Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

I'll tell you of a fairy tale set in reality.

It is not a modern fairy tale, all prettied up and toned down, all ugliness washed away. This is not the Sleeping Beauty where the unfortunate dame is woken by an innocent kiss. This is a real fairy tale where the prince can die. Or worse yet, he can live, full of heartbreak and sorrow and he will watch the world he loves crumble before his eyes.

In this fairy tale there is a boy Cinderella, with hollow eyes and thin wrists. Like so many before him, he looks like nothing much, more a stray cat than a hero but someone can see the wonders hidden deep within the pathetic image he projects. Someone who brings him to Hogwarts where he will blossom into the stuff of legend. He will fight the dragon and save the damsel and for a time all will be well.

But there is no happily ever after because just as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow morning, another dragon ambles along and kills Cedric. Of course the hero manages to evade this monster long enough to escape back to his magical castle but the dragon is no longer dormant and when it rears its ugly head it's Sirius that falls into it's gaping maw, tattered curtains acting as strange fluttering teeth.

The scars are getting deeper and the burden is heavier but he faithfully returns to his castle and he smiles all the while hiding from the dragon right outside his window. His Merlin dies and the hero is at a loss for what to do. This dragon is different. It's eyes are not weak and he can't for the life of him find a soft spot in the scaly hide of his nemesis.

So this little hero, angry and weary, stands staring out the glass as the dragon destroys the land he was born to protect. And this little hero becomes restless and foolish. He draws his sword and tightens his shield. He steps out onto the scorched battlefield and raises defiant green eyes to meet the red orbs of the dragon. He thinks he can see a flicker of pitying amusement before a large, scaled foot crumples his armour and bends his limbs into agonizing shapes.

He is lifted into a hot mouth and carried to a cage deep in the darkness. But not far enough that he can't hear the anguished cries that call out for their hero. And the dragon laughs, a deep rumble inside his belly.

In fact he's laughing when the hero crawls to the corner for the sword he has seen hidden there. And the dragon is gloating, glistening teeth pressed against the bars when he is stabbed in the heart.

And the hero rejoices for he is free and his land is free. He steps back into the light only to see sour faces and looks of contempt. He had conquered the dragon but it is far too late and too many have died. So he returns to his castle on the hill and watches as his world tries to pick itself up. And nobody thanks him. But that's all fine.

He is only a hero and this is only a fairytale.

Please review. And you get imaginary points if you can tell me how Sleeping Beauty was awoken in the original fairytale.