Chapter 1: Sleep Depravation
Harry sat on his bed looking around his room. He was looking to see if he left anything. He did not own much. Only his school supplies, his broomstick, and the few clothing he had left from Dudley that were much too big for him. He jumped up and picked up his trunk by both ends and carried it out of the room and down the stairs and into the livingroom. His Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were sitting on the couch. Their son, Dudley, was no where to be seen. He suspected that he was out with his friends, bringing destruction and ruin to the neighborhood.
Uncle Vernon was going to London. Harry was going with him. He was going to Grimmuald Place, to the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Finally, after being locked up with the Dursley's he was allowed to rejoin his wizarding community. Harry planned to have his Uncle drop him off at the train station in London, and walk or get on the bus to Grimmuald Place. Harry was terrified of going to Sirus's house. He hadn't been there since he died. He knew the Order of the Phoenix still used it. They sent for him to come, and he was going to join Ron and Hermione there, along with Ron's parents and siblings. Lupin would be there also.
The car ride to London was quiet. Uncle Vernon said nothing the entire trip. He dumped Harry out on the street with his trunk. Harry had forgot about his trunk. He would have to walk to Grimmuald Place with his trunk. So he picked it up and started walking. He knew where to go. He walked up to Grimmuald Place and said the address, and a house popped up out of the ground. No one knew it existed.
He walked into the from parlor and was greeted heartily by Mrs. Weasley. "Good morning, Harry. The trip good? No? Well too bad. I am sure you'd like some help with your trunk. I can help you take it up to your room. Ron is up there with Hermione. Come on." Harry walked up the stairs behind Mrs. Weasley. She led him to the same room in which he had stayed the last two times he was here. Mrs. Weasley moved so Harry could knock on the door, and Ron yelped, "Come in!" So, Mrs. Weasley put down Harry's trunk and told him goodbye. Ron opened the door and looked a little flushed. "Hey! Harry! Good to see you! See, Hermione? It's just Harry!" Hermione came to the door and hugged Harry. Then they moved aside to let Harry and his trunk pass.
"I've missed you guys. This summer was as boring as the last. Nothing strange or unusual though." Harry said as he flopped down onto his bed. He leaned over the bed and ran his hands through his hands through his raggedy hair. He sighed heavily. And leaned against the wall. "I just want to get to school, and play quidditch. Enough of this drama. I am so sick of it." Hermione said, "Do not worry. Only 3 more days. We still need your mom to get our school supplies, Ron. Then we'll be on our way to Hogwarts."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione visited for awhile and then went down to dinner when Mrs. Weasley called them. They stumbled down the stairs. The meal that Mrs. Weasley had prepared was delicious. Everyone was having polite conversations, but Harry was sitting at his place stabbing his food with his fork and barely eating anything. He was distracted, and everyone noticed.
"Harry, dear, why aren't you eating your dinner? Is it not good? Do you not like it? Because, if that is the case then I could fix you something else, if you want." Mrs. Weasley's voice drug Harry out of is dreams and pulled him back to reality.
"Uh..No. That's not necessary. It is really good, but I am not hungry. If you don't mind, I think I will excuse myself and go to bed." Mrs. Weasley nodded at Harry's words. He picked up his plate and cup and took them to the sink, and climbed the stairs to his room.
He opened the door, and gently closed it. He rested his head against the cool wood. He heard a sound from behind him. He turned around, but saw nothing there. He decided to go to bed. He changed into his pajamas, and climbed into bed. The trouble was, that Harry was not tired. He lay in bed until Ron came in. He closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. He did not feel like talking to Ron just yet. Ron changed and climbed into bed. And a little while later, Harry heard Ron snore peacefully in his deep slumber.
But, still sleep eluded Harry. He sat in his bed staring at the ceiling and watched light creep up on the room, until it was completely basked in light from the window. Ron awoke. He stretched and yawned. Once again, his pajamas were too small for him.
