA is going to need every spell they've ever learned for the trials ahead."
Harry nodded and apparated back to his dorm room. He would tell them everything at the next meeting.
"The time has come," Harry started and a hush fell over the crowd. They were in Lupin's room ready to start another class of the DA. "For you to learn the truth about my connection to Tom Riddle."
There was complete silence in the room, they had all been waiting for this ever since Neville's attack, and possibly even before. Hermione and Ron looked at each other surprisingly, neither had known he was going to do this tonight.
Hermione stepped up to him and took his hand, offering her support. So Harry told them everything, starting with the prophecy and examining their reactions as he told them of Neville's role, how he, Harry, was the heir of Gryffindor and lastly, that only he, and he along could vanquish Voldemort and therefore the last traces of Slytherin, but that the same was true for him.
Everyone was speechless, Hermione was crying quietly once again on Harry's shoulder, as he looked around most of the other girls were as well. All the boys-no, men, were staring at him dumbstruck, unable to process all of this information at once.
"So I'm telling you all now that you must not go after Voldemort, because I am the only one who can kill him." He let this sink in. "I needlessly must tell you to also not let this information leave this room, you cannot tell even your best of friends, parents, or even diaries. The war is coming, and we and the Order of the Phoenix are all that stands in Voldemort's way of world domination." He let this sink in as well, before smiling and moving on to his greatest idea yet.
"Next session we will be starting a dueling tournament." Everyone in the room looked up excitedly at this.
"Everyone will duel, not to death of course, to determine a champion, although that doesn't really matter, we are only doing this for the experience."
Ron's hand flew up first.
"What does the winner get?" A bunch of the other members nodded in agreement, wanting to know what the prize was.
Harry gave them all a grin.
"You get to duel me."