Okay, so I'm new in the Harry Potter fanfics circulation so easy on the flamethrower, guys. This may turn out to be really cheesy but this is a first timer so, world peace? Another thing, you might notice that it's a kinda feeble attempt at mimicking Rowling… Sorry about that too. Anyways, on to my nonsense… Hee hee! By the way, this is post OotP, since I don't know what's coming in book six yet… Please don't punish me for the cheesy stuff…

Title: The Future is Waiting

Chapter 1: The Message

It was five in the morning and Harry Potter suddenly sat bolt upright in his bed. It was an early Saturday morning. He was back at Number Four Privet Drive for the summer once again; back to the house where he was not the Boy Who Defeated the Dark Lord but the boy who lived to the Dursleys' dismay. Though, this was not the perfect time for Harry to be criticizing the people who took him in; he had just dreamt of it again.

For several nights now since Harry's arrival for the summer, he has been dreaming of the same thing, and he can't understand just why.

First, he'd see the rest of the room. He was seeing the dream through his own eyes, meaning he was right there in the dream. He would be standing, his right shoulder leaning against the wall, right next to windows that rose to the ceiling of the room. He would gaze everytime around that dimly lit, somewhat blue-tinged square room. After the first few nights he dreamt about it, he thought the room was familiar. After enough reflecting on the look of it, he realized that it was the room he and Ron, one of his best friends, used when they were staying at Grimmauld Place. It was in Sirius' house.

Sirius was Harry's late godfather. He had died only a few weeks back. He was killed by Bellatrix Lestrange, who was also responsible for the permanent incapacitation of Neville Longbottom's parents, Frank and Alice Longbottom. If Harry hated him before for ruining Neville's life, it was nothing to how he felt now. But of course, he couldn't do anything about it. Dumbledore thought Privet Drive was the safest place for Harry, and he did not dare disobey Dumbledore this time around, not after he'd learned a great deal of Dumbledore's plan before he left Hogwarts at the end of the term. So, even if he wanted to just jinx Lestrange's face to form the word "sneak" in horrible red pimples just like Hermione did with one of the DA members who betrayed them, he can't.

Everytime he saw the whole of the room, he'd walk silently past two large beds, the beds where he and Ron slept. Then he'd hear a female voice talking.

"I don't understand. Please, Sirius. I don't want to leave you," the female voice would say. Then, Harry faces his right and sees the speaker. Facing the wall and separated from it only by another body was a woman, around her 20's, wearing a long sleeved dress that fell to the floor, and appeared to be made of red satin under endless black laces. The woman's back was always turned everytime Harry would see her, so he could not see her face. Instead, he saw her straight long red hair that was chest lenght. Her waist, however, was always in the arms of a man. Her arms would also always be wrapped around the neck of that man, whom she was facing. Harry knew who this man was. The woman would always mention his name at the start of his dream.

"Do not worry. Everything will be all right soon. I will sort all this out," Sirius would always assure the woman. Many times, Harry wanted to ask them what they were talking about, but his dream always took on a different turn.

After Sirius speaks, he leans in to kiss the woman, and Harry's head always turns in the direction of the door, which always stood wide open. There, he would see a girl his age standing, gazing at Sirius and the woman. Then, the girl would turn her eyes upon him.

Everytime Harry saw her, it seemed as though Harry's brain worked to always take in the things he saw first. He first noticed the girl's ocean blue eyes, then the girl's white complexion, but rosy cheeks. The girl's face always showed with curiosity, peering inside the room. The girl had jet-black hair, though Harry could not tell how long it was. The girl was facing him. She was wearing black robes, though Harry could see that she was of the same build as Hermione, Harry's other best friend.

When the girl would look at him, he would open his mouth to speak, and would see the girl's face show anticipation at his words, but Sirius would speak again.

"No one can part us. You know that," and Sirius would raise one of his hands to touch the woman's face, and then his hair, then he would kiss the woman again. When Harry turns toward the door, he'd find that the girl would already be in front of him, at half an arm's distance.

"What – what's happen – " Harry would stutter.

"I really don't know," the girl would say in a quiet voice. Harry noticed that the girl did not have a British accent.

"But – why –"

"Do you know where we are?" the girl would ask. Always, everytime he dreamt this, at the girl's words, he would have the sudden urge to hold her, to wrap his arms around her, and he would find himself and the girl in the same position as Sirius and the woman.

Only, last night, there was a little progress in his dream.

"Wh – What –" The girl was startled. It appeared to Harry that the girl didn't understand what was happening as well. When Harry wrapped his arms around her waist, the girl also wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I – I can't move," Harry said as he tried to remove his arms, but his arms wouldn't move.

"Neither can I," said the girl, a slight panic in her voice now.

"Hey, I know this is not the right time, I mean, we're stuck in a very awkward position, but – are you real? I mean, are you having these as dreams, too?" Harry spoke hurriedly, keen to get all his questions answered.

"Ye – yes. I've been seeing this dream for several nights now… Do you mean to say – You're a real person, too? You live –" said the girl, hurriedly speaking as well.

"Yes. I'm alive – I mean – I'm real – What – I still can't move – What's your name?"

"My name is Claire. And you?"

"I'm Harry."

Then, Harry woke.

Harry got up from his bed and dressed himself. He thought it was peculiar. He was used to having visions. Only last year, he saw through Voldemort's vision as though it was his own. However, he thought that, with Voldemort back, now was not the right time for meeting someone in his dreams, especially if he was unsure if the person he was meeting was real and, given that the girl was real, where in the world he was going to find her.

Harry had already swung his bedroom door open when Hedwig gave a loud hoot. He turned and saw that Hedwig was perched on top of her cage and was holding a white envelope in her beak. He walked across the room to Hedwig. He took the envelope and let Hedwig into her cage. The envelope had nothing written on it, so Harry hurriedly tore it open and saw two pieces of parchment inside. One was from Dumbledore.

Harry –

I've said that you have to stay at your Aunt and Uncle's this summer. However, I've seen that circumstances permit you to stay at the Burrow. Ron will write to you. His letter will come with this, and he will tell you the details of how you will go to their place. This is for your own safety, Harry. You need not reply to me. Contact the Weasleys instead. Keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

Yours truly,

Professore Dumbledore

Harry's heart was pounding. He could not understandwhy Dumbledore suddenly decided that he should go to the Burrow, but he could not hide his glee. He had wanted, more than anything, to go back to the Burrow and spend the summer with the Weasleys, whom Harry has treated like his own family. Though there was some kind of underlying voice of urgency in Dumbledore's letter, a feeling of danger approaching, Harry just couldn't help but feel happy about going to Weasleys. He read Ron's untidy writing next.

Harry –

We just received an owl from Dumbledore saying that he's allowing you to stay with us for the summer. I think this letter's coming with Dumbledore's note to you. Anyway, Mum and I are coming tomorrow to fetch you. We'll be using Muggle transportation, dunno why. Mum says we'll be there at three o'clock. Just tell your Aunt and Uncle that we're coming. Even if they don't let you go, we'll come anyway. So, pack your stuff and see you at three tomorrow.

Ron

Harry's heart pounded more furiously. He was going with Ron tomorrow. He couldn't wish for anything more. He grinned. The two letters clutched in his right hand, he walked out of his bedroom. He went downstairs to breakfast with the Dursleys. He was going to show the two letters to them. He was going to tell them that he was going, and even if they wouldn't allow him, they've got no choice, or maybe Dumbledore himself would come if the Dursleys did not release him. His mind was completely swept of the dream he had been having, and the girl in his dreams. He was just too excited about his departure to worry about anything else – even Lord Voldemort.