"Mornin' 'Arry." Ron said in a sleepy voice. Harry nodded and waved. Ron cocked his head and said, "You look like hell. Didn't you get any sleep last night?" Harry shook his head 'No.' Harry stood up and walked to the mirror. He did indeed look like hell. His hair was even more untidier than usual and he had big, dark circles around his eyes.
"Harry, are you okay?" Ron was standing behind him, changing. Harry shook his head. This only gave him a headache. Harry pressed his hand to his forehead. "What is it? It is your scar, again?" Harry shook his head 'No' again and said, "No. Just a headache. I am tired."
"Go to sleep then. I'll tell mum you didn't get much sleep and want to stay in bed." Harry answered Ron by falling into bed, and pulling the covers up over his head. He heard Ron leave the room, and walk down the hall and down the stairs. Harry listened for any other sounds. He didn't hear any. Finally, he slept.
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He was running. Down a winding staircase, through the pitch black corridor and up to a door. It was not locked. His cold, deathly white hand turned the knob on the door. He gripped it so tightly, that it seemed like his life depended on opening this door. Finally, he willed his arm to move to the right and open the door. He heard a click of metal against metal, and knew that the door was open for him to pull back and walk right in, but something was holding him back. He gripped the door and willed with all his might to open and walk in, but he could not do it. Eventually his luck gave out, and his grip slackened on the door knob and turned to the left in his hand. He slammed his fists on the door, and yelled. Then he felt a dark void sucking at him, pulling him down into the abyss. He tried to hold firm to the door, but the door knob was slippery from his sweaty palms. He slipped and fell into the vortex. Lost, forever.
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Harry woke with a surge. His chest heaved heavily from his latest dream. He looked all around him, and saw that ti was nighttime. Again. He heard someone coming up the steps to his room. The door knob turned and in walked Ron. "Hey. You're awake. That's good, we were starting to get worried. Dinner's ready. Wanna come down?" Harry nodded and pushed himself out of bed. He was starving. He quickly dressed and followed Ron down to dinner. When he walked in, everyone looked up at Harry and smiled. Tonight Mr. Weasley was sitting next to his wife along with his whole family. Tonks and Lupin were at the other end of the table deep in conversation after they were done looking at Harry.
Harry inserted himself in the empty seat beside Ron. Dinner was entertaining. Tonks once again changed her noses for the delight of the table, Molly was discussing how glad she was that her son cut his hair, Ron and Lupin were talking about Quidditch, and Arthur was talking to Fred and George about their business. Everything around Harry was perfect.
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Everything in Vyk's world was not perfect. Nothing was ever perfect, and if you made the mistake to think that it was then you would lose the most valuable thing you possess. Vyk was on a mission. She had to hunt down a leithfold, a cloaked creature that liked to feast on human skin. It had big, long claws for hands that he used to skin his victims. Vyk had been on many missions before, but nothing as dangerous as this. School started in two days. She had all of her supplies, but she did not know how long it would take to find and kill this leithfold.
Vyk crept through the underbrush of the forest. This creature was hard to spot, so she had to pay careful attention. If one of his claws pierced her skin, after a few minutes, her entire body would be paralyzed. But she would be conscious, while he skinned her and ate it.
She knew in the general direction this particular leithfold would be. In this forest near the mountain. He was housed in a cave in the mountains, and would hunt in the forest at night. Now all Vyk had to do was wait for him to come out of his lair. Vyk was on special assignment from Dumbledore. She was housed in Gryffindor. She had been going to Hogwarts since she was eleven, but she only went during the summer. During the school term she was on assignments for Dumbledore. At first they had been easy assignments, but then at the end of fourth year everything had changed. Voldemort was back and the missions were much more dangerous.
This was going to be the first year she went to school with other students. But she was confident that everything would be okay and she could find this leithfold before school and get on the train on time. Suddenly, she saw some movement out of the corner of her eyes. It was the leithfold.