Disclaimer- I, sadly am a stupid freshman and not richer than the queen as j.k. Rowling is…so therefore I am not her and not getting any monetary gain from this errrrr…thing.

Chapter 1: Of Nightmares, Fears, and Memories

"NO …DON'T!"

Most of the 7th year boys had been finding better things to do at night than rest, what with somehow acquiring girlfriends, so only Ron and Harry were in the dormitory that stormy night. Harry's incoherent yells had awoken Ron, which was quite a feat considering Ron slept like the dead. Ron scrambled around, looking for his watch, 11:23 P.M. He climbed out of his comfy bed and shook Harry trying to wake him. It wasn't going to happen.

Ron headed towards Hermione's room, which she had to herself, perk of being head girl. He knew she would know what to do. He knocked on the door, waking Hermione who was a light sleeper.

Harry's dreams had been and were becoming progressively worse. His two friends had already confronted him about them, telling him he should tell Dumbledore. But no, these nightmares were not of the same nature as those linked to Voldemort. However, these were just as unwelcome. These were of fears and memories. These were not linked to Voldemort by Harry's scar, but they had everything to do with the presence of lord of darkness in the wizarding world.

Hermione got up and opened the door to a disheveled redhead. "Harry woke me up again, Hermione, I can't bear this…I need sleep," Ron pleaded, stifling a yawn. "Ok, go get Harry's invisibility cloak for me," Hermione replied, sighing, "I'll go get some dreamless sleep potion." "I'm going too," Ron said, already heading back towards the boys' dorms.

He returned, the cloak draped over his arms making him appear crippled. "You can't go, it will take too long, and the sooner we have the potion the sooner you can go to sleep," Hermione said in reply to his statement before fetching the cloak. Ron agreed, welcoming the thought of sleep.

Hermione headed towards the corridor on her mission and found herself facing a tabby cat prowling the halls. Hermione froze while her mind started whirring as to how she was going to get herself out of this. Unfortunately, all that whirring must have caused her wand to fall out of the hole in her pocket and fall to the floor where it clattered with a deafening sound in the silent corridor, attracting the tabby's attention and spelling Hermione's doom in capital letters.

Hermione, knowing what was inevitable, took off the cloak and grabbed her wand off the floor. She then turned to where the tabby had been to see Professor McGonagall, looking livid.

"Hello Professor," Hermione smiled, feigning innocence hoping to soften the repercussions, knowing it was useless.

"What are you doing wandering the corridors at a quarter of an hour till midnight Ms. Granger?" McGonagal asked, giving Hermione the infamous stern glare.

"Uh…I couldn't sleep," Hermione replied sheepishly. She hated lying, especially to those she respected, but she knew if she were to tell the truth she would be in deep shit with both Harry and the rulebook.

"Well Ms. Granger, it is not allowed to wander about the school at this hour so you are to report to my classroom tomorrow at 7 o'clock after dinner to serve your detention."

"Yes Professor McGonagall," Hermione headed back towards Gryffindor tower. She then circled the castle taking the long way to the hospital wing and once reaching the destination "borrowed" a large amount of the sought after potion.

"Hermione I'm really sorry about this. You take the blow for all the crap I get us into and I…I'm sorry," Harry finished lamely. They were at dinner amongst the merry Gryffindors, for it was Friday, which meant someone would feel the need to go to the kitchens to grab munchies and start a party in the common room. "At least it's McGonagall, she won't go to hard on you," Ron said remembering detentions served with Filch and Harry's misadventures with Umbridge. "Really guys, it's no big deal," Hermione said getting up, " See you guys later."

Hermoine entered the Transfigurations classroom to find the professor absent. The door to her office was open so Hermione stepped into the room thinking that perhaps McGonagal was inside.

No such luck. Hermione turned around to go back to the classroom and wait for McGonagal to return when she noticed a silvery light coming from a closet. She opened the door and saw a stone basin with smoky wisps swirling in its depths. Hermione recognized it as a pensive; she had read about them in Hogwarts a History, which said that all teachers were required to keep one.

She took a step closer, she knew she shouldn't, but apprehension was losing the battle with curiosity. She leaned over to find the swirling mist replaced by a rather disturbing scene that was totally blurred, but enough could be seen for Hermione to make out the situation.

A woman with her dark hair matted with dried blood wearing an emerald nightie was chained to a bed by devil's snare. She was bloody, bruised, and unconscious. Her eyes snapped open and she took in her surroundings, struggling against that which bound her.

"Don't bother Minerva darling, they'll just tighten," a male voice rose from the shadows of the room as Minerva grimaced at the tightening around her wrists and ankles, "And don't try your animagus form, we've already taken care of that."

AN: So what do you think? Please review and let me know! Go on, press the pretty purple button…you know you want to!

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