A/N: I know I have been putting two of my current running fics on hold but this story had been on my mind for a couple of months now, tormenting me to no end. I just had to put it down on paper. However, considering the nature of this fic, I have already prepared the final draft (and hence my long pending updates) and will be posting the chapters one by one each every four days and spare my readers the long wait. I hope this is as good as I imagined. Let me know how it is. Thanks for reading!

Test of Sanity

Harry shot up in his bed, sweating profusely with an unsettling tingling all over his body. It was as if something was crawling right under his skin. He was so disoriented that it took him almost a minute to realize where he was. A strange burning sensation enveloped him as his eyes tried to adjust to the darkness of his fifth year dormitory, the dim moonlight from the lone window being the only source of illumination. He pulled away the sweat soaked covers from over him and sat up on his bed. It was quiet; too quiet. The air was frozen still and the birds and the animals lay strangely silent. The complete absence of sound was almost crushing his eardrums. An unnerving feeling was gnawing at the back of his mind. Moreover, he couldn't remember when he had fallen asleep or what exactly had happened before that. It was all muddled up inside his head. He checked his forehead for signs of fever but it felt normal.

He swung his legs over to the side of his bed and stood up unsteadily. He reached for the glass of water to ease his parched throat and glanced at his pocket watch on the bedside table. It was just past midnight; a strange coincidence apparently; or so he thought…

The glass of water didn't help as the sweltering sensation under his skin refused to go away. Harry stumbled towards the washroom, swung the door open and splashed cold water on his face over the washbasin as the door closed shut behind him. He raised his head and studied his dishevelled state in the mirror. He looked very unhealthy and sleep deprived. He wondered why that was. However, his depressed line of thought was interrupted by a flash of someone's reflection in the mirror, followed by the door to the washroom swinging outwards with a bang. Before he could even register what had just happened, he heard a thud and his forehead was instantly hit by a sharp pain. His left hand flew to his forehead as he noticed the sudden spike of fear in his own eyes in the mirror. Voldemort!

Without realizing it, Harry was already holding his wand in his other hand. With his heart almost beating out of his chest he inched forward towards the open door and peeked in the dormitory, his wand at the ready and the disarmament charm right at the tip of his tongue. While he was looking around, the pain in his head almost disappeared, startling him slightly. His eyes examined the still dormitory where nothing seemed to be moving. Even the wind was at a standstill.

There had definitely been a loud noise which should have woken at least someone but everyone was… Harry was in for a rude shock when he found the dormitory completely empty. Their beds were made and no one seemed to have slept in them. It was way past midnight. Where was everyone?

Something was definitely off; he just couldn't put his finger on it. His eyes once again glanced at the empty beds. He wondered whether his dorm mates were all downstairs in the common room. He couldn't think of any other place where they could be. Did something happen? Why didn't someone wake him up? However, the question that was occupying the most of his mind was what was the pain that he had just felt? He checked his scar but it felt normal. Although he did sense a slight swelling near his scar that he hadn't noticed earlier. What was that all about?

He decided to check the common room. However, before he could even take a step towards the exit, the moonlight pouring through the window of the dormitory was blocked by someone, casting a shadow over him. Harry froze and in the next moment he ducked and swivelled on his feet to defend himself from the oncoming spell fire that was sure to come his way. There was no one there…

Was an invisibility cloak in play? "Homenum Revelio" Nothing. There was no one in the dormitory beside himself. Was it just his eyes playing tricks on him? Even before he could deal with this perplexing situation, he heard the door knob turn with a sharp squeak behind him. Harry was quick to face the door, ready as before, half expecting that it was his ears that were playing up now. Not this time though. He could clearly see the door knob turn again. It seemed the door was locked and someone was trying to enter the room. Was it one of his dorm mates?

"Who is it?" Harry called out evenly, hoping for an answer. For some reason he wanted to talk to someone, eager for someone's company. Maybe this was all just a misunderstanding on his part. Maybe he was just too tired and his senses were failing him. Everything that had happened must have a perfectly normal explanation for it. However, the silent response that stretched on drowned what little optimism he had. The door knob stopped turning anymore and the deathly hush returned once again.

