AN: Okay, just for the record, this wasn't originally meant to be a book 5 fanfiction, but it's sort of coming out that way.
***
Harry Potter woke with a start. He was covered in a cold sweat. He had been having the same recurring nightmare for some time now. It was always exactly the same..
Wormtail was standing in front of Remus Lupin. Lupin was staring blankly, his eyes were glossed over and his face was expressionless. Wormtail was reaching out his right hand for Lupin's throat. . .
Wormtail's silver hand, which he had been given by Lord Voldemort, clutched the throat of Remus Lupin. Lupin was ghostly pale and limp. He was dead.
Harry wondered if this dream could be true. . . He'd had other dreams like this and they were. . . But how could he be sure?
Harry reached for his glasses and put them on. His room came into sharp focus, lit by the soft glow of street lamps and moonlight. His eyes lingered for a moment on the Gryffindor flag hanging on his wall. He again felt the same longing for Hogwarts he always had. He wanted to go home.
It seemed ages since he was last there, at Hogwarts with his best friends, Ron and Hermione. His last year had been his worst. . . Harry had come to face Voldemort at the end of his fourth year, and Voldemort was reborn with the help of Wormtail. Wormtail had been friends with Harry's father when they were at Hogwarts, but later became a Dark Wizard and joined Voldemort.
Wormtail had performed a Dark ritual of rebirth, using a bone from Voldemort's Muggle father, Tom Riddle, Harry's blood, and Wormtail's own hand.
"Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken. . . you will ressurect your foe."
Harry's mother had died to save him, a powerful countercurse that resides in Harry's veins.. but now Voldemort had that protection too. Voldemort could touch Harry now. He was more powerful than before. . .
Harry closed his eyes for a moment, trying to forget his troubles, if only just for a while. His thoughts turned to a letter he had received the day before, from his best friend Ron Weasley.
'Dear Harry,' the letter read.
'I asked Mum and Dad, and they reckon you can come and stay with us for the rest of the holidays. Dad and Dumbledore have been in contact, and Dumbledore says its best for you if you spend some time here. Send an owl back and say whether or not the Muggles will let you. Either way, Dad says he's coming to get you.
Percy and Penelope Clearwater are getting married, and you're invited to the wedding. Mum's been a nervous wreck. She's helping with the arrangements, you know. They're getting married here. I have to go now, Mum wants me to do some chores.
See you,
Ron
P.S. Dad will pick you up on August 1st, so be ready by then, and I'll give you your birthday present when you get here, its too big for Pig to carry.'
Harry glanced over at his clock. It was 2:00 am. Another birthday. Harry was fifteen. He wondered for a moment whether or not he would live to see his next birthday, and fell back asleep.
***
Harry Potter woke with a start. He was covered in a cold sweat. He had been having the same recurring nightmare for some time now. It was always exactly the same..
Wormtail was standing in front of Remus Lupin. Lupin was staring blankly, his eyes were glossed over and his face was expressionless. Wormtail was reaching out his right hand for Lupin's throat. . .
Wormtail's silver hand, which he had been given by Lord Voldemort, clutched the throat of Remus Lupin. Lupin was ghostly pale and limp. He was dead.
Harry wondered if this dream could be true. . . He'd had other dreams like this and they were. . . But how could he be sure?
Harry reached for his glasses and put them on. His room came into sharp focus, lit by the soft glow of street lamps and moonlight. His eyes lingered for a moment on the Gryffindor flag hanging on his wall. He again felt the same longing for Hogwarts he always had. He wanted to go home.
It seemed ages since he was last there, at Hogwarts with his best friends, Ron and Hermione. His last year had been his worst. . . Harry had come to face Voldemort at the end of his fourth year, and Voldemort was reborn with the help of Wormtail. Wormtail had been friends with Harry's father when they were at Hogwarts, but later became a Dark Wizard and joined Voldemort.
Wormtail had performed a Dark ritual of rebirth, using a bone from Voldemort's Muggle father, Tom Riddle, Harry's blood, and Wormtail's own hand.
"Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken. . . you will ressurect your foe."
Harry's mother had died to save him, a powerful countercurse that resides in Harry's veins.. but now Voldemort had that protection too. Voldemort could touch Harry now. He was more powerful than before. . .
Harry closed his eyes for a moment, trying to forget his troubles, if only just for a while. His thoughts turned to a letter he had received the day before, from his best friend Ron Weasley.
'Dear Harry,' the letter read.
'I asked Mum and Dad, and they reckon you can come and stay with us for the rest of the holidays. Dad and Dumbledore have been in contact, and Dumbledore says its best for you if you spend some time here. Send an owl back and say whether or not the Muggles will let you. Either way, Dad says he's coming to get you.
Percy and Penelope Clearwater are getting married, and you're invited to the wedding. Mum's been a nervous wreck. She's helping with the arrangements, you know. They're getting married here. I have to go now, Mum wants me to do some chores.
See you,
Ron
P.S. Dad will pick you up on August 1st, so be ready by then, and I'll give you your birthday present when you get here, its too big for Pig to carry.'
Harry glanced over at his clock. It was 2:00 am. Another birthday. Harry was fifteen. He wondered for a moment whether or not he would live to see his next birthday, and fell back asleep.