All a Dream

Chapter 3

"Um, excuse me," interrupted a healer with a bottle of Skele-Gro and a large mug, "is Harry being talked to right now, or...Oh, goodness you're awake! There's a young Mr. Weasley to see you, dear."

"Excellent," said Harry with enthusiasm.

"Harry, do you want us to go get some tea or something?" enquired Lily.

"No, it's okay, Mum." It felt so strange to say that word to his mother. "You and Dad can stay."

And in walked Ron Weasley. He was pretty much the same as Harry had remembered (or, rather, had dreamed), except he had a beard. It wasn't much of one, but it was something.

The first words to escape Ron's mouth were: "Blimey! You're awake!" And in jubilation Ron ran over to Harry's bed, and sat down on a chair with so much enthusiasm that it broke. Blushing, Ron repaired it with his wand and sat down with considerable chagrin. This didn't stop his smile, though, which had remained on his face since he'd walked through the door.

"You aren't any different," said Harry, smiling as well. "Except the beard. Nice touch, mate."

"Ah, it's not really anything, you woke up. That's going to be huge news; you weren't supposed to wake up for a few years. A breakthrough, that is."

"Yeah, to think I dreamt it all. Even my scar hurting."

"You had a scar?" asked Ron.

"Yeah," said Harry slowly, as though talking to someone rather younger than him. "It was a lightning bolt on my forehead."

"There's no scar, Harry."

Harry could barely believe it. The scar, the connection to Voldemort, had never existed. The same scar that had caused him pain and humiliation had never been etched on his head. This was turning out to be one of the best days of his life.