Throwing caution to the wind, Harry unlocked the door and swung the door open. There was no one there. Again. "Come out whoever you are! Stop playing this game of hide and seek!" Harry yelled out in frustration as his angry eyes scrutinized the empty space before him. The lack of response only seemed to rile him up. He stepped outside and looked in either direction. The stairs were devoid of any human presence as well. He almost raced downstairs, the loneliness finally getting to him. He knew that there was always someone wandering around the common room, even at such a late hour. A small part of him was already expecting the worst though.

He found himself entering the dark common room much sooner than he expected. Didn't he have to circle the winding stairs five times in total to make it to the common room? However, he couldn't give it much thought as he brushed past something as he walking down the stairs. Suppressing his panic, he squinted in the darkness to make out who it was. He waved his hands around the space before him but they met nothing but air. He somehow managed to convince himself that it was most probably the wind playing tricks on his senses and tried not to think much of it. The dark common room was not helping matters either. The fireplace was unlit and the large window of the common room which was usually left open, was closed shut. Harry forced open the window and with some effort swung it wide open. The moonlight streamed in accompanied by a gust of cold wind blowing across his face. There was a slight rustle behind him but he was distracted and didn't notice. With a hungry smile he welcomed the wind as he closed his eyes. The momentarily relief was short-lived though as the wind died down within moments. With a weary sigh he turned around and glanced around the empty common room.

A low scratchy laugh drew his attention to someone seated in the sofa, opposite the fireplace, facing away from him. He could clearly make out a head. The dull pain in his forehead suddenly intensified causing him to almost lose his balance. He gritted his teeth as he tried to muffle his groan. He was trying desperately to stay as silent as possible so as not to alert the person seated before him.

Harry hurried forward, not giving any opportunity for the person before him to escape. "Lumos"

There was no one there… His wide eyes could only stare at the vacant seat on the sofa as he mentally screamed in exasperation. The ache in his head vanished again just as it had appeared. Was it actually his scar? Harry didn't think so since the pain was distinctly different. It was more of a physical pain that he was feeling rather than the mental agony that he usually suffered when Voldemort was involved. That said, the baffling brief flashes of headache were troubling him even more.

He threw the light of his wand around but there was no other soul in sight. Harry lit the fireplace with his wand and once again scanned his surroundings. The only thing moving were the shadows which were playing a puppet to the fireplace. Where the hell is everyone?! Unbridled panic was threatening to take a hold of him.

The next thing which happened took Harry's breath away. There was someone standing on the window sill, someone he hadn't noticed up till now, with his back facing Harry. Harry tried to call out but he was rendered mute. He tried to move but his limbs were paralyzed. With horror struck eyes he could only watch as the boy leaned forward and fall out of sight. "NOOO!" His voice finally returned, only a second too late. He rushed towards the window and leaned over it but his vision was blocked by the small ledge below. He raced upstairs along the winding staircase, huffing and puffing as he reached his dormitory entrance. It was locked from the inside!

Didn't he just open it a few moments ago? He tried the door knob again just in case but it didn't budge. Before he could figure out what was going on a muffled voice called out from behind the door. "Who is it?"

Hearing another person's voice literally shocked him out of his shoes. He tried to respond but only a barely audible scratchy noise left his throat. Harry strained his ears but nothing more was said. He was having an odd sense of déjà vu but he couldn't place it. Maybe if his mind had been much clearer he could have been able to make sense of it but his current state was anything but that.

After a brief moment of silence, Harry reached for the door and tried it again, something telling him that it would give way. It was unlocked. He hadn't heard anyone unlock it. Gritting his teeth, Harry tried to move on. His mental strength was really being tested here. Harry pushed away the burdening questions that were weighing him down and focused on his immediate goal.

He hastened towards his trunk and threw it open, wildly rummaging for his broomstick. Strangely enough, try as hard as he could but his search was proving to be futile. He shut the trunk and looked under his bed and in the vicinity where his broom could have been but no luck. He had always been very careful with his Firebolt, making sure that he locked it away in his trunk every time before he went to sleep. Maybe I missed a spot, he hoped half-heartedly.

He snapped the trunk open again and to his utter astonishment, the broom lay right at the top, over the stack of neatly folded clothes and arranged books which he had just messed up in the process of searching for his broom. He gingerly reached for his broom, half expecting it to disappear right from his grip. Thankfully no such thing happened and Harry moved to the window, discarding thoughts that were beginning to tug at the strands of his sanity. He stopped in his tracks and glanced at his empty bed. Did he just imagine it or was there someone actually sleeping in his bed? Shaking himself he prepared himself and mounted the Firebolt.

Harry flinched when he heard the running water in the washroom but refused to look away from the window. A small part of him feared that he was not going to find anything even if he looked. There was something more important at hand that needed his attention, he persuaded himself. He had to investigate outside to see who jumped and whether he had survived. Maybe Harry would be able to help… in some way. That was laughable since it looked like it was he who needed all the help.

Without giving himself another moment to hesitate, Harry launched himself out through the window and with a graceful arc, he aimed his broom for the area right under the Gryffindor common room window.

Landing nearby, he began to look around the shrubs but it became evident that there was no one there. Harry pressed his eyes close as his finger nails dug deep into his palms, holding them by his side. Someone please tell me what the hell is going on?!

Harry opened his eyes and stared up in the sky, hoping that some higher power could rescue him from this hellish nightmare. Out of the corner of his eyes he spotted a moving speck which immediately drew his attention. There was someone else flying on a broom! He blinked a couple of times but the scene before his eyes didn't change. Someone was definitely flying, swiftly at that, in the general direction of the Gryffindor tower.

Harry quickly mounted back on his broom and set himself on the wild goose chase, totally prepared to draw a blank. Harry realized that his quarry had a head start so he pushed his broom ahead trying not to lose his target who was soon approaching a corner. As he began to close in, he realized that the person before him was heading straight to the open window on the fifth floor dormitory. For some reason Harry wasn't surprised. Without trying to be discreet Harry followed him in through the window. There he stood in the middle of the room, facing the door. There was something strangely familiar about him but Harry couldn't recognize what it was. The shadow that Harry was casting over him was not helping his vision either. Was it one of his dorm mates? He opened his mouth to call out to him but before a sound could leave his throat, the person standing before him disappeared into nothingness.

Someone is definitely playing with me! That was the first thought that churned in Harry's mind as his eyes almost popped out of his eye sockets. He felt the pain in his forehead suddenly return but with a subdued intensity. That was another mystery that he yet to figure out. He realized that he desperately needed answers. A lot of answers. There was only one person that came to his mind who could possibly have them.

With reinforced determination, Harry left the dormitory and began to move downstairs. Footsteps behind him stopped him in his tracks but he decided to ignore them. His attempts to look for answers on his own had been in vain up till now. He needed help. He took another step forward but another thought fought for his attention. What if someone was trying to guide him? Clearly the pattern in which in he had been led around did seem to indicate that, although to what end he did not know. He turned his head to his side as his ears picked up the sound of footsteps once again, which seemed to be coming from upstairs.

With mind made up, he decided to investigate first before heading out to speak with Dumbledore. The more clues that he had the better. He turned around and followed the footsteps. Coming around the bend he found the sixth year-

This cannot be! This is messed up! My eyes cannot be trusted anymore!

'Fifth Year Dormitory' -was clearly written on the door!

With frantic breaths he slowly pushed open the door with a foreboding look on his face and peeked inside.

Nooo…! He mentally cried. This was definitely his dorm room. A sharp pain pierced his shoulder, catching him totally unawares. A loud groan left him as he began to breathe heavily, trying to cope with the sudden pain. The throbbing in his shoulder completely disappeared moments later. It was as if the pain he felt was something he had imagined. His eyes returned to the stairs which ran upwards. He refused to believe it!

He closed the door and ran upstairs and on the next storey, there it was again…

'Fifth Year Dormitory'

He ran again…

'Fifth Year Dormitory'

And again…

'Fifth Year Dormitory'

A small sob left him as his sanity began to stretch thin. Dumbledore… He has the answers. He must have the answers… With desperation he turned around and ran downstairs. After rushing down just one storey he was already entering the common room. The common room was dark, with the window closed and fireplace unlit. Didn't he just-

He forced his mind to just look ahead and push himself forward. He was not going to get distracted.

"Ha..r..y…" A mangled and scratchy voice called out from behind as he was just about to open the portrait hole to head for the Headmaster's Office.

I will not look back. I will not look back.

However, his curiosity got the better of him and he slowly turned around. And there he stood, a tall figure with an ominous intensity, darkness practically oozing out of him as his shrivelled hand tried to reach out for Harry.

Voldemort!