Dark Beauty

Harry tossed and turned in his bed. Sweat and tears poured down his face and he knew he was talking in his sleep. No one dared approach him when he was having his nightmares. Harry was sure if they ignored his cries out of fear or their unconcerned natures but he learned to appreciate it.

He's had nightmares ever since he came home from his fifth year at Hogwarts. Every night he has nightmares but when he wakes the details of the dream are unclear to him. Lately, he had been having dreams about a girl he had never seen before. Her face is the only thing he remembers clearly. He wakes up every night around 1pm and sits up in his bed. He tries to remember the circumstances of the dream but nothing comes to him except the girl. Her skin is the color of dark chocolate, clear and smooth. She isn't a witch but she knows magic better than anyone he knows. La Tundra, La Tundra, La Tundra…He chanted the words over and over to himself.

His face was wet with tears and he couldn't understand why. Was that the girls name in the dream, he thought to himself. Tundra is the grass under the snow in the Antarctic. He remembers her walking beside him in the dream but then she grabbed his arms and was yelling at him about something. Her hair was in hundreds of little braids cascading around her face—they shook when she talk. She wore a Hogwarts uniform but it seemed colorful modified with ribbons and scarves. In Harry's dreams she is always crying and begging him not to do something. Harry knew he loved this girl with all of his heart and it was hurting him to leave but he left her and something horrible happened afterwards. La Tundra La Tundra La Tundra… he continued to chant to himself.

La Tundra consumes Harry's every waking moment since he started having the dreams. Harry started drawing pictures of her. At first he was only drawing her to piece together and then he wanted to look at her more and more. He couldn't explain it but he was drawn to her. When he closed his eyes he could almost hear her voice.

The Dursley's noticed the new and strange behavior but they weren't sure how to take it. They had stopped talking to Harry for a while worried that something horrific would come out of his mouth. But after many nights of listening to Harry talk in his sleep he decided to take action. Vernon gathered everyone into the kitchen for breakfast and the Dursleys stared at the silent Harry for a few minutes before saying in unison. "You talk in your sleep."

"I'm sorry I've been having bad dreams." Harry said without looking up from his toast and eggs. He spread some marmalade over his toast and looked at his Aunt Petunia.

With a look of fear Aunt Petunia asked, "What's wrong?"

Harry looked away from his food with surprise and said, "Many things. Do you really want to know?"

Aunt Petunia looked at Uncle Vernon and they nodded at each other. Dudley was too scared to look at them or Harry. "Yes, Harry we want to know."

"Every year at school I worry if this will be the year Lord Voldemort will kill me or get someone to kill me. Sirius died fighting him and he was the only person that every treated me like family. I always have to be prepared to fight or die and a war is coming that might affect both witches and "normal people."

Petunia started sniffing the air as if she was going to cry but she asked a question instead. "Who or what is La Tundra? You've been crying for her for weeks now, and saying something about 'you murderers I'll kill you all'. Were frightened of what is going on in that school. Were scared for our lives that one day that they'll come for us and you'll not be here. What are they doing to you Harry?"

"Lord Voldemort wants me dead no matter what the cost. If you want me to leave you for good I will. I'll stay with the Weasley's but that might not be in your best interests. You need someone here to protect and watch over you." Harry noticed that his aunt and uncle were trying to be as calm as possible but he saw through their façade.

"Who is La Tundra?" Uncle Vernon said in a whisper.

"I don't know." Harry said and walked to his room. He brought down his drawings of La Tundra and they looked at were with aah. "I dream of her every night. I feel as if I know her. I feel as if, if I just think long enough that I'll just remember her."

"Harry it's a week before your birthday wouldn't you like to go over the Weasley's and stay before school starts?"

Harry knew that they wanted to get rid of him but he jumped at the chance to leave. He wrote Ron a brief message and sent Hedwig to deliver the message. The reply came back the next day with the words. Sure, I'll drive up tomorrow and pick you up.

Harry wasn't sure what that meant but he wasn't going to question good